The Families Clan Camp-out 2016 - Days 1 and 2

Last year, Jeffery's half marathon in Taylorsville was a catalyst to assemble the hardy outdoors-folk in the families of Jeffery and me for a multi-day group camping experience.  We liked it so much, we planned another this year up at the Haskins Valley Campground at Bucks Lake.  (We had spent all spring trying to find a usable camping venue for all our needs, and it turns out that Plumas County is the very best, with lots to offer!)  We numbered nineteen of us by Friday night, with Kristine and Kinley also blessing us with a visit on Friday, so we felt like a Gather indeed.  I'm still glowing.

Jeffery and I will offer many photos, but the truth is, Sara and Grant will hopefully have better quality shots of the crowd, and they definitely took photos of things we didn't catch, or couldn't catch because we were part of the Play, so to speak.  The big things absent here will be the wonderful Haggis Ceremony and the game of Pound-the-Nail, which was hilarious, scary, and excellent fun.  I tell you now that Kyria was Champ, Andrea came in second, and 7 year old Charlotte took the bronze and provided the Agony of Defeat moment.  We must await S&G, or perhaps Kyria to see it again, or in your case, for the first time, in pictures. (hint hint)

With a bit of help from Jeffery, Kathy and Mom and Feather get their things shifted into the motorhome, ready to go.

I'm driving the trailer load of fun.  Mom will be riding with me up to Bucks Lake.  It is Thursday morning, July 28

Stopped along the way by a construction project near Oppopee Creek

Ahhh!  the "lagoon" at Bucks Lake where we'll spend the next four days

Sara wore Jeffery's hat, and we thought it looked pretty good on her.

Grant and Jeffery assemble the carport Party Zone.  We'd set up camps, taken a kayak ride, eaten a meal, and were doing our thing with a campfire nearby.

It's up, and ready for lights and decorations, but we'll do that tomorrow, when more people arrive.

I arose so early on Friday, I drove down to Quincy for a cuppa, so's not to disturb the campground.  This is Spanish Peak at 6:30 a.m. on my return to camp, where I found everyone still slumbering.

art shot of a tree root seen while waiting for the sleepers to awake

art shot of the flora at the edge of our beach

group camp, pre-decoration and people gathering

The Trojan Camp (Tobin and Quincy) where the twins reside

Sara, Jeffery and I are going for a morning kayak while the water is glassy-smooth

There's Andrea and Feather on the other bank, looking at the ducks

After breakfast, Kristine and Kinley arrived, so we went to the beach for a dabble and paddle and a visit.  Such a treat.

Kristine readies Kinley for her bathing outfit, and then I get to babysit while Kristine takes a kayak trip with her dad, Grant.

Grantpa, Kristine, Kinley and Grantma

Dinner prep - Andrea, Jeffery, Kathy, Diana, Cindy, and Mom.  Add Grant, me and Sara, and that's all that made it until much later that night, with some arriving after midnight.

Diana helps Cindy carry her kayak to the water

I rode my bike across the lagoon to see Mom and the others with our campground in the background.  In this photo, Grant, Sara, Mom, Jeffery, and Cindy

this is just to show our shade tent on our beach in the background, with Cindy in the kayak

art shot of a flowery meadow

art shot of the lagoon's outlet, which is dry compared to when we were here for the Solstice Campout

I've ridden back to our beach to see where our paddlers are - there they are.

As darkness falls hard, I like this shot of them coming home, looking like they're travelling fast.

Friday ends with games and a bonfire and then the (photo-less) steady arrival of Dan and Joy, Ed and Annette, and later, Kyria, Bryan, Amy, and Charlotte.  We will awake to a much more festive camp!