1 00:00:01,400 --> 00:00:04,200 From the Great Central Fire today we had a great guest, 2 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:09,320 Jesse Blair, a long time camper and staff guy from back in the 3 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:15,520 early 70s through the early 80s. But we were able to revisit and 4 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:19,040 talk about his early days at camp coming from San Diego. 5 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:24,120 We talked about when he was my counselor when I was a prep back 6 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:27,280 in the late 70s, a lot of his camp friends were talked about 7 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:30,160 and there's so many good stories about his friends that he talks 8 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:32,920 about how he wintered in the falls. 9 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:34,840 He wanted to spend a winter in the falls and he went to Rainy 10 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:38,720 Lake Community College. A few animal encounters on trips 11 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:42,600 and things that stick out. And, and at the end we asked a 12 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:45,720 few questions to Jesse just to get some responses that I think 13 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:48,600 you guys are really enjoy. So sit back and enjoy our 14 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:58,600 conversation with Jesse Blair. Today from the great Central 15 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:02,720 Fire, Oh my gosh, this is going to be so good. 16 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:08,760 We're bringing back an old Cam Cooch friend from the early 70s 17 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:11,600 and 80s. So many people know him and I 18 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:15,360 wish so many more people could meet him very close to me and my 19 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:18,800 family. Jesse Blair, welcome to the 20 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:20,480 podcast. How you doing, Jesse? 21 00:01:21,320 --> 00:01:23,760 I'm doing just fine. How you doing? 22 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:25,600 Good. How's everything in Atlanta? 23 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:29,440 Everything's going pretty good. It's a little chilly down here, 24 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:31,280 but it's not as cold as Michigan. 25 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:34,000 That's right. That's right. 26 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:36,720 Boy, Jesse, gosh, I mean, we can sit here and we're going to sit 27 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:38,480 here and tell tons of stories today. 28 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:41,800 Yes. You know, you were my counselor 29 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:47,440 back in 1979 in Cabin 7 and you know, we had guys like Eduardo 30 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:53,160 Torres and Steve Hindley and Luke Dye, myself and and and God 31 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:55,400 rest his soul, Eddie Reevey was the other counselor in that 32 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:58,480 cabin. And we went on a canoe trip 33 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:00,960 together when I was a junior, which we'll talk about too, 34 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:07,000 which didn't. And I didn't remember that. 35 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:10,160 But Jesse, I mean, I want to start at the beginning. 36 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:14,480 And, you know, as we were joking before, you know, you're like 37 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:18,120 the Jackie Robinson, a camp coach, you know? 38 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:21,000 Yeah, I. You set the groundwork for so 39 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:24,680 many and I'll tell you, I mean just just a class act the whole 40 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:26,520 time through. And I, I just want to start. 41 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:29,000 I know you grew up in San Diego, but how did you find out about 42 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:32,800 Camp Jesse? I I found out about it through 43 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:37,280 Bob Hanson, who was a professor out at San Diego State 44 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:42,120 University. And I got a chance to meet him 45 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:45,560 because one of my older sisters was going to school out of San 46 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:49,720 Diego State at that time. And her name is Julie and 47 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:51,800 Julie's 10 years older than I am. 48 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:59,960 But she met Bob Hanson and Bob really liked her as as a student 49 00:02:59,960 --> 00:03:05,560 and everything. And one day she invited him to 50 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:11,760 come over to our house and he he met the rest of my family and it 51 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:15,760 just so happened he pulled me aside and he asked me if I 52 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:20,200 wanted to go to summer camp in Minnesota. 53 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:25,040 And he showed me pictures and things in, in this camp booklet 54 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:30,640 and, and then all of a sudden he showed it to my mom. 55 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:35,720 And, and then I asked my mom if I could go to camp. 56 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:39,760 I was kind of begging her to let me go because I really from the 57 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:42,240 pictures that everything looked like it was a lot of fun and 58 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:46,600 being in the outdoors. And I've always liked nature 59 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:50,320 and, and, and being in the outdoors and I like the national 60 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:54,640 parks and things like that. So I asked my mom if I could go 61 00:03:54,640 --> 00:04:01,200 and, and she said yes. And Bob Hanson, I guess, talked 62 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:06,200 to the board of trustees at camp and they put me on the 63 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:09,160 scholarship fund because my parents didn't have the money to 64 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:14,400 pay for me to go on the tuition there at the camp. 65 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:22,440 But I, I, I have so many fond memories of being at camp and I 66 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:27,160 think both John Holden and Bob Hanson for letting me come up 67 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:32,280 there because it really opened my eyes to a lot of things as 68 00:04:32,280 --> 00:04:36,480 far as in the outdoors and, and the North Northwoods. 69 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:41,120 And now when you got there, Jesse, in 1971, you were in the 70 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:46,560 junior camp, I believe. No, I was, I was actually a prep 71 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:54,640 in cabinet and my counselor, my counselors were Mike Ecker, Rich 72 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:58,200 Thompson and Tom Henman, OK. Yeah. 73 00:04:58,840 --> 00:05:04,880 Yeah, Oh boy, Those, those, those were my counselors at that 74 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:07,400 time, OK. What did you think when you got 75 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:08,600 it? Was it what you expected? 