Week 4 - The road back
“Colorado” by Alex Guthrie was our soundtrack as we drove over 35 hours to the beautiful state of Colorado. Between the two of us, we have lived in Colorado 5 different times, not all of them easy and yet we keep coming back. In a lot of ways it feels like coming home, especially since it’s where Logan and I met.
We were honestly shocked to make it out without any mechanical issues despite the heat of the south, the windy plains of Kansas and the rocky drive up the mountain.
We made a few stops along the way: a truck stop in Kentucky, Wilson Lake (a literal oasis in the desert), Topeka for the 4th of July and a Bass Pro parking lot in Denver. Topeka was a pretty random choice until we realized that a friend from Logan’s camp days now lived there. So we gave them a call and, sure enough, they were home for the holidays and invited us to stop by. This turned into dinner, then a firework display by the neighbours, which we actively participated in, and lastly a shower and fresh sheets to slide into. Getting to visit with these friends was such an unexpected gift and we left super encouraged.
At our last gas stop before crossing state lines, we pulled up next to a couple in an RV. We got to talking and learnt they the founders of MarriageBuilding/ConstruyendoMatrimonios USA (a catholic movement looking to revolutionize how a parish addresses and meets the spiritual and relational needs of marriages and families.
They were having some electrical issues with their RV, which Logan was able to fix before we continued on.
Our last stretch was a winding climb into the heart of the Rocky Mountains. Down a dirt road and round a bend we pulled into Sky Corral Ranch for Camp Good Buddy (CGB), 2026. We pulled up beside good friends, Dunk and Erin, who are currently converting their own school bus. Dunk, with his brother Connor, started CGB in 2020 with the intention of creating space for kids to connect with leaders from their own community (which has likely been skate church).
After a tour of the beautiful property, we were straight into it. CGB was hosting a youth group at the time, followed by 2 skate camps. There had been some unexpected challenges and changes to the property and so there was a lot to be done to be ready for skate camp 1. I headed to the kitchen, where I’d predominantly be serving for the next 2 weeks alongside Erin and Camp mum, Kelly (camp name: Pigeon). Kelly has been managing the kitchen since day one of CGB and doing an incredible job of producing delicious food on a tight budget, while also being the greatest cheerleader to the team. She does it all with such joy, wisdom and love.
With one of the staff houses out of service, no other available spaces to use and no flat ground to work with, the boys quickly developed and executed a plan to build wooden structures on which to erect tents. These would also be used by other groups later in the summer. Next up was “the plaza,”; a DIY pop-up skate park on the basketball court. Concrete was poured to fill in the cracks while all the materials were lugged over from the barn. The board had been raising funds for some new features, so it was exciting to see these be set up for the first time.
At this point a lot of the staff were beginning to arrive. This incredible team, most of whom have been around since the beginning, use all their vacation time year after year to serve for these 2 weeks. And they LOVE IT. As the team shared memories and stories of previous summers, anticipation and excitement for these next few weeks were palpable. One guy described serving at camp as better than Christmas because of who he gets to serve with and what they are all a part of.
The first session brought in 2 groups from Ohio and South Carolina. The group from South Carolina was actually a skate church that Logan and Dunk were a part of starting. Seeing old friends was super sweet and even better was the group of GIRLS they brought, primarily influenced by one previous camper who had only raved about camp for 2 years straight. And so, as the punkiest of teenagers, half of whom are decent skaters and the rest of whom just love that scene, rolled in, so began year 6 of CGP.
We are in the middle of this first session as I write this blog and it has been a blast. Personally, I am loving the experience of a true American summer camp, except, as the longstanding staff would describe it, a super grungy version. There are crazy challenges for the campers to compete in throughout the week, hilarious camp Lore for everyone to get around, 3 separate skate spots for the kids to ride and campfire songs and stories to get around. But the heartbeat of CGB is sharing in the love of Christ. Whether they know Jesus or not, this camp is about bringing awareness to where you may be in your walk with him and building curiosity around that. And though there are talks and designated discussion times, this is happening at any moment - over a meal, in the skate park, on the lake, etc.
We feel so blessed to be a part of these camps. For Logan, who has been on the board for a few years, it is sweet to finally experience a summer of CGB from start to finish. He thrives in the skatepark, connecting with the kiddos over tricks and stories. I am loving preparing meals for all the hungry mouths and starting each day with the kitchen crew in prayer for all that God may have in store. There have definitely been challenges getting this year of camp off the ground, but that only puts a fire in the belly of all those who know what a force this camp can be in changing lives.
For the praying folk:
Energy and perseverance
Curiosity for Christ from the kids
Continued healing for our friend Raven* (see previous blogs for more info)
*Raven update: Raven has now moved into a rehab facility and begun treatment. He is making great progress and the doctors expect he will walk again and likely skate. He still has a long road of recovery ahead, but there is hope!!