Hebgen Lake and a whole lot of catch up

Yes, I know, it has been awhile.  Please pardon our slight absence from the blogging world and enjoy the latest post on yet another lake vacation.  

This labor day weekend we traveled to Ben's old stompin' ground and got a nice look into the childhood of Ben, his siblings and a long line of ancestors who have been visiting Hebgen Lake, Montana since about 1930.  Not only have they been visiting Hebgen since before World War II, but they also happen to own what to me seems like most of the land up there. EVERYONE IS RELATED UP THERE!  It is one big happy family.  Every soul I met this weekend was an uncle, or a great aunt, or a third cousin, or married a relative and on and on and on.  Between the Rybergs, the Richards and the Coveys I think most of the lake is covered.  Ben knew EVERYONE up there, even the card dealer at the Stage Coach Inn in West Yellowstone asked him where he had been all summer (as if that should be a surprise to anyone reading this...).

Everything has a story in Hebgen, everyone a connection, every log a link to something historic.  It's quite nice really.  Not only that, but Ben just happens to have the largest memory store in  human brain existence, and could relate nearly every story in Hebgen Lake history.  He never missed a beat, and is far and away the greatest tour guide around.  

We hauled our old ski boat up and plopped it in the lake Friday evening in order to enjoy some great waterski runs throughout the weekend. Although I knew the lake would be glassy all day long, what I didn't know folks, is that the water temp is just a hair above freezing and the air temp is chilly at best.  Someone needs to tell the pool man that the water heater is broken!  Seriously, I kid you not when I say freezing.  Let me spell it out:  F-R-E-E-Z-I-N-G!  It was arctic.  I'm surprised I didn't see penguins and polar bears swimming in that water.  Even a beluga whale would have been cold.   

Long story short, I needed a dry suit to ski. I am a wimp when it comes to cold water.  I have no problem admitting that.

I did make one grandiose splash into the lake, but only after being peer pressured into rollerblading off of Ben's homemade ramp into the icy waters below.  All of you who know anything about the Hebgen know that the rollerblade ramp is a huge part of the experience.  The photos below will give you a better idea of what I mean.  Basically Allyson, Dan and myself became Ben's lemmings for a moment... and it was fun.  

We spent most of Sunday at Yellowstone National Park, checking out all of the cool sites and searching for Bears, which we never saw.  I'm still depressed about that one, especially after hearing from our whole crew that they had seen bears EVERY time they had ever visited the park.  Thanks guys.  apparently there is bad blood between the bears and I.  

Here is a photo rundown of the trip:

Saturday morning: boat ride to visit the Woolleys and tour the lake

Our dog, Molly, Lovin' life at this moment

The building of the infamous rollerblade ramp

Ben's first jump, showing us how it is supposed to be done

and again here...

And these are our versions:  Dana

Allyson ( I think her pic is my favorite)

and Dan, with the blade dive

My sister Tara and her two boys Jack and Gus came over from Island Park to visit on Sat. afternoon.  Jack worships Ben.  According to him, they are "best buddies"

Tara and I out on a canoe ride to Bird Island (notice the sweatshirts in ALL of the photos)

Two peas in a pod in a dingy

At Yellowstone National Park

The group all together

Back at the Cabin, and most likely our family Christmas Card this year (if we did those types of things)

On the pier

It was a fabulous trip, and although I nearly froze to death,  I would do it again in a heart beat, granted I have a dry suit.