76 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:12,040 I mean, when she coming from San Diego to International Falls, I 77 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:15,520 mean, I was probably a you got thrown into nature. 78 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:18,040 Yeah. It it it. 79 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:24,040 Was a. It was a different setting for 80 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:29,520 me. And it, it was just I, I really 81 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:33,520 liked when I first came to camp, what I really liked, I liked 82 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:37,840 hearing the birds sing, especially the white throated 83 00:05:37,840 --> 00:05:38,840 Sparrow. Oh, yeah. 84 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:46,560 I mean, I mean, when they do that, oh, man, it, it, it almost 85 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:50,960 brings tears to my eyes because I, I just, it reminds me of my 86 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:56,200 youth when I was a kid. And it's it's just really nice 87 00:05:57,200 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaking of. Birds, Jesse, there's not many 88 00:05:59,960 --> 00:06:03,200 people that know this, but I know this and I know you can 89 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:05,800 still do it and you should do it right now on this podcast. 90 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:09,120 Do your loon call right now. Yeah, I will. 91 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:11,120 I'll do it. I hope I don't wake up my 92 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:14,320 neighbors in the in the complex. No, you got to do it. 93 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:15,560 This is awesome. OK. 94 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:25,920 You used to do that all the time. 95 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:29,600 I used to crack up last. That's so good, Jesse. 96 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:34,760 So your your times as a camper though, I mean, you loved it and 97 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:37,040 it slowly got better. You came back the next year. 98 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:39,680 I mean, you had a great. Did you go 8 weeks or 4 weeks 99 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:42,600 or? I went, I went eight weeks every 100 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:46,160 summer. I was there, yeah, but there was 101 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:48,840 a couple times I got homesick. I really did. 102 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:54,120 And I cried my eyes out wanting to go home a couple of times 103 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:57,920 because I, I'm, I miss some of my brothers and sisters. 104 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:09,000 So, but, but that, that was a long time ago and I, I had some 105 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:12,520 guys at camp that used to tease me and stuff like that. 106 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:16,520 But then there was other kids that were really, really good 107 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:20,240 kids. And I think I made some lifelong 108 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:23,960 friendships. And one guy I still keep in 109 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:30,760 touch with today is Bill Easley. And Bill's, Bill's been a great 110 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:32,400 friend. He really hasn't. 111 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:36,600 And Bill's Bill was in the intermediate camp while I was in 112 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:40,320 the prep camp. So that just goes to show you 113 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:44,560 that, you know, friends could come from all ages and. 114 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:47,640 Oh yeah, Oh yeah. And I, I really enjoyed that 115 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:48,640 and. Did you? 116 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:50,920 I'm sure you hooked up with his counterpart, Buzz. 117 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:56,240 Oh, yeah, yeah, yes, I have. Yeah. 118 00:07:56,720 --> 00:08:00,560 Those two guys, they were like peas and carrots, man. 119 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:04,840 They're really tight. They're like Batman and Robin. 120 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:10,440 Yeah. Oh man, so you were in the 121 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:14,200 intermediate camp I think in 74, maybe 70? 122 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:18,160 9/19/74. And you were in cabin 15. 123 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:19,800 You guys won the token card race. 124 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:23,560 Yes, we did. And we Potter Varley was in your 125 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:26,560 cabin. Yeah, Potter Varley was in my 126 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:32,440 cabin, another guy who who was a good athlete, but he had a bad 127 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:34,640 attitude and that was Bill Hilbert. 128 00:08:37,159 --> 00:08:41,880 But he always seemed like he had something against me or 129 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:43,200 something. I don't know why. 130 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:46,800 But I don't know, he's probably jealous of your jump shot or 131 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:49,160 something. Yeah, we used, we used to get in 132 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:52,520 some fights and stuff, yeah. Oh boy. 133 00:08:53,400 --> 00:09:02,080 And, and, and then we had another guy in the cabin. 134 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:07,840 He he was one of BJ's students or something. 135 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:10,200 At Gleneste High School, that's where I went to school. 136 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:12,320 Yeah, yeah. And. 137 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:16,200 Donnie Watson. Donnie Watson, that's it. 138 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:19,560 Yeah, he and he was, he was a good athlete, good basketball 139 00:09:19,560 --> 00:09:24,200 player, good, good wrestler, good, good track runner. 140 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:28,000 Yeah, he was good. But we did we we won the we won 141 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:31,200 the token card collection that year. 142 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:34,760 Well, I just want to, I want to tell people, you know, that year 143 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:40,440 74, what else was going on. That same year, Cabin Cabin 8A 144 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:43,160 was built. Yes, which? 145 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:46,920 Is crazy because now it's gone and so a lot of people, yeah. 146 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:48,160 So a lot of people don't even know where it is. 147 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:50,920 I think there might be a Biffy there now or there was a a prep 148 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:55,520 independent prep Biffy there. But cabin 8A is no longer no 149 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:57,080 longer here. So some people might not even 150 00:09:57,080 --> 00:09:59,440 know what I'm talking about with cabin. 8A OK. 151 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:02,200 Yeah. The other thing interesting 152 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:06,000 about that year is in backpacking was introduced and 153 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:08,960 so were the bicycle trips. Yeah, the bicycling. 154 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:10,920 Did you ever? Do one of those. 