Retreat 2016 A look back...

There are broken beer bottles and crumpled forgotten solo cups strewn about the hairpin road leading up the mountain. Abandoned articles of clothing and coolers now leaking there melted ice water slowly but surely down the steep grade. I am awake sitting in my hammock overlooking the snow covered mountains in the distance, The Great Smoky Mountains that is. Occasionally a random shoeless guy or disheveled looking gal wind around the path during there early morning walk of shame. It is the fifth annual B&L retreat…

However this mess that I have described was not caused by a team of rowdy, hell raising beard team members. Not at all contrary to what you may think. Instead it is the aftermath of surrounding cabins full to the brim with what appear to be young college students who have elected to hold up in the mountains and defile themselves. All the while I might add, attempting to gain access to our cabin as well.

Maybe because each cabin looks the same with the exception of the cars parked out front or the quaint signs embossed with names like “Mountain Oasis” or “Views above the Rest”. I could see how under the influence of tremendous quantities of booze one might stumble into the cabin containing several people with facial hair and tattoos rocking biker vest. I could even see how one might be intrigued enough to try and stick around. But I was shocked when one decided to accuse my hoard of thievery.

Oh well, guy was drunk as hell. It got solved. I tell you this as the low point of the 2016 retreat. Aside from this it was nothing more than good friends and teammates trying to squeeze a lot of fun into two days in Sevierville/ Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Not wanting to admit when we get tired and sore and are spending too much cash on everything we see. But that’s the damn point right?

A blur of go-carts, shopping, food, hot tub, jukebox, a few drinks here and there. I truly was exhausted by the time we made it out of there Sunday evening. But I managed to leave with a big smile on my face. Mainly because while me and my friends ate our lunch at Fudruckers at a table that resembled that of the last supper with cheeseburgers a man approached us. He spoke to us as a group. Saying that he had looked up our group ( based on our vest I am assuming) and saw what we did with charities and stuff. He went on to tell us that he and his wife were the proud parents of a special needs child and then thanked us and gave us two big bags of fresh cookies from the bakery.

Floored, that’s what I was. Trying to choke back my blindsiding emotion enough to thank him and not shed a tear into my potato wedges. The fact that someone took the time to google us let alone the fact that they felt enough to thank us AND buy us desert. It took me so buy surprise and it’s safe to say that there thank you was worth more to me than any trophies, plaque or certificate. Plus the cookies, did I mention that part…. Oh yeah.

It was a good time.