Vacation? Vacation!!!

7/14/2007

So busy. It’s veg full time now. 4 points a day at two hours each, plus data entry makes for a very busy Michelle. But I’m sure you don’t want to hear about work… You want more Badger crew tales.
So we did have that soccer rematch at the barbeque on the 4th. Viddy, Matt, Scott the intern, and I were on one team, Patty, Justin, Berti and Jason were on the other team. My team won of course. And I scored one of our goals, knocking over the “goal nalgene” with a well aimed kick. I also hit the ground a few times… once having my feet kicked out from under me by Jason, the other in a collision with Berti/ a trailer. It was a good time. I’ve got the bruises to prove it. The food at the barbeque was excellent. Aaron had just taken his first two days off in over a month and he made a trip to Corvallis/ the coast to take care of business on campus, and to go fishing. He brought back fresh tuna, salmon, and crab. So we feasted on freshly caught grilled seafood. The morning after the barbeque the PCers and the Badger crew took off for Modoc National Forest in California for our two day vacation. The trip started with us driving to Cedarville to drop off the PC truck to have its oil changed and pick up a few groceries. While waiting for people to finish up in town Matt decided it would be fun to ride the mechanical horse ride out front of the grocery store. And so vacation started.
When we arrived at Pepperdine campground we unpacked, ate a snack, then began the 3 mile hike to Patterson Lake, which is a mountain lake located at over 9,000 feet. About 2 and a half hours later we arrived, hot, sweaty, and thirsty. Matt and Viddy arrived first, I arrived second, followed about 20 minutes later by Justin, Berti and Patty. When I got there Viddy and Matt had already jumped in and were sunning themselves on the rocks. I located them on the other side of the lake by their whoops and hollering and made my way towards the sounds. When I got to them I immediately stripped and jumped in. I didn’t stay in long. Viddy particularly enjoyed my reaction. Patterson lake was the coldest water that I have ever been in in my life, way colder than the ocean. I dove under, and quickly popped up gasping for air. I expected this feeling to pass, as it usually does when you jump into the ocean… but it didn’t. I swore, and began furiously swimming for the shore again. Viddy was in stitches on the shore. He did tell me it was cold. I just wasn’t expecting it to be that cold. After I had warmed up a bit Viddy and I coordinated a second dive into the lake, with Matt filming us on my camera. We dove in, popped up, made eye contact and Viddy said “we’re good…..” treading water for approximately 2 seconds, then “Nope! AAAAHHHH!” As we made the mad sprint for the shore, grasping at the rocks and grassy shore trying to pull ourselves out of the water as quickly as possible. When Berti, Justin and Patty arrived I got to watch their initial reactions as they hit the water. Justin won for the longest swim. He must have been in there for about a minute. At one point Berti asked if he was cold and Justin’s gasping squeaked reply was “Nope… I’m fine… I just can’t breathe…”
After our chilling dip we were ready for the 2 hour hike back into the setting sun.
That night we had a camp fire, Matt pulled out the Banjo, and later we all slept under the stars lined up in a row. Before falling asleep Justin pulled out his iPod and called in an owl. He, Matt and Viddy were chasing it around the campsite in their boxers and hiking boots, trying to get a look at it. The next day we all did our own thing. I went on a little walk and hung out by a reservoir, sitting on a huge blowdown and watching the ducks on the water for a few hours. Then I made my way back to the campsite for lunch, after which I taught Viddy how to play cribbage, and he, Patty and I played some rallyball with our newly bought balls and paddles. That night we had another campfire, then had tent party 2K7. Viddy, Berti, Matt and I in one tent, Justin and Patty in the other… as it looked like it was threatening to rain. All in all it was a good vacation. There’s been talk of some of us returning next year, and all staying at Badger. We already know we all work well together, and it would be good for Aaron too, as he would have half of his crew already set for next year. We shall see….
~me