Lake Carlos: Feasting With Friends

Magnificent sunset colors ... gentle ripples of the water on the shoreline ... calls of the loons. Nothing says "summer" quite like a tranquil day on a Minnesota lake.

I shouldn't really need a vacation after working only a month in Rochester, but it did feel good to enjoy some "chill-ax" time when RVentures brought us once again to the beautiful shores of Lake Carlos State Park.

For the last 20 years, a group of families have been gathering at this beautiful state park near Alexandria, Minnesota for two weeks in July. We were grateful to accept the invitation when we began RVentures three years ago. Each year, the number of people able to make the two week trip fluctuates ... weddings, work schedules, and other summer activities make it a challenge to make the journey north, but ultimately ...

... the lure of the lake,

... and the crackle of the campfire

... draw all together to enjoy fun times with friends!

Because we were scheduled to start our camp host position on July 15, Doug and I were able to enjoy Carlos during the first week. A family wedding and other commitments meant that the majority of our friends would be there the second week. But what we missed in quantity, we made up for in quality as we joined up with two other couples for a week of fun bike rides, walks, games by the lake, and dinner feasts.

And yes ... the women got a little excited when we finally won a game of Timber Toss! What, you ask, is Timber Toss? It's an easy and addictive game of strategy and skill ... and just a little "luck"... which is why we were able to knock down the right number of blocks for the win!

This game, that can easily be handmade, consists of nine wooden "blocks" and a "timber" for tossing. The blocks are numbered 1-9 and are placed together in no particular order. The first person tosses the timber from an agreed upon position trying to knock down as many blocks as possible. When they fall, they are placed back up in the place where the tip of the block fell, thus scattering them apart. Scoring is such: if you knock down just one block, you get the point value on that block; if you knock down more that one block, you get one point for each block that you knock down. You play to 50 points, and you have to get exactly 50 to win. If, for example, your team has 44 points, you need 6 points for the win.  If you knock down 6 different blocks or just the number "6" block, then you would win. But if you knock down 7 or more individual blocks or a single block (ie the number "7" block), then you would subtract that number from the 44 points that you had. Make sense?? With just enough of strategy and dumb luck involved, Timber Toss became a favorite source of fun ... I predict a new "woodworking" project in Doug and Gary's future!

While the "girls" were not the frequent victors during our lawn
game challenges, I did manage to capture the surprise and shock
of the "boys" when we also finally won a game of Ladder Ball!

Lake Carlos is surrounded by quiet roads and beautiful vacation homes, making it perfect for a bike ride or walk. I loved being able to go slow enough to be able to enjoy wonderful conversations as well as the beautiful lakeside scenery.

With just the three couples here for the first four days, we decided to share our cooking talents. The result was three evenings of International dining featuring Italian, Mexican, and Chinese cuisine. Our feasts were delicious as well as quick and easy since we all still needed our relaxing time ... and the RV kitchen is typically not designed for elaborate meal preparation. I have included links for recipes so that you can join in on our "feasting".

Italian Feast a la Terry

Italian Night was highlighted by a simple spaghetti sauce that was heated through using the crock pot. The sauce was topped with fresh basil (I love it when friends bring their "gardens" camping), and accompanied by delicious Corn Cake (for recipe click here) ... Delizioso! 

Mexican Feast a la Joanne

Mexican Night showcased delicious chicken tacos surrounded by colorful veggies, rice & beans, and salsa. Once again, the crock pot handled most of the work, making this delicioso! Click here for the recipe.

Chinese Feast a la Chris

Chinese Night featured a veggie packed stir fry with a spicy "kick". Stir fry meals are always easy in that you can do the prep beforehand by pre-cutting the veggies (or using frozen) and letting the meat marinate for a few hours in the fridge. Begin the stir frying process when you start the rice, and the meal is ready in a jif. Here is the recipe. I made up my own "fortune" chocolate chip cookies for an authentic ending to our meal. Another 美味的 feast!

It was the men's turn to cook on the fourth evening, and there is nothing better than an authentic "American" feast of burgers and beer at DJ's Tap House and Grill!

In the evening there were some lessons and plenty of laughter as Terry taught us the game of Pegs 'n Jokers. I am not going to even attempt to try to explain the rules and strategy of this popular game (click here if you are intrigued), but suffice to say, the women were victorious again! Thinking that Doug should stick to what he does best ...

... happy hour by the lake!

Until next time ... Confucius say: laugh lots, eat well ... and enjoy the adventures in your life!

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