CannaVenture Presents: NORML Summer Camp – The Recap
July 21-23, 2017
Fairplay, CO
It’s truly incredible watching people with a variety of beliefs, desires, backgrounds and perceptions, come together over a love of two simple aspects of life: nature and cannabis. This past weekend was no different, and, as always, unplugging from the day-to-day, hustle and bustle of our lives proved to be a welcome reprieve for many.
Thursday night, some of the staff headed up early with a port-a-potty and supplies to begin setting up the campground. After an early night, dabs and some prep, the staff took to bed early to prepare for the arrival of the campers the next day.
As Friday morning broke and the sun crested over the mesa, more staff began to trickle in in anticipation of more than 40 campers set to arrive on the property by midday. Attendees were greeted with instructions on where to set up, an invitation to consume with their fellow campers, and waivers to be signed in exchange for the commemorative event passes and camp t-shirts (for the first 25 RSVPs).
As tents began to fill the field, grills unloaded, and firewood collected, the group joined for dinner and campfire activities before preparing for the highly-anticipated Glow Night. The camp was decked out in glow sticks, glow in the dark activities, and skies that were illuminated by countless stars. After a few hours of storytelling, campfire conversations, LED Bocce Ball and a host of other offerings, campers began to retreat to their tents for the evening, leaving a small group, the “All-Nighter Crew,” to hold watch over the camp and campfire.
As Saturday morning arrived, the All-Nighters were up, keeping the cooking fires going and sharing stories of their previous adventures. Slowly the camp woke from their slumbers, greeted by smells of eggs, bacon, and a variety of breakfast offerings. Once campers had had their fill, a giant party blunt was rolled (upwards of a half ounce of cannabis was used and then our VP threw in a half gram of pineapple THC distillate). The entire camp headed for the CannaBus, and a hotbox for the ages ensued, lasting more than 55 minutes with a single blunt! After everyone was clearly relaxed and elevated, Sam, our Yoga Instructor, brought everyone together for a morning yoga session to stretch everyone out after a night of tent- and car-camping.
Following yoga, campers began to prepare lunch and snacks, greeted by Emily, our Plant-Based Nutrition Counselor. Emily brought a variety of vegan, gluten-free, non GMO offerings that are easy to make and store for campouts and hikes, including protein shakes, fudge squares, and energy mixers for the camp water. Needless to say, these offerings didn’t last long. And once they were finished, the group headed out for a hike to the nearest mountain.
In search of the summit, the hiking group was met with some rain and hail, forcing an early return after a collective “bowl break” mid-hike. When the hikers returned, Summit CBD had ensured that the campfire was still roaring and warm, a welcome sight to the damp campers, as well as providing gift bags for every attendee that included a sampling of their CBD offerings, perfect for restoring and refreshing everyone after the hike.
After returning from the hike, campers once again hit the CannaBus in search of an afternoon smoke session to loosen their minds, bodies and spirits for our guided meditations, led by Hash. Campers had the opportunity to discuss experiences with cannabis, nature, and a variety of aspects of alternative practice. It didn’t take long for the munchies to kick in.
As the meditations wrapped up, some campers enjoyed horseshoes and croquette, while others began to tend to the dinner preparation, including laying out all of the ingredients for the camp S’more Smorgasbord, including medicated cocoa hazelnut butter from Lucky Turtle Extracts. After a late night the first night, many campers tucked in early, allowing the overnighters and brave weekenders the opportunity for another all-nighter full of cannabis consumption and thoughtful conversations.
As the sun rose early Sunday morning, the camp slowly awoke and joined under the main canopy for breakfast before breaking camp down. Some chose to meditate and do yoga on their own this morning, while others chose to soak up the last bits of campfire and natural beauty that the property offered before heading back to their campsites to begin takedown.
Once tents and cars were packed up, the awesome staff at NORML helped to lead in a group cleanup effort, collecting all of the glow materials, wayward cans and bottles, as well as any remnants of human presence on the otherwise untouched land. After the final cleanup and sweep, the remaining campers all convened on the CannaBus for one last communal smoke session before saying their good-byes.
This weekend was an incredible experience that offered attendees a chance to meet new people, explore new thought processes, and reconnect with the natural beauty that Colorado has to offer.
I could not have asked for a better experience with each and every one of you, and I cannot wait to see you all again at another one of our events! We have another campout and music festival planned for September. CannaVenture has been invited to present the “Freaker’s Ball”, the eighth installment in the Black Mountain Family Reunion series. We may have a few smaller outings planned as well, so stay tuned to the website and social media for more information.
As always, stay thirsty for adventure and thank you all for continuing to make it all worthwhile.
Much love,
Cannabenoid
To request more information or discuss a sponsorship at one of our events, you can reach Cannabenoid directly at Ben@Creativebenefits.org.
P.S. Don’t forget to join the Group on Facebook.
P.P.S. Here are all of the pictures that I could find from our weekend. If you have more, please email them or tag us in the photo. Please comment below if you’d like me to caption your photo! HiResolution printouts of the family photo are available for purchase. Please email us for more information.
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