ALCOVA - Summer slackers aren't going gentle into that good fall at Alcova Reservoir.

"I'm fighting this end-of-summer business," Jason Boatman said Saturday.

"Last night, with all the crickets and a full moon, it was beautiful," Boatman said.

He was hanging out with Brett and Kathy Osborne at their mobile home, nicknamed "The Bikini Bottom," at the Alcova Trailer Park.

The Labor Day weekend traditionally marks the end of summer, but Boatman and the Osbornes won't let the fun slip away that easily, especially after a season of cooler- and wetter-than-average weather.

"These are the kind of weekends we usually have in July and August," Brett Osborne said.

The 90-degree temperatures and a nearly clear sky would segue into an evening with the Osbornes' second annual catfish fry with 35 or so revelers.

It was a good summer, even when the weather didn't cooperate, such as the rain and cold front accompanying the lake's Fourth of July festivities.

"We came out, but we had to bundle up a lot," Kathy said.

"It was the first time I ever wore a sweatshirt here," Brett added.

But it was worth it because of the lightning storm that grandly complemented the legendary fireworks show.

"You had a rocket go off, 'boom,' and then lightning, 'whoosh,'" Brett said.

The Alcova scene was relatively benign compared with other years as few emergencies arose , the Osbornes and Boatman said.

But they wondered if the season would be jinxed because of the May 16 boat crash that injured four, including Charles Denney and Seth Linaman being charged with boating under the influence and other felonies.

Boatman, who lives year-round at the private Alcova Estates west of the lake, said he helped Wyoming Game and Fish Department and Natrona County Sheriff's deputies when they towed Linaman's shattered boat to the marina.

On a lighter note at the marina, Tyler Holthouse was about to launch his Bennington pontoon boat with friends from Denver.

Like the Osbornes and Boatman, Holthouse said he's not ready to call it quits with summer or Alcova, he said.

The reservoir and surrounding land are owned by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which built Alcova dam as a diversionary dam along the North Platte River system. Natrona County manages the lake and charges market rate for those who lease trailer spaces, the marina and other facilities. The county applies that money for improvements to the area such as beaches and picnic areas.

It is separate and several miles southwest of the community of Alcova, where a dozen residents held a garage sale in a parking lot on Saturday.

They hoped to lure Alcova recreationists to stop and perhaps buy furniture, videotapes, knicknacks, tools and home-made dream catchers.

"Business has been steady," said retired teacher Joan Fenster, who was monitoring her tables of housewares.

Money from the garage sale was destined for Alcova's community foundation, which supports improvements in the unincorporated area, Fenster said.

Reach Tom Morton at (307) 266-0592, or at tom.morton@trib.com. Read his blog at tribtown.trib.com/TomMorton/blog.