Summer '25's Lone Eight Point Excursion

What's up, Internet.

Stopped off at Lake General Store for some supplies before reaching the lake.

This summer's been unique in the sense that we haven't undertaken a single Eight Point Lake trip whatsoever. Everyone's schedules have been insane this year: the Whites are busy as all hell with Jax's baseball season, Chris and Jeff are occupied with their young kids, and we almost always have insanely-packed weekends (as you've seen in previous posts.) Usually by the time we will have all been up to the lakehouse for a couple overnight trips by this point - at least for the go-to Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends - but it just wasn't in the cards this year.

Looks like our neighbors copied our giant, inflatable raft idea. . . .

Finally, today, my folks decided to try and get the whole family up there for at least a day trip. Somehow, the planets aligned and everyone was able to make this Sunday work: while the lake level was still insanely low - lower than it's been for twenty-some years, I was told - the weather was perfect (sunny and high 70s for most of the day.) We got there around lunchtime, same as my brothers and their respective families, and the Whites rolled in an hour or two after us (because Jill runs habitually late, as a general rule.)

(I'm a snappy dresser, what can I say. . .)

We spent most of the day out on the lake, tubing and sandbar'ing, which is ideal. Then, after everyone had eaten dinner, folks packed up and headed home. So yeah, a short trip - we didn't even bother hauling the dogs up with us - but it was great to be able to get some lake in this summer, even if it was brief.

I'll leave you now with a bunch of pics and video that we took throughout the day.

Enjoy. . .

When we rolled in, my brother Chris and his family were already there and his kids were all soon swimming in what's left of the lake (which had receded far back from the sea wall.) My folks got a pic of the girls as they headed down to the water.

As always, the second the Whites rolled in - an hour or so behind us - Brian was forced to immediately report to his boat to start shuttling kids around on the lake in a tube. I offered to help him out with spotting, since misery loves company.

You might not be able to tell, but the water here is far shallower than I've ever seen it. Which is great if you're like four years old and don't know how to swim.

My cousin Rachel came along too so her daughter could try tubing behind Brian's boat, but first we let Jax and Owen get beat up for awhile in order to get it out of their system.

Waiting for Owen to swim back to the tube after he was thrown off. After they had gone fast for a bit we pulled them in so that Rachel's kid could hop on for a spell.

Puttin' along.

Abby was looking for more of a high-intensity thrill ride, more akin to what Jax and Owen had gotten previously, but her turn paired her up with Kinsley and Rachel's kid. . . soooo it was super boring. She was a good sport about it, though.

WEEEEEEEEEEE

Jax (standing), Owen and Levi have a turn on the tube.

Like the crew of the U.S.S. Indianapolis.

I was hoping Brian would've cranked the wheel hard and thrown him, but he never was able to.

Coming in from the boating venture, it was time for some mid-afternoon snacks - courtesy of Nana - up in the kitchen.

Dips galore.

After folks had grabbed something to eat, we started loading up the boat with supplies for an hours-long stint up at the now-enormous Sandbar (which is even more prolific now that the water level is so damn low.)

So many people were going that Brian had to make a couple trips out there. I was on the first wave with Carissa, Rachel, Abby, Jax, Owen, Kinsley, and Rachel's kid.

Kids explore the newly-revealed shallows around the Sandbar.

A couple years ago I met the guy that made this and complimented him on his work. It's so handy to have a cup-holder up here all year, every year.

The giant-ass Sandbar, bigger and better than ever (except for all the seagull poop that's scattered everywhere now - they've discovered the Sandbar thanks to the receding waters.)

When the second wave of people arrived, Jill brought up a volleyball from the lakehouse and they (sort of) got a game going.

Chris and his boys.

The Cannonball was on music detail this afternoon, streaming one of her playlists to my JBL (hooked on the back of the chair.)

The Cannonball takes a few selfies for her social media presence (I assume.)

Nicole, Kris, Carissa, and Jeff (and someone's kid, I can't tell which one.)

Jax found a turtle over in the lily pads and brought it over for everyone to check out.

You'd think he had just uncovered a gold ingot or something the way everyone stood around gawking at it. It's a turtle, guys - chill out.

Chris and brought out the jet ski so he could give his kids rides if they got bored at the Sandbar (which only holds kids' interest for so long.)

Carissa, Alayna and Kris. 

The Borthers

Oldest to Youngest, as the law dictates.

More volleyball.

Heading back to the lakehouse after a couple sun-soaked hours at the Sandbar.

Alayna and Kris

I need a haircut again, I look like a homeless man.

Coming ashore, just around dinner time. Jill's probably directing me to grab something.

