Memories of Gang By George Schwab IV - Back to Book 3

 As most of us who’ve grown up at the Belvedere Club during our Summers with our families and “Summertime friends”, there is an activity known as “Gang”. It’s been around for decades and will continue to be around long after I’ve gone, and my Family have departed this wonder place.

 So as I ponder the many memories of my childhood Summers at the Belvedere and gang days, I recall one particular gang outing that will remain forever etched in my long term memory along with my punishment(s) for “potty mouth” at the hands of the gang leaders. Bless their souls too for putting up with us. We were a rather interesting bunch of kids with some standout misfits.

 The time was around 1973 or thereabouts. The country was going in different directions depending on what state you grew up in at this unique period known as the “70’s”. Yes, I date myself and yes, I grew up in Berkeley California till 1975. Yet everything at the Belvedere Club was status quo as has been prior and following my sentence to “gang”. I’d never have learned how to make leather wallets, sail a sailboat, horseback ride, or play capture the flag had it not been for gang.

 So, the gang outing that is burnt into my mind and Jimmy Kinnaird’s sleeping forever, is our overnight camping trip to Gaylord State Park and the Call of the Wild Museum. We all took off in the various counselor’s vehicles, which included station wagons and other vehicles. Chris Payne and Ginger were the presiding ring masters of gang with help from “Stretch” Bill MacDonald, Doug Kuhn, John Fox, and Brad Schade. Yes, our group of “big gang” members was both large and filled with various folks who like to raid the girls’ campsite; henceforth, all the chaperones! I believe the boys outnumbered the girls too.

 So, the camping trip went a week and then we can do that at night and I ooooo KOp fairly well as the separate campsites were set up to help reduce conjugal visiting or outright terror raids on Ginger and the girls. I really do not remember much of our visit to the Museum beyond pictures of these old men with their bow and arrows next to some record book size dead animal and possibly a lot of taxidermy mounts. Oh, I forgot to mention that gang taught us how to shoot a bow and arrow and not each other. Too bad we didn’t have lawn darts back then!

 So, Gang also taught us how to build fires and cook on open fires. This included campfire safety and that you can’t smoke banana peels Teddy O’Brien. Some of us learned quicker than others. So, anything cooked in an open fire tastes good no matter what it is. This goes for burnt S’mores, canned beans, canned corn, and burnt sleeping bags Sandy Rogers!

 So, we came packed with various goodies by our parents to cook on the campfire. Mind you this is the early 1970s and predates pop top lids on canned goods. So Sandy Rogers excitedly put his can of corn into the campfire along with someone’s baked beans and potatoes wrapped in foil. All of our sleeping bags were unrolled and ready to the nighttime. I and my long-time childhood friend Jimmy Kinnaird were monitoring the campfire and maybe playing with the fire like ignorant cavemen.

 All of a sudden, the fire explodes. I mean a huge KABOOM! I recall a piece of burning wood striking me in the face. Jimmy jumps up trying to put out the flaming projectiles that are quickly burning large holes in his sleeping bag. Once the mayhem and commotion settles, the source of the explosion is quickly determined. Alas someone’s can of corn is now destroyed as was all the food blow away by the explosion. Did I forget to mention that Sandy didn’t know you have to open your canned good prior to placing in a campfire? I’m fairly sure Sandy’s plus several other sleeping bags incurred unintentional vent holes as a result but Jimmy’s suffered the most damage. Fortunately, none of us was injured from a potentially dangerous explosion. Oddly, Sandy wasn’t even present for the explosion. I guess he decided to let things simmer and come back later to eat.

But wait, there’s more to this story! So it was a windy evening as dark approached. I mean really windy and then the heat lightening started. So our eventful Gang camping trip was about to turn into pure panic, chaos, and a notable drenching. A severe thunderstorm blew up over us just after dark and we had to rapidly break camp. The rain started rather quickly so most of us and our sleeping bags got wet as a dog. There was not enough room in all the vehicles as I recall.

Turns out more than a couple of us ended hold up inside the outhouses. I recall “Stretch” was one of the counselors who lead or threw the kids into the outhouses! I recall being in a station wagon with John Fox and Doug Kuhn plus a couple of kids as others were banging on the windows to be let in. Problem was the rear of the vehicle was hurriedly packed with wet camping gear. There was literally no more room. I’d say quick thinking on using the outhouses too. However, when its pouring down rain, you either stay out in the rain or seek shelter rapidly. It’s just that simple.