There was a great and very impressive opening ceremony, including all the winning teams from last year being presented. ~ The local fire department came in with some major trucks and arial ladders and flood lights and spots to illuminate the event.  

On Saturday, all during the games, they had this giagantic corn roast going on. ~ There was 400 (perhaps 500?) dozen ears of corn cooked up that day. ~ Massive pots boiling away with circular racks holding all the corn in an upright position inside... ~ The guys would grab a handle on each side of the rack and pull it out of the pot and bring it over to dump into the crib at the head of the salt and butter table. ~ Maybe a hundred ears at a time? ~ By the time those were gone, the next pot was about ready and they kept this up for at least 4 hours. ~ All compliments of White Thorn.  ~ I was in that line several times over several hours. ~ They were were absolutely delicious and really hit the spot. ~ It was a completely unexpected by many and nice of them to have done that.  :-) ~ You should have seen the massive pile of cobs... 

A group from Buffalo was there. ~  I had just met them earlier in the year. ~  A nice bunch of people who came together back about 15 years ago at the once well visited c/o Valentine Flats, and other sections of Zoar Valley in our south towns... ~ The group has hung together as friends ever since. ~ They come to the Superbowl every year and have everything worked out to a T. ~ Their camp site set up is awesome. ~  Basically a rectangle of picnic tables and chairs, surrounded by vans... ~ One on each end and two or three across the back. ~  Over the top is a tarp covering everything..; just in case. ~ It was a really nice, cozy enclosure to relax and gather in. ~  At it’s rightful place at the head of the tables, beyond the mundane, was the ‘piece de resistance’. ~   A continuously heated, ready to eat, 10 gallon pot of *SUPER CHILI*. ~ It was too much for words... ~ Let me tell you, btw, there were chili-pepper things handing all over the camp.., like decoration you know?   ~ It was just the best.  ~ Rick makes up a couple hundred pounds of this stuff every year for the get together. ~ Thank you Rick and everyone else there too, for the hospitality to myself, Peter and Sabine. ~ They really enjoyed themselves meeting all of you. ~ And the Chili. :-) 

The dances at night were big and loud and put on by highly professional groups. ~  The dance hall building was as good as most of those clubs we have along the ‘lake front’ here in Buffalo. ~ Hundreds of people standing around outside on the patio and walk ways, drinking and talking and having an excellent time enjoying the abiance.. ~ Moving through this crowd was often a shoulder to shoulder, ‘excuse me please’ kind of thing. 

Even though it is such a big place, there is so much, and everything is so well laid out that it’s very cozy. ~ The fire circle was a nice gathering place and central to some of the courts, the dancehall, the food, etc. ~ It was started at 8 p.m. each night and went untill was after midnight. ~ The wood guy kept bringing large wheelbarrows full of splt logs. ~ One load would have been enough for my home fire pit for a couple of full nights at least...  ~ He bought a new load here, every hour or so. ~ You can meet such interesting and friendly people at the fire circles. ~ One of those especially nice was  Janelle. ~ A college girl currently taking a Cultural Anthropology class of Latin America, Spanish 201, Western Civ. 1815-WWII and a Sociology Career Seminar. ~ That’s all somewhat beyond me, but she has since emailed me that she received her Associate in Liberal Arts. ~ A very smart girl anyway.... ~ She came to the circle with the makings of ‘Schmoors’ for everyone. ~  Chocolate, marshmellows and Graham crackers. ~  She had an assembly line going with Schmoors on ‘back-order’ for over an hour.  ~ They were just delicious of course and very nice thing for anyone to do. 

It’s so enjoyable mixing with beautiful people such as those who were there there on those four days. ~ We can’t say enough about it. ~ It’s what life is all about. ~  There were so many of these small ‘feel good’ times that I might go on for another three feet of web page, but you get the idea I hope... 

Here’s their site... Come to the White Thorn Volley Ball Tournament next year and see for yourself.