Thanks for asking about the bookshelf plans. I finally settled on using white oak for the shelves since it is durable and has a nice grain pattern. The dimensions I mentioned last week should work well for the space you described. For joinery I am going with dado cuts for the shelf supports rather than brackets, which gives a cleaner look. You will want to pre-drill for any screws to avoid splitting the wood. I found that applying a pre-stain conditioner helps the finish come out more even, especially on oak. Let me know if you want me to send over the cut list I put together. The whole project took me about two weekends working at a relaxed pace. The most time-consuming part was sanding between coats of finish. I also picked up a decent orbital sander that made the job much faster than doing it by hand.

Regarding the camping trip next month I think we should aim for the first weekend if everyones schedule allows. The campsites at Lake Serene require reservations at least two weeks ahead so we will need to decide soon. I have got a four-person tent that is in good condition and a portable stove that works well for basic meals. If the weather looks questionable there is a cabin option about a mile from the main camping area that might work as a backup. The hiking trails around the lake are supposed to be moderate difficulty with some nice views about halfway up. I will bring the fishing gear in case anyone wants to try for trout in the morning. Let me know what you think about the dates and I will go ahead and book the site. We should also figure out who is bringing what for food so we do not end up with duplicates.