tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62752964743726851652024-03-09T14:42:12.073-06:00Cozy RosieEnjoying life from an Airstream trailer named Cozy Rosie.Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.comBlogger245125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-18278058776200427722023-12-31T14:40:00.000-06:002023-12-31T14:40:35.285-06:00Destin Army Infantry Recreation Campground (U.S. Military FamCamp) - Destin, Florida (November 2023)<div>We felt bad about arriving at this campground on Thanksgiving day. That meant the camp host had to interrupt her holiday to check us in since the office was closed. We learned that we were the first of seven check-ins that day and the camp host was very cordial, friendly and welcoming to us. Still, we felt bad that we arrived on a holiday. </div><div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_b091_b7f4_cb4a_33f9"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qKFTI_YNSfqF2VvUE-MTq-DgCYjuEJLtLTpDII0UdtzCrKRGJ6-bKtbha7a_0AxVkfUEkpkb_ZgqrYOPeBf7Yv39DP1TKN7cJ7Rm8sImtDv-e4v0Rq8fgbMVtUmdhr8JMq56Cq4uhXCkVXg5PFgbvMUQdIsA5yX9Pd6B5hKwc3vewmAQP7WIqbtSFh6_/s4032/IMG_0734%203.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qKFTI_YNSfqF2VvUE-MTq-DgCYjuEJLtLTpDII0UdtzCrKRGJ6-bKtbha7a_0AxVkfUEkpkb_ZgqrYOPeBf7Yv39DP1TKN7cJ7Rm8sImtDv-e4v0Rq8fgbMVtUmdhr8JMq56Cq4uhXCkVXg5PFgbvMUQdIsA5yX9Pd6B5hKwc3vewmAQP7WIqbtSFh6_/s320/IMG_0734%203.HEIC" width="320" id="id_f0c3_b102_4980_71fe" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Destin Army Infantry Recreation Campground<br><br></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_fe97_2c6e_3431_ba3a"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkaShMy8llicoxhkhzGCEFEUNg6HERgFl2AI-A6-203DXNmndK9N51EAnn5cfkJ9HkbM_KLPeI2qLv7D3OwNGPc9rvOuRi3_rvnr5Ye3lS-9PQVKowk2Ni3PIyNDUpv5XDF2mN_j8ZxzOHobGNjQGfCD9QDbI1hwGQZEXPFwBsGya6wMDtyuRWYxnm9Q-K/s4032/IMG_0736%202.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkaShMy8llicoxhkhzGCEFEUNg6HERgFl2AI-A6-203DXNmndK9N51EAnn5cfkJ9HkbM_KLPeI2qLv7D3OwNGPc9rvOuRi3_rvnr5Ye3lS-9PQVKowk2Ni3PIyNDUpv5XDF2mN_j8ZxzOHobGNjQGfCD9QDbI1hwGQZEXPFwBsGya6wMDtyuRWYxnm9Q-K/s320/IMG_0736%202.HEIC" width="320" id="id_fe86_cd5c_9ad0_6b66" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gate at Destin Army Campground</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br></div><div>We mentioned before that the campsites in this park are tight. Three people in campers near our site volunteered to move their trucks to give us the space we needed to back into our site. Even then, it was difficult to back in and park Rosie, our Airstream trailer. </div><div><br></div><div>We learned while officially checking in the next morning that the daily rate for this FamCamp was increased a whopping 70 percent. Since we made our reservations at the old rate, the park honored it and charged us the old rate. We couldn’t help think of Gulf State Park and its frequent price hikes. It seemed that we were always hit with a higher cost when we arrived than quoted when we made our reservations at that Alabama state park. </div><div><br></div><div>The ant battle continued from our previous campground during the first couple of days in this park. Rosie was invaded while camping in Alabama and it appeared that we brought the ants with us from the other park. The ant bait seemed to work because we didn’t see ants a day after putting it out. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_b716_4462_760b_5fcf"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4UV0_dt-n0n4hEANYYY1CpTkxLiWrPTQNzGNiJll3WRk4ltSu7LHC6fZeMITiMkLDMDAWKh3TqUnGYRS1Zj-tl83rfDFmt4MzNzZnAiruJ-GF37G0UfU887QpjSEPcy8uqTQOq8wPfTUZc4WMrJx7QG-FAtNYo2LyqqhVOJ7P8wsMPI_lzQ_9N69CXWnX/s4032/IMG_3685.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4UV0_dt-n0n4hEANYYY1CpTkxLiWrPTQNzGNiJll3WRk4ltSu7LHC6fZeMITiMkLDMDAWKh3TqUnGYRS1Zj-tl83rfDFmt4MzNzZnAiruJ-GF37G0UfU887QpjSEPcy8uqTQOq8wPfTUZc4WMrJx7QG-FAtNYo2LyqqhVOJ7P8wsMPI_lzQ_9N69CXWnX/s320/IMG_3685.HEIC" width="320" id="id_eded_3db4_5d9_b55b" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying our Thanksgiving meal inside Rosie</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div>The last time we stayed in this campground, it was Fort Benning's off-base FamCamp. The campground hasn’t changed, but the Fort's name is now Fort Moore. <div><br></div><div>If you saw the movie "We Were Soldiers," you know something about Lieutenant General Hal Moore and how he led his 400 soldiers to repel an attack by more than 4,000 troops in Vietnam. I can see the Army's campaign to honor General Moore, but it will take me a while to feel comfortable with the new name.</div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_e194_e343_136_d887"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgV_SYtrvzrIGG8lA40mci_5ZQl38TfdCGWaF6dQKnrb-X5Is6H78S2WpLh2Pl81Icfqo5kxCrHG3NKDzHj3N1T_RldjpZFgbWpb6qmiJR2QJcf_-XVuO8x1TBnkxoF7FHcUoia_I_4ChM2iJSW2Z1wD-luX1NvqDHOEvDXniSDEyTLwlQbPvG33T3L_x/s4032/IMG_3759.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgV_SYtrvzrIGG8lA40mci_5ZQl38TfdCGWaF6dQKnrb-X5Is6H78S2WpLh2Pl81Icfqo5kxCrHG3NKDzHj3N1T_RldjpZFgbWpb6qmiJR2QJcf_-XVuO8x1TBnkxoF7FHcUoia_I_4ChM2iJSW2Z1wD-luX1NvqDHOEvDXniSDEyTLwlQbPvG33T3L_x/s320/IMG_3759.HEIC" width="320" id="id_5f9_b67f_1077_13a5" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset from the pier area</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><div>There are rental cottages and a hotel adjacent to the RV Campground and the facility was using the winter lull in reservations to renovate the cottages. That meant that we heard the sounds of the workers during the day.</div><div><br></div><div>Probably the most interesting result from the renovations was that several of the larger RV sites were taken over by the workers to store new appliances for the cottages. We were amazed as we watched large delivery trucks navigate the tight turns in the campground to deliver new appliances for the renovations. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_6322_f6ce_97ee_cc16"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLGl9kzRWfx5Ucnrw3iMd3diPTicBxjXEtpnnHkNWBl5JaDspY0Sk0YkEw7RtKPZaVL_k8WYNTm7d_P3ViGAAoWKR6vcQT9NFikmTfmqADuC-ZoXz8MttXweeFu56MZxa7wG5PTfw_tMEkf5Rqv_4zk0E349zME_c4RElK3wxxcMlYlS5gyU0InNhdjrg/s4032/IMG_4046.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLGl9kzRWfx5Ucnrw3iMd3diPTicBxjXEtpnnHkNWBl5JaDspY0Sk0YkEw7RtKPZaVL_k8WYNTm7d_P3ViGAAoWKR6vcQT9NFikmTfmqADuC-ZoXz8MttXweeFu56MZxa7wG5PTfw_tMEkf5Rqv_4zk0E349zME_c4RElK3wxxcMlYlS5gyU0InNhdjrg/s320/IMG_4046.HEIC" width="320" id="id_ccd9_5dbb_7dd0_2bde" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They used several camp sites to change out appliances in the cottages</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>As with most campgrounds we visit, we enjoyed riding our bikes while there. Most of our bike rides were outside the park on the many bike paths around the area. We were amused by the number of rules posted on multiple signs in the Destin city parks.</div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_5999_e3ba_ab31_2bbd"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi78RcXN86BC-nvBvFrbUnvYpiX-r65pywy0OJ4mYjxYKnrn75s_NRMm2ae0XmzilwtvUpYKcBUyRPlhXG63yn-2N7hCfZMU83DJheUcwt6HbW5nJQZlxuLCTZ3KUwsXiGXgmZ4fyQmDhFFssdVJ8_RWNKFfZVRCueH0Y_KLq2ffBxoEB1LPSjTn-ZNAKP6/s4032/IMG_3696.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi78RcXN86BC-nvBvFrbUnvYpiX-r65pywy0OJ4mYjxYKnrn75s_NRMm2ae0XmzilwtvUpYKcBUyRPlhXG63yn-2N7hCfZMU83DJheUcwt6HbW5nJQZlxuLCTZ3KUwsXiGXgmZ4fyQmDhFFssdVJ8_RWNKFfZVRCueH0Y_KLq2ffBxoEB1LPSjTn-ZNAKP6/s320/IMG_3696.HEIC" width="320" id="id_acfc_b77a_24c1_1d52" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the city's parks</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>This campground rates high on our list of favorite military FamCamps. While we prefer camping in Florida State Parks, it is almost impossible to get reservations in those parks. Thus, we are thankful for the military FamCamps in that state.</div></div><div><br></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are some specifics about this campground:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><ul><li>There was a single loop in the campground</li><li>Our site was a back in</li><li>Our site had shade</li><li>Most sites had some space on both sides</li><li>Our site was paved with asphalt and we needed to use leveling tools to correct a side-to-side lean in Rosie</li><li>Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service </li><li>Our site had a water connection</li><li>Our site had a sewer connection </li><li>The trash dumpster was in the middle of the campground. It was easy to walk there with your trash</li><li>There was a bathhouse in the campground </li><li>The park provided WiFi service </li><li>AT&T provided 3 bars of 5G voice and data service over our campsite </li><li>We were able to watch ABC, CBS, NBC and PBS using Rosie’s TV antenna. Digital channels seen were Antenna-TV, Circle, Comet, Court-TV, Dabl, ION, LAFF, ME-TV, Retro, Stadium and TBD</li><li>There were restaurants and shopping nearby</li><li>This was a pet friendly park </li></ul><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_6db4_9b60_e2c3_2db2"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivuzKczKjWCpQiPy-6s1GK3Ht11LtaQ7BwqKs67DlNTMldRz6ZrQNCh-p3guTpuCsyY-3AqSutCdrCOuDG74IiyLojt5XKu80TA-shntiL6oJqblMIFrStd3Z1Kqa11_izMW_p4iF20Hzf2fCB2VebMAHi5VqBOxofEkKuOx0KRKwWx2Ds7gZkSVBEPGZ7/s4032/IMG_3733.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivuzKczKjWCpQiPy-6s1GK3Ht11LtaQ7BwqKs67DlNTMldRz6ZrQNCh-p3guTpuCsyY-3AqSutCdrCOuDG74IiyLojt5XKu80TA-shntiL6oJqblMIFrStd3Z1Kqa11_izMW_p4iF20Hzf2fCB2VebMAHi5VqBOxofEkKuOx0KRKwWx2Ds7gZkSVBEPGZ7/s320/IMG_3733.HEIC" width="240" id="id_1bf6_9524_ad71_3507" style="width: 240px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A water tower near the FamCamp</td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_c1e0_49b4_9ad1_8764"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqn7KW44qUi-e_kI3pFc59D-ukqFUd8jDWbC39w82ishq0i_5Y-oyWu2qanqr7NaNqkyIwrpIQcSN_QC0q8MFABE6_r9KvqOJ1Jji7jnM21qSAXTnOK95vFAUZinODc-kIbUcR8qNnO_tjvADHJ8ltR1vI7XUhY7t2Xbbkk4DcaGujhJMAE149s-3mEck/s4032/IMG_4072.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqn7KW44qUi-e_kI3pFc59D-ukqFUd8jDWbC39w82ishq0i_5Y-oyWu2qanqr7NaNqkyIwrpIQcSN_QC0q8MFABE6_r9KvqOJ1Jji7jnM21qSAXTnOK95vFAUZinODc-kIbUcR8qNnO_tjvADHJ8ltR1vI7XUhY7t2Xbbkk4DcaGujhJMAE149s-3mEck/s320/IMG_4072.HEIC" width="320" id="id_3392_8611_4f51_1db1" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suzy enjoying the sunset</td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_a5d5_9845_cf33_3dd1"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-kajD_xEW4xHZGyaeHD1BqMF7gDwjf2kCVZUofBGDCgm-ApWgAcvBASC_JoChyzXlLv7GRg16jyoQwpZeH3LyO4pdRz7LeMIt5IusK51RRvlV7Ahfq2lgIfjrjl3kZjA6zYSnjyQPn0RDguI6l94HtbFngexDnATnonW6eKJXKnPZMoh9HKPTa_fPzjAl/s4032/IMG_4113.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-kajD_xEW4xHZGyaeHD1BqMF7gDwjf2kCVZUofBGDCgm-ApWgAcvBASC_JoChyzXlLv7GRg16jyoQwpZeH3LyO4pdRz7LeMIt5IusK51RRvlV7Ahfq2lgIfjrjl3kZjA6zYSnjyQPn0RDguI6l94HtbFngexDnATnonW6eKJXKnPZMoh9HKPTa_fPzjAl/s320/IMG_4113.HEIC" width="320" id="id_43fc_a053_38a0_264" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Near the campground's shore</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div></div></div>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-41103621153537087602023-12-11T06:00:00.001-06:002023-12-11T06:00:00.126-06:00All About Relaxing RV Park (Theodore, Alabama) - November 2023<div>This was our second time camping in this park and we were in the overflow area both times. We were not alone in the overflow area this time as two other RVs joined us there. </div><div><br /></div><div>The main difference between the regular sites in this campground and the overflow area was that the overflow area didn’t have sewer connections. That was OK with us since we were there for only three days and we knew how to conserve the amount out waste water going into Rosie’s tank. (Rosie is the name of our Airstream trailer.)</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMAxuR8ZuYyWGu7PXArXQrgqyDubaROgVZqO9JCL4T95BAWwLXb3V6V9SRmyDu9fe7mE-vG4tmt7db7EWH_g1AHuYRZan5grtSG3XVCqTmead9RdvwXseJZb_MQ15d-1wfvxwpBaSn7ss-tOe0oXCsQhE3S937kTQlN22ekNgYfu-abncMoxR3TbPrvgH/s4032/IMG_2336.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMAxuR8ZuYyWGu7PXArXQrgqyDubaROgVZqO9JCL4T95BAWwLXb3V6V9SRmyDu9fe7mE-vG4tmt7db7EWH_g1AHuYRZan5grtSG3XVCqTmead9RdvwXseJZb_MQ15d-1wfvxwpBaSn7ss-tOe0oXCsQhE3S937kTQlN22ekNgYfu-abncMoxR3TbPrvgH/s320/IMG_2336.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie in the overflow area</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>This was a very nice and well maintained “mom-and-pop campground during our visit. The owners made good use of their property by adding extra pavilions and individual site decorations. But, we were not there to enjoy the park. We picked this park because it was near our son, daughter-in-law and grandson and gave us an opportunity to share Thanksgiving with them. </div><div><br /></div><div>Due to our grandson's dog allergies, Suzy, our Yorkie, had to stay in Rosie while we visited our family. We would go back to Rosie several times during the day to check on her and to take her for a walk. We both enjoyed these breaks. </div><div><br /></div><div>Since this campground was all about visiting family and not a true camping experience, we didn’t experience the many amenities of the park, which normally would be a shame because this is a very nice RV park. Again, we were there to visit family and we enjoyed being with them. </div><div><br /></div><div>It rained more than two inches the first night we were there. Water drainage was good and our site did not flood nor did it have standing water. What it did was encourage ants to invade Rosie. We had to to start full ant protocol while there. We found our unwanted and not invited ant invaders days later inside Rosie. </div><div><br /></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are some specifics about this campground:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><ul><li>There was one loop in the campground plus the overflow area</li><li>Our site was a back in</li><li>Most sites had some shade. Our site didn't</li><li>Sites in this park were closer than normal</li><li>Our site was gravel and we needed to use leveling tools to correct a side-to-side lean</li><li>Our site had only 50 amp electrical service </li><li>Our site had a water connection </li><li>Trash left outside your camper was picked up every morning </li><li>There was a bathhouse in the campground. It may qualify as the nicest and cleanest we have ever seen in a campground </li><li>The park provided WiFi service </li><li>AT&T provided 3 bars of 5G voice and data service over our campsite </li><li>We found more than 54 TV stations using Rosie’s antenna. This included network stations ABC, CBS, CW, FOX and PBS. Digital channels seen included Antenna-TV, Circle, Comet, Court-TV, Dabl, ION, ME-TV and Rewind</li><li>There were restaurants and shopping nearby</li><li>This was a pet friendly park </li></ul><div><br /></div></div></div><div></div><div><br /></div>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-28242141788424728102023-12-04T06:00:00.001-06:002023-12-04T06:00:00.135-06:00R. Shaefer Heard COE Campground - West Point, Georgia (November 2023)One of our goals is to never arrive at home after a Rosie adventure late in the day. (Rosie is the name of our Airstream trailer.) Since we cannot store Rosie at home, we have to empty and clean Rosie before taking it back to the storage facility.<div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_57bb_da6c_243f_6966"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjdX4XVuNaqP4z6WA2XqCdK_fvMrgd3lsAxgkG1no-KalvMkUHs15X7E78oEwPnulTlzLPgYz3RSo8fXf6qSf0CpDM4g2NGRccqKeEPrwVd4_SAOBlQQpM9pnYYmb_7YozrfB09E6phVZE9EQt15s5-cfDpgqBzeA12H1U2gO98qhLuTdxx98wWqBP7nhk/s4032/IMG_2768.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjdX4XVuNaqP4z6WA2XqCdK_fvMrgd3lsAxgkG1no-KalvMkUHs15X7E78oEwPnulTlzLPgYz3RSo8fXf6qSf0CpDM4g2NGRccqKeEPrwVd4_SAOBlQQpM9pnYYmb_7YozrfB09E6phVZE9EQt15s5-cfDpgqBzeA12H1U2gO98qhLuTdxx98wWqBP7nhk/s320/IMG_2768.jpg" width="320" id="id_79cb_d00e_faf4_bd95" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie parked while we were checking in</td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><br></div><div>Having said that, this is the second time we camped there because it allowed us to reach home early the next morning, which is a shame because this should be a destination type park. It has great bike trails and many waterfront sites. </div><div><br></div><div>Similar to the previous campground we stayed in, the lake levels here were very low. Some fingers of the lake were mostly dry. Our site backed up to the lake, but the water was about 50 feet farther away than normal. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_1355_1229_2e3b_7998"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJjJJAr_-Wz9dNxSHgf3BhYHtgeLo9PaF553uFZIa6ZSTIWle1eKKe_uxLyfce4KtcTYw4xfi_XJbTZEPoJ-6EdSa_lom-YB6zAlvmQhyphenhyphenykNKrqb5yX0BD2MD6Vbhr1YYYYU2tYn3lj-I4N4watr-XJbX_lS14CQJr6GcocmntRiRRLjyN3amKoPqEBD-/s4032/IMG_2894.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJjJJAr_-Wz9dNxSHgf3BhYHtgeLo9PaF553uFZIa6ZSTIWle1eKKe_uxLyfce4KtcTYw4xfi_XJbTZEPoJ-6EdSa_lom-YB6zAlvmQhyphenhyphenykNKrqb5yX0BD2MD6Vbhr1YYYYU2tYn3lj-I4N4watr-XJbX_lS14CQJr6GcocmntRiRRLjyN3amKoPqEBD-/s320/IMG_2894.jpg" width="320" id="id_49ef_6646_c7e_abfd" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie parked at our camping site</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>The temperature dropped below freezing two nights while we were in this campground. It was good that some fellow Airstreamers shared “cold weather protocols” with us a while back while camping during November in Ohio. Rosie’s heat pumps were able to keep us warm until the outside temperature reached about 35 degrees. When the heat pumps gave up, the furnace kicked in and kept everything cozy. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_813e_828b_a75f_d71e"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidc1p162NdljFt-w4uXuAEUIWUzLi7lJD_pYGf5EUDsfY8YkIdt-D7j2V_YW_5sykVQkOtNcm2bjWt9rxduwnRjd7qbi-hDS4sylWTkIqBmeuh6fIC7GRoCugj7ydzM-7aH0IW_WCmE7DZkrNa6IEu6S1HHN9uEoIR0daGoypeymOPnCClrRQt_fPTDbI/s4032/IMG_3113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidc1p162NdljFt-w4uXuAEUIWUzLi7lJD_pYGf5EUDsfY8YkIdt-D7j2V_YW_5sykVQkOtNcm2bjWt9rxduwnRjd7qbi-hDS4sylWTkIqBmeuh6fIC7GRoCugj7ydzM-7aH0IW_WCmE7DZkrNa6IEu6S1HHN9uEoIR0daGoypeymOPnCClrRQt_fPTDbI/s320/IMG_3113.jpg" width="320" id="id_b87_f14_703d_23c9" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning "haze" on the lake seen from Rosie's window</td></tr></tbody></table><br><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_89a4_b710_e938_139"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3wW6TlGCg_GWYtMY8s78hWik5lhU9fdcNMYGWNXuvIdLevu9X8ofe-Q1Z702RBSCnVy85kUvaYx2mBvcPqKzboNMGwJZK3C9xOBMwr9hTB_35-QgMzTTHDz3nOUCz3bn9hhbB1sRxwewnXiZ3Mfjo28N_QjRczvWkiqlhp7EIIcJxXL_slqb1Q9Wj4xZP/s4032/IMG_3125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3wW6TlGCg_GWYtMY8s78hWik5lhU9fdcNMYGWNXuvIdLevu9X8ofe-Q1Z702RBSCnVy85kUvaYx2mBvcPqKzboNMGwJZK3C9xOBMwr9hTB_35-QgMzTTHDz3nOUCz3bn9hhbB1sRxwewnXiZ3Mfjo28N_QjRczvWkiqlhp7EIIcJxXL_slqb1Q9Wj4xZP/s320/IMG_3125.jpg" width="320" id="id_9359_7784_d92f_30f3" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning sun shining on the lake</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>It is always interesting how most campgrounds change over the weekend. The campground appeared to be about half full during the week. Things changed Friday afternoon as the “weekenders” started showing up. According to the camp hosts, there were only three empty sites over the weekend and they were no-shows. Suddenly, our loop was noisy and smoky as all weekenders seemed to want a fire. As quickly as they arrived, the weekenders left Sunday morning and our loop returned to being a quiet place to camp. By Sunday evening, our loop was half full with new adventure seekers. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_6ac1_95ec_90d5_46d9"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNAfTILJCz4L2j-BTRadeVDbXR1TZDqKsfOzI9K9NfIfzL9mh9_dkN9etqtQY3u2n9vqsVKpRinKNyD1_u_9OyYd6B6OnvqvR-zJFAGm52U3ZQhr4uZ0oRghDRt98sbVazAR_hvIqX9ECReQV0IUYIJLkMBvdmvsOLsesbYjrUYipFeHvFh9o76WumHDE/s4032/IMG_2787.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNAfTILJCz4L2j-BTRadeVDbXR1TZDqKsfOzI9K9NfIfzL9mh9_dkN9etqtQY3u2n9vqsVKpRinKNyD1_u_9OyYd6B6OnvqvR-zJFAGm52U3ZQhr4uZ0oRghDRt98sbVazAR_hvIqX9ECReQV0IUYIJLkMBvdmvsOLsesbYjrUYipFeHvFh9o76WumHDE/s320/IMG_2787.jpg" width="320" id="id_a064_84ae_6ec6_d121" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Rosie's rear window</td></tr></tbody></table><br><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_3a43_7dce_c286_7db"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgu2ZPRL6bPUSa9NijJ_wSSuA9uTFU_bfTV1VTv4vu-NAMIfBY57tYv8w4nyLS1wNziti0TOA8lUkXkpUqjNGmzgYzpfROyWdMOuLzf52DRRFTDPHgaXUvDGaFf6PwnNeapvptSwqwc7fY0xF8ePdCjCrqXTDT_yU7FjfztAbXCAZim5xh8_4msNaSE3NA/s4032/IMG_2793.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgu2ZPRL6bPUSa9NijJ_wSSuA9uTFU_bfTV1VTv4vu-NAMIfBY57tYv8w4nyLS1wNziti0TOA8lUkXkpUqjNGmzgYzpfROyWdMOuLzf52DRRFTDPHgaXUvDGaFf6PwnNeapvptSwqwc7fY0xF8ePdCjCrqXTDT_yU7FjfztAbXCAZim5xh8_4msNaSE3NA/s320/IMG_2793.jpg" width="320" id="id_cb24_9d78_bec0_d7df" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset over the lake</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>We were the only people riding bicycles around the park during the week. As expected, the e-bikers were riding around during the weekend. For the first time, we had to dodge e-scooters. </div><div><br></div><div>We saw several deer in the park before the weekenders showed up. We also saw a bald eagle fly over Rosie one afternoon. </div><div><br></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are some specifics about this campground:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><ul><li>There were multiple loops in the campground</li><li>Our site was a back in. It had a steep access slope, but the parking pad for Rosie was level </li><li>Our site had shade</li><li>Most sites had some space on both sides</li><li>Our site was paved with asphalt and we needed to use leveling tools to correct a side-to-side lean in Rosie</li><li>Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service </li><li>Our site had a water connection</li><li>Our site did not have a sewer connection </li><li>There was a dump station in this park </li><li>There were several trash dumpsters in this campground. The one closest to our site was a long walk away</li><li>There were multiple heated bathhouses in the campground </li><li>The park did not provide WiFi service </li><li>AT&T provided 3 bars of 5G voice and data service over our campsite </li><li>We were able to watch ABC, CBS, FOX and PBS using Rosie’s TV antenna. Digital channels seen were Circle, Comet, Dabl, H&I, ION, LAFF, ME-TV and Rewind </li><li>There were restaurants and shopping within 10 miles of the campground </li><li>This was a pet friendly park </li></ul><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_5408_b19b_3c26_284c"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha25yTygDeC4TlF16zRXFlkjTfJqKAJiPL2OJxR5cdXzRH_B_QCwuhyc7Q26-0A7A1w3DRp5vZDS7hjYMbLVnJxXG_w94e6-GJrSkD5A4x_vG_RpTSDamrQ_nfw_DqJOoeNIAGj-F74kYf0PwnlpTUacjuLj0N5UVob-XusgbDVCaE4mp8Xxuno5Xn-whX/s4032/IMG_2966.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha25yTygDeC4TlF16zRXFlkjTfJqKAJiPL2OJxR5cdXzRH_B_QCwuhyc7Q26-0A7A1w3DRp5vZDS7hjYMbLVnJxXG_w94e6-GJrSkD5A4x_vG_RpTSDamrQ_nfw_DqJOoeNIAGj-F74kYf0PwnlpTUacjuLj0N5UVob-XusgbDVCaE4mp8Xxuno5Xn-whX/s320/IMG_2966.jpg" width="320" id="id_d45_c617_4a4e_a5da" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water was low in the lake</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_4cb5_a5c0_aaef_7bfb"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwNOVJ2cqkLVxvjivBNFYk-8uqnaWh619pwyzgG3lg-dHvseIwtx0SBnD3FbpTFrsHn42xuTCmBcBx8DryqoX_2wLvZXaUZ5wc3hwYBfpTQjFnGJhba8WIjktMwyBxrPbp2hxV4fQ9shznHUZ_l6Nk9WVcAPXJkmbXH3vSr-XJO-xUrupXApBw_mAebrxO/s4032/IMG_2974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwNOVJ2cqkLVxvjivBNFYk-8uqnaWh619pwyzgG3lg-dHvseIwtx0SBnD3FbpTFrsHn42xuTCmBcBx8DryqoX_2wLvZXaUZ5wc3hwYBfpTQjFnGJhba8WIjktMwyBxrPbp2hxV4fQ9shznHUZ_l6Nk9WVcAPXJkmbXH3vSr-XJO-xUrupXApBw_mAebrxO/s320/IMG_2974.jpg" width="320" id="id_2592_5f5b_f72f_e175" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie in the campground</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_9f7a_9499_de41_bc5a"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkm9zz_rRLmGp6Fkx0JmsjjNNr361pTTYm-sxhH_jSDcoxjXrLyHdKH3HHq9-v0IZ8NMJKuU8JtjrVXGsF7nphwR_J2hJa7SPe0b4tZW-uDvsNVvMkVyo_5SP8szJqbvzM5drrQJCxIGSCrzWvek5hRck38qKmATYCJ6CwlJQuz5T4k8piqxfo2vjam8V/s4032/IMG_3020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkm9zz_rRLmGp6Fkx0JmsjjNNr361pTTYm-sxhH_jSDcoxjXrLyHdKH3HHq9-v0IZ8NMJKuU8JtjrVXGsF7nphwR_J2hJa7SPe0b4tZW-uDvsNVvMkVyo_5SP8szJqbvzM5drrQJCxIGSCrzWvek5hRck38qKmATYCJ6CwlJQuz5T4k8piqxfo2vjam8V/s320/IMG_3020.jpg" width="320" id="id_762a_e159_296_88b3" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suzy waiting to go on a walk</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_90e5_9a51_b5b0_d834"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGK9GXURV0Bzf6wF_Q-QjH6WMd8dsyo-57dqDGp02hTS2J5_PqvG44BiKH_8J3frB9xikxUyaOGmHQ48l-OtNEWeFVz0Zd_yd9eW58f6WeMovFdG0DMdh638OvLqiu8EOFjTiPYO8AaCSYe7vgB8GdFe81IRk6e4IYH1VZdpr91GqLWejb7iarygAqQzD/s4032/IMG_3075.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGK9GXURV0Bzf6wF_Q-QjH6WMd8dsyo-57dqDGp02hTS2J5_PqvG44BiKH_8J3frB9xikxUyaOGmHQ48l-OtNEWeFVz0Zd_yd9eW58f6WeMovFdG0DMdh638OvLqiu8EOFjTiPYO8AaCSYe7vgB8GdFe81IRk6e4IYH1VZdpr91GqLWejb7iarygAqQzD/s320/IMG_3075.jpg" width="320" id="id_4ed3_ed1b_c691_3c0e" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the dry lakebed</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_dddc_c503_64a5_5e1e"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1bTXPl0DI-_AGhdvBzinqRuzj4l7kkdMZzUqWfMoGxgc9uoSxRMuy_mhPgK2pFGTRZ7T6MVgv1QEgQ_Pwqy0ampqkyRJFrvNMBHkesJanVTigUesOG0_YDme-gN4rnaWI7C_Mrwx-tj2VQ11BwPO113dxedIb0YE-rpzGO5C3_Q98bzpCPrbeDCsp6f9d/s4032/IMG_3146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1bTXPl0DI-_AGhdvBzinqRuzj4l7kkdMZzUqWfMoGxgc9uoSxRMuy_mhPgK2pFGTRZ7T6MVgv1QEgQ_Pwqy0ampqkyRJFrvNMBHkesJanVTigUesOG0_YDme-gN4rnaWI7C_Mrwx-tj2VQ11BwPO113dxedIb0YE-rpzGO5C3_Q98bzpCPrbeDCsp6f9d/s320/IMG_3146.jpg" width="320" id="id_e9f9_364e_b3ad_cbe2" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our site was on the lake</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_ec10_60f8_6107_1384"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYPEdQmhva8am8D-QqwnZeGdg7U4orLp99ZFJK63NzHqtDRgtesO35pK5ySRJCnsXOGCCIObFYHujJI6ttCvUyg1LrLuC7R-NvMrqztdrk03Nc1dBuaGq-GE4hZ3Prdw76A67EdmTFwy2X_1eCJRxXH1h2Xa7-MQrluHohs32sIe9X8kCh_y16yQI5I9mR/s4032/IMG_3191.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYPEdQmhva8am8D-QqwnZeGdg7U4orLp99ZFJK63NzHqtDRgtesO35pK5ySRJCnsXOGCCIObFYHujJI6ttCvUyg1LrLuC7R-NvMrqztdrk03Nc1dBuaGq-GE4hZ3Prdw76A67EdmTFwy2X_1eCJRxXH1h2Xa7-MQrluHohs32sIe9X8kCh_y16yQI5I9mR/s320/IMG_3191.jpg" width="320" id="id_f8a7_9a95_8257_50d1" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside Rosie</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div><div><br></div></div>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-85263380766308224202023-11-27T06:00:00.001-06:002023-11-27T06:00:00.130-06:00Points West Army Resort (U.S. Military FamCamp) - Appling, Georgia (October 2023)<div><br></div><div>We camped in a Tennessee State Park last year during Halloween and were surprised to find out that children trick-or-treating was a big deal there. We ended up going on an emergency run to the store to get Halloween candy after our camping neighbors warned us about that park's Halloween tradition. It was fun and made us think about being ready for little ghosts and goblins, or little Barbies and Darth Vaders this year, when camping in Rosie, our Airstream trailer, during Halloween. </div><div><br></div><div>Not wanting to be surprised by any Halloween traditions in Points West Army Resort FamCamp, we called ahead and asked if trick or treating was popular there. After a pause, the office person said she wasn’t aware of any trick-or-treating in the campground. We discovered she was correct. I’ll say more about this in a few moments. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_d914_1a0c_b13b_116"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrv_HGxw4WKQELwlBsXq9dN4yPgD_FnyixgSV9zW6pEOqW4dZlduwKaB0D_Qh9q69Z7PIiqJfBDgHaBTw51X2LJnR9oUAlBXYV48VlmLp_BUJK572lQOd_xhep804Os22FtToh05THGBmO96UJMEqvrxyzUx34erjUS_S8XRIkn8u4-b5OAiLQiKTMnoJd/s4032/IMG_2262.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrv_HGxw4WKQELwlBsXq9dN4yPgD_FnyixgSV9zW6pEOqW4dZlduwKaB0D_Qh9q69Z7PIiqJfBDgHaBTw51X2LJnR9oUAlBXYV48VlmLp_BUJK572lQOd_xhep804Os22FtToh05THGBmO96UJMEqvrxyzUx34erjUS_S8XRIkn8u4-b5OAiLQiKTMnoJd/s320/IMG_2262.jpg" width="320" id="id_4dd7_eb54_6d1_5809" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to Points West Army FamCamp</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div>This was the third time we camped in this campground. During our first two visits, this was known as one of Fort Gordon's FamCamps. That changed during this visit. We were told while checking in that going to Fort Gordon later that week was a bad idea. That was because Fort Gordon's name was about to be officially changed to Fort Eisenhower. We were warned that the base would be full of people there for the name change. That wasn’t a problem because the base was 35 minutes away. That was too far for a run to the Commissary. In fact, we had never made it to “Fort What’s-Its-Name” yet during any of our previous visits to this campground. <div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_5429_aec0_4b65_6f2b"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0puJfbuEjDTU17EJRVhFpHsrbpaxyjp4Mmp94egCUs0EdP8BUVwf5aGIk2VfmL-QuYUUuHiUQIQ06jSEToVUabQEO0RlW72FBPY-Vc_753PKtU27tvWAjNJn6ORR_TjLo36cWKjezg5G9RUYpn8ge4DhDRHkICjKmXAorMBdA8slOJk9R18_fS25aQwO/s4032/IMG_2589.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0puJfbuEjDTU17EJRVhFpHsrbpaxyjp4Mmp94egCUs0EdP8BUVwf5aGIk2VfmL-QuYUUuHiUQIQ06jSEToVUabQEO0RlW72FBPY-Vc_753PKtU27tvWAjNJn6ORR_TjLo36cWKjezg5G9RUYpn8ge4DhDRHkICjKmXAorMBdA8slOJk9R18_fS25aQwO/s320/IMG_2589.jpg" width="320" id="id_d9af_5855_214f_6899" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "office" where you need to check-in</td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><br></div><div>We noticed a change that wasn’t related to the Fort’s new name. This campground was always full during our previous visits. Not so this time. Our camping loop was maybe half full over the weekend. There were only five campers in our loop during the week. There were only three trailers there Halloween night, not counting the two camp host sites, and I’m not sure the hosts spent Halloween night there. It was obvious that Points West doesn’t have a Halloween tradition and I was glad we didn’t bring a big bag of candy with us. