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2008 Camping Season Kickoff!!

Every year we do a lot of camping. We love to camp! So last year we made the experience a little more comfortable and purchased a tent trailer! My requirements were for it to have a heater, as I don't do cold well, and a refrigerator would be nice. Eliminates the need for ice in a cooler!!

WELCOME TO OUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME!!!

2 King size beds on either end, the table folds down to a full size bed as well. Stove/Sink which we don't use!! Notice the heater right next to the refrigerator? There is also a port-a-potty!

We kicked off our 2008 camping season last weekend........
rain and all!!!

The beginning of the week was of course sunny although it was chilly, and low and behold, Friday morning arrives with a slight drizzle and a blistering 43 degrees!!!
Both my kids could hardly wait to hit the road!

Ethan, my 5 year old, was up bright and early at 7am and
without being asked,
he packed his own bag and got
dressed for preschool!

Chandler, my 8 year old, was on his first day of spring break and hadn't realized we weren't leaving until the afternoon......you can imagine the disappointment.

So.....we drop Ethan off at preschool and I head to the gym for a quick workout. Gotta burn up a few calories before heading to camp to eat hot dogs and s'mores!! As we head north to Lynnwood, the rain starts falling harder and by the time we get to the gym it's a down pour!! By the time I finish my workout, it's raining even harder. What to do??? The boys were so excited to go. Ethan was already packed! I called my husband and he didn't really want to go, but I reminded him that Camano Island where we were heading, in in the banana belt and it might not be raining. He asked me if I was actually saying we should go, thinking I'm the one who doesn't want to camp in the rain! I said yes, we should go, we don't want to disappoint the boys and our friend and his son were up for the trip rain or shine! So I went home and we packed in the pouring rain!!

As we head north on I5 toward Camano Island State Park, which is something like 80-100 miles northwest of Seattle, the skies looked clearer on the horizon. When we got to the park, there was no rain and the sun was shining! It was cold but not wet!!!

We set up camp, lit our Tiki torches, had some hot dogs and s'mores around the campfire and called some friends who were supposed to join us but chickened our for fear of rain! We told them we were looking at the stars in the sky and that we had an amazing view of Puget Sound from our campsite! They were missing out!! (No campfire photo's this time, but much like this photo from a campout last year).

Saturday we spent the day bike riding and beach combing. The boys love to turn over the rocks looking for crabs, eels, and starfish. We saw a bald eagle courtship in the air over our heads. It was amazing!! It was a spectacular dance in mid air between three bald eagles, two were vying for the attention of the other one!

EEL

CRAB

There was time for building beach forts out of old driftwood.

They also made a teeter-totter and yes that's the dads taking their turn! They felt that later!!

Dads trying to be cool "Look no hands!!"

Ethan holding on for dear life ~ sort of!

Despite the cold, we only had a few sprinkles all weekend! To fight the cold and cutting wind we all bundled up and I even resorted to wearing a camo beanie and many layers!

All in all it ended up being a great weekend. We got back into the camping groove and enjoyed time with family and friends. Our fair weathered friends ended up coming up Saturday night for a few hours to roast marshmallows and share a few memories around the campfire. Can't wait for the next camping adventure!

Click for more information about Camano Island State Park It's a short drive from the greater Seattle/Eastside area and you are almost always guaranteed a site, without reservations. Even in the summer! A great place to beach comb, relax, fish, clamming or have a BBQ.

Sandy Noll
Realtor, eAgent
Keller Williams Realty Kirkland
425-890-0878
sandranoll@kw.com
www.letsachieveyourgoals.com
sandynoll.point2agent.com
Your Kirkland, Bothell, Woodinville Real Estate Expert

Sandy Noll
Realtor
Keller Williams Realty Kirkland
425-890-0878
sandy@sandynoll.com
www.letsachieveyourgoals.com
http://sandynolls.eastsidepowersearch.com/
www.sandynollskirklandupdates.com
Kirkland, Woodinville and the Greater Eastside

Posted by Sandy Noll on 04/11/2008 01:32 PM

Comments (18)

camano island state park, camping, beach combing in washington, tent trailer, lets achieve your goals

Originally posted at: Sandy Noll's Kirkland Updates: 2008 Camping Season Kickoff!!

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18 Comments on 2008 Camping Season Kickoff!!

APR

2008

Sandy- I love the photos, what a fun adventure! I miss camping. We don't do the camping thing well here, too many mosquitoes, alligators and such! Not my cup of tea! We went camping all the time when we lived in Seattle!

That looks like such fun! I remember camping as a kid and loving it! We had a pop up camper similar to yours when I was a kid but the adults slept in it while us kids slept in tents! I can tell from the photos that you guys had a great time!

