Squeeze the Cheese… Back to School Run
Friday afternoon found my family and I pulling our new to us pop up trailer to Naches caravanned with my brother, his wife and son pulling the same.
At Whistling Jack Lodge we met up with TJDave’s friends Bob and Elizabeth in their ginormous motor home pulling a built YJ. TJ not there yet, probably still at the liquor store in Naches [take it with you Dave], we bid them to follow us to camp. At Long Meadow we set up and waited for the expected crowds. Soon TJDave and Barb found their way to camp. Midnight found Jose and Sveta with their little Jeeper Chick rolling into camp. Early, for the Ybarras, but Jose came armed with excuses, a flat tire on the trailer being one of them.
Early Saturday Jose went in search of DJ and Cleave and their cohorts and we were pleased to learn he found their campsite and that they were wheeling with us.
Morning found us getting ready for the trail a little late even for Peak Putter launches, but we were heading toward the trail head in the 10’ o’clock hour. When we stopped to air down, my brother and family continued on, not having radios to understand the pause. They ended up taking the most interesting part of the trail solo… with Bill’s clan walking much of it. It was a bit interesting for an easy trail and most of us failed to get through without some rubbing. It turned out to be enough fun for Bob and Elizabeth and they generously offered to return to camp and start on cooking the chicken enchiladas.
The rest of the trail offered some great hill climbs and a lot of traffic (oh my goodness there were so many rigs on that trail.) I almost fell off of a bridge, but thought better of it remembering the grief people give to Jose and the like that get stuck on bridges.
Lunch was at pretty much the ridge of the pass.
Going down the west side I assumed the lead from TJDave (how lost could I get us?) From there, down came the rain. We came to the Historic Naches Pass sign and passed the elusive cabin.
The next forest road invited us to head towards camp and marinade our food and ourselves.
The trail was not overly challenging, but quite fun and I look forward to doing it again. I suspect the open-open crowd / small tire crowd had more fun than some of us.
In camp we were joined by Jose’s sister and family. DJ brought his contribution to our feast (and it was a feast), but unfortuneatley we did not have the pleasure of DJ and his family , along with Cleave and his people.
I cannot give justice to our Mexican Seafood feast and risk leaving out too many dishes, so… it were good! Two and a half tables of creative flavorful goodness and all the ingredients for margaritas. Now, we never got the blender to work, but most of the tequila didn’t survive the night, but what happens around the camp fire stays around the campfire.
In the morning a certain, new to the club, white XJ, oddly enough dubbed OG, rolled into camp along with Toby’s Minivan 2.0, and Toby’s bud (Dave) wheeling the built YJ familiar to us on last years FYBR. They headed for Lily Pond and we headed for home (after Man Quiche.)
