Grayland Beach State Park

Victoria trees a squirrel.

We spent July 8th through the 13th at Grayland Beach State Park, on the Pacific coast of Washington.  I'd like to say the weather was spectacular, but it was pretty much normal for the area.  While the Puget Sound basin basked in 70s to 80s temperature-wise, we enjoyed clouds and 60s for most of the week.  I'm not complaining...  It was typical weather for the area, and we had little rain.

Joey, Carrie, Victoria, and Michael joined us again this trip, although Joey could only stay one night due to work.  We kept busy trying to keep the fire burning with the moist wood that the locals sold us (watch out for the pitbull!).  The ladies enjoyed time on the beach, while I just enjoyed time...




I had recently discovered that YouTube had nothing regarding doughboys.  Doughboys are a delectable treat which Janae had taught me to make several years ago.  She had learned of these gifts from God several years ago as a Girl Scout leader.  As a smore hater, I took right to them.  Over the last several years I have become dismayed at the number of people who have never enjoyed a doughboy.  So, I took it upon myself to create a YouTube video on the making of doughboys.  I hope you enjoy it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhSOm6YEFWE

Once that was completed, I had fishing to look forward to.  Micaela and Travis arrived on Wednesday afternoon, in preparation for the expedition. Thursday morning started early, at about 3:30am.  We actually got out of camp at a decent time, arriving in Westport in time to check-in, and still get some breakfast.  We were actually the first people at the boat, the "Slammer".  Fourth time on the boat in three years.  Captain Rhett Weber does a great job putting you on the fish.  http://slammercharters.com/

Let's fish.

We left the pier at about 0530 hours, and headed out on the 1 hour and 45 minute cruise to the target area.  Seas were pretty calm, and I saw a couple of harbor porpoises just past the bar.  We arrived amid the fishing fleet and began fishing.  Things were pretty slow, with only a couple of Kings being caught.  Rhett moved us and the "Slamming" began in ernest.  We pretty quickly limited out the boat on Kings, with Travis and I catching two a piece and Micaela catching one.  Unfortunately, Micaela and Colton became a bit ill (no chumming) and became more interested in lying on the seats than fishing.

Micaela and Travis

Me and Travis

Uncle Alan

Then it was time to find some Coho salmon.  Rhett moved the boat a couple of miles, and we dropped lines again.  This was quite a bit slower, and the Coho hadn't really arrived enmass in the area.  The deal is you can only keep hatchery fish, not native fish.  You can tell the difference by the hatchery fish having a small fin clipped off.  I was lucky enough to catch a hatchery Coho, along with two other fishermen, for a total of three.  The reason you can't keep natives is because they are "endangered".  There sure were a lot of them for an "endangered species".  Probably 10 natives were hooked as opposed to the 3 hatchery fish caught.  In the end, the Kings we caught were really nice fish, and we made it into the Charterboat Slammer Facebook page cover photo.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Charterboat-SLAMMER/123090081687




Great trip!

17 Kings, 3 hatchery Coho

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.