the party pickle: Lost Lake

It would be, perhaps, our last family camping trip of the 2008 Camping Season. And we decided to finish with a doozy.. Lost Lake, Oregon. It's billed as one of the most scenic lakes in the state with a view of Mt. Hood up over the water. We took this trip with two other families from our neighborhood. It was a total of six adults, and 7 children.

This would be our home for the next three days.

It is site B in the Organizational Camp part of Lost Lake. It's one of only three places you can reserve in advance which is why I wanted to stay there. Trying to coordinate the schedules of three families is impossible, so at least this way, we'd know which week we'd be set to go.

The weather was pretty nice. It was actually hot on the drive up to the 3,100 foot level where the lake is set. We left temperatures in the hundreds back in Portland, escaping the heatwave to the peace and quite of the mountains.

We really liked the covered eating area and set up shop there. Each family had a big table to put things and then we had one central area of two huge tables to have our meals or play games.

Steve and his family cooked the first night for adults, making this Korean? thin beef that was sooooo good along with Macaroni Salad and fried rice. Jack's family made pasta for the kids that night and our family just sat back and ate it all up.

The next morning I made omelets on my trusty Coleman's stove...

and then we all wandered down to the lake, just about 100 yards from our site.

I was expecting the water in the lake to be freezing, but you know what? It wasn't bad at all. Not even "refreshing." It was warmer than that. Very nice. And it felt so good to swim around and let the kids and dogs play.

Then the next day, we went to the store and rented a paddle boat with Jack's family and paddled out to where we could see the mountain. Then we dove in and it was still beautiful and warm and one of the prettiest places I've ever had a chance to swim.

Back on land, I was able to catch a few shots of my youngest as she posed and frolicked in the forest.

All in all, we had a great time, eating, drinking, swimming, playing chess, rolling in the dirt, chasing raquet balls (I'll let you guess who did what) and enjoying our lives here in the Great Northwest.

I think when we look back on this camping season, we'll say it was worth all the time we spent packing and unpacking and driving and spraying on our bug repellant. Camping does take a lot out of you, but it makes you appreciate things. It makes you appreciate the simple things like trees and water and skies. Mostly, you appreciate the people you're around everyday. It's funny how much more you can connect with people when there aren't cell phones ringing, or tv's to watch or a wii to play or Hannah Montana to listen to. Back to basics. Yep. That's what it is. And maybe relearning some stuff we forgot over the long winter.

Thanks Lost Lake! Hope to see you again sometime!