STILLWATER / LAKE GRANBY (Labor Day Weekend 2007) |
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We booked Stillwater Campground on Lake Granby for our
final camping trip of 2007. We had a "premium" lakeside site (#90)
and it was just long enough for our camper and our truck to park in a line.
Look closely in the background you see shades of red on the hillside. Pine
Beetles have killed many trees in this area. Nights were in the mid 40's so
our furnace ran all three nights. Sites 89 (a double-wide) and 90 are the
best at Stillwater.
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Site 90 has steps leading down to a picnic and tent area.
We used our EZ-UP for shade as we took in the lake views.
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The lake view from our campsite.
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Courtney planned the entire menu for this trip. She did a
great job as the next pictures will show. For breakfast on Saturday morning
we had blueberry pancakes that Dad cooked on the outside griddle. Look
closely and you will see some blueberry near Court's lips.
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We docked our Porta-bote at the edge of the lake. The
water level was much lower than it was when we visited Stillwater in 2005.
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We took our Bote to a secluded island in the middle of
Lake Granby. We originally named it Big Snake Island, but when we got there
all we saw was bird poop. So, we changed the name to, yes, Bird Poop Island.
You probably are wondering where Cameron is. He had a football game in the
afternoon on Saturday, so we didn't see him until dinner time. How did he
get to Stillwater? Read on...
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Kendal, Carly, and Lea explore Bird Poop Island.
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Lea keeps an eye on the girls.
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Carly reluctantly played fetch as long as the stick was
not thrown too far in the water. Carly prefers to be able to touch the
ground when in the water.
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Melea's parents Ken and Kay arrived on Saturday evening
with Cameron. They stayed for dinner and then roughed it for the night at a
B&B in Fraser.
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With the in-laws on-site, all the pressure was on Randy
to deliver a quality dinner.
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Randy grilled some fine-looking (and tasting)
mesquite-seasoned rib-eye steaks for the adults and Boulder Sausage
bratwurst for the kiddos. Randy highly recommends the Weber-Q 200 series
portable grill. It cooks very evenly and has a large cooking area.
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All ready to eat...just waiting for Cameron to get the
milk.
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Camping with the Grandparents.
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The kids made Carly a comfy bed for the night. She stayed
wrapped up until we shut off the camper lights. Then she laid down at her
usual spot, the step next to Mom and Dad's bed.
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There are some very nice homes on the shores of Lake
Granby.
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The kids got their personal boats out again this trip.
There is Court cruising the lake. She ended up losing an oar.
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Kendal practices her rowing skills.
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Where there is mud, there are kids, especially our kids.
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Cameron and Mom re-enact the scene from Castaway
where Tom Hanks finally makes fire. "I have made fire!"
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Courtney's choice for Sunday night was BBQ chicken legs.
Yum!
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Randy ran into fellow Outbacker Jim O at Stillwater. Jim
and Randy worked for Braun Consulting back in the day when gourmet dinners
and upscale hotel stays were charged back to the client (2000). Braun is no
longer around, but Randy and Jim stay in touch via Yahoo IM. Randy taught
Jim everything he knows about exterior illumination, or something like that.
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Earlier this year, Randy helped Jim negotiate the
purchase of a 2008 21-RS. Towing that beauty is another beauty, a 2007
Nissan Armada.
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We had a blast on our last trip of 2007. Stillwater moved
into our top 5 all-time camping destinations, knocking off Lodgepole. No
bugs at Stillwater until the sun went down, and then they didn't attack you,
they just swarmed above you. Nice were cool, days were warm, and the views
and boating were top notch.
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