Ten years ago, first-year camper Kirk Moyer from Metairie/New Orleans, sent me an incredible piece talking about his TrailRidge memories. Kirk was there that first year (1982)and came back for a second. That first year was no cakewalk so the fact that anyone returned was somewhat of a minor miracle. Kirk resent his story just this week to commemorate the 40th year of TMC's founding. Thanks Kirk. He's actually going to be up in the TrailRidge-Roan Mountain-Hughes Gap areas in a couple of weeks.

Check it out: https://www.trailridge.info/uploads/7/7/7/4/7774835/i_blazed_the_trail_-_kirk_moyer.pdf

It's been a while since I've posted a blog on this site but emails this weekend from both John and Joe(y) Ley reminded me that there are still hundreds of former campers who haven't discovered this website. By the way, both John and Joey are included in the group photo above.

The TrailRidge memories continue and over the past several months I've recently heard from two other boys (now grown men) in additional to John and Joe.

One of those is Dale Kiser and another is Orlando Hernandez. Orlando was our first camper from Mexico and I do remember his family pulling into camp about 11 P.M. on opening night with his cousin Jose in tow. Both boys attended TrailRidge for several summers.

Click to read some short memories from John Ley, Joe Ley, and Dale Kiser.

Thirty years ago a bunch of very brave people - campers and staff descended upon the small mountain community of Buladean to mark the beginning of a new summer camp. TrailRidge Mountain Camp was born and for the next decade and a half made its own little piece of history. The photo below isn't from the very first year, but from probably year two or three.

That first year there weren't any cabins, no pond, and hardly any activities except "work." But bit by bit the camp became home to nearly a 1,000 boys and staff members over the years. It was some rocky ride...and one of those life-changing experiences.

Here's to you campers and staff from 1982 and beyond!

Next month will mark the 30th year anniversary of the founding of TrailRidge Mountain Camp.

This website has been a great way for campers and staff members from the original TrailRidge to have the opportunity to rekindle old friendships by reconnecting to the camp and to each other. It has been really nice to hear from some of you long lost souls and I had a wonderful treat this week when Kirk Moyer from Louisiana emailed me that he had found the site. He sent me a paragraph of some of his quick memories and I wanted to post that as soon as I read it. But Kirk said, "Wait, I want to take some time and send you a whole bunch of his memories." And he did.

It's amazing to think what we all can remember from 30 years ago. For some of us, we were "adults" even then...but Kirk's recollections were from the time when he, like so many of our campers, was just 11 and 12 years old. What a memory.

Click to read Kirk's story. It's a great one.

And please consider sending in your own. I certainly don't expect you to write as much as Kirk...but don't let me stop you.

Thanks Kirk. You made my day. Actually, you made more than my day!