April 24, 2025 – Birthday Drones, Campfires, and Crashes: Our Sixth Trip of the Year

This April's adventure had a little bit of everything: birthday celebrations, tech mishaps, fireside laughs, and quality time with some of our favorite people.

For Alan’s birthday, I gifted him a used thermal drone from our friend Damon—a perfect excuse to plan a getaway that blended learning, leisure, and reconnecting. We kicked off

the trip along the upper shores of Washington State and ended it off-grid at King’s Cottage on Dow Mountain, one of our favorite Airbnb hideaways.

Part One: Crashing the Drone

The first leg of the trip was a quick one-nighter at Whiskey Creek Beach NW, chosen so we could be close to Damon and his girlfriend, Aleta. It was also our first time truck camping with the new canopy setup—a trial run we’d been looking forward to.

After settling in, we headed over to Damon and Aleta’s RV—a massive diesel pusher affectionately named Willy. While Alan and Damon dove into drone lessons, Aleta and I stayed cozy inside catching up.

About 45 minutes later, the guys returned… looking very concerned.

Alan, on his very first flight, had accidentally flown the drone straight into a tree—about 100 feet up. So Damon grabbed a wire coat hanger, tied a strap to it, and we all headed to the crash site with a bold plan: use Damon’s brand-new drone to fish Alan’s out of the branches.

Alan stood below with a blanket, ready to catch the falling drone. Aleta climbed the tree—so high we eventually lost sight of her (my stomach dropped more than once). Damon carefully maneuvered his drone, hooked Alan’s drone, and managed to knock it loose. It tumbled through the branches, hit the ground, and—miraculously—was still in repairable shape.

But then Damon’s drone got snagged in the tree too.

Thankfully, after a few tense attempts, it came free, and Aleta climbed down safe and sound. We were all beyond relieved—and grateful no one (or no drone) was lost for good.

Back at camp, we relaxed with dinner and a fire. Damon set up a projector on the side of Willy, and we watched The Legend of Boggy Creek—our first time seeing it (embarrassingly), but somehow the perfect movie for the night. Wine, friends, and a classic Sasquatch flick under the stars? Hard to beat.

Part Two: Dow Mountain & another Drone Down

The next morning, we said goodbye to Damon and Aleta as they headed off to the Olympic Project HQ for an expedition. We continued on to Hood Canal, winding up to Dow Mountain to reunite with our research crew at King’s Cottage, a magical off-grid cabin we’d first visited in December.

This group has become something truly special—people who feel like instant, lifelong friends.

Friday night was full of cocktails, stories, and that kind of laughter that makes your face hurt. On Saturday, Alan, Sara and I drove around Lake Cushman to scout and film new locations. That night, we were back at the fire, swapping stories and sharing meals—exactly what this kind of weekend is all about.

In true theme-of-the-weekend fashion, our friend Virgil flew his thermal drone into a tree, officially putting every single drone out of commission.

Until Next Time

Sunday arrived too fast, and with it, the goodbyes. But the silver lining? Some of this crew will be joining us for a June expedition, so more adventures are just around the corner.

Another unforgettable weekend in one of our favorite places, surrounded by the kind of people who make every trip worth it—drone crashes and all.

We already can’t wait to go back.