Circle 8 A-1 Square Dance Week Jul 21-25

The view from our site at the Circle 8 Campground near Roslyn, WA

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What a terrific time!  Mike Sikorsky's 1-week crash course of Advanced-1 Square Dance level at Cle Elum, WA.  There were 5 couples attending...and we all graduated!  Even though we had been taught all of the moves in the winter in Mesa, it was still a tough learning experience.  My opinion is that Mike exposed us to more positions than we had had previously.  All the couples in the class had had at one time full or partial instruction in A-1 which made the class go rapidly.  All the moves were finished by Wednesday noon, and we could perform as if at an A-1 dance that evening and Thursday.   

July 2013 Class of Sikorsky's A-1 Week

 This is the crew.  Everyone got along splendidly, and we were all in the same boat, trying to learn something when we're old!  I'll introduce them in a little bit.

Mike Sikorsky - Caller/Teacher

This full-hookup park was really nice.  There was a small lake here.  Eloise and I climbed into a canoe at lakes edge and paddled around it a couple times.  In addition to the canoe there was a row-boat (currently upside down a little way out--still don't know if that was vandals or a prank by some kids), and some floats that were all free for the use of the campers.  Eloise picked a pan of wild black raspberries (the blackberries aren't ripe yet), and we've been spooning them into our oatmeal at breakfast. Yummy! She got pretty beat up from the vines, but seemed pleased with her haul.  We pulled into the park on Sunday afternoon and our first class was that evening. 

This is Byron and Lorraine from Billings, MT.  They are also round dancers.

     This is Mark and Irene Morgan from Chico, CA
They had some trouble with their refrigerator and had to extend their stay here.  We have had a report that it is fixed, and their LP leak also repaired. 

  This is Monique and Harmon van Bergen.  They are from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Monique is or was a caller.  She hasn't been doing much calling lately. 

This is Ron and Nancy.  We are not clear now (over 24 hours!) exactly their location.  We danced with them in Mesa, AZ but she had been talking about living in Eugene, OR. 








     It was a terrific experience.  We have discussed coming back next year for the A-2 class, but as yet undecided for several reasons.

While there we had time to visit the surrounding area.  A trip to Roslyn was mandatory!  We loved the short-lived show called Northern Exposure that was filmed partly here in Roslyn.  Remember the opening set-up where a moose walks down the street.  Well, that was right here.  Anyone else remember the show?

 

 This is the famous Roslyn Cafe

And...This is the 'not so famous Roslyn Brewing Company.  This picture included for our good friends Jim and Peg who love micro-brews!  Us, not so much, but enjoy going with them for their company.

Roslyn has a coal mining history.  The above photo is an actual electric horse that pulled trams up out of the mine.  There is a geocache hidden around this area.  We also trudged up a huge pile of slag that was outside town to another cache.  We had a really great time while working hard at the Circle 8. 

Chehalis Thousand Trails

Before we arrived at the square dance hall, we spent a few days at Chehalis, WA., at a Thousand Trails park.

This sturdy little church was built in 1856 with hand-forged nails and lumber sawed in a water wheel powered mill doubled as the Claquato Academy.  The bronze bell in the belfry came around Cape Horn from Boston, MA in 1857.  When the railroad bypassed Claquato, most of the town moved 3 miles east to Chehalis.

Claquato City Marker

Chehalis is an interesting town, built along the Old Oregon Trail.

 Here's a rare picture of Mt. Ranier without the clouds surrounding the top!

   And...another.  We had a difference of opinion about which one to upload, and I decided to post them both.  So which do you prefer?  (This one's better, yes?)



 We enjoyed biking on the "rails to trails" system, there were lots of caches along the way, and the weather was kind.  One of the caches was on a very, very long bridge that is actually closed.  It had no  deck, just the ties.  It was called "Psycho Vertigo training center", it lived up to its name.  The ties were rotting so care was needed.  And the cache was over the water.  Gary found it and was afraid he was going to drop the container into the river so he was very careful.   Lots of places to explore and bunches of geocaches to find.  Until next time, keep dancin'