Color War day three was nothing short of exhilarating as the Blue Knights and the Red Dragons were neck and neck all day in various intense competitions, keeping everyone fighting til the very end. Today traditionally has the most points of any day in Color War, so the stakes were high and the competition was fierce.

Day 3 hosts one of the oldest traditions in Color War- The Mountain Relay. This is a giant race that includes 57 challenges and involves over 70 campers from each team. Each participant must complete their obstacle while still holding the baton. These batons were made in 1976 and have been used in every Mountain Relay and Carolina Streak for 49 summers. Campers pass the baton to a teammate at the next obstacle which include shooting five blocks of wood at riflery, promenading your partner down to the gym, carrying a cinder block from the office to the gym, walking like the statue of liberty with toilet paper and a plunger, kayaking around the island on silver lake, blobbing a teammate to swim to the beach, passing a frisbee, saying the alphabet backwards, walking downhill with a book on your head, mini rope burning, driving a nail and many more. This event is so intense because it only takes one hurdle to slow you down and change the fate of the competition.

From the moment the starting whistle blew, it was clear this was going to be a fierce battle. Both teams started out strong, demonstrating their determination, commitment and talent. The first place position was exchanged over 20 times in the relay. Each team felt the pressure and stress at different points during the race, but in the end, the Blue Knights were the first to ring the bell and win the event, with the Red Dragons less than 60 seconds behind them. It was one of the closest Mountain Relays I’ve ever seen, and it was awesome!

To me, Color War isn’t about the victory, it’s about the journey. It’s about the community. It’s about the dedication to your team. It’s about the heart, and today my heart was full watching your children soak up every moment of this Color War.

As I followed the Mountain Relay today, I was so touched by the fans. I can’t think of another way to describe this to you, but at each of the 57 legs of the relay, there was a crowd that cheered and supported both teams…a fan club. And as the relay moved, so did the fans! They cheered, they chanted, they encouraged BOTH TEAMS, unlike fans in the real world. It was incredible! They didn’t want to miss a moment, a memory or a chance to cheer for their friends. It wasn’t about winning, it was about teamwork, friendship and love!

Favorite Details of The Day

• Meals: For breakfast today we had bagels, scrambled eggs, sausage patties, oatmeal, grits and a fruit bar. For lunch we had chicken fingers, french fries and a salad bar. For dinner we had chicken fajitas with grilled veggies, black beans, Mexican rice, homemade guacamole, queso and chips, with a salad bar and sandwich bar. For dessert, we had cinnamon and sugar churros! They were SO good!
• Weather: We woke up to rain this morning, and it continued to drizzle most of the morning for our events. Fortunately there was no thunder, so Color War went on and everyone had a blast! The sun came out just after lunch, and we had partly cloudy skies in the afternoon during Mountain Relay but no rain for the rest of the day!
• EP: Tonight’s EP’s were fantastic! Our first EP was Teen Idol. This is a Color War talent show with five categories: vocal talent, instrumental talent, lip sync performance, original dance routine and dancing with the officers. The Blue Knights took 3 points in this event and the Red Dragons took two points. After Teen Idol, we had Harness Pull, where competitors pull a sled with the exact same amount of weight toward their team. The first team to bring their sled across their finish line wins the match.