4 Wheels 4 Girls

June 9 we hiked up a mountain in Bayview. Daddy says the mountain is called Cape Horn. We saw a moose slash horse. It was a moose slash horse because it was too far away to know if it was a moose or a horse. It was a horse.

Back to the hike up the mountain. It was easy and short. My daddy really wanted us to see the mountain and the views of the lake. We got to see where mountain goats live, but we did not see any mountain goats.

Hiking on Cape Horn, above lake Pend Oreille

Then we got rode our bikes back to the RV and qwickley as posabol chopt up some fruit and made a fruit salad and headed for Bob and Elsie’s*.

[*Editor’s note: like Ana’s previous post, selected original spellings have been preserved for posterity.]

On the evening of June 8th, we went to have dinner with some friends of my dad’s, Duane and Dawn Nightingale. We met them and their kids, Emily and Alex. Emily was almost 15 (happy birthday, Emily!) and Alex was my age. They were all very nice.

We played on Emily’s new Wii for a bit before it was time to have dinner; it was pizza, chips and salsa, and fruit salad. The food was great, and we had a really nice conversation.

After dinner, we went back to the living room and continued our game of Wii golf. Then we made a whole bunch of random Miis and then played baseball, bowling, and boxing. We only played one game of boxing ’cause Stella went down really quickly and she said it was too violent. So then we played more baseball and golf. It was fun.

Soon though, we had to say goodbye because it had gotten very late. We thanked them for dinner and then we loaded up in the RV and drove back to our campground. It was a great night!

The next day, Duane came by the campground with another nice friend of my dad ‘s, Jeanie. The adults hung out together for a bit.

With Bayview friends, Duane and Jeanie

June 7, we arrived in Bayview, a town my dad comes to for business. It was obvious the second we drove in that he knew the town like the back of his hand and was very proud of it.

After we settled in to our campground, Dad was eager to show us his home-away-from-home. We got down our bikes and rode to the house of Dad’s friends, Bob and Elsie. They were very nice. We saw their house and Dad chatted with them for a little while to catch up on each other’s lives.

After we said goodbye to Bob and Elsie, we got back on our bikes and rode around town. Then Dad took us to the marina and showed us all the cool boathouses and the one where he had stayed the first time he came to Bayview. We also saw an awesome one that had just been built that was huge and very complex. It’s too hard to describe so I’ll just show you a picture of it:

That is one elaborate boathouse!

Then we rode back to our campground up the big, long hill. When we got back we were exhausted.

It is good to see the place that Dad visits so often. It was great!!!

I have spent many months working in Bayview, ID over the past 15 years, and June 7 marked my first visit just for pleasure, and the first time I have ever had the opportunity to share Bayview with my family. I have been looking forward to showing Jean and the girls around my “home away from home” for a long time, introducing them to the wonderful people I have gotten to know there over the years, hiking with them around the surrounding mountains and state park, and showing them the impressive lake, Pend Oreille.

One of the first things we did in town was take a walk to a favorite spot overlooking the lake. Whenever there was enough time, this short hike was part of my daily Bayview routine, and it was fun to share it with the girls. Next, we will catch up with special friends.

I have many, many great memories in Bayview, of the places and the people. It is so nice to have a chance to create some new memories there with my family, in this little town which has become so special to me.

On June 7 we went to a Hobby Lobby in Spokane, WA, to look for pipe cleaners and hair for our wee folks. Wee folks are little dolls that we made ourselves. They look like little fairy people. They have wings made out of flower petals. To make them, you shape the pipe cleaner into their body and wrap string around their feet to make boots. You wrap string around the arms for their skin. For the girls, you cut out only the shirt and you cut bigger holes in the flower petals for their skirt. For the boys, you cut out their shirt and pants and sew them on. Then you put the hair on, but we didn’t have any hair.

Wee folks like to hang out in the garden

We looked all over until I spotted the hair. We got black, brown, orange, and blond hair. After that we went to look for pipe cleaners but they did not have any. After that we went to Joe Ann’s Fabrics, where we found the pipe cleaners. My mom found a book that showed you how to crochet stuff. She told us that she would make us each a poncho. We all got really excited about that. We all went to go pick out a color that we wanted. When we came back my mom told us that we had to find this exact same kind of yarn. We looked around and could not find it. So Mommy got a different kind of yarn. She is making Stella’s first.

After our shopping, we drove to Coeur d’Alene, ID. We picked up some groceries and then we drove to a place where we had no idea where we were, and Daddy went into a store. We waited for him for a long time until he returned carrying six big, white cups with colored straws. He handed one to each of us and named a fruit for each straw color. Mine was orange. Then we realized they were all huckleberry shakes! They were really good! It was my first huckleberry shake. We all thanked Daddy over and over for the great surprise.