155 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:14,600 I didn't, I didn't go on the bicycling trips, but I did go on 156 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:19,640 the backpacking trips and, and the backpacking. 157 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:27,120 I went with Jim Bond and, and, and I was with a few other guys. 158 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:30,720 Drew Henman was one of the guys I remember on the backpacking 159 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:35,880 trip and, and, and it was funny because when we were, when we 160 00:10:35,880 --> 00:10:38,840 were camping and stuff, I thought the mosquitoes were just 161 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:43,800 as bad in going into places like Montana and Utah and stuff. 162 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:49,280 And I was telling Drew Henman, I said, I think the mosquitoes 163 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:53,560 like dark meat. Well, you said that to me once 164 00:10:53,560 --> 00:10:55,240 too, and I said, hey, they're chewing me up too. 165 00:10:55,240 --> 00:10:56,720 I don't know what you're talking about. 166 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:05,280 It's so good. Oh, and then you were in the 167 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:06,920 senior. You did you go down the seal. 168 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:10,560 I went down the Seal River as a senior, yes. 169 00:11:10,560 --> 00:11:11,680 What do you remember there? Is that? 170 00:11:11,680 --> 00:11:16,840 How was that trip? It, it was really nice going on 171 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:20,240 the, the Seal River trip. And a lot of times I would try 172 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:25,640 to do a bear call. But, you know, way up north in 173 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:28,400 Canada, they have those things called eskers. 174 00:11:28,400 --> 00:11:30,600 You know, that looks like a big sand dune. 175 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:34,160 Oh, yeah. And, and one time I, I did it, I 176 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:39,240 was talking to Potter Varley and he was in another canoe and I, I 177 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:46,400 was going, Hey, Potter. And all of a sudden over this, 178 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:51,240 after came, came this black bear and the, and the bear and the 179 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:56,040 black bear came over the, over the hill. 180 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:59,880 And he ran all the way down to the shoreline until he finally 181 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:03,520 recognized it was a person instead of a bear. 182 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:09,880 Well, they don't see that well, so by the time he figured it 183 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:12,840 out, yeah. Yeah, by the time he figured it 184 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:15,560 out, he just goes, oh, I'll just be about my business. 185 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:19,560 Oh man, those are great trips. So I didn't do the seal, I did 186 00:12:19,560 --> 00:12:21,880 the knife. But you know, it's a great trip 187 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:23,760 and. Yeah. 188 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:26,080 You know, it's a great part of the country up there on that. 189 00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:29,040 And I know our senior. Senior still looking forward to 190 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:32,640 that big trip. Yeah, going on the Seal River 191 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:39,640 trip, there was a time when we were coming down the Seal and I, 192 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:45,920 I was in the, the bow of the boat and I, I just so happened 193 00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:49,640 to get us caught up on a rock. So I tried to step out on 194 00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:53,560 another rock to see if I could get our boat off the rock. 195 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:57,280 And it just so happened I slipped all the way in and the, 196 00:12:57,560 --> 00:12:59,920 and the water was cold. Oh yeah. 197 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:07,040 And, and I, I finally got back in the canoe and everything and, 198 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:09,640 and got the boat, you know, off the rock. 199 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:15,760 But I think it was Dexter Davison or Bob Meek. 200 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:19,280 They told me to take off all my clothes and wring them out and 201 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:22,880 then, and then try to put them back on and, and, and let my 202 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:30,480 body heat dry them out. So, but I did that and and then 203 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:37,280 by the time we got into Hudson's Bay, Hudson Bay, we we pulled 204 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:43,880 over because the tide went out and so we had to pull our canoes 205 00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:48,200 up on the shore. And then all of a sudden, like 206 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:52,000 while we were sitting on the shoreline, a lot of the campers 207 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:55,680 were getting hungry. And so everybody wanted to get 208 00:13:55,680 --> 00:14:02,680 something to eat. And all's I remember is I, I 209 00:14:02,680 --> 00:14:07,200 think it was Dexter Davison, he said, did you see that big white 210 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:11,400 rock? It moved and it was a polar bear 211 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:13,960 with two Cubs And they were in the distance. 212 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:18,600 We were downwind from them, but they were in the distance by 213 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:23,720 about maybe, oh, probably about two or 300 yards. 214 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:30,880 And, and I just said, well, if, if that polar bear is hungry, 215 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:33,760 man, we're going to be in a world of trouble. 216 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:40,600 But Bob Meek had his his big powerful rifle with them too. 217 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:42,680 So but. You were. 218 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:45,760 Now did you guys paddle the Bay or did you get a ride across it? 219 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:51,840 We we actually had to hike while the the tide was low. 220 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:59,720 We hiked to this goose camp and we stopped in there and for some 221 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:04,960 strange reason, I, I was walking and I was walking and next thing 222 00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:08,640 I know I, I started cramping up. My legs were cramped up real 223 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:12,440 tight and everything and they cramped up to the point where I 224 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:15,080 was crying. It hurt so bad. 225 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:20,840 And Bob me just came and picked me up and carried me the rest of 226 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:25,480 the way. And he cared me about another, 227 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:28,440 oh, probably about 50 yards or so. 228 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:35,560 And, and then finally, then when we got inside the goose camp, a 229 00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:40,080 fire was made to, to, to heat up the cabin there. 230 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:44,400 And, and, and then we, we spent the night there. 