I've had the lime variety of this, but saw this pilsner offering up at the Lake General Store and figured I'd give it a go. It was meh.

Lucy was up visiting - her and my folks hung back at the lakehouse while we were out with all the kids. They were the smart ones.

Scarlett is approaching her teenage phase, if you can't tell.

Kris, Jill, and some of the kids accompanied Brian out on one, final tubing adventure after dinner (I hung back since I don't like riding backwards on a boat after eating, always makes me nauseous.)

Heading out with Bradley and his friend (didn't catch his name) on the chariot tube.

(Abby took this video, I think.)

Back on shore after the tubing venture, folks began to pack up their crap and gather up their kids. We'd been up there for about seven hours, and folks were pooped from a full day in the sun.

Who got out the volleyball?

After saying our goodbyes, one by one the siblings and their families - us included - headed off for home. Abby conked out immediately and slept the entire way back to Midland.

Minutes after we had pulled out of the driveway, my buddy Sara - Trevor's wife - texted me a pic of our cottage as they puttered by in a pontoon (capturing Kinsley heading up the stairs in the process.) Apparently they were up at the lake visiting our mutual friend, Matt Lee, who had just arrived a day before from San Francisco. We had tried to connect while we were up at the Sandbar earlier in the day, but he was in the middle of family crap and couldn't escape. Would've been cool to see all of them while we were up there but we had a good time just hanging out with just the family today. Sucks the lake situation was so crappy this year - we're hoping next summer is a return to form.

- Brian

Borthers Assembled, Pt. II

(contd.)

Day II

"Boating, Tubing, Jet Skis, and the Sandbar"

Morning started somewhat late this morning for everyone. We hadn't stayed up too late the night before, but there wasn't a mad rush to get up and around either. As such, this is what passes as a 'sunrise pic' this year. . . taken around 9:30am.

Jill and Chelsey were off on morning runs (seriously, WTF), and us Brians were having none of that nonsense. Instead, we hung out back at the lakehouse and Bryan made us some steak and egg burritos for breakfast.

God knows there was plenty of leftover steak from the night before on hand.

After breakfast, I finally got around to blowing up Kris' raft. The weather was supposed to be cloudy and rainy yesterday, and even by the time it turned out to be pretty awesome, we were all distracted by other crap and no one thought to blow it up. Today's weather was supposed to be even better, with plenty of sun. so I was adamant obout getting as much bronzing in as humanly possible.

A Bloody Mary goes great with this. As does my trusty Yacht Rock playlist, which I had blaring through my JBL speaker on the dock. . . until Jill and Chelsey showed up to join me and made me change it to shit-ass 'Bro Country.'

While the three of us bronzed, Jax filled this 'cooler' holder in the raft with lakewater, then sat down in it like it was his own private pool. Kids are weird.

While we had been down on the raft, the other two Brians had driven in to nearby Evart to pick up a bunch of meat at some butcher in town that's apparently pretty good. Once they got back and everyone had grabbed lunch, we loaded up some coolers and took Brian's boat over to The Sandbar for a bit (one of my favorite things to do up at the lake.)

Jill, Chelsey, and two Brians.

Suns out, guns out.

Beating the shit out of Jax. Mouthy kids get what's coming to them.

More of the usual.

The water level is so frickin' low this year that you can walk out a loooooong way without the water even hitting your waist.

Slainte.

Bryan found a piece of driftwood that he was super proud of - he's adamant about taking it back with him on the plane next week.

Another pull of tequila.

Bradley swings by on the jet ski to say hi.

After an hour or two at the Sandbar, we decided to head back to the lakehouse for some food and to meet up with Kris and the girls, who were arriving shortly (Kris was fortunately able to get out of work early today - originally she wasn't supposed to roll in until 5 or 6pm.)

Three Rowleys.

Tag-teaming Bradley, back at the lakehouse.

Once Kris and the girls (and dogs) had arrived and put their stuff away, we loaded everyone up into Brian's boat for some afternoon tubing. Abby wasn't wanting to tube just yet, so Bryan took her spot on the tube with two White boys.

Hough girls, content with just riding along on the boat for the time being.

Watching kids eat shit on a tube is always a good time.

Talking shop with the older ladies at the front of the boat.

After our tubing venture, we went over to the condo across the street to meet up with Bryan's friend, Brent, and his family, who had just arrived and were sharing the space with Bryan and Chelsey for the next two nights.

This space is going to be a godsend once the next generation - Alayna, Abby, Blake, Bradley, etc. - get older and start bringing up significant others, families, etc. to the lake.

Whipping up a charcuterie board for some mid-afternoon snackage.

