The HabForum

I found a couple of news links off the Sprocketeer page. This one seemed odd considering the reactions of the people who attended with the author (and the description of the food, which I thought wasn't fair at all, I think you get decent chow at SC): http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-spa ... z2mWhXk5ky
So, the writer's friend just walks away? And more than a few people overnighted at the Marriott? Sheesh, that hotel is about $175 a night!
On my first SC experience, my pilot on the Charlie mission was one of three friends who came to SC and she said after we landed that if it hadn't been for my enthusiasm in the pilot's seat, she might have just climbed out and said she was done. I couldn't wrap my brain around that but at the time, I thought that wasn't likely common. When I went to SC in September this year, the trainer mentioned the possibility of any of us staying at a hotel overnight, and we all looked at each other. Someone even said, "Really? People do that?" Even then I thought that would be a rare thing. Now? I'm not so sure.
A hotel seems kind of silly for how little time you spend in the HAB at the Adult program (as the days are so long). But then again, I used to be a soldier so I can sleep darned near anywhere, especially where it's out of the weather and you have electricity.
Maybe it's the fact that I'd never sign on for something like that if my heart wasn't 100% into it. But frankly, the story didn't paint that great a picture of the adult program...

I've found the adult programs are a real mixed bag when it comes to enthusiasm.

The first adult program I attended back in 2003 was filed with people who were looking for something interesting to do, but were not 100% committed to the experience. It had been more than 10 years since I had attended a Camp program (1989, 1991) so I was there more for the nostalgia factor than anything else. I had fun with it, but there were a couple who took it a little more seriously than I think (admittedly) it should have been. Some did not participate in all the “training”, some barked out orders like they were made some kind of God, but none of my group wanted to walk out on the mission.

About 25% of the group slept at the Marriott - generally the more "seasoned" folks - while the rest of us slept in the Habitat. I get the allure of the Marriott too because those camp beds weren't all that comfortable when the Habitat was built (I slept on them when they were pretty new).

I personally feel the adult programs are just too short to allow any kind of camaraderie to develop within the team, and – at least as it was the case back in 2003 – still geared too much toward Astrotrek and simulators that some of us just can’t get into anymore.

Still, as I said, it’s a mixed bag unless you sell out the entire team with friends who are of like mind. That’s what made the 25th Anniversary Camp in 2007 so fun and, I’m sure, some of these “corporate” groups I’ve been reading about here.

Do the three-day adult camps incorporate any sort of Area 51 team-building exercises?

I agree that teams differ. I have attended 12 times and the first time was a 3-day adult with an amazing group that bonded and were all into it. When I went back for the Adult 8-day camp in 1996, it was the same experience, only more so. The 8 days allowed us to really bond as a team and many of us have kept in contact ever since. We have lost a couple of our teammates to death recently and all of us sent flowers.
The second long adult camp I attended was 6 days and it was a group that did not bond well and several did not seem to be into it at all. Just going through the motions. It made me realize how lucky I was on the other two.
In the parent/child camps that I have attended, I have often found parents who weren't really happy to be there. Going off on their own to make cellphone calls and staying at the Marriott. It seems to be more common there. The counselers told us that there were usually either kids dragging their parents along, or adults dragging their kids along. It seemed to me, though, that most of the kids were really into it. At least the ones that I dragged along were!

I, too, have had a mixed bag of experiences. I've only gone twice, but my first time out I was really lucky. Almost everyone in my group came with the same enthusiasm level and we clicked right away. Great group. This year, it was good, but not as good as last year. Decent bunch, but not the level of energy at all. A couple of them really didn't seem to want to be there (I think the chance of that is directly related to the camper in question getting SC as a gift).

SpaceCanada wrote:Do the three-day adult camps incorporate any sort of Area 51 team-building exercises?

No, there's really no time for that. I'm glad, too, as I'm about the sims and you can do a ropes course kinda thing almost anywhere (and being former US Army, I've done more than my share of such courses in the past). Now, if they brought back the week-long adult program, then, yes, I think a trip to Area 51 would be great for the group at the start...
The 3-day program is good in that you're not there too long to get burned out and can maintain a hectic schedule for that long. But you're just really getting together as a team by the time it's over.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-dig ... 96282.html

Another article about adult weekend camp....

majtom7 wrote:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-dig ... 96282.html
Another article about adult weekend camp....

Nice article. There are some good shots from this guy here: http://hancockphoto.smugmug.com/Events/ ... &k=jGmfqM4
In one of the last shots, one of the guys is wearing a pair of early 90s SC shorts with the velcro stripes. I bet trainers rarely see those these days!

p51 wrote:In one of the last shots, one of the guys is wearing a pair of early 90s SC shorts with the velcro stripes. I bet trainers rarely see those these days!

Actually, we do! They're called 'shuttle shorts' and the top Crew Trainer graduates (highest GPA) gets a pair!