Elk Lake at sunset and midnight.

Tonkie, Schmick, Andy, Jacob, Ollie, Stinky, King Alli, Steve, Tully and I ended up leaving a day earlier than planned because, as it turns out, this fishing lake had neither fishing nor lake. Drought conditions had the lake down to less than a foot under the dock and maybe only 5 or 6 feet at its deepest. Still, there was cribbage and beer, fris-ball and the grill, my Dad's famous waffles (though he thinks it may be time to replace the antique iron's woven cloth electrical cord) and precious few mosquitoes. Cousin Mick summed it up best: "It was worth it for the campfires." Amen.