{ Camping, Take Two: Deception Pass }

Can it really be a month since we packed up for a weekend at Deception Pass?! My stars, time flies when you're having fun! I consider this our first "real" camping trip as a married couple, because unlike Take One, it was more than 24 hours long. And it was so. much. fun.

That's Deception Pass and Whidbey Island in the background--our campsite is in those trees to Mike's left!

A glimpse of the bridge


Looking down at the island that connects the two segments of the bridge. See that huge mass of seaweed in the water?


We walked along the first part of the bridge, then climbed underneath for some spectacular views of the second bridge span. Can you imagine the bravery of the men who built it?

*Home Sweet Home*

You can't see it, but just through those trees behind Mike is a road, and on the other side of the road is Cranberry Lake. We were literally steps from Puget Sound and the lake!

Cranberry Lake, mirrorlike in the setting sun. We arrived on a Friday afternoon, and on Saturday Mike convinced me to go kayaking with him on the lake. I had never kayaked before, and though we both wore life jackets and there were lots of people around, it took me about 15 minutes to calm down to the point where I could actually enjoy myself. I'm really glad Mike convinced me to do it, because it was a lot of fun! Even the time we ran into a submerged tree stump...

Our campsite is just through those trees. You wouldn't think such an innocent-looking lake could stir up such terror in my heart, would you? I love looking at water...not being on top of it...or in danger of being submerged in it, fully clothed and without any sort of towelage.

Because the campsite is at the very northernmost tip of Whidbey Island, there is water {when I say water, I mean Puget Sound} on both sides. I loved having so much water all around us: the sound of waves lulling us to sleep and gently rousing us in the morning. We meandered up the west beach on Friday evening after dinner, moseying through gentle sunlight and happy families.

{ skipping stones }

After a hearty, manly breakfast o'er the campfire on Saturday, we sallied forth and spent several hours exploring the length and breadth of the east beach. Though the day began foggy and damp, the fog eventually burned off.

{ I sure married a handsome man! }

{ Yup, he's a keeper. }

{ Posing in the bottom of giant triftwood tree }

Do you not find the warning sign above hilarious? This is a manhole of some sort just outside a public restroom at the park. "Enter by permit only." Really? Really?

{ The view looking straight up from our firepit }

This is my new favorite camping spot. New, because I've never had a favorite camping spot before...wait, I've never even liked camping before, so this is quite epic. And, because there are hot showers on the premises { a three-minute shower costs one dollar, I think }, my curly hair did a little dance for joy. My hair and I could camp for more than two nights! Yippee!

{ Tent Camping, Take One }

I'm checking in to let The Internet know that I survived a night of sleeping on Very Hard Ground, in The Wilderness. The Dear Husband and I headed up to Salmon La Sac after work on Friday to camp with good friends Joe and Angela. You know from my last post that all my camping experiences {we actually camped a lot when I was a kid} involved RVs......

To begin with, Joe and Angela, who left several hours before us, called to let us know that all the reservable and first-come-first-serve campsites were taken--not to worry, they had followed the road further and found a nice little spot for us. Somehow, in all my mental preparations for this trip, I never prepped for miles upon miles of axle-cracking dirt roads at dusk {not sure if we were even going the right direction}, no cell phone coverage, and wilderness that looks very bear-friendly.We were in the Wenatchee National Forest, surrounded by these wooded mountains. There were several occasions that night when I was certain I'd heard a bear.

We all survivied the night without being mauled by wildlife, though I never again want to sleep on the ground. Never. Not even with two sleeping bags and a blanket as "padding." I used to be able to sleep on the ground, hardwood floors, concrete--now if I do that, I feel like death. I must be getting old.

Mike oversaw the cooking of bacon on a little grill. I made pancakes over a propane burner. They were more like pancrackers. Syrup couldn't even redeem those puppies.

I'm not sure of the name of this river, but the water was breathtakingly clear! I kept telling Mike it was "Hawaii clear"--the only other place I've seen such deep, clear water is Hawaii. You can't really tell from these photos, but we were on a huge rock outcropping that was a good 15-20 feet above the river.

Isn't this pool amazing?

In spite of the fact that it was overcast, chilly, windy and at times sprinkling, Mike and Joe jumped into the river. From the rock outcropping, into the pool you see above. Angela and I weren't keen on risking hypothermia.

My man {love how black the soles of his feet are!} plunging into an icy mountain river of his own accord. I guess I will never understand him completely!