Tim, Rachel and I met at Tiger Mountain on Friday evening for our first hike of the year. We decided to take it easy and not go for the peak right away. Instead, we hiked up the cable line trail and then headed west around the lake, by the high school, up to the junction with Sunset Way, and then back east past the lake. We returned to our cars just before dusk.
While our route could have had a bit better scenery, it was still enjoyable and we get a few good pictures. I'm looking forward to a lot more hiking this year!
This weekend I purchased a device to break my own bones. Tim finally convinced me to get a mountain bike. With those great trails right down the road from our house, it seemed like a good move. 
Chelsea, Tim and I headed for Ocean Shores State Park this weekend for what is likely the last camping trip of the year. We set up late on Friday night and had a quick campfire before bed. Saturday morning we walked on the beach and then spent the afternoon riding mopeds. In Washington, the beach is a highway so there are cars out on the hardpacked sand (and stuck in the not so hard sand.) You can ride mopeds out there as well so we took full advantage of the opportunity. On Saturday night, we were joined by Cheryl, Joe, and Lisa. After a second chilly night, we woke up on Sunday for an hour long horse ride on the beach.
We're back from the big camping trip, and I happily declare it a success. There were some doubts about the weather, but the worst we got were a few sprinkles here and there. Thankfully Tim bought one of those tents that goes over the picnic table and that really saved the day. It kept stuff from falling on the table and gave us a respite from the rain when we needed it. Our days were filled with walks on the beach, a catamaran boat trip, a Flexi-straw challenge, and general laziness around camp fires.
Today a plan hatched in January comes to fruition. Seven month ago, we made reservations for the oh-so-popular 
On Saturday, Tim and I hiked up to the top of Tiger Mountain along the West Tiger #3 trail. I’ve read about it online and it’s often mentioned as one of the most popular hikes in the area. Tiger is the mountain (large hill) that stares you in the face as you get off of I-90 on exits 17 or 18 and when you leave my house and head down Trossachs Blvd. There are over 80 miles of trails on Tiger Mountain, but the trail we hiked was 2.5 miles and 2000 vertical feet one way.
Tim, Chelsea and I headed for Penrose Point State Park on Friday. It rained most of the day but stopped before we arrived at the site. We had just enough light to set up the tents before spending the rest of the night around the campfire. Saturday was full of cornhole, hiking, and sleeping. We packed up on Sunday morning and headed home. The weather was 75-80 and sunny all weekend.
It's a sunny day and the days have been getting warmer so naturally my thoughts are wandering toward the fun that summer brings. What are you looking forward to? Here are some of mine:
Camping
The first weekend of my summer begins with a camping trip. Tim, Chelsea and I are headed for Penrose Point State Park. The park itself doesn't seem all that remarkable, but there were only a few choices left since this was a last minute decision. Our goal for this trip is simplicity – no pots, no pans, no dishes, no stove. It's just going to be cooking over the fire, relaxing, reading, and playing lots of cornhole. I'll post some pictures when I get back. Have a great weekend!