Week 31 - Sutton Campground, Florence, Oregon - July 29-August 4, 2023

This week we embarked on our yearly 1-week campout.  We used to go to Alder Flat; then Detroit Lake; then Riverside; and now Sutton Lake for the third year.

Saturday July 29 - This year we took the kittens with us - Zelensky and Jack.  They did really well in the cab of the truck

Sunday, July 30 - And in the camper - they loved playing in the camper and sleeping on me at night.

We have other photos besides those of kittens.

We went to church in Florence - just like being in your home ward.  On the way back we stopped at the Darlingtonia Wayside.  Dad and I had been here a hundred years ago.  I really didn't remember anything from that long ago visit when I was a sophomore in college.

And some "Sunday" kitten photos

Getting ready for S'mores Sunday night

Monday, July31 - we readied ourselves to go to Honeyman State Park...to the lake we went to last year -

Cleawox Lake.

We got there early enough to get a good spot that was relatively level.  Unfortunately the Louthan's had inadvertently left behind their two inflatable kayaks and Bev's new paddleboard.  But Travis had brought his hard kayak and his paddleboard and a couple of tubes.  The kids played and played in the water.  The wind was really strong and nearly blew us and our sun shade away.  Had fun anyway.  Sadly I didn't take any photos.

Tuesday, August 1 -  a good way to start is with a couple photos of the kittens.

We started the day by going to the beach - the one that is behind the hotel...which has a bathroom and a snack shop.  We were there last year, and everything was perfect.  This year, however, the wind was blowing so hard - and we were freezing - and the sand was blowing.  It was time to bail and find another place.  The previous day, Bev and Jessica did some  exploring and found Woahink Lake which is basically just across the highway from where we were yesterday.  We found a perfect little place along the shore where the kids could play in the sand/mud and wade way out into the lake.

Wednesday, August 2 - We went back to Woahink Lake and tried to go to the same spot, but two women with three German Shepherds had beaten us there.  No problem, we just went up and over a grassy knoll and found an equally nice place.  Great bathrooms, too.  We'll go here next time.

Thursday, Aug 3 - our day to do the dune buggies.  but, before that, how about a photo of Bev and Zelensky doing a great yoga stretch.

A bunch of us chose to go on a slow buggy; I and nine other daredevils chose to do the fast ones.

Bev and Dad are deciding what to do next.

They decided we should go down to Heceta Beach and watch the sunset.

On several mornings I hiked the trail to the viewpoint and had this view as a reward.

Friday, Aug 4 - time to pack up and head out.  Kittens are ready

Campsite is cleaned up and ready for the next family to descend on it.

We went back to Heceta Beach to watch the tide come in and then headed home.  Heavy traffic and smoke from a fire characterized the trip.