We traveled to Stanley Lake Idaho on July 13th to spend time with my Dad's side of the family.
The vacation was a refreshing and relaxing chance to free ourselves from the daily grind.
We arrived in Stanley around 11:00 p.m. but we could not see my Dad's Jeep Grand Cherokee in any of the campsites. After giving up looking we decided to camp across the road from the main campsites. Jen and the kids slept in the Previa and I slept on the car seat and a water cooler outside. By morning we found a note that my Dad had left on the camping trailer they rented stating how we could get the key to the camper.
We stayed for four full days and had a wonderful time. Our meals were cooked mostly in dutch ovens. The lake water was warm enough to swim in during the day. We had a great time using a coleman air mattress as a makeshift raft on the lake. Of course I forgot to put sunscreen on my back and got severely burned as did the kids (but less so).
Our family slept in a large coleman tent my Dad gave us to use and to keep. We were able to put both of our air mattresses inside as well as Joshua's playpen.
Late Thursday night, Renae and her new husband Frank and their kids (Nathan, McKala, Riley, and Chas) arrived with the boat. Gene and Linda arrived earlier Thursday.
Friday we got firewood from Elk Mountain. Frank chopped up several pieces with his chainsaw. Later Friday, Frank, Renae, her son Riley, Noah and I went fishing on the lake. We caught 7 fish. Late Friday night, Randy and his wife Aundrea with their son Johnny arrived.
Early Saturday Morning, Frank and I attempted to summit Mt. McGowan. We took the Alpine Way trail past two streams, on the second stream we blazed a trail following the stream up the mountain. On the backside of the mountain, Frank found some shade and rested while I attempted to summit the rest of the way. I made it to the top of what I could safely climb.
Sunday Randy, Renae, Linda and their families returned home. We stayed with my Dad and his family. We had a great time around the campfire and I went with my Dad to take Grandma and Rachael back to the hotel that evening.
Early Monday morning, my Dad helped us pack up while Rosanne and Allison watched our kids. We drove all the way back to Colorado returning around 10:30 p.m. The drive was exhausting but the memories made it all worth it.