Watson and Samson, making themselves right at home. Per the usual.

More dead animals, primed and ready for firing.

We generally don't eat this much meat on a regular basis - we tend to stick to leaner meat like chicken and fish - so after a few days up at the lake eating steak and burgers and pork shoulders and whatever else, we feel pretty disgusting.

Dinner prep and snacking in the kitchen.

Lucy showed up in the afternoon for an overnight visit. She was in town to check out the jet ski that Larry had purchased right before he died (and never got to drive), as well as to scatter his ashes about the lake (per his request.)

Kris enjoyed the raft by herself for a bit in the afternoon, while Yours Truly took the girls around the lake a couple times on Larry's jet ski (which is more or less identical to Dad's.)

While taking it out throughout the day, I noticed that the 'check engine' light kept coming on, so I brought it up to Dad. Brian White overheard this and asked me to go along with him so he could check it out as well. Abby wanted to go along with us, so with Brian driving we took Larry's jet ski around the lake. Brian clearly had intentions on tipping it over - don't ask me why, I think he though it'd be funny - and, sure enough, he kept making hairpin turns until he capsized the son of a bitch, right around the area of the lake in front of the cottage the Waites used to rent. Abby was pissed at first, but we were able to tip it back over pretty easily, and after everyone was able to get back aboard I took over the helm and drove us back to shore. Dad was not pleased, but Brian thought it was HILARIOUS.

While we were getting dunked in the lake, Bryan and Brent were still slaving away in the kitchen getting dinner together.

Another game of baseball breaks out on the lawn - pretty much the norm whenever Jax is around.

Spectators on the back deck.

Kris requested a picture of me in my 'shark' clothing (I had not intentionally planned on wearing the shark shirt with the shark hat, folks.)

The Houghs. Cindy got a couple pics of us on the back deck, seeing how we haven't had a family pic up at the lake in a few years.

Gearing up for dinner.

Siblings.

Abby, Cindy and Samson.

Chelsey, Bryan and Brent, overseeing the final searing of meat.

Show this to your vegan friends, kids.

Glad these guys had a handle on dinner this evening instead of Yours Truly. I can do an okay job feeding my own family, but doing steaks for twenty-plus people? Yeah, that's a bit above my punching weight.

Slicing and dicing.

Brought one of my favorite beers up to the lake this year. Just one of them, as something this heavy and strong you don't want to drink very often, but it's perfect for when the weather cools off a bit (and after being dunked in the lake an hour or so earlier, when Brian tipped the jet ski, I was in soaked clothes and had to change - this imperial stout was a welcome change of pace.)

Uncle Bryan points out the different cuts of meat to Abby.

Feeding frenzy.

They had cooked the steak at various levels of 'doneness' (for lack of better term), so Bryan wanted to make sure the kids were getting exactly what they wanted.

An hour or so after dinner was over and done with, Dad pulled me aside and asked me to get my girls on the pontoon for a 'Houghs Only' sunset cruise around the lake. Lucy was going to be scattering some of Larry's ashes in the lake, and he wanted just 'blood' Houghs on the cruise (. . .and, apparently, Cindy.)

Getting some selfies in with the girls (like Kris usually does) to commemorate the event.

My selfies involve rock locks. I'm obnoxious with them but don't care.

(Technically Abby took this one.)

Badass sunset this evening.

Abby's a huge fan of sunset cruises.

See ya, Larry.

Not pictured: non-Hough Kris.

Lucy and Cindy.

The Cottage the Waites have rented for fifteen or so years.

Alayna, wearing my sunglasses.

Cannonball snapped this pic of the moon with her phone at one point.

Another Cannonball pic of Houghs on a boat.

A little while after we got back from our sunset cruise, the younger adults (my generation) took Dad's pontoon out for a second cruise around the lake. By this point in the evening the sun had already set, so it was super dark out, and as such I didn't take a single picture of the cruise (though, if I had, they would have turned out just like those from any other pontoon cruise you've seen in this blog.) When we got back to shore, Brian White retrieved the pork shoulder (or something) that he had purchased earlier in the day from that butcher shop in Evart and prepared to put it on a smoker (for 16 hours or so.) When he removed it from the plastic, blood splattered all over the driveway. . . which I'm sure the parents are going to love.

Brians discussing smoke time for the pork shoulder in the kitchen, around 1am.

Before going to bed, we went back outside to season up the meat one last time. Brian opened up the wrong side of the seasoning and dumped half the bottle on the shoulder, so I had to spread it out the best I could with my hand. Oh well, it's tomorrow's problem at this point. Stay tuned, folks.

- to be Continued. . .