We are enjoying our time with Camp Carpe Diem. This is the fourth year for this gathering, and we are joining of the first time and having fun making some new friends and seeing a bit more of what the Hot Springs area has to offer.

Morning Activities

We gathered at the camp gathering space in the morning to coordinate the morning’s activities.

Barry Benton led a photography hike, April took a group on a bit more intense hike, and Ken led a mountain bike excursion. Debra very kindly shuttled the hikers from where we parked to where the hiking trail left the road.

Tony decided to stay in camp and catch up on work. I thought the photography hike might move slower, because we would be stopping to take photos. Apparently that was true, though I did have a bit of a tough time. But, I made it to the overlook and back to the cars without passing out, so I guess I did okay!

But first, coffee

Camp Carpe Diem’s coffee sponsor is Red Light Coffee Roasters and we made this the first stop this morning. I got an iced coffee and a muffin for later. And later, I sure was happy I had that muffin. After my hike I was pretty dang hungry!

Photography lessons

Barry’s group started out at the trailhead to Goat Rock Trail. He explained where we would be and talked about our photos telling a story. As we hiked, Barry would stop and point out some good photography locations. There were quite a few flowers along the path. I love flowers and trying to get interesting photos of them. Barry helped me by suggesting using portrait mode on my iPhone camera. Sue pointed out that the method made her photos float in the air - the stems blended into the background and disappeared! This is my favorite flower photo I ever remember taking!

At the observation lookout, Barry told us the “rule of 3s” and suggested taking a panoramic photo, with the sky being the top third. I tried but I actually missed the actual lookout, so I think I got more tree than I should have.

Penny and I headed back to the parking lot so she could join an online call, and although I told her a few times to go without me, she waited for me when I had to rest and we got to the cars just on time. I sat on the block wall and drank my water and ate that yummy muffin I was saving as my reward.

We actually parked near the Hot Springs Mountain Tower. I didn’t have the energy to trek back across the parking lot to visit the tower; maybe we can go back there Sunday and check it out.

I texted Tony to let him know I would catch a ride to lunch, and asked him to bring me some flip flops and a fresh shirt. He did, though by that time I realized I wasn’t the only one wearing a shirt that I had hiked in so I didn’t change.

Long lunch break

I rode with Barry to Bubba’s Brew Brewing Company on Lake Hamilton. April had reserved a “table for 40” or so and of course it took a lot of tables, but they got us all on the patio with a couple tables to spare.

Tony tried a couple of the beers - a doppelbock and a hazy IPA. He enjoyed both beers. We ordered food, as did all the other 40 in our party, so it took some time for them to get us all served. Tony had snacked at camp - and didn’t burn as many calories at his desk as I did hiking, so he ordered soft pretzels with beer cheese. The pretzels are made with spent grains from brewing the beer and they were quite tasty.

I ordered a cuban sandwich and Fritos. It was a big sandwich, and I had had a bit of Tony’s pretzel, so I saved half of my sandwich for later.

All the food was yummy and huge, especially those onion rings! I took half my sandwich home for dinner.

Afternoon shenanigans

We headed back to camp and rested for a while, then had a trivia challenge. April broke us into groups. There were four teams, and in the end my team came in second! There were some fun and silly times had by all.

Dinner was on our own (I finished that sandwich and Tony warmed leftovers) and then they had a campfire but I was so pooped from my day that I stayed at the trailer. I need to rest up; tomorrow is another hike! It will be less steep and strenuous, and there will be a waterfall at the end to cool off. Plus, we’ll get more photography tips!