June 6, we got packed up to leave Lori and Sarah’s house. We loaded up our stuff in the RV and Greta, Ellie, Ana, and I were sorting the folded clothes. We suddenly ran into one of Lori and Sarah’s dish towels. Jean asked Ana to run up and give the dish rag to Lori. ( Sarah was at work. ) So Ana walked up the hill to the house and gave it to Lori and then the next thing we knew, Ana and Lori were riding down the extremely long driveway on the scooter motorcycle. Jean and Dad were like, “Oh, that Lori.” And I laughed. Because Lori did soooo much for us and now, at the last minute, she ‘s giving Ana a ride down the driveway on the scooter? Wow, “That Lori” is right!

So we kept sorting the clothes and guess what? I came across another dish towel! I told Jean and she told me not to take it up yet; to wait to see if there were any more. There weren’t. But Jean told me to take it up to Lori. So I did. And I got a ride back down on the scooter, too.

We said good bye one last time, then we were off!

Lori and Sarah, we really miss you guys. You, too, Olive and Roxanne!

we went to loiy and searas and olive and roxane by the way roxane and olive are dogs. we had senamen rolse, DQ *cake, pineapple upsidedown cake, pumpkin pie, strawberries dipped in chocolate (though that made them yucky ’cause I don’t like chocolate- I ate plain strawberries). This is the first time in my life (and I’m 7 years old), that I had a desert, a different desert, every day. I liked it a lot and a lot. Lori made them all, except for the DQ cake, to celebrate my mommy’s birthday which isn’t even until June 8 [editor’s note: it’s June 11]. She is a really good cooker. I wish my mom could learn to cook as good as Lori.

(*I had help from my mom with the typing from here)

Making chocolate strawberries with Lori

On Sunday, June 5th, after the bike ride, we (Stella, Ana, Lori, Sarah, and I) hopped in the van to head home and make lunch. We made grilled cheese sandwiches, steamed broccoli, and fruit salad. We all contributed to the meal, and it was delicious.

After lunch, we played Wii, relaxed, and hung out with the poodles. I helped Sarah out in her garden, and we planted sunflowers. We also took pictures and played with them on iPhoto. It was really nice.

Then Sarah, Dad, Ellie, Stella, and I played Rummikub; two games. Dad won the first one and Stella won the second. Then we played more Wii and then started to prepare for dinner. We made shrimp, pasta carbonera, salad, and homemade ice cream. It was just as delicious as lunch, if not better.

Then we hung out a bit more, and then got ready for bed. It was a great day!

Another favorite activity at Lori and Sarah's: hot tub!

On the morning of June 5th, we decided to go on a bike ride. We knew it was going to be a tough, uphill ride.

We left the house and biked very downhill then very uphill for about a mile until we (Dad, Jean, Sarah, Stella, Ellie, and I) got to the trailhead, the Senator Mark O. Hatfield trailhead. Quite a mouthful, huh? 😀 We followed Lori and Ana in the van. When we reached the trailhead, we filled up our water bottles, used the restroom, and then we were off!

The trail was mostly uphill but very pretty. We had a great view of the Columbia River from the path, and we used the helmet cam to take pictures and videos while we were biking. It was really nice.

Riding the bike trail, along the Columbia River

Soon we reached some tunnels and we met Ana, Lori, Olive, and Roxanne there. Ollie was seemingly exhausted ’cause she was panting like crazy, but Roxy was still full of energy. So Stella, Ana, Sarah, and I decided to bike to the van and go home at this point, while my parents and Ellie decided to bike home.

A lookout along the trail

We drove home in the van and Lori dropped us off. Then she took the van to the bottom of the valley and picked up the biking crowd so they wouldn’t have to bike up the last steep hills. Then, once we were all home, we ate lunch. Read my next post to find out about the rest of our day!!!

On Sunday June 5th, I got to do something I wanted to do for a long time. I got to walk the poodles, Olive and Roxanne. I got to walk with both poodles on a big path at the same time and it was really fun. Lori pushed my bike while I was walking the dogs.

Me and the poodles

When we got to the top of the hill, I started to ride my bike and Lori took the dogs. We went through a dark tunnel and when we came out we saw the rest of my family and Sarah. They had ridden their bikes up the hill from the other side. We all rode through the tunnel again and took a picture. Then all of us but Ellie, my mom and my dad, all road back down the hill to the parking lot and Lori drove us home. Ellie, my mom, and my dad biked home.

At the bike trail tunnel