Deception Pass - - Day Three

We nearly had a casualty a couple nights ago. Stephanie and I sat up late and looked at each other's letterboxing logbooks. I suppose the fact that she found four more boxes the next day and four more again today suggest it was not as serious as it looked. It was light out when we first started looking at log books, but completely dark when we were done. With the lantern light turned off, she forgot about this one very large rock and tripped on it as she was turning to leave for the tent. She skinned her leg and shin pretty bad. I am impressed with her toughness. She continues to do all, and I mean all, the fun stuff associated with camping.
It was very foggy this morning. It was foggy enough that the big cedar trees were dripping. We sat by a nice fire for most of the morning. The moms decided to bring out the fixin's for s'mores in the morning so that the kids could be cleaned up easier than when they were preparing to go to bed. It worked well. Greg made the most perfect s'more ever this morning. He roasted two marshmallows so perfectly that they were melted all the way through. Sadly, he did not offer a taste.
So far we have not unloaded even one kayak. It is not a problem at all. We are all having a great time. The weather forcast is for rain to move in tonight. I think I will be fine. I have a brand new little tent and I am sleeping on an air mattress. Wish me luck.
Stephanie wants the world to know that her nephew is a real letterboxer. Even after a long outing, Dylan was still anxious for more. I am thinking there will be another generation of letterboxers after we are all in letterboxing heaven. The sport is not likely to die out any time soon.
Kayak Bandit

Deception Pass - - Day One

The last time I posted, I said I was going to Baker Lake to camp and pick berries. I lied. Strike me with a wet noodle for my deception. Ya get it deception - - - Deception Pass! Sometimes I amuse myself.

I did go to Baker Lake and look around. I checked with the locals who assured me that the berries were not ripe yet. I found a few thimble berries and a very few himalayan blackberries that were ripe enough, but that was it. As for the lake itself, it was covered with drift wood so far from shore that there was no place to put a kayak into the water unless you paid money to stay at a campground. The weather was very cool in the mountains, so I came back out of the woods.

I cut some branches from maple trees to make into treking poles. I always have a collection of them for anyone that wants one. I was looking for vine maple, but could not find any the right size and straightness to suit me. The maple tree as opposed to the vine maple are much straighter by nature. The vine maple is much stronger though.

I took several pictures of the lakes in the North Cascades. They are truly magnificent. I stopped and compared my wildflower guide with what I saw beside the road. It is amazing how many prolific species were brought to the Americas from Europe.

So, I arrived at Deception Pass State Park in the afternoon on Tuesday. This is a day earlier than I planned to arrive. As I was checking out my campsite, a couple from Moses Lake engaged in conversation. We enjoyed a conversation filled evening. He is orriginally from Germany and she was born in Spokane.

The noise from the Naval Jets are horrible here. Somehow, I got some sleep. This morning, as I was returning from the restroom, I engaged in conversation with a couple that have the site that Stephanie et al will stay in starting this evening. They are visiting here in the US for four weeks. They are from Germany. He is an attorney and she is a journalist. They are having a wonderful time traveling around the US. Their last stop was at Riverside State Park in Spokane, Washington. As you know, that is my home town.

Steph will arrive here shortly. She called to say she is still a couple hours away, but doing okay. Jenny will arrive tomorrow sometime. Life does not get better than this. I can hardly wait.

Kayak Bandit