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_31f6_9d6c_b6b3_1ac7"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5szQ1uPrUJV4ATK5vTxY2S6uwsTkMrUE2fjsMZ6UYTshWCZqAF3gnez4LGKud9hxXkP4eAI3oy194CNKdYAshVvxmd8yCrzdcIFvdJ7POWrfK18aRMu9W3m4vvKsspGFNTYlaAUjTvACXdCp8dE-h-oIYIcYBfJDNeUmsSTEG9uDDF2bmK1Gn_JD6-Aj/s4032/IMG_2260.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5szQ1uPrUJV4ATK5vTxY2S6uwsTkMrUE2fjsMZ6UYTshWCZqAF3gnez4LGKud9hxXkP4eAI3oy194CNKdYAshVvxmd8yCrzdcIFvdJ7POWrfK18aRMu9W3m4vvKsspGFNTYlaAUjTvACXdCp8dE-h-oIYIcYBfJDNeUmsSTEG9uDDF2bmK1Gn_JD6-Aj/s320/IMG_2260.jpg" width="320" id="id_432_f48d_b569_6d6a" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie in our Points West campsite</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>Why was the campground relatively empty? Maybe the lake had something to do with it. It turns out that the Army Corps of Engineers releases water from the dams near the campground every fall. This is because of the rains that normally occur during the fall. Unfortunately, the rains didn’t happen this year leaving the lakes significantly lower than normal. The level was low enough that it was difficult to launch boats or to stand along the shore and fish. Besides, it was sad to see the lake levels so low. </div><div><br></div><div>What the campground had during our visit was weddings. There was a wedding in the campground's Conference Center on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We thought there was another wedding in a pavilion near our camping loop. I guess Halloween is a great time to get hitched. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_f13e_8fc9_1e93_c9d4"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi54Zo_ltbjpybi5oed5tZqpoJJwkCiAa9XUDsNhDtdfdxI1Ne32rOuru4_oA8HG__lApgzFQApRZCNncB50qUST9h7ZPQn79rD0cg99YC8i6ZR7IDk_TjotfxPNcvd1T9lAWf73_qnzss3O2ShIj7eiIp0JHBPA31BC3Bp4qFTBeWPvIJloKYmtaC9pT8S/s4032/IMG_2241.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi54Zo_ltbjpybi5oed5tZqpoJJwkCiAa9XUDsNhDtdfdxI1Ne32rOuru4_oA8HG__lApgzFQApRZCNncB50qUST9h7ZPQn79rD0cg99YC8i6ZR7IDk_TjotfxPNcvd1T9lAWf73_qnzss3O2ShIj7eiIp0JHBPA31BC3Bp4qFTBeWPvIJloKYmtaC9pT8S/s320/IMG_2241.jpg" width="320" id="id_6c0a_8697_c7f4_b3db" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Confidence Course</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>We had an idea about how to make weddings more entertaining at this park. They could place the bride and minister at the end of the confidence course. Three want-to-be grooms would run the course and the first one to reach the bride gets to marry her. Well, maybe that wasn’t a great idea and it may be too similar to some reality show currently on the air. </div><div><div><br></div><div>The main thing we enjoyed in this campground was riding out bikes. There are no bike paths, so we ended up on the roads. That wasn't a problem because the roads were not busy and most people driving on military property tended to observe speed limits and were careful. The roads were hilly and our Apple Watches recognized that we were strenuously exercising while riding our bikes there. </div><div><br></div><div>We brought our kayak paddles and life vests thinking that we could rent some type of watercraft there. The low lake level and the cold temperatures discouraged us from doing so. </div><div><br></div><div>We were amazed at the number of deer seen while riding our bikes in this park. We also saw deer while walking our dog in our camping loop during the evenings. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_fd85_b5b3_cb0f_ff8e"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixxxOvZGjZOXSBFf56R5MeII93DrSCbE_jDk2TM_t0dJbosyTg9YthTt7YO0u_9gcmAeM2OPga2BliAjzNlvE5rZUic7OerfMsMkv4Ki4bpFJflRQJqYCxx9IVLV0bf1xV4sXosBWvA8ui-LHvuTS7GMCLnYm0um0b5ZbAyeQ5vfv6sylA12JyR_9h-SHU/s4032/IMG_2316.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixxxOvZGjZOXSBFf56R5MeII93DrSCbE_jDk2TM_t0dJbosyTg9YthTt7YO0u_9gcmAeM2OPga2BliAjzNlvE5rZUic7OerfMsMkv4Ki4bpFJflRQJqYCxx9IVLV0bf1xV4sXosBWvA8ui-LHvuTS7GMCLnYm0um0b5ZbAyeQ5vfv6sylA12JyR_9h-SHU/s320/IMG_2316.jpg" width="320" id="id_fdf3_2420_76bb_1e0f" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There were dozens of deer in this campground</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are some specifics about this campground:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><ul><li>There were multiple loops in the campground</li><li>Our site was a back in</li><li>Our site did not have shade</li><li>Our site was paved with grass and gravel. We needed to use leveling tools to correct a side-to-side lean in Rosie</li><li>Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service. Our power went out for a few minutes twice while camping in this park</li><li>Our site had a water connection</li><li>Our site had a sewer connection </li><li>There were trash cans at every site in this campground </li><li>There was a bathhouse in each loop of this campground. The bathhouse in our loop was not cleaned during our 10 day stay</li><li>The park provided WiFi service at the office and convention center </li><li>AT&T provided two bars of 5G voice and data service over our campsite </li><li>We were able to watch only ABC using Rosie’s TV antenna. Digital channel seen was ME-TV</li><li>There were restaurants and shopping about 12 miles from the campground </li><li>This was a pet friendly park </li></ul><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_8e0e_7a86_dfbd_e179"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBOhXgSKHW96ppdizebUuPO7I3Se9MrRKvg4WczCwaI1TnwI6M3Devp7zncRKjGiXdg0Zl0bE85WKEqv3-9lVq_8XmT3Y0tW5SnLdlHdHfL7JPrpqKCpSShqeuuNanq1Vy8TefbCY1H-vNzgJP2Iq7QhkGzH_6DIZjiqaWVft3tD4UE9trvfWcuRiQCIQD/s4032/IMG_2223.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBOhXgSKHW96ppdizebUuPO7I3Se9MrRKvg4WczCwaI1TnwI6M3Devp7zncRKjGiXdg0Zl0bE85WKEqv3-9lVq_8XmT3Y0tW5SnLdlHdHfL7JPrpqKCpSShqeuuNanq1Vy8TefbCY1H-vNzgJP2Iq7QhkGzH_6DIZjiqaWVft3tD4UE9trvfWcuRiQCIQD/s320/IMG_2223.jpg" width="320" id="id_b38d_8121_42ec_59ee" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pavilion that we enjoyed riding our bikes to while in this park</td></tr></tbody></table><br><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_8d25_b402_b838_4f86"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-_JOElA0IynHrfhVnPomkTyTO-ttNYjpeq7PWx-acESMGvaWSuo0XVeMMwcNn58ZKkxtmn_d-zt7xzSa-hIroSap86QXfmxLM6cuiHuyIExp_G-UQxDNgbeshcEKNsafQokux8P_o1_72UbgKD9lpPt2FsyJOk0GE9X_l4sP6WGNihCa-hbYVKVbMgmw9/s4032/IMG_2245.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-_JOElA0IynHrfhVnPomkTyTO-ttNYjpeq7PWx-acESMGvaWSuo0XVeMMwcNn58ZKkxtmn_d-zt7xzSa-hIroSap86QXfmxLM6cuiHuyIExp_G-UQxDNgbeshcEKNsafQokux8P_o1_72UbgKD9lpPt2FsyJOk0GE9X_l4sP6WGNihCa-hbYVKVbMgmw9/s320/IMG_2245.jpg" width="320" id="id_fc00_e673_1fca_b1c3" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a break</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_f44b_884f_ea0a_bf66"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQN3AFxdSfCRHjqOHh4ltj-8H30NW118E_4aK6hUg7J3OGlZhXZUW0UffNsNS74vW-PAQeBPwDuRJYbqdygIqrPWJ3FYSr3PYrjspPec_5gwJbn03oaWc3DiSaeetGv0sShvLUrYZ01eEr0QsS-3c7CLVRri-6kBsy1Ux8_rDgl-ACecL7zgeBcgUoob8/s4032/IMG_2254.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQN3AFxdSfCRHjqOHh4ltj-8H30NW118E_4aK6hUg7J3OGlZhXZUW0UffNsNS74vW-PAQeBPwDuRJYbqdygIqrPWJ3FYSr3PYrjspPec_5gwJbn03oaWc3DiSaeetGv0sShvLUrYZ01eEr0QsS-3c7CLVRri-6kBsy1Ux8_rDgl-ACecL7zgeBcgUoob8/s320/IMG_2254.jpg" width="320" id="id_a355_1125_7003_d690" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On another five mile bike ride</td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_272b_1a05_e209_77ec"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlshuvMP0ASA8EHQSZfQMtZB6Bl4ax7vJO4awkD6vBGCxYH4ntl-IhtVUnKgag_7UNGEcePFuMJsHehMzlFYLq9gLR_PghSZGaQpP3bzTjWajWxlPuu8SaHvcR3YOLc3Xkuxm4WHGquD0oX7ozQPHkq9wsMLLcrWRvtsf82b4fu1YGOlOkPlUCiUhIohRt/s4032/IMG_2495.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlshuvMP0ASA8EHQSZfQMtZB6Bl4ax7vJO4awkD6vBGCxYH4ntl-IhtVUnKgag_7UNGEcePFuMJsHehMzlFYLq9gLR_PghSZGaQpP3bzTjWajWxlPuu8SaHvcR3YOLc3Xkuxm4WHGquD0oX7ozQPHkq9wsMLLcrWRvtsf82b4fu1YGOlOkPlUCiUhIohRt/s320/IMG_2495.jpg" width="320" id="id_63a9_3d60_e4d_f358" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie at night</td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_1394_8a80_1aaa_611c"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaY8qNyGutbL-2miW3onjXYdrWX8NzFXNWK5SKxrEgOsmcVACzZ_iMNIJ01eypIqr4LWifu6d_J4aL_HBhKiR4f5n2MSGRbIewdfS7MQBvtIB0Kvp4WaVjYU3yzyGlTUB0ncc6d5_UkMtxNikUwOd09F4tSzIzKxoIY8YrG8KBiE1f8wD-s6hbQP_HnEJN/s4032/IMG_2576.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaY8qNyGutbL-2miW3onjXYdrWX8NzFXNWK5SKxrEgOsmcVACzZ_iMNIJ01eypIqr4LWifu6d_J4aL_HBhKiR4f5n2MSGRbIewdfS7MQBvtIB0Kvp4WaVjYU3yzyGlTUB0ncc6d5_UkMtxNikUwOd09F4tSzIzKxoIY8YrG8KBiE1f8wD-s6hbQP_HnEJN/s320/IMG_2576.jpg" width="320" id="id_5f19_59a2_1573_30cc" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Visiting the nearby dam</td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_fa09_8cfd_6288_67cc"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQmel6ODiBDy-VBxsuozNU7xeUjLP8aVIhFzHShUUlIR4_CNCX3zfGUuEUDsn4C3dRQULyZBZJsY20yB7i6JjJvdgpm4lUqFcxAuyJYH9SsnhOfHdB9dqUPYvWj0oqLM1fDZo11y5_m1tZZXh7Bo-KPimtwtJDSVTnWaitL5wDxdguQob8SYvPYuv6Lc8/s4032/IMG_2690.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQmel6ODiBDy-VBxsuozNU7xeUjLP8aVIhFzHShUUlIR4_CNCX3zfGUuEUDsn4C3dRQULyZBZJsY20yB7i6JjJvdgpm4lUqFcxAuyJYH9SsnhOfHdB9dqUPYvWj0oqLM1fDZo11y5_m1tZZXh7Bo-KPimtwtJDSVTnWaitL5wDxdguQob8SYvPYuv6Lc8/s320/IMG_2690.jpg" width="320" id="id_a872_5731_1bba_6ca5" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maybe accepting a ride at the Laurel and Hardy Museum wasn't a great idea</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div><div><br></div></div></div>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-25537437334650631792023-10-23T06:00:00.001-05:002023-10-23T06:00:00.139-05:00Gulf State Park - Gulf Shores, Alabama (September 2023)<div><br></div><div>We waited until checkout time before we left our wonderful site in a military FamCamp and headed west for our next Rosie adventure. (Rosie is the name of our Airstream trailer.) Gulf State Park was less than an hour away, so we didn’t have to rush to get there. </div><div><div><br></div><div>We have a running joke about Gulf State Park's campground. It seems that every time we have reservations there, the rate increases between making our reservations, paying our deposit and arriving at the park. As we expected, we were informed that we owed more than the figure quoted on our reservations while checking in. This may be unique to Gulf State Park because I cannot think of another campground that regularly changes its rates between making reservations and check-in. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_fe92_cb3f_c73_64e1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCwlrbBihYdL5ZoATa3thplmt6zVov4IB8TX_dSh6ZfuzkqjdTStqHk6D1ZGRrNpAtN2NaryPKZ7Bn828dr7wCZMhhkJAvs6DZeFybcA0Ac9PNhccu8gXp43c6iH4Uktw5iNVaAxZKZ_dMxaeAFf6CBFZgrvkT-jbzsFMJgDwD1eUuI-nQ79dGUZ6gMR3B/s2048/IMG_0937.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" id="id_f1b2_4525_f8a8_7036" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCwlrbBihYdL5ZoATa3thplmt6zVov4IB8TX_dSh6ZfuzkqjdTStqHk6D1ZGRrNpAtN2NaryPKZ7Bn828dr7wCZMhhkJAvs6DZeFybcA0Ac9PNhccu8gXp43c6iH4Uktw5iNVaAxZKZ_dMxaeAFf6CBFZgrvkT-jbzsFMJgDwD1eUuI-nQ79dGUZ6gMR3B/s320/IMG_0937.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sign at the Gulf State Park</td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_e341_d032_cd5b_aea7" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSl5V95Hq2HEI0qTbG2z680W9ggXLAU7J2aMl3_punJu8iHGq66-rRLvlh7QiMWPLQ2rbvnJ126TOt4izjEei8-uqLCM_f6Ay2Y0SkaU9-56NunGUtNnaQO-3HS0muFBy1F_VrVpZjv2tfhymrsiLV8N5VBLHJ_nJzJq0Gp9RTN-kSpGHhoPN1Iz_wZEgk/s2048/IMG_0942.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" id="id_64bd_c81c_3c58_f6d9" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSl5V95Hq2HEI0qTbG2z680W9ggXLAU7J2aMl3_punJu8iHGq66-rRLvlh7QiMWPLQ2rbvnJ126TOt4izjEei8-uqLCM_f6Ay2Y0SkaU9-56NunGUtNnaQO-3HS0muFBy1F_VrVpZjv2tfhymrsiLV8N5VBLHJ_nJzJq0Gp9RTN-kSpGHhoPN1Iz_wZEgk/s320/IMG_0942.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the way to the campground</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>With more than 500 campsites in this park, we have never had trouble getting reservations until now. The reservation system claimed that the campground was full and we got one of the few remaining spots. We were confused by the vacant spots until the weekend, when the park really was full. </div><div><br></div><div>Why is this Alabama State Park usually full? It has beach access along Alabama's Gulf Coast, full hook-up connections and more than 25 miles of bike trails through the bayous. We never go to the park's swimming pools or the tennis courts because we enjoy trails and the beach, but these are popular and well used by other campers in this park.</div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_62af_337_910a_c06a" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjljUs0pszUFXyF1vOdHztaWOMwHoffv4tmjDYr_AbNZasmB-w0A6Pngbs7ZKgoxRVh4dIFWgJr4lwQ-ZOpESoEzczKXgmf7o_i_1AFYztpEp7jel6BDcS83WHWt_GKTr0Qq3pW6qWH2VYgV3YbRJm0V9IH7uWkcR_wHj4CwXNRRXSCnyZ_QncOETAV1xW/s4032/IMG_1812.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_bafa_5207_7bcf_a119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjljUs0pszUFXyF1vOdHztaWOMwHoffv4tmjDYr_AbNZasmB-w0A6Pngbs7ZKgoxRVh4dIFWgJr4lwQ-ZOpESoEzczKXgmf7o_i_1AFYztpEp7jel6BDcS83WHWt_GKTr0Qq3pW6qWH2VYgV3YbRJm0V9IH7uWkcR_wHj4CwXNRRXSCnyZ_QncOETAV1xW/s320/IMG_1812.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beach at Gulf State Park</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div></div><div>We were amazed at how quickly electric bicycles became the predominant vehicle used for recreation in this park. Sure, there were some e-bikes around the last time we were there, but it seemed as if everyone had them this time. We found ourselves having to avoid e-bikes while walking or on our pedal-powered bikes. </div><div><br></div><div>One of our campsite neighbors told us that “Lefty” had three babies and was visible in the mornings. If you have camped in this park before, you probably know that "Lefty" is an alligator and tends to hang out in a specific location along one of the trails in Gulf State Park. We found Lefty and two of her babies the next morning. Our campsite neighbors said they saw all three of Lefty's babies later that day.</div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_95c7_d22f_2ba6_5f9b" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSg8AEkQ4UkSJi7UtOJdgJB1qeTp2U5jBFqMV4vrPDOqOGBH7fk8EMUT6rLOUvpqB-8aZ_FCBM6k8Lr9blrAd1kb2c9t-QiwUJDg1sDsez1qt5jF5wCZQHddSXT_D4Tq4bltMsrekX2ayudN3Y52CERARuJqKWJ3YdD6V1IkaMSXnisiYbUGtmyaaJ_8s4/s4032/IMG_1706.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_f8bd_c647_5dd9_1d3" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSg8AEkQ4UkSJi7UtOJdgJB1qeTp2U5jBFqMV4vrPDOqOGBH7fk8EMUT6rLOUvpqB-8aZ_FCBM6k8Lr9blrAd1kb2c9t-QiwUJDg1sDsez1qt5jF5wCZQHddSXT_D4Tq4bltMsrekX2ayudN3Y52CERARuJqKWJ3YdD6V1IkaMSXnisiYbUGtmyaaJ_8s4/s320/IMG_1706.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The famous park alligator, Lefty</td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_99b1_6ec8_839a_c259" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3CuqPmkuDmB2UmT1hR_A211b1iymJpUPAvyYUYwx4C0VTmxKeR00jLSfaU7joSeHw90hgOjXnVDfp6EYyh0yzAAyXtyo0La-1nGQoejT4iz5DCL4RtqDlxiUmNZnNOKgoUSpdQMPMeJ632WcWBS_YPcAKNNJD9yDmMOWu7FBsXEDW8rs-xZa9nWMSJUQ/s4032/IMG_1710.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_b817_605c_16bc_3472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3CuqPmkuDmB2UmT1hR_A211b1iymJpUPAvyYUYwx4C0VTmxKeR00jLSfaU7joSeHw90hgOjXnVDfp6EYyh0yzAAyXtyo0La-1nGQoejT4iz5DCL4RtqDlxiUmNZnNOKgoUSpdQMPMeJ632WcWBS_YPcAKNNJD9yDmMOWu7FBsXEDW8rs-xZa9nWMSJUQ/s320/IMG_1710.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two of Lefty's three babies</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>I could not help but think about when we camped in Gulf State Park ten years earlier. It was very hot then and our first Rosie's single air conditioner could not keep the trailer cool. We made multiple visits to a store to buy window reflectors in an attempt to cool Rosie down.</div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_8ea9_e193_cb3_c7df" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn1XCVo3k0n7XVAm3Jitb0lqlccpCsG0TeHLArt00ENN44QmYjy9UU0Xd55-CgHyPJMATNfJRzgwgwJ5nKYXOKPAxFmrLhyiGXPkUyeYn4tefhHnNa94KvITLGZ5InpNLnl0jYDXARRjYoVsrx8lH0rBJL9wLrNwCBJO7JZC-WF1uBQ86Zbx6UIqUPwY6J/s4032/IMG_1493.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_14ce_dbb7_140c_5c04" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn1XCVo3k0n7XVAm3Jitb0lqlccpCsG0TeHLArt00ENN44QmYjy9UU0Xd55-CgHyPJMATNfJRzgwgwJ5nKYXOKPAxFmrLhyiGXPkUyeYn4tefhHnNa94KvITLGZ5InpNLnl0jYDXARRjYoVsrx8lH0rBJL9wLrNwCBJO7JZC-WF1uBQ86Zbx6UIqUPwY6J/s320/IMG_1493.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie in our campsite at sunset</td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_5b64_ed70_4e66_ce72" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-MICCqBplPeMqb3NyqpgXduf0-THyttyl7uuGSIrsSNkjc1YJaaFjiN5LFT_o9DDB36cFFQVJSxzuNl02Qo48rhOzmf963kNofxH0lDu4EzVps6mC00xsNIDrMB3ZnaSLXoDS1wJgPy0EEBkUGjmFvqypK-hxfUDdTekeOMQFosT1j23tt2ME3hh08DG/s4032/IMG_1494.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_5bc9_87b1_bbe9_7704" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-MICCqBplPeMqb3NyqpgXduf0-THyttyl7uuGSIrsSNkjc1YJaaFjiN5LFT_o9DDB36cFFQVJSxzuNl02Qo48rhOzmf963kNofxH0lDu4EzVps6mC00xsNIDrMB3ZnaSLXoDS1wJgPy0EEBkUGjmFvqypK-hxfUDdTekeOMQFosT1j23tt2ME3hh08DG/s320/IMG_1494.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another photo of Rosie at sunset</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>It was hot a day or two on this trip, but our current Rosie has two AC units. Sure, we have reflective shields for all of the windows, but we didn't need them. We simply switched on both AC units and Rosie was quickly comfortable. </div><div><br></div><div>We were able to make two side trips while camped at Gulf State Park. Our son and his family was about an hour away. We spent a weekend morning with them.</div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_af17_8b56_5c32_b57b" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFLKWcTyS23VuvjpTr-fG3dFH4mgN_kGKCNfxN1m7LO075PKubuRpm_CrYzRBGoWLM7T5RlxdXrgBLl4coRCGzwXZ5kDTABZ9eVTLkzje1oVIZW3KvJFtMpHfuDU3QwWL8OOWzaSVZA6N5lze90io9YVw9L0Bks35-kxqgyWjaDrnu5XSLtNqaymx8M-L/s4032/IMG_1610.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_1098_aa43_58d_915e" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFLKWcTyS23VuvjpTr-fG3dFH4mgN_kGKCNfxN1m7LO075PKubuRpm_CrYzRBGoWLM7T5RlxdXrgBLl4coRCGzwXZ5kDTABZ9eVTLkzje1oVIZW3KvJFtMpHfuDU3QwWL8OOWzaSVZA6N5lze90io9YVw9L0Bks35-kxqgyWjaDrnu5XSLtNqaymx8M-L/s320/IMG_1610.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our grandson practicing for his big game</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>We also went to the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo. This is a small zoo, but the animals were out and we enjoyed our visit there.</div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_2187_4693_690f_5581" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjRHLGxUC42ArjQkQVdkUyCDGkfhO-CgPMol7m5aNv2FtZerAnZT_pffFDZMO3Lce7MqMU4mQcerPh2y71EBFr5t587OscnbcZ4y2R5cE7ve-I9eyqAp2MXPSxWK4NxunhSJUVPt0i0C6atF_Qj1w7YU-Bb7jpGPHB1pZLse_1lgQvGBsW4EFDmviR8wIK/s4032/IMG_1293.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_f054_9960_6056_397d" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjRHLGxUC42ArjQkQVdkUyCDGkfhO-CgPMol7m5aNv2FtZerAnZT_pffFDZMO3Lce7MqMU4mQcerPh2y71EBFr5t587OscnbcZ4y2R5cE7ve-I9eyqAp2MXPSxWK4NxunhSJUVPt0i0C6atF_Qj1w7YU-Bb7jpGPHB1pZLse_1lgQvGBsW4EFDmviR8wIK/s320/IMG_1293.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lions were enjoying the day at the zoo</td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_bbe2_befa_6ec2_13d7" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUKAQsE3c5otdxi9nHbvIsvsWDXWctmaY6fKNYue3-BfepEoiqT3H-36JXrRqq0izXVfDOV2F_sD3RpJRGL4S3c15hkr7dKBNcWE7vX5I20CVkxW7Hk4YMdaYsiTdjbb61OBRrtcZ7k4Ac4vcF6Ekj5lVGOKSiRlzEKJOyxap5TW3qxCE210avaHDSxfyL/s4032/IMG_1320.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_3c59_3778_796a_3af1" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUKAQsE3c5otdxi9nHbvIsvsWDXWctmaY6fKNYue3-BfepEoiqT3H-36JXrRqq0izXVfDOV2F_sD3RpJRGL4S3c15hkr7dKBNcWE7vX5I20CVkxW7Hk4YMdaYsiTdjbb61OBRrtcZ7k4Ac4vcF6Ekj5lVGOKSiRlzEKJOyxap5TW3qxCE210avaHDSxfyL/s320/IMG_1320.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sloths are always interesting and entertaining</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>During past visits to this park, we would see maybe one or two Airstream trailers in the campground. There had to be a dozen or more Airstream trailers in the park this time. These ranged from 50 year-old vintage Airstreams to brand new ones. We always enjoy talking with other Airstreamers, sharing tips with them and learning from their experiences.</div><div><br></div><div>One Airstream couple caught our attention. They stored their trailer in a commercial storage facility. We do too. They said about a year ago, a gang of thieves crashed through the gate at their storage facility and stole every RV parked there but their's. Why? Their trailer had a very strong and difficult hitch lock on it plus it had a wheel boot. The storage facility's video surveillance captured the thefts in progress. The thieves were able to quickly hook up the RVs and drive off until they came across the Airstream trailer with the hitch lock and wheel boot. They could see via the surveillance video that the thieves tugged on both devices then quickly moved on to the next trailer.</div><div><br></div><div>We were using the same hitch lock on Rosie, but we didn't have a wheel boot. I asked our neighbors if they researched what boot to buy or did they simply select one off the shelf. As you would expect, they researched both the hitch lock and the wheel boot. Needless to say, we immediately ordered a wheel boot for Rosie. </div><div><br></div><div>A couple of days before heading home, we called the property manager of where we store Rosie. He told us that the renovations to the property were on-going and that the electricity was still off to the property except for the office area. When asked about the power-driven gate and the security cameras, he said that the gate will not lock again until all renovations are complete and the power was turned back on. We could simply open the gate by hand. </div><div><br></div><div>When asked about the security cameras, he said that some security cameras were operating. My interpretation was that the cameras attached to the office worked while the others around that compound were dark. </div><div><br></div><div>That made our decision easy as to where we would store Rosie before our next adventure. We took Rosie to the RV Storage lot on the military base near our home and parked her there. When we pulled up to the gate and the armed and professional Military Police officer checked our IDs before allowing us to pass, we knew that Rosie would be safe there. </div><div><br></div><div>We plan to go back to what we call Fort Rosie after the renovations are completed because there are advantages to storing Rosie inside a warehouse. But for now, the added security of storing Rosie on a military base overrides other options.</div><div><br></div><div><div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are some specifics about this campground:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><ul><li>There were multiple loops in the campground</li><li>Our site was a back in</li><li>Our site did not have shade</li><li>Most sites had some space on both sides</li><li>Our site was paved with asphalt and was level</li><li>Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service </li><li>Our site had a water connection</li><li>Our site had a sewer connection. We needed 30 feet of sewer hose to reach the connection </li><li>There was a dump station in this park</li><li>The one and only trash dumpster for all 500 campsites in this park was near the front of the campground. Granted, it was a "super-duper" dumpster with a trash-masher to make more room in it. Still, it filled up fast and we ended up having to drive to it every day</li><li>No, really! There was only one trash dumpster in this campground and people camped in one of the park's 500+ sites have to take their trash to it. Yes, we frequently saw lines of trucks waiting to approach the dumpster</li><li>There were multiple bathhouses in the campground </li><li>The park provided amazing WiFi service. We measured our WiFi download speed at 46 Mbps</li><li>AT&T provided 3 bars of 5G voice and data service over our campsite </li><li>We were able to watch ABC, CBS, NBC and PBS using Rosie’s TV antenna. Digital channels seen were Antenna-TV, Circle, Comet, Court-TV, ION, LAFF, ME-TV, Retro and Stadium</li><li>There were restaurants and shopping nearby</li><li>This was a pet friendly park </li></ul><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_9713_bf9b_8fd5_8825" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvFOHNk84NiJZbr_rzcGWl7Dyv3W3FeTCzd1eu78RGu9zOs0aDXiWHuVUqQyw2rld4GIliFn7VIwsrIrn-aOfLUNqhbqkojzQuiVFCJxTz24caPHhb-k8uDxZs3Ba-Re8ktVBXFLFOQRGAqul6ni77QjaL8irzGKQeHl-ukK07II50pUf-vqUE9s7M5Py/s4032/IMG_1370.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_36a2_e436_1196_7c46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvFOHNk84NiJZbr_rzcGWl7Dyv3W3FeTCzd1eu78RGu9zOs0aDXiWHuVUqQyw2rld4GIliFn7VIwsrIrn-aOfLUNqhbqkojzQuiVFCJxTz24caPHhb-k8uDxZs3Ba-Re8ktVBXFLFOQRGAqul6ni77QjaL8irzGKQeHl-ukK07II50pUf-vqUE9s7M5Py/s320/IMG_1370.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The famous water tower </td></tr></tbody></table><br><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_1a9d_c754_771c_7add" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Ejhan93oyoCR4IkoZgvhiuBNAvRCSj028WdTqmowdiZ8EAVz8uNZSrz6BTA_6pneZDpYXJz7UhuSbcNmabGkxEccc_v5PZsTcNjBxhtfFgAnn_xnbS8VSShf5dzyQUV7ZT_csFfhvzIOR8K1df_4d1PYME5L4z7LnZgTukIeSe0PeTtX0V1BKlcU-2WD/s4032/IMG_1388.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" id="id_e066_1eb2_66a9_8e13" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Ejhan93oyoCR4IkoZgvhiuBNAvRCSj028WdTqmowdiZ8EAVz8uNZSrz6BTA_6pneZDpYXJz7UhuSbcNmabGkxEccc_v5PZsTcNjBxhtfFgAnn_xnbS8VSShf5dzyQUV7ZT_csFfhvzIOR8K1df_4d1PYME5L4z7LnZgTukIeSe0PeTtX0V1BKlcU-2WD/s320/IMG_1388.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 240px;" width="240"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A somewhat unique sign near our campsite<br><br></td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_8b2e_9ed7_6896_9036" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4N-zLrcFFiTUYpE7w23QFlec1ZfJ261tlQyuJpniOMmKP2laOgIqZyJiyrJWN1_bbVk_lX0aIq03YQT-96ytM0mBvvS1HjyVXabl5FUx6pLILSyrYcPyFeHInKx59FLoW2IYQmmHeDkalMvyKG9J9eIUHVF4HlDVZKGv18iab6Kj7y3Cf9fdIquBzMVDB/s4032/IMG_1479.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_23d3_3804_a137_5c0b" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4N-zLrcFFiTUYpE7w23QFlec1ZfJ261tlQyuJpniOMmKP2laOgIqZyJiyrJWN1_bbVk_lX0aIq03YQT-96ytM0mBvvS1HjyVXabl5FUx6pLILSyrYcPyFeHInKx59FLoW2IYQmmHeDkalMvyKG9J9eIUHVF4HlDVZKGv18iab6Kj7y3Cf9fdIquBzMVDB/s320/IMG_1479.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selfie at the Butterfly house</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_5c99_e529_80ab_f92" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4XcXi0O2Fu0S1P5UwlUaCXjZNQSpaPg5AAOG2XXSD1EcSb2jsC7uagdXlyQ5yHXhtRLntp1HwdbmctXzPpwwv01uL3qW6ydTuyH1hZgMNaJjJVcArBRIyPAGDkWqZV0lXde_wY7pgURf5fqvZGG_hywKS7iSbozOPn5nhIk_LIX9LZcrSZxI1yGQtmsU/s4032/IMG_1718.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_86e6_2ba7_d154_2aac" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4XcXi0O2Fu0S1P5UwlUaCXjZNQSpaPg5AAOG2XXSD1EcSb2jsC7uagdXlyQ5yHXhtRLntp1HwdbmctXzPpwwv01uL3qW6ydTuyH1hZgMNaJjJVcArBRIyPAGDkWqZV0lXde_wY7pgURf5fqvZGG_hywKS7iSbozOPn5nhIk_LIX9LZcrSZxI1yGQtmsU/s320/IMG_1718.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They must be expecting some very large visitors at this campground<br><br></td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_abe7_e91b_ae85_5986" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb2ZYqfOOGjthCaUI2nSWwvwWktDkLzmMuJcJr81ElRuGpZWVWw7o18fWNskSZHO9v1l2OPtr4VyFzZuWxNwnv7dPmtk-Kn49n1KAgCShY_EEX_kVLH8iPKn2JUmQQc6fWj5EHGgfMwJCl4k_9JQ12j8BXO0lqcg2qXL5O8exCUW_HQ_BZ_GTHIVjTRBc_/s4032/IMG_1893.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_b2d8_7924_3d27_d542" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb2ZYqfOOGjthCaUI2nSWwvwWktDkLzmMuJcJr81ElRuGpZWVWw7o18fWNskSZHO9v1l2OPtr4VyFzZuWxNwnv7dPmtk-Kn49n1KAgCShY_EEX_kVLH8iPKn2JUmQQc6fWj5EHGgfMwJCl4k_9JQ12j8BXO0lqcg2qXL5O8exCUW_HQ_BZ_GTHIVjTRBc_/s320/IMG_1893.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evidence that they have ice cream in Gulf Shores, Alabama</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><br><div><br></div></div></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-72966319912468117062023-10-16T06:00:00.001-05:002023-10-16T06:00:00.149-05:00Blue Angel Naval Recreation Area Campground (U.S. Military FamCamp) - Battleship Row, Pensacola, Florida (September 2023)Before discussing our adventures in this campground, we need to talk about an event that happened since our last trip in Rosie, our Airstream trailer. <div><br></div><div>We store Rosie inside a warehouse we call “Fort Rosie.” Of course, the owner of that facility has another name for it. We occasionally drop by to see Rosie while parked in storage. These visits are more for our peace of mind.</div><div><br></div><div>On one of our visits to Fort Rosie, we noticed that the new property owner had a crew painting the warehouse buildings. It is always good to see the owner working to improve the facility. <div><br></div><div>We had to go back to Fort Rosie the next day and saw the crew pressure washing the metal roofs over the warehouse buildings. The property manager said they were getting ready to paint the roofs. </div><div><br></div><div>I woke up early the next morning. I had an uneasy feeling about Rosie. All I could think about was how often rain dripped through the several small holes in the roof over Rosie and how likely it was that paint from the roof would land on our Airstream. </div><div><br></div><div>We discussed our options over breakfast and decided it would best to move Rosie away from the warehouse during these renovations and we knew that Rosie needed to move that morning.