Well, we’ve been hearing, endlessly, about the Woodward camps https://www.campwoodward.com for about 6 months now. We were told about a weekend camp by another parent at his local park so he was ecstatic that he could attend. This is a huge facility, with many (more than 5) outdoor areas and a huge “hanger” full of a variety of ramps. They have large foam pits to learn flips and other high-altitude dangers tricks, “resi-ramps” (thick rubber pads overlying some kind of padded material) which are an intermediate positive step for these same tricks, then huge areas of masonite-type ramps of varying slopes and radii. There are a number of eating areas, a shop with a mechanic, nurses and PT types, It’s quite amazing.

This is the first time he would be at an overnight camp, so we were a bit worried about how much he would like that. There were 250 scooter riders there, only 20 age 10 or less, and those (The Minis) had their own cabin with two parent monitors.

There were a lot of “Clairemont Kids” (kids from his local park) there so he felt at home. One of those was also a Mini and his father was a parent monitor.

The days started at nine with an hour of stretching and warm-up, then a small group class (picked by skill level), then free-riding after lunch and dinner and lights-out at 10:00. Most of the campers rode every minute they were not eating or sleeping.  Most of the Minis did not take a shower for the three days they were there! Ugh. I badgered JM to take one on the second night and the next day he reported that he had done so, but forgot to take soap with him!

On Monday afternoon, when there was only about 50 riders left, and most of them quite advanced in skills, a few were attempting triple back-flips in a competition/game. John Michael had finally worked up the nerve to try to learn a back-flip and began doing so, into the foam pit. He got a lot of encouragement from the older kids and did quite well (as you can see in the videos).

After that, and just before we needed to leave, his favorite professional rider, Raymond Warner, visited the Mini cabin and talked to the kids remaining there.  John Michael knows him from when he has filmed his vlog at the Clairemont skate park.

He wants to return for a week-long camp next summer.

Back-Flip from the side
https://vimeo.com/user2228640/review/301702831/e965d5909c

Back-Flip from behind
https://vimeo.com/301703540/209a34bceb

All-terrain scooter
https://vimeo.com/301703939/480aa297fe

On Friday, November 9, John Michael’s class performed “The Great American Game Show” play. They also sang a medley of patriotic songs. It was another entertaining and fun afternoon for us, the other parents and the staff of the school.

John Michael had two roles, and Louis Braille and William Addis. I think you can “see” which of these photos are of him playing Louis Braille. William Addis, for those of you, like me, who do not know him, invented the tooth brush!