Katerina I don't think I'd chance the gators either!! We love camping very much and look forward to it each year and now with the tent trailer we can extend the season since we have heat! I want to say a HUGE Thank you too you for blogging about Nvu. I used it for this post and it took me a little time to put it all together because I was learning the system, but it'll be smooth sailing next time!! Thanks for reading! Maybe you can take a trip out here to Seattle in the summer and rent a yurt at one of the camp grounds!

Rich we had a pop up tent trailer when I was a kid too. I like it because it's not stepping into RVing, but you get a few comforts of home!! We did have a great time and it was really nice to get away and not think for a couple days!!

Thanks for the post!! We went camping last weekend too! We went down to the Lake of the Ozarks State Park in Missouri. We bought our pop up last fall as our 10 year anniversary present to ourselves and our kids were excited to use it for the first time. I gave up the heater for an air-conditioner:)

We fished with them but I think they enjoyed feeding the ducks left over biscuits better. Hopefully next weekend the weather will hold and we can head back out again. I like how you use the plastic drawers for your food. I bought plastic drawers to hold the kids clothes so that we wouldn't have bags of clothes. I'll need to get a few more for food.

Sandy, Looks like you all had a great time! I have never camped and don't have any desire to do so. I had friends in Pittsburgh who always tried to talk me into it but I just couldn't do it! I guess I'm just not a happy camper! :)

APR

2008

Hey Jennifer don't you just love it!! Our boys can hardly wait to get through the winter to get back to camping again! We have a friend who actually camps all year, even on Thanksgiving!! I say he's crazy, but to each his own! I have only once wished I had A/C, but am definitely glad I got the heater. Your son is adorable! My boys like to fish too and tried this past weekend but it's tough to do off the beach. Too much seaweed! Great idea on the bins for clothes. We rarely use the table so we actually leave it home and just throw 4 small duffle bags in that space. We got the plastic bins last summer when we took a week long trip and needed better organization for so much food! They work great, plus you can see whats in each before digging around for something! Have fun if you make it out again!

Sandy, our family discovered Penrose Point in South Puget Sound several years back and love it. Of course, we are on the other side of the State so we don't get there very often. We are a long way from a tent trailer (8 kids) but love the tent-thing, makes it fun.

Roberta it's funny you say that. My fair weather friend I mentioned in the post had actually never camped as a child and loathed the idea. Then about 6 years ago we finally got her to go and now she starts bugging me in the fall to make reservations for the next summer!! She's come along way. I remember the very first camp-out she was worried about her son being dirty, but that's not an issue now!! I have always camped and now my parents have a 40' RV which I don't consider camping anymore. You might like that type of camping, if you can call it camping!! :0}

Joddie we have not stayed at Penrose Point but maybe we'll give it a try this year. We try to hit several parks from Long Beach up to Deception Pass and then a couple in Eastern Washington. In fact I just made a reservation at Osoyoos Lake near Oroville for July. We did the tent camping until a couple years back a friend loaned us their tent trailer for a summer and there was no going back. I decided my old bones couldn't take sleeping on the cold ground anymore!! :0} We can actually sleep 8 comfortably and there are a couple models that sleep 10!! We went in the middle because in a few years the boys will probably want to sleep in a tent with friends. Where do you usually camp on your side of the mountains?

Hi Sandy ~ We've camped on Lake Roosevelt (North of Kettle Falls, WA) but our favorite local spot is Priest River, ID...it's got to be one of the best around. We love the coast (since we don't have all the cool ocean life here) and hope to get back over there soon.

Joddie I've always wanted to do a houseboat rental on Lake Roosevelt. I hear it's amazing!! We've never camped in ID but I bet it's beautiful. When you make it over this way let me know and perhaps we can meet at a campground somewhere!

Sandy:

Great pictures of your family. This looks like great fun. Hope you have an awesome weekend.

Thanks Alan! We had a great time and are looking forward to the rest of the summer! Of course today it's a beautiful 78 degrees. Would of been nice for last weekend, but oh well!!

APR

2008

Looks like fun! Wish I had been there! Is that really an eel in his hand?

APR

2008

Sandy:

The weather is crazy, lately. One weekend will be 90 and the next 40. Ha.

MAY

2008

Sandy,

Love the pictures! I think I am going to have to force myself to take a vacation this year!

Vince - DUCTZ

MAY

2008

Brittney join us for Memorial Day!

Alan I think we may finally hit 80 this weekend for.....a day!

Vince if you ever decide to vacation in my neck of the woods, let me know, I'd love to tell you the hot-spots to hit!! Mid July to August is the best time!

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