Lake McConaughy example essay topic

As I slowly wake up to the natural alarm clock of cotton trees softly rustling and the waves urging me to come for a morning swim, I realize life can't get much better than this. I roll out of bed in no hurry, though. The smoky, suffer smell on my clothes reminds me of the late night of storytelling and laughter. I can't decide if I am really hungry enough to eat breakfast or if I want to test the water out by taking the first ride of the day on a jet ski. As I step out of the camper, my eyes have to adjust to the gleam of the water. It looks like it is going to be a good day.

Lake McConaughy is full of days like this one. Not only is it an amazing vacation spot, but it is home away from home. Ever since I can remember, my family and friends have congregated to Lake McConaughy in the summers. It is located about ten miles from a little town named Ogallala, Nebraska. The town is also where my mom was raised and most of my family still lives. I guess you could say we have roots there.

Now when people think of Nebraska, most think of flat, dry land. Maybe you could throw in a cow and some corn, too. Okay, there are some part like that, but most of it is beautiful. Just the drive to the lake has you looking out the side windows of your car. Even to this day, I get on the edge of my seat in the car as the rolling sandhills pass by, waiting in anticipation to see the first glimpse of the lake. Then boom, there it is.

This massive body of water has fun in the sun written all over. Then, there is the choice of where to camp. It all depends on if we want to be surrounded be our friends all the time or if it is a family vacation. It doesn't really matter because we " ll spend countless hours cruising the water to every edge.

Even more exciting is the first step out of the car. Your shoes are off even before you get out. As you step into the sand, you are in heaven. I swear this sand was imported from Hawaii because it is amazingly pure with almost a white color to it.

This is only a taste of the playground. No one even cares about unpacking anything. Rather, clothes are shed as we all run to test how warm the water is. My first dive into the warm yet exhillerating water just washes away all my cares in the world. My biggest concern for the rest of the day is whether I want to go skiing, sunbathe, read a book, or set up camp.

Maybe I'll do all of them. Maybe I'll do none of them. The sunset dictates when the transition from play time to the evening. Before anything happens, though, you are taken a breath by the colors in the sky. I have taken hundreds of picture to try and capture the sunsets here, but it never does the lake and sky justice.

It is as if every hue of red and orange and pink and blue and white come together to form odd yet majestic shapes in the sky. Once you appreciate the sky for some of its beauty, it is on to supper. Actually, some people eat, some drink, and some are still dwindling in, not yet ready for the sun to be down, but on thing we all start to do it talk. The great thing about it is we discuss how many trucks got stuck or how many times someone fell off the pull toy, not when our taxes are due or what homework needs to be done. As stomachs get full and everyone finds their way to one spot on the shore, someone starts the fire. It is like the core of the whole day.

Everyone gets their spot. As s'mores start to assemble, so do the old stories of the lake, new jokes, and even the old ones. You can never plan on what is going to be said at the campfire. It is actually the best and cheapest therapy one could ask for.

Now I have been to quite a few lakes before. None have been quite like this one. None have offered such generosity and familiarity as Lake Mcconaughy. While you are there, the important things in life seem to surface with the waves. The sense of community, enjoyment of yourself and others, and just pure fun make you yearn for the trip all year long.