Lake Billy Chinook with the Hardy's

The Hardy's celebrated a family reunion at Lake Billy Chinook this year and were kind enough to invite us along. We have all been camping together in the past; many life times ago when our kids were younger, but we have not been back since 2002. Usually we stayed at the Cove Palisades State Park, however this time Debbie reserved the KOA which was fantastic. Not only was there a lot of grass to pitch tents on, she was able to get cabins for some of her kids who had children and there was a pool, play area, and a place to play horse shoes. We needed to drive to Seattle a couple of days before leaving for Billy Chinook and so we brought Clarissia back with us. We wanted her to experience Billy Chinook and have the same magical experience our kids had with it while they were growing up. It is captivating being out on the lake with the high cliffs and the sun beating down as you glide across the water in the boat--or better yet, gliding on top of the water as you wake board or ski. It was a trip our family looked forward to during the winter months and longed for all year. We have so many happy memories from our time at Lake Billy Chinook. This year, although we didn't have our sons and their wives with us, was lots of fun.





This is our camp site, minus one cabin.













Debbie and I always like to do a lot of Dutch Oven Cooking when we go camping together. Here are the 'Sparkling Potatoes'. Other accomplishments were the peach cobbler, and Mountain Man Breakfast. But by far, the most anticipated were the Dutch Oven 'Sticky Buns' that we had Friday morning. The people who wanted to get up early (6 AM) and head out on the lake would leave and Debbie and I made the Sticky Buns, they turned out so perfect. Aaron, Matt and Josh, we missed you!






Debbie with Kailey, Kelly and grandkids















Sunset over Culver, Oregon














Rissia on wake board



















James catching some 'air'.












Friday morning: Famed 'Sticky Buns' turned out onto the table just as the early morning ski crew were returning. They were perfect!














Lake Billy Chinook. The cliffs are 600 feet high and the lake is formed where the Metolius, Crooked River and Deschutes Rivers come together. A dam was placed on the Metolius to form the reservoir. There are areas where it is 600 feet deep.










James, doing what he enjoys most...boating!






















Rissia and the perfect day.















Rissia and Josh getting ready to tube.














Kyle and Kelly tubing.













Four of the Hardy's grandchildren.

















Rissia and James















This year the event to remember was the flat tire on Stan and Debbie's new Honda Pilot. They hadn't had it that long and had ordered the tool to remove the tire in case of a flat, but had not yet received it. So their car had to be towed into Culver where (fortunately!) in this little town in the middle of central Oregon, the important tool was found. The SUV was towed away (Thanks to AAA) and Stan with it. We were all happy to see Stan return only to find there was trouble with the oil. We all had to cry around the Honda before James took Stan into town once again. A short time later, the car was once again running and able to with stand the trip over the Mountain back home again.

Hardy Family