Advice to first-time campers? "Try everything," says Kendra, a seasoned adventurer at just 15 years old with over 15 camps under her belt. "Because even if it seems scary at the moment, 99% of the time it's actually really fun." Kicking off a series of advice for new campers, Kendra shares insights from her experiences at Avid Adventure’s quintessential sleep-away location, Camp Windy Peak in Bailey, Colorado. She describes a typical day in the Rocky Mountain camp packed with diverse activities, from relaxing yoga and baking to adrenaline-fueled rock climbing and whitewater rafting. She also expresses her fondness for evenings spent playing Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) at camp.
Her guidance for newcomers is both sincere and practical—seize every chance to make friends and try out new activities, even those that might initially seem intimidating. Kendra reflects on her own early reservations and the supportive camp community that helped her push past these fears.
Looking at the lasting effects of her camp experiences, Kendra acknowledges how they have boosted her social skills and aided her in setting personal goals. She emphasizes that the positive mindset cultivated at camp has been key to her personal development.
Quotes
- “Some advice I would give is definitely to try and make friends. Because my first year of camp, I was super shy. And I'm like, ‘I don't want to talk to you.’ But everyone there is really nice. And I've actually never had a bad experience. Also, I would advise that you try everything. Because even if it seems scary at the moment, like 99% of the time it's actually really fun. And if you don't do it, you might regret it.” (02:44 | Kendra Ritchie)
- “I personally love bringing a deck of cards because a lot of people there know how to play card games. And if you don't, then it's a conversation starter.” (04:08 | Kendra Ritchie)
- “One word that I'd give all of my instructors that I've had is fun. I love all my instructors.” (05:05 | Kendra Ritchie)
- “Whenever I'm tree climbing, every single year, I always try to reach a different part of the tree because I cannot climb trees. And that's also like it for rock climbing. So it's just like setting little goals and having a positive mindset. I feel like I've taken a lot of that.” (06:41 | Kendra Ritchie)
Links
Learn more about Camp Windy Peak:
https://avid4.com/windy-peak-camps
Avid4 Adventure website: www.avid4.com
Avid4 on Instagram: @avid4adventure
Avid4 Adventure on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@avid4adventure
Email the host: podcast@avid4.com
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