This week Jan and I started to prepare for our group camping weekend. It’s really a blast and we look forward to it all year. It’s the only time that all of our friends get together for the entire weekend and camp, cook, play games, and have a lot of laughs. This year, like previous trips, started out the same. I was stressing about how much food would be needed to feed twenty people and all the other little details. Jan put her foot down this year though and said that she wouldn’t discuss any planning of the camp trip nor did she want to hear me talk about it. For someone who is extremely organized like me, this sent the Spencer household into utter and complete chaos. I must say it is a testament to the strength of our relationship that we made it to the campsite in the same car. Although I think there was a point where the separate car idea was on the table. At one point we even found Sebastian laying low outside waiting for the fireworks to diminish.
Jan and I were the first of the group to arrive in Florence at the Alder Dunes campground where blackberry bushes sprung up like great walls between the small sites. Communication between our groups would be impossible like this. For an added bonus, the fresh coastal air smelled more like a sewage bouquet. Yep, it was a crap hole. Our sites were seven through ten and were fifty yards from Highway 101. At certain points during set-up, Jan and I were both concerned someone would throw a beer can out of their car window and hit us on the head. Later Jan and I agreed to imagine the whoosh of cars rushing by was really the sound of angry surf eroding away the foundation of someone’s expensive Malibu home.
Jan was upset that I didn’t bring the electric pump because she had to do some manual labor by inflating the airbed. I snuck this photo before she had time to throw the pump at me.
Here’s a photo of me upset after just receiving a call from Scott and Tara that they forgot their stove which I felt we needed to cook for twenty people.
So I decided a belt from the old Captain Morgan’s was in order to put my cooking worries behind me.
When people started showing up, we found Ethan in camp site ten climbing a fence.
Astro remained loyal to Scott and Tara and patiently waited while they set up.
Jan lent a hand to Tara and Scott and their screened-in porch rapidly started to take shape.
Meanwhile in site ten, the Kellys’ erection was taking much longer to achieve.
It was nice of Ethan to take time out of his busy day to teach Jan some simple arithmetic.
Scott got a big laugh from everybody by hitting himself in the nuts.
He was so dizzy from the experience that he struggled to pick his beer back up from the table.
Then it rained, soaking everything clear through. It was a complete tragedy, dampening all of our spirits. (And clothes, shoes, tents, food, etc.)
Cooking dinner in a downpour is no easy task but the Kellys made the best of it.
The next morning our sites looked pretty nasty so a group decision was made to strike camp and go home. Hopefully we can all manage to put this hellish nightmare behind us.
Unfortunately our tent of eighteen years, Jan and my first tent… didn’t make it…so long, old pal…you will be missed.
We all decided to try and continue with our commitment to the group weekend so we regrouped at Pat and Laurie’s.
We thought four pounds of ground beef was way too much but I guess we were wrong.
After dinner we played football out front.
Then I tried to croon for the girls inside but I guess I was a bit rusty because Jan gave me the boot.
That left the Camels in the main room to talk business.
All the while Arden, Julia, Stella, and Addie played Barbies upstairs.
Julia, Emily, and Ethan found a way to play guitar without being removed from the house.
Devon had some extra guitars in his car so I made a comeback, baby!
Shawn did a great job of entertaining everybody on the ol’ ivories.
At one point I was having a hard time trying to navigate my way out of the kitchen on this much Tequila.
The party really picked up when Scott got his head stuck in the banister.
Shortly after, Ethan was found dangling precariously from the stairwell. Like father, like son.
After the Lucas father-son emergencies, we regrouped in the kitchen to make more drinks.
Then Pat and Shawn did an awesome blues duet on the ivories to try and cheer them up.
After which Shawn lost control and broke into his well-rehearsed Vogue dance routine.
This caused the girls to break into their unusual dance routine which, according to South Park, means “it was on.”
Later the Barbies were found all but abandoned.
And yet only one player remained.
Downstairs new handshakes were being developed by old friends.
And some even practiced on their own.
Sunday I awoke at 6:30 am and decided to continue my fun weekend by taking the Jeep off-road in Cottage Grove. I found a trail just past Hobo Camp called Champion Trail that a ranger told me would take me to Bohemia Saddle.
036 TRAIL
It was a bumpy road but nothing too challenging.
Waterfalls and ferns were abundant.
This road followed a river through the mountains where gold mining claims were evident everywhere.
It finally reaches the top of the mountain and comes to a crossroad.
As I headed for Bohemia Saddle, I pulled to the side and let some dirt bikers pass.
When I reached Bohemia Saddle trailhead, I saw a fire tower and one more mountain to conquer.
So I headed on up
This last road had a spectacular view of the Sisters.
This was definitely worth the climb.
What a view!
On the way down I came across this well-used shelter worn by the elements, a sanctuary for some hiker (scary).
Well, thanks everyone for the awesome weekend and great memories. It’s too bad we only get the chance to do it once a year and this one got cut short. So long, coast. Hello, Umpqua! Three months until we book the next one so let’s start planning.
Mike and Jan
