When we started the Keister Kampout about seven years ago it was a basic camp out with a few tents and some pancakes for breakfast in the morning. It has evolved from that point. In the years following my dad made some restroom facilities for the ladies of the camp, we named the camp, families grew, more tents came to camp, and scary stories were told around the fire. It's always fun to see what Dad will think of this year.
The last two years we have split up into pairs and completed a scavenger hunt that my parents put together. I didn't get to snap any pictures since I was so busy competing (unsuccessfully), but it included things like: find a bug, catch a frog, locate all of the birdhouses on the property, find a leaf of a sawtooth oak.
After we completed the scavenger hunt, we made dinner around the fire. We ate hot dogs, foil babies, and different kinds of mountain pies. For dessert there were s'mores, banana boats, and dessert mountain pies.
The highlight of the camp out is my dad's story. This year he went all out. He is very interested in the stories of Native Americans who lived in the area. He told the story of the Leroy Massacre that happened fairly close to the camp site. You can read about it here. My dad was busy making props for this story since the last camp out!
The props for the story were kept in this old-timey chest.
He made wigs for all of the kids to wear and an arrowhead necklace made out of a shell.
He showed some arrowheads that he found or collected. He found three of these arrowheads near the campsite.
There was artwork to accompany the story that included a map of Pennsylvania Native American trails. This year the camp antlers had some authentic Native American feathers.
Each little camper also got a handmade headdress.
I think my dad's greatest achievement was his handmade drum! The pictograph on the front of the drum was also part of the scavenger hunt.
When it got dark it was time to catch frogs. There were about fifteen in this bucket! Don't worry. They were returned to their home.
In the morning it was time for breakfast, cooked over an open fire!
It was a great weekend! We had so much fun. I can't wait until next year. I bet my dad is already working on the plans! I'll leave you with some pictures of my parents' house.
If you missed Part I, you can see it here.
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