Taidnapam Park, Washington: Are there fish in here?

Continuing with Team Toto’s stroll around Taidnapam Park: the thing is, this part of the lake is narrow. If you stack about 80 fisherfolk elbow to elbow it spans the whole lake. I did not count the fishers, but this is my estimate. I heard a fellow say that they line both sides of the bridge, from shore to shore, sometimes. Those trout don’t stand a chance.

This is a good place to watch people reel in 8-inch-long fishes.

Did I mention this visit to the park was part of a rally? It was. This is only our second rally, and we are still getting the hang of things. Let’s see, what have we learned?

• A rally is not a time for peaceful reflection — at least not for long. If you’re in your campsite but outside your trailer, friendly people who have never seen you before may approach with questions or comments about your trailer, your terrier, or portion(s) thereof. You may end up discussing just about anything except religion and politics.
• The discussion may go on for some time; no one is in a hurry to be somewhere else or get something done. After all, what could be more important, or more rewarding, than discussing the finer points of trailer leveling, or campsite selection, or optional equipment installations and modifications? Nothing.
• Similarly, you can approach other parties at their campsites. They will be friendly, and if they are judging you, they will do a good job of hiding it.
• Some of your fellow rallyists will not know anything about a thespian Cairn terrier and her role in a 1930’s movie about a Kansas tornado and a whopper of a nightmare (dream?). They may even mistake your trailer’s name for a ballet costume.
• Others will nod sagely and point out that none of us is in Kansas anymore.
• You do know that the character Toto was played by a female Cairn terrier named Terry, right? Sure you do.
• Pot luck contributions don’t have to be fabulous, but it doesn’t hurt.
• People come from a long way to some of these events. We met a couple who had driven from their Chattanooga, Tennessee area home to attend. Their trailer was the same model as ours. We traded accessory ideas; Sooz is on a mission for a new towel rack.

Also, things can get confusing. That fiberglass camper back there behind our campsite was NOT there for the rally. We spoke briefly to its inhabitants, who live near where we live. Huh.

Back there behind our campsite, in the trees, as it were, there’s an Escape 5.0 TA fifth wheel. See it? It was only there for one night. We met the owners, who live very near us, in Tacoma, near a very cool minor league baseball stadium. We meant to chat ’em up but they disappeared early the next morning before I got presentable enough to head over there.

And now let’s get back to that stroll. Just past the Fishing Bridge, we peered toward the upper reaches of the lake. The Cowlitz River feeds into the lake just around the corner to the left.

If only you would walk out by the fishing bridge at Taidnapam Park, you could see this view of the easternmost reaches of Riffe Lake, where the Cowlitz River feeds it. (If only!) Yeah, it looks like a pond here. It gets bigger elsewhere.

And then back toward the larger portion of the lake…

The weather was just hideous, as you can see in this Riffe Lake shot.

… and returning to the campsite.

On the right: Wally’s stroller. Yes. He has a stroller. He doesn’t walk so well, as we have discussed, so sometimes we bring it along.

If you look closely you’ll see a few dark spots on the underside of the awning. I have to clean it. I have researched methods, and I believe it will be a walk in the park. We’ll see.