Tailgate Trainging Camp 2013

We've held training camp at  Ochoco Forest Campground for several years now, and it's quite a distance from the Willamette Valley, so we stopped one night on the way, at Cold Springs campground. This is a nice place to work back into the boondocks mode.


The area is fairly open, with pines and a few shrubs, and a little creek running through the campground. It was very quiet as there were only a few other sites occupied. Shiner did her best to rid the area of chipmunks and other varmints, but I don't think she was very successful.


Friday morning we left Cold Springs and moved on to Training Camp.

This was a bittersweet year for us, as our long-time friend Bill wasn't with us, and he was the one that found this location where we've been meeting for several years. There were several toasts (with Coors, his beverage of choice), and lots of stories told around the campfire as we remembered past camp-outs. We missed Bill's wife, Grayce, too. Hopefully she'll be with us for Training camp next year.

We had several new attendees this year.

The humans new to the event were Ron and Evie Finch, our friends from Nevada. They showed up with fresh oysters for hors d'oeuvres on the first day. . . a dish that met with enthusiastic approval by everyone! The new canine attendees were Maggie May, a mini-Australian Shepherd, and Lucy, a West Highland Terrier.

Maggie and Lucy were already acquainted, but both readily accepted Shiner. She is so much bigger than the two younger dogs that we had to closely monitor the rough-housing, and as Shiner had strained a front leg a few days before she was on restricted activity anyway. The chipmunks all knew that, I'm sure, and teased her unmercifully.

There was a heavy sports schedule this year at camp.
Dave and Evie tried out her new bow, there were a few games of horseshoes and bolo toss, and some of us went for the annual walk around Walton Lake. It's small, but very pretty. The meadow that's usually covered with wildflowers and butterflies was drier this year, so though there were a few butterflies enjoying the wild asters, most of the wildflowers were in short supply.





We came home with a special treat this year. John made several bird houses and feeders for those who came to camp, and we were lucky enough to have this one, complete with a little piggy.

The detail John puts into these creations is amazing, right down to the little handmade ax stuck in the little stump on the porch.


It was a great four days - good food and good friends is a combination hard to beat! For a few more shots of the camp and all the fun we had, check the album.