Hey All!

Hey, sorry that I didn't get to my blog sooner. I indeed stuck out the camping trip for the full eight days, and it was very rewarding. What with the crystal clear river waters and the fresh mountain air, I was feeling pretty dandy.

I don't have any pictures (considering I didn't bring my own camera and I forgot to ask to borrow my aunt's memory card from her camera to get the pictures we did manage), but the memory will be in my head. Although, how could it not, because where I went is where I go every year. Call it a tradition. My aunt has been going there for over fifteen years.

It's right by the peninsula. In case anyone doesn't know, I live in Washington, but I'm not willing to locate the specifics. So, anyway, 'twas a long drive to the campsite, and I had to drive the whole way with my aunt's boyfriend, and my aunt's daughter's father. Isn't that strange? I'm pretty sure the two men got over their differences in due time. But, anyway, my cousin's dad, Dan, is pretty strange. Don't get me wrong, he's always been like that, but he's been even worse after my aunt (Jennifer) and him split. It was a long time ago, about two years and a half, but he obviously hasn't banished the weird trait he possessed then.

Anyway! I had to sit in the middle of them, and believe me it was not fun. I tried to play it off cool so I wouldn't offend anyone, but it became a little too...frightening. So, I just tried to drown out everything with the sound of music in a headphone. It was to no avail, because on our journey to the campsite, I remembered that through about half of the drive there was cliff and sea water to one side and a huge mountain to the other. I am scared by Dan's driving, because quite honestly, he doesn't pay attention (he's too wrapped up in his own little world) to the road, instead to everything else. So, I was afraid that I was going to plunge to my death in water. Now, Jennifer's boyfriend (Nathan), is the type who plays practical jokes (so, I have Dan, who is a complete spaz, and Nathan, who is not (very) serious), so he was just laughing about us dying. Oh, God. What a nightmare. I thanked him quite literally when we got to the campsite. Oh! And did I not mention that along the way, Dan picked up two hitchhikers and their dog? I am telling the truth! A woman and a man. I was horrified. Not only was I afraid that I was going to die by being hurdled off of a cliff, but also that some crazy people were going to stab me in the gut. =D.

At the campsite, I helped set up things (my aunt had not arrived yet). My aunt was to bring her friend, Tina, my cousin, Emma, and her two friends, um, I forgot their names. For future reference they will be called friend #1 and friend # 2. I know, cruel, but it would be the only way for you to understand.

And the first night of us sleeping in our tents, it rained! But, no worries. There was just a slight puddle at our door. Emma and I had to sleep together, and lucky for us, the side of the tent we were on [the door] had no zipper (or it was stuck). That explains the "slight" puddle before us. Believe me though, the thing you would rather not have when camping is a muddy mess. And it quite literally sucked that Emma and I had to be the ones by the door because everytime someone came in they would track their muddy feet over our bed (they wouldn't even have the decency to go around). I had to constantly remind Emma's friends to "not step on the bed." Nightmare. Oh, I remember one of Emma's friend's name. Megan. The reason I remember her name is because she was the one who put a stupor over our camping trip (while she was there). She complained constantly about everything, whether it was the food or not getting her way over some matter, after throwing a fit. Her mom may allow her to throw fits and get away with it, but I surely persuade you that that was not the case of her with us. Yes, she did loll about during the camping trip complaining, and saying she missed home, but I don't doubt she had a fun (if not slightly rewarding) trip. But, to our rejoicing....I mean, disappointment, she called her mom and her mom came and picked her up about half way through the camping trip.


Now, I still can't remember the other friend's name, so now that Megan is out of the picture, I'll refer to her as friend # 1. That's somewhat better. But, anyway, friend # 1 wasn't much different than Megan. She wasn't rude per say, but she complained a lot. That put a halt on our camping trip, because she "missed her mom soooo much" and each time she tried calling her mom, she promised her things and never did them.



After friend # 1 left we were able to enjoy the nature: it was beautiful. Pristine waters and mountains in the background. I went the the river a lot, which by the way, was freezing. The water came directly from snow capped mountains. My legs literally went numb. Even on a hot day I couldn't stand to stay in the water. And yet, my cousin plunged into it, and Tina, Jennifer's friend. They are crazy. But, the water was clear as a a mirror. If it weren't for the infected poop that lay at the bottom of the water by animals, I would have...um, drank it. Maybe.

We didn't see much animals, but we did see a bald eagle. I don't think I've ever seen one of those except for on TV.

We visited the peninsula, and went in the water. Oh! While at (I'll say it) Pt. Whitney, we were playing in the sand (and this was when friend 1 and friend 2 were still there), and we dug a huge hole, and covered it with bracken and seaweed, and told Tina to come over to it. The funny part of the whole thing is that Tina watched us make the hole (that we put a bunch of sea water in) and lay everything on top of it, and yet, when we told her to step on it, down she went. She kept on saying "don't you guys sleep tonight. You guys are horrible." Ha! We just laughed. It was one of the funniest things on the trip.

Here is exactly where we were, what Pt. Whitney looks like:



We went to this mountain called Mt. Walker, wanting to look from the view points. The first view point was amazing. You could see everything, and we were so high up. I didn't think we were going to get any higher. But, then we went and checked out view point # 2, and I figured out, to my astonishment, that we were on the very top of the mountain. Yup, we were. On the tippy top. And, so, Nathan, wanting to pull a trick on Emma, told her that, yes, we lived in cougar country, and she should "watch out!" He kept on throwing rocks into the bushes to scare her, and it worked, until she screamed so loud it hurt my ears. That's what you get for doing something you're not supposed to be doing!


This is the view we witnessed from Mt. Walker:

But, anyway, on our way down the mountain, I all of a sudden sang "I'm too sexy for my shirt!" and then (and I was really surprised, because Emma is eight) Emma said, really seductively "I'm too sexy for my body!" and Jennifer was telling her to stop. Then, Jennifer put on this CD, and the first thing I heard was shrill singing. I almost covered my ears. It was a Chipmunk CD. You know, those Alvin and the Chipmunks. God, it was horrible. And the first song that came on was "I'm to sexy for my....." And Emma was singing to it! Trying to get all the high notes they were singing. If I could show you the face I showed right then I would, but I can't.

I forgot to say that all of us found clay by the river bank and we made little objects out of it. It's amazing what ingenuity can do. I made a cross figurine.


But, the last day was probably the best day. Isn't the last always the best? We played at the river pretty much all day, and to my surprise, the water wasn't as cold as it always was! When it started getting dark I noticed something through the trees. It was orange and pink, and so I hurried down to the river, and it was a magnificent sunset! Wow. I took some pictures of it, but as I said above, I didn't get my aunt's memory card. I guess I'll get the memory card sometime, and show you what fun we had! Next time, we're taking a raft. We used an air mattress to float down the river on, and the first one we used got stolen. Raft. They're easier to float down on anyway. And I have one.

Here, I got this from Google. It's kind of where I camped. The peninsula:



Chelisa