Friday, August 23, 2013

Blake Island o'er nigh'er

Buddy Alex took Maddie and me on a fantastic overnighter to Blake Island State Park. I propose a family over nighter there next year. With everyone. It's a great spot: electricity, real bathrooms with hot showers, lots of camping options (on land overlooking water, on land - inland, on your boat tied to buoy or at the marina), little store, beer on tap.

And just a quick sail/boat ride from Seattle.

On the way to Seattle, Maddie and I stopped at Wanapum (Vantage) to go swimming.


And we stopped at Lake Easton to go swimming. 

Easton is a great lake. Nice and cold! And very clear. We'll stop there again for a quick dip.


Click for big.

At the Blake Island marina. That's Alex's boat there.

We took a walk. The island is tiny. In a little over an hour, we covered about half the island.

The wildlife is not very wild. They know no predators, so they're completely unafraid. Lots of raccoons too.

This is a cool little boat in camp site on the east side of the island. Primitive.

More walking. There's a lot of nettles on the island.

Alex took this pic.

Downtown Seattle, from Blake Island.

I'd like that boat. It's called a C-Dory. It's like the Westfalia of the water.

Alex. Good egg. Excellent host. Nice guy. Good friend.



Monday, August 12, 2013

Camera dump from some trips to the river

... from the last month or so...

Kettle Crest Trail with buddy, Matt.

Don. Fishing at Renner Lake.

Rainbow.

Livy.

Maddie and Ethan.

Maddie at the Sandy Beach.


Jamie and Liza jammin'.

Alex navigating a tricky spot in the river.

Family Flotilla.

Chillin'.

Maddie and Micky.

Outdoor Kitchen v1.2.  It's way more useful when it placed in the center of the action. Alex brought amazingly yummy potatoes from his friend's farm in Montana. We had fried potato and egg breakfast for three days.

Approach to Pia Mission. The little dot on the bike is Z.


Meyhem.

Dunked.

This is the correct method.

Maddie is holding pepperoni. The dog is not interested in anything else on the planet.

Fred, Alex, John

Some cousins.