Tiger's Milk and Memories

It's strange what can trigger a memory. I was reading Kent Peterson's account of the Sir 600k brevet. He made a comment about picking up a Tiger's Milk Bar at a control stop. It tickled something in the back of my mind. I've had one of those before, the're good. I just couldn't remember when or where. Then today I stopped by at the local GNC to pick up some sports drink and gels for the Bee Buzzin. On my way back to the office to get ready for the afternoon ride it all came back to me. I was twelve and was doing a walk to raise money, for a church thing, I think. I stopped by a feed and seed store that had a health food section a couple of days before. I grabbed a couple of the bars, I liked the name. The walk started thirteen miles from the church in Cameron where the church's summer camp was located, I learned to swim there, but that is another story. The name of the camp was, Camp S&M, no really. Though it's not what you think, well unless you count the meals in the mess hall. The church is First Southern Methodist, ok, now it all falls into place. Well we started early in the morning, Saturday I think. I don't remember much traffic, and it was hot, so summer. The details are a bit fuzzy, it was a long time ago. I had many deep conversations with my best friend, Max that day, I think girls came up some. On the walk I remember eating the Tiger Milk Bars and liking them, they had that like a candy bar but good for you taste. Scarlet clover was in bloom that day and the fields and road sides were peppered with clusters of deep red. I found a walking stick where a farmer had cut the small trees near his fence, I kept it for several years, it was black cherry. I made it back to the church, it was the longest hike I had done at that point and I was sore and tired. I remember going home and soaking my aching muscles in a hot bath and feeling proud that I walked that far.