Sun & Campers Return to Kansas Lakes and Parks

May 28, 2010

Cheney Lake

(CHENEY LAKE, Kan.)

If you plan on going camping this weekend -- you might be too late.

Camping sites across the area filled up fast this afternoon, as people kick off the summer season. And for the first time in years, the forecast includes copious amounts of sun.

"It's Memorial Weekend," said Shondell Raney, to explain her sunburn, her group of more than a dozen people, and why 8 campers and 6 boats were parked near the Smarsh Boat Ramp of Cheney Lake.

To get such a coveted spot, group members drove out the Sunday before to park the (RV)campers. Some of the (human) campers arrived at the lake Thursday morning.

"You got to get the party started early around here," Raney said with a laugh.

By the time the sun sets Saturday, this group will swell from a dozen to as many as 75 people.

"What makes it worth it?" asked Raney. "Just cause we're out here having a good time with all our friends and family, and you know, it's just a get together."

Shondell's group is a fraction of how many people are expected to arrive and enjoy Cheney Lake. By Friday afternoon, most camp sites were taken.

In his 32 years of working at Cheney Lake, Jody Schwartz said he had never seen the camp sites fill up so fast - on a Thursday before the Memorial Weekend.

He estimated 50,000 people would come to Cheney Lake. To put that in perspective, that's about the population of the city of Salina.

"Memorial Weekend is always busy," he said, "you know, first weekend of the summer. But the last few years we've pretty much been under water, so things are looking up." By underwater, he meant inundated with rain. But the forecast for Memorial Weekend 2010 calls for sunshine.

So with the return of the sun, comes the return of sun lovers. And possibly even more sun lovers.

So, just in case, there will be more law enforcement on hand this weekend too.

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