Our Ray Stories

Redneck Resort

Madden Hole was a natural swimming hole located deep in the woods a number of miles from our home in Marche; a rather long hike to say the least. We would often frequent this “hole” on a regular basis in the summer just to cool off and have fun. Madden Hole was also a good place to camp and fish.
It was late one summer afternoon, after all of our chores were done that the four of us, Ray, Joe, Mark (adopted brother and neighbor) and I stepped out onto the gravely road in front of our home to begin the several mile hike to our beloved Redneck Resort locally known to our polish community as “Madden Hole.” However, today’s march to Madden Hole was more than just for a swim. Ray had proposed (a week or so earlier) we go on a two day camping trip with Madden Hole as our destination. We all were excited about his idea until he mentioned that we would just take the bare essentials for cooking food along with some fishing equipment. We would survive by catching or gathering our meals from the forest or fish from the waters of Madden hole.
So off we went, taking and jabbering about the upcoming two days. The question of food was a hot topic but Ray assured us we would not starve. Running along side and at time racing ahead were our two dogs, Curly and Michael. These two dogs were strays that over different times in the past appeared at our home. Their names somehow magically became part of their characters as each was adopted and became part of our childhood.
The march to the site traversed three long gravelly and rocky roads each ending with the other and each reaching out in a totally new direction. The eye of the late afternoon sun soon was glaring down on us. Our T-shirts displayed a cool dampness as if having been soaked in water as a result of our sweat pouring out like rain. The longer we walked the less we talked due to the dying heat of the summer day. The previous excitement expressed in the beginning had now gone up in flames in the heat of the long trek to Madden Hole. Each of us was lost in our imaginations looking ahead and immersed in the cool waters of Madden Hole. Finally, we reached the grassy trail that cut of the main road and led deep into the forest to Madden Hole. This old wagon trial lay like a snake through the thick woods trailing off into the distance before us. With the heavy foliage of the surrounding trees now providing shade, our excitement and chatter perked like water that reaches a boiling point as we began our final journey to this ole swimming hole.
We had just gone just a short distance when young a rabbit just ahead of us kicks up his heals in a rapid race to safety. Curly and Michael, the dogs, give chase and soon disappear into the wooded environment ahead with their bellowing howls echoing throughout the trees. It was not long before their baying became infrequent and sporadic indicating their loss of the rabbit. Soon both dogs were back with their tongues hanging out and panting for each breath, each having lost interest in a rabbit deep in a hole.
It was a welcome relief for all to see the ole trail finally ending at a large rivulet flooded with water from a storm of the previous week. The loud nosy water poured and splashed it way down the creek over or around the many large rock and boulders that refused to give up their position. We stopped for a minute to remove our shoes and socks and began wading in the knee deep waters. Ray began scooping up and throwing water balls at who ever was the closest to him. Thus began an all out war between all of us with water being the only weapon. It was truly moments of fun and laughter as we all welcomed the many exploding balls of water that seem to come from out of no where giving instant relief from the heat of the day. Suddenly realizing that the sun was now sinking towards the edge of our visible world, we quickly climbed once more into our shoes and made a mad rush for the camp site about two hundred yards away.
(to be continued)