</div><div><br></div><div>We had an option because we made arrangements to park Rosie at a nearby military base when we first learned that Fort Rosie was being sold. This was to be a fallback in case the new owner had different plans for that property than RV storage. We were glad we had that option.</div><div> </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_196d_84a2_bc5f_5dc8" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilzMvA5VwOqN6Mo1KHSfWtS58FAbVgqFHQjUizgeoGIuVyZo7luJ8N26A_kieQtkKNez9wzZb3BiNoTgTuiwphfBbeVH44sPGl4rFjOaf_vBsXGWhujUcT9uvKBRatQlkbo6YbXaQ0uHEmqAHI_vxYLIcvrj9HwyNVCg97hyphenhyphenCS0YJswxYRBimZZvAQ8dHq/s4032/IMG_9904.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_aa19_4351_dddf_7cad" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilzMvA5VwOqN6Mo1KHSfWtS58FAbVgqFHQjUizgeoGIuVyZo7luJ8N26A_kieQtkKNez9wzZb3BiNoTgTuiwphfBbeVH44sPGl4rFjOaf_vBsXGWhujUcT9uvKBRatQlkbo6YbXaQ0uHEmqAHI_vxYLIcvrj9HwyNVCg97hyphenhyphenCS0YJswxYRBimZZvAQ8dHq/s320/IMG_9904.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie in the warehouse</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>We loaded our hitching gear in our truck and headed to Fort Rosie. We were not prepared for what we saw when we opened the warehouse door. No, they hadn't started painting yet and Rosie wasn't covered with drops of paint. But, Rosie was covered with dirt and rust residue from the roof pressure washing. We quickly hitched up and pulled Rosie out of the warehouse so we could see her in the sunlight. It was a sickening sight!</div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_b25e_8ef7_4faf_631b" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6_O2NGI-BkKMTi-CyKzbE-AWBVT3qKOAuEcgazlSeQ0_3WMGpJ52kqqFj2-K1NXsW_PhkodAeYPkk-PJE0kKQ81_bE-PwvQZu8AtDsKzNI56-pCtsIvJqDBxei4I97oDkuppEG0LFwkjCeGhVhjcnTEXNkRLMUqHNB7nfVCXEbp1fQ_UKLjYboGXQXZc/s4032/IMG_9908.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_43e1_920b_baa8_a75c" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6_O2NGI-BkKMTi-CyKzbE-AWBVT3qKOAuEcgazlSeQ0_3WMGpJ52kqqFj2-K1NXsW_PhkodAeYPkk-PJE0kKQ81_bE-PwvQZu8AtDsKzNI56-pCtsIvJqDBxei4I97oDkuppEG0LFwkjCeGhVhjcnTEXNkRLMUqHNB7nfVCXEbp1fQ_UKLjYboGXQXZc/s320/IMG_9908.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hooked up and ready to exit the storage warehouse</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>Since we were planning to go on a camping trip in a few weeks, we brought some cleaning supplies with us that morning. We quickly connected a hose and started rinsing Rosie. We were glad to see the debris<span face=""Google Sans", arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(77, 81, 86); color: #4d5156; font-size: 16px;"> on Rosie rinsing away. </span></div><div><br></div><div>I found the property manager and was able to borrow a ladder to help rinse off Rosie's roof. He agreed that removing Rosie from the warehouse during the painting process was a good idea. </div><div><br></div><div>It took three or four long rinses to remove the dirt and rust residue from Rosie then we went ahead and washed her. It was great to see a clean Rosie that shined in the sunlight. That was confirmed at the military base's gate, where we were stopped by a military police officer for the normal ID check. After verifying our IDs the MP added, "Your Airstream looks great!" We knew if we had left Rosie in the warehouse, she would have been covered with paint blotches and rust debris from the roof. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_bfbd_67ed_ff07_73d2" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnG_jjwlDMbsCCEyPa36MlKsPMkJEGJRRUmOanGi-eF0eAn__BQNvTVDoK5Q98v8fpYim5vgzMMJgSRo8byjEivFi1TpP194iEbpxb-VdjYw5Rax3vihFhiyQWHoxKTS1LmqAYHvobwgMA8BnNKhr6yEEJp_MDBxRBVQgknGBamMyzybVLErHRwCXO76J/s4032/IMG_9928.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_8141_2ccb_82da_edbb" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnG_jjwlDMbsCCEyPa36MlKsPMkJEGJRRUmOanGi-eF0eAn__BQNvTVDoK5Q98v8fpYim5vgzMMJgSRo8byjEivFi1TpP194iEbpxb-VdjYw5Rax3vihFhiyQWHoxKTS1LmqAYHvobwgMA8BnNKhr6yEEJp_MDBxRBVQgknGBamMyzybVLErHRwCXO76J/s320/IMG_9928.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie parked in RV Storage on a military base</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>We learned something about Rosie's solar panels while she was stored at the military base. One of the features at Fort Rosie is that we have an electrical plug we can use to keep Rosie's batteries charged. Of course, electricity wasn't an option at Rosie's temporary home on the military base and I was worried about keeping her batteries ready for our next trip.</div><div><br></div><div>A quick search of Airstream's online help pages relieved our minds. Airstream trailers are wired so that the solar system bypasses the "store" switch, which normally disconnects everything electrical when parked at a storage facility. That allows the batteries to be charged from the solar panels while in storage. That made sense.</div><div><br></div><div>We were thankful we had a back-up plan for storing Rosie and were able to get Rosie ready for our next adventure while parked on that military base. </div><div><br></div><div>We quickly fell into the camping groove once we had Rosie on the road. We were glad to be out camping again. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_9876_d257_1e64_d35c" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGsi65EgLAaCBaPZ3Ial_SKfS2G2PGo-JuiJRtTL45mgRNywFAoSyIbdicl75V2YDN-N0-wgi9JanpQXyBg-8tXUnvKzXZo4OT7bMQ3UD2aM4NbBffyfZw8DRt8MWwzMQEz2j5wub_E03MmNxYLK2bfI9z_g3pgqCs8S0f9TbXV5yRCezgl7uMLQPz7sgJ/s4032/IMG_0206.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_2b2c_d81e_c9fc_65aa" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGsi65EgLAaCBaPZ3Ial_SKfS2G2PGo-JuiJRtTL45mgRNywFAoSyIbdicl75V2YDN-N0-wgi9JanpQXyBg-8tXUnvKzXZo4OT7bMQ3UD2aM4NbBffyfZw8DRt8MWwzMQEz2j5wub_E03MmNxYLK2bfI9z_g3pgqCs8S0f9TbXV5yRCezgl7uMLQPz7sgJ/s320/IMG_0206.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The check-in hut at Pensacola Naval Air Station's Blue Angel FamCamp</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>Finding a site at Blue Angel Naval Recreation FamCamp can be described as a scavenger hunt. The hosts gave us a site tag when we checked in and told us to find the best site without a tag on it. Then there was a mad dash for the waterfront sites. </div><div><br></div><div>As luck would have it, we struck out and settled for a decent site deep inside the park instead of along the water. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_5dbf_5a51_a7e3_cf8a" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBLKTONqSG1iCNlzTaKlv3W8HSOPs1Ndz5Rv2ufXDmLdFS25tuK9GV_qJLxq6aFW5bYUERKF7MT4HrSNpp-ieR88EdKexO8fWxb_9rhhH56iCl_YNLzqgqOdwXnP7lYWh_adNTSymOykazib0eG9w7Uk9j2r7wjPjKeGCpMGgoG-cGAcB78vLvfrj1RcC/s4032/IMG_0342.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_311b_f169_492c_107f" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBLKTONqSG1iCNlzTaKlv3W8HSOPs1Ndz5Rv2ufXDmLdFS25tuK9GV_qJLxq6aFW5bYUERKF7MT4HrSNpp-ieR88EdKexO8fWxb_9rhhH56iCl_YNLzqgqOdwXnP7lYWh_adNTSymOykazib0eG9w7Uk9j2r7wjPjKeGCpMGgoG-cGAcB78vLvfrj1RcC/s320/IMG_0342.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First site in Battleship Row</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>We saw some unexpected visitors our first night. Two deer were running through the campground between campers after sunset. We would see the deer several times during the evening in this campground. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_e85a_8cae_ecf8_7715" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHTQJlRpOTj_0B6h333JB_o1UF7KVlDdqZCMZE2ZAesyyKvL0bsvMKURgaGiqy3Whp2ZQa0Wgwtur3C2bd__KrJG7vezWOxkIhuhmOHspubUWBG6i2MRwooRhLidqXGl35WiJ2eA-WJHP3cYZJb0PmgOjbM4nRupGRbxS98UxyhvC5Po-ydLea40xEYtT/s4032/IMG_0366.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_4dd0_89cf_fa2_29f8" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHTQJlRpOTj_0B6h333JB_o1UF7KVlDdqZCMZE2ZAesyyKvL0bsvMKURgaGiqy3Whp2ZQa0Wgwtur3C2bd__KrJG7vezWOxkIhuhmOHspubUWBG6i2MRwooRhLidqXGl35WiJ2eA-WJHP3cYZJb0PmgOjbM4nRupGRbxS98UxyhvC5Po-ydLea40xEYtT/s320/IMG_0366.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Battleship Row</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>Then a really unexpected thing happened. We were walking our dog the second morning in the park when we saw a camper packing up and leaving from one of the prime waterfront sites. We talked about moving Rosie, but decided it was too much work and the site would be quickly snapped up. </div><div><br></div><div>We went on a bike ride an hour later and were surprised to see that site was still open. We decided to quickly put our site nametag there to claim that site. We called the office and cleared the move with them. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_c744_e340_7869_eb2b" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4X2nq1uoIREKUdQQXeQGKP91TCag1PT52ZFNcUg9cBCC4P4AbLQcIoCXQAeuo3i6831_HjuicZCX7_E0q_eZQ2VBowWLlA0sK-rlVxOaEWug03wBLS0UiA8m40dSVotEn0SWMnNwgsI5TzEFyen8KdyZvOpTcfAHiBVdWj4IMK3gkDd-pwPiBR_pxZcq/s4032/IMG_0413.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_eb39_6d57_f63f_67c2" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4X2nq1uoIREKUdQQXeQGKP91TCag1PT52ZFNcUg9cBCC4P4AbLQcIoCXQAeuo3i6831_HjuicZCX7_E0q_eZQ2VBowWLlA0sK-rlVxOaEWug03wBLS0UiA8m40dSVotEn0SWMnNwgsI5TzEFyen8KdyZvOpTcfAHiBVdWj4IMK3gkDd-pwPiBR_pxZcq/s320/IMG_0413.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unhitching Rosie in our new waterfront site</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>We were able to pack up and move in less than an hour. That meant we would enjoy the waterfront site for five more days. </div><div><br></div><div>The waterfront site gave us front row seats to watch all new trailers arriving and those departing. It also gave us great views of the sunsets. The sunsets were amazing. We made the right decision to move sites.</div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_68fb_2e85_a367_3be0" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNetTauMCVakRf6esDYbX8e8eyVtyIVLHy1d-Z4D89ML09r3qifL9fGkCF3Y3FXytXE9qdCL-Y6X-WGAn7hNO2ekUr8RGI_8OvCYgUfmkWi3OxUQaxx0sovoN65ySeZqP0L3jRVOWWYEokoet1A3oq4IWFKuMBnsrsu8z3xnHr2AAIDnpi2_y9FqO3VnrO/s4032/IMG_0763.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_63cd_4545_1257_f1a" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNetTauMCVakRf6esDYbX8e8eyVtyIVLHy1d-Z4D89ML09r3qifL9fGkCF3Y3FXytXE9qdCL-Y6X-WGAn7hNO2ekUr8RGI_8OvCYgUfmkWi3OxUQaxx0sovoN65ySeZqP0L3jRVOWWYEokoet1A3oq4IWFKuMBnsrsu8z3xnHr2AAIDnpi2_y9FqO3VnrO/s320/IMG_0763.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching the sunset from Rosie's site</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_e97_7c66_891e_3f2b" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPzYxxrpwotQdX-QxmogJyU31vGZa95HmIRhJfEB9mXIXwDjnSjWc_d6YHQqTIQqmlKIvHTiXzp7e6-C87_Yyl6ZHvr3vs-SQh6hA_NO8UC2dK65lqBdYvCTvkbApw2wSf6bMhVTl-KHycl4ngb3mnzcSDqAtGnOuuN2vGPqrOpX2zyuA_0qKzmUsoPHf/s4032/IMG_0766.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_eda6_4166_cfe5_d2a4" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPzYxxrpwotQdX-QxmogJyU31vGZa95HmIRhJfEB9mXIXwDjnSjWc_d6YHQqTIQqmlKIvHTiXzp7e6-C87_Yyl6ZHvr3vs-SQh6hA_NO8UC2dK65lqBdYvCTvkbApw2wSf6bMhVTl-KHycl4ngb3mnzcSDqAtGnOuuN2vGPqrOpX2zyuA_0qKzmUsoPHf/s320/IMG_0766.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie's site in Battleship Row</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>We were able to visit with our grandson twice while in this park. We drove about 40 miles to watch his first “Coach-pitch” baseball game. For the second visit, he and his father, our son, came to visit us in this campground. It was fun to tour the Naval Aviation Museum and the lighthouse with them. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_97d3_a111_89d0_1787" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyxiE-2jpUsTmQzqTRAEooOl4kU-PujNBBt8YzY120Pd9OmZWr7aElNcEQK2DEKBlMY7to1jG9GQQOoulVBstoYu4ZNY9CzOJzpphfUzr_ZhAkq4a6KdyAEW7uqzPulFQqSKxjQv-PZHK0-AHVR1KUZxVdT8cOpLdo3DxH9GUHSCjjlc46e0t_J6pDoD7l/s4032/IMG_0585.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_10b_1535_4188_68c5" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyxiE-2jpUsTmQzqTRAEooOl4kU-PujNBBt8YzY120Pd9OmZWr7aElNcEQK2DEKBlMY7to1jG9GQQOoulVBstoYu4ZNY9CzOJzpphfUzr_ZhAkq4a6KdyAEW7uqzPulFQqSKxjQv-PZHK0-AHVR1KUZxVdT8cOpLdo3DxH9GUHSCjjlc46e0t_J6pDoD7l/s320/IMG_0585.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandson making a great play during his coach-pitch game</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>A sign of the times was when we pointed out a machine gun on a World War II plane to our first-grader grandson. He immediately said, "I'm telling." I guess that was sadly the result of active shooter drills at his school. I thought back to my elementary school days when we had “duck and cover” drills, which were supposed to protect us from nuclear attacks. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_9aa6_de3d_e251_904a" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj5T0TmVEYekNFpUChCku-7T-FRVWYqCzBbojkVsl099BUu2LyG1bfxZSRUjFm1xmRDndGPJb-qFAL_3YDyIyfDhtkYkCZqGyIxoU3gs3IOONbP6yXCHL_H1pHklazfKfiOaR-d2K58gcVnTmNKFOXSnsLbTl6_OaLxVUbJ7qdkSuL1X_GFvEk8pIGkhGW/s4032/IMG_8511.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_6689_aaf5_a30f_6bcf" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj5T0TmVEYekNFpUChCku-7T-FRVWYqCzBbojkVsl099BUu2LyG1bfxZSRUjFm1xmRDndGPJb-qFAL_3YDyIyfDhtkYkCZqGyIxoU3gs3IOONbP6yXCHL_H1pHklazfKfiOaR-d2K58gcVnTmNKFOXSnsLbTl6_OaLxVUbJ7qdkSuL1X_GFvEk8pIGkhGW/s320/IMG_8511.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Naval Aviation Museum </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>It was amazing how fast a week went by. We enjoyed biking in this campground and going for walks on the beach at Johnson Beach. </div><div><br></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are some specifics about this campground:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><ul><li>There were two separate campgrounds in this park. The rustic side is Anchor Cove. It has more shade, water and electric hookups and sites are paved with dirt. The other side is Battleship Row and has full hookups, paved roads and concrete sites. We were in Battleship Row </li><li>There were multiple loops in both Battleship Row and Anchor Cove </li><li>Our site was a back in</li><li>Our site had some shade</li><li>Most sites had some space on both sides</li><li>Our site was paved with concrete and was level </li><li>Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service </li><li>Our site had a water connection</li><li>Our site had a sewer connection </li><li>There was a dump station in Anchor Cove </li><li>The trash dumpster was in the middle of the campground. It was easy to walk there with your trash</li><li>There were two bathhouses in Battleship Row </li><li>The park did not provide WiFi service </li><li>AT&T provided 3 bars of 5G voice and data service over our campsite </li><li>We were able to watch ABC, CBS, NBC and PBS using Rosie’s TV antenna. Digital channels seen were Antenna-TV, Circle, Comet, Court-TV, Dabl, ION, LAFF, ME-TV, Retro, Stadium and TBD</li><li>There were restaurants and shopping nearby</li><li>This was a pet friendly park </li></ul><div>By the way, the Navy's Blue Angels flight demonstration team practiced over our site one day while camped there.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_fcd1_3afe_face_de8f" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9rI00fkqsY1xCrhQ8T1B-QAbWquj030I0LDPCcm_OIxswqt8ZatYSjp-hgmVM1mMj5AXeVpRkYrUxP23MEhg3qJOYqyaOQKo6DUs_Z85XVkZRzJyr8MncEdI9Ap6CMdJS2Rf6mSz7zC0anIpSb-jfmGN88N3tqqFkQejgYaSFrS2mCaKdWE84Z49_Nir/s4032/IMG_0493.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_6086_bf60_6c50_2451" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9rI00fkqsY1xCrhQ8T1B-QAbWquj030I0LDPCcm_OIxswqt8ZatYSjp-hgmVM1mMj5AXeVpRkYrUxP23MEhg3qJOYqyaOQKo6DUs_Z85XVkZRzJyr8MncEdI9Ap6CMdJS2Rf6mSz7zC0anIpSb-jfmGN88N3tqqFkQejgYaSFrS2mCaKdWE84Z49_Nir/s320/IMG_0493.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching someone fish with a net at sunset</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_4c54_869e_f2f2_95be" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLsXmcAq6BE5fm0dWNGk8mVNbJQ1ZFx3n55BaDiZCsUKSbxknQj8i8XsvFKFupi9uaQOz24cYv0wHH6z55lhMHbuO7ZYLfZCa6xxGSb2b0vlp9MDzk8sGvlg9eXodHifS8r_NiavmBjxQ0b8jCboJdgLy8LAo6jNKO39KhAhameDxiop3F60VcOI67ykz/s4032/IMG_0525.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_b172_96e6_9229_13ba" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLsXmcAq6BE5fm0dWNGk8mVNbJQ1ZFx3n55BaDiZCsUKSbxknQj8i8XsvFKFupi9uaQOz24cYv0wHH6z55lhMHbuO7ZYLfZCa6xxGSb2b0vlp9MDzk8sGvlg9eXodHifS8r_NiavmBjxQ0b8jCboJdgLy8LAo6jNKO39KhAhameDxiop3F60VcOI67ykz/s320/IMG_0525.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selfie at the beach</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_b643_d61d_72ef_ee9" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2MW2Jx-_SqD2XzKLq55WO4Mgaufkh7XGF5W04Sy3S4zR4GNq3WEZ88wOiD2Okdp7OeFDK2b-G-PGjfnMVfPYXMFMmHJHdt8bRnFbDMZyAPcKRctMyRvE2HW24-tAR90kI7SaOgAqEWjacFAAEzylei_i7meamOARJm-x3JLvgeDyvo5PBV2zBXKMnAjj/s4032/IMG_0945.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" id="id_ec14_e5e3_b5a0_97ee" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2MW2Jx-_SqD2XzKLq55WO4Mgaufkh7XGF5W04Sy3S4zR4GNq3WEZ88wOiD2Okdp7OeFDK2b-G-PGjfnMVfPYXMFMmHJHdt8bRnFbDMZyAPcKRctMyRvE2HW24-tAR90kI7SaOgAqEWjacFAAEzylei_i7meamOARJm-x3JLvgeDyvo5PBV2zBXKMnAjj/s320/IMG_0945.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 240px;" width="240"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lighthouse at Pensacola Naval Air Station</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_ba0e_2aa6_34ac_96e6" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSmQz7PSMWX04SlmD3_DZIpDbK0GSHutJMElKKCEMbos8kEhoFvh75N0KW0J_hAjKIO2V4xduHSqwqAhYg3K5BXe_5ISYo3nC_EE8vC7DE7ba8iUoK4C0CTxcbCq3_YVzq5oj5KZxKvK8rvmCa8bB5txpcxLIxWgiGoqtaMewzN689-OpjaoTtV17XjiZm/s4032/IMG_0968.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_5a73_419a_4ecd_c0b9" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSmQz7PSMWX04SlmD3_DZIpDbK0GSHutJMElKKCEMbos8kEhoFvh75N0KW0J_hAjKIO2V4xduHSqwqAhYg3K5BXe_5ISYo3nC_EE8vC7DE7ba8iUoK4C0CTxcbCq3_YVzq5oj5KZxKvK8rvmCa8bB5txpcxLIxWgiGoqtaMewzN689-OpjaoTtV17XjiZm/s320/IMG_0968.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selfie at the top of the lighthouse</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_d023_15ae_7315_8a75" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-f8MxO2Ih9p5s965mt1wZ5DiPlfgBV0CVhRZPY7-Vs1-WN9JFEQnAI_t22QUhNRCd45uq6qToR0FDJUc0wL18x-t97IHlRN70bYwecw4D7XTlwaLBX3MFzWhtEjQQ6wZb3NKmASQEjUa6IG2vYAIhLV7mXSuHu704nRzMyN92GxyMiNQL23yKZxI-uQOL/s4032/IMG_8575.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_17b8_a694_d3d4_41e4" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-f8MxO2Ih9p5s965mt1wZ5DiPlfgBV0CVhRZPY7-Vs1-WN9JFEQnAI_t22QUhNRCd45uq6qToR0FDJUc0wL18x-t97IHlRN70bYwecw4D7XTlwaLBX3MFzWhtEjQQ6wZb3NKmASQEjUa6IG2vYAIhLV7mXSuHu704nRzMyN92GxyMiNQL23yKZxI-uQOL/s320/IMG_8575.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a display aircraft for a spin at the Naval Aviation Museum</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div></div>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-52510069312253755632023-06-30T06:00:00.001-05:002023-06-30T06:00:00.147-05:00R. Shaefer Heard COE Campground, West Point, Georgia (May 2023)We knew that our trip home from the Blue Ridge area would be difficult because we had to pull Rosie, our Airstream trailer, through Atlanta and there is no optimum time to to travel Atlanta's roads. Both Google and Apple Maps were optimistic and suggested that traffic flowed without problems through Atlanta. We knew how quickly that could change and become a nightmare forcing us to arrive home too late in the day. We decided we needed to stop for the night after passing through Atlanta and made reservations at R. Shaefer Heard Corps of Engineers (COE) Campground.<div><br></div><div>We thanked the volunteers for their service as we checked in. Three COE campgrounds were closed for this year because there were too few volunteers to operate them. We were glad that this park was open.</div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_98b3_c138_ce75_765"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0krgnuAy9EAREendstOsp_6zDpn-vwMXoCVuWUJ3oeStquHrD_T6ZMXhv6ZvK1GT6hWkZZyxDHO5IAAvGME1XV03HalX8F16o-crq6w2xpwGBTr80fY_zWYOMiNX0J5JHr0Sr9xcPlTFekMDziQeT7kZitM3PKErfA0UjJ0LxS2bmAiilV1hyRxn9gg/s4032/IMG_7195.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0krgnuAy9EAREendstOsp_6zDpn-vwMXoCVuWUJ3oeStquHrD_T6ZMXhv6ZvK1GT6hWkZZyxDHO5IAAvGME1XV03HalX8F16o-crq6w2xpwGBTr80fY_zWYOMiNX0J5JHr0Sr9xcPlTFekMDziQeT7kZitM3PKErfA0UjJ0LxS2bmAiilV1hyRxn9gg/s320/IMG_7195.jpeg" width="320" id="id_ecf_aff9_9f7d_556f" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sign at the entrance to the campground</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_b327_17fa_cdc7_f58b"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaPl9Mqxc9jr9N6vP8rimQZOUfS3vuxozkTNTX1qCI5q0jYMPW_am46svU-IMFmJ7WpsZLoBAg1KT7NADwHh2hwV62BNX5ZJQzVyMQkRF4nL0E50wV4U2ikzMpJd0AJg6x5lpxxQW7HC8m3COujFw-6FOL5Bnk5Qs-5gYfYBFDrqboCkv9f3UGgQN1GQ/s4032/IMG_7003.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaPl9Mqxc9jr9N6vP8rimQZOUfS3vuxozkTNTX1qCI5q0jYMPW_am46svU-IMFmJ7WpsZLoBAg1KT7NADwHh2hwV62BNX5ZJQzVyMQkRF4nL0E50wV4U2ikzMpJd0AJg6x5lpxxQW7HC8m3COujFw-6FOL5Bnk5Qs-5gYfYBFDrqboCkv9f3UGgQN1GQ/s320/IMG_7003.jpeg" width="320" id="id_83b6_c80f_db09_b0ee" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie's site in the campground</td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><br></div><div>Most campsites in this park were large with generous spaces between campers. That wasn't true for our site. It was in a cul de sac and our neighbors were very close to Rosie, our Airstream trailer's name. We decided that we would stay in an another loop if we return to this campground.</div><div><br></div><div>It was ironic that a neighbor told us how much they liked out site and they frequently camped in it. Then they told us about another nearby campground that they loved and suggested we make reservations there next time. We were not sure they were being helpful or attempting to lessen the competition for our site in the future. </div><div><br></div><div>We noticed another problem with our cul de sac while unhitching Rosie from our truck. There was a large patch of Poison Ivy behind our site. We had to be very careful to avoid that area and didn't come down with a Poison Ivy rash.</div><div><br></div><div>On the positive side, we had a waterfront site and we quickly summed up that this was a great park for riding our bikes and for using our inflatable kayak. We intended to use our kayak earlier on this trip, but the rain and temperatures kept us from doing so. The weather was perfect here so we excitedly inflated our tandem kayak and enjoyed exploring the lake. We probably spent an hour on the lake and ended up going to the other side of the lake during our first kayak ride.</div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_12c3_376e_e093_7eab"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPYTmckQl2arItIiPxlxlF_2FTNotINcYq7gG0ktvVYPZfPKWIOpxLTfwt5AIHiZRFAGYHHL_u21bsUAlADvHZ9NhyCsP5t03w7ScW3lzuniI7u8smifdDWAiVIzwSZbCUYd9Ess0kSZIXjW8nWmuLnE3L6x2p3WhCzsSLTP2KjS_cHjHniKN8XKfhw/s4032/IMG_7141.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPYTmckQl2arItIiPxlxlF_2FTNotINcYq7gG0ktvVYPZfPKWIOpxLTfwt5AIHiZRFAGYHHL_u21bsUAlADvHZ9NhyCsP5t03w7ScW3lzuniI7u8smifdDWAiVIzwSZbCUYd9Ess0kSZIXjW8nWmuLnE3L6x2p3WhCzsSLTP2KjS_cHjHniKN8XKfhw/s320/IMG_7141.jpeg" width="320" id="id_137c_c7f7_36d4_e852" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to put the kayak in the lake</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_5fab_b334_bedd_eebe"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNHlllOKB9W4ObgHXOQnqk3qNOJHD9qDqiePVdFGdL1k6CQYGlBk6tBEahHzzWtnrMQgGzIfK6aPdPqrdXzBOUExkrn5GMvzd6is8hnx-01BE3w2kjXDUFVFfu75cHFsm2N-L__SCeohFSQV3icvs0hKCmPhFYAVBtonqHo5a4a45QyYKEAVZGPB9lsQ/s4032/IMG_7099.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNHlllOKB9W4ObgHXOQnqk3qNOJHD9qDqiePVdFGdL1k6CQYGlBk6tBEahHzzWtnrMQgGzIfK6aPdPqrdXzBOUExkrn5GMvzd6is8hnx-01BE3w2kjXDUFVFfu75cHFsm2N-L__SCeohFSQV3icvs0hKCmPhFYAVBtonqHo5a4a45QyYKEAVZGPB9lsQ/s320/IMG_7099.jpeg" width="320" id="id_d3f8_7c78_d80b_a8e0" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the lake in our tandem inflatable kayak</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>When we came ashore, we let out about half of the air in the kayak so that the hot sun would not cause it to expand and create any problems. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_96ab_be87_8f1_c6b7"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBMP3JXQMobOQu1kruuawOWe66UVWXTabH6z2sVrDWHGHvNKivcwyCUbLws7WKcsHrOKV8HBt5ZMwmNi7GC4x7Yue5DOnf06LH4rrm6R0s5B61TS9nilRLxmXvlkQj9oa6feg0bluTR_I6ttPYm46k4yWpbpGbN2AMIaJ-5DgDqFlJlZXUkmeNHgL63Q/s4032/IMG_7143.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBMP3JXQMobOQu1kruuawOWe66UVWXTabH6z2sVrDWHGHvNKivcwyCUbLws7WKcsHrOKV8HBt5ZMwmNi7GC4x7Yue5DOnf06LH4rrm6R0s5B61TS9nilRLxmXvlkQj9oa6feg0bluTR_I6ttPYm46k4yWpbpGbN2AMIaJ-5DgDqFlJlZXUkmeNHgL63Q/s320/IMG_7143.jpeg" width="320" id="id_30be_ac2e_e1a8_1bcb" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Partly deflated kayak to protect the seams</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>We decided to go for another kayak trip the next morning. I quickly pumped air into the kayak and we carried it down to the shore. As soon as we got in the kayak, we noticed a problem. We were getting wet and the amount of water inside the kayak was increasing at an alarming rate. We were sinking! </div><div><br></div><div>We quickly returned to shore and found the trouble as soon as we picked up the kayak to remove it from the water. The glued-on seams around the bottom of the kayak had separated meaning the bottom of the kayak was no longer attached to the side walls. The kayak was going on 10 years old and the glue used at the factory finally stopped working. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_e0a_9d1a_d3b7_5d47"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMdiT4TRroCPHiZc1PxqNPbHP14GtAPkK42K4F8usD_S1lFGiKNBQpkf6M4igqROZ2i4zZ-O_UE34a9MhDChYJTfLXaALS--pO3HHfgQ2sf-T3jOF3deVfBSXlzlSUHb50lKFFksv10aNXN9s_nZTnWu-p4ns8HxGylSbNn_07Ohaqcjyk0eXS7Civg/s4032/IMG_7148.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMdiT4TRroCPHiZc1PxqNPbHP14GtAPkK42K4F8usD_S1lFGiKNBQpkf6M4igqROZ2i4zZ-O_UE34a9MhDChYJTfLXaALS--pO3HHfgQ2sf-T3jOF3deVfBSXlzlSUHb50lKFFksv10aNXN9s_nZTnWu-p4ns8HxGylSbNn_07Ohaqcjyk0eXS7Civg/s320/IMG_7148.jpeg" width="320" id="id_28d5_9a53_eb5e_3c12" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The seams split beyond what could be repaired</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>This wasn't a case of a few gaps in the kayak's seams. The entire bottom of the kayak was unglued and several other seams on the top side of the kayak were also starting to come apart. We knew immediately that our kayak was unsalvageable and we had enjoyed our last ride in it. </div><div><br></div><div>We were glad that if one of our "toys" had to irreparably break at this campground, it was our kayak and not our bikes as we continued to enjoy riding our bikes around this campground. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_6bbb_52bc_8fbb_c6d3"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI4jwcuIgb_3sXh_sh8o9Q-k4Gy569LMWw92xEWL9cTtgcMAiYjfCXeaIgkCNMD6mcrTa3Yk9xviyxL5znXbSUK07UMF7CZyfupabB_K6Z9IZrvv6OmVKxL16d-kl74bJHe5Cc4ArKQXBpnr_dFkWHdDSse_tRHVyCM1imRZaIWRxWYV5dRnnnwoXFvQ/s4032/IMG_7151.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI4jwcuIgb_3sXh_sh8o9Q-k4Gy569LMWw92xEWL9cTtgcMAiYjfCXeaIgkCNMD6mcrTa3Yk9xviyxL5znXbSUK07UMF7CZyfupabB_K6Z9IZrvv6OmVKxL16d-kl74bJHe5Cc4ArKQXBpnr_dFkWHdDSse_tRHVyCM1imRZaIWRxWYV5dRnnnwoXFvQ/s320/IMG_7151.jpeg" width="320" id="id_bc5d_7503_cb0b_322d" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to ride our bikes in the campground</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>We never knew the correct time while camping at this park. Our site was on the Eastern Time side of the lake. The other side was in the Central Time zone. Our iPhones and Apple Watches were constantly confused and kept flipping back-and-forth between the two time zones. It became a running joke because our electronic devices never agreed with each other.<br><div><br></div><div>The restrooms were old but well maintained. Not all of the restrooms had shower facilities and some were long walks from campsites. </div><div><br></div><div>We made reservations here to help us decompress after driving through Atlanta and to position ourselves to arrive home after this camping trip to be able to clean up Rosie early in the day. We enjoyed our visit to the park and accomplished our goals while camping there.</div><div><br></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are some specifics about this campground:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><ul><li>There were multiple loops in the campground</li><li>Our site was a back in</li><li>Our site had shade</li><li>Most sites had some space on both sides</li><li>Our site was paved with asphalt and we needed to use leveling tools to correct a side-to-side lean in Rosie</li><li>Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service </li><li>Our site had a water connection</li><li>Our site did not have a sewer connection </li><li>There was a dump station in this park</li><li>There were several trash dumpsters located around the campground. It was a long walk to the closest dumpster near our site </li><li>There were multiple bathhouses in the campground </li><li>The park did not provide WiFi service </li><li>AT&T provided 2 bars of 5G voice and data service over our campsite </li><li>We were able to watch only ABC using Rosie’s TV antenna. Digital channel seen was Retro</li><li>There were restaurants and shopping nearby</li><li>This was a pet friendly park </li></ul><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_3812_a76d_c310_e9d9"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67oGLH_QpfFMcANPo_uJTnPPaKhkCFPDW6myzVE4F3_nBfvhanwZWFJ_8IWNLIop7be1snpJ0sddaEJD1DpLbWxHHr6oDR1KsSipI7pS86RGPBMoaubiCm9E00B0z-zxIuyjMv2uRMbRSqriP0qakYKOlqQms8Czkgr_ZsWcoFMApStq8H8C9bC9eAA/s4032/IMG_7182.