Return to Gray Island, Pt. I

'Sup, gang.

Well, it's that time of year again. Time for Midland's premiere friend group to once again besiege the legendary Gray Island of Grayling's Jellystone campground.

What has quickly become the second-most anticipated event of my summer (behind Brocation, obviously), this camping trip sees about nine or ten of our tribal families descend on a concentrated area of the Jellystone campground for three days and four nights of swimming, bonfires, feasting, and shenanigans. This year, the DeBoers had to back out at the last minute, but other than that it was the same hands on deck as last year: the Johnsons, the Larsons, the Colliers, the Butterfields, the Griffins, the Sheahans, the Nadgaudas, and, of course, the Houghs. Even the Bos family - who despise camping with a passion - drove up for an entire day on Saturday.

We didn't golf this year - like we did a year ago - but we did return to Pere Cheney to check in on the witch's grave, as well as to poke around the ghost town a little more. The weather was flawless, without any rain to speak of, and hovering in the high 70s/low 80s from Thursday to Sunday. As we packed up at the end of the weekend, it was the group's overall consensus that this was, hands down, the best camping trip we've had thus far at Jellystone.

So, dear readers, I'll leave you know with the first of multiple installments chronicling this year's return to Jellystone and Gray Island.

Behold. . .

As we have the previous four or five years doing this, Kris and I drove separately to the campground. With four girls in her van, and most of the luggage and gear, it's a pretty tight squeeze (even with the topper on the van.)  Yours Truly always loads up the tents, tarps, and other such camping essentials that need to go up first (since I always beat her there by an hour or so and start setting up headquarters) as well as the dogs. As I was loading up the last-minute essentials into the vehicles Thursday morning, the dogs were clearly on to the fact that adventure was afoot. . .

Alayna took this pic as I was about to set off out of the driveway.  Totally looks like Samson has a lazy eye, here.

Once we hit US-10, Samson crawled into the trunk space of my SUV, which was piled high with tents, totes, and all the other aforementioned camping gear. I took a pic with the dogs once we pulled into Shelby's K-9 Kennel - our go-to dog sitter, located in Coleman and on the way up to Grayling - to share with the kids.

An hour or so later, I was the first to arrive to Jellystone, sometime around 12:30pm.

Check in wasn't until 3pm, and the past few years no one has really cared that much if we want to access the camp sites and start setting up early.  This year, however, the grounds are under new management, and there was a $35 early check-in fee. . . I definitely wasn't having any of that.

I may have been a bit curt with the young lady working the Ranger Station, but she had it coming. Pacing around the parking lot - and enjoying a margarita - I began texting with the rest of our Jellystone thread and giving them a heads up.

Ill omens abound - the giant Yogi statue that used to adorn this bench is no longer there.

Morgan and Erik showed up about an hour after I did, and by then I had just driven back over to Gray Island and began the process of putting up my tents.  Upon their arrival, they informed me that a new lady was working in the Ranger Station. She was fine waving the fee, so I ran over there and formally checked in.  This new management frickin' sucks.

Sophie and Ella pass the time with a card game, as the Colliers arrive (in the background) and begin their own set-up process.

Erik always bring along his fancy Blackstone grill, which comes in handy when preparing meals for groups as large and chaotic as ours.

Headquarters established, just waiting on Kris, the girls, and the rest of our gear (Kris had to wait around for Alayna's friend, Lexi, to be ready to go.)

The Butterfields - old friends of the Colliers who live downstate, similar to what the DeBoers are for we Houghs - arrive to Gray Island.

The Shantytown starts to take shape. These canopies always work out real well for communal cooking/dining/hang out space.

Jams are also essential.

After sweating over tents all morning and afternoon, this was a welcome beverage indeed.

With camp more or less established at this point, some of us walked over to the campground's swimming pool to check in on the kids. Lexi and Alayna were just getting out when we rolled in.

More of the crew off to the right, there.

Deanna, Kris and some handsome guy.

I'm sure it's filled with little kid pee, but this pool was a godsend this weekend.

Back at Gray Island, the adults relax in the kid-free quietness of post-set up.

Stefanie, Tom, Susan, Omkar, and Deanna.

Morgan, Courtney, and Erik.

The Colliers and Butterfields teamed up for the weekend's first dinner - tacos, nachos, and all other things Mexican.

The Three Amigas - Ella, Abby and Sophie.

The food line.

Larsons, stuffing their faces.

Alayna - in her self-described 'pool outfit' - and Lexi head back to the pool after dinner.

Wasn't uncommon for adults to go back for seconds and thirds - if anything, this group can eat.

While kids returned to the pool - old enough now where they don't require constant adult supervision - the adults more or less just sat around drinking and playing cards.  Here's the moms. . .

. . . aaaand here's some dads playing Euchre.

The moms switch to cornhole - another Gray Island staple.

We switched to microfiber towels a couple years ago, and they're an absolute must for camping.

Morgan's a happy guy.

Panoramic shot of Gray Island.

Nor surprisingly, it fell to me - once again - to get the evening's campfire up and running.

Folks begin to settle in around the fire after a day of sweaty set up. . .

A few of the moms stayed up until 2am, but for the most part most folks were exhausted and retired around 11pm/midnight.  A pretty chill evening. . .

. . . with the exception of a few late-night drive-by's (as seen here), courtesy of our familial teenagers.

Found this picture on Abby's phone, taken around 1am.  At least we Houghs are raising our kids right. . .

- Brian