24 Hours

Starting at about 4 pm Friday, several were arriving to set up their campsites for the weekend.  Ken and crew were getting close to having everyone off the river following their canoe, kayak and tube floats.  Brandie was meeting with a young couple that would be having their wedding reception in the lodge in three weeks.  And I took some photos of Kelly in full snowboard clothing and equipment while she sat on the chairlift...............she needed some pics for an advertisement at her employers place of business.....Scheels..........more on that later if she shares a photo.  A young couple from the Iowa City area came to ride the mt bike trails to gain familiarity before next weekends race.  Really nice people.

And then the cars, trucks, tractors, motorcycles and people started arriving for the fourth annual motor show.  It was a gorgeous night.  Right breeze, right temps, right forecast.  Frost was manning Coal Creek Lounge and Joel and Brandie moved to the food service as I started helping John park the classic vehicles on the lawn.......

In total there were 108 vehicles on display.  Jeremy, Ian (then Mike) and I gave free chairlift rides for the hour we promised.............starting at 5:45 and going til 7:30...............I know thats more than 60 minutes but it was a very popular attraction on a gorgeous night..............and the preparation of burgers, pulled pork, hot dogs, and chicken sandwiches were keeping Steve, Connie, Sara, Brandi and Joel running........not to mention how popular Frost and Lynn were at Coal Creek Lounge.......

Jaslyn grabbed a camera and captured the evening for us...........thanks Jas............with some of the pics already on facebook............some here in the future.

The sun began to set and the Boone Class of 87 began arriving along with the band "Swing Crew".  The tiki torches on the patio were lit.........light jackets were retrieved from the cars and about 200 plus people enjoyed the evening.

Everyone at some point went home and slept fast so they could hit the ground running Saturday morning.

By 7 am we were well into cleaning the lodge and re arranging all the tables and chairs..........people from the campground were making their way to the showers.  By 9 am there was a steady stream of cars entering the parking lot with their occupants getting registered with Frost and Lynn in the lodge for their 9:30 float.......and that process continues until 2 pm.............sold out of river tubes again.........four buses in synchronized fashion carrying load after load of people to the river..........

At approximately10 am, food was carried into the lodge and a large PA system was installed in advance of two friends who were using the lodge for their 40th birthday parties. Ian stayed busy registering more campers and getting firewood for all to be used that evening.  At noon I counted 44 tents set up in the campgrounds...........another virtual tent city for Saturday night......... By 1 pm Steve and Mike were loading equipment and people on the buses as they finished their floats and got everyone safely returned to their vehicles.........while Kris, Ken, Nick and Aaron completed the process of transporting the final groups to the river to begin their floats.....

And by 4 pm Saturday night, the birthday party group was off the river and ready to eat and celebrate in the lodge............with more guests arriving over the next several hours.

That's it...........about 24 hours of action at Seven Oaks!