The annual green camping trip started like a well planned exercise. The five members of the carpool were all there on time, and everybody was packed. The stuff all fit in the car, something I had been sweating over. We hit the road well before rush hour. Unfortunately, we weren't that far before the freeway turned into a parking lot. After waiting a while a tow truck went by on the sholder with flashing lights. That was followed by an ambulance. It wasn't long after that that things started moving again. I got my camera out to see what was visible. Here is what I got of the delay's cause.

     

There were other damaged cars to, but I didn't have the time to get pictures of them. The traffic had sped up a lot already, and we didn't want to hold things up by going rubberneck speed. I actually found out a lot about the wreak from looking at these pictures. Draw your own conculsions.

When we got to Sly Park it was late. We greeted Michael, Linda, and the Tahoe Greens. Then we set about putting up tents and so forth. After that Cameron said "there must be a meteor shower going on. I've seen several shooting stars already." Not long after that I figured out that the way to watch stars is lay on your back on the picnic table and be ready for anything. I did see quite a few shooting stars before I went to bed.

  

This was the car we rented for the occasion. It was basically the biggest car in Budget's lineup. All of the car rental people wanted MUCH more money per day for anything bigger. We parked it when we got there Friday evening and didn't move it until Sunday when we drove back. Not only was it still, it provided shade for the cooler and closet space for those that wanted it. We kept all food in the trunk to animal proof it, for example.

Once people were up the talk started. Rod (red hat) wanted everybody to see the article about the Tahoe Greens fifth anniversary celebration. Click the picture to see that. He was also telling everybody to show up to help out with the cleanup the weekend after Labor Day. Come on down, dear reader!

  

One Star and her son were only there for a while. I barely met them. There were a few other day visitors I didn't get a chance to take any pictures of.

Most people spent considerable time sitting in the shade and talking about this and that.

Andrea took off to hike up to the tunnel. Valerie took lunch in a tupperware bowl and said she was going to hike around the lake. I left a bit later with my camera and no particular goal in mind. One thing I saw is that the lake level is a lot healthier than it was last summer. Then it was lower than I'd seen it before.

I hiked for a while. Then the trail I was on petered out to nothing. I continued on until I found a major source for dead, dry, fallen wood. Then I put away my camera, loaded up, and headed back. When I got back there wasn't much going on so I foraged for wood up another path I hadn't been on. This time when I got back there was quite a bit of wood in the pile and people were talking about food.

  

Thanks to Andrea for making firewood of all those big pieces we brought back.

   

The food was good, and there was plenty of it. By the time it was dark my belly was full and I was in no hurry to go anywhere. It was fire time.

  

What I remember more than anything else was Don singing bluesy music, sometimes Bob Dylan, Grateful Dead, or something else easily recognised, but often his own music. Then after a while he would go quiet and Craig or TheBor would tell a joke. Sometimes someone else would bring up a discussion topic. When that happened we would all participate until it was done, at which point it was time for another song or joke.

  

Somewhere in there I shared my "change we can believe in" speech. It went over well. Click here to read it.

The next morning the fire pit was still warm. All I had to do was add wood to get it going.

I'd been hoping to pack at a lesurly pace and then go swiming before hitting the road. Unfortunately, about half way through packing the ranger came around to say there was a reservation for the spot and we had to leave by noon. When we got to the gate there was a long line of people in campers waiting to get in. The trip back to Santa Clara County was uneventful.