Stage Coach Days

Well Jeni and the girls in the office are hard at work trying to fit everybody in for "Stagecoach Days". It's our fund raiser for the year and it is loads of fun every year. The park was anticipating an overflow crowd so they cut a deal with our local Casino to boon dock(camp with no utilities) anyone the park couldn't fit in.

We had wonderful weather all week and the place was packed.5 fun filled days of food,hayrides,cake walks,raffles,and great entertainment. When I say food it was breakfast,lunch,and dinner for 4 nights and a full"

Hitch up breakfast(everybody heads out.event over) on Sunday.

The festivities started Wednesday afternoon with the unveiling of the refurbished Stagecoach and new Stagecoach cover.We had a BBQ picnic put on by the WOW committee
that did the work on the Stagecoach and cover.Everybody was in western garb,even the women as some of them dressed as "Ladies of the evening"! Yea the "Ole West" lives on.

The sun was warm but the cool breezes kept everyone comfortable.Just a hat or parasol kept the sun at bay.

We had a few dignitaries at our picnic.Miss Kitty dropped in but she didn't bring Marshall Dillon as he was on an undercover assignment.

The "Flamingo Kid " was here also.he rode all the way from Florida on his trusty steed(alligator) named"suitcase"!

Don't let that mild demeaner fool you, he's a killer!

I was setting right next to him but he scared me!

After the picnic,we had a parade to take our beloved Stagecoach to its new home. The Stage and cover now complete, our WOW committee(wow means wagons or wheels) will be looking at other park projects to sink our teeth into.

The park has tons of committees that run and maintain the park.Jeni chaired two this winter.The "Hello Squad" which is the greeting arm of the park,and The Disaster preparedness committee which sets a plan of action in case of emergency or natural disaster.This plan is required by the State.

Thursday,Friday,and Saturday

my buddy RJ and I were in charge of the hayrides .we took turns driving "ole Case" our trusty steed as the other rode shotgun through the park and over the creek.there was a tour guide in the wagon to point out the places of interest along our route.

We stopped along the creek to let our passengers enjoy the sights and stretch their legs.

We moved into the"badlands on our way back over the creek and sure enough....."Banditos"!They took all our valuables and supplies.Hey they weren't even nice!But they sure looked familiar.

We did 4" bandito" rides on Friday,Saturday we did 5 "flower tour"rides as one of our members is very knowledgeable on the park flora and Fona.They were the most popular of all the hayrides as they were booked weeks in advance.Sundays rides were just site seeing only.My buddy RJ and I were tired but we sure had fun!

Jeni was head of the raffle table which had Items from members that they made themselves.All primo stuff as we have some very talented people in the park.Jeni had carved spoon sets,walking sticks,jewelry,pots,quilts,and many other items.Jeni and her crew had to put up and take down the display every night and sell raffle tickets during the day.they raffled everything off Saturday night.She is one tired lady.

Wednesday night the park put on a melodrama.(yes we have a drama committee!) with the members as the cast....let me just say...Outrageous!

Thursday night we had Casino night,Friday night,we had a a great local magician perform and he was fabulous preceded by a delicious Italian dinner.

Saturday night,we had the Yosemite Jazz Band in for a little dinner and dancin!This group performed at our new years eve party and was a real hit with our members. I figured by Saturday night everybody would eat and call it a night,Boy,was I wrong.Everyone kicked up their heels.(must of been the wine!)

After breakfast Sunday,Jeni and I helped out cleaning up til noon then we "hibernated".No one was stirring,I think all the members had the same idea as the park looked deserted.

At our monthly meeting Tuesday the event was deemed a success.We are already working on next years event and plan to make it even better than this years.

Well our time is up and Friday Jeni and I leave for Oregon for the summer to "camphost"at three parks.I think I have already mentioned that, May-June we will be at Viento State Park on the beautiful....(Aw I know I have already blogged this before)...July-August we will be back at Deschutes State Rec Park,and September we will be hosting at Collier Memorial State Park.October we will be home at Park Sierra.What a life!Fun Fun and more Fun.

It will be sad to leave our Park Sierra family but like my "ole" dog Penny,they always come home.

I'll always have memories of me at the reins of the "ole"hay wagon guiding that trusty yellow steed "Case"(tractor) with my loyal sidekick "Yosemite Sam"(My buddy RJ) at my side......fun times at Stagecoach Days! see ya in Oregon.

Strange Weather!

The weather is perfect for early April here at the park. The grass is green,the flowers are in bloom,and everybody is in shorts.Sunny warm days and gentle breezes.This is the life!..........and then came Friday.....

As I woke up,throwing open the curtains.Waiting to feel the warm sun on my face,"WHAT THE BLANK IS THIS?""Am I dreaming!"Did I wake up in North Dakota?.Snow in Park Sierra,"who woulda thunk it!"32 degrees and snowing like a banshee. We had about 3" on the ground by 9am.A lot of awnings collapsed under the weight of the snow and I went out twice to clean mine off. It was very wet snow and we lost a few tree branches because of it.But all in all the park fared well.This is really a "weird" year for weather here.

Lots of snow in the trees and on our car. It was a "winter wonderland"

Last week the park held its annual "Hats Off To Volunteers" party. Everyone donned their favorite hat for the event and "partied Hardy."They had lots of delicious food and plenty of music.I wore my hard hat with a sign that said"you want me to do what now!"

The park prides itself on delicious cousine and the men and ladies in charge of the kitchen put out "top notch chow".My hats off to them for their hard work."Hey, that's what this party is all about!"

Jeni had her last "Movie and a hot dog night" and as with the past ones,it was a hit.She had about 40 people.She has really enjoyed doing it and has agreed to resume doing it again when we return this fall.My hats off to her!

Finally after 5 months,the stagecoach cover is almost complete.It has been a battle with the state and the naysayers to get the job done but we have done it.We framed it in one day and the plywood went on yesterday.all that's left is the metal roof which should be complete by next week.Our hats are off to our fine work crew!

I love volunteering. It keeps me in "rock hard,chiseled shape!"(the picture adds about 50lbs to my physic!HONEST)................

...OK,"take another picture Jen so I can suck in my gut!"

Jeni and I have been running the "Friday night Bunco game"since last fall and we have really enjoyed it.We did our last one Friday.We averaged about 30 or 40 players a night and it has become very popular with the members.It follows our weekly social so a lot of people stay over and play.It was a bittersweet night as we finished. we were asked to host it again next fall and we gladly accepted.

Next week is our annual fund raiser "Stagecoach days". It runs for a week and draws a huge crowd.The park is completely full and we had to make a deal with the local casino to let our traveling members boondock there so they could attend the festivities. Its 5 days of food,fun,entertainment,and comradely.

After Stagecoach days everyone will scatter to all points of the USA including Jeni and I.We are leaving the park the 22nd of April with a stop in Sacramento,then on to Oregon for our summer volunteer jobs.May and June we will be hosting at Viento state park at Hood river on the beautiful Columbia river gorge. July and August we will be back to Deschutes rec area state park at the confluence of the Columbia and Deschute rivers. finally in September we will be hosting at Collier memorial state park 35 miles from Crater lake Natl. Park.We haven't made it to Crater lake yet so this will be a great opportunity for us to see it.

As our time grows short here at the park,it will be sad to leave our park sierra family.As everyone heads out for their summer adventures,the one thing we all know,we will meet again next fall at the park for more fun and adventure.