Second Weekend

The lake was nearly flat calm and yet, this sailboat found enough air to set sail for an evening ride.  Wednesday promised to be over 100* and we had to make a trip to Costco to stock up.  We got an early start and were headed back to camp by noon before the extreme heat.  I got in the lake that day and floated on my noodle to cool off.

Tuesday, we got the laundry chore
done at Sonny's favorite place.  At
least there was coffee.

The temps were pushing over 100*.

On Wednesday, we had breakfast at the Best Western in Leavenworth before
driving into Wenatchee to Costco.  This is looking north up the Columbia River
which is shrouded in smoke from the fires near Holden Village on Lake Chelan.

Later in the afternoon on Wednesday, the temp pegged out the
thermometer.

Boat rentals were busy since the lake was relatively calm.  Tom and
Adrianna carry up the kayaks at the end of day.

Sonny lent a hand to Tom pushing the 2 person kayaks to the storage
trailer.

Late afternoon at the lake. Usually, we can see the quarry but
smoke from the Chelan fires fills the valley at the
head of the lake.

Saturday was a slow day since most campers
came in Friday for the weekend.  Sonny did
the few sites that needed raking and I
took a hike up Nason Ridge Trail.  It was a pleasant
hike mostly in the shade but continually up.  I was headed for the "Big Tree" and thought I must have passed it many times since there are lots of
big trees but, no, I hadn't make it yet. 

Lake Wenatchee views along the trial were magnificent. This is looking down
on Emerald Island,.  The campground is out of sight and to the right.

I passed this large tree though it may not look so large in this shot. I am
standing 4' away just to get it all in the photo.  It had recently been cut
since it fell over the trail.

Finally, the reached "The Big Tree".  The ranger
said it was a mile to this spot. (Felt like 50 to me.)
The tree must have been a "4 person around" size.  Huge.
  There were several nearly this size in a grove on the
hill side.  I continued on up the trail another 15 minutes
before deciding to turn around.

Looking at Dirty Face Mountain from Nason Ridge.

Peek a boo look at the south shore of the lake and the Wenatchee River.

There were a couple of little streams along the trail that
hadn't dried up.

Thursday, we were blessed with a wind free day on the lake in the early
morning,  so I paddled my kayak  for a couple hours on the North side of the lake.
This cairn was just off the North campground beach.

The lake is very low.  The YMCA camp dock is so far out into the lake that
the kids have to wade out to a ramp to get on the dock.

Forest fire haze over the mountains looking East at Emerald Island.

I got back to shore in time to see Sonny picking up litter on the beach.  

We drove the Jeep up to the Little Wenatchee River at
the head of the lake and stopped under the bridge for this shot.

Usually, there are campers at this site on the river.

The beach was busy and the lake was flat on a hot day.

Evening sunset through the smokey forest fire haze.

The children were busy with chalk art over the weekend.

The wood elves were busy gathering at this campsite.

Friday, the winds were wild and white caps prevailed on the lake.  Lightning
had struck the Lake Chelan area the night before.  That fire has
grown to over 58,000 acres and jumped the Columbia River.  So sad to see
only the fireplaces left of the homes along the Lake Chelan shore. 

Saturday evening in Plain, there was a musical fund raiser for the
fire department.  Huge group in attendance.

Back at the campground, German  folk dancers,"Enzian Schuhplattler", from Seattle
performed on stage.

The grand finale was the "Chicken Dance" with as many people as
could fit on the stage.