Curlew Lake

Aug 20-23
We left this Monday AM for Lake Curlew near Republic, WA. A good friend of Don's, Tom De Roche, and his family have been going there for years so insisted that since we are free to travel we needed to visit them on their vacation. We stopped on Indian John Hill Rest stop and called son-in -law Steve and the twins to see where they were since they had left Helena, MT the day before. He was passing through Ritzville so I asked him to take Exit 151 off I-90 and we would meet them. He got there right before we did. It was good to see them if only for a short time. Then off to our destination. It was just over 300 miles and we didn't get there until after 3. When we arrived it was about 90 with a nice wind blowing from the lake. The lake is about 7.5 miles long but not very wide so it gets pretty warm. This isn't so good for fishing but the swimming looked comfortable. Our site was about 20 feet from the lake so the view was great. Here are a few pictures. As you can see in one of them these people have quite a selection of floating devices. That's our trailer behind all the floaties.




Tuesday we awoke to another nice day in the 80's. It gets down into the 40's at night so it is good for sleeping. We headed into Republic to check out the town. Some years ago the only industry in town was a lumber mill that shut down. This really hurt the community. They revamped the town with a Western theme which is pretty nice. We had a good tavern lunch in Madonnas Saloon. Then back to the park for more relaxing and enjoying our new friends
Wednesday was another nice day with a few light clouds that floated around with no effect. There was a horseshoe tourney in the afternoon that pitted the Old Guys against the Punks. The Punks are the youngsters under 40. Man do I hang out with an advanced in age group or what? I guess it's only natural. After all my girls are 37 and 41. Enough of that. Anyway, the Punks beat the Old Guys for the first time so there was quite a bit of celebrating going on into the night.
Thursday again was a nice day with some wind but of no consequence. We decided to have a little bocce ball tourney. We involved some of the kids, I mean pre teen, and they had a good time. It was a nice way to spend the afternoon. The tradition is to go night fishing on the lighted fish dock so after dark Tom and I went and tried our luck catching. There were a couple guys already there so we joined them for about an hour. They weren't really happy with me because I caught the only fish, 4 of them, while there.
Friday we arose and went into town to lay in some supplies before heading for Canada. Then back to the park to hook up and head North and West.

Curlew Lake

Aug 20-23
We left this Monday AM for Lake Curlew near Republic, WA. A good friend of Don's, Tom De Roche, and his family have been going there for years so insisted that since we are free to travel we needed to visit them on their vacation. We stopped on Indian John Hill Rest stop and called son-in -law Steve and the twins to see where they were since they had left Helena, MT the day before. He was passing through Ritzville so I asked him to take Exit 151 off I-90 and we would meet them. He got there right before we did. It was good to see them if only for a short time. Then off to our destination. It was just over 300 miles and we didn't get there until after 3. When we arrived it was about 90 with a nice wind blowing from the lake. The lake is about 7.5 miles long but not very wide so it gets pretty warm. This isn't so good for fishing but the swimming looked comfortable. Our site was about 20 feet from the lake so the view was great. Here are a few pictures. As you can see in one of them these people have quite a selection of floating devices. That's our trailer behind all the floaties.




Tuesday we awoke to another nice day in the 80's. It gets down into the 40's at night so it is good for sleeping. We headed into Republic to check out the town. Some years ago the only industry in town was a lumber mill that shut down. This really hurt the community. They revamped the town with a Western theme which is pretty nice. We had a good tavern lunch in Madonnas Saloon. Then back to the park for more relaxing and enjoying our new friends
Wednesday was another nice day with a few light clouds that floated around with no effect. There was a horseshoe tourney in the afternoon that pitted the Old Guys against the Punks. The Punks are the youngsters under 40. Man do I hang out with an advanced in age group or what? I guess it's only natural. After all my girls are 37 and 41. Enough of that. Anyway, the Punks beat the Old Guys for the first time so there was quite a bit of celebrating going on into the night.
Thursday again was a nice day with some wind but of no consequence. We decided to have a little bocce ball tourney. We involved some of the kids, I mean pre teen, and they had a good time. It was a nice way to spend the afternoon. The tradition is to go night fishing on the lighted fish dock so after dark Tom and I went and tried our luck catching. There were a couple guys already there so we joined them for about an hour. They weren't really happy with me because I caught the only fish, 4 of them, while there.
Friday we arose and went into town to lay in some supplies before heading for Canada. Then back to the park to hook up and head North and West.

Cascade Peaks

July 29, 2012    FOR SOME REASON THE PICTURES ARE NOT SHOWING. I AM WORKING ON GETTING THIS FIXED.
Well here we go again on our annual trip to Cascade Peaks near Packwood, WA. This year we picked up Caitlin, one of the 11 year old twins, and headed to the park. The weather was kind of cloudy when we left Olympia but was sunny and in the 70's when we arrived at the park. We got the trailer set up and fixed lunch while Caitlin explored the area. All was in tact in fact someone had done some improvements on the swing set and playground areas. After lunch Caitlin and I went fishing at Skate Creek. She prefers we call it catching not fishing because that is why we are there. We could see the trout in the creek and were able to catch two nice ones. Later in the day she and I went for a swim.

