Labor Day Camping

We continued our tradition of camping over Labor Day weekend, we went with my cousins again but this time in Eastern Oregon at Union Creek Campground near the old mining town, Sumpter. They are known for their holiday weekend flea markets, so we spent the day walking around to see what it was all about. It was a cute town with some great antiques in the market and best of all.. fair food. I might have had a hand-dipped corn dog and some curly fries... BUT I did share them with Blake. My favorite thing was the Sumpter Museum and Library. It was the coolest old building with the front half left rustic for the museum and the back half modern for the library and it was cool how they blended together.

In the tent, ready to take on Sumpter!

In front of an old building

Inside the museum

We were a little disappointed by the lake. We were looking forward to swimming and the campground was advertised as having a little beach and a good swimming area. Apparently because it was such a dry year, the lake was extra low because it was a reservoir for irrigation.

This picture pretty much says it all. Boat launch, buoys.. no water. 

Trying to enjoy the lake with some skipping of rocks.. and Joie tried to
swim but mostly got stuck in the mud trying to get to the water.

We walked part of the 'Shoreline Trail'.. apparently sometimes the shoreline is up this high.

That evening there was a great sunset, so we raced off to find a good spot to take pictures. My cousin Macey is a photographer and my cousin Danielle got a new DSLR recently (same one as mine actually) and is learning how to use it :)

Photog girls

Then it was time to sit and enjoy the campfire (until it rained and we moved our card game inside their trailer)! At least we got to enjoy a s'more first! ;)

In support of the first Cougar football game :)

Enjoying the fire with daddy

And later with mommy

My cousin's flaming mallow, or as Joie calls it, "smarshmallow" :)

It was a fun weekend. Emerson did great, I'm not sure she even noticed that she wasn't at home. Car camping just makes me itch to go backpacking ... there's something about loading up your car with all the comforts of home and setting up camp three trees away from some strangers that just takes the rugged outdoorsiness feel out of camping for me. I like to be more of a minimalist and to sleep in the woods where the only way in was on your two feet. Glamping or not, we had a great time with family!