Kayaking at Camano Island State Park in Puget Sound

Last weekend, I had the great fortune to be camping, hiking and kayaking with Mary Hjelm and some friends up on Camano Island in Washington's Puget Sound. It was rainy most of the time we were there - but we did manage to get in a few hikes and some kayaking. On Saturday night, we were out for a short paddle to the north to check out the cabins at Cama Beach State Park and happened upon a lone Grey Whale cavorting near the shore. We didn't get too close - but saw it surface a few times - and spout several times. It was an amazing sight! Shortly after I took the picture, the whale dove and there were a few moments of panic as we didn't know where it was - - -

Thar she blows---

Yakking

Heading out

All done

Youth Retreat to Crooked Creek Ranch

The kids and I headed up to Crooked Creek Ranch (Young Life Camp) outside of Frazer, Colorado last weekend. It's right up the road from Winter Park. We were there with the youth groups from our church, Centennial Covenant - there were about 75 there including the adults. We all had a great time enjoying the scenery, the facilities and the weather in God's country...it was awesome!

Elly preparing for the trust fall

Elly hangin in the gym

Eating contest

Grant chowing down some double-stuff
Crooked Creek looking east toward the Continental Divide

Looking NW

80 person hot tub...

Looking north toward the high ropes course

Methow Valley Washington

Mary and I headed out to her friend's cabin in the Methow Valley - about 4.5 hours NW of Seattle. The cabin is about 9 miles off the road in the hills above Carlton, WA - a truly beautiful spot!! We headed north up to Mazama and hiked up to Goat Peak Fire Lookout - only about 5 miles roundtrip - but about 1,600 feet of vertical. It was a truly beautiful hike - and the view from the fire lookout was amazing...Also saw a bear and a small herd of deer...Big Fun!!

View from the fire lookout

Breakfast!

The cabin

Another view

Lake Roosevelt 2009

On August 1, the kids and I made the 18 hour drive up to Fort Spokane along the Spokane River in the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area. A truly beautiful area if you haven't been there. We were invited to come up to join Mary and her family and friends (over 30 of us all together) to spend the week relaxing by the lake, reading, eating good food, swimming, tubing and water skiing. Great fun was had by all - as seen in these photos...

Grant and Elly getting ready for some tubing

Elly outside the wake on the Spokane River

Grant - fishing 24/7

Boat rides! Happy Kids!

Me cooking up one of the bass Grant caught

Axel and Grant dueling it out on the tubes

Axel and Grant yakking on the Spokane

Elly and Little Girl chillaxing on the hammock

Hiking in Mt. Rainier NP

I had the pleasure of doing a little hiking around the Paradise Visitor's Center last weekend - it was an absolutely perfect day - a little haze off to the south toward Mt. Adams and Mt. St. Helens - but other than that - an amazing day. Thanks Mary!!


Here's some shots:

Heading into the park

Scenic overlook

Nisqually Glacier Valley

That mountain...what's it called?

Heading back down after a 2 mile hike up

Random Pictures...

It's been awhile since I've posted anything...so here's some random shots from the last several weeks...

Grant playing the drums at JAM

Me trying to stay in tune...

Elly's depiction of Princess Diana's last moments...a school project. The body guard looks bad-ass...

Chaperoning Elly's class trip to Coor's Field (Elly, Mary, Me) Rockies Won!!!

Faceplant 2009!

On Friday February 20st, Elly, Grant and I headed up to Fraser, Colorado with the middle school youth group from Centennial Covenant Church for Faceplant 2009. There were about 450 kids there at the Crooked Creek Ranch Young Life Camp from all around the Denver Metro and two groups from Kansas and Nebraska. It was an awesome weekend!

Dad gettin some air

Grant and I at Sol Vista Basin in Granby, Colorado

Outside our lodge - the whole group

A little sunny...

Elly and Dad - both a little under the weather...