Rumor has it we hadn't been to the Shuswap in 9 years. ( I was in the area for a scrapbooking retreat last year.) Not since our last camping trip with the Wallmans, when we came home the day of the biggest fire storm ever in our area. I remember the smoke and wondering where it was coming from. I remember trying to get a hold of K&H to tell them they were evacuated from their home. I remember everyone camping at our house. I don't remember much else. Emily remembers the ice cream from the campground that was once Franks, but is now an empty field. Kerry remembers never wanting to camp again with a dog.
And so we never camped again.
Then last year, we 'inherited' the gramper. Sure it's old, kind of ugly, needs work/love, but hey, it was free and fully loaded. And it doesn't smell. That's big in my books. So when we got the invite to the 2012 Horseshoe Tournament we thought it would be a great maiden voyage for the truck and gramper. Only downside, the truck doesn't have air conditioning, so we must travel by first light.
We had a blast. Met new people, and old people. Got off the black list for not being there for 9 years or at least I think we did. Even had some repairs fixed in the gramper. Now the fridge, stove, and furnace have no excuse for not working. Now my fear of sleeping in the gramper increased 10 fold.
What a great bunch of people! Nothing but laughs and jokes the whole time. Someone needed multiple naps on Saturday but this someone needed them on Sunday. I couldn't keep my eyes open on the way home, very similar to our California trip. I missed a lot of scenery, and we took the scenic route home, I saw Chase and some of Vernon. Don't know what was in between.
Kerry used his long forgotten bowling skills to help him and Jeff (who had is own set of skills) win the trophy. Oddly, no one wanted to take it home, even though Jeff did a great job!
And like all winners, he took a moment of thankfulness down on the dock. We woke up hours before everyone else and took a walk. Holidays aren't for sleeping in when you both work early mornings.
It should not be another 9 years before we go back.