231 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:48,360 And then we got up about four O clock in the morning because 232 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:54,400 some guy in in a boat was going to tow us to our canoes and 233 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:58,600 everything over to Churchill, Manitoba, which was about 40 234 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:02,920 miles away. And when that wind and that 235 00:16:02,920 --> 00:16:07,680 water started splashing up on on the boat and I was freezing my 236 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:14,640 garbanzo beans. Oh yeah, that weather would 237 00:16:14,640 --> 00:16:17,960 change out there all the time. I mean, it was. 238 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:20,880 Constantly changing. Well, that that was your senior 239 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:22,680 year. You were in Cabin 18, I think. 240 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:26,400 And yes, I know John Jolly was your counselor. 241 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:28,640 Yes, he was. And you were in there with 242 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:30,560 Jeremy Harrison. I there's an old name from the 243 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:33,040 past and. Oh yeah, he was in my cabin on 244 00:16:33,400 --> 00:16:36,640 my first year too. Potter was in there. 245 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:39,760 Potter, Varley. And Kyle Ronimus. 246 00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:42,240 You remember Kyle? Oh yeah, Kyle Ronimus. 247 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:45,240 Yeah, he was a tough cookie. He was a great camper, too. 248 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:46,880 He really? Yeah, he's a good guy. 249 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:49,800 And I mean John Ward. I saw him in your cabin a couple 250 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:52,320 times. Yeah, John Ward was in a couple 251 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:59,800 of my cabins that I had in. And then I'm I'm trying to 252 00:16:59,800 --> 00:17:06,000 remember a couple other guys. I remember I had a guy named 253 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:08,640 Curtis Dyruden, cabin 18 as well. 254 00:17:09,680 --> 00:17:13,200 Yeah, I remember him. Yeah, I remember Curtis. 255 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:14,720 Yep. But it was. 256 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:19,520 Really, you you were on staff, I mean, and how was that transit 257 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:22,560 you? Look, I had you as a counselor, 258 00:17:22,560 --> 00:17:24,359 man. All's I'll say is this. 259 00:17:25,319 --> 00:17:27,440 I know there's a lot of great counselors today at Camp 260 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:31,880 Kuchicheng and Okuchi, the new girls camp, but I wish every kid 261 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:33,480 could have you as a counselor, I mean. 262 00:17:33,840 --> 00:17:36,680 Every kid. Needs the chance to have Jesse 263 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:41,000 Blair as a It was unbelievable. And I, you know, the fun we had 264 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:44,200 when you had when I was a prep and you were in Cabin 7 together 265 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:48,400 with me and oh, I mean we loved it. 266 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:51,360 Yeah. How'd you like me to stand? 267 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:59,240 Well, when I first was in the senior camp as as a senior, 268 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:03,280 that's what I asked John. I said, John, when I turn 18, 269 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:07,920 can I come back as a counselor? And he, he goes, yeah, we'd love 270 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:12,320 to have you on the staff, Jesse. And sure enough, I, I came back 271 00:18:13,120 --> 00:18:17,200 and I, and I, I said to myself, gosh, I'm going to camp and I'm 272 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:21,680 going to be getting paid. I know I'm having fun and I'm 273 00:18:21,680 --> 00:18:24,680 getting paid for it. I talked to some people about 274 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:25,720 this. That's what a lot of people 275 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:27,720 thought back in the day. You know you're going to pay me 276 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:29,160 for this. Yeah. 277 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:36,760 So I was there in the summer of 78 and then I came back in the 278 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:42,080 summer of 79 and then I came back in the summer of 1980. 279 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:47,560 And then when I was there in 1980, I wanted to see what a 280 00:18:47,560 --> 00:18:51,360 winter was like. So I spent the the winter up in 281 00:18:51,360 --> 00:18:55,240 International Falls. And that was a real experience 282 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:59,080 for me because I, I did not know the winters could get so cold 283 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:03,160 like 40 below 0. And now that's when. 284 00:19:03,160 --> 00:19:05,680 You were enrolled at Rainy River Right Community College. 285 00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:08,120 Yeah, at Rain River Community College. 286 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:15,480 And you know, one of the guys in the kitchen named Joe Gus, he 287 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:21,080 was a dishwasher then at that time in in the cab in the camp 288 00:19:21,080 --> 00:19:25,960 kitchen. And I guess he told the coach, 289 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:31,320 coach Dave Horner all about me. And next thing I know, you know, 290 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:34,200 he's asking me to come out for the basketball team. 291 00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:38,200 And I, I just said, well, I'm not even enrolled in school or 292 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:42,040 anything. And, and he says, well, we'll, 293 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:43,840 we'll get you signed up and all that. 294 00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:48,080 And next saying, I was going out for the basketball team, but I, 295 00:19:48,360 --> 00:19:55,680 I, I didn't play too much because they already had their 296 00:19:55,680 --> 00:19:59,360 players set and everything. I was more of a bench player. 297 00:19:59,360 --> 00:20:03,400 But when I came out there my second year, they wanted me to 298 00:20:03,720 --> 00:20:09,440 to be a starter and. And I and I told the coach I, I 299 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:14,840 said, coach, I love basketball and I know this is probably 300 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:18,920 going to hurt your feelings, but I, I just said we go to college 301 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:22,560 for our grades first and sports are secondary. 302 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:25,400 And he still wanted me to come out for the team. 303 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:28,440 But I, I just said, coach, I, I really don't feel like playing 304 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:31,280 this year. And and I I didn't. 305 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:34,440 And you? Got the experience. 