Lake Powell: This is Why We Do It

A trip to Lake Powell, while fun and entertaining, is expensive, y'all. It also requires planning and scheduling and, can be frustrating at times.

And, hot. Like, walking on the sun, hot.

So, why do we do it?

This is why...

...we do it because we want our kids to have fond memories of their childhood so, when it comes time to pick out our nursing homes, we get a good one.

And, you know, because spending time on the water with people we love is one of the benefits of this crazy life that we live.

The fact that we got to celebrate the independence of our nation during this particular trip was a huge bonus, and, a job that we did not take lightly, as I will reveal in tomorrow's post.

As an aside, just how many days can I drag out posting about this vacation?

That wasn't really a question, by the way.

Lake Powell: This is How We Do It

This most recent trip to Lake Powell was our fifth. In the past, we have stayed with friends on their cabin cruiser, rented a houseboat, camped in tents, and bunked in a friend's RV. My personal favorite accomodation was the houseboat, but, staying in our own RV on this trip comes in a close second.

No matter where we have stayed while at the lake, we have enjoyed the same basic recreational pursuits: we boat...

...we jump off floating objects...

 

...we jump off stationary objects (the higher, the better)...

 

...we fish, and, sometimes we actually catch something (not this time, though)...

...and we race around the lake on inflatable tubes, frantically trying to either stay on, or, to throw someone off, depending on whether we are the rider or the driver of the boat.

 

 

This year, we added a new activity; once it got dark enough, Jana set up a projector screen and we watched The Pirates of the Carribean while floating on the water.

Ok, that's only partly accurate; the kids watched The Pirates of the Carribean while floating on the water. The adults watched the movie from a cliff overlooking the water because it was easier to hold a wineglass that way.

It was a cool new activity, either way.

Then, because we had already broken with tradition, we threw caution to the wind and added a hike to the next day's itinerary. A really long hike. Up a really high cliff. The payoff was an archaeological site featuring Native American pictographs and an ancient dwelling.

 It should be noted that Jana chose the moment that we climbed to the very top of the cliff to experience heatstroke, presenting the very real possibility that she might pass out and either plunge off the cliff to her death, or, require that several of us carry her ass down the very long cliff.

Thankfully, neither of those things happened. She did, however, get a very stern lecture from me and our traveling companions regarding the need for proper hydration when vacationing in a desert. The lecture was duly noted, I'm sure.

For fuck's sake, Jana, drink some water, would ya?

Of course, one of the most important things that we do at the lake is eat, or, maybe it just seems like it is important because we seem to do it so frequently. This trip was especially interesting, food-wise, because we had such a large group. As I mentioned in a post a while back, Jana, Carmen, and I met to plan our meals prior to the trip and I think we did a really good job of keeping everyone happy while not creating a lot of waste.

Breakfasts were comprised of pancakes, bacon, fruit, cinnamon rolls, and mimosas. Lunches were eaten on the boats and usually featured ham and turkey lettuce wraps, sandwiches, chips, Rice Krispie Treats, and more fruit. Dinners were hamburgers, hot dogs, grilled tequila lime chicken breasts, baked beans, pasta salad, fruit, and baked treats for dessert. As I said, we did not go hungry.

The challenge for me now that we are home is to find a camp cook stove for Hugh; he appears to have fallen in love with Chris's.

And, that's how we do Lake Powell. Tomorrow, I'll clue you in on why we do it.

Cliffhanger!

RV: The Maiden Voyage

We made it back, safe and sound, from Lake Powell and I am happy to report that we had a great time. The RV proved a sound investment, providing a comfortable ride and adequate sleeping space. It also offered safe and stable refrigeration of our perishables which meant that, despite transporting twelve pounds of raw chicken to a climate with a daytime temperature on par with the sun, not one person in our party of twenty-three experienced salmonella poisoning. It's always a good day when no one gets the salmonella, am I right?

I'm right.

And, as I said, the ride was comfortable; in fact, I spent half of the six hour trip asleep on the double bed in the back bedroom. The other half I split between riding shotgun in the navigator's chair and lounging on the couch, watching a movie on one of the televisions. Every trip should be so comfortable.

And, convenient, I did mention that, right?

Once we got to the lake, we quickly set up camp. And, by quickly, I mean that I had a drink in my hand before sunset, which, would have never happened if we had been camping in a tent. We didn't even have trouble navigating the narrow park roads prior to arriving at camp, despite the dire warnings graciously provided by the park service..

 

 

..actually, the only issue we have discovered in relation to the rig is the struggle to christen her; currently, we are debating the merits of Dixie, Daisy, or Jenny (pronounced Jenn-ay in our best imitation of Forest Gump). This qualifies as the best kind of dilemma to find oneself in, when one considers all the additional possibilities.

So, recreational vehicle for the win, folks.

Now, I'll leave you with some photos of our camp. Be sure to tune in tomorrow when I will regale you with photos and stories from the rest of the trip.

Careful you don't fall off the edge of that seat, now

Rollin' Redneck Style

The RV is gassed up and ready to go; I am amazed at just how much crap you can actually stuff into the thing.

At last count:

-Two cases of water
-Two cases of iced tea
-A twelve pack of Summer Shandy
-A twelve pack of Bud Light
-Three four-packs of mini wine bottles
-One full sized bottle of wine
-Three six-packs of root beer
-Enough food to feed six adults and thirteen children
-Snacks
-Four lawn chairs
-A tent
-Seven fishing poles
-A tackle box
-A full-sized projector screen
-Two coolers
-A large laundry bag full of beach towels
-Clothing for five people for three days
-Various kitchen items necessary for the cooking of all the food

And we still have plenty of room to move about comfortably.

Of course, we are getting a later start than we had planned (as usual), but, it looks like we are on our way. Please say a little prayer for us.

That Right Thar is an RV

Recently, Hugh purchased something that he had wanted for quite some time, hell, maybe since childhood, I don't know.

It wasn't something that I was keen to own, but, marriage is about compromise, and, I figure that, if I gave in on this one purchase, there couldn't help but be a new car for me somewhere down the line. I mean, that's how it works, right?

Anyway, we are now the somewhat proud owners of a second-hand recreational vehicle. A really large recreational vehicle.

I have to be honest; I will never drive this monster. I get anxiety in anything larger than my Tahoe. Once, I had to drive a van for work and the stress of it gave me hives; I am just not cut out for long-haul trucking.

Hugh, on the other hand, is not only confident driving a semi; he's actually looking forward to hooking up the boat and pulling it behind this thing. I'm pretty sure he's certifiable, but, he's handy around the house so I don't want to institutionalize him just yet.

On the bright side, having the RV means that I won't be sleeping in a tent at Lake Powell. I'll also have plenty of space to store the billion dollars worth of food that I purchased for the trip and, this might be the most exciting part yet, I'll have an actual bathroom to pee in. It really is a win for me all the way around.

You know, as long as I'm not expected to drive.

Instead, I plan to sit in the co-pilot seat, clutching the armrests in terror every time we round a sharp curve and the RV sways to the side (did I mention that large vehicles freak me out? Yes? That's covered then).

I've been practicing my "I'm not-terrified face" for the benefit of the children. How am I doing?