Oh Man…! We just got home from our big 4 day camping trip at Vantage, WA, near The Gorge Ampatheater. Our friends have been going to Vantage over Memorial Weekend for 10+ years.
Dusty and I got off work early on Thursday, picked up a rental minivan, and loaded up all our gear for the adventure. Our buddies Patrick, Jesse and Will soon joined us and we were on our way. The sun was hanging low on the horizon as we pulled into the big parking lot outside the camping grounds.
The trek back to our spot is about half a mile long. Luckily they provide wheelbarrows free of charge, but not that first night. So we loaded up as much gear as we could carry and headed on back in. The spot we’ve been going to all these years had a couple tents already set up, but nobody was around and the tents were empty. Those DOUCHEBAGS came down a few days before and set up their tents in the best spot (OUR SPOT) and left! But instead of getting upset about it we just picked the next best spot and set up camp there. Jason, Joe Jo and Kyle weren’t far behind us and helped us get everything situated.
The first night was very low key and enjoyed by all. The nights that followed would become increasingly crazy, dramatic and completely out of hand… everything we’ve come to expect from Vantage! :)
At night it would get down to down to the mid-forties, but during the day it sweltered into the 80s! From our site there is a half mile hike back to the Nude Beach, which made for a welcome relief from the daily heat waves. Dusty and I snuck away a few times and took some fun pics of one another. The whole valley made for the perfect scenic backdrop. On one other occasion we hiked up to the rim of the canyon overlooking the campgrounds and the Columbia River below. We were so excited to be in such a gorgeous place! If you’ve been reading ScenicBoys long enough, you know we just can’t pass up the opportunity to do it in the most beautiful of places. This was certainly no exception. Hehe!
Well four days of drinking, smoking and no showers and takes its toll on you. I was VERY ready to be back home by the last day. We made quick work of our camp site, took a big group picture and piled into the car for the long trip home. Dusty was a champ and drove most of the way back while the rest of us all passed out. All-in-all an amazing weekend adventure. We look forward to Vantage every year, love every minute of it while we’re there, and are already making plans for next year.
~G
