The Importance of Hotrodicus Supersonicus

Hotrodicus Supersonicus is easily the most notorious evening activity at Windsor Mountain. It begins with a surprise takeover during a seemingly regular game. Our villain Rolo Booth interrupts and threatens to take over the camp — the way to save it: campers must work together to free their counselors and LITs (Leaders in Training) who have been turned into his army of ‘gargoyles.’ They enter, stone-faced, wearing black clothing and covered in black paint. This game is so notorious that our campers will often see a counselor wearing black at any given moment and ask, “is it Hotrodicus tonight?!”

Traditionally, the campers must chase down the gargoyles who are hiding around camp, tag them, and carry them to the basketball courts, earning points for how well they take care of them on their journey — this could be getting them water or a pillow. So, what about all that makes it so special to our campers? Honestly, I am not sure, it could be the hype and element of surprise or the intensity with which all the counselors commit and participate.

I can, however, tell you what makes it special to me – the teamwork. The campers are given simple instructions: chase the gargoyles, tag them, and carry them to the basketball courts. They soon realize that counselors and LITs aren’t easy to just carry around and that some gargoyles have extra challenges to them, like puzzles and riddles. They must work together. Unprompted, I see campers asking people who they haven’t met for help, I see campers of all ages working and strategizing together, especially our older campers taking on leadership in groups. I see them do kind things to make sure the counselors and LITs are comfortable during their journeys.

These values — kindness, teamwork, and including others — are ones that are talked about on the daily at camp: at morning meetings, in activities, and in our bunk life. Along with this, we share moments of the day where campers can execute these values, like sitting with a camper who is sitting alone, or doing KP (kitchen party), working together to clean the dishes and the dining hall.

But as humans, especially children, it can be easy to forget these skills in a moment of excitement or change, which is why this crazy evening activity is so special. It’s about so much more than Rolo Booth or the theatrics, and it will forever bring me joy to see campers just being kind and working together — something I hope they take outside the bubble with them.