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67oGLH_QpfFMcANPo_uJTnPPaKhkCFPDW6myzVE4F3_nBfvhanwZWFJ_8IWNLIop7be1snpJ0sddaEJD1DpLbWxHHr6oDR1KsSipI7pS86RGPBMoaubiCm9E00B0z-zxIuyjMv2uRMbRSqriP0qakYKOlqQms8Czkgr_ZsWcoFMApStq8H8C9bC9eAA/s320/IMG_7182.jpeg" width="320" id="id_ffe4_d908_40ed_3d5e" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Along the lake</td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_4f19_1b82_6571_326d"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik4ZE7RmSV1aDXSVWDreS9fQRo6R_aEuDNGAYT_uL6olr_usY1esUXfEPB0s58J9BIUOOQJtfQDMFWwbf6014cdypCVTi8crKAeIyeYC03DhyHoUy2fE3ILjsm5K5jh7iqeCDVRgJfHCXbpd176Ph1iuviHH2YZnDqPcSXBpTSkW-ZM_y26eSqPwkQIA/s4032/IMG_7187.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik4ZE7RmSV1aDXSVWDreS9fQRo6R_aEuDNGAYT_uL6olr_usY1esUXfEPB0s58J9BIUOOQJtfQDMFWwbf6014cdypCVTi8crKAeIyeYC03DhyHoUy2fE3ILjsm5K5jh7iqeCDVRgJfHCXbpd176Ph1iuviHH2YZnDqPcSXBpTSkW-ZM_y26eSqPwkQIA/s320/IMG_7187.jpeg" width="320" id="id_b7fc_d56b_2ff9_c6ac" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie at daybreak</td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_4b18_3996_6229_548f"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfi1abrNdFZgf10GqkC7MVHLPdJEM9EKjPKd_Oe_bLRXZAZHgy5IC0JJyjVW7BcdxJg_PQ-1UWayQdUgHAmpbL-8EUjgKB1ocEJhdp0a8jrpluZwKeG3swZIgDfPaSknl0Ucn3dGJ8tJYLUc4FdGe9LF4MCJN4HtUU_TK5Lm2pcfL3N53-bJMXpFQI7Q/s4032/IMG_7191.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfi1abrNdFZgf10GqkC7MVHLPdJEM9EKjPKd_Oe_bLRXZAZHgy5IC0JJyjVW7BcdxJg_PQ-1UWayQdUgHAmpbL-8EUjgKB1ocEJhdp0a8jrpluZwKeG3swZIgDfPaSknl0Ucn3dGJ8tJYLUc4FdGe9LF4MCJN4HtUU_TK5Lm2pcfL3N53-bJMXpFQI7Q/s320/IMG_7191.jpeg" width="320" id="id_e108_93e5_eafc_265d" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the "dump" station<br><br></td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_86f5_eb23_bcf9_e64c"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwslkQuJnOE-uTlbXoZztSjU9Ea2qxBu3QvNQyWqq7Aj_NjrlPVs9n5q7mHLQBMzrhxTlOpzDyeG3-C1MW9fgXJ0If0ZRNaDiBEjHtkkxc5ckNdMad3P-ou_6yCciJh_UssGPVZX8Yo7bdBGNLRfXtWNnG_ZPlWHkJ5y9ppGxYntOdZUt8hDyLbybSvA/s4032/IMG_7194.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwslkQuJnOE-uTlbXoZztSjU9Ea2qxBu3QvNQyWqq7Aj_NjrlPVs9n5q7mHLQBMzrhxTlOpzDyeG3-C1MW9fgXJ0If0ZRNaDiBEjHtkkxc5ckNdMad3P-ou_6yCciJh_UssGPVZX8Yo7bdBGNLRfXtWNnG_ZPlWHkJ5y9ppGxYntOdZUt8hDyLbybSvA/s320/IMG_7194.jpeg" width="320" id="id_b02a_61b_3b2f_2cc4" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving the campground</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><br>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-34719589665767390352023-06-26T06:00:00.001-05:002023-06-26T06:00:00.140-05:00Blue Ridge Toccoa River KOA - Blue Ridge, Georgia (May 2023)<div>This was a relatively new campground when we stayed there about a year ago. If you attempted to get camping reservations in the past few years, you know how much we need more campgrounds and camping options. It still had the look and feel of a new campground as we pulled in this time. That is why we were surprised and delighted to see that the campground was making improvements. They were adding a meeting room and other features to the campground. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_880d_420f_d583_8cdf" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZ69iA-cMgQcAp82IUluZ_ML2wSQLsc_5Hyda_FqJpmGbecx67zbOOIROtnwWwupLwnH8c_Ym_TJg8E1pObiGxoJ1DncviL4QwyZn_KTWcT6UA_IxTRlqx3ncAaNyz0Ime17UCJSgqh207WjCm_aV0fdRFgBjMMbmKVTiQb9sqR9aEvwa2jj0Fo3dgg/s4032/IMG_6868.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_8d35_f8c3_8714_e388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZ69iA-cMgQcAp82IUluZ_ML2wSQLsc_5Hyda_FqJpmGbecx67zbOOIROtnwWwupLwnH8c_Ym_TJg8E1pObiGxoJ1DncviL4QwyZn_KTWcT6UA_IxTRlqx3ncAaNyz0Ime17UCJSgqh207WjCm_aV0fdRFgBjMMbmKVTiQb9sqR9aEvwa2jj0Fo3dgg/s320/IMG_6868.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie in the campground</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>We were at this park for the same reason as when we visited last year. This campground was very close to my wife’s brother’s home and gave us an opportunity to visit him. That meant we didn’t spend too much time in the campground because we wanted to be with him. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_a9af_d374_1d45_de82" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6GKIBwQsurc2BEogBjiFJ2hp_l7EQBJ6Ezwmfgvr8JW2JN4TXnlcUBOTRjZ0VFpl-LSJQCU2MFd-HvJiuHrRVRSYlc3_4RKstTRQuQ4YS3Jc5m2T22kdFlswfVDHEsu0unPLXnKyG0mTLv9niFTQs8Smj-0tCqd01Y8gKZi7bXDckkqIEqvIr9H-SIg/s4032/IMG_6866.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_d553_5536_eb8f_cedb" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6GKIBwQsurc2BEogBjiFJ2hp_l7EQBJ6Ezwmfgvr8JW2JN4TXnlcUBOTRjZ0VFpl-LSJQCU2MFd-HvJiuHrRVRSYlc3_4RKstTRQuQ4YS3Jc5m2T22kdFlswfVDHEsu0unPLXnKyG0mTLv9niFTQs8Smj-0tCqd01Y8gKZi7bXDckkqIEqvIr9H-SIg/s320/IMG_6866.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Becky and her brother in the campground<br><br></td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_bab2_7abd_7ca2_d17b" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEfYUpN_-P3OMfwSzRrW_TRok6dnDQjMFkTk2zv0Hd6HIvlwVz3rLgrARSQvYmDDD8sldYiS5h6w4v__tpmvJHFLb8C98Ps88UKEpu8J_HvrQxSY6Hzh1C0xovMCFmCNYuLQ8IZKFiiAMMl-Uy5vX1ianoK3I9DoVmPkbYD0AnGADeW1QbMnD7vgN1A/s4032/IMG_6896.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_fbb7_72df_513d_ef61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEfYUpN_-P3OMfwSzRrW_TRok6dnDQjMFkTk2zv0Hd6HIvlwVz3rLgrARSQvYmDDD8sldYiS5h6w4v__tpmvJHFLb8C98Ps88UKEpu8J_HvrQxSY6Hzh1C0xovMCFmCNYuLQ8IZKFiiAMMl-Uy5vX1ianoK3I9DoVmPkbYD0AnGADeW1QbMnD7vgN1A/s320/IMG_6896.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fishing in the park</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>As typical for KOA campgrounds that we have camped in, the office staff was very friendly and the golf cart driver who escorted us to our site made us feel welcome. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_e23d_dff5_a06e_6ab4" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lsyOtpRPqKAE5y8uTnrlwWouxVaqCzAbtgVb_MduJsuWqEHl-DOYh3JDKQdM5qqKX8BLmjtVwNmNTBuAVMFpqI2rOalQD3nQgWM9PmMCMqkDtg3uAf14P3KOk_SSg_6ZSelOssdnlps9vZwhTOtyt_9gvln1O1B-DZ3QCb0Z5TbNnaydIu7KOiYPSw/s4032/IMG_6914.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_d226_fdcb_e2d0_ea2c" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lsyOtpRPqKAE5y8uTnrlwWouxVaqCzAbtgVb_MduJsuWqEHl-DOYh3JDKQdM5qqKX8BLmjtVwNmNTBuAVMFpqI2rOalQD3nQgWM9PmMCMqkDtg3uAf14P3KOk_SSg_6ZSelOssdnlps9vZwhTOtyt_9gvln1O1B-DZ3QCb0Z5TbNnaydIu7KOiYPSw/s320/IMG_6914.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the community of Blue Ridge<br><br></td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_72b_c8bc_ed3d_7f51" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYto8hnsVybL1knmA4y7nIZ26OJUsK9c9QinHxMIitshPFg3ZYv4uWxl6lXavv7XFkXWa17ODj3T5S0nRZfAFBNWjbmeWakEJ5Jo2IXU0W0XuARt5DF3hJV14FGSzPK8HXLjSs-Ai7z9aG8BqfyFILmMykgGoe6OilVresUD9vcyy3RjA-Wv_gmCFAw/s4032/IMG_6919.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_74ae_49bd_b984_9c7d" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYto8hnsVybL1knmA4y7nIZ26OJUsK9c9QinHxMIitshPFg3ZYv4uWxl6lXavv7XFkXWa17ODj3T5S0nRZfAFBNWjbmeWakEJ5Jo2IXU0W0XuARt5DF3hJV14FGSzPK8HXLjSs-Ai7z9aG8BqfyFILmMykgGoe6OilVresUD9vcyy3RjA-Wv_gmCFAw/s320/IMG_6919.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of course, we had to get an award-winning cupcake<br><br></td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_cebe_6bf_713a_b4b7" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJvQPgp-CWu6uqKnjoUXDn4VyD1jc0YML5lgpnN67PcwOkpP3mESX6tA1VylwpjIzcXpb-RUFu3zt7PTUjYraJ2eXd9kvifiUzGyZnqHjZlruGMps9s9fmlekW_nAtR0kUITW6SJ8-BdHN_5so8bzzCBlHql6E7gqkH_WOrVUgWiTX0Avi-EQr_v4CWA/s4032/IMG_6921.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_eb7b_a076_c297_36cd" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJvQPgp-CWu6uqKnjoUXDn4VyD1jc0YML5lgpnN67PcwOkpP3mESX6tA1VylwpjIzcXpb-RUFu3zt7PTUjYraJ2eXd9kvifiUzGyZnqHjZlruGMps9s9fmlekW_nAtR0kUITW6SJ8-BdHN_5so8bzzCBlHql6E7gqkH_WOrVUgWiTX0Avi-EQr_v4CWA/s320/IMG_6921.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We think there was something in the sno-cone!</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>People living in the Blue Ridge area say they are in the mountains of Georgia. Perhaps a more accurate description is to acknowledge that Blue Ridge is in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains<span face="sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-size: 15px;">. That means there are some great scenic views in this area. We also enjoyed visiting the touristy downtown Blue Ridge with Becky’s brother. </span></div><div><br></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are some specifics about this campground:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><ul><li>There were multiple loops in the campground</li><li>Our site was a pull-through </li><li>Most sites could be classified as "full sun" as trees were few and far apart</li><li>Most sites had a little space on both sides</li><li>Our site was paved with gravel and we needed to use leveling tools to correct a side-to-side lean in Rosie</li><li>Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service </li><li>Our site had a water connection</li><li>Our site had a sewer connection </li><li>This is a campground where trash is picked up curbside during the mornings. There were several trash dumpsters around the campground if you missed the curbside garbage pickup times</li><li>There was a nice and well maintained bathhouse in the campground </li><li>The park provided adequate WiFi service </li><li>AT&T provided 2 bars of 5G voice and data service over our campsite </li><li>The campground provided cable TV service since no over-the-air signals could be found</li><li>There were restaurants and shopping nearby</li><li>This was a pet friendly park </li></ul><br><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-89013352959710833742023-06-22T06:00:00.001-05:002023-06-22T06:00:00.139-05:00Shady Grove Campground - Cumming, Georgia (May 2023)We had reservations in one of Duckett Mill COE (Corps of Engineers) campground's 108 campsites. Then we received an email from Recreation.gov saying that campground was closed for the season. <div><br></div><div>Out first thought was that the campground was about to be renovated, but that didn’t explain why they confirmed our reservations only to cancel them later. Then we started seeing people comment on several online forums that their reservations at other COE campgrounds in Georgia were also canceled. Our questions were answered when we saw a news story saying multiple COE campgrounds were closed because there were not enough volunteers to keep them open. How sad!</div><div><br></div><div>Only a handful of sites were available when we made our reservations at Duckett Mill. When it closed, we knew that more than 100 displaced campers would be hunting for sites in any open campgrounds in the area. We also knew we were fortunate when we succeeded in getting a site in Shady Grove Campground for Rosie, our Airstream trailer. </div><div><br></div><div>We called some friends who live in the area and told them about our change in plans. Our friends said they loved Shady Grove, but some sites would be tight for a travel trailer. We were happy to hear back from them saying they drove out to the park and confirmed our assigned site was level. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_f784_6e0a_ed14_cbdf"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAEY6rZ_54wX_wYgiZzeNFHDYjnbTCPjH4ukLUxBRr-0bGeuTPQaZWfrAHnZoVKDLqd33p_v0YE312OxgJn317flgFGZ4t81OUGIiP30ErSd6ia22CxyrXUl4rehRaBBvF4nKscv-AoT8KgvDD90vimGm0jy0tdZXiChZ74tyPcD0qmvPfK3lGiehbdA/s4032/IMG_6687.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAEY6rZ_54wX_wYgiZzeNFHDYjnbTCPjH4ukLUxBRr-0bGeuTPQaZWfrAHnZoVKDLqd33p_v0YE312OxgJn317flgFGZ4t81OUGIiP30ErSd6ia22CxyrXUl4rehRaBBvF4nKscv-AoT8KgvDD90vimGm0jy0tdZXiChZ74tyPcD0qmvPfK3lGiehbdA/s320/IMG_6687.jpeg" width="320" id="id_1a25_7a8a_ea_17b5" style="width: 336px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stopped on the road to the park because a tree fell and pulled down power lines</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>We almost made it to the campground when we saw the road was blocked by a utilities truck and a truck from the park. A tree had fallen over blocking the road. It also brought down several power lines that served the campground. We waited about an hour for the crew to remove the tree and reconnect the power lines. </div><div><br></div><div>One of the first things we noticed once the road was cleared was that Shady Grove has the look and feel of a COE park. We found out that this campground was built by the Engineers and leased to the county. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_838b_2d4e_8967_a1d6"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZ0DAzEvTmXp3aRYpV5tdp6G8vdaDRziuFcRPe2oj24Oj53RpgdWPQbxc6Vx7REx5lPu-EVMsM0OK2ntqBoOUe35tPXwY9zcC0OHJCuJ7t-RhogLRD9Rlo7XzbEjqqy0n3ERNKm0epwy5-cbWs4OvVJl6yCpMpgnRIFIHgBvivg2QL7MqCsfDUtwKQA/s4032/IMG_6853.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZ0DAzEvTmXp3aRYpV5tdp6G8vdaDRziuFcRPe2oj24Oj53RpgdWPQbxc6Vx7REx5lPu-EVMsM0OK2ntqBoOUe35tPXwY9zcC0OHJCuJ7t-RhogLRD9Rlo7XzbEjqqy0n3ERNKm0epwy5-cbWs4OvVJl6yCpMpgnRIFIHgBvivg2QL7MqCsfDUtwKQA/s320/IMG_6853.jpeg" width="320" id="id_e70d_70b9_df99_401b" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sign at the entrance to the campground</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>We understood what our friends said about some sites as we drove to our site. Some sites had steep access angles that would have been difficult for Rosie. Our site was a pull-through. By the way, we enjoyed meeting and catching up with our friends at a nearby restaurant. </div><div><br></div><div>Shady Grove was an accurate name for that campground. There were tall shade trees throughout.</div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_ed89_85fd_b13a_e406"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp5zv7MKgh8XyxLA6qhBtrflC6cX5kZ0pNMTxzBmZNn_QhKhJ7F9U3nJjF3NdVib567kTQhGmOTr7A_TOBQ2UYDfhz9WqXqREuCNTcyfBsMMKeB5cIio-NbPirYiYLF2nV5h0dSca09LjprkgKUapAodwIq0JbcI2iDt6f1SrlNGEvDTUhdP6CQRKY5Q/s4032/IMG_6737.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp5zv7MKgh8XyxLA6qhBtrflC6cX5kZ0pNMTxzBmZNn_QhKhJ7F9U3nJjF3NdVib567kTQhGmOTr7A_TOBQ2UYDfhz9WqXqREuCNTcyfBsMMKeB5cIio-NbPirYiYLF2nV5h0dSca09LjprkgKUapAodwIq0JbcI2iDt6f1SrlNGEvDTUhdP6CQRKY5Q/s320/IMG_6737.jpeg" width="320" id="id_4771_cf51_3f81_ea56" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our site<br><br></td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_f068_8445_4200_7beb"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx-Yge31dOmyRSxkF9-rtRdLTXxkd3toV4HOpBB4_bnp-Vm3rR9auulK5poLufrhRsVJavjaHpjp3WH9U8_F0tDKf7H6wpZ1GohcCO8N97GNd5XPoMXSZoPY7dbXii2Gc5EAaaSWatrrcKes8JWJrhL9XgA55EEJlUqwM1Jh7o0hIWgvxMCkKlh8ANvw/s4032/IMG_6738.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx-Yge31dOmyRSxkF9-rtRdLTXxkd3toV4HOpBB4_bnp-Vm3rR9auulK5poLufrhRsVJavjaHpjp3WH9U8_F0tDKf7H6wpZ1GohcCO8N97GNd5XPoMXSZoPY7dbXii2Gc5EAaaSWatrrcKes8JWJrhL9XgA55EEJlUqwM1Jh7o0hIWgvxMCkKlh8ANvw/s320/IMG_6738.jpeg" width="320" id="id_ce20_bce7_9f1a_e374" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie parked in our site</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>The campground could have been named Deer Grove. It seemed that we frequently saw three or four deer near Rosie while in the park. We saw deer in the mornings, afternoons and evenings. This park may hold the record for the most deer seen while camping. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_b84e_45da_9de4_f663"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixoHIqnBfNT74nBSyZAVZ5WHbRUnRGgISIFtup26NJmrz0_GEMivvC_rJ7cAfRKnQusdPSF9CnwP4noGbcqDJODR2HVTHNEpmQFuOmZ7eIUPl2RrK3vSa7adOMmVrQiYgW-aj9bC4_EJPXgyo7Um3kIRs_rCoPoMIljdloLuFcqF2ZfhmM8OUtV1zb-w/s4032/IMG_6725.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixoHIqnBfNT74nBSyZAVZ5WHbRUnRGgISIFtup26NJmrz0_GEMivvC_rJ7cAfRKnQusdPSF9CnwP4noGbcqDJODR2HVTHNEpmQFuOmZ7eIUPl2RrK3vSa7adOMmVrQiYgW-aj9bC4_EJPXgyo7Um3kIRs_rCoPoMIljdloLuFcqF2ZfhmM8OUtV1zb-w/s320/IMG_6725.jpeg" width="320" id="id_2090_5e23_37f6_b966" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deer were everywhere in this park<br><br></td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_f03b_4980_4abb_2ed9"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJWWilU9yoU10i_7TSSOom5AOXfOSA7fLQenSy-dWlaarQsXnaCswenqStURG5ickll08QIvKJSuIkRgJL_OeVnz5DYLkJHT9sF5H5bXLhBzcpGBrf5BHer-wLLXl30710h0O_6TASIo81tAV2SE_wfq3jj1b26H5H4CTp1MI-B8UCQTIcVThsMqXcA/s4032/IMG_6753.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJWWilU9yoU10i_7TSSOom5AOXfOSA7fLQenSy-dWlaarQsXnaCswenqStURG5ickll08QIvKJSuIkRgJL_OeVnz5DYLkJHT9sF5H5bXLhBzcpGBrf5BHer-wLLXl30710h0O_6TASIo81tAV2SE_wfq3jj1b26H5H4CTp1MI-B8UCQTIcVThsMqXcA/s320/IMG_6753.jpeg" width="320" id="id_c665_b2fb_aee9_4479" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deer were very close to Rosie's site</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>We were also amazed at the number of song birds in this park. We constantly heard birds as we walked around the campground. That was a welcome sound. </div><div><br></div><div>Speaking of birds, we had a surprise while camping there. We locked our bikes to the picnic table then placed a tarp over them to help protect them from the weather. We didn’t ride our bikes in that park because it was too hilly. I was surprised when I removed the tarp while loading up to leave the campground to discover that a bird had flown up under the tarp and was building a nest on Becky’s bike. We carefully moved the nest to another location before we loaded the bikes on their carrier. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_94fa_816c_14c5_ad6d"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT0ddEpzOcrCDQrWsWecW72zyJps2gjFtCMS9HFaOqA-HPQU-0w6DeegQRyOdc5o-dCsTaHRCFtQK1FubO46am4VZU775Rfp-WPENwe559cwO4UVuDs1wClMv4_JqAbBPEDb57yiMQv5nAGqV2fpkMJka1-oWj97x7eLDJl9_jBUS2fT0_hO_Mr3YHOw/s4032/IMG_6852.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT0ddEpzOcrCDQrWsWecW72zyJps2gjFtCMS9HFaOqA-HPQU-0w6DeegQRyOdc5o-dCsTaHRCFtQK1FubO46am4VZU775Rfp-WPENwe559cwO4UVuDs1wClMv4_JqAbBPEDb57yiMQv5nAGqV2fpkMJka1-oWj97x7eLDJl9_jBUS2fT0_hO_Mr3YHOw/s320/IMG_6852.jpeg" width="320" id="id_1478_16d0_331b_35c7" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bird nest built in a day on Becky's bike</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>For a campground picked as a last minute replacement for a closed park, we were pleasantly surprised at how nice this campground turned out to be. </div><div><br></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are some specifics about this campground:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><ul><li>There were multiple loops in the campground</li><li>Our site was a pull-through </li><li>Our site had shade</li><li>Most sites had plenty of space on both sides</li><li>Our site was paved with asphalt and we needed to use leveling tools to correct a side-to-side lean in Rosie </li><li>Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service </li><li>Our site had a water connection</li><li>There was a dump station in this park </li><li>The trash dumpsters were at the entrance of the campground and near the boat launch </li><li>There were multiple bathhouses in the campground. The bathhouse nearest Rosie was clean and maintained</li><li>The park did not provide WiFi service </li><li>AT&T provided 2 bars of 5G voice and data service over our campsite </li><li>Rosie’s TV sets found more than 80 digital stations. </li><li>There were restaurants and shopping nearby</li><li>This was a pet friendly park </li></ul></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_e5dd_9cc4_c9ed_d00c"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNmZ5Z3LZ-I0Qiyn8Z_bG7ahIykX58oIj3H5eX0_F8dxVymIwl-FyZJ92TTKpINBxkAPQUEqD4h7qaE8YlnJ7DsLYVNz28htQwbPku3ig8Cxj9PDHo6uoFebGrOU0c3k-la2dhePpIx4_Uj4fqhUf9TXu_cq0Q3P8vkkZulFP4VRt1WJDM3Nyn9z1FDA/s4032/IMG_6741.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNmZ5Z3LZ-I0Qiyn8Z_bG7ahIykX58oIj3H5eX0_F8dxVymIwl-FyZJ92TTKpINBxkAPQUEqD4h7qaE8YlnJ7DsLYVNz28htQwbPku3ig8Cxj9PDHo6uoFebGrOU0c3k-la2dhePpIx4_Uj4fqhUf9TXu_cq0Q3P8vkkZulFP4VRt1WJDM3Nyn9z1FDA/s320/IMG_6741.jpeg" width="320" id="id_d09e_a759_adf1_4ce1" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the camping loop roads<br><br></td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_4fee_412e_7c67_8b6"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4WQCR2oA1RMwAleayk4cxUhLhi0lRAf0oiHle5SdIcXv1OLHRbEG-9m5eqWJxDfJXwjcId2aG7VoCRQUZsNrHpmfAPDQQnhA9hHMnRd0Bwp2qeOa67qe-DKw1_oVGo8sc_g9FQGYGqAYetK_QdRuhVoWJgNyL4k9pgG6tZALkr_DvcZh6poGPe7dIQ/s4032/IMG_6744.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4WQCR2oA1RMwAleayk4cxUhLhi0lRAf0oiHle5SdIcXv1OLHRbEG-9m5eqWJxDfJXwjcId2aG7VoCRQUZsNrHpmfAPDQQnhA9hHMnRd0Bwp2qeOa67qe-DKw1_oVGo8sc_g9FQGYGqAYetK_QdRuhVoWJgNyL4k9pgG6tZALkr_DvcZh6poGPe7dIQ/s320/IMG_6744.jpeg" width="320" id="id_f702_be42_5e9b_1ba4" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lake<br><br></td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_fabf_c1e3_9b71_b106"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxPVnmy78VCwg6S1YN9sN9cFnc71T57rdpnXpAG4IhcgVRd8gGJgADKuSC0xbI2hzc2-_mQX57pLuCh-pwEOvvJLjMo4reRWLhhG7ulEcQ7HnKrnSPMWsuPeE2TU0ZjPem6l3bSbQgkD1wD9iE3EXtLS24vyPNkuVDo6gC48qztpwAKbHCUfFu2QUow/s4032/IMG_6749.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxPVnmy78VCwg6S1YN9sN9cFnc71T57rdpnXpAG4IhcgVRd8gGJgADKuSC0xbI2hzc2-_mQX57pLuCh-pwEOvvJLjMo4reRWLhhG7ulEcQ7HnKrnSPMWsuPeE2TU0ZjPem6l3bSbQgkD1wD9iE3EXtLS24vyPNkuVDo6gC48qztpwAKbHCUfFu2QUow/s320/IMG_6749.jpeg" width="320" id="id_6b24_b5d1_81de_cee0" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selfie in the campground</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_2186_ae24_58d2_42a7"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStu4PoWPily5F9F6PPgz1QWx_6UV9EMzQlWzSjOVVhAqVjh7JyeFZwzR6YtUiE4ODCQF3CXSZabHD77okAmx-VSHjaRraTZLBFX9qQW00UzoaZ6JtMRD_oscuLLJRCXI0OIpdIuoZvwmZGJQ6PazTtaEDmvz_T27f8C89ulEx-_mG7PMBgHS3nTKOLw/s4032/IMG_6838.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStu4PoWPily5F9F6PPgz1QWx_6UV9EMzQlWzSjOVVhAqVjh7JyeFZwzR6YtUiE4ODCQF3CXSZabHD77okAmx-VSHjaRraTZLBFX9qQW00UzoaZ6JtMRD_oscuLLJRCXI0OIpdIuoZvwmZGJQ6PazTtaEDmvz_T27f8C89ulEx-_mG7PMBgHS3nTKOLw/s320/IMG_6838.jpeg" width="320" id="id_c03b_d70e_77b9_5a08" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Becky and Suzy in the campground</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-21940910200834912292023-06-18T06:00:00.001-05:002023-06-18T06:00:00.142-05:00Points West Army Resort (U.S. Military FamCamp) - Appling, Georgia (April 2023)I knew the camping loop we wanted when I called to make reservations in this military FamCamp. There was only one site available for more than a week, so I quickly booked it. When I asked if the site had a view of the lake, the response was “I don’t know” followed by “it’s the only site available.”<div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_1a5a_3ba9_f8dc_bc3a"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Jn33dJ_uDPje6zELQa6Tq1K5C41ATD4ISkZZ-Y1wYYj0anMcTMNYA_o6zATbun1p2tsJHzIwXb8DaNR78IAto-r1bHeFe5WgQKPsB7RYz04DpEiXRGkrye4XG6QhsR389B46wDq1PvRDyK83MYsDDc9J0qNiYr3xuTIB1BmGF9hDoYpcv7jjmx4XzQ/s4032/IMG_6417.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Jn33dJ_uDPje6zELQa6Tq1K5C41ATD4ISkZZ-Y1wYYj0anMcTMNYA_o6zATbun1p2tsJHzIwXb8DaNR78IAto-r1bHeFe5WgQKPsB7RYz04DpEiXRGkrye4XG6QhsR389B46wDq1PvRDyK83MYsDDc9J0qNiYr3xuTIB1BmGF9hDoYpcv7jjmx4XzQ/s320/IMG_6417.jpeg" width="320" id="id_7be3_a877_a92f_5f05" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sign at the entrance to the campground</td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_cbd4_513b_428b_1f6"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAfW_ojRP8kTnRs08HetdiObFAJgGhT2t18zNDyKdTvuobDi4RAj-jEHRq9Qx-ZIXjAzTfrD9qmtutMsXxNAQSd86Cyqymr0wUAaYeJxzfkt2llW5Xew8HyK9ItoH4Y3mG0ZMSrQhLA6njfPO5AAVJ-ueCezEhaHA9tfkvyO4gshXDl7J6oVfVetsHtg/s4032/IMG_6413.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAfW_ojRP8kTnRs08HetdiObFAJgGhT2t18zNDyKdTvuobDi4RAj-jEHRq9Qx-ZIXjAzTfrD9qmtutMsXxNAQSd86Cyqymr0wUAaYeJxzfkt2llW5Xew8HyK9ItoH4Y3mG0ZMSrQhLA6njfPO5AAVJ-ueCezEhaHA9tfkvyO4gshXDl7J6oVfVetsHtg/s320/IMG_6413.jpeg" width="320" id="id_7987_5776_9842_fe47" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sign just before the security building where military credentials were checked</td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><br></div><div>Our expectations were low and we decided to drive straight to our site after we passed the ID check at the gate instead of driving to the office and checking in. We were both surprised and happy to see we had a good view of the lake. We quickly set up Rosie, our Airstream trailer, in our site then rushed to the office to complete the paperwork. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_53ea_597f_e647_5e53"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72dvWZAEBXpZIaOxrYP_JgGlURkPrgRGr2abY5T_H-LT_gyHZPxY-SYqS1E8L_FOX9p5I2d39kUzVeGLHg1L4LrZUovk5gzB8Ol52vYOZe9pKoq-7Gk-illZ6YeqM-U_8XonwWaA24n42P_sNjMun6VAio1k81xYNkTJIPCr7Gn6OqloY53ignckXSA/s4032/IMG_6418.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72dvWZAEBXpZIaOxrYP_JgGlURkPrgRGr2abY5T_H-LT_gyHZPxY-SYqS1E8L_FOX9p5I2d39kUzVeGLHg1L4LrZUovk5gzB8Ol52vYOZe9pKoq-7Gk-illZ6YeqM-U_8XonwWaA24n42P_sNjMun6VAio1k81xYNkTJIPCr7Gn6OqloY53ignckXSA/s320/IMG_6418.jpeg" width="320" id="id_b192_244e_69a0_2ffd" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The road to the multiple camping loops in this park</td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_73a2_b98c_9aaf_40a8"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-BvqIkKFjnJIbPnGR9RzDGXZFJwUUimTbjFtR7_hSsLRYP04vq0ubBByd9E6u3sDKctkH_3TKwGY_Q2zaInqtmMFC3Gx9IwzTeFxlZccHtiJh_LIBiHZ5jdsPmzJM1xvAQ-vAjyYMybG7tTYTEsccjjCrg_3k6x_Tzssf7X1qjM4IZJ0uEirKaie0w/s4032/IMG_6283.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-BvqIkKFjnJIbPnGR9RzDGXZFJwUUimTbjFtR7_hSsLRYP04vq0ubBByd9E6u3sDKctkH_3TKwGY_Q2zaInqtmMFC3Gx9IwzTeFxlZccHtiJh_LIBiHZ5jdsPmzJM1xvAQ-vAjyYMybG7tTYTEsccjjCrg_3k6x_Tzssf7X1qjM4IZJ0uEirKaie0w/s320/IMG_6283.jpeg" width="320" id="id_82ec_4934_8907_5e81" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our campsite on the lake<br><br></td></tr></tbody></table><br><div>We think of this campground as a great place to ride our bikes. We were in the minority as we saw more people fishing than riding bikes. In fact, we only saw one other person riding a bike while there and he was on an e-bike and we are not sure that counts. Maybe the number of hills had something to do with the lack of others riding their bikes. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_7f77_8622_2e12_5c63"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO8GK_acfixNRC5Yzwdd7yEaP1dmlGnMBBpYQdPBQ_-ohzHy7CbPFWHwHv_iMt6q4_A4o-ZW61RP1SVGbyB5OOXjB44ROyiY_eH6_ESlz5NsQaQSVFyFc5J1WnIc-1rvm5dRAcXHJuPDz0XcpqmtnRSu21zP4jx0zXSF-OdxPCuEAm7NzBKM5s3Twv5Q/s4032/IMG_6315.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO8GK_acfixNRC5Yzwdd7yEaP1dmlGnMBBpYQdPBQ_-ohzHy7CbPFWHwHv_iMt6q4_A4o-ZW61RP1SVGbyB5OOXjB44ROyiY_eH6_ESlz5NsQaQSVFyFc5J1WnIc-1rvm5dRAcXHJuPDz0XcpqmtnRSu21zP4jx0zXSF-OdxPCuEAm7NzBKM5s3Twv5Q/s320/IMG_6315.jpeg" width="320" id="id_c8ab_ad8f_3381_6b2" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Out on a bike ride<br><br></td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_2fef_fcae_99e3_824b"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXt5BYbv0n-brqZLfGOAK2zvQGLR9V6fXbM_biuEi-U50aVzojyr6ea-jSsRdID-2bRddObxVEX3zKDfe5-RRTPRT1iMDdiZtMp_Z5tMOkSkPdxvkBOSM2qgkXyMn9r46YaH7YLnQi8PGOkUsrxUjFJHgFVpMqRwUtr5OgLy8OcjJmQq9uk1EBrmw2ow/s4032/IMG_6409.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXt5BYbv0n-brqZLfGOAK2zvQGLR9V6fXbM_biuEi-U50aVzojyr6ea-jSsRdID-2bRddObxVEX3zKDfe5-RRTPRT1iMDdiZtMp_Z5tMOkSkPdxvkBOSM2qgkXyMn9r46YaH7YLnQi8PGOkUsrxUjFJHgFVpMqRwUtr5OgLy8OcjJmQq9uk1EBrmw2ow/s320/IMG_6409.jpeg" width="320" id="id_fa97_7f1_44c0_a91b" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting ready for another bike ride</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div>We brought our inflatable kayak to this park and looked forward to using it in the lake. Then the weather turned ugly. It rained, the temperature dropped into the very chilly range and it was very windy. We decided to forgo using our kayak. </div><div><br></div><div>The pollen was a problem while there. We both discovered that we reacted to the high amounts of pollen in the park. </div><div><br></div><div>We noticed that people in FamCamps frequently talk about the branch of military they served in and the places they served. What isn’t discussed is rank and specific jobs in the military. Something said by a camping neighbor caught my attention and I broke the standard protocol and asked him about his military occupation. I was right in that he had the same military job I had years earlier. This was a unique job and only a small group of people served in that area. It was interesting talking to him to learn how that job has changed over the past 50 years. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_48f2_f836_9953_cbf8"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM_Jq3Fdw-VenbsorQksk1-LFEl2poILb2yW-Rtj7AMc3Z69egtnwLJh2zCoIlXx1nqM4MS1CN71hSWJQe_2rRRXcqc1XhOXJlct4tMJXoqjiOn5LZmC35HEChGrVMZ7rtfduxwlHmZkiMz6lv6bCNefn040iCLHc2Ink7HEhzdxyIRrffPRxSKj1s6A/s4032/IMG_6622.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM_Jq3Fdw-VenbsorQksk1-LFEl2poILb2yW-Rtj7AMc3Z69egtnwLJh2zCoIlXx1nqM4MS1CN71hSWJQe_2rRRXcqc1XhOXJlct4tMJXoqjiOn5LZmC35HEChGrVMZ7rtfduxwlHmZkiMz6lv6bCNefn040iCLHc2Ink7HEhzdxyIRrffPRxSKj1s6A/s320/IMG_6622.jpeg" width="320" id="id_6893_d2a5_a0b4_9086" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A cookout with our camping neighbor</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>We were surprised to see that the campground was only about half full during our visit. Maybe it was the weather keeping people away because this was supposed to be a full park. We were glad that we were able to get our reservations and we enjoyed our time in this FamCamp. </div><div><br></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are some specifics about this campground:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><ul><li>There were multiple loops in the campground. A surprising number of sites in those loops have water views</li><li>Our site was a back in</li><li>Most sites in our loop could be classified as "full sun" as trees were few and far apart</li><li>Some loops in this campground had shade</li><li>Most sites had some space on both sides</li><li>Our site was paved with gravel and we needed to use leveling tools to correct a side-to-side lean in Rosie</li><li>Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service </li><li>Our site had a water connection</li><li>Our site had a sewer connection</li><li>There were trashcans at each site in our loop</li><li>There was a bathhouse in the campground </li><li>The park did not provide WiFi service in the camping loops. WiFi was available at the office </li><li>AT&T provided 1bar of 5G voice and data service over our campsite </li><li>We were able to watch ABC using Rosie’s TV antenna. Digital channel seen was ME-TV</li><li>There were restaurants and shopping about 10 miles from the campground </li><li>This was a pet friendly park </li></ul><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_b9bd_639e_3707_8397"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfgYsYXQJk1AnO7pdODC8oH4FuimegJjChDTExlLqGsBIAuAfHRHmylUM6_Iq9ImN6kiVWeVRbOKnznCkGH2qDAOYvd_HDNmLu-niY7RjsABxohUBr3wM7pH0ngpciBcufsn3SI4IpPBVSVqlT0Pw-PcRd1gENsFouv-MGIpKwAVpqd59ra3OwdjcQew/s4032/IMG_6280.