Thursday adventures on sea and land

Thursday the plan was to explore the outdoor activities Deep Creek Lake has to offer. The morning was again cool (70s F) and overcast, which meant that it was uncomfortable to swim, but there was little traffic on the lake for either the wave runner (1-hour rental) or the pontoon boat (concurrent 3-hour rental). Without an anchor on the boat or live bait, the fishing was disappointing, but it was wonderful to be out on the water without roasting or burning. We saw a couple of great blue herons and turkey buzzards. One of things we noticed that  makes Deep Creek different from Lake Anna or Lake Wylie is that the houses are set back farther from the water's edge, with launches that have to be pulled up during the winter rather than the "party houses" with permanent docks elsewhere. We used up the last of the deli meat for wraps and then completed lunch with ice cream and fresh, HOT fries on the shore under a sun that had finally found its way from behind the clouds. Back at the cabin it was quiet / nap time.

Then we retraced our steps to the Circle R Ranch for our rescheduled 1-hour trail ride. After helmets were given out again and horses re-assigned, we lined up to mount. It was a gorgeous sunny and warm afternoon for a sedate walk over the hills and through the fields and forests of the farm. In addition to the sound of unseen vehicular traffic, we heard a plane, bird calls, insects, a stream, wind in the trees, and horse sounds (clip-clop, snorts, and farts!). I saw monarch butterflies, cabbage moths, and a groundhog.

Nate on Chance, Chanté on Nellie

Joe on Gidget

Kate on Hot Shot

Michael on Shy Girl

Kristen on Bailey

Dinner was curry packets and naan, then games for the last night with everyone at the cabin. The parents won a game of "Cut Throat" pool; "Sushi Go" is easy to play but hard to master; and "Deep Sea Adventure" was not the hit it was expected to be, because of how hard it was to master the mechanics of game play. We also finished the race car puzzle (photo not available due to it being taken apart too soon). The hot tub was the right way to end the night.

Friday: museums in Oakland