Alta Lake State Park

Doughboys bring a smile to my face!

View to the lake.

The week of June 16th through the 24th found us once again enjoying Alta Lake State Park, in north central Washington State.  A beautiful lake, in a beautiful setting.  We were lucky enough to have reserved the disabled spot in the lakeside loop this year.  We really had a nice view out our windshield to wake up to.  If you are from out of the area, we have been having another soggy spring and early summer.  ( We've had double the normal rainfall for June so far...) It was really nice to escape to the dry side of the Cascades for some sun. Well, let me qualify that... Our first night there, I awoke to the sound to rain on the roof of the RV.  I thought to myself, and remarked later to Janae, that I don't think I've seen it rain at Alta Lake, in all of my 40 or so years camping there. Well, other than maybe a thunderstorm or two...  Fateful words indeed...  Anyway, Colton brought his friend Alex along for the trip.  Seems like they had a really good time.  There was some swimming, sightseeing, and plenty of computer time.  I know, I know, we RV, we don't camp.

Alex and Colton atop the dam.

 We did go back to Grand Coulee Dam for the tour and laser light show.  Alex had never been there, so we figured, what the heck.  To our surprise, the tour went to a different area of the dam than last year. It did end again, with a trip over, and a stop atop the dam.  Once again this year there was a great deal of spring runoff flowing over the top of the dam.  Very cool, and the tour is free!

What?...  A game without a computer?...  Really?

Almost got the restroom!

Leaner...

 We also had our friends Dez and Carol show up for a couple of days.  While they were there, we had a thunderstorm come through.  Dez and I had taken the boys fishing down the lake.  As we walked back to camp, we could hear thunder, and see flashes of lighting in the sky behind the ridgeline to the southeast.  When we arrived at the RV, there was no wind or rain.  I walked down to the restroom.  Two minutes later, when I walked out of the restroom, all hell had broken loose.  The wind was howling!  I ran back to the RV, as the wind picked up, and the rain started coming down.  When I arrived, I was greeted with the sight of three adults and Alex trying to hold down o.ur Eaze-Up canopy.  Alex was rising up in the air on his corner.  Luckily, a teenager from the next campsite arrived to assist him, as I began organizing our defense.Shoes and boots were disappearing with the wind.  I had to save stuff on the table, and then got the canopy lowered and collapsed.  Carol and Janae went somewhere, and Dez and I stood in the wind and rain trying to hold their tent down.  I've never seen anything like this storm while camping.  It knocked down or topped several trees in the campground.  Two trees came down around the restroom, and we had a leaner across the drive from us.  You could see where the ground had been scoured by the wind, as the pine needles were gone.  The side of our motorhome was plastered with dirt and needles.  In fact, the inside of our RV is in desperate need of cleaning due to all the dirt and stuff that blew in.  Luckily, no one was hurt in the storm.  However, due to the trees, several campsites had to be evacuated.  Definitely the most exciting part of our trip.  The remainder of our time was much more relaxing.