Family reunion in Moses Lake
Okay, not IN Moses Lake exactly, but right on the edge of it. It was our annual Ebel-Fenton-Campbell-Zandofsky (Hankins-Schab-Sherbahn) reunion and we held it at Pier 4 Sunrise Reports, a perfect spot for such an event. After last year’s reunion in Packwood – which many family members couldn’t attend due to distance – I worked with a few cousins to make sure we had it in more of a centrally located place. With family coming from Napakiak (Alaska), Ocean Shores, Lacey, Spokane, Ellensburg and Yakima (Washington), Corvallis (Oregon), and Moscow (Idaho), Moses Lake seemed to be the perfect place.
What most people see of Moses Lake as they're zipping by at 70 miles per hour on Interstate 90.
I won’t bore you with the details, but let me just say that Moses Lake is a lot more entertaining that someone raised in Washington has been led to believe. Regionally referred to as “Moses Hole,” I’ve also heard it referred to as the “armpit of I-90” among other colorful adjectives. Mostly, in the literally hundreds of times I’ve driven through it I’ve never strayed more than 100 yards off the freeway (to stay at the Shiloh Inn, a nice place if you’re ever in ML).
The Pier 4 Resort was an impressively large collection of campsites, RV pads, rental RVs (known as “park models”), a few small cabins, and a three bedroom double-wide mobile home, which is where we stayed with my parents. This array of living quarters easily accommodated all ages and price ranges of our family members. The resort was packed with families and kids, but never felt crowded. It also boasted a boat launch and marina (where we launched and docked my dad’s boat), shoppette, game room, playground, beach, barbecue pits, outdoor pool, horseshoe pits, and other amenities. And best of all, a pedestrian bridge extended from the park, over the freeway and into Blue Heron Park, where there was an even larger playground for the kids, as well as a swimming area and more barbecue and picnic areas.
All in all, it was a great location for a family reunion and the weather couldn’t have been better. What should have been over 100-degrees in late July was only around 85 or 90. Perfect weather, and everyone had a good time. It is my hope that we’ll choose to return to Moses Lake for future reunions, and I look forward to discovering more that Moses Lake has to offer.