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfgYsYXQJk1AnO7pdODC8oH4FuimegJjChDTExlLqGsBIAuAfHRHmylUM6_Iq9ImN6kiVWeVRbOKnznCkGH2qDAOYvd_HDNmLu-niY7RjsABxohUBr3wM7pH0ngpciBcufsn3SI4IpPBVSVqlT0Pw-PcRd1gENsFouv-MGIpKwAVpqd59ra3OwdjcQew/s320/IMG_6280.jpeg" width="320" id="id_94ae_389_a442_88c2" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selfie in the campground<br><br></td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_22d7_733_7cae_d50b"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOe6m506bB9TS705dsd1hd_fk0zYNBLtYu9gvE9AXY3__Cp6kpLVQ49BYauf1xsPSecbgzPnEvLQ5bhB_wHWLt0bYHObm_lq4joIGIJFqcLRKk9MCPu1lit537r_0Jb07Dv9skpWx_O2km0YMZGiUoP7O4usy9siq0VWATPW0jnsNnAUSPfxHOMpbfrQ/s4032/IMG_6288.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOe6m506bB9TS705dsd1hd_fk0zYNBLtYu9gvE9AXY3__Cp6kpLVQ49BYauf1xsPSecbgzPnEvLQ5bhB_wHWLt0bYHObm_lq4joIGIJFqcLRKk9MCPu1lit537r_0Jb07Dv9skpWx_O2km0YMZGiUoP7O4usy9siq0VWATPW0jnsNnAUSPfxHOMpbfrQ/s320/IMG_6288.jpeg" width="320" id="id_af5f_905d_c94f_652b" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the cabins across the lake</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_75e3_357a_7e8d_e8c3"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6tI61Z8k2P8RGo8LIpcfkr5wbhU8L6j3u4N5NP7dd9V7QkyvlUSu0PfFpsn6v_mx460liTzKq_7mGmepKIO7w_1cy-FEsgOwxLfcnhSV7UM_xmIfAghbK9dUHiCxQ1plUJ16qz7Wii6bA0EDqyHL7P-YjkL6PrHVUiSjFi1qWPfcrdmgzaPxn7OHbA/s4032/IMG_6473.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6tI61Z8k2P8RGo8LIpcfkr5wbhU8L6j3u4N5NP7dd9V7QkyvlUSu0PfFpsn6v_mx460liTzKq_7mGmepKIO7w_1cy-FEsgOwxLfcnhSV7UM_xmIfAghbK9dUHiCxQ1plUJ16qz7Wii6bA0EDqyHL7P-YjkL6PrHVUiSjFi1qWPfcrdmgzaPxn7OHbA/s320/IMG_6473.jpeg" width="320" id="id_9e43_a515_d8fd_e302" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the lake<br><br></td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_b263_7b3e_a5f8_b5eb"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbuqDrE9dtR-CQC62lp2bCpybHjiDN5N_sI6ewebhb53LxEkBU3Ksl-JsbzYGDWuMWO3WLkNKU-ziZeyNmpwHRIWmTIBepQPCk9LSxmwe4XRtffXjfmAYhMXT8Jsloh2qezUn8IfpFGEgFBZIjTRfNPPgy1AnV_sed7sbWB9eqM2vBhe3U7leNuN14Yg/s4032/IMG_6486.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbuqDrE9dtR-CQC62lp2bCpybHjiDN5N_sI6ewebhb53LxEkBU3Ksl-JsbzYGDWuMWO3WLkNKU-ziZeyNmpwHRIWmTIBepQPCk9LSxmwe4XRtffXjfmAYhMXT8Jsloh2qezUn8IfpFGEgFBZIjTRfNPPgy1AnV_sed7sbWB9eqM2vBhe3U7leNuN14Yg/s320/IMG_6486.jpeg" width="320" id="id_7582_f9c6_6a4f_64ec" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It has been a few years since I was required to accomplish the "confidence course."<br><br></td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_5590_ccbd_689f_66aa"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJS32SCuz160T65pXVcx1SCF_jJAnvCGATk0h-J4S0qyW9FE_bxFoEy-NfwJJe9hYVW7ot8rzk0-f8tYmWqgdBDT-GBGUK-GbyvwPS3pvSdK_xdv2LDveToFJ6xEnwf4X5YGDmX7gmaEE7Ujr44LsjPRr3UXBM2M-j_fAQYf0LfF_avvAEkdQXWKPJA/s4032/IMG_6666.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJS32SCuz160T65pXVcx1SCF_jJAnvCGATk0h-J4S0qyW9FE_bxFoEy-NfwJJe9hYVW7ot8rzk0-f8tYmWqgdBDT-GBGUK-GbyvwPS3pvSdK_xdv2LDveToFJ6xEnwf4X5YGDmX7gmaEE7Ujr44LsjPRr3UXBM2M-j_fAQYf0LfF_avvAEkdQXWKPJA/s320/IMG_6666.jpeg" width="320" id="id_62c7_b90_2f01_960a" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving the campground</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><br><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div></div>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-44308596575280244462023-04-21T06:00:00.001-05:002023-04-21T06:00:00.166-05:00All About Relaxing RV Park - Theodore, Alabama (April 2023)<div>We were exposed to COVID and decided to leave the Cajun Caravan one day earlier than planned. We called All About Relaxing RV Park to see if we could arrive a day earlier than our reservations. The park was full, but we could stay in their overflow area with 50 amp power and water connections. We quickly agreed and hitched up for an early morning departure. </div><div><br></div><div>We left Louisiana before sunrise. Our tire monitor system hadn’t registered with all of Rosie’s tires when we pulled out of the campground. (Rosie is what we call our Airstream trailer.) When it did, the alarm told us we had low pressure in one tire. It was dark, but we pulled into what we thought was an old gas station and got out the air pump. That was when we noticed a growing number of school aged children gathering next to Rosie. Yes, we were at a school bus stop and the number of students indicated that the bus was on the way. We were thankful that we were able to pump up the tire and pulled away before the bus arrived. </div><div><br></div><div>The remainder of our trip was uneventful and we arrived at the campground early in the afternoon. </div><div><br></div><div>We stayed at several campgrounds during the WBCCI Cajun Caravan that included the word “resort” in their names and I wondered what amenities they had that came up to to the level of a resort. This campground did not have “resort” in its name and we both recognized that it clearly qualified as a resort. It was more than the great swimming pool, which was open. It was more than the meeting areas around the park. It was more than the restrooms and showers, which may qualify as the nicest we have seen in any campground before. It was more than the manicured lawns and shrubs there. It was more than the friendly and helpful staff in the campground. The park's name didn’t include the word “resort,” but it clearly deserved that name.</div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_4422_e4f6_9f42_b0f2" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6e6D2U8M_RzqT7EF8xB04phCEAvlK1halpADo_SbP84rQR-reTm4CgR7RGHFRuBPaUQx7h4OqTS3MVGJfnvpaF_n3Yn7aycjf_axjhm5aJ-Pzz-eWpEGwlNH3SyMC52_Hu5qPvtciinYBZ7bN1T3kZDRtNeqyJ4Xdy-mbtmXYXxaXd20ViYoZXflVNg/s4032/IMG_5810.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_96dd_c45a_b98_b6ef" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6e6D2U8M_RzqT7EF8xB04phCEAvlK1halpADo_SbP84rQR-reTm4CgR7RGHFRuBPaUQx7h4OqTS3MVGJfnvpaF_n3Yn7aycjf_axjhm5aJ-Pzz-eWpEGwlNH3SyMC52_Hu5qPvtciinYBZ7bN1T3kZDRtNeqyJ4Xdy-mbtmXYXxaXd20ViYoZXflVNg/s320/IMG_5810.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie in the overflow site</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_8fad_3b5e_bcd9_8d58" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc6D3KOYelHQ-eDDo22Kl811ldliyY6DIKDApDyDrceeu-TS0i14QfVJGWf7UV-LVhTaBNsQus4o4eWF1D4UnFpMwv3epnrr7l2YUmeohbixJDG6cqcidEu1u6Kg5-8oC-ZN0VWQYVmUjx5mShCoADUxb8CAXhl8MNrjOQuoXHpqYqtGfoMfuv5UPm-w/s4032/IMG_5813.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_1447_bd69_ed3e_b342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc6D3KOYelHQ-eDDo22Kl811ldliyY6DIKDApDyDrceeu-TS0i14QfVJGWf7UV-LVhTaBNsQus4o4eWF1D4UnFpMwv3epnrr7l2YUmeohbixJDG6cqcidEu1u6Kg5-8oC-ZN0VWQYVmUjx5mShCoADUxb8CAXhl8MNrjOQuoXHpqYqtGfoMfuv5UPm-w/s320/IMG_5813.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nice meeting area in this campground</td></tr></tbody></table><br><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_133d_3ef3_876b_6844" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6YAjAsGfuN8zScvHhHESZzXv5xkE_rQaLYRz225OpXjVmOo6qNoCweYqG9iGR8Nk7ej1xs1pwB1w2fdRrDKYIckgYw6GYZoOT_Kb8DugVNH73Xidd4pOn3aknLp-kF9d2GCBD5yVsCLll_S1p_bCRNWMi9uMBVdR94ENpEXJd55GWeO4rGOSXoamWA/s4032/IMG_5814.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_6354_3188_6d87_a920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6YAjAsGfuN8zScvHhHESZzXv5xkE_rQaLYRz225OpXjVmOo6qNoCweYqG9iGR8Nk7ej1xs1pwB1w2fdRrDKYIckgYw6GYZoOT_Kb8DugVNH73Xidd4pOn3aknLp-kF9d2GCBD5yVsCLll_S1p_bCRNWMi9uMBVdR94ENpEXJd55GWeO4rGOSXoamWA/s320/IMG_5814.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of several spots in this campground to "relax"</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div>Since we were exposed to COVID, we kept our distance from other people. That was perfect because the overflow site was away from the main camping loop. We walked around the park while avoiding crossing paths with other people. Isolation was also hard on us since our son, his wife and our grandson were only a few miles away and we could not risk potentially exposing them to COVID. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_f551_ef38_eeac_292d" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDptd3ZWCa_VKzAx266UqqztJBTr09JDKaKWfaLtQUfL21V_y6XFNXMdyf9L6kwoJX6-hr1z_dwMwDhsXMVaS7cRXmzCRYmdgk7byrspptSOTgC2n_KL3U_d4zmVl-6D6q01e4x3babIKtUOJJ__CMNxnV33q43MS1T1FmKYg4dU-1KyS9jbnOrrXLkg/s4032/IMG_5817.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_66ed_3734_cf85_347c" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDptd3ZWCa_VKzAx266UqqztJBTr09JDKaKWfaLtQUfL21V_y6XFNXMdyf9L6kwoJX6-hr1z_dwMwDhsXMVaS7cRXmzCRYmdgk7byrspptSOTgC2n_KL3U_d4zmVl-6D6q01e4x3babIKtUOJJ__CMNxnV33q43MS1T1FmKYg4dU-1KyS9jbnOrrXLkg/s320/IMG_5817.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking Suzy in around the main camping loop</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>We pulled out early the next morning. We needed gas so we pulled off the Interstate Highway at a truck stop. Imagine my surprise when we merged back on the Interstate and saw our son’s car beside us in the other lane. He was headed to work and was as surprised as us to be sharing the road with his parents and Rosie for a few miles. </div><div><br></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_3ee2_ebb8_c9bf_5707" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgCqUO4Kl6EjfStpsktc6j5_jrS9jIE1GNgghoBr4uCJxaBDKOWeOehO15WlbFe1JtKOXAkVqVrMW6NTw8qBLZ6og0aN0E-bH_TBCRNjzhR4i2qcnumcDtlR_o3VDdD7EdmBlIPTVBsdrZkMN4M6uPAwpbJpbedcjQG1jLIN5wss196ch71kmn0x5pgw/s4032/IMG_4737.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_b0a7_bed1_a10e_a32c" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgCqUO4Kl6EjfStpsktc6j5_jrS9jIE1GNgghoBr4uCJxaBDKOWeOehO15WlbFe1JtKOXAkVqVrMW6NTw8qBLZ6og0aN0E-bH_TBCRNjzhR4i2qcnumcDtlR_o3VDdD7EdmBlIPTVBsdrZkMN4M6uPAwpbJpbedcjQG1jLIN5wss196ch71kmn0x5pgw/s320/IMG_4737.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie in our son's mirror</td></tr></tbody></table><br></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_c80_e2df_9801_db72" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ASPzD4iP5Wjqy0Yz1U4zWIp0bkO-CSa4QaRZ-tydjn1Z7QD5_FByd19vHeJps4NLi2o5Txs5saXHykbPpCL781OzaSLiz_vzx7pZeUdCpJjjISkjVpHSXdcubXVpcYDVw2OvDfxPeWzWdOjbX72L0pPD54yCEb_xYBY4F2pKSwUaBVHi9srSsW9Pkw/s4032/IMG_4738.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_77e2_25f9_5a8a_b100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ASPzD4iP5Wjqy0Yz1U4zWIp0bkO-CSa4QaRZ-tydjn1Z7QD5_FByd19vHeJps4NLi2o5Txs5saXHykbPpCL781OzaSLiz_vzx7pZeUdCpJjjISkjVpHSXdcubXVpcYDVw2OvDfxPeWzWdOjbX72L0pPD54yCEb_xYBY4F2pKSwUaBVHi9srSsW9Pkw/s320/IMG_4738.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Becky waving to our son as he exited the Interstate</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>All About Relaxing’s overflow spot didn’t have a sewer connection so we needed to stop at a rest stop with a dump station to drain and rinse our waste water tanks. Fortunately, most Alabama rest stops have dump stations. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_67e6_f5d7_c749_fe0d" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpCMkbr38cq2vszy6GrDMrOpPLNguWgtpHNT1B1pJslem5by4b_UPgNi7QMaRKvYFpqYjNS3N7VOZHj11r-fgDtAiIvBS16OOmOs_Y0YFxDg7S5otYCafgeW5ENpBM3YHsycYyYNWF0FiD5mfeLD8z0HywJEugXdwrKAFeQjiZ1SRJT43aw2ochhGX7Q/s4032/IMG_5837.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_aeba_612b_ac71_40" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpCMkbr38cq2vszy6GrDMrOpPLNguWgtpHNT1B1pJslem5by4b_UPgNi7QMaRKvYFpqYjNS3N7VOZHj11r-fgDtAiIvBS16OOmOs_Y0YFxDg7S5otYCafgeW5ENpBM3YHsycYyYNWF0FiD5mfeLD8z0HywJEugXdwrKAFeQjiZ1SRJT43aw2ochhGX7Q/s320/IMG_5837.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dump station at an Alabama Rest Stop</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>Our return to the Interstate was memorable, but not as enjoyable as being on the road next to our son. I never returned to our cruising speed because traffic was at a standstill. We found out that a semi truck carrying hazardous materials turned over ahead of us about four hours earlier. It took more than two hours to travel a mere 10 miles. Then the bottleneck cleared and we were again headed home at our normal towing speed. </div><div><br></div><div>By the way, we talked with our daughter-in-law as we headed home. She is a clinical pharmacist at a major hospital and she gave us the timeline of how long we should isolate ourselves if we continued showing no symptoms of COVID. We followed her instructions and ended up not getting COVID. Whew!</div><div><br></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are some specifics about this campground:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><ul><li>We found one loop in this campground</li><li>Our site was a back in</li><li>Most sites had some shade</li><li>Most sites had some space on both sides</li><li>Our site was paved with gravel and we needed to use leveling tools to correct a side-to-side lean in Rosie </li><li>Our site had a 50 amp electrical service </li><li>Our site had a water connection</li><li>As the overflow site, it did not have a sewer connection </li><li>There was a bathhouse in the campground </li><li>The park did not provide WiFi service </li><li>AT&T provided 2 bars of 5G voice and data service over our campsite </li><li>We were able to watch ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and PBS using Rosie’s TV antenna. Digital channels seen were Bounce, Charge, Comet, Court-TV, Grit, ION, LAFF, ME-TV and Stadium</li><li>There were restaurants and shopping nearby</li><li>This was a pet friendly park </li></ul></div></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><br>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-10963438536750014322023-04-17T06:00:00.001-05:002023-04-17T06:00:00.161-05:00Bayou Wilderness RV Resort - Carencro, Louisiana (March 2023)Nearly everyone on a WBCCI Caravan has an opportunity to help the group through an assigned task and our duty was to serve as parkers at this campground. That meant we left our last campground two hours earlier than the other members and traveled to this park with the caravan leaders. We quickly unhitched and set up Rosie, our Airstream trailer, because we knew there were about 20 more Airstream trailers headed to this park. <div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_3fde_eb08_8f9_6618" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0MvIcONILqOgc8eyC7tevyZiAtYhPqGqGr8y3kjY-PvF0J0yR6rkNZcsl_EA78BJgWEvzda45PePm01EmBzicXVuP3sLZX8rjHyBq53TSXO0P9q2B93XP0ZuZ3pUTXJZp_3Y1EuEOAQq4uAIAVQAhX6YTd-hiU5usBYcMtyCudtmP91OWU6w7DYTrYg/s4032/IMG_5355.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_595d_f10e_85a2_7809" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0MvIcONILqOgc8eyC7tevyZiAtYhPqGqGr8y3kjY-PvF0J0yR6rkNZcsl_EA78BJgWEvzda45PePm01EmBzicXVuP3sLZX8rjHyBq53TSXO0P9q2B93XP0ZuZ3pUTXJZp_3Y1EuEOAQq4uAIAVQAhX6YTd-hiU5usBYcMtyCudtmP91OWU6w7DYTrYg/s320/IMG_5355.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Following the leaders to Bayou Wilderness RV Resort</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_fb75_715d_892c_2da1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxd954HnowhYfp8kcsKe1_oVZxYMmJaD1FxDH3O1Pdqw1f1RjFQE64qiRaDrrjwE5NiYJYnC-j8ZbyrU_KYUVx79jro6OvKwfxeOgQSPl9PqJFR7Ic9_5ri0xX4UG8cz-dBPhFjkSBvK-HzsiHsz4LUwPDXDgPLX8-4ysNw6GvAcaxLgn2MZrznj0NZA/s4032/IMG_5361.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_f193_c7f_967d_722b" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxd954HnowhYfp8kcsKe1_oVZxYMmJaD1FxDH3O1Pdqw1f1RjFQE64qiRaDrrjwE5NiYJYnC-j8ZbyrU_KYUVx79jro6OvKwfxeOgQSPl9PqJFR7Ic9_5ri0xX4UG8cz-dBPhFjkSBvK-HzsiHsz4LUwPDXDgPLX8-4ysNw6GvAcaxLgn2MZrznj0NZA/s320/IMG_5361.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sign at the entrance to the campground</td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><br /></div><div>Our jobs were simple. I stood at the entrance to the campground with a red flag and waved in approaching trucks pulling Airstream trailers. I used our radios to relay the number of the arrivals to Becky, who gave them their site numbers and other park information. </div><div><br /></div><div>It was interesting to me that you could turn into this campground from three directions. We had fellow caravaners who arrived from all three directions while following the same directions. How does that happen? Of course the answer is that Apple Maps, Google, Garmin and the many other GPS systems in use all came up with their own shortcuts to the park. </div><div><div><br /></div></div><div>There were more than 100 sites in this campground. The roads inside this park were paved with gravel. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_db98_5675_51b1_587e" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRUeJdZ02bwD0hxycUxs8NCc2-04Q2-GOCIxtwOFwHhseRxI2rUF2_bsZ_apFX-kjS9CugVl4Plt_j0M-LNFiXEA4Zw488EYm11JiULYkCOh3BKoShwEClAenF2zCkUWeZvqqoNtounzNvuAyUyWbMvL4NCnGwHHoQjMEeSHJvkYyeCjKHWsJK_34Aw/s4032/IMG_5777.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_62f9_554c_9b70_2a72" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRUeJdZ02bwD0hxycUxs8NCc2-04Q2-GOCIxtwOFwHhseRxI2rUF2_bsZ_apFX-kjS9CugVl4Plt_j0M-LNFiXEA4Zw488EYm11JiULYkCOh3BKoShwEClAenF2zCkUWeZvqqoNtounzNvuAyUyWbMvL4NCnGwHHoQjMEeSHJvkYyeCjKHWsJK_34Aw/s320/IMG_5777.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking Suzy in the campground</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Some of our activities from this campground included a swamp tour and a visit to an alligator skin studio where they made purses, wallets and boots. We also visited a large Catholic Church that had an amazing tree on the side of the building. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_b1d_ffea_4720_914e" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Ksx_pPUpyTNbYicK0RR-tA3hDUaDApmtiVHGjX0b6WorX5EahSah3_xG8MDKgRGoVxJ5oZscdzK5TrRKLii39TaYqPyGU9A57DGHFB6x-7RWfVlOD6oVm3r9zZonASQMFUOfio3anJmOTOxm_SZoqaypRBPo1TXWmWWw5klujmSP0UphFsY3h4WVzg/s4032/IMG_5421.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_ebcf_3806_dafc_8386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Ksx_pPUpyTNbYicK0RR-tA3hDUaDApmtiVHGjX0b6WorX5EahSah3_xG8MDKgRGoVxJ5oZscdzK5TrRKLii39TaYqPyGU9A57DGHFB6x-7RWfVlOD6oVm3r9zZonASQMFUOfio3anJmOTOxm_SZoqaypRBPo1TXWmWWw5klujmSP0UphFsY3h4WVzg/s320/IMG_5421.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner for the gator?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_318e_51b5_542_94f6" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtu449Rs3ybeDdFzLzyLALhUj4rqTJcPk4RRgcBDB_rt-UJxKugnT4LunMlL-ki7QO1ebBqTBrZwa1A-zaKwzV64S8vqvUzRcjMdXA0V_57fOrn3sv7oJoAJnVMHfzxWiRbbECJsaRD2h8wLAi_gbSMnhcq1wjE5mGWZ_HBq_sKh0-b6joDwWYuMBjA/s4032/IMG_5424.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_1c76_cad7_2aa0_346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtu449Rs3ybeDdFzLzyLALhUj4rqTJcPk4RRgcBDB_rt-UJxKugnT4LunMlL-ki7QO1ebBqTBrZwa1A-zaKwzV64S8vqvUzRcjMdXA0V_57fOrn3sv7oJoAJnVMHfzxWiRbbECJsaRD2h8wLAi_gbSMnhcq1wjE5mGWZ_HBq_sKh0-b6joDwWYuMBjA/s320/IMG_5424.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Becky putting that gator in his place</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_1e3a_5057_f39f_ee2e" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3ctcvfl1S5UEj_P2Wh8RJe4ao0OgIgVQ8vJb3oU7Xd6Wh_zHgbRlskjZjAFmfRpZcO0QEVVenT91HVpE8Rn1_HTpGDjoyBNGu09RArMH-OMNmvsI6RThr9Yp6B_7YqrgF5h8EPLO7stOOapA5zFKi2IXgvXJ8z8zdpiNA71KGXmevtpcacWcRvxBYA/s4032/IMG_5567.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_4a25_5e11_645d_ff34" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3ctcvfl1S5UEj_P2Wh8RJe4ao0OgIgVQ8vJb3oU7Xd6Wh_zHgbRlskjZjAFmfRpZcO0QEVVenT91HVpE8Rn1_HTpGDjoyBNGu09RArMH-OMNmvsI6RThr9Yp6B_7YqrgF5h8EPLO7stOOapA5zFKi2IXgvXJ8z8zdpiNA71KGXmevtpcacWcRvxBYA/s320/IMG_5567.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of our group leaving for the swamp tour</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_c053_1ded_4b4e_3693" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHt7RDB62Do0rw5KlwN_kfrwOCifC-5BKg8l2eG5_oGEJK2Oe2_yNxstVZRv_lF3ys11-X1C7V_O9a8ppQ0MJpzT9K-_FlVcPQVwv1hZXQEvuuWD71BatLgHSMl0BZ_sUknUACE3P18wfYaPhBAMVH9jB0HaEkBfNAvH5xkAKuxclzIYtLtNZHil8WA/s4032/IMG_5641.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" id="id_e271_636c_6b12_42bd" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHt7RDB62Do0rw5KlwN_kfrwOCifC-5BKg8l2eG5_oGEJK2Oe2_yNxstVZRv_lF3ys11-X1C7V_O9a8ppQ0MJpzT9K-_FlVcPQVwv1hZXQEvuuWD71BatLgHSMl0BZ_sUknUACE3P18wfYaPhBAMVH9jB0HaEkBfNAvH5xkAKuxclzIYtLtNZHil8WA/s320/IMG_5641.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 240px;" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The local Catholic church</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_2e48_9739_b7b7_ef83" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizDAEZxqnoZoZMpirNmB6OaebD5JntSBsbDm5wNYPQWtZe93Fw1w_KbT71YnuXNUbBy2ZDp1DQlsnczG34G7rLn5c_ZUCRJ0ou7lLra_Z-o2FIcGEvPRhCP-OcCslAazexEHw7MZ5DXH6FKXhNtgSwMde1Z8cFJblso3NKif1Fk0XTVyA_2A7E-MydTw/s4032/IMG_5658.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_c098_b2d9_bd0e_eea3" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizDAEZxqnoZoZMpirNmB6OaebD5JntSBsbDm5wNYPQWtZe93Fw1w_KbT71YnuXNUbBy2ZDp1DQlsnczG34G7rLn5c_ZUCRJ0ou7lLra_Z-o2FIcGEvPRhCP-OcCslAazexEHw7MZ5DXH6FKXhNtgSwMde1Z8cFJblso3NKif1Fk0XTVyA_2A7E-MydTw/s320/IMG_5658.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A huge tree on the side of the church</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>One of the exciting things while in the campground happened in the middle of the night. We had a severe thunderstorm and ended up turning on the air conditioner's fan to help drown out the sound of heavy rain and constant thunder. Our Yorkie dog wanted to be under the covers and right next to us. </div><div><br /></div><div>It took more than a day for the standing water to drain off some sites. We were fortunate in that Rosie was dry and the puddles on our site were away from Rosie. </div><div><br /></div><div>We learned that several people on our caravan tested positive for COVID. We would learn about another testing positive the next day. We decided to be cautious and isolate ourselves from the group. We ended up leaving this campground and our caravan one day early. </div><div><br /></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are some specifics about this campground:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><ul><li>There were multiple loops in the campground</li><li>Our site was a pull-through </li><li>Most sites could be classified as "full sun" as trees were few and far apart</li><li>Most sites had some space on both sides</li><li>Our site was paved with gravel and we needed to use leveling tools to correct a side-to-side lean in Rosie, our Airstream trailer. </li><li>Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service. The site next to us had only 50 amp service </li><li>Our site had a water connection</li><li>Our site had a sewer connection </li><li>There were several small trash dumpsters scattered around the campground. It was easy to walk to one with your trash</li><li>The bathhouse was under renovation while we were in the campground and was unusable</li><li>The park provided WiFi service </li><li>AT&T provided 2 bars of 5G voice and data service over our campsite </li><li>We were able to watch ABC, CBS, CW, FOX, NBC and PBS using Rosie’s TV antenna. Digital channels seen were Antenna-TV, Bounce, Buzzr, Grit, H&I, ION, LAFF, ME-TV, MY-TV and Stadium</li><li>There were restaurants and shopping nearby</li><li>This was a pet friendly park </li></ul></div></div></div>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-63713592000712751872023-04-12T06:00:00.001-05:002023-04-12T06:00:00.170-05:00Abbeville RV Park - Abbeville, Louisiana (March 2023)For the third time on this trip, our assigned site in a campground wasn’t meant for Rosie, our Airstream trailer. As we were trying to park Rosie, several members of our WBCCI Cajun Caravan came over to help and the consensus was that Rosie was too big to fit that site. That was confirmed by the camp host. <div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_337e_4235_7bda_68b6" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpR70sHetFd6STaqble9tvKdEU-3myzjt37LFdmNlKaFzyT0uoE4UMrEhJcmt4t-Qk5-67HllM_ciJjB0ahCXb7XrXJK3cFflD86_I1DRXy4b_AdfAlcufCUocJUWovYd6EdBTk_JgbvMO7UFFFh4dBzT1IjvSOTT0e8ZDsjRoaOof8d_XViJy5dfjA/s4032/IMG_5042.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_b838_7c4b_33d3_1544" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpR70sHetFd6STaqble9tvKdEU-3myzjt37LFdmNlKaFzyT0uoE4UMrEhJcmt4t-Qk5-67HllM_ciJjB0ahCXb7XrXJK3cFflD86_I1DRXy4b_AdfAlcufCUocJUWovYd6EdBTk_JgbvMO7UFFFh4dBzT1IjvSOTT0e8ZDsjRoaOof8d_XViJy5dfjA/s320/IMG_5042.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sign at the entrance to the campground</td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><br /></div><div>Rosie was too big? How can a 26 foot trailer be too big? Easy! You cannot fit a 26 foot trailer in a site that a 20 footer would struggle to fit into. </div><div><br /></div><div>Rosie was quickly reassigned to an appropriate site. What we lost at our new site was 50 amp power. More about that later. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXMVZ6S9MYcn2ouvXCYPG71JUwdq_sD9PVoruYyGTUXZ0ygAop2OKSZlIxkYIPEs-6REucBZaddyCpIfZzpCXlcZi5ZpBeQrx5LsrCoQ5pnNRnXyIN0oYR6w0qHhxbKxjFAFbk5TBiTfqzWKYQcIjWCxyAT9dU1iSjf-JYPtNUh1GRpy0E3PI9yMasHA/s4032/IMG_4856.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2494" data-original-width="4032" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXMVZ6S9MYcn2ouvXCYPG71JUwdq_sD9PVoruYyGTUXZ0ygAop2OKSZlIxkYIPEs-6REucBZaddyCpIfZzpCXlcZi5ZpBeQrx5LsrCoQ5pnNRnXyIN0oYR6w0qHhxbKxjFAFbk5TBiTfqzWKYQcIjWCxyAT9dU1iSjf-JYPtNUh1GRpy0E3PI9yMasHA/s320/IMG_4856.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie in this campground</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>We camped in this park seven years ago in our first Airstream trailer, a 30 amp unit. People with 30 amp trailers quickly learn how to track their power usage. For example, we could not run the air conditioner and the microwave at the same time without blowing a fuse. </div><div><br /></div><div>Things are different with our current 50 amp Airstream trailer. Fifty ampers normally don’t have to keep track of how many electrical devices are on. Our new site with only 30 amps meant we had to get back into the mindset of keeping track of our amperage usage. </div><div><br /></div><div>The first thing turned off was the electric element in the hot water heater. If hot water was needed, we had to use the propane gas side of that heater. </div><div><br /></div><div>We also had to make sure the air conditioner was off before using the microwave oven. We were amazed at how much planning we needed to keep our electrical usage below 30 amps and thankful that most RV parks we visit have 50 amp utilities. </div><div><br /></div><div>Some of the things we did in Abbeville were crawfish harvesting, eating a crawfish boil and listening to live Cajun music on the city square. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqMuOuPOEMblVZ44oBYtOuEN0wIBWldgqO6154XfB6NVus91xhi3BOHrqTpjvYf7Eh5QRadG-7YasN8xlI4RPrU6cDsow3Vdy_5zNCqL_2Rn_K0Aca0E2W_wCVDqPjZPmQMpRoefZmVasuV6dTv2CC0GdrLFcRvFRnhNpLyhpGjyat49AssAnE6P75g/s4032/IMG_4967.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqMuOuPOEMblVZ44oBYtOuEN0wIBWldgqO6154XfB6NVus91xhi3BOHrqTpjvYf7Eh5QRadG-7YasN8xlI4RPrU6cDsow3Vdy_5zNCqL_2Rn_K0Aca0E2W_wCVDqPjZPmQMpRoefZmVasuV6dTv2CC0GdrLFcRvFRnhNpLyhpGjyat49AssAnE6P75g/s320/IMG_4967.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the Crawfish boat</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_2ab8_672d_4057_c55" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjXDlqvBS8w-LXVF5EvfE8yMmVToH6Mn7wka6ljT61sYgfWgCFhOzNl20XoM7hNBwo3vPyzUaQBYp0ecurzVv2miTS_7mkEzMpAzW8ADXvdVR-VXl1DQzuVDUXCswCK4a07PhSjdPh5weV8XLQyLeKbH42nb086P4KYEkKMXrFVx1WnUtEB9WME5hD7A/s4032/IMG_5026.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_65ac_db14_3d88_b787" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjXDlqvBS8w-LXVF5EvfE8yMmVToH6Mn7wka6ljT61sYgfWgCFhOzNl20XoM7hNBwo3vPyzUaQBYp0ecurzVv2miTS_7mkEzMpAzW8ADXvdVR-VXl1DQzuVDUXCswCK4a07PhSjdPh5weV8XLQyLeKbH42nb086P4KYEkKMXrFVx1WnUtEB9WME5hD7A/s320/IMG_5026.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The crawfish boil came with instructions on how to eat them</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_da53_9160_c455_afb" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3j6cHz6XaaBOqYu7zXQIb1sPgtVW_8tm6y1Mp9FuEka5hC0wIOITy7M3yn7caro6emfIeX-1G52A9glgyKyl5o-cgbYq_G_gdySEJRRsLJ55dxo9uhffdmkgyS_7QcF9dLoWpFOF93DoVkldDdhSksjhUjZCyM0KG5Z3f-j-os8YDoqi46d21lQQnHg/s4032/IMG_5076.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_a544_3265_6f7a_b738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3j6cHz6XaaBOqYu7zXQIb1sPgtVW_8tm6y1Mp9FuEka5hC0wIOITy7M3yn7caro6emfIeX-1G52A9glgyKyl5o-cgbYq_G_gdySEJRRsLJ55dxo9uhffdmkgyS_7QcF9dLoWpFOF93DoVkldDdhSksjhUjZCyM0KG5Z3f-j-os8YDoqi46d21lQQnHg/s320/IMG_5076.