The Camp Host Routine

When people asked me what I would do all day in the mountains, I told them I would run every day, write every day, and scrapbook every day – and somewhere in there I would do the camp host job.  Our job as camp hosts includes ensuring that the campground is clean, the pit toilets are clean, and the campground fees are paid. 

In the three weeks since we arrived we’ve established our routine.  We are still early risers – even without the benefit of an alarm clock.  We watch the sun rise over the lake. We linger over coffee.  I walk our dog, Ty.  I get my run in before we start “work.”  Then we change into our uniforms (yes, we have uniforms), hop on the ATV, and make the rounds to the bathrooms.  We check campsites that we know were occupied and clean out any excess ash from the fire pits.  Sadly, we’ve also had to pick up trash from several sites.  The worst was the group that left beer bottles and three dirty diapers in the fire pit.  Seriously, who does this?

As new campers arrive, I put Ty on his leash, sling my backpack over my head, and go out to meet them. Ty is a great icebreaker – he loves kids and kids can always tell.  I reach into my backpack for the information packet (including the fee envelope).  Do you have a dog?  I have dog biscuits.  May the kids have some candy?  Meeting the people is the most fun part of the camp host job.  A few days ago I got a big hug from a little camper who told me she would miss me.

Once we’ve made our rounds our time is our own.  This is when I write.  This is when I work on the digital scrapbook.  The dog gets at least two more walks around the campground. We sit on our makeshift patio and watch the campground kids fishing from the dam. We listen to satellite radio.  We didn’t bring a television – nobody bothered to run cable into the Uinta Mountains – so we watch videos on my laptop.  It actually works pretty well.

I’m thinking I like this retirement gig J