This Is So Much Fun
At my company, every August is “Raymond James Cares Month”. We are encouraged to find ways to help out in our community. Information about different projects taking place around the country is publicized on our corporate intranet, and it demonstrates the diversity of interests of my peers as well as the incredible needs around our great country.
Personally, this week I had the distinct pleasure of spending a day on a bicycle trip with a group of boys, rising eighth graders, who attend a local overnight camp. I have been associated with this camp as a board member and officer for almost two decades and have spent many, many hours lending my expertise on investments, business management, long term strategy, and other matters of importance to camp operations. However, the time I spent this week with eleven young men proved once again to be the most gratifying. Let me elaborate.
The Camp offers programs for children from age 7-14. The program for 13 and 14 year olds is called “Teen Adventure” and involves more challenging experiences. White-water rafting was cancelled this year due to the heavy rains. High ropes and rock climbing, rugby and cycling have been keeping them busy and exhausted.
In years past, I have served as a bike chaperone when we biked on the Schuylkill River Trail and the Lehigh Gorge Trail. By the way, if you have never been on the Lehigh Gorge Trail, I highly recommend it. This year we pedaled the Pennypack Rails to Trails starting in Lower Moreland. Our trip was shorter and a bit more technically challenging with the hills and changing road surfaces, but the boys did very well.
As you can imagine in a group of eleven boys, there are distinct groups that emerge during a trip like this. The fast, excited riders always tried to go too far in front of the trip leader. The boys learned this is why accidents occur, and yes, we had a few. No serious injuries though, just damaged pride. The tentative riders trailed in the back along with our supplies (lunch, water, extra bike equipment, and emergency supplies) being pulled along in a mini bike trailer. In the middle, where I spent most of the ride, there were a few boys content to safely pedal along and observe the vast natural surroundings. We saw a snake, “the biggest earthworm ever”, butterflies, honey bees and one deer. We didn’t spot any trout in the stream despite my efforts.
On the way back, I was riding along with a quiet young man wearing thick glasses. Unprompted, he said to me “this is so much fun”. He had not said a word the whole trip so I was surprised and filled with a sense of joy that this experience meant so much to him. I told him I really enjoyed cycling too, and I was having a lot of fun with him and his friends. For different reasons, it may have been the best day of the summer for both of us.
I encourage you to do something you love during the dog days of August. And root for the Phillies….they are in one heck of a good battle for first place!