306 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:38,000 Winter in the Falls. Yeah, and, and I apologize to 307 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:43,680 them later as years went by, went up to the falls in and saw 308 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:49,000 him and I and I apologized and I, I just said coach I, I, I 309 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:52,520 still think I was right in my decision by not playing because 310 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:57,160 there's so many guys that go off to college and they play ball, 311 00:20:58,080 --> 00:21:01,760 but but they can't hold a conversation or they can't even 312 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:04,560 sign their own contract and things like that. 313 00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:07,760 I didn't want I didn't want to be like that. 314 00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:11,280 I didn't want you. Probably got your Your skills 315 00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:13,880 probably got honed up on the courts of Cam Kuchicheng with 316 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:16,240 Kurt Roker and Gary Leinberger and the. 317 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:17,480 Boys. Oh yeah. 318 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:21,000 Phil Perling. And yeah, and your dad too. 319 00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:24,720 And they, they they were some good ball players. 320 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:28,400 They really were. Yeah, it was, it was a lot of 321 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:32,920 fun playing on, on the camp of full court basketball, 322 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:38,160 especially after dinner when they would get a whole bunch of 323 00:21:38,160 --> 00:21:42,520 guys to go down there and play. And I, I enjoyed the softball 324 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:45,600 games that they used to play to on the field. 325 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:49,560 And, and when John Holden would pitch, you know, I thought, I 326 00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:52,320 thought that that was pretty cool because he used to have a 327 00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:56,400 real good backspin on the ball and sometimes it was hard for me 328 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:58,240 to hit it. You know, yeah. 329 00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:01,440 So but you. There when he got hit in the 330 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:04,080 head. Yeah, I think it was, and I 331 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:06,000 think I was the one who did that. 332 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:07,960 I don't know if you were Pat Ecker. 333 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:13,280 Yeah, and I wasn't trying to hurt him intentionally, but I 334 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:15,080 think I hit him in the head, yeah. 335 00:22:15,120 --> 00:22:16,600 Yeah, there's a line drive he was pitching. 336 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:18,120 It came back, hit him in the head and the ball was fit and 337 00:22:18,120 --> 00:22:20,400 I'll never forget that. The only thing I remember about 338 00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:23,160 those softball games, Jesse, is Bebo. 339 00:22:23,360 --> 00:22:25,640 You remember Bebo? Oh yeah, yeah. 340 00:22:25,960 --> 00:22:29,440 He would, he would kick the, you know, back then the beer, you 341 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:32,080 know that that was preseason. They had beer cans down there 342 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:34,520 and everything. He would put the beer cans on 343 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:36,080 his shoes. He would step on them so they 344 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:38,200 were connected. He would crunch him on the back 345 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:41,120 of his heels of his shoe and he would run it down to first base 346 00:22:41,120 --> 00:22:45,480 with two beer cans on his shoes. He was a character old. 347 00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:47,840 Bebo. Yes, he was, yeah. 348 00:22:48,360 --> 00:22:50,320 And BJ had that old baseball MIT. 349 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:55,080 And yeah, he did. And, and, and one thing I, I 350 00:22:55,080 --> 00:23:01,120 remember about Bebo was even when we had the Grand council's, 351 00:23:02,120 --> 00:23:05,520 I used to always like it when he would do the snake dance or 352 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:08,320 something. He had, he had that real unique, 353 00:23:08,440 --> 00:23:13,600 you know, stomp on the ground. And I thought he he was really 354 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:17,000 good at doing it and he he was a good dancer. 355 00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:19,080 He was the best storm Stepper there was. 356 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:20,080 That's for. Darn sure. 357 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:21,600 Yes. Yes. 358 00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:24,320 So our, our, our, I'll never forget. 359 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:28,480 I'm going to get into some stories here, but when we played 360 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:32,440 about this, but we were in Camping 7, Steve Hindley and I, 361 00:23:32,440 --> 00:23:37,960 we probably the two smallest preps out there and we're doing 362 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:39,560 the Around the Island canoe race. 363 00:23:39,960 --> 00:23:42,720 Yes. And we take off and, you know, 364 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:45,080 obviously no one can see you, those boats falling, you're 365 00:23:45,080 --> 00:23:47,880 going around the island, you know, but the preps don't get 366 00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:50,960 lost and whatever. So Steve and I are going and 367 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:53,880 we're we're hammering it pretty good, you know, and we've got a 368 00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:55,680 pretty good lead and it looks like we're going to win it. 369 00:23:55,680 --> 00:23:57,760 But I keep I'm yelling at Steve the whole time. 370 00:23:57,760 --> 00:24:01,360 Let's go, let's go, let's go. And that's probably why I ended 371 00:24:01,360 --> 00:24:04,960 up coaching in my career. But we took, I remember coming 372 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:06,520 around the corner, we came, we went. 373 00:24:07,040 --> 00:24:09,480 It started towards Bald Rock, going that way. 374 00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:13,080 First you came around through the S curves and came around to 375 00:24:13,080 --> 00:24:16,640 point and we were coming across the finish line by the main dock 376 00:24:16,840 --> 00:24:18,760 and you were on top of the big boat. 377 00:24:18,760 --> 00:24:20,040 Do you remember this? Yeah. 378 00:24:22,280 --> 00:24:25,320 And you dove in like a swan dive off the top of the big boat. 379 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:29,400 Now that you're going to swamp us, the look on your face, you 380 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:30,920 were like stunned that we wanted. 381 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:36,640 Yeah, I was. I was really shocked in in I 382 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:38,840 was. I was really happy for you guys. 383 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:41,120 I almost felt like how Forrest Gump was. 384 00:24:41,120 --> 00:24:44,120 And when he jumps off the boat, you know, he's so happy to see 385 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:47,920 Lieutenant Dan. Well, we won the token card race 386 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:50,280 that year also. I think we did. 387 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:54,480 I think we did, Yeah, Yeah. We had a good time and of 388 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:56,760 course, Little Council. Let's get into Little Council. 