July 30, 2012
We woke to some clouds but they burned off in late morning. We went "catching" and brought home another nice fish. In the afternoon my Sister, Terry and her granddaughter Krysani joined us in the RV area and Hart and Amy Hughes and their two kids came to set up their camp in the tent area. They will be joined by our daughters Tuesday. More swimming for the kids while Hart and I oversaw the splashing and laughter.

July 31, 2012
After breakfast the Hughes' and Caitlin and I went catching. WE SLAYED THEM. I think we caught about 18 fish keeping 13. Everybody caught something so we were all happy. Back at camp we cooked 5 of them for a snack. Here is Caitlin and Emily landing a wily trout.





Later in the day Tracy and Steph arrived with the remainder of the clan. We had a nice evening making plans for the next day and telling fish stories of our accomplishments.

Aug 1, 2012
Awoke to another cloudy day that turned into more sun. We went catching again with more success but did more catch  and release because we have enough fish at camp. We all walked to the Cowlitz River which runs next to the campground. here was sand and backwaters for the kids to play in and lots of pretty rocks. Kids and Sadie, Tracy's dog, got buries in the sand. Emerson, Carley, Ethan, Caitlin and Sydney all helped. Sadie was soooo patient but I think she got even when she SHOOK sand all over us when she got out.



Here is how the adults stay cool when on the river. That's Hart, then Tracy and Steph with her back to us.



Here is Emerson and Ethan playing in the sand/mud along the river.



Aug 2, 2012
No fishing today. We have enough for us and more campers. The kids went swimming for four hours. What a bunch of pruned up munchkins. They did this because all are going to the river for the day tomorrow. Hart and I went to the Cowlitz to fish because we heard that they had stocked it last weekend with salmon. We saw some fish jumping and rolling but no catching for us. Then back to camp for dinner and time around the kids' campfire. We had Caitlin and Emerson for a sleepover in the trailer.

Aug 3, 2012
We packed up to head home. Were on the road at about 10. We went the back way through Packwood and over Cayuse Pass coming home. It was a pretty drive that took about 3 hours with a stop in Four Corners at the new Hopjack Pub. We are home until 8/20 when we go to Lake Curlew

Cascade Peaks

July 29, 2012    FOR SOME REASON THE PICTURES ARE NOT SHOWING. I AM WORKING ON GETTING THIS FIXED.
Well here we go again on our annual trip to Cascade Peaks near Packwood, WA. This year we picked up Caitlin, one of the 11 year old twins, and headed to the park. The weather was kind of cloudy when we left Olympia but was sunny and in the 70's when we arrived at the park. We got the trailer set up and fixed lunch while Caitlin explored the area. All was in tact in fact someone had done some improvements on the swing set and playground areas. After lunch Caitlin and I went fishing at Skate Creek. She prefers we call it catching not fishing because that is why we are there. We could see the trout in the creek and were able to catch two nice ones. Later in the day she and I went for a swim.

July 30, 2012
We woke to some clouds but they burned off in late morning. We went "catching" and brought home another nice fish. In the afternoon my Sister, Terry and her granddaughter Krysani joined us in the RV area and Hart and Amy Hughes and their two kids came to set up their camp in the tent area. They will be joined by our daughters Tuesday. More swimming for the kids while Hart and I oversaw the splashing and laughter.

July 31, 2012
After breakfast the Hughes' and Caitlin and I went catching. WE SLAYED THEM. I think we caught about 18 fish keeping 13. Everybody caught something so we were all happy. Back at camp we cooked 5 of them for a snack. Here is Caitlin and Emily landing a wily trout.





Later in the day Tracy and Steph arrived with the remainder of the clan. We had a nice evening making plans for the next day and telling fish stories of our accomplishments.

Aug 1, 2012
Awoke to another cloudy day that turned into more sun. We went catching again with more success but did more catch  and release because we have enough fish at camp. We all walked to the Cowlitz River which runs next to the campground. here was sand and backwaters for the kids to play in and lots of pretty rocks. Kids and Sadie, Tracy's dog, got buries in the sand. Emerson, Carley, Ethan, Caitlin and Sydney all helped. Sadie was soooo patient but I think she got even when she SHOOK sand all over us when she got out.



Here is how the adults stay cool when on the river. That's Hart, then Tracy and Steph with her back to us.



Here is Emerson and Ethan playing in the sand/mud along the river.



Aug 2, 2012
No fishing today. We have enough for us and more campers. The kids went swimming for four hours. What a bunch of pruned up munchkins. They did this because all are going to the river for the day tomorrow. Hart and I went to the Cowlitz to fish because we heard that they had stocked it last weekend with salmon. We saw some fish jumping and rolling but no catching for us. Then back to camp for dinner and time around the kids' campfire. We had Caitlin and Emerson for a sleepover in the trailer.

Aug 3, 2012
We packed up to head home. Were on the road at about 10. We went the back way through Packwood and over Cayuse Pass coming home. It was a pretty drive that took about 3 hours with a stop in Four Corners at the new Hopjack Pub. We are home until 8/20 when we go to Lake Curlew