CA vacation part 2: water fun

Thursday of our vacation week was spent in the water.   The Leibig's decided to rent rafts inside the Valley.  Rachel joined them.  The rest of my family borrowed a beach pass and had an amazing time at a private lake area. 

As we were driving towards the lake, I saw this doe on the side of road. Ironically, we had just passed a deer crossing sign!

Tobin went for a run before joining us at the lake.

Carmen

Sarai catching some rays.

I later learned that there were several places to stop at along this lake. We stopped at the first place we saw and it was perfect for us. Inside the swimming area were two floating rafts, for lack of a better term. The center tube was a huge trampoline. There were two ladders on either side so you could climb up onto it. Rachel wanted to go onto these rafts, so I joined her. The "thing" to do was this: one person would scoot onto the rectangular tube. Another person would launch themselves in the air and fling the first person up and into the water.

Here is a picture of me launching myself to pop Rachel up into the water.

After Rachel and I were out on the raft for awhile, the rest of the gang:  Sarai, Carmen, Abram, Leah and Tobin joined in the fun. Here is Sarai trying to launch Abram.   

As I had mentioned earlier, the Leibigs were in Yosemite valley renting rafts with Rachel.  Cora's friend Erica drove up to spend time with them.  She took a number of photos and I am using them to tell this part of the story.

Here are Rachel and Julie walking in the water.  I heard the water was extremely cold.

Mike, Rachel, Julie and Teresa

I love this picture of Joey and Rachel climbing a tree root.

The view while rafting.  Half Dome is in the background. 

Friday, the Leibigs joined us at the lake. 

Here is Julie crawling out on the hot dog tube.  Most of us made it one and a half steps before we fell off this structure.  Julie made it all the way out and almost all the way back before she slipped into the water.

Here is Teresa trying to run across the tube.

Rachel and Joey had a great time playing on the rafts.  Here is Rachel jumping to launch Joey and....

It's successful, Joey is up and off the raft!

Thomas enjoyed digging in the sand with Cora.

Theresa doing hand stands in the water.  I caught her going down. 

This was an amazing vactation.  There is more to come as we did more and saw more in Yosemite!