Field Trip: Lucky Peak Beach @ Barclay Bay
18 July 2017
On July 7th, Team Odette headed out to a new locale, set up as a playdate for Sophia with one of her new friends from a local homeschoolers' group. We visited Lucky Peak Reservoir, also known as Barclay Bay. This is not the same as Lucky Peak State Park (for those who are sticklers); that's on the other side of the road and costs $5 per car to get in. We needed free, which worked out great for our friends, too. Ha! Another time, we'll do the State Park, but not for now.
Anyway...
The scenery at the beach was amazing. Ever since we left behind our palm trees and constant sunshine, aka Miami, and came cross-country to Idaho, I have been amazed by the constant beauty everywhere we look. It's like it's just what I never knew I really needed. I love it.
On the other hand, the water was freezing. Growing up, I spent many summers at the Jersey Shore, so I know what cold water feels like for swimming. You gotta get in, and you gotta get used to it. Acclimate. On the other hand, my Sunshine State-kiddos were a little less ready to use this approach. "Brrr!" they kept complaining. "Ah, just get in, already," was my consistent reply.
That took awhile for them, so in the meantime, I trained my lens on various spots around the Bay, so I could remember the day in totality.
It was nothing short of incredible, and I was blown away by it.
Jack and Rob running around the sand
Soon enough, Sophie's young friend, G, and her mom arrived at the Bay. I hadn't met her mom before, though Rob had taken our girls to an end-of-year homeschooling party and met her before. I'd met G at her birthday party, where both girls were invited, but it was just a drop-off situation. So we did some getting to know each other. I'm not always good at that, but it worked out nicely.
The girls played in and around the water together, though I could tell Sophia was torn because she'd made a friend at the park before G arrived! I just sat back and let her work that out, and she did fine sharing her time.
I don't know what this take-down of Jack by Sophia was about, but it was pretty hilarious. (Don't worry: Jack was laughing, too.) Sophia's pretty fast, faster than her older brother, so he probably tormented her a little know that she'd chase him down. Ah, siblings.
Afterward, Sophia decided to hop up for a seat on the head of this giant purple dinosaur...
And then, she hopped right back down again, having found that seat a little too warm for comfort! Indeed, we have had some 100-degree days here, and this day was one of those.
Boating at the bay made for some fun waves, as the kids bobbed up and down in their wake. The buoy line was quite close to shore, so everyone was kept safe and sound.
I'm hoping there are jet-ski and kayak/canoe rentals at the State Park side of things, because plenty of people were participating in those activities. Either way, I plan to get a family-size canoe or a couple of small kayaks at some point; seems like there are an abundance of places where they can be used around Idaho!
While Sophie was hanging out with her buddies, Rob started trying to teach the other two to skip rocks.
Rob (and later I) skipped rocks fairly easily, having had lots of experience finding just the right stones, flat and rounded, and knowing the flat way to toss them out onto the water.
Chloë, on the other hand... kerplunk!
Meanwhile, Sophie and G were busy finding their own treasures in the bay.
Sophie plunked this gorgeous piece of driftwood down on my blanket (my Young Living kachula), telling me it looked like a snake's skin. I had to agree with her. That one came home with us.
Soon, I realized I needed to get out of the sun (thanks to my autoimmune issues), so we didn't end up staying quite as long as I'd hoped we could. Sophie and G posed for a sweet picture for me before we packed up to head out of the park.
The view home was just as amazing. Down there, you can kinda see the other side, Lucky Peak State Park. But look at the bluffs, with their cut-off tops! I was honestly in awe of the view.
A closer look ... so gorgeous!
There was one last message for us on the drive home from the park. Remember this, y'all. "Keep Your Forests Green." Yessss...
Have a lovely day!
Fin.