389 00:24:57,320 --> 00:25:02,000 Oh yeah, I I thought John Holden was phenomenal when he would 390 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:06,960 wear his little cowboy hat and, and get all the kids in there 391 00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:11,040 and, and he would have the pillow fighting and, and the, 392 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:18,320 the a balloon a races or, or you know, where you had to take a 393 00:25:18,600 --> 00:25:22,080 lifesaver and put it on a toothpick and carry it across 394 00:25:22,240 --> 00:25:25,920 the other side of the a lot. And change it with your teeth 395 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:32,040 with your cabin mate. Yeah, but those were some fun 396 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:38,040 games and and the the the witch's broom ride and stuff 397 00:25:38,040 --> 00:25:40,080 like that. Those were a lot of fun. 398 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:44,400 And I'll I'll never forget those memories. 399 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:49,360 And and and as I became a counselor, that's when I always 400 00:25:49,360 --> 00:25:53,720 did the We Will Rocky song, stopping my feet and getting all 401 00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:56,680 the kids fired up. The whole lodge was rocking. 402 00:25:56,680 --> 00:26:01,920 You used to get the whole lodge rocking with that. 403 00:26:02,160 --> 00:26:07,040 Yeah. Oh man, what else sticks out, 404 00:26:07,040 --> 00:26:08,400 Jesse? I mean, I'm, I'm sure there's so 405 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:10,320 many stories. I mean, I let and I know people 406 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:13,040 listening would love to hear, you know, certainly the people 407 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:15,240 from your ear. I just thought this era of camp 408 00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:18,720 was such AI mean, I guess because I was a young kid 409 00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:21,000 growing up and I looked up to all you guys, you know? 410 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:24,160 But there was some fun people there and some great characters 411 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:27,480 and some great people. Yeah, well, there was well, 412 00:26:27,480 --> 00:26:33,000 there was a lot of times where guys wanted to go into town to 413 00:26:33,120 --> 00:26:39,600 take a break from work and, and, and they, they really wanted to 414 00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:43,040 hang out in town. But most of the time I, I 415 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:47,320 elected just to stay at camp. I didn't really want to go into 416 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:52,400 the falls because I was always afraid I'd get into some trouble 417 00:26:52,400 --> 00:26:54,880 or something. So I just decided to stay at 418 00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:57,320 camp. Yeah, but there were. 419 00:26:57,320 --> 00:27:01,400 But there were some guys that went into town like Buzz and 420 00:27:02,160 --> 00:27:07,000 Bill and and a few other guys. And sometimes if if you were 421 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:09,640 late to breakfast, you were going to be in the lake. 422 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:15,000 Oh yeah, the water gods were going to come and get you. 423 00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:18,360 There's a few trips with the water gods. 424 00:27:19,120 --> 00:27:21,400 God, God rest his soul. Eddie Reevey. 425 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:25,520 Yeah, Luke. Dye and I found him in the wrong 426 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:28,600 cabin one morning. Oh yes, you. 427 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:30,400 Remember this? Yes. 428 00:27:30,560 --> 00:27:33,480 I don't want to mention names, but he was in the wrong cabin, 429 00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:38,680 in the wrong part of camp, and so Luke Dye and I ran down here 430 00:27:38,680 --> 00:27:40,760 and I got on top of his shoulders and we saw him laying 431 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:42,760 in there. So we came to breakfast and we 432 00:27:42,760 --> 00:27:45,160 told Dennis Christensen, the old caretaker. 433 00:27:45,760 --> 00:27:48,000 Yeah, Dennis. And the whole camp went down 434 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:50,280 there and he was in his underwear and we had, we chucked 435 00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:53,920 him right. You remember that? 436 00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:57,800 Yes, I do. Oh man, he was a great guy. 437 00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:05,720 Yeah, yeah, I miss I don't know why, but even even with Eddie 438 00:28:05,720 --> 00:28:10,040 Reevy, it that seems like a times we we had a conflict of 439 00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:16,720 interest of how to keep the kids on the straight and narrow and 440 00:28:16,720 --> 00:28:18,880 and try to do what was right and stuff. 441 00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:23,280 But Eddie always just said, well, just let the kids be kids, 442 00:28:23,280 --> 00:28:25,040 you know, let them have fun and stuff. 443 00:28:25,440 --> 00:28:29,160 And I I said, I understand that, you know, they're they are kids, 444 00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:32,640 but I said you got to draw the line somewhere sometimes. 445 00:28:33,120 --> 00:28:36,680 Absolutely, yeah. Because, you know, you didn't 446 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:40,640 want some kids just getting buck wild next, saying no, they're 447 00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:43,200 beating up another kid or something like that. 448 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:48,120 Sure, sure. Now I'll let you start the story 449 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:50,360 about the Lawrence Lake trip that we took when I was a 450 00:28:50,360 --> 00:28:53,280 junior. I'll let I'll let you go into 451 00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:58,240 that. Lawrence Lake. 452 00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:06,280 With the Portage problem. Oh, yeah, yeah, we, we had a 453 00:29:06,280 --> 00:29:11,360 time when I was on, on, I think one of the trips and it just so 454 00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:17,720 happened that we had all the kids Portage and everything and, 455 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:21,120 and, and our canoes and everything. 456 00:29:21,520 --> 00:29:25,880 And it just so happened that there was a set of tent poles 457 00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:31,840 that was left behind. So I had to go way back on the 458 00:29:31,840 --> 00:29:35,480 Portage just to go ahead and, and, and pick it up because, 459 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:38,280 because the tent poles belonged in my boat. 460 00:29:39,120 --> 00:29:46,000 And so I I jogged across the Portage to go get them and I 461 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:49,520 just told the kids just to wait there by the shoreline until I 462 00:29:49,520 --> 00:29:52,320 got back. And they did. 463 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:56,440 And then I finally got it. I can't remember the kids name 464 00:29:56,440 --> 00:30:02,600 who who was responsible for the tent poles, but we, we just had 465 00:30:02,600 --> 00:30:06,240 them come up missing. So I had to paddle back to go 466 00:30:06,240 --> 00:30:11,080 get them and then went to the end of the Portage to get them. 467 00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:14,600 So what about the getting lost thing though? 468 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:16,240 This is where I was on a trip with you. 469 00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:19,640 Oh, that's that trip. Oh yeah. 470 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:22,120 That was when I was with Les Meek. 471 00:30:22,800 --> 00:30:29,360 And it just so happened that with Les Meek, we, we saw some 472 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:36,200 Trail Blazers on the tree and, and once we saw that, we thought 473 00:30:36,200 --> 00:30:38,560 that that was the right Portage to go on. 474 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:46,120 And I just so happened, I think Buzz Ecker and, and somebody 475 00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:49,440 else that he was with marked the trees. 