TrailRidge Mountain Camp - the Buladean Years
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Unsolved Mysteries - The Lucy Story (filmed July 1989)

2/1/2022

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Here's the fourth of five recently discovered and digitized old camp feature films created by kids and counselors. This one is about the abduction of Lucy, the camp goat. Check it out.
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A Nightmare at TrailRidge

1/17/2022

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And so, here we are 33 years later getting a chance to look back at our younger selves. This video was filmed in 1989 and stars a bunch of campers along with Davies, John, and Barclay. 
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Hiking on Roan Mountain

1/10/2022

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Here's a link about hiking on Roan Mountain along with some nice photos. This was recently published online in the "Only in Your State" blog.
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The Second 1988 Movie

12/7/2021

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We made a second movie in 1988, in July. This was probably during our longer session. Check it out. it's fun.
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The first of a handful of TrailRidge Feature Videos

11/27/2021

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Apparently, in 1988 - campers and counselors on a rather boring Sunday afternoon decided to write, direct, act, film, and "kind of edit" a feature film. These movies are about ten minutes or so each and while the quality can't compare to what we could do today with a decent digital camera or a cellphone...they're still funny to watch.

Check out this first one, "A Camper's First Session - or A Parent's Mistake."
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Camp friends are the best.

11/27/2021

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Camp friends are always the best. Ben Parker keeps in touch with several former campers/counselors including Steve Sovelove. Steve and and his family have been staying at an Airbnb this week in Albuquerque visiting their son at the University of New Mexico. This week Ben has been on several hikes with Steve and one of his son's. Ben says Steve is doing great. Still building furniture on Lopez island north of Seattle.

First photo: Ben (left) and Steve.

Second photo: Steve and his son.
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7,500 Acres Donated to SAHC to continue to protect Roan Mountain

4/23/2021

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Wonderful Earth Day news for lovers of the Roan Mountain area. Billionaire Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, has made a donation of 7,500 acres of land to add to all the other wonderful land making up that land mass.

Check out the story on WLOS-TV.

https://wlos.com/news/local/earth-day-gift-thousands-of-mountain-acres-donated-to-conservancy?fbclid=IwAR227wN5L4ME2YD61MSS6J9uvZGAK9mzusFXqJD0ANt2_mmumn6hUoe6buo
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Roan Mountain, a different view...

4/7/2021

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Pretty much all of our campers visited Roan Mountain at some point or other...either on a backpacking trip or as a day trip by van. It is a magical mountain. Check out these photos and captions found on the "Only in Your State" online newsletter:

Click to check it out.
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Trevor Creighton from Australia checks in...

2/18/2021

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Every so often we'll hear from a former camper or counselor. It's always fun to have friend check in. I just got this email from our one and only Australian counselor, Trevor Creighton. Here's what he had to say...

I was a TMC counselor in 1988 (the Australian one). This afternoon I decided to find out if TrailRidge could be found via the all-knowing Google and there it was - your fabulous site! I can't tell you how much I am enjoying it. I'm still sifting through, but already have come across some snippets from a couple of compadres from '88 - Paul and John. I have such great memories of my one summer. I had intended to come back the following year but got married instead. It was a tough choice ;-)

I'm looking forward to going through the photographs now. Already spotted Sam Brinkley. I remember taking quite a few of the kids down to his grave on the 'Sam Brinkley Memorial cycle tour' on a few occasions - that was a blast! I still manage to weave in some tall tales of TrailRidge around the dinner table to any captive audience I can find.
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A Buladean Landmark...

9/5/2020

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One of our bike rides out of camp was down Hughes Gap Road, over to a side road, and up to a church cemetery that was the resting site of Sam Brinkley. His beard was legend.

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For #WorldBeardDay we're spotlighting Sam Brinkley, who became known for one of the world’s longest beards in the early 20th century. He was born near Burnsville in Yancey County.

As an adult, Brinkley stood at 6 feet, two inches with a beard that measured in at 5 feet, 4 inches at its peak length. Notoriety came with the remarkable growth of his beard. He began by exhibiting it to the curious, and he went on tour with the Barnum and Bailey Circus. He reportedly earned thousands of dollars by charging people to see his beard, which he kept tucked in a pouch.

Brinkley was a late bloomer when it came to facial hair. According to newspaper accounts, until he was 21, he had no real beard to shave. By 23, the growth had reached the astounding rate of a full beard in a week’s time. One article reported that the beard was entirely natural, not the result of restorers or invigorators. Another called it “soft and beautiful.” For decades Brinkley was known as the world’s expert on the cultivation of beards.

He died in 1929 from complications of tonsillitis, and he is buried at Buladean in Mitchell County with a striking photo featuring his legendary beard recessed into his tombstone.

-Original post from the North Carolina Department of Natural & Cultural Resources (9/5/20)
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    Mark's Blog

    Just some random thoughts about how TrailRidge came to be and about life at the camp in those first 15 or so years in Buladean.

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