This summer marked the 5th year we’e traveled to Hayden Lake, Idaho for our annual weekend with friends.  Every year we’re faced with varied weather conditions.  It’s been scorching hot (perfect for swimming, not so much for sleeping + cooking), cloudy & rainy (great for taking it easy & exploring town), hazy from nearby fires, and somewhere in between.  And every year, I’m so thankful for the time away, the chance to unplug (mostly), and the chance to really spend time with our friends that are more like family! 

Friends…they cherish one another’s hopes. They are kind to one another’s dreams.

-Henry David Thoreau

This year’s visit was an in between year with temperatures in the 70’s and mostly sunny skies, and I liked it just fine.  I can appreciate that beauty of that lake in any kind of weather, though I did miss seeing the wake board attempts (and triumphs), the diving contests, swim races,  and all the activity other that occurs on the dock in the warm weather.

Hayden Lake is just 15 minutes north of the more popular and well-known Coeur d’Alene in North Idaho.  On this particular trip, we mostly stuck close to home with boat rides, kayaking, playing on the dock, and indulging ourselves with delicious home-cooked meals.  We did venture into town for a visit to the Kootenai Farmer’s Market, an event we discovered last year for the first time, and now can’t miss.  Best pecan pie I think I’ve ever had!

With the perfect air temperature there wasn’t a whole lot of swimming happening, with the exception of Slaed diving in from the top of the boat shelter, something he must absolutely do at least one (or twice) when he visits.  Bergen waded a bit as he ran back and forth between the dock and the small shoreline, but was never brave enough to take a real dip.

I’ll now be dreaming of our next visit, but in the meantime, here’s a little glimpse of the weekend adventures on Hayden Lake:

Do you have an annual trip or vacation? We’d to hear about your traditions! If not, what adventures are you up to this summer?

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