476 00:30:49,960 --> 00:30:53,680 And it just so happened that we, we went almost like in a big 477 00:30:53,680 --> 00:31:01,880 circle and I told Les, I said, Les, I, you know, I'm not real 478 00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:07,320 familiar with reading maps as, as far as the, the, you know, 479 00:31:07,320 --> 00:31:09,960 the trip maps and stuff, because they're so small. 480 00:31:10,720 --> 00:31:18,800 But I, I said, I, I rather come off the trip and, and start from 481 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:21,200 the beginning rather than continue to go on. 482 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:24,320 And we, and we get lost out here in the woods because we almost 483 00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:28,880 did. And oh, John, John Holden was 484 00:31:28,880 --> 00:31:34,160 pretty ticked off at that time. And, and I, I told Les, you 485 00:31:34,160 --> 00:31:38,600 know, I, I told Les I was really sorry, you know, I, but I, I 486 00:31:38,600 --> 00:31:40,680 just didn't want to continue going on. 487 00:31:40,680 --> 00:31:45,520 And because the, the trail ended up in the middle of nowhere. 488 00:31:46,840 --> 00:31:49,800 So we had to backtrack just to get back to the lake. 489 00:31:51,400 --> 00:31:55,960 And but, but that that was definitely a scary time at, at 490 00:31:55,960 --> 00:31:58,760 camp. That was probably one of my most 491 00:31:58,760 --> 00:32:02,480 scariest times because if you get lost out there in the woods, 492 00:32:02,480 --> 00:32:06,360 there's hardly nobody out there to find you, you know? 493 00:32:06,800 --> 00:32:09,760 Right. So the way I remember it, and 494 00:32:09,760 --> 00:32:11,840 then you can correct me if I'm wrong, is Buzz was cutting a 495 00:32:11,840 --> 00:32:13,920 fake Portage to mess with Bill Easley. 496 00:32:14,720 --> 00:32:17,640 I think he did. Is what I was what I heard. 497 00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:21,960 Yes, and then? And then we got on that because 498 00:32:22,000 --> 00:32:24,320 I was on that trip and we started falling to blazes and 499 00:32:24,320 --> 00:32:26,920 then I was out there and you came up upon me and said, what's 500 00:32:26,920 --> 00:32:28,520 going on? I said, Jesse, I'm out of 501 00:32:28,520 --> 00:32:30,760 blazes. I can't find any more blazes. 502 00:32:31,640 --> 00:32:34,960 They just stopped and you said put your stuff down. 503 00:32:34,960 --> 00:32:37,200 And we spent like 2 days looking for the Portage and couldn't 504 00:32:37,200 --> 00:32:38,680 find it. Right and. 505 00:32:39,320 --> 00:32:42,080 Now we had to turn around and go back to the beginning, and 506 00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:44,560 that's what Dennis Christensen, when he had his airplane, if you 507 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:46,680 remember that. Yeah, yes, I do remember. 508 00:32:46,720 --> 00:32:48,920 And they were flying over looking for us and every time 509 00:32:48,920 --> 00:32:50,480 they flew over we were on a Portage. 510 00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:55,600 I I do remember so. They were freaking out back in 511 00:32:55,600 --> 00:32:56,760 camp. They knew where we were. 512 00:32:57,400 --> 00:33:03,160 Yeah, gosh, You know, I, I, I sometimes wish I could get in 513 00:33:03,160 --> 00:33:07,040 touch with Dennis now after all these years, because he, he's 514 00:33:07,040 --> 00:33:07,880 still. Up there. 515 00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:11,320 Yeah, because there was a time where he took me. 516 00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:16,440 He took me up on an airplane ride and he he let me see a lot 517 00:33:16,440 --> 00:33:20,120 of the wilderness from the sky. And I, I thought it was really 518 00:33:20,120 --> 00:33:22,720 cool. I thought it was really nice. 519 00:33:23,520 --> 00:33:25,560 Yeah. I mean, he almost took me, flew 520 00:33:25,560 --> 00:33:31,240 me all the way down to where Kettle Falls was and, and and 521 00:33:31,240 --> 00:33:34,000 back. But but it was, it was really 522 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:37,240 nice, really nice thing for him to do Nice. 523 00:33:37,280 --> 00:33:39,880 Well, let me talk about Kettle. We're going to we're going to 524 00:33:39,880 --> 00:33:43,000 try to get a group together which you're on the list if they 525 00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:46,880 can make it to come back in May. And Dennis is on that list, OK, 526 00:33:46,880 --> 00:33:50,560 for a week in May to come back to camp and paint the big boat. 527 00:33:51,200 --> 00:33:53,240 Yeah. A bunch of people from you that 528 00:33:53,240 --> 00:33:56,440 this era that we're talking about right here, paint the big 529 00:33:56,440 --> 00:33:58,240 boat. And then once we get done at the 530 00:33:58,240 --> 00:34:00,600 end of the week, we're going to take a trip down to kettle, have 531 00:34:00,600 --> 00:34:02,800 lunch and come back and everybody can go home if they 532 00:34:02,800 --> 00:34:04,840 can make it. So you'll get something in the 533 00:34:04,840 --> 00:34:08,719 mail here sometime soon, OK, for an invite to come up in May to 534 00:34:08,719 --> 00:34:11,440 do this and and it'll list all the people that are that are 535 00:34:11,600 --> 00:34:13,800 that we're going to invite. So hopefully we get a good crowd 536 00:34:13,800 --> 00:34:16,080 there. But I've included Dennis on that 537 00:34:16,080 --> 00:34:18,320 list, yes. Wow, that's great. 538 00:34:18,520 --> 00:34:21,639 That's great. Yeah, Dennis was a good, good, 539 00:34:21,639 --> 00:34:25,080 good guy. I I just couldn't believe that 540 00:34:25,080 --> 00:34:30,560 he even stayed on the island year round himself after I think 541 00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:36,920 Dick Seacrest passed away. And, and, and and you really 542 00:34:36,920 --> 00:34:41,719 could, you really could drive your car across the lake when it 543 00:34:41,719 --> 00:34:47,520 was frozen like 18 inches or so. Yeah, and that's, that's one 544 00:34:47,520 --> 00:34:52,800 thing I did is I drove my my personal car over to the camp in 545 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:57,960 the winter time and I, I just couldn't believe it, but it made 546 00:34:57,960 --> 00:34:59,600 it over there. Yeah. 547 00:35:01,240 --> 00:35:04,280 Oh, yeah. Any other things that stick out, 548 00:35:04,280 --> 00:35:05,880 Jesse? I mean, I know you got a buzz. 549 00:35:05,960 --> 00:35:08,800 It's hard to remember when when someone asks you to put you on 550 00:35:08,800 --> 00:35:16,000 the spot. Yeah, I, I'm, I'm trying to 551 00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:26,360 think of of the the time where Bob Meek asked me to do the 552 00:35:27,160 --> 00:35:30,440 Apache Devil Dance in in the. Oh yeah. 553 00:35:31,840 --> 00:35:37,360 In the Grand Council and I at first I, I didn't think I was 554 00:35:37,360 --> 00:35:40,120 good enough to do it because I, I just said, Bob, I don't know 555 00:35:40,120 --> 00:35:45,920 if I can dance like the, how you do it, you know, and, and he, he 556 00:35:45,920 --> 00:35:48,840 just goes, we'll just practice at it and it, and I did it a 557 00:35:48,840 --> 00:35:52,800 couple of times and, and next thing I know, I, I did it. 558 00:35:52,800 --> 00:35:58,920 But when you have to do it with the mask on to, to represent the 559 00:35:58,920 --> 00:36:03,680 Apache Devil, it, it was much harder, you know, to do it with 560 00:36:03,680 --> 00:36:08,280 the mask on. But, but I still, I still 561 00:36:08,280 --> 00:36:16,800 enjoyed it And, and I, I, I still remember a couple times 562 00:36:16,800 --> 00:36:23,600 when I was at camp and your dad, your dad had that thing called 563 00:36:23,600 --> 00:36:27,240 ghost night. He had a lot of the kids out 564 00:36:27,240 --> 00:36:38,320 there out there by woodcraft down there by the sauna and, and 565 00:36:38,320 --> 00:36:42,040 there was kids that would be out there in the dark, I mean, with 566 00:36:42,040 --> 00:36:47,880 no flashlights or nothing. But I, I really got scared. 567 00:36:48,360 --> 00:36:50,160 I really did because I I thought. 