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Becky makes friends with a baby alligator </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Back to our 30 amp power dilemma. I was working outside Rosie the day before we left this campground and noticed a small box next to the utilities pole. This is typically a connection for cable TV or a telephone jack in older parks and this qualified as a campground that has been around a while. I was surprised to see a 50 amp power connector when I looked inside that box. I plugged in our surge protector and it found no problems with that power connector. A few minutes later, I switched Rosie over to the 50 amp feed and we stopped keeping track of our amperage usage. </div><div><br /></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are some specifics about this campground:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><ul><li>There were multiple loops in the campground</li><li>Our site was a back in</li><li>Our site had shade</li><li>Our site had some space on both sides. A few sites in this campground were very close to each other </li><li>Our site was paved with dirt and gravel. We needed to use leveling tools to correct a side-to-side lean in Rosie</li><li>Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service </li><li>Our site had a water connection</li><li>Our site had a sewer connection </li><li>The trash dumpster was at the back of the campground. It was easy to walk there with your trash</li><li>There wasn’t a bathhouse in the campground </li><li>The park provided minimal WiFi service </li><li>AT&T provided 2 bars of 5G voice and data service over our campsite </li><li>We were able to watch ABC, CBS, CW, FOX, NBC and PBS using Rosie’s TV antenna. Digital channels seen were-Bounce, Buzzr, Court-TV, Cozy, Grit, H&I and ME-TV</li><li>There were restaurants and shopping nearby</li><li>This was a pet friendly park </li></ul></div></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiht7WoFAVm_FgFSP6h4ErAJm9G8grEVtIb63emfmD0sGbho4NcaRBfw3V87P0_Vw1TWmywbgLHH88IK3ZRaO8cIXMfdrnH6M3i2qbbvs-dunHtnyl2icIF4-pBWA5nb3rmxrBtJfLssyKmre6yo2nXBIw6mvDdZYW4vTuvai48vIQ2GMkKejo-K_ebDQ/s4032/IMG_5066.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiht7WoFAVm_FgFSP6h4ErAJm9G8grEVtIb63emfmD0sGbho4NcaRBfw3V87P0_Vw1TWmywbgLHH88IK3ZRaO8cIXMfdrnH6M3i2qbbvs-dunHtnyl2icIF4-pBWA5nb3rmxrBtJfLssyKmre6yo2nXBIw6mvDdZYW4vTuvai48vIQ2GMkKejo-K_ebDQ/s320/IMG_5066.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside city hall and yes, it includes a mural of an accordion </td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_e11c_b0f3_9a3e_c233" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil3-7W-U0sosRFaJaba3nbmII2E-h4TYFq-qRSPGdybcNHijrCBKURZHDhnu9Y6bPLHqg6w4349Vm9hmuKwUJvAz4E3y-0BpfwgeKwAh1uayWE6EeSh6fb3TjZ73t0VUrsFIiBolA5mT4G01a2yjOV4R3kv3bi1sVHqOUaQlbdgZrZyQqNiMKY60XBrw/s4032/IMG_5046.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_b1ee_d6dc_8693_7e0e" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil3-7W-U0sosRFaJaba3nbmII2E-h4TYFq-qRSPGdybcNHijrCBKURZHDhnu9Y6bPLHqg6w4349Vm9hmuKwUJvAz4E3y-0BpfwgeKwAh1uayWE6EeSh6fb3TjZ73t0VUrsFIiBolA5mT4G01a2yjOV4R3kv3bi1sVHqOUaQlbdgZrZyQqNiMKY60XBrw/s320/IMG_5046.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suzy meets a caterpillar </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_dabf_e2cb_94a3_6dcf" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5NbrNXqMlMm3tjVzZPTna9EiHrCcce0aEJTd-iBTJnOLjFBcksiGWp_eluk_rxRv6otJ2F7TVnt_B1mSqzjOiAitoQ9eRx-ave2XbwOZ92hyUrCjSp2fD-M--VV7w0YwEvfKM3aV2_8x8_-bNYPwqu5lv-gtPZeMTMIlcxLovd-sKQdyAIa3L08aCTA/s4032/IMG_5189.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_f07f_1883_3c81_2031" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5NbrNXqMlMm3tjVzZPTna9EiHrCcce0aEJTd-iBTJnOLjFBcksiGWp_eluk_rxRv6otJ2F7TVnt_B1mSqzjOiAitoQ9eRx-ave2XbwOZ92hyUrCjSp2fD-M--VV7w0YwEvfKM3aV2_8x8_-bNYPwqu5lv-gtPZeMTMIlcxLovd-sKQdyAIa3L08aCTA/s320/IMG_5189.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside a local church</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_bb54_7ae2_9aa_5c82" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_uczG7Mtf1M5eV7cRV-QrnO0Bh271lQZ7FWLOQBgcIXJXM1HvjBk6c8DJaazq2im5i4GAlUEugrUMW9oiIdfL3UuqzKdbBAQPhKKTDDWgf6Sq82Ci8PrXQ8KSaiDdI9Tr0kEa9vpA2YqxHYncuedJ8IV_FXi1r8ztQfsVQrnKO9JHIxqjDr5hWxgT9Q/s4032/IMG_5204.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" id="id_795d_dbb_6d59_8301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_uczG7Mtf1M5eV7cRV-QrnO0Bh271lQZ7FWLOQBgcIXJXM1HvjBk6c8DJaazq2im5i4GAlUEugrUMW9oiIdfL3UuqzKdbBAQPhKKTDDWgf6Sq82Ci8PrXQ8KSaiDdI9Tr0kEa9vpA2YqxHYncuedJ8IV_FXi1r8ztQfsVQrnKO9JHIxqjDr5hWxgT9Q/s320/IMG_5204.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 240px;" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying lunch</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_afd7_f490_2e8e_f3b0" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHFAyPozs5FoIjs8RqY91VkLZ1ppKNNhnZgq5IWbE_FbtNNMTPH8WmbDTqOItJBMr1ACxQdj021Lo9yb4lsGH00t87n0WEw5Gge79kpL7fUJrU3fTcLNMTtBWGZ_OL4g1yvfg-PZccDRLyioyZwia47Z5x4jZsZRRFAbbD4Of9sGyBZ0ikx-TlGQ0eg/s4032/IMG_5275.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_d875_5eff_67ef_73ec" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHFAyPozs5FoIjs8RqY91VkLZ1ppKNNhnZgq5IWbE_FbtNNMTPH8WmbDTqOItJBMr1ACxQdj021Lo9yb4lsGH00t87n0WEw5Gge79kpL7fUJrU3fTcLNMTtBWGZ_OL4g1yvfg-PZccDRLyioyZwia47Z5x4jZsZRRFAbbD4Of9sGyBZ0ikx-TlGQ0eg/s320/IMG_5275.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Live music on the town square</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_89b_334c_fcdc_9c8b" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio9xcoEYRin1qUxwe-3Ebb6jST_28_Ar9ltjT9ERUvV2KzyI8RDPO-VXMD0b5xV6Rs8OpzcE6AgPsk3TN8qveDk_-pTWpvm36zdRAG4Y8PGN0xOHk_X9ZLC3FNK_MXJXSLsb9SN7TadHf3xApZ3dWd7QpTRim1b2f6hUP4DGcRIIJqNUVrRWO4w_L5KQ/s4032/IMG_5280.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_238a_a130_a646_77c1" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio9xcoEYRin1qUxwe-3Ebb6jST_28_Ar9ltjT9ERUvV2KzyI8RDPO-VXMD0b5xV6Rs8OpzcE6AgPsk3TN8qveDk_-pTWpvm36zdRAG4Y8PGN0xOHk_X9ZLC3FNK_MXJXSLsb9SN7TadHf3xApZ3dWd7QpTRim1b2f6hUP4DGcRIIJqNUVrRWO4w_L5KQ/s320/IMG_5280.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dancing to the live music on the square</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-46203259221197864282023-04-08T06:00:00.001-05:002023-04-08T06:00:00.162-05:00Isle of Iberia RV Resort - New Iberia, Louisiana (March 2023)<div>Neither Apple nor Google Maps had any idea where this campground was located. Needless to say, Ford’s navigation system was also clueless. All of our GPS systems wanted to take us to the center of town. We had to set our GPS systems to the fairgrounds to find this campground. </div><div><br></div><div>The frustrating thing wasn’t the GPS systems confusion about the park’s location, it was the rain and cold as we were setting up. It was miserable as we unhitched Rosie, our Airstream trailer. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_477a_29c8_3162_50db" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIOh6KOoQkwWWr6wlqmKLeyKiZqqw0I0W00f03qM-DNF2wrGPznfSFFwaRy25tVADQmn3c54Hm5oMyAza3f0lhGYFnD_y7bcWVdTEuF_WJjkPf6d8KyEojsldJ87CC7MXcG37kETXozOqe-jF5nQ_w3IrvcGlCRif-z4F3eCtU-E7LaslunO3VodCJg/s2997/IMG_4431.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1705" data-original-width="2997" height="182" id="id_6459_20e1_bdc3_5292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIOh6KOoQkwWWr6wlqmKLeyKiZqqw0I0W00f03qM-DNF2wrGPznfSFFwaRy25tVADQmn3c54Hm5oMyAza3f0lhGYFnD_y7bcWVdTEuF_WJjkPf6d8KyEojsldJ87CC7MXcG37kETXozOqe-jF5nQ_w3IrvcGlCRif-z4F3eCtU-E7LaslunO3VodCJg/s320/IMG_4431.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sign at entrance of this campground</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>This was a large campground with more than 180 sites. All of the sites were angled the same way and equally spaced. This gave the appearance of a large parking lot. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_e063_f0f6_f631_9ecc" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuKvq9ff43ikWixlN-oV3fsijfh1j8qOWwab8WeqAo1E9hdsgPI9jFYrRnL0AqGA7m820CmxKUZCJaVW9xd8Cc0j1ax_dHFVItWVXPIn2OXY-3w8Em-2HHNC8EqWut1ocj_qXjrm7227brGebozHu6tZ9GFhJn6Kaf4Kv0SfdpjdYLJFDGLjcxhNww6A/s4032/IMG_4450.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_8a9d_1aad_ddc3_3b2f" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuKvq9ff43ikWixlN-oV3fsijfh1j8qOWwab8WeqAo1E9hdsgPI9jFYrRnL0AqGA7m820CmxKUZCJaVW9xd8Cc0j1ax_dHFVItWVXPIn2OXY-3w8Em-2HHNC8EqWut1ocj_qXjrm7227brGebozHu6tZ9GFhJn6Kaf4Kv0SfdpjdYLJFDGLjcxhNww6A/s320/IMG_4450.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie in the campground among friends</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>We had a first at this park. The power connections were positioned in a way on our site that prevented using our surge protector. I was very uncomfortable directly plugging Rosie into their power connection without a protector. </div><div><br></div><div>Fortunately, the rain stopped after the first day. Temperatures remained cold and dipped below freezing one night. </div><div><br></div><div>There was a horse exhibition over the weekend at the fairgrounds. It was interesting to catch a few glimpses of that competition and hear the sounds of the horses. </div><div><br></div><div>Some of the places we visited while at this campground were the Rip van Winkle gardens, the Tabasco factory and Martin Cajun Accordions. The gardens and accordion factories were interesting. The Tabasco factory tour did not live up to its hype. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_be8a_a5a6_2f65_764e" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgccekdzJ5Ononj4nikXzU2d5Qme517_m9Dm20HsJNvwx_Tzy0PK-hwtL82vsxgaZ4NSb_uyeyhXzK0VqqqwozmU6-c4FyugANF3cQNU28h1m75tEkXArvwV1ipHIEhe4uZkGHAGHHDXsO_RZPG0IL6EgOb5C0zCzGIfCNe-aKJtjytxf0DWxS3Drw0LQ/s4032/IMG_4506.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_2fed_92d9_d3a0_abb5" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgccekdzJ5Ononj4nikXzU2d5Qme517_m9Dm20HsJNvwx_Tzy0PK-hwtL82vsxgaZ4NSb_uyeyhXzK0VqqqwozmU6-c4FyugANF3cQNU28h1m75tEkXArvwV1ipHIEhe4uZkGHAGHHDXsO_RZPG0IL6EgOb5C0zCzGIfCNe-aKJtjytxf0DWxS3Drw0LQ/s320/IMG_4506.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rip Van Winkles Gardens on Johnson Island</td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_dd26_a264_b97_8cb9" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWWGNcVu0zRAm8bx6CBmsjL53aoRUMHAdQRN4shbcFT5X_YQKmTeLMqJZCxxCVf6ITP6inmJ30h78GmHyULeVBr3wEztVV3vMuyiIbUDz3hyi_W-VI02FFBIw5aH8qbihkoHESkDMzvfGqkGkDE-s4aQbdZ8aF_yo26G6hb5vg3-c67C9WuGHPmYlyQ/s4032/IMG_4598.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" id="id_5cd8_bba5_7c2_3739" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWWGNcVu0zRAm8bx6CBmsjL53aoRUMHAdQRN4shbcFT5X_YQKmTeLMqJZCxxCVf6ITP6inmJ30h78GmHyULeVBr3wEztVV3vMuyiIbUDz3hyi_W-VI02FFBIw5aH8qbihkoHESkDMzvfGqkGkDE-s4aQbdZ8aF_yo26G6hb5vg3-c67C9WuGHPmYlyQ/s320/IMG_4598.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 240px;" width="240"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Catholic Church near our campground</td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_8955_3a9a_5ad_51e9" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjB6-Dl1KIaSIRNmC7eivLPJjUL-Lknn91VMD1ZGjoW6LWqwLLIYX-ZOiv1hq6NIIEKTJjvgxsfwck-YsnTwA91oEWA_jFJLk8xKNq_nbtFCXOZEwfLgZ3SVsbV7wj6I11YVsyZTSQugT-VI9wdCHU5HKzDZjLgRE-s3lAktT4Orgm-ZcMwDpYgaHlAw/s4032/IMG_4646.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_82db_c4b2_85f0_496b" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjB6-Dl1KIaSIRNmC7eivLPJjUL-Lknn91VMD1ZGjoW6LWqwLLIYX-ZOiv1hq6NIIEKTJjvgxsfwck-YsnTwA91oEWA_jFJLk8xKNq_nbtFCXOZEwfLgZ3SVsbV7wj6I11YVsyZTSQugT-VI9wdCHU5HKzDZjLgRE-s3lAktT4Orgm-ZcMwDpYgaHlAw/s320/IMG_4646.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br>Enjoying a Cajun music performance at the Martin Accordion Factory </td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_99db_755e_1b74_dd1a" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmQ9aHZ91WaRodKLejMyT9kSGr0dz54_LL-RWh4Jx-eZDfYSA1wGWCFZc3lmaymNPvkbQTDljeCy3-U4-U8YROLH6QJgIaqiEVUwcAg7g85MOiOOD3BnlWDHBSwwx5caFZWohRj2qlVeIUrvpAvdnP7E6kcROXg-SUw9HnAcPJf3Tu8Scxv8t4KHjjg/s4032/IMG_4804.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_195b_2697_3470_19a1" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmQ9aHZ91WaRodKLejMyT9kSGr0dz54_LL-RWh4Jx-eZDfYSA1wGWCFZc3lmaymNPvkbQTDljeCy3-U4-U8YROLH6QJgIaqiEVUwcAg7g85MOiOOD3BnlWDHBSwwx5caFZWohRj2qlVeIUrvpAvdnP7E6kcROXg-SUw9HnAcPJf3Tu8Scxv8t4KHjjg/s320/IMG_4804.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avery Island Jungle Experience</td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_bfd5_461_b9bc_832f" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgERap5nyTVjnHnCrndbzviduI_7g2B-D_Z_DrUQBI2NomQAy9RW2NsP5imOM9TdSbmxdwr_78o50Vqn0HN3B3lJwmWuX-9UIy8FPJRoKAgkS_CsSimmk2iV34VvDNb9inlqh-XNo0SBMOGKpJbDmXqtt7LfMhOgbGF4wF5rcYTmTMbbN_TK3pbjRRTyw/s4032/IMG_4830.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" id="id_668_c823_b23a_8820" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgERap5nyTVjnHnCrndbzviduI_7g2B-D_Z_DrUQBI2NomQAy9RW2NsP5imOM9TdSbmxdwr_78o50Vqn0HN3B3lJwmWuX-9UIy8FPJRoKAgkS_CsSimmk2iV34VvDNb9inlqh-XNo0SBMOGKpJbDmXqtt7LfMhOgbGF4wF5rcYTmTMbbN_TK3pbjRRTyw/s320/IMG_4830.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 240px;" width="240"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bamboo near the Tabasco factory</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>We had another first while camping in this park. I used our Garmin GPS to find a gas station near the park selling gas at a cheaper price than the overpriced station across from this campground. Gas Buddy found a strong contender less than four miles away. I loaded the station in the GPS as our destination and started following its directions. I was surprised when it turned me onto a street with about 30 cars in front of me and everyone was stopped. I was in an elementary school car pickup lane inside a school zone and there was no passing or getting out of that lane. The lane moved quicker than I feared and soon I was at the point where a teacher came up to my truck and asked what child I was there to pick up. I told her my GPS made a bad decision routing me to a gas station and I was gullible enough to follow it. She told me to stop at child loading area two and explain my story to the teacher there. I did and was told to follow the car in loading area one away from the school. It seemed as though the shortcut Garmin came up with added about 30 minutes to that trip. </div><div><br></div><div>The big question unanswered remains. Is this a resort as the name boldly stated? There are no published standards for the title "resort" campgrounds. This campground had a lazy river and a swimming pool. Of course, these were not open because of the weather. I’m sure the place had many exciting amenities during fair season, but it was a stretch for me to call this place a resort during the campground's off season. </div><div><br></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are some specifics about this campground:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><ul><li>There were multiple loops in the campground</li><li>Our site was a pull-thru</li><li>Our site had no shade</li><li>Our site could be described as a parking lot as the sites were close together </li><li>Our site was paved with concrete and was level </li><li>Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service</li><li>There was an obstruction near the power connection that prevented us from using our surge protector </li><li>Our site had a water connection</li><li>Our site had a sewer connection </li><li>The rules sheet said that trash left in bags along the road would be picked up by 9 a.m. That didn’t happen over the weekend </li><li>There was a bathhouse in the campground. It wasn’t heated and was very cold</li><li>The park provided very slow WiFi service. It would work for a few minutes then report that it no longer was connected to the Internet. It goes without saying that it was frustrating and unusable </li><li>AT&T provided 3 bars of 5G voice and data service over our campsite </li><li>We were able to watch ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and PBS using Rosie’s TV antenna. Digital channels seen were Antenna-TV, Circle, Court-TV, ION, LAFF, ME-TV and MY-TV</li><li>There were restaurants and shopping nearby</li><li>This was a pet friendly park </li></ul><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_2ed5_20d9_1076_59cf" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEdUnVuLrJH82AWnBUDBfth-YuEvaXKHrDtsgibXYsjzll9pqQDFff3BBsfwe0oKsenIYoOB2EQ8fTa9_yBflfBUfpTFbKuF58GlAsR7wTcV-dwPGKkuH3piU-Cy4_89E6IljWeePIG66Sg5umim7Xib1pSU_0LMXWTHoxIBx20USF-lYKP8oMrzqo3Q/s4032/IMG_4614.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_41d6_ef3d_2b65_8614" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEdUnVuLrJH82AWnBUDBfth-YuEvaXKHrDtsgibXYsjzll9pqQDFff3BBsfwe0oKsenIYoOB2EQ8fTa9_yBflfBUfpTFbKuF58GlAsR7wTcV-dwPGKkuH3piU-Cy4_89E6IljWeePIG66Sg5umim7Xib1pSU_0LMXWTHoxIBx20USF-lYKP8oMrzqo3Q/s320/IMG_4614.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying lunch in a restaurant with Cajun food and live music</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div></div></div><div><br></div>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-89636277294213145032023-04-05T05:30:00.001-05:002023-04-05T05:30:00.173-05:00Cajun Heritage RV Park - Breaux Bridge, Louisiana (March 2023)<div>Our journey to this campground included an unplanned stop. We noticed a problem with Rosie, our Airstream trailer, and Foley RV/Airstream of Mississippi’s service department said they could fix it. We arrived at Foley RV early on a Monday and unhitched knowing that we were a “work in.”</div><div><br></div><div>We were very grateful when John, their service manager, told us around noon that the repairs were done and we could continue on to our first campground on the WBCCI Cajun Caravan. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_eff3_7c59_9c6_2746" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVw2dI99CuJMmaZRacoPeVJ_Z4J8smma-bWUD5K-tvzvAvQeOt-uGHrbgWMzbJZPZq5LKMVI6id6kd-NojAsCfXdjVElgpkoPKuIqDuokj2M10wCSAtBATt0N5OJhPT78kn2i1inz-gBH-deySRrjQtU4TQU0Klp82EyNnpnwcB22uD2qLp8COVZvQoA/s4032/IMG_1821.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_47fb_df23_83a5_1ace" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVw2dI99CuJMmaZRacoPeVJ_Z4J8smma-bWUD5K-tvzvAvQeOt-uGHrbgWMzbJZPZq5LKMVI6id6kd-NojAsCfXdjVElgpkoPKuIqDuokj2M10wCSAtBATt0N5OJhPT78kn2i1inz-gBH-deySRrjQtU4TQU0Klp82EyNnpnwcB22uD2qLp8COVZvQoA/s320/IMG_1821.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Foley RV/Airstream of Mississippi</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>The office was closed when we arrived at the Cajun Heritage RV Park. One of the camp hosts came to our rescue and guided us to our assigned site. That was our first experience taking with someone with a strong Cajun accent. I'm not sure what we talked about as I rode to our site in his golf cart, but it was enjoyable.</div><div><br></div><div>There was a problem with our site. It had a tree too close to the site’s entrance. The camp host moved us to another site and we were thankful for that. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_2627_3a9f_fac1_f824" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_A7SIn28QnUJDJbriVBEe9q6WjTdusTT4PpAUXn1l42-AHJWl-hGyhOLctG8RlrbxZT-kYRYJDe9n6N83oZ8ek9ty1Bk4GK-wzxgsIhAmknb7qlwM-jJcsi7ZKNuZexcJNh770meYYgbmTPpWf30fX1Hm3R7u41h0SpaJhDPvjHB9_VwPjd1AB2HKA/s4032/IMG_4384.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_a6c1_271b_b4c1_5940" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_A7SIn28QnUJDJbriVBEe9q6WjTdusTT4PpAUXn1l42-AHJWl-hGyhOLctG8RlrbxZT-kYRYJDe9n6N83oZ8ek9ty1Bk4GK-wzxgsIhAmknb7qlwM-jJcsi7ZKNuZexcJNh770meYYgbmTPpWf30fX1Hm3R7u41h0SpaJhDPvjHB9_VwPjd1AB2HKA/s320/IMG_4384.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sign at this campground</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>It was interesting when the camp store opened. Sure, it had the normal snack and camping supplies found in camp stores. It also had an amazing selection of liquors. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_8529_72fb_81fc_7507" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Loo9wcd_RSSzIY66lHEbR3nDwnZHaSUIRKW3cEYH5v0R2alQTTf4mBKEt-IXK4arT37o_tjriGgY6lx4DX8tgdB2IAfm74ldpKEDeKwuv7CgvK1dX0J7VTL5gARtYgwzRhQyXcFOzd9FtxggFFdraagunqfwagtsWvWvbyqLdAS4wHIpQnf3ptv6Ug/s4032/IMG_4091.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_81ff_cec_7fe2_92f5" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Loo9wcd_RSSzIY66lHEbR3nDwnZHaSUIRKW3cEYH5v0R2alQTTf4mBKEt-IXK4arT37o_tjriGgY6lx4DX8tgdB2IAfm74ldpKEDeKwuv7CgvK1dX0J7VTL5gARtYgwzRhQyXcFOzd9FtxggFFdraagunqfwagtsWvWvbyqLdAS4wHIpQnf3ptv6Ug/s320/IMG_4091.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie in the campground</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>It was interesting to watch the other Airstream trailers arrive for the caravan. It didn't take long for the park to fill with beautiful aluminum trailers.</div><div><br></div><div>This campground was interesting in that there was a huge area of grass in the middle of the campground. That made us feel as if we were camping in a large park. </div><div><br></div><div>All the roads in this park were dusty gravel. We were amazed at how quickly our truck, Rosie and our dog were covered with dust. </div><div><br></div><div>Our group traveled to Baton Rouge from this campground. Our youngest son earned a degree from LSU in Baton Rouge, so we were warned by him about the traffic there. It appeared that traffic problems were worse this time. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_1ccb_532d_6a70_fb5c" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hurN1wcD9J6vXgSvCRKRvBYGPAoQJuz3tCSd-sWD6cgTeMccdB4r8wrhhhyaaw3nZ5oG-MNBDQvPQIn1wBEXcpBk1NycjveKKJHOFW1CYjXbrBDFVOJS_4-ygfX9uOGQ9054iwNnjXmMGw8nktar4zWESVJ7ax1Bq1mYewgGjSpZ6q6ePxcdsvOE3A/s4032/IMG_4131.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_1ba8_9d3e_e391_5cbb" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hurN1wcD9J6vXgSvCRKRvBYGPAoQJuz3tCSd-sWD6cgTeMccdB4r8wrhhhyaaw3nZ5oG-MNBDQvPQIn1wBEXcpBk1NycjveKKJHOFW1CYjXbrBDFVOJS_4-ygfX9uOGQ9054iwNnjXmMGw8nktar4zWESVJ7ax1Bq1mYewgGjSpZ6q6ePxcdsvOE3A/s320/IMG_4131.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the "old" Governor's Mansion</td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_f5bd_55eb_1051_c347" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIuFvhRbZV1nqO7kAS5PExKhGNAlL0FeE8oK95r3nHaPT7lcEcvolbkfUPQBrSo5zZU-6ng7jHz6r7MBVabnqvsus3qlkTkW0jDSkfbYDmDHYIwenj9FsMqnXw1Ob8FhdgMwRgB16yWNR1nUMNsqfP2vXlEdXZF0ueixGqGeLuSffDdwF7qIRew9jLFQ/s3088/IMG_4249.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" id="id_e4c5_9f15_6fe_a667" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIuFvhRbZV1nqO7kAS5PExKhGNAlL0FeE8oK95r3nHaPT7lcEcvolbkfUPQBrSo5zZU-6ng7jHz6r7MBVabnqvsus3qlkTkW0jDSkfbYDmDHYIwenj9FsMqnXw1Ob8FhdgMwRgB16yWNR1nUMNsqfP2vXlEdXZF0ueixGqGeLuSffDdwF7qIRew9jLFQ/s320/IMG_4249.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 240px;" width="240"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the "old" State Capital</td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_2ab3_3804_43e3_7d8e" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZiWkE5rCPv7XI00LShxKQmwpZiIf5alBBcNHGe_SqzQ44vJtawsR6dc8oDuepd13uoKuZQE3IkdjydIEwf6f_u070qloBzZS__FWNtiW3c65bxtcejma7nhm6yIUiyzdbtioTnPBfCwJzkbiZjRhQmmONn3OqFjPFDCLW5wGrIaP6sgDaJ7SNkLDl3A/s4032/IMG_4254.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_f6e8_e41b_fcb5_9c8f" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZiWkE5rCPv7XI00LShxKQmwpZiIf5alBBcNHGe_SqzQ44vJtawsR6dc8oDuepd13uoKuZQE3IkdjydIEwf6f_u070qloBzZS__FWNtiW3c65bxtcejma7nhm6yIUiyzdbtioTnPBfCwJzkbiZjRhQmmONn3OqFjPFDCLW5wGrIaP6sgDaJ7SNkLDl3A/s320/IMG_4254.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the "old" State Capital</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>Both Apple and Google Maps warned us of a 45 minute delay on our route to Baton Rouge then suggested an alternative route. We found ourselves on dirt roads and using a one-lane bridge to get to our destination. We were glad we were not pulling Rosie on that trip!</div><div><br></div><div>One of our “must do’s” in Baton Rouge was to visit LSU. There is a plaque near the Manship School of Mass Communication honoring our son. We were proud parents and glad we had an opportunity to see his plaque. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_2423_f49_43d_e6cb" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBM84kspXkX_wNoklbp3IJasGECMWWhU9HprrTJnFGZnpG8ZAK2QWhUiaw0cUVHPchfZDoST1Aq5K4lbBUCq5fo9W8WYrFZxXdxEI40WGHs2iXsW7YYom2W23V6yDT-Ld3oiTPRM3hNYbddT560Rh1Ugyy2moJ_c4iTTyt2yDW2Usk_EsoOcWkKjmWQw/s4032/IMG_4354.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_351_88a7_2899_d966" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBM84kspXkX_wNoklbp3IJasGECMWWhU9HprrTJnFGZnpG8ZAK2QWhUiaw0cUVHPchfZDoST1Aq5K4lbBUCq5fo9W8WYrFZxXdxEI40WGHs2iXsW7YYom2W23V6yDT-Ld3oiTPRM3hNYbddT560Rh1Ugyy2moJ_c4iTTyt2yDW2Usk_EsoOcWkKjmWQw/s320/IMG_4354.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proud parents at LSU</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>We also saw Mike the Tiger, LSU’s mascot. Mike was enjoying a nap while we were there. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_7fb1_b2d8_3c90_a849" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQXxSa4I5yzvFFh6NTpo4iTFfwXUwwyVFuQz-f9dzKNpGGxaUSYNILrPiejf1iC27SKabqb0FbqQ4FLA3WsfE9ace_3OdbIY1hLLUH75DYq2cqSVgg8O6t9pR9NhHkJXg714ItbsnimFnmnkulG7iZFgVkETeLrmWY1wz64uXbpIVOf__jpGj9MDkmg/s4032/IMG_4329.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_8d0a_3260_bedd_125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQXxSa4I5yzvFFh6NTpo4iTFfwXUwwyVFuQz-f9dzKNpGGxaUSYNILrPiejf1iC27SKabqb0FbqQ4FLA3WsfE9ace_3OdbIY1hLLUH75DYq2cqSVgg8O6t9pR9NhHkJXg714ItbsnimFnmnkulG7iZFgVkETeLrmWY1wz64uXbpIVOf__jpGj9MDkmg/s320/IMG_4329.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suzy meets LSU's statue of Mike the Tiger</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>There was a big change in weather our last day in this park. It turned cold and rainy. We were glad we hitched up the night before we had to leave for our next adventure. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_b68a_499_f662_8bb4" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYjSMDEDC7ZL2xKTDRb8SCm-Y5j809GzwrYAz-6OyAyk5Uo3HWBQtHR9xxf0HyJGryhmml9J6ubTupMhl3Pc0Qb8zfJGv7R32SblivHp7s8rIoptfZySpm_CfFzH3WdW1HrsrTVSszblFIS6F4PGbzmNzCB6yb0cvvdenzSI485WGRFVqXk6HVyLZS-g/s4032/IMG_1844.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_e77d_5cb8_8c04_c5b" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYjSMDEDC7ZL2xKTDRb8SCm-Y5j809GzwrYAz-6OyAyk5Uo3HWBQtHR9xxf0HyJGryhmml9J6ubTupMhl3Pc0Qb8zfJGv7R32SblivHp7s8rIoptfZySpm_CfFzH3WdW1HrsrTVSszblFIS6F4PGbzmNzCB6yb0cvvdenzSI485WGRFVqXk6HVyLZS-g/s320/IMG_1844.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It rained while in this campground</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are some specifics about this campground:</span></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><ul><li>There were multiple loops in the campground</li><li>Our site was a back in</li><li>Our site had a little shade</li><li>Most sites had some space on both sides</li><li>Our site was paved with gravel and dirt and we needed to use leveling tools to correct a side-to-side lean in Rosie</li><li>Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service </li><li>Our site had a water connection</li><li>Our site had a sewer connection </li><li>Our sewer connection was about a foot off the ground. That meant gravity would never be able empty Rosie’s tanks</li><li>The trash dumpster was in the middle of the campground. It was easy to walk there with your trash</li><li>There was a bathhouse in the campground. It was hopelessly outdated and frequently out of necessary supplies </li><li>The park advertised that it provided WiFi service. According to the office, it has been broken since the last storm </li><li>Speaking about the office and the camp store, this was the first campground store that could double as a liquor store</li><li>AT&T provided 2 bars of 5G voice and data service over our campsite </li><li>We were able to watch ABC, Fox, NBC and PBS using Rosie’s TV antenna. Digital channels seen were Antenna-TV, Circle, Court-TV, CW, H&I, LAFF, ME-TV and My-TV</li><li>There were restaurants and shopping nearby</li><li>This was a pet friendly park </li></ul></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_154d_5aa_37c0_b925" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbg_c8dis-CGRfuHKRFiYjswIkYPsI_642-Gb8HdjOf5XLchM6wwR8S-QaR213vOwJTmnKREGVc3BRuzkREn3TaGd5Nfb6gTHtn20mFqbrDXFZK6PtS-jM0UtlLPaqAUztN3OvCbORuoXY10sZn2ROU62pgBDnwNDuHAG2Nl_kCR7Jjz3HmbmWQfw3jA/s4032/IMG_4090.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_3df1_7d07_a3b4_b446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbg_c8dis-CGRfuHKRFiYjswIkYPsI_642-Gb8HdjOf5XLchM6wwR8S-QaR213vOwJTmnKREGVc3BRuzkREn3TaGd5Nfb6gTHtn20mFqbrDXFZK6PtS-jM0UtlLPaqAUztN3OvCbORuoXY10sZn2ROU62pgBDnwNDuHAG2Nl_kCR7Jjz3HmbmWQfw3jA/s320/IMG_4090.HEIC" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selfie at the campground</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-52644681729675938302023-03-28T05:30:00.003-05:002023-03-28T05:30:00.173-05:00Keesler Air Force Base FamCamp (U.S. Military FamCamp) - Biloxi, Mississippi (March 2023)This was our second time camping in Keesler Air Force Base's FamCamp. The first time we selected this campground because it was close to Foley RV/Airstream of Mississippi and we had a service appointment early the next morning. <div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoyp1XccJctyNxBSQoTZZWgC89eF8d15F_xcYf761j86kf-i-EpC0tphgWtqhvV7TUK4q6iK_BSczQoHv0xj5VpOAUTE_j2LxFuLsnxAwPiVDLkJKK83pi535eR5_2v980p_24qy1am39zRUrp1eKKxj_PZYokZElmgA3f65jXjHZpC71hxa7Jg87ZtA/s4030/IMG_4005.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2202" data-original-width="4030" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoyp1XccJctyNxBSQoTZZWgC89eF8d15F_xcYf761j86kf-i-EpC0tphgWtqhvV7TUK4q6iK_BSczQoHv0xj5VpOAUTE_j2LxFuLsnxAwPiVDLkJKK83pi535eR5_2v980p_24qy1am39zRUrp1eKKxj_PZYokZElmgA3f65jXjHZpC71hxa7Jg87ZtA/s320/IMG_4005.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Office at Keesler AFB FamCamp</td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><br /></div><div>We reserved here once again because it was convenient. Our original plan was to spend the night in Keesler then head to our destination, which was the rendezvous campground in Louisiana for the Airstream Club's Cajun Caravan. Sure, we could have pushed it and made it to Louisiana in a day, but there were advantages to stopping for a night at Keesler's FamCamp. </div><div><br /></div><div>When we made this reservation, the first and best reason was that stopping in Biloxi allowed us to spend a few hour in Mobile to watch our grandson play baseball. </div><div><br /></div><div>The second reason is well known among RV'ers. Highways I-10 and I-12 are horrible in Louisiana. Several rivets popped and the leg on our main table broke the last time we drove on those roads. We could not come up with an alternative route, so we decided to take our time and to keep our speed to no more than 55 mph. Stopping for the night in Biloxi meant we could take it easy the next day heading to join the Cajun Caravan. We didn’t need any additional reasons to stop at Keesler for the night. </div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, our priorities changed when we discovered we had a problem with Rosie’s hot water heater. (Rosie is what we call our Airstream trailer.) We were able to add an additional day to our Keesler reservation so that we could arrive at Foley RV/Airstream of Mississippi early Monday morning. Once again, our reason for stopping at this campground was to arrive early Monday morning for a service appointment at Foley RV. </div><div><br /></div><div>We arrived at Keesler after the office closed for the day. That meant the camp host checked us in and guided us to our site. We appreciated his professionalism and willingness to help extend our reservation for an additional day. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNBE0EggQOqKBE8kmZsOdaZwTXjPpdzuQKHkb_VWWqpWGjM8kfduo0EIrbdlENgtK425JebOFaKMkoeLPbwtjoxrS_LVHyNZjn0-tGg8iNYtJreOd0iYE953VCc1Q6rrTa6cqS14aPR1LCUvlDvgJaLSxCmq_M1yyH2xCwekHlbCr2PFB-D27fFuSXOQ/s4032/IMG_3985.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNBE0EggQOqKBE8kmZsOdaZwTXjPpdzuQKHkb_VWWqpWGjM8kfduo0EIrbdlENgtK425JebOFaKMkoeLPbwtjoxrS_LVHyNZjn0-tGg8iNYtJreOd0iYE953VCc1Q6rrTa6cqS14aPR1LCUvlDvgJaLSxCmq_M1yyH2xCwekHlbCr2PFB-D27fFuSXOQ/s320/IMG_3985.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie in Keesler AFB FamCamp</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Our site was intimidating in that there were two trees on either side of the site’s access. To make things more difficult, the rig across the street was too big for that site and spilled over onto the road. </div><div><br /></div><div>After several failed attempts to back into our site, a fellow camper walked over and suggested that we go around the campground and enter the site by driving over the grass behind our site. Then he added that most people assigned our site give up trying to back in and park by driving over the grass. We did and it was easy to park Rosie. </div><div><br /></div><div>As we we’re setting up Rosie, we noticed an Airstream trailer parked several sites away. It appeared suspiciously as if the people in that trailer were also heading to an Airstream caravan. </div><div><br /></div><div>It turns out that we were correct. They were heading to a caravan in Louisiana, but not the one we were heading to. </div><div><br /></div><div>We noticed the sounds of several trains that passed near the campground. The train was far enough away that the soft sounds in the distance were pleasant to hear. </div><div><br /></div><div>It turned out that Keesler was a good choice for our stop near Foley RV. We were able to arrive at Foley RV a little after 8 a.m. on Monday and they were able to fix our problem. </div><div><br /></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are some specifics about this campground:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><ul><li>There were multiple loops in the campground</li><li>Our site was a back in</li><li>Most sites could be classified as "full sun" as trees were few and far apart</li><li>Most sites had some space on both sides</li><li>Our site was paved with asphalt and we needed to use leveling tools to correct a side-to-side lean in Rosie, our Airstream trailer. </li><li>Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service </li><li>Our site had a water connection</li><li>Our site had a sewer connection </li><li>The trash dumpsters were at the entrance of the campground. It was easy to walk there with your trash</li><li>There was a bathhouse in the campground </li><li>The park did not provide WiFi service </li><li>AT&T provided 2 bars of 5G voice and data service over our campsite </li><li>We were able to watch ABC, CBS, CW, FOX, NBC and PBS using Rosie’s TV antenna. Digital channels seen were Antenna-TV, Bounce, Circle, Court-TV, ION, LAFF and ME-TV</li><li>There were restaurants and shopping nearby</li><li>This was a pet friendly park </li></ul></div></div><div><br /></div></div>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-24451825330078551532023-03-25T06:00:00.001-05:002023-03-25T06:00:00.176-05:00Boon-Docking in Mobile, Alabama - Visiting Family (March 2023)We were starting a new “camping season” and discovered a problem with Rosie, our Airstream trailer, while in our first campground. The water heater wasn’t working. <div><br /></div><div>We called the technical support teams at the Airstream factory and our dealer. They quickly diagnosed the issue. We were relieved when our dealer, Foley RV/Airstream of Mississippi, told us to be there around 8:00 Monday morning and they would take care of us. </div><div><br /></div><div>RV'ers know that you always need to plan for unplanned things. Our original plan was to travel from Destin to Keesler Air Force Base for a night then to the first campground on the Airstream Club's Cajun Caravan arriving on Monday. Plan B meant we needed to be in Gulfport, Mississippi on Monday. We needed to stay an extra day at Keesler. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibO9kqs42Rs1SwI3xa0BZmSQsWsu1DVH-mSUhbu7skBMCQjCb9ZiZCWz2HR1JukIOX9nhMljsabTWSli9GqbA9c0oGyrAB6pAGVcQGl-s3sKDhpd7PBA-ZjZZIwoF-ZmLiU3C2nfyeM7XfvTPxJ2Mil1LBVJOmalX5CnWmuS5v8kdp5aEEpTpxKPowRA/s4032/IMG_3717.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibO9kqs42Rs1SwI3xa0BZmSQsWsu1DVH-mSUhbu7skBMCQjCb9ZiZCWz2HR1JukIOX9nhMljsabTWSli9GqbA9c0oGyrAB6pAGVcQGl-s3sKDhpd7PBA-ZjZZIwoF-ZmLiU3C2nfyeM7XfvTPxJ2Mil1LBVJOmalX5CnWmuS5v8kdp5aEEpTpxKPowRA/s320/IMG_3717.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I-10 Tunnel near Mobile, Ala.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Instead of being a problem, we saw this as an opportunity to driveway camp at our son's house, watch our grandson's team play baseball and celebrate our daughter-in-law’s birthday a little early. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjTxWebRh0z6V1kVAPc4hqaeEgoJHPI1Y_xmtO-B8f06Q8myee5Bi44FRmdsDJnfuI4VShbaKE1zdTnFX8YoEFKZ7lNG2iT4LqybstCLyWECKQmwgk4w2I_7T2__nUpZ4iAVxC_5YtkFccl4n7fO0l5h9LbSRCOkwIx7VpiAxgTWrZSnX8-oj5H2dXWg/s4032/IMG_3722.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjTxWebRh0z6V1kVAPc4hqaeEgoJHPI1Y_xmtO-B8f06Q8myee5Bi44FRmdsDJnfuI4VShbaKE1zdTnFX8YoEFKZ7lNG2iT4LqybstCLyWECKQmwgk4w2I_7T2__nUpZ4iAVxC_5YtkFccl4n7fO0l5h9LbSRCOkwIx7VpiAxgTWrZSnX8-oj5H2dXWg/s320/IMG_3722.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Driveway camping in Mobile, Ala</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>This was the second time we ended up camping in their driveway after an unplanned change in our carefully planned camping trips. </div><div><br /></div><div>Our daughter-in-law’s birthday celebration came up first. There is an amazing seafood restaurant in Bayou La Batre that we enjoy. The food was amazing and we enjoyed her birthday celebration. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8tuKCSfVhyaYQRJ6NhRUl91gk02UTAl3CKBj76b6cD2bW3rQo7Gj3FfO-wwVo4WZtqTws9up9jizf_dnvyaRlS97x3xlX2rxLPG5O16bITq_QlTB7qNWXyCqKAkRssNNGSNYInh5RkKHbxPbZgW4N8wsdOUGy3YaOgpPNbj45pySUd-IlF3_eggGP-Q/s4032/IMG_3820.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8tuKCSfVhyaYQRJ6NhRUl91gk02UTAl3CKBj76b6cD2bW3rQo7Gj3FfO-wwVo4WZtqTws9up9jizf_dnvyaRlS97x3xlX2rxLPG5O16bITq_QlTB7qNWXyCqKAkRssNNGSNYInh5RkKHbxPbZgW4N8wsdOUGy3YaOgpPNbj45pySUd-IlF3_eggGP-Q/s320/IMG_3820.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying ice cream in Bayou La Batre</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We went to our grandson’s T-Ball game the next day. We were impressed by his progress from his first year playing the sport. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmlr2l5t4pgoRqLF7WUNuLk4L63Vmeu9BmONN18JgCyOoy8UdVHicTJDOX2DSAJTgtE09NSSPr9rzt09Jk3HdoEfrLb2mfAF0F8MZY76ak9ygY9jqaBIe5ElFNr-sOXErjdBSm8UGJd5Xxg77xxWLKRKpEZheGxZtqhiHLoMxulNyll5YqwRYZ8CUhMA/s4032/IMG_3919.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmlr2l5t4pgoRqLF7WUNuLk4L63Vmeu9BmONN18JgCyOoy8UdVHicTJDOX2DSAJTgtE09NSSPr9rzt09Jk3HdoEfrLb2mfAF0F8MZY76ak9ygY9jqaBIe5ElFNr-sOXErjdBSm8UGJd5Xxg77xxWLKRKpEZheGxZtqhiHLoMxulNyll5YqwRYZ8CUhMA/s320/IMG_3919.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slugger at bat!</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>We didn’t unhitch Rosie because we knew we would need to quickly leave after the game to get to Keesler AFB during daylight. We were glad that our Plan B allowed us to driveway camp in Mobile and visit our son’s family while there. </div>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-86120028697697055812023-03-23T06:00:00.001-05:002023-03-23T06:00:00.171-05:00Destin Army Infantry Recreation Campground (U.S. Military FamCamp) - Destin, Florida (March 2023)If we didn’t know that it was Spring Break, we had a big reminder as we headed to the campground. Traffic crawled on the roads around the beach areas. While Destin is not a primary destination for Spring Breakers, enough people were there to create traffic problems. <div><br /></div><div>We arrived at the Destin Army Infantry Recreation Campground a little after noon. The person at the check-in desk told us that their arrival time was 2 p.m. and we would have to exit the park if our site was not open yet. This was because the campground did not have an overflow area.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftgYOn-Oo1uNeK850pi3K8IbgQLxJyGiQF9m2SRy5LLFA2xogVppCXDUuTqBO73pEFk2JHLNnAqpqjxh1nUHmvxXkCDZitdMMCon8N6s-YKLv81H0Vzt0dnpcUan-nvIrY3PVu3MDTHbC5-kKV7g7METnM1Pn-7JZkPNxxmaN3ceSh_epcjseAVlyoA/s4032/IMG_3650.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftgYOn-Oo1uNeK850pi3K8IbgQLxJyGiQF9m2SRy5LLFA2xogVppCXDUuTqBO73pEFk2JHLNnAqpqjxh1nUHmvxXkCDZitdMMCon8N6s-YKLv81H0Vzt0dnpcUan-nvIrY3PVu3MDTHbC5-kKV7g7METnM1Pn-7JZkPNxxmaN3ceSh_epcjseAVlyoA/s320/IMG_3650.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sign at the campground at night</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Our anxieties were relieved as we drove around the campground and saw that our site was empty and waiting for us. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVivhS50U6OWMHL1fxpvlhVUVtI5lLmehpzfUkmq1BbBg3mca4ZMutvL71l2zDDfU-OqhfOu_wCaLcucStwaOr5YOSzv1BL2I4cXAVFe9piTc08__EkAqRVoY5ZIrp2gtxNIS0oeFV82elVEbI3uMHZlYk-FHq6ZpKY3fotRWvLf9eyjLXiar3cBemw/s4032/IMG_3633.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVivhS50U6OWMHL1fxpvlhVUVtI5lLmehpzfUkmq1BbBg3mca4ZMutvL71l2zDDfU-OqhfOu_wCaLcucStwaOr5YOSzv1BL2I4cXAVFe9piTc08__EkAqRVoY5ZIrp2gtxNIS0oeFV82elVEbI3uMHZlYk-FHq6ZpKY3fotRWvLf9eyjLXiar3cBemw/s320/IMG_3633.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie in the campground</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We knew from camping here last year that camping sites are narrow and it takes a higher level of parking skills to successfully park in our site. Becky expertly maneuvered Rosie, our Airstream trailer, into our site. </div><div><br /></div><div>It didn’t take long to set up Rosie and we were off on our first of many bicycle rides around the area. The campground was not on a busy highway and was surrounded by private homes which helped make bike riding enjoyable. </div><div><br /></div><div>There were two sections in this recreational area. The area closest to the Bay was cottages and something similar to motel rooms. The campground was located behind these rooms. There was a swimming pool and a children's splash pad next to the bay. There was a marina in the park where you could rent jet skis and boats to explore the Bay. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixUHpz78NtO1j1am4-Rrj99zqSHVbFDMbdW7qriBXs8qKwsIjUlgWftOw1lkvdeyxMr4DrlCKU5X0BObxbNfXvRL-_smFIgRQmhWE2YVJOCBObAmvevA6UITn1QH4fS_8yU6RCDkNstDLGYaaBOsWujvP9M43PlMO0YmZwUs9WtOefeF3_2N1S97cPdg/s4032/IMG_3614.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixUHpz78NtO1j1am4-Rrj99zqSHVbFDMbdW7qriBXs8qKwsIjUlgWftOw1lkvdeyxMr4DrlCKU5X0BObxbNfXvRL-_smFIgRQmhWE2YVJOCBObAmvevA6UITn1QH4fS_8yU6RCDkNstDLGYaaBOsWujvP9M43PlMO0YmZwUs9WtOefeF3_2N1S97cPdg/s320/IMG_3614.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swimming pool area</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>The only reminders of Spring Break were when we went to the Gulf beach area. It was very crowded over the weekend, but tolerable during the week. We also noticed that the people at the beach tended to be families and not the college age crowd. </div><div><br /></div><div>One of the more popular events in the campground was watching sunsets along the bay. The adirondack chairs along the Bay were full of people enjoying the spectacular views. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdq4rieOwGSGDrnomWYngjFKNWCeZJeq-L_0xlQtFeBB-3YQaH4dH_3dM-c4tYn3koXWnGOOH5Ypy1MSWDQomeoJv9fWVGeaLBW_rYstuqzz6SvN0rd9KOlQ_EAlYrTLjjdKH18ZDWwKgRzhL-NVtZ45lWnpBQ_2mBPXfwIvXaSvPO_FBPVP_79tGdJg/s4032/IMG_3161.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdq4rieOwGSGDrnomWYngjFKNWCeZJeq-L_0xlQtFeBB-3YQaH4dH_3dM-c4tYn3koXWnGOOH5Ypy1MSWDQomeoJv9fWVGeaLBW_rYstuqzz6SvN0rd9KOlQ_EAlYrTLjjdKH18ZDWwKgRzhL-NVtZ45lWnpBQ_2mBPXfwIvXaSvPO_FBPVP_79tGdJg/s320/IMG_3161.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset in the park</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7T1x4nLa1IuIcpmRWq4XOsLl_42fY_twGCCo5-6MKA3np7pZFpysyAqOR7bvuEDmqpox6lGoqWuxZ2RMjbDYi68U-pmKT3KUYS_rZ7H_30TjeOARdx-3DwJ5gQpKUp4C8y4TiwSDxZ_l/s4032/IMG_3174.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7T1x4nLa1IuIcpmRWq4XOsLl_42fY_twGCCo5-6MKA3np7pZFpysyAqOR7bvuEDmqpox6lGoqWuxZ2RMjbDYi68U-pmKT3KUYS_rZ7H_30TjeOARdx-3DwJ5gQpKUp4C8y4TiwSDxZ_l/s320/IMG_3174.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pier at sunset</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>A tradition we noticed last year in this park was the 3 p.m. gatherings. A group of men gathered outside one R.V. for what they called the Commander’s Call. That is military jargon for a meeting called for the top leaders on a base with the purpose of solving problems. </div><div><br /></div><div>The women met at another RV. They said their job was to identify the problems the men needed to solve. </div><div><br /></div><div>The problem the men haven’t solved yet is getting reservations in this campground. As with most popular campgrounds, it takes persistence and patience to successfully reserve a site. </div><div><br /></div><div>We had a first while camping here. The park held a fire drill! That was mostly for the cottages and motel rooms on this property. Still, it was interesting to see all the signs about the drill posted throughout the area. </div><div><br /></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are some specifics about this campground:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><ul><li>There was only one loop in this campground</li><li>Our site was a back in</li><li>Most sites could be classified as "full sun" as trees were few and far apart</li><li>Sites were best described as “tight.” We found it a challenge to squeeze our truck next to Rosie at our site</li><li>Our site was paved with concrete. We needed to use leveling tools to correct a side-to-side lean in Rosie</li><li>Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service </li><li>Our site had a water connection</li><li>Our site had a sewer connection </li><li>The trash dumpsters were at the entrance of the campground. It was easy to walk there with your trash</li><li>There was a bathhouse in the campground. It was clean and maintained while we were there </li><li>The park provided WiFi service. We measured download speeds of 4 mb. </li><li>AT&T provided 2 bars of 5G voice and data service over our campsite </li><li>We were able to watch CBS, CW, NBC and PBS using Rosie’s TV antenna. Digital channels seen were Circle, Comet, Get, Grit, ME-TV and Stadium</li><li>There were restaurants and shopping nearby</li><li>This was a pet friendly park </li></ul><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6bawnRZh-aYk4djOAQZMU0tNJyTGM6Ck4uvLV3_0eI0U4dzJ29phgBLqj-tonj-cu9enHhiCm_9keFMd9Hns-SWMrRadqEpZd6q3JHUJArjSIhWQyW0Gu3b_WMsYt_brwQKENCbjZBkeT5Kclno65wnpzNfS-yDuRmBiKX8zZ6TxoSZ3b6YUyyrl5BA/s4032/IMG_3476.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6bawnRZh-aYk4djOAQZMU0tNJyTGM6Ck4uvLV3_0eI0U4dzJ29phgBLqj-tonj-cu9enHhiCm_9keFMd9Hns-SWMrRadqEpZd6q3JHUJArjSIhWQyW0Gu3b_WMsYt_brwQKENCbjZBkeT5Kclno65wnpzNfS-yDuRmBiKX8zZ6TxoSZ3b6YUyyrl5BA/s320/IMG_3476.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selfie at night along the Bay</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></div><br /><br /><div><br /></div></div></div>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-50677591710860887632022-12-26T06:00:00.001-06:002022-12-26T06:00:00.174-06:00Meaher State Park - Mobile, Alabama (November 2022)We mentioned to several people that we planned to camp in Meaher State Park near Mobile, Alabama. The response was always similar to, “That’s a nice little park.” What stood out to us was that people who knew the park consistently included the word “little” when describing it. <div><br></div><div>How little was “little” when we arrived? Meaher may be the smallest state park we have camped in up to now, but it was surprisingly nice. It was more of a campground than a state park, but had some great trails through the bayou and marsh. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_5054_3ddb_6421_a3d" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_2iguA9KywsKsZdVO_HGAqVvMLbRbL2u71qsq1zaK2U-SMXiZ4J38ADYZ-M4jp04hopGR1XKJqpDS_UQF8IRk4MfWcxSZpIS9gI2XtZmdWRFaDEhqv97FByvIhffzbT9jB3J86JbiiuTgBLevQWtiiKeM-qQWPyAa4XkuF5I5W9wfz2EcLu1_yUZgA/s4032/IMG_0719.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_fe0d_ec88_ffc5_63c6" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_2iguA9KywsKsZdVO_HGAqVvMLbRbL2u71qsq1zaK2U-SMXiZ4J38ADYZ-M4jp04hopGR1XKJqpDS_UQF8IRk4MfWcxSZpIS9gI2XtZmdWRFaDEhqv97FByvIhffzbT9jB3J86JbiiuTgBLevQWtiiKeM-qQWPyAa4XkuF5I5W9wfz2EcLu1_yUZgA/s320/IMG_0719.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sign was near the boat launch, not at the park's entrance </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>We selected this park because it was close to our son's home. We were able to visit him, his wife and our grandson during Thanksgiving week. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_393a_aa3f_6b5b_915a" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNE1KcnoXLawWyrz8JdD2lElkAjImMD2kYVSuqumwlz2HHfqSSBItB2Jaz0szISS8i75fOZ1K02RmXchwSyOiX_qdT0Ne4EbTqwAisQyQYJo-9WdvhvkZAwv2C2-R4HZhTchyM3NOLAZOwmdBmU2mKZp3Uta8W7peubHiyrTT7fMBRC5b2bTLs-IXa-w/s4032/IMG_0888.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_c58f_7a92_39f7_ce98" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNE1KcnoXLawWyrz8JdD2lElkAjImMD2kYVSuqumwlz2HHfqSSBItB2Jaz0szISS8i75fOZ1K02RmXchwSyOiX_qdT0Ne4EbTqwAisQyQYJo-9WdvhvkZAwv2C2-R4HZhTchyM3NOLAZOwmdBmU2mKZp3Uta8W7peubHiyrTT7fMBRC5b2bTLs-IXa-w/s320/IMG_0888.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandson practicing baseball in his backyard</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_6a7d_8fc8_8839_b0e7" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjoBl2JVQ0bjxKVVBZVPZTkvVGkr3NHDkvgmLIrHHwwrqGDMtfEVhXNVBp8irpNUaHanXMRO-cw-zSJZGbuwh8NPkXNQG64eURlkgyPq90rerYn8NbgLtTA3dJxcjDK3XO61CoN19v2hQvmTnEfdhbKLQ_qcSQhxVoQNmrVx65VweygvWzP_pRLB_hFg/s3978/IMG_1727.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2984" data-original-width="3978" height="240" id="id_5ee_deb5_cffb_8bcf" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjoBl2JVQ0bjxKVVBZVPZTkvVGkr3NHDkvgmLIrHHwwrqGDMtfEVhXNVBp8irpNUaHanXMRO-cw-zSJZGbuwh8NPkXNQG64eURlkgyPq90rerYn8NbgLtTA3dJxcjDK3XO61CoN19v2hQvmTnEfdhbKLQ_qcSQhxVoQNmrVx65VweygvWzP_pRLB_hFg/s320/IMG_1727.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset' reflection on Rosie</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>It appeared to us that several families were camping together in the park during Thanksgiving week. Our questions about how to cook a turkey in a camper was answered when we saw one person lowering a turkey into a fryer. Fried turkey sounded good to me. </div><div><br></div><div>We were surprised by the number of RVs that left the park on Thanksgiving morning. I guess those people didn’t want to risk being stuck in traffic while heading to their next stop. Sites didn’t stay empty long. By evening, empty sites were filled with new campers and families. </div><div><br></div><div>There were only a few sites in this park that didn’t have a view of the Bay. Our site wasn’t on the water, but we enjoyed watching the incredible sunsets across the Bay and watching the traffic on the I-10 bridges near the Alabama Battleship park. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_efd7_d970_ab82_697a" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNIicnk4x0rGIJxQiSnvDuXkonx7xyXT2fZszABsmWqDd6tYMWIw_M1sb2My9L1CW_-PcrQPYPgZP35TdjySryHybn59zVv0ZDJNNNoBdeuOTTnTT58SnbFAKypzb3OEBigHLTrQePg5UwUcnVSuoXXPt5E4O38z2hRA0L5bC9_uVEU_9hAykC_k4rXw/s4032/IMG_1045.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_fa86_a59f_d201_a324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNIicnk4x0rGIJxQiSnvDuXkonx7xyXT2fZszABsmWqDd6tYMWIw_M1sb2My9L1CW_-PcrQPYPgZP35TdjySryHybn59zVv0ZDJNNNoBdeuOTTnTT58SnbFAKypzb3OEBigHLTrQePg5UwUcnVSuoXXPt5E4O38z2hRA0L5bC9_uVEU_9hAykC_k4rXw/s320/IMG_1045.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I-10 in the background</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>We walked over to the boat launch our first day in the park. Two men were launching their boat and told us they were scouting the area because duck hunting season started Friday after Thanksgiving. We started hearing the hunters around 6:15 Friday morning. We were glad we knew about duck season, but I doubt our dog understood and was anxious about the sounds from the rifles. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_7b67_869a_e661_a842" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_vP3_PqvmTLh0R50L6rmWMwqiYPTUDlpj8khqoMkDLUFV6iVkEC5qJ77LNK8Z1P-89PLDa2xbaQWk-F5UZV9BQoX6ML3sCclAeJldPkEfaQ4IpuOYxDLYhJ1lV5tvwbp_8807Cv8VtpXiKc5f7kMSkiHsEMshfnkCflIvGR6ir1hiZuD3b5uVA08hQ/s4032/IMG_0714.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_203e_93aa_e3d5_ed06" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_vP3_PqvmTLh0R50L6rmWMwqiYPTUDlpj8khqoMkDLUFV6iVkEC5qJ77LNK8Z1P-89PLDa2xbaQWk-F5UZV9BQoX6ML3sCclAeJldPkEfaQ4IpuOYxDLYhJ1lV5tvwbp_8807Cv8VtpXiKc5f7kMSkiHsEMshfnkCflIvGR6ir1hiZuD3b5uVA08hQ/s320/IMG_0714.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boat launch area in this park</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>As expected, hunting was not allowed in the park, but some hunters and fishermen were in the water near it. Thankfully, most hunters stopped by noon but not before an incident. We were walking on a boardwalk over the marsh area when we heard a hunter take a shot. A few seconds later, we heard bird pellets rain down around us and then Becky said "Ouch" as she clutched her chest. She was hit by a stray bird pellet, but it did not break the skin and only left a red mark on her. </div><div><br></div><div>We immediately called the park's office and reported the incident. Almost immediately, we saw two park rangers running towards us. A few minutes later, the Game Warden arrived and talked with us before he walked out on the boardwalk to watch the hunters. About an hour later, we talked to an Alabama State Park Law Enforcement officer. We were not aware that state parks had their own police force. That officer was in a state park about 50 miles away when he was called in.</div><div><br></div><div>The bottom line was that everyone from the park rangers and game warden to the state park law officer was professional in their dealings with us and all agreed that the hunter outside the park was careless and additional officers would patrol the area keeping an eye on the hunters. One careless person will not keep us from returning to this park.</div><div><br></div><div>We were having a minor problem with our trailer hitch. The ball was loose. I called several RV centers near this park and most didn't want to see us or they quoted hundreds of dollars to tighten the ball. I ended up calling Foley RV, the dealer we purchased Rosie from in Gulfport, Mississippi. John, the service manager said to drop by and he would take care of us at no charge. That reinforced again that we made a good decision to buy from them. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_772b_d17f_533e_a94"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlMb3BxHMv8f9mZOUOnkLWLz9qfuCiWJQVvKr8Ay_2cw7rFJBg5mnYTOGQXnIK7FW7K2k2uyH2dX9Q4HJZjwhHWI6oV8GyuP8A1NUFfIVIuzjw8lka-H0QKLJbqiQ0utfQoAfiVzysZ9e3k40DYPXOl-Gir4_a1dakvWgn75NtaHRL7NvLeo-RLvVgYQ/s4032/IMG_1736.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlMb3BxHMv8f9mZOUOnkLWLz9qfuCiWJQVvKr8Ay_2cw7rFJBg5mnYTOGQXnIK7FW7K2k2uyH2dX9Q4HJZjwhHWI6oV8GyuP8A1NUFfIVIuzjw8lka-H0QKLJbqiQ0utfQoAfiVzysZ9e3k40DYPXOl-Gir4_a1dakvWgn75NtaHRL7NvLeo-RLvVgYQ/s320/IMG_1736.jpeg" width="320" id="id_177b_6f40_1351_5e40" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Foley RV in Gulfport, Miss. </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>Our son and grandson came to the park one day. According to Becky's Apple Watch, she and our six year-old grandson rode more than five miles around the park on their bikes.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_9442_aa55_55f3_aaea"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUaw2vLmhrVo6cPhrg7nV9cbz2702dH3Z4Oac5YTeJj1UHv298_4jl1B5AehDr3tZrNreuhoqli-4M_GGk0lJl7yXKNVfxQLF6hFYs5fSO7sjLX255FnnckYXR6UkcRIXqFBW-secJR447S-5z95lj3AsRAL9_DF-JIVuvcM90UE6ib0GOnsO_blGow/s4032/IMG_1742.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUaw2vLmhrVo6cPhrg7nV9cbz2702dH3Z4Oac5YTeJj1UHv298_4jl1B5AehDr3tZrNreuhoqli-4M_GGk0lJl7yXKNVfxQLF6hFYs5fSO7sjLX255FnnckYXR6UkcRIXqFBW-secJR447S-5z95lj3AsRAL9_DF-JIVuvcM90UE6ib0GOnsO_blGow/s320/IMG_1742.jpeg" width="320" id="id_b6db_c9b2_13df_935c" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On a bike ride with our grandson</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_3a9f_22e3_ddec_edb" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikyLWEjZrYGD-1OzmhnV_FWDgCMnZ_HMi5DBgxn2YZ49xb4sDLI958OiFNq-UYgLdCUDXIzKwqiECXbBsZqNFDZ1Vy6lGgRHmBLFWI4GCBxui66ZNlfsE2Pi7EuMZ_PlTpsqO-yEyk9FqXCIVOT5hWbSa71HCVtCWEhELLLuV0YTtd4BxvsXblj3k1QQ/s4032/IMG_1147.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_764a_39ef_18f5_75ed" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikyLWEjZrYGD-1OzmhnV_FWDgCMnZ_HMi5DBgxn2YZ49xb4sDLI958OiFNq-UYgLdCUDXIzKwqiECXbBsZqNFDZ1Vy6lGgRHmBLFWI4GCBxui66ZNlfsE2Pi7EuMZ_PlTpsqO-yEyk9FqXCIVOT5hWbSa71HCVtCWEhELLLuV0YTtd4BxvsXblj3k1QQ/s320/IMG_1147.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a break while on a bike ride</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>We agree that this is a nice little park and we look forward to returning there in the future. </div><div><br></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are some specifics about this campground:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><ul><li>There were multiple loops in the campground</li><li>Our site was a back in</li><li>Our site had shade</li><li>Most sites had some space on both sides</li><li>Our site was paved with asphalt and we needed to use leveling tools to correct a side-to-side lean in Rosie</li><li>Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service </li><li>Our site had a water connection</li><li>Our site had a sewer connection </li><li>The camp literature said there was a dump station in this park. We could not find it</li><li>The trash dumpster was in the middle of the campground. It was easy to walk there with your trash</li><li>There was a bathhouse in the campground </li><li>The park provided WiFi service </li><li>AT&T provided 3 bars of 5G voice and data service over our campsite </li><li>We were able to watch ABC, CBS, NBC and PBS using Rosie’s TV antenna. Digital channels seen were Antenna-TV, Circle, Comet, Court-TV, Dabl, ION, LAFF, ME-TV, Retro, Stadium and TBD</li><li>There were restaurants and shopping nearby</li><li>This was a pet friendly park </li></ul></div></div>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-13228277115808581502022-12-19T06:00:00.001-06:002022-12-19T06:00:00.187-06:00Gulf State Park - Gulf Shores, Alabama (November 2022)Some places make you happy by just being there. Several Florida state parks we frequent fall into that category and so does this Alabama state park. Having said that, we were again confused about paying for our reservation when we arrived because we added on a military discount as we checked in and ended up owing more than the amount quoted on our reservation paperwork. I guess I’m glad that we only asked for one discount or we could have ended up owing more for our fees. <div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_9967_95d5_cd54_c1b6" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggcFkBTMRlnH3gR8wrgZUPgaJOifEjrMelD8z9vozu1anvV1pXpePSlto0seVNcpVZ0SKVhDfRsc22FPYEocoUP9UXGSPbDuayvQZCnF-4B6I6-JJf5jXG6D5KgY2KwB8MlaX4AFbJheVd2mLy_Vr_UEXjo6FR-GZ3qjK2UCn5RmoDEWxH0vVxRTB_Dw/s4032/IMG_0416.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_62c_dd74_695b_bbb3" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggcFkBTMRlnH3gR8wrgZUPgaJOifEjrMelD8z9vozu1anvV1pXpePSlto0seVNcpVZ0SKVhDfRsc22FPYEocoUP9UXGSPbDuayvQZCnF-4B6I6-JJf5jXG6D5KgY2KwB8MlaX4AFbJheVd2mLy_Vr_UEXjo6FR-GZ3qjK2UCn5RmoDEWxH0vVxRTB_Dw/s320/IMG_0416.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sign over the road at Gulf State Park</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br><div><br></div><div>It was a snap backing into our site, which was paved with asphalt. That was welcomed after having trouble at our previous campground backing into a site with too much loose sand.</div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_59b5_108e_2322_25ab" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzUJhL23QHjDpIAnbNmVMCEvE2R4G_pnUODj9Zg57htbkUp4HdL19O8GRvY1MXp6N3V3u53-MhjFVtn6I6TsKgUM6juypoITc6DcdbXkxBKAfk0mvvpLheB_PItpcpAiHvgDfPdGn6Cuk6z1_32vjCtiyx8SyQWv0A5L5F66UQ6b8EjXFJZXCxgMUVg/s4032/IMG_0550.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_518f_8d67_246d_b117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzUJhL23QHjDpIAnbNmVMCEvE2R4G_pnUODj9Zg57htbkUp4HdL19O8GRvY1MXp6N3V3u53-MhjFVtn6I6TsKgUM6juypoITc6DcdbXkxBKAfk0mvvpLheB_PItpcpAiHvgDfPdGn6Cuk6z1_32vjCtiyx8SyQWv0A5L5F66UQ6b8EjXFJZXCxgMUVg/s320/IMG_0550.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking our dog on a cold day in the South</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div>We quickly set up Rosie so that we could enjoy riding our bicycles on the many trails in this park. As the weather turned colder, we were glad we had an opportunity to ride a few times on our bikes. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_bd28_338c_d94d_7c28" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJv0B5L_za-MfOKSxDdE2uHrdDYPe1mOtbqOzmU8rOicBYPes8mLr6asGUA8tx24zVuZa67hiWxmXOS41jj5uQFMtotCd3nlw-7OAQvla7u7UBaxaC_kXaIqFUegnxoHpEIVRbqYDP7fZdgsDDIX8ZeLpM-2HEeI2s89MJhLHHYy2qui2ZSZNz8BzyA/s4032/IMG_0436.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_6d3a_bae8_7278_f826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJv0B5L_za-MfOKSxDdE2uHrdDYPe1mOtbqOzmU8rOicBYPes8mLr6asGUA8tx24zVuZa67hiWxmXOS41jj5uQFMtotCd3nlw-7OAQvla7u7UBaxaC_kXaIqFUegnxoHpEIVRbqYDP7fZdgsDDIX8ZeLpM-2HEeI2s89MJhLHHYy2qui2ZSZNz8BzyA/s320/IMG_0436.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selfie while out riding our bikes</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>We noticed some campers in this campground looked different this time. They had what appeared to be storage sheds behind their RVs. We found out that the park started accepting longer term reservations for the winter on November 1st. It was easy to pick out the winter residents by their sheds, bird feeders and site decorations. </div><div><br></div><div>It looked like an Airstream rally was taking place in the park. It was a coincidence that so many Airstream campers were there at the same time. Oddly two Streamline trailers, an Airstream competitor from the 1960s, were also in the park. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_70f5_dcfa_eee8_a2d7" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJ0TFHe_uZ9DhsHPWu-T6cAglg_5YMHZX87ORPx7Apjx3CSxSQbZHPnNMOpk2JUm8yRqnNFElohW-eAI5XmcMe88zBvIUevVjo1RZpScS18CXgCQ7yAO64KuWkVqpp3o7mCDCQyE22N5X64saLsSiY_BcJxpJLOV3ZL1iYw2Wz3-sgKWxjcc1qaOBSA/s4032/IMG_0464.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_7086_ee7b_bb68_6c15" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJ0TFHe_uZ9DhsHPWu-T6cAglg_5YMHZX87ORPx7Apjx3CSxSQbZHPnNMOpk2JUm8yRqnNFElohW-eAI5XmcMe88zBvIUevVjo1RZpScS18CXgCQ7yAO64KuWkVqpp3o7mCDCQyE22N5X64saLsSiY_BcJxpJLOV3ZL1iYw2Wz3-sgKWxjcc1qaOBSA/s320/IMG_0464.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A vintage StreamLine trailer in the campground</td></tr></tbody></table><br><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_64f_2493_f1e0_1f4f" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoj2SihtKnvQUfWFl2CzusQqb6unhbLTS9MrjkZzZnfw_VziuQgGeupqLqb-hiYS-dHyx2_PWoItPbb2SkasSKGIirsUPpjjsZ4vDFq93Ku4r1YLr_PCVUTCclUVObIMLIaVoisdj0i3_1GTVTo-RVC7Yv_rJs65zBxaDdu2nNwXky5KL4Vo0QWsLAA/s4032/IMG_0465.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_2c68_a3cf_45a1_4597" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoj2SihtKnvQUfWFl2CzusQqb6unhbLTS9MrjkZzZnfw_VziuQgGeupqLqb-hiYS-dHyx2_PWoItPbb2SkasSKGIirsUPpjjsZ4vDFq93Ku4r1YLr_PCVUTCclUVObIMLIaVoisdj0i3_1GTVTo-RVC7Yv_rJs65zBxaDdu2nNwXky5KL4Vo0QWsLAA/s320/IMG_0465.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A classic Silver Streak in the same camping loop</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div>It was too cold and windy to walk on the beach. Instead, we walked on the fishing pier. The surf was probably the highest we had seen in years. That combined with the cold wind was probably the reason we saw only a few people fishing during our visits to the pier. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_7e6e_651b_fee2_fa40" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxWZJ8TR1bWBym87zAkQz0RViBbvQOW0MfV1Nrp1snJi5cvSZYdpLIbOBqxV2AA3SxO9YBB6Ojx2VQX37kNzHPxMYXvwM_Duo10a7H5polqr7V8m17JoLONFTebQqbZRMK9u8RNC5yLMnJYwoIFe8aBf_btlIzRkMsyYriF5K8yZ8mPsPIWG8JsTFhdg/s4032/IMG_0479.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_25d9_54c5_7a6f_f6f0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxWZJ8TR1bWBym87zAkQz0RViBbvQOW0MfV1Nrp1snJi5cvSZYdpLIbOBqxV2AA3SxO9YBB6Ojx2VQX37kNzHPxMYXvwM_Duo10a7H5polqr7V8m17JoLONFTebQqbZRMK9u8RNC5yLMnJYwoIFe8aBf_btlIzRkMsyYriF5K8yZ8mPsPIWG8JsTFhdg/s320/IMG_0479.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to the pier</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_bdb3_b336_7ae3_5ce7" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJ0fbndPNXujFLBGj_OZWnHxSOkPydrYxArvsX7jT2JQOOiFc7HioZNFg6FyVfYhN9KJ_pljlmMtMw92PLkJTeIvX4rcO8I_b5gDqxKIBlCuNQ9uBIMZyaXoQkaz5xTFla_HWM3sj3d6LEt-JZ7A3NvFFqWo_Zb8BUPzlM4IZDQZdntj9js9iR_Nu-g/s4032/IMG_0597.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_50f1_b818_1741_57df" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJ0fbndPNXujFLBGj_OZWnHxSOkPydrYxArvsX7jT2JQOOiFc7HioZNFg6FyVfYhN9KJ_pljlmMtMw92PLkJTeIvX4rcO8I_b5gDqxKIBlCuNQ9uBIMZyaXoQkaz5xTFla_HWM3sj3d6LEt-JZ7A3NvFFqWo_Zb8BUPzlM4IZDQZdntj9js9iR_Nu-g/s320/IMG_0597.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the pier</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_7be4_6e84_e94a_5379" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRTlhZG-3h9CJ6fm673p_2pFSfzxB2sbS5k94_TGnKflEvbZdviLbC_kH2mo57bSmysvXO6dPaxESpRq_yrgWPAZyeZqYn6bzMzGmRCwBCBckqxVtwlawoqvUc9zpiwZss6n15ZLNffVoZfNagjipLedUOOVGcmSznhicTpe3Fy3uoN9PJe6GWyFuBkw/s4032/IMG_0601.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_fee4_145c_ca8c_88c3" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRTlhZG-3h9CJ6fm673p_2pFSfzxB2sbS5k94_TGnKflEvbZdviLbC_kH2mo57bSmysvXO6dPaxESpRq_yrgWPAZyeZqYn6bzMzGmRCwBCBckqxVtwlawoqvUc9zpiwZss6n15ZLNffVoZfNagjipLedUOOVGcmSznhicTpe3Fy3uoN9PJe6GWyFuBkw/s320/IMG_0601.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the start of the pier</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div>The cold weather was probably the reason we didn’t see alligators in the park this time. There are two places we enjoy riding our bikes to that we typically see a gator or two. Since it was cold, the gators were probably hibernating in deep water. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_2c4_2444_399b_7fca" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLyM33QeBoXuOgRmAeG8JurG6JenVaasb-n8HQO8iKNp0m5yZg3nXH5Cu6HK3or8PK3GLKTpmyIyGZMurOMgUfiU2mOEcUEGI-L5y3yrIbD-ymU_Uv-Xuzmbla8r2GTNpdNZ_QGqP-aMgYg4rgD2HZf56ZHHNADPtU4CA4yXfcr3jZC9LvzzYNRkeXlA/s4032/IMG_0613.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_f4b9_96bb_dc69_a432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLyM33QeBoXuOgRmAeG8JurG6JenVaasb-n8HQO8iKNp0m5yZg3nXH5Cu6HK3or8PK3GLKTpmyIyGZMurOMgUfiU2mOEcUEGI-L5y3yrIbD-ymU_Uv-Xuzmbla8r2GTNpdNZ_QGqP-aMgYg4rgD2HZf56ZHHNADPtU4CA4yXfcr3jZC9LvzzYNRkeXlA/s320/IMG_0613.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We could not find any wildlife this time</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>There were signs around the park inviting everyone to the activity center one Saturday for a free cup of soup. Our expectations were as low as the temperature as we headed over to the soup line. It turned out that the soup was good and welcomed on a cold day. </div><div><br></div><div>Speaking of cold days, we noticed that a camper in a site near us was refilling his propane tanks on his new trailer. He asked how fast we burn through a tank in our trailer. We told him that we were using Rosie’s heat pump and hadn’t turned on the furnace yet. We saw the lightbulb moment as he said his trailer also had a heat pump and he could save a lot of money by turning it on. </div><div><br></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are some specifics about this campground:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><ul><li>There were multiple loops in the campground</li><li>Our site was a back in</li><li>Most sites could be classified as "full sun" as trees were few and far apart</li><li>Most sites had some space on both sides</li><li>Our site was paved with asphalt and we needed to use leveling tools to correct a side-to-side lean in Rosie</li><li>Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service </li><li>Our site had a water connection</li><li>Our site had a sewer connection </li><li>There was a dump station in this park. It was near the dumpsters and was unmarked </li><li>The trash dumpsters were at the entrance of the campground. We had to drive there with our trash</li><li>There were multiple bathhouses in the campground </li><li>The park provided WiFi service. Our download speed was 40 mbs</li><li>AT&T provided 3 bars of 4G voice and data service over our campsite </li><li>We were able to watch ABC, FOX, NBC and PBS using Rosie’s TV antenna. Digital channels seen were Antenna-TV, Circle, Comet, Court-TV, Dabl, ION, LAFF, ME-TV, Retro, Stadium and TBD</li><li>There were restaurants and shopping nearby</li><li>This was a pet friendly park </li></ul></div></div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_eaa2_fee_3ee5_4c0f" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOUYYv3qGFrv1FZmwPnNSaCMqPKA48NjZ-IVU_saHl8x2K_0BMSr4mZEZiopqSp0f6o5a_EAZoXhPRVh-4svVenR8bj-OweJOhADTlCSid3IdsqCOXILO09TnWwxFlC5itHQ3pK12UNWKIj7IrVEvN0DT9bzUIPGHG7nGNdk0owVZnPCDmgyAvxO-_uw/s4032/IMG_0546.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_4153_34ae_5191_4bb4" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOUYYv3qGFrv1FZmwPnNSaCMqPKA48NjZ-IVU_saHl8x2K_0BMSr4mZEZiopqSp0f6o5a_EAZoXhPRVh-4svVenR8bj-OweJOhADTlCSid3IdsqCOXILO09TnWwxFlC5itHQ3pK12UNWKIj7IrVEvN0DT9bzUIPGHG7nGNdk0owVZnPCDmgyAvxO-_uw/s320/IMG_0546.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas decorations at Gulf State Park</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_ad9a_493d_599a_8517" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2NSkgjVLx1npc6371YLewzWHhZ9fBwCNYILKBQkdWWWsfei826h8PPuJMZnOOXIRnGSwgCdfdDWUuGBINdArdd53k_p7CLs90UiaoYKGvB5FhxEtY6z6RuVCICnyBcOwZu9aBn_2iZ3Kc2koqrX6TlREXijSAm9g2Exm0C7-QBx77ftR7QO6xk3eepA/s4032/IMG_0469.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_271b_1c6d_a5f1_4502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2NSkgjVLx1npc6371YLewzWHhZ9fBwCNYILKBQkdWWWsfei826h8PPuJMZnOOXIRnGSwgCdfdDWUuGBINdArdd53k_p7CLs90UiaoYKGvB5FhxEtY6z6RuVCICnyBcOwZu9aBn_2iZ3Kc2koqrX6TlREXijSAm9g2Exm0C7-QBx77ftR7QO6xk3eepA/s320/IMG_0469.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A favorite place to ride our bikes to look for alligators </td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_24d9_74d1_43aa_cf89" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBGDvEguAcKuM8VBjGMPsyLhiNDNr9ACmTkahINUemCt4FHgyJ-b5CUFWCRCpwWsy7BjD8io0TXkzVOV4IGumEjLPUpBgwVDyqYa6ufrl5yeo6o7o5Jo1Kb1eEVwcVVCdY9AOnnLxwJZiVTkoGTCjvmbxvLQMidxD_nRK1iJf31tBJG7nC0v7JZbg7CQ/s4032/IMG_0709.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_eafe_bfad_b9df_8b43" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBGDvEguAcKuM8VBjGMPsyLhiNDNr9ACmTkahINUemCt4FHgyJ-b5CUFWCRCpwWsy7BjD8io0TXkzVOV4IGumEjLPUpBgwVDyqYa6ufrl5yeo6o7o5Jo1Kb1eEVwcVVCdY9AOnnLxwJZiVTkoGTCjvmbxvLQMidxD_nRK1iJf31tBJG7nC0v7JZbg7CQ/s320/IMG_0709.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The water tower at Gulf State Park</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-59830881781168006142022-12-13T06:00:00.001-06:002022-12-13T06:00:00.182-06:00Big Lagoon State Park - Pensacola, Florida (November 2022)<div>Our last Rosie adventure camping in the Pensacola area was memorable. (Rosie is the name of our Airstream trailer.) Our trip was cut short when that campground closed because of a hurricane in the Gulf. As Yogi Berra said, “It seemed like deja vu all over again” as we packed to go to a different park along the Gulf and we saw news stories about a new hurricane coming up the coast. We could not help but wonder if this was going to be another abbreviated trip. </div><div><br></div><div>Before we left home, we called the Ranger Station at Big Lagoon State Park to talk about the possibility of that park closing. Yes, the Ranger would close the park if a hurricane was approaching it, but his information suggested the storm was going to miss Pensacola. That was good enough for us and we continued to load Rosie and headed to Big Lagoon. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_2203_7228_2ec_389e" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtaCQ7vo1XwhM9r8JsgmnEdGyXPV9l9YP_qbhsNqyJOom_lZBLgdGMorTWQTW8UhzS0pQwCSpiXOB6q44p5WGFDncNSqnS7UWqqyFX6QTASFDJ2n0Gve1IKVKHc7xjUfY6Flv7CNEzRzuYijIvjbSVA9bgObmYrbyHNr2qxIKB5bAiU6XePMMhGC61bg/s2753/IMG_0296.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1979" data-original-width="2753" height="230" id="id_e2c0_9a49_8b2b_2c89" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtaCQ7vo1XwhM9r8JsgmnEdGyXPV9l9YP_qbhsNqyJOom_lZBLgdGMorTWQTW8UhzS0pQwCSpiXOB6q44p5WGFDncNSqnS7UWqqyFX6QTASFDJ2n0Gve1IKVKHc7xjUfY6Flv7CNEzRzuYijIvjbSVA9bgObmYrbyHNr2qxIKB5bAiU6XePMMhGC61bg/s320/IMG_0296.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sign at the entrance to the park</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Check in at Big Lagoon State Park was a breeze. We gave our name and our site number to the ranger on duty at the entrance station and he gave us our registration papers and vehicle pass. Things quickly went downhill from there. </div><div><br></div><div>Our site (55) was mostly loose sand. We could see the deep ruts made by the previous camper as we started to back in. We finally parked and the iPhone app we use to level Rosie said we had to raise the right side five inches to even approach level. That wasn’t going to happen because the tires on our truck spun in the soft sand as we backed in. We knew that going up on the leveler blocks would be impossible.</div><div><br></div><div>As we were about to accept the obvious fact that our reserved site was a sand pit and we would spend our time there with a pronounced side-to-side lean, a camp host came over to help us. He called in a Ranger and after a short conference, we were moved to an open campground volunteer’s site. Instead of parking in what could have been a golf course sand trap, our new site was paved with grass and a few sandy areas. Things were looking up!</div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_5423_5a61_1a4e_4a0e" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAShbvCYdnz8JWM7rBZkOBzDkfEDW-eBEXDiCZTpVII16MFqhQltghI_xUt7TjdCXVyqEBUoEGB3jyvkgibl-NLZvVg2gm33mdA3HQRJoacL2o9FARY_RkvrAhJG6biV4GoEolnjqphrSBahvn7NmqIMMUen9f5UUItPT5chKqsqJw8G8c710UdlP9ng/s4032/IMG_0250.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_9416_51be_7350_13b6" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAShbvCYdnz8JWM7rBZkOBzDkfEDW-eBEXDiCZTpVII16MFqhQltghI_xUt7TjdCXVyqEBUoEGB3jyvkgibl-NLZvVg2gm33mdA3HQRJoacL2o9FARY_RkvrAhJG6biV4GoEolnjqphrSBahvn7NmqIMMUen9f5UUItPT5chKqsqJw8G8c710UdlP9ng/s320/IMG_0250.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie in the Volunteers Loop</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div>Speaking about looking up, we learned that the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels team was scheduled to perform their “Homecoming” show during our stay. The Pensacola newspaper predicted that 150,000 people would attend that air show. That helped us decide to avoid the crowd and watch the show from the campground. </div><div><br></div><div>We heard the jets more than we saw them, but were impressed with their performance. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_8478_3e61_3581_c625" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxi-5KgmN8bWMpedr8kYZSEYJIe8h35z_8VWiS2A843-hctGNHSGq9llPPaBlMSiJ-PS1urkcINwRYgFFhBxdywci6kWXhutX0FK-nWjbqd4jAFfJQkGoo9cLEgA_kwVNLvLJ2A69A6jpUPy4pCyKgHXgV4CFeEt8r7d_ffI2yQhJj4VajDKwfsxv-zQ/s4032/IMG_0319.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_bfd1_8246_f506_d4cc" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxi-5KgmN8bWMpedr8kYZSEYJIe8h35z_8VWiS2A843-hctGNHSGq9llPPaBlMSiJ-PS1urkcINwRYgFFhBxdywci6kWXhutX0FK-nWjbqd4jAFfJQkGoo9cLEgA_kwVNLvLJ2A69A6jpUPy4pCyKgHXgV4CFeEt8r7d_ffI2yQhJj4VajDKwfsxv-zQ/s320/IMG_0319.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sign that kept us from walking to the "point" to see the Blue Angels</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>Big Lagoon State Park was heavily damaged by Hurricane Sally two years before this visit. We were not surprised by the damage because we camped there several times after the storm. We were amazed that most of the park was still closed from the storm damage. This park had some great trails and places to ride bikes, but those had been closed for more than two years and that limited the activities you could do there. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_987b_b687_864e_6f9" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikmVq3dy8vt1PvDs9Kj8qcgfe0Qg10moJ7YLoAb-gnrL9UkGMO2qZodbVEVRUDk3Be9ziZgqIXo569dRw_TXt_YM7iaMnAvKDLITGSe43ULwasBT3eVkfBomenIXdtTeYClSOrLt9rAzCuREhdJ62qALULhFIoHYTX_fQECnZJWM0XvhAadLv_MlU3tg/s4032/IMG_0171.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_2b59_d535_2673_e58b" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikmVq3dy8vt1PvDs9Kj8qcgfe0Qg10moJ7YLoAb-gnrL9UkGMO2qZodbVEVRUDk3Be9ziZgqIXo569dRw_TXt_YM7iaMnAvKDLITGSe43ULwasBT3eVkfBomenIXdtTeYClSOrLt9rAzCuREhdJ62qALULhFIoHYTX_fQECnZJWM0XvhAadLv_MlU3tg/s320/IMG_0171.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boardwalk remains impassible</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>Do we want to go back to this campground? Yes, but we will probably wait until they start reopening the areas damaged by Hurricane Sally before making our next reservations there. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_6582_962c_4268_a461" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcpvUerk8I8clCRUdT785jJZllrcBpgUhBDlGETfRak2aDWv7bonxoFC7iPuFF1X-ABzp2DbKJKOk0L_F6xAVQcUdzd4km5ICne94AKG3v-2GUOuxu9Dj-Ak57uXBzKcOL-qHsyGTMyzAAP7YSk3mIF0ifj9Y5b3j86yfCfdc6X6TLRVSIDsdgd05sow/s4032/IMG_0317.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_3e81_542e_58d9_daa3" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcpvUerk8I8clCRUdT785jJZllrcBpgUhBDlGETfRak2aDWv7bonxoFC7iPuFF1X-ABzp2DbKJKOk0L_F6xAVQcUdzd4km5ICne94AKG3v-2GUOuxu9Dj-Ak57uXBzKcOL-qHsyGTMyzAAP7YSk3mIF0ifj9Y5b3j86yfCfdc6X6TLRVSIDsdgd05sow/s320/IMG_0317.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Along the shore in Big Lagoon State Park</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are some specifics about this campground:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><ul><li>There were multiple loops in the campground. We were placed into a campground volunteer's site and were amazed at how many other campers in the park asked us how long we were going to serve as volunteers in the campground </li><li>Our site was a back in</li><li>Our site had shade</li><li>Most sites had some space on both sides. Our site was huge because it was a volunteer's site. We know that we will have to serve as campground hosts if we ever want that site again</li><li>Our original site could qualify as a golf course sand trap. It had an abundance of soft sand and our truck’s tires were spinning and digging ruts as we tried to park there. Our second site was paved with grass and gravel with a few patches of soft sand. We needed to use leveling tools to correct a side-to-side lean in Rosie</li><li>Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service </li><li>Our site had a water connection</li><li>Our site did not have a sewer connection </li><li>There was a dump station in this park. It was a long way from our site</li><li>The trash dumpsters were at the entrance of the campground and in the middle of the second camping loop. It was easy to walk there with your trash</li><li>There were several bathhouses in the campground </li><li>The park did not provide WiFi service </li><li>AT&T provided 3 bars of 4G voice and data service over our campsite </li><li>We were able to watch ABC, CBS, NBC and PBS using Rosie’s TV antenna. Digital channels seen were Bounce, Charge, Circle, Court-TV, Dabl, Get, ION, ME-TV, Stadium and TBD</li><li>There were restaurants and shopping nearby</li><li>This was a pet friendly park </li></ul><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_4cf9_61b9_c597_7ec5" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsL3gTpjc-LaS6MzG8776O1zQ3M51zW2yE6nfit2q5YqtIl759tHcKr-TgRxiKpA-bs-bSoCLhUM--QBfV4lXd1eWcW_dIU5TnaTcZctWxzFqt5VfQi2x7-SBFawEhQqNVir0xy9MUsCXuYgoVcSbRlU4jFUups6M2bVwelcTz56nBbyGmf3tTys7K8Q/s4032/IMG_0232.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_a967_73f2_61a_eed0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsL3gTpjc-LaS6MzG8776O1zQ3M51zW2yE6nfit2q5YqtIl759tHcKr-TgRxiKpA-bs-bSoCLhUM--QBfV4lXd1eWcW_dIU5TnaTcZctWxzFqt5VfQi2x7-SBFawEhQqNVir0xy9MUsCXuYgoVcSbRlU4jFUups6M2bVwelcTz56nBbyGmf3tTys7K8Q/s320/IMG_0232.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boats returning after watching the Blue Angels show</td></tr></tbody></table><br><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_5adb_899d_c7b8_4955" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWStKpcItQzfvMZvetkvNQVxv3yeQomU9O03q8vIzQRU_PHc2DxXRdrDLoQ2CkeximZjtFywwrOIefPYliTPhZA2lSXlOernQX-QrAsckmO6jipfUAx9xXTWPlzCkTEWop0fassROrQnP8ccJs23n62PpDl4WHJXNyniyZMqFlG1vLFfiqgsGcbvEcA/s4032/IMG_0255.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_3d0_eadf_5631_8bd9" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWStKpcItQzfvMZvetkvNQVxv3yeQomU9O03q8vIzQRU_PHc2DxXRdrDLoQ2CkeximZjtFywwrOIefPYliTPhZA2lSXlOernQX-QrAsckmO6jipfUAx9xXTWPlzCkTEWop0fassROrQnP8ccJs23n62PpDl4WHJXNyniyZMqFlG1vLFfiqgsGcbvEcA/s320/IMG_0255.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Path to the shore at Johnson Beach</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_ba03_f3c3_a2ab_eb3b" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVF6ttB8pFMktzM1lEJYi20oip8huo0UmCK6aGcwbOsKMglilrWIhsJuds6l1ZroClwQpp00J_74qJcHHv3rkhdllSARfVeTjhHGV6UEuf0CPGyr38Qmn7Hhhf_iuqNJVgr5mlmVPRmOEuHs4oANeZEJtc1ETSXjcFtj4joDxFI-sr0Q_VYx2Xtl0NNA/s4032/IMG_0256.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_9c93_8f3e_547d_35ad" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVF6ttB8pFMktzM1lEJYi20oip8huo0UmCK6aGcwbOsKMglilrWIhsJuds6l1ZroClwQpp00J_74qJcHHv3rkhdllSARfVeTjhHGV6UEuf0CPGyr38Qmn7Hhhf_iuqNJVgr5mlmVPRmOEuHs4oANeZEJtc1ETSXjcFtj4joDxFI-sr0Q_VYx2Xtl0NNA/s320/IMG_0256.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Johnson Beach</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div></div></div>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-49527574468620121062022-11-18T05:30:00.001-06:002022-11-18T05:30:00.165-06:00DeSoto State Park - Fort Payne, Alabama (October 2022)<div>We camped in Alabama's DeSoto State Park multiple times before this trip. Our visits included both tents and later Rosie, our Airstream trailer. It is difficult to say which trip was more memorable to us, but the two that stand out in my mind were during our tent camping days. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_ac08_7b41_10a0_69ee"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsllS21LfOHL4P0tl41p97K--FZ5hKlnn0DeshvO4vcUIvtKpBMcBsatE1XWJneFMLxIARexHFWaZC5-ec7CdkENreZoTIRpzExeGkL98R75H_yXqbaYfHhITvbq9z5vDSmxPSw03ncnaTg4wnNhr8olkMIIaUpOI_KzwmhyOtHMSo7-XE8dMPx3UsDg/s4032/IMG_9726.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsllS21LfOHL4P0tl41p97K--FZ5hKlnn0DeshvO4vcUIvtKpBMcBsatE1XWJneFMLxIARexHFWaZC5-ec7CdkENreZoTIRpzExeGkL98R75H_yXqbaYfHhITvbq9z5vDSmxPSw03ncnaTg4wnNhr8olkMIIaUpOI_KzwmhyOtHMSo7-XE8dMPx3UsDg/s320/IMG_9726.jpeg" width="320" id="id_3ead_e735_a640_7112" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sign at entrance to the park</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div>The first contender for “most memorable visit” was when our children were small and they loved climbing on the rocks around this campground. We can still see in our mind's eye our children playing in this park. </div><div><br></div><div>The second contender was when our son and his family, including our then three month old granddaughter joined us for the weekend. It would be hard to top that visit.</div><div><br></div><div>There were three camping loops in this park. None appeared familiar to us. A park ranger told us that the camping loops were updated a while back to add 50 amp power and sewer connections to all sites. Maybe that was the reason the campground didn’t look the same to us. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_aebe_3627_b9dd_a7dc"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyr-o4Fs2oApuLeDh8t-lDoul9sFr9-bH4WIGEauS-z17FpZ2DZLoWLF9WIBs-72_GlGpzldvZ8wCRC3fVj0Y5gtUrXj3l3dt0mZ_7JJxHeb7w09DS5QXIocTSf1d5YMXVtiUOW2aLNYu_nXwZapdFyxZKWtPuRQ-KsBXwdINVV9D4rQ-Zkqg8zyo1xw/s4032/IMG_9104.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyr-o4Fs2oApuLeDh8t-lDoul9sFr9-bH4WIGEauS-z17FpZ2DZLoWLF9WIBs-72_GlGpzldvZ8wCRC3fVj0Y5gtUrXj3l3dt0mZ_7JJxHeb7w09DS5QXIocTSf1d5YMXVtiUOW2aLNYu_nXwZapdFyxZKWtPuRQ-KsBXwdINVV9D4rQ-Zkqg8zyo1xw/s320/IMG_9104.jpeg" width="320" id="id_149e_d227_33bc_d2ed" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our site in the park</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>Another point that escaped our memories was the roads leading to the park. It would be hard to classify them as roads designed for RV traffic. In fact, the road suggested by Apple and Google Maps was frightening. Our RV GPS took us a longer way, but on roads better suited for RV traffic. </div><div><br></div><div>Once checked in, it was easy to find our site. Backing in wasn’t the easiest we had seen because we had to back Rosie uphill and there were ditches on both sides of the road. That meant we had be be spot-on when we parked.</div><div><br></div><div>Our site was surprisingly level side-to-side. That didn’t hold for front-to-back. We noticed that many of the campers in our loop appeared to be coming in for a landing on an aircraft carrier as the front was much higher than the rear. We were able to level Rosie front-to-back, but it looked like it was trying to fly when saw her while walking around our loop. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_5baa_7dc_77e9_9b48"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3r0M1IsQ3TK5VyO3Lf1tcACnax4EpDN8anmufPpqbJwETZ4f6Pb3iVLnZERjWQTP_73CNy05TtA6iifbGhwf9HF2bi7EVtcsqimbU-NpeJn5HmIdS18gdhO-P4MQmAmmALxxeLuAJ7lHHcYhDjpvKTDba9Xg_LjAiKmn3yEkTQSWIEV0LvNvi7zUm7w/s4032/IMG_9745.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3r0M1IsQ3TK5VyO3Lf1tcACnax4EpDN8anmufPpqbJwETZ4f6Pb3iVLnZERjWQTP_73CNy05TtA6iifbGhwf9HF2bi7EVtcsqimbU-NpeJn5HmIdS18gdhO-P4MQmAmmALxxeLuAJ7lHHcYhDjpvKTDba9Xg_LjAiKmn3yEkTQSWIEV0LvNvi7zUm7w/s320/IMG_9745.jpeg" width="320" id="id_4cce_2290_4fb_92f2" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It didn't look level, but it was</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>There are several interesting things to see here, but you have to leave the park to see them. At the top of our list is the Little River Canyon National Preserve. According to Google Maps, this was less than five minutes from the campground, It took us longer to get there, but the Canyon should not be missed when camping in DeSoto State Park. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_de29_c190_a8c7_29d6"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW3U89Q5OA006JiTKpFnZOhro1o97chInxVPaGFY_oPz9jSbVENHvFMQt-lWguwIABTi7cXJZt49Xfw7ksTybFrakxBy9_esCtUu4IW8eTTel6liBRHcKDlBEA9fqGfhzWa4gFlPvqb3u0jTQ5aCdprownhEfxdmQ5VsrIrjKgH6F_K3WaWaS-AFEsCg/s4032/IMG_9402.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW3U89Q5OA006JiTKpFnZOhro1o97chInxVPaGFY_oPz9jSbVENHvFMQt-lWguwIABTi7cXJZt49Xfw7ksTybFrakxBy9_esCtUu4IW8eTTel6liBRHcKDlBEA9fqGfhzWa4gFlPvqb3u0jTQ5aCdprownhEfxdmQ5VsrIrjKgH6F_K3WaWaS-AFEsCg/s320/IMG_9402.jpeg" width="320" id="id_33df_6eb1_b7cf_6b18" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selfie in the canyon </td></tr></tbody></table><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_61cf_1aca_e7ba_bd32"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJOshyR_HQWKiChPKeELkXmwlDHp7cO_3tCcUg4k-8eWZxn4NwzSQSyk9YwSIJUaW7KtOWoq96A_H02VNCm3wzbDSz8f29IqQPHlBSGMsVZiJnQnA7uwgx4HovZnrwZjLIln9F4GY0KEj9OCl024KoD1BNKhZzITmTWo8VSOst5oBPDYnIlPUDQ1_Mg/s4032/IMG_9515.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJOshyR_HQWKiChPKeELkXmwlDHp7cO_3tCcUg4k-8eWZxn4NwzSQSyk9YwSIJUaW7KtOWoq96A_H02VNCm3wzbDSz8f29IqQPHlBSGMsVZiJnQnA7uwgx4HovZnrwZjLIln9F4GY0KEj9OCl024KoD1BNKhZzITmTWo8VSOst5oBPDYnIlPUDQ1_Mg/s320/IMG_9515.jpeg" width="320" id="id_2468_f62d_acc4_dcbd" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Across the canyon </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_93fd_d9e5_84fb_f6c8"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8NtCi8LTjpDPLNUoIcVMip5TrX_b-q5I5gfvjLqTjIyW9yrxCl-sWj_ULGhPqf9V7vVZb5-oybc_ISx4j9tIHxqeh8c2dg1BaSYPlrGnCQqFJJ-LzJNEUhzjokLgU2SfD-U5Yum5XF-B5_a40Ku57-3LQ7gYRUnl9FIZ1D0XYvko57DzaaXFeTHqI_A/s4032/IMG_9587.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8NtCi8LTjpDPLNUoIcVMip5TrX_b-q5I5gfvjLqTjIyW9yrxCl-sWj_ULGhPqf9V7vVZb5-oybc_ISx4j9tIHxqeh8c2dg1BaSYPlrGnCQqFJJ-LzJNEUhzjokLgU2SfD-U5Yum5XF-B5_a40Ku57-3LQ7gYRUnl9FIZ1D0XYvko57DzaaXFeTHqI_A/s320/IMG_9587.jpeg" width="320" id="id_f3e2_2a2e_c35d_90f6" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The leaves were changing colors</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>The second is DeSoto Falls. It rained one night while we were camping there and that increased the amount of water going over the falls the next day. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_5d63_d930_63d4_c05e"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOLzvFfKHIKl3nZNasElYOl77Ahk89MiJfaxOj0nECL6i0dhM_KjqCBIeyZN2A9X8Yep_6vaxi_x74laCg0QkAwe-nDOi3yPk7yUe5U11SKDGzF8KxBe7xuoK_eiO_qeeizNPPfZx4rPuIinuNErstiV6dcaQccItPDjO5-G-1IWiAkdNuQmMRLD22w/s4032/IMG_9590.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOLzvFfKHIKl3nZNasElYOl77Ahk89MiJfaxOj0nECL6i0dhM_KjqCBIeyZN2A9X8Yep_6vaxi_x74laCg0QkAwe-nDOi3yPk7yUe5U11SKDGzF8KxBe7xuoK_eiO_qeeizNPPfZx4rPuIinuNErstiV6dcaQccItPDjO5-G-1IWiAkdNuQmMRLD22w/s320/IMG_9590.jpeg" width="320" id="id_9ee6_67dc_d59_2893" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lake above the waterfalls </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_304e_d4c_b4c0_5902"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_lPzHMMvBnaa3ar442rVSzUEQxO0QxaZysTWxiRd50t-9wjJ3gzl8husHiRuVsg3YwJ4s3XUeH2-2JItM2vjJB08vWa9s0NenMiO40ZvOoZBXFcl2kaylvJxOloGK-ciRUKsexK3xddyr4FqmFGLTSV14eBiojVQ0X0MSRiVmVAhwb3ycN_L49C-b4w/s4032/IMG_9683.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_lPzHMMvBnaa3ar442rVSzUEQxO0QxaZysTWxiRd50t-9wjJ3gzl8husHiRuVsg3YwJ4s3XUeH2-2JItM2vjJB08vWa9s0NenMiO40ZvOoZBXFcl2kaylvJxOloGK-ciRUKsexK3xddyr4FqmFGLTSV14eBiojVQ0X0MSRiVmVAhwb3ycN_L49C-b4w/s320/IMG_9683.jpeg" width="240" id="id_13a4_8dc8_e575_539f" style="width: 240px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selfie at the falls</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_2c73_56cc_8a99_edcd"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHhkSfg1f7RZfbcnATiZvVnOy_pSztiEKd8mLQN_UM1pMphWinjuhiqyXrPy-v5kMM-OavGnKgcGhgFADHM9AbjuTQHrtUNN4-EFBK9gzXp9hERBYDoMo2so2E6rV8o3RSn_sMhE33bJ6sVCNkBc-WHmZ0dqbV7BUR7HuRKMvUwKERpY8r_4DwTFQ1mA/s4032/IMG_9697.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHhkSfg1f7RZfbcnATiZvVnOy_pSztiEKd8mLQN_UM1pMphWinjuhiqyXrPy-v5kMM-OavGnKgcGhgFADHM9AbjuTQHrtUNN4-EFBK9gzXp9hERBYDoMo2so2E6rV8o3RSn_sