HMC Weekend (Part Deux)

Last weekend our dear (Oregonian) friends, Josh and Elaine Hochstettler, and (Scotts Valley-ian) friends Mike and Allison McGregor, graced us with their effervescent selves for our 2nd annual "weekend at the lake sans kids."  (GAH-I just had an awful elementary school flashback. "Mind those run-on sentences now, Ashley.")

WE HAD A STINKING BLAST!!! (Oh no...another flashback said in a sarcastic tone: "How do you really feel Ashley? Because you are very hard to read and have a hard time expressing yourself." HA! Oh I crack myself up.) But really...it was a ball. Between the wonderful company, the great food, the standard shenanigans, amazing water and weather...it was just awesome. From start to finish.

Below are just some of the hundreds of pictures Allison, Elaine and Mike took. (I did not take a single shot. In this case, I didn't need to.  I have friends that are way better at it than I am anyways and have a passion for taking a million pictures. So-I'm thankful for my artsy-friends.)  Anywho, I'll try and give you a quick-caption on each photo, therefore walking you through our weekend.

If you've ever wondered what it looks like driving up to Lake McClure...these next few shots will give you a feel for it...

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There are A LOT of cows...

And even more gently rolling, (and barren) hills.



Our car, "The HBD" (Hill-Billy-Deluxe) And our boat, which we still haven't officially named.



The crew. And as you will notice, I am not standing in a normal way. There are a lot of very sharp angles. The story here is that I was poking fun at the models today who stand in these super unnatural ways to make themselves look thinner. I think they are on to something........and it's called being ridiculous.

Wakesurfing. For those of you who are not familiar with wakesurfing...it's kind of like regular surfing...only you are on a much shorter board, and standing 3 feet behind a ski boat. But the boat (with the help of apparatuses called "fat sacs") is weighed down and creates this wave right off the back of the boat. You are then able to "surf" the wake. And when you get good enough, you can do this rope-free.



Under the houseboat!! It's SO bright green under there. But it's also a little scary. If you are claustrophobic...this is not a place you would want to hang out. Allison was very nervous to venture under the HB...but she did it! (Just one of 7 or 8 "firsts" for her this weekend! Go Allison.)



"The Island." The Island is a big, floating.....island. =) We love to lay out, relax and wrestle each other into the water on this puppy. It's also used as part of a obstacle course we set up each time we're at the lake. This course is referred to as "The Gauntlet."

You can barely see us...but here Allison and I are jumping off the top of the HB at night! (Another of the "firsts" for Allison. Again....go Allison!)

Morning coffee with our Lake McClure mugs! What a gorgeous girl.

We had TWO Schweene treats this weekend...but only caught one on camera. Here is a picture of Mark Schweene RIPPING it up. He's an AMAZING slalom skier.

This is a picture of "My Tree." This is where I want some of my ashes to be spread someday. It's this beautiful oak tree in the middle of an, otherwise barren, little meadow on the side of a hill. I LOVE this tree and every time I look at it, I am reminded to thank God for this blessed life we get to live here on the lake.

Here's another picture of my tree, and me, wakeboarding in front of it.

Slowly but surely...I'm getting more "air" each summer.

"Mikey Guns"

Josh ready for his first "dock start." (Where he stands up on the dock and we pull him off of the dock and into the water.) He landed it the very first time. Great job Josh!

Big air Josh.

Allison continues to improve her wakeboarding skills. She has all but perfected smooth transitions in and out of both wakes.

Rick...going big.



A quiet moment between Rick and I.



HOLY LAKE HAIR. 

Josh coming up from one of his many free dives. 

Fooling around on "The Gauntlet."

Team Cos...(minus one darling weasel.)

Speaking of shenanigans...its "rock time." Each year Josh takes our wimpy paddle boat to the shore and collects 5-7 LARGE rocks. He then free dives with them.  He made it to 75 feet this weekend. And what does it feel like at 75 feet? (Josh) "Dark, cold and a little scary." (This is actually a picture of Erik Kinser agreeing to do a rock-dive with Josh)

Mike brought up a pair of double skis and a knee board. RARELY will you ever see anyone knee boarding these days...and NO ONE double-skis. BUT this weekend...we did both. And it was crazy and hilarious. Josh went crazy on the double skis. It was side-splitting funny.

Josh rolled up his shorts (so as to keep with the 80's theme of double-skiing) and attacked the wake.

Mikey Guns then took a turn. And of course, his shorts needed to be rolled up too.

Knee boarding! What fun!

This next comment is kind of horrible...but it's what we were all thinking...so I'm just going to say it. Watching someone knee board reminds me of the Special Olympics. Because you have your knees tucked up behind you and it looks like you have two nubs for legs. I know that sounds terrible...but it is really funny. (Which is an even more terrible thing to say...)

Rick taking a turn on the knee board.

NUBS!!! (Ok, I'll stop now) =)

Allison "shortcake" McGregor getting comfortable on the knee board.

Knee boarding is funny....case in point.

Our place. (The one with the bright yellow floaty)

Elaine "Goggles McGee" Hochstettler. Because Elaine has contacts, last year was really a bummer for her, watersport-wise. This year we got smart and stuck these goggles on her face. They looked goofy...but they got the job done.

Elaine decided to take off the goggles for a few shots out of sheer vanity. (And to be clear, this is not a knock on her at all. I would have done the same thing.)

OK. Elaine is the most conservative of the group when it comes to all things water-sports...however, she still somehow wound up with the most battle wounds?? How does this happen?! You can't really get a good idea of this thing but, here she is with a massive rope burn. Poor Elaine. But she's one tough cookie. No tears or anything! (I would have been blubbering for sure.)

Rick wakesurfing.



He...




is...




so....

 

cute. (If I do say so myself)



Mustache Ashley. Another recurring character seen this weekend.

A sweet moment caught on camera. (I was having a poor attitude about my wakesurfing non-skills...and my loving husband was giving me some encouragement. Thanks boots.)

Oh my goodness...return of the lake-thing.

Team McGregor. (Minus their kiddos)

I was clearly disgusted by something...(looks like Allison may have been as well) Wonder what it was?

Our lake dog, Mila. She's the greatest. I think we love her more on the lake than we do anywhere else. (Just teasing mee-pants)

A little chardonnay with dinner...

Team Hochstettler (Sans kiddos)

Our sleeping arrangement...

MEAT! (Josh enjoyed leftover steak for breakfast on Sunday morning.)



The crew...minus Mike.



THIS big dude graced us with his huge presence Sunday morning. We all sat there dumbfounded as to how we were going to get him the heck off our boat without killing him or sending him to his watery-death. Luckily, we found out that Praying Mantis' fly!

 

The kitchen...

The living room...

Elaine and I



Classy Rick...way to ruin an otherwise good shot. Ah geeze!

And now for the "awards..."

Most adventurous goes to Allison McGregor for all the "firsts" she attacked this weekend!

Best BBQ'r and, of course, best guns-Mike McGregor. (Mike Schweene may have taken best guns this year...but since he technically wasn't part of the group, he's been disqualified.)

With his stellar performance on the double skis, Josh sweeps "All around craziest, but most entertaining character of the weekend." (Thanks Sailor Jerry!)

Elaine definitely gets the award for "Most injured and best looking in ugly-goggles." 

Rick gets the award for "Most contagious laugh."  

And I, again, came away with the award for "longest legs therefore putting me at an unfair advantage for domination on the gauntlet." 

Another awesome weekend!