568 00:36:50,160 --> 00:36:51,920 What was Ghost Night? I don't even know what that it 569 00:36:51,920 --> 00:36:55,080 was. Oh well, it was, it was where 570 00:36:55,320 --> 00:37:00,680 when your, your dad set it up, where if there was a lot of 571 00:37:00,680 --> 00:37:05,800 kids, kids messing up, you know, stuff, he, he just says, well, 572 00:37:05,800 --> 00:37:09,960 I'm going to let you guys like run the swamp and, and, and just 573 00:37:09,960 --> 00:37:14,080 be out here in the woods in the dark without any flashlight. 574 00:37:14,800 --> 00:37:19,360 And sure enough, I don't know how your dad did it, but that's 575 00:37:19,360 --> 00:37:22,000 one thing I remember and it's it scared me. 576 00:37:22,000 --> 00:37:25,800 It scared me where I started trying as a kid. 577 00:37:28,440 --> 00:37:33,040 And there was this other guy named Unbelievable, this other 578 00:37:33,040 --> 00:37:38,520 kid named Bill Betrayal, I think his name was and, and he started 579 00:37:38,520 --> 00:37:40,920 crying and he was he was a big kid. 580 00:37:40,920 --> 00:37:44,000 He was he was big like Kyle Ronymus. 581 00:37:44,400 --> 00:37:46,280 I don't think he was real muscular but. 582 00:37:46,280 --> 00:37:47,320 He was kind. Fred betrayal. 583 00:37:47,920 --> 00:37:49,880 Fred betrayal. Yeah, I think it was Fred 584 00:37:49,880 --> 00:37:52,600 betrayal and. Fred betrayal. 585 00:37:52,600 --> 00:37:55,720 Yeah. And, and I think, I think he 586 00:37:55,720 --> 00:37:58,880 really got upset and started crying too, yeah. 587 00:38:00,920 --> 00:38:02,880 I wanted too. Good Gosh, Dad, what the heck 588 00:38:02,880 --> 00:38:07,080 was he thinking? But, but I think your dad was 589 00:38:07,120 --> 00:38:10,280 just trying to, he was trying to punish the kids that were really 590 00:38:10,280 --> 00:38:14,600 messing up and stuff and camping and he didn't like it. 591 00:38:14,600 --> 00:38:18,280 Your dad didn't like it if there was some kids trying to get 592 00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:21,120 cigarettes and smoke and all that kind of stuff. 593 00:38:21,880 --> 00:38:26,800 And yeah, I, I didn't want to get in any kind of trouble like 594 00:38:26,800 --> 00:38:27,600 that. I didn't. 595 00:38:27,600 --> 00:38:32,360 I wanted to try to be a good example as a camper as well as 596 00:38:32,360 --> 00:38:34,840 being a counselor. I wanted to be a good, good 597 00:38:34,840 --> 00:38:37,920 example to the kids. So I'm going to ask you a few 598 00:38:37,920 --> 00:38:39,960 questions here, Jesse. Just a little lightning round 599 00:38:39,960 --> 00:38:42,320 here that we're going to start doing on these podcasts. 600 00:38:42,600 --> 00:38:45,480 Number one, you know, if you could choose two people to be 601 00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:49,640 your counselors, if you had to go back tomorrow to camp and you 602 00:38:49,640 --> 00:38:53,320 had to pick two people to be your counselors, who would it be 603 00:38:53,760 --> 00:38:58,080 and why? Well, Bob, me I thought was 604 00:38:58,080 --> 00:39:03,800 really good and and he knew the trails really well. 605 00:39:05,480 --> 00:39:09,960 I thought Dexter Davison was good because he was a good cook 606 00:39:09,960 --> 00:39:22,560 by out on the canoe trips and and I think, and I think Bill 607 00:39:22,560 --> 00:39:26,520 are Tom Henman was good. Yeah, I thought Tom Henman was a 608 00:39:26,600 --> 00:39:30,320 was a good counselor when I was a well first year camper there. 609 00:39:30,520 --> 00:39:31,760 I thought. I thought he was really. 610 00:39:31,760 --> 00:39:32,160 Good. What? 611 00:39:32,360 --> 00:39:34,480 What would you like about Tom? Anything special? 612 00:39:35,360 --> 00:39:41,000 Well, the thing about him that that I I liked was he was really 613 00:39:41,000 --> 00:39:44,880 cool, calm and collected. And all these years later, he 614 00:39:44,880 --> 00:39:48,120 told me he goes just, you know, one of my favorite football 615 00:39:48,120 --> 00:39:50,520 players was Walter Payton back in the day. 616 00:39:51,080 --> 00:39:53,560 And, and I said, yeah, I remember Walter Payton. 617 00:39:53,560 --> 00:39:56,800 He was really good. He was one of the best. 618 00:39:57,040 --> 00:40:00,960 You know, I do want to share with you on this that there was 619 00:40:00,960 --> 00:40:08,880 a time my first year I was in the cabin and in cabinet and it 620 00:40:08,880 --> 00:40:12,360 just so happened that there was this pic that got on me and bit 621 00:40:12,360 --> 00:40:14,720 me. And he bit me right on my butt 622 00:40:14,720 --> 00:40:18,520 and I go, Mr. Henman, Mr. Henman, I got a tick on my butt 623 00:40:18,520 --> 00:40:24,360 and and he just plucked it off my stand and he said go back to 624 00:40:24,520 --> 00:40:26,280 sleep. That's the end of. 625 00:40:26,280 --> 00:40:29,440 That one. But I, I do remember my first, 626 00:40:29,800 --> 00:40:35,760 my first summer there in 71, I had to get up and go to the Camp 627 00:40:35,760 --> 00:40:41,880 Biffy and I walked down the trail to the Camp Biffy and it 628 00:40:41,880 --> 00:40:45,560 just so happened I looked up in the sky and it was the first 629 00:40:45,560 --> 00:40:49,600 time where I could see the Milky Way like how you see it in the 630 00:40:49,600 --> 00:40:53,640 National Geographic magazine. It just looked beautiful and, 631 00:40:53,720 --> 00:40:56,520 and, and the stars were out everywhere. 632 00:40:56,520 --> 00:41:01,880 They were just standing out. It was, it was gorgeous, just a 633 00:41:01,880 --> 00:41:04,520 beautiful. I never seen it like that ever 634 00:41:04,520 --> 00:41:05,840 again. I wished I could. 635 00:41:07,680 --> 00:41:09,840 I wish that could. It's different seeing the stars 636 00:41:09,840 --> 00:41:11,960 up there. Yes, absolutely. 637 00:41:12,080 --> 00:41:14,000 The Northern Lights, the whole 9 yards. 638 00:41:14,000 --> 00:41:16,960 So let me. Let me ask you something else 639 00:41:16,960 --> 00:41:18,680 here. Did you ever take the English 640 00:41:18,680 --> 00:41:20,200 river? OK, Did you ever go down to 641 00:41:20,200 --> 00:41:21,520 English? Yes. 642 00:41:21,800 --> 00:41:24,000 So you're you're at the top of loggers. 643 00:41:24,000 --> 00:41:27,480 I did. OK, you ready tomorrow? 644 00:41:27,480 --> 00:41:28,720 You're at the top of loggers Rap. 645 00:41:28,720 --> 00:41:31,040 That's in the canoe. Who do you want your bow and 646 00:41:31,040 --> 00:41:33,520 why? Oh, that's a good question. 647 00:41:33,520 --> 00:41:35,760 What kid would you want your bow and why? 648 00:41:36,160 --> 00:41:41,560 I, I believe Potter Varley was, was a great person in the bow. 649 00:41:41,560 --> 00:41:46,120 He he was really awesome. And if I had to have somebody in 650 00:41:46,120 --> 00:41:48,360 the stern, I I'd probably have Kyle Ron. 651 00:41:48,600 --> 00:41:52,400 He was a good stern. Yeah, they were, they were both 652 00:41:52,640 --> 00:41:53,400 good. Good. 653 00:41:53,680 --> 00:41:55,080 We want to know who was in your bow. 654 00:41:55,080 --> 00:41:58,000 So you're picking Potter Varley. That's good. 655 00:41:58,360 --> 00:42:01,560 He was good. Yeah, well, listen, man, we 656 00:42:01,560 --> 00:42:04,600 could talk forever, I mean, but this has been great. 657 00:42:06,240 --> 00:42:08,160 I want you to come back to camp, man. 658 00:42:09,160 --> 00:42:15,640 Yeah, I'm, I'm hoping I'm, I'm trying to buy a house down here 659 00:42:15,640 --> 00:42:22,040 in in Georgia and I'm trying to do it in the month of July, but 660 00:42:22,040 --> 00:42:26,960 I, I have to, I have to start packing up my stuff and things 661 00:42:27,240 --> 00:42:33,320 so I can move into a house. But but once I get sketch. 662 00:42:33,440 --> 00:42:36,200 Up there. I'm hoping, I'm hoping I can 663 00:42:36,200 --> 00:42:40,360 come back to camp and, and probably just get a, a job 664 00:42:40,360 --> 00:42:44,080 working up there handing out food for the kids when they go 665 00:42:44,080 --> 00:42:45,880 out on their trips and stuff like that. 666 00:42:48,320 --> 00:42:51,520 Yeah, just to hear your stories, you can get the gym rocket again 667 00:42:51,880 --> 00:42:55,520 or the sorry the, the, the. Lodge, I mean you get. 668 00:42:55,520 --> 00:42:56,400 The Lodge. Rocket. 669 00:42:58,360 --> 00:43:00,440 Well, listen, Jesse, hey, man, we'll stay in touch. 670 00:43:00,440 --> 00:43:04,160 But I appreciate you joining today and thanks so much, buddy. 671 00:43:04,960 --> 00:43:06,600 Oh, thank you. Thank you, Jeff. 672 00:43:07,160 --> 00:43:08,200 I I really mean that.