Pictures from Halloween Bash '08

Pumpkin Carving
...or painting!
Costume Parade
Trick-or-Treating

A little frosty...

Well, for the second morning in a row, there's quite a bit of frost out there. Water hoses are frozen everywhere so the bathrooms are quite busy this morning. Few minutes of sun and they'll thaw...so come on sun!! Our last weekend of the season has been a huge success! The pumpkin massacre...um..I mean carving went very well. We even had 'pumpkins' for the little ones to paint rather than carve. There was a little backup waiting for the carving saws but all our budding pumpkin artists waited patiently and eventually everyone got a turn. In the middle of the afternoon, we were inundated with ghosts, goblins, princesses and fairies as we had a costume parade. Thank-you very much to the Serra's who brought the supplies and supplied the manpower to give everyone apple slices and caramel as they set out trick-or-treating. I don't know about anyone else, but our campers were so generous handing out candy that Jake & Ryan have enough to last them all year!! Dinner was great and once again Jack, Keith & Fred did a wonderful job roasting the pork and cooking the hot dogs & hamburgers. To switch it up, we had the side dishes catered and the beans, cornbread, salad & apple crisp were all great. The haunted house opened at 7 pm and everyone got a good scare...thanks Donna for all your help! People have been checking out steadily this morning and headed up to the service center to have their campers winterized. What a perfect end to a great season. We'll keep you updated with all the fun winter activities...and look forward to seeing everyone again in the spring!! (photos of this weekend are coming soon...keep checking back!!)

All of Autumn's Best

What an absolutely perfect fall weekend. The sun is shining and so warm it reminds us that summer was not so long ago. As the sun sinks behind the mountains in the evening a cool crisp air moves in that makes you just think of campfires and marshmallows! It has been a great Columbus Day weekend...lots of kids here this weekend and we've been having a blast. They even raked a big pile of leaves (less for us to do...) and they spent all of friday evening playing in them. Isn't that just exactly what you are supposed to do in the fall. Many people are headed to the Sandwich fair today...always a fall classic and only a short, beautiful drive away. I'm sad that this will be the first time in many years I don't make it to the fair, but duty calls. Jack & Chris are having a great time down at the Snowmobile Grass Drags & Water Crossing...they have had lots of interest in our winter season and we're really excited about that. We have so much fun here in the winter, the snowmobile trail goes right thru the park and you can honestly go from here to anywhere in New England and Canada. Tenney Mountain is right down the street for those who ski and Waterville and Loon are a short ride up I-93. We really are right in the middle of it all!!

...and last but not least!

I would be amiss if I did not also say a HUGE thank you to our #1 go-to guy, Chris!! We are constantly impressed with your commitment to making Riverbrook the best it can be. Your hard work and long days are not only noticed they are appreciated more than you know. Thank you to Sarah as well...we know that you are here to relax but we truly appreciate that when the going gets tough...you step up and help with a smile!!

On our own again...

After a WONDERFUL summer always comes the sad moment when we have to say goodbye to our summer staff. We would have been up the creek, so to speak, if Diane could not have dropped everything and driven all the way from Florida to spend the rest of the summer with us!! THANKS DIANE, you really saved us! And...JOE & SHERRY...the friendliest, most fun-loving and hardest working team we've met to date. Thank you so much for your ideas, creativity, flexability, hard work and untiring quest to continually make the park look and run as great as possible! We wish you the best this winter...keep us updated as to what you are up to (but none of us want to hear how warm it is!!) and if you decide to come back to NH next summer, for work or just to play...you'll always have a home here at Riverbrook!! WE MISS YOU ALREADY!!

Fall has arrived!!

Leaves are starting to turn, school is well in session and we are well on our way to the end of the season. We've still got lot's going on before the final bell though! We have a few groups in over the next couple of weekends and of course we are the perfect place for Columbus Day. We are just a quick ride away from the Sandwich Fair...always a fall classic! Foliage should be absoulutely beautiful and we've got all the info you need to plan a foliage tour to remember.

Don't forget our 2nd Annual Halloween Bash, October 17-19. We'll have a haunted house (we've got some new cool stuff...thanks Mr. & Mrs. Haffner!) as well as costume contest, pig roast complete with all the fixin's and trick-or-treating!! Don't forget to get your camper winterized as you leave on Sunday. It's included in the price for the weekend!! Sites are booking fast so call or e-mail today! It's Sure to be a haunting good time...

Back to School

Labor day weekend has come and gone. We've made it to the unofficial end of summer. How does it always go so fast! All the kids are back in school and the leaves are already starting to change. We're so glad we had nice weather for the last big weekend of summer. During the day the pool was the place to be. By dusk there was just enough nip in the air that it felt good to sit around the bonfire making S'mores. It may feel like summer is over, but don't forget there's still 7 more weeks to go before the end of the camping season. We're going to end our season with the 2nd Annual Halloween Bash. You don't want to miss it.

Bounce and Slide

The rain held off just enough for us to have a great weekend. The Bounce Castle and Waterslide were a big hit with the kids. Thank you to Vermont Bounce for coming and setting it all up for us. We couldn't get away without a little rain Saturday evening but it all cleared out in time for the Ice Cream Social. We also had a nice turnout for the candy bar bingo Sunday Morning.

Rain, Rain, Go Away....

We have had our fill of rain here in NH. Our thoughts go out to the folks at Ashland who got caught in the flash flood and to the people who had a tornado (of all things!) do damage to their homes.

Thankfully, the Baker River hasn't flooded on us. We did have a tree get struck by lightening and that somehow traveled to our wireless internet system and fried it. Apparently the crazy weather that brought us tons of snow this winter is hanging around for the summer. The good news is, nobody has to worry about their well going dry or watering the lawn.

Pig Roast Weekend

Jack got up at 2:00am Saturday morning and got the pig on the fire. He spent all day Saturday tending to the pig (with a little help from his brother and the Serra's). We had beautiful weather Saturday right up until it was time to eat. To play it safe we moved the tables inside, and once the last hamburger was grilled and all got our plates were filled it started to downpour. Perfect timing. The food was excellent. The pig was delicious and the campers brought so many tasty side dishes it was hard to decide what to put on your plate. We had lot's of activities besides the pig roast. The men played a horseshoe tournament, and the kids had a scavenger hunt and the weather was nice enough during the day Saturday for swimming and kayaking. Thanks to everyone who came. We had a great time and we hope you come back in October for our end of the season Pig Roast/Halloween Party.

Getting Ready For The Pig Roast

Preparations are under way for the 2nd annual Pig Roast! Chris and Joe have a big to do list this week. They've got the tent set up and power washed and the campground has been mowed. The pig cooker is coming in today and the special wood Jack's been saving for the pig has to be hauled over. We've been busy in the office taking last minute reservations. It's a lot of extra work but, it's worth it. It's going to be a great weekend!

Our own field of dreams

The guys found the time to put a ball diamond in the back field. While they were at it they decided to put in some benches for the teams or spectators to sit on. It turned out pretty nice.

Christmas in July

It was all about Christmas this weekend. At first we were thinking "It's to hot to feel like Christmas" but, once the decorations started going up and the Christmas music was playing it was easy to get into the spirit. By Saturday the kids were ready for making Christmas crafts and after a quick dip in the pool, we started the judging for the best decorated site. Congratulations to the Lynds. Later that afternoon we had a special visit from Santa! Coming from the North Pole he wasn't used to the heat so we let him sit in the air conditioned Rec. Hall. After Santa handed out his gifts we ended the evening with our awesome ice cream social. After dark it was campfires, s'more's, stars and Christmas lights.

Everything Strawberry.....Yummy!

The highlight of the Everything Strawberry weekend was the Ice Cream Social/Strawberry Potluck on Saturday evening. Delicious desserts and great people to share it with. We had some very creative recipes on the table. My personal favorite was the Strawberry Pizza. Pie crust, cream cheese, and strawberries.....yummy!

Update.... Landscaping of the Gate

Joe found some time over the holiday weekend to install a sign and some flowers at the gate. With a little help from his trusty golf cart, he dragged this 200 pound piece of Granite all the way from the river path. While he was making the rock border he noticed the smaller rock that looks like the outline of N.H. and couldn't resist putting it beside the sign. It's lookin' good.

Kayak Rentals

Quite a few of our guests took advantage of the Kayak and Canoe rentals. It's a good deal at $15.oo for a half day kayak rental. If kayaks aren't your thing, the canoes are only $20.00 for a half day. Jack and Chris can tell you where to put in for a one, two or three hour float.

MMM...Rib Fest!!

We had a spectacular day for our 2nd Annual Rib Fest!! The premise is simple...we supply the ribs, BBQ'd to perfection and you bring a side dish to share. There were so many yummy dishes that people's plates were full even before they got down to the grill to pile on the ribs. Many thanks to Jack for all the prep and cooking and to AJ for all his assistance once the grill was HOT!! And BIG HUGE thanks go to Chris and Joe, our ever hard working crew, that once again worked hard all week to make the park beautiful and make sure that the Rib Fest went off without a hitch!! Where would we all be if we did not have all those great picnic tables to sit on!! A great time was had by all...sorry you missed it!! Make your reservations now for PIG ROAST '08 (Aug 2nd). Sites are going fast!!

Having Fun withTie Dye

Happy Fourth of July! It's the beginning of an activity packed holiday weekend. This morning we made red, white, and blue tie dye shirts. We all had a great time. It's amazing the different looks you can get. I bet most of us will be wearing our new shirts to the fireworks tonight. I don't have much time to write. We've got to get ready for the bike parade this afternoon!

Happy 4th of July!

We have our flags flying at Riverbrook. We've been preparing all week for the holiday. Today we're going to Tie Dye some T-shirts and have a bike parade. Fireworks in the field tonight. Tomorrow is our 2nd annual Rib Bash. Jack is cooking the ribs and the campers are bringing the side dishes. Makes me hungry just thinking about it. If you have nothing planned this weekend give us a call. We have room for a few more campers.

Cool Dog

The pups like to stay cool, too. The pool is only for people, but dogs can go for a swim at the beach.

Rainy Day

Even if it's raining, the maintenance crew puts on their rain gear and keeps working. According to Murphy's Law it will always rain on days when you have to be outside and when your camping in a tent. Makes you appreciate that hot shower when you get back home.

The Bridge is Done

Here comes Joe the bridge builder testing the placement of the stones to make sure the golf carts have a smooth crossing. Joe and Chris have been working hard on the bridge, path, and fence. They still have more landscaping to do but this is a good start. Looking good!

The Gate

For the last couple of weeks one of the big projects going on at the Resort has been the installation of a security gate. Finally today we have it up and running. It works like a charm. It's very easy to use. If you are camping here you have a code you put in and the gate opens. If your visiting, you push the call button on the intercom and we'll open the gate by remote. To leave you just stop in front of the gate and it opens automatically. As you can see, we still have a lot of work to do. There is a bridge being built for golf carts, bikers, and walkers and we still have a lot of landscaping to do. It's going to look great once we get it done. I'll keep everyone updated on our progress.

Happy Father's Day

Hope Everybody had a great Father's Day weekend. We had a great time here at Riverbrook. The Resort was hopping with seasonals, families and the good folks from the Granite Stater's Group. The weather Saturday was perfect for playing in the pool or soaking in the hot tub. The kids enjoyed gift making, and water games and kids of all ages came for the Ice Cream Social Saturday evening. After a good night's sleep, we treated everyone to a free Father's Day pancake breakfast. What more can you ask from a weekend. Good food, good friends, good times.

We're Having a Heat Wave!

It's only June but it feels like the dog days of August outside. We've all spent some quality time in the pool this week. If the heat is getting you down, get your swim suit and come on up to the mountains. It's "All About Dad" this weekend and we have some great activities scheduled. Water games, gift making, a float down the Baker River, a free Ice Cream Social Saturday, and a free pancake breakfast Sunday Morning. Don't forget we have a Stay and Play Policy for checkout day. If your having a good time and want to hang out for the day go ahead. No charge. Just let us know in the office so we can make sure no one is checking in on your site. No matter what your plans are, have a great Father's Day and stay cool.

The Little Things

With a new Resort there's always so many big projects that need to be done. It's nice when we get a break in the busy schedule to be able to do some of the little things. This stuff isn't necessary to the operation of the Resort, but it adds to the comfort of our guests. This week we finished the stairway to the beach that I mentioned in the last post. Also, there is a pond at the front of the park with a great view of the mountains so we put in a bench so people have a nice place to sit and relax. And for our four legged quests and the owners who clean up after them, we added complimentary pickup bags at the entrance to the field. We still have plenty of big things to do, but, every once in a while it's nice to do the little things.

Over the river and through the woods...

Today we started work on a new set of stairs to get to this beautiful walking trail. This path starts at the Resort and if you go to the right it takes you on a wooded walk that follows the River and leads to the pond at the front of the Resort. A nice shady walk on a sunny summer day. If you go to the left it takes you to our private beach on the Baker River. Keep going past the beach and you find yourself in acres of fields that are perfect for flying a kite, playing a game of softball or just taking a nice quiet stroll.

What a Nice Weekend...

What a nice bunch of campers we had for Memorial weekend. We hope you all come back again! It was nice to have the park full. The weather was great (well, maybe a little breezy) but, the kids had a great time between candy bar bingo, the playground, game room and especially the pool. We had a great turnout at the Ice Cream Social and Jack and Keri took some of the campers on a Kayak tour down the Baker River. For those of you who don't own your own Kayak we rent them right here at the Resort. Floating down the river is a great way to spend a sunny afternoon. Hope everyone enjoyed the Holiday. We sure did.

Ahhh...the smell of fresh cut grass!

Today was a great day at the Resort. The weather was gorgeous and we had the first mowing of the season! Nothing makes it feel more like summer than the sound of lawnmowers and the smell of fresh cut grass. The maintenance crew has done a great job getting the lawn in shape after the long winter. It's hard to believe that we were under 4 feet of snow just a month ago. Look at it now!

Wanna take a dip?

As any pool owner knows, one of the most time consuming and most exciting jobs in the spring is opening the pool. We've spent the better part of the past two days taking the cover off, skimming the leaves and other debris out and filling the pool back to its regular level. Thanks again to the guys from All Seasons Pool & Spa for their help getting the pumps and filters ready for another busy season. All that's left to do is vacuum, finish treating the water to clear it up and fire up the heater! The pool will officially open on Memorial Day weekend. We have just a few sites left and the phone is ringing all the time...hurry and make your reservation before you miss out!!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!

Happy Mother's Day to all!! We started the morning with a fresh cooked pancake breakfast which was enjoyed by all, especially the little ones!! Then it was off to enjoy the best sunny day we've had so far...not a cloud in the sky and just enough of a breeze to keep it comfortable.

Quiet and peaceful morning...

Good morning...Today has been the best morning so far this season. It was just a little bit crisp but just the right temperature for sitting on the porch with a cup of coffee. Best of all, it's ready by 7 am, comes complete with one of the best donut holes I've had in a long time...and it's FREE!! Thats right folks, we have free coffee and donut holes every Saturday and Sunday morning from 7 am - 9 am. Come wake up with a cup '0 joe on the porch and make your plans for the rest of the day!! I'll catch you a bit later...I'm ready for another cup!

The Ice Cream Is Here!

Just in time for the nice warm weather we've been having. We've been busy setting up the store this week. It's amazing how much stuff you can fit in a small store. We have a little bit of everything in here. The shelves have been stocked with rv supplies, paper products, canned goods, soda, beer, snacks, toys, lot's of candy, and of course the ice cream!

WE ARE OPEN!!

We have survived our opening weekend for the summer of 2008!! Mother Nature gave us some rain for our first weekend, but we didn't let it dampen our spirits. We moved the BBQ to the porch and if we got chilly we went into the Rec. Hall. We had our first ice cream social of the season. We'll be having one every Saturday evening this year. A little rain can't stop us! It was nice to catch up with our returning seasonals, and get to know some new ones. We've got some nice things planned for Mom this weekend. We hope to see you here.

Long time coming....

We've been busy here, needless to say. The snow is almost melted, only a few small piles left. Started raking around the snow today...Jake and Ryan broke in their new rakes this afternoon. We will be opening on Friday, May 2nd!! We are so excited to see everyone again and look forward to having a great season!