Thursday August 14. This would be my 30^th MASHOUT and Melissa's first. We left at 10:30 and arrived at the site a little before 1:00. We checked in as folks offered me all sorts of friendly greetings ("You again?" "What's she doing with you?" "Where's my $%^@&* money, asshole?" etc). We set up our brand new tent in the CRABS area. (Our old tent had sprung a leak on our previous camping trip. I won't go into details, but we are no longer allowed anywhere near Pastor Bob's Youth Camp.)

Several CRABSters had arrived the night before and gotten rained on. The rest of the weekend would be free of rain but more humid than Kristi Noem's stinkpot when she sees a child get abducted by one of her masked goons.

Before heading over to the pavilion I stopped at Steve Conard's tent to hear him play his electronic wind instrument.

Over at the pavilion folks were getting primed for a weekend of tact and dignity.

The Camp CRABS dinner consisted of Chris + Christa's great pork sliders. Melissa and I brought some healthful food that she'd made, and, true to CRABS form, almost no one would touch it. I am constantly amazed that the CRABS emails don't have an obituary section.

Handsome Rob (formerly Side Boob Rob, but don't call him that, by which I mean definitely call him that) and I compared our toenails. A woman named Mary, whom I'd just met, painted mine. Not sure about Side Boob Rob's though. (Oops. I didn't mean to say Side Boob Rob. Yes I did.)

Side Bob Rob is on the bottom. As usual.

Some folks waded in Pisswater Creek.

After dark, the pavilion was alive with music, dancing, jenga, poker, and shame.

This year Craig and Rachel didn't make it, but Hangin' Tough stepped up to provide the 4^th meal with his (heh heh) small apparatus.

Friday August 15. Shortly after dawn I went to Rocky Gap Casino Resort to take a free shower, as I have done for many years, because my people have always loved free showers. When I returned it was shaping up to be a beautiful day.

Our breakfast consisted of the usual death wish fare, including scrapple, bacon, and eggs cooked in bacon grease.

Afterward some folks wallowed in Shit's Creek.

I went to the pavilion...

...for Sour Hour at 1:00. This year we had commercial beers on one table and homebrewed ones on the other (Jason and I provided most of the latter). Twila, as usual, had prepared a great selection of cheeses, smoked salmon, and other foods. Afterward I assumed my normal position.

When I became conscious again (no wonder people call me "woke"), some CRABSters were making french fries that would be served at dinner later.

Other folks were wallowing in Poop Pond.

At 6:00 it was time for dinner, which consisted mainly of NoVA Homebrew's bratwurst, CRABS's fries, and far far.

At 8:30 we did a new event called Stout Out, where folks brought dark beers. Justin acted as the town crier to get folks over to the pavilion.

There was a nice assortment of dark ales...

...and some after effects.

Around midnight Hangin' Tough provided more pizza. I was too out of it to take any photos (gee, really?).

Saturday August 16. After another free shower I joined everyone for the usual morning cardio clogger.

Over at the pavilion, Mary played with Justin's skeleton. Note the makeshift genitalia.

At 1:00 we did our annual food competition. This year's theme was anything pickled. We did not do a judging this time, so we were all winners, and by winners I mean losers.

The brilliant CRABS administration had decided to have this event at the same time as the mead/cider tasting, so we went over there right afterward. There was leftover cheese from Sour Hour.

There were other activities too.

It was a hot afternoon and many folks spent hours in Cesspool Creek.

I decided instead to shvitz with the Poker Guys in their poker tent. They have been coming to MASHOUT since around the turn of the millennium. They always bring good commercial brews.

At 6:00 I went to the food-beer pairing at the pavilion to gorge myself with more unneeded food.

At 7:30 a band called Scrawl entertained us. One of the members is the son of a BURP couple. They did two sets of great music.

Long-time MASHOUTer Bill Prewitt brought "Leanne", a 20-inch f5 truss tube altazimuth-mount telescope though which we clearly saw Saturn, a few star clusters, and Youranus. Then we had a final 4^th meal courtesy of Hangin' Tough and partied until after 2:00 AM.

Sunday August 17. The dreaded load-out. As usual it had been a great time that came and went almost as fast as my uncle when he did something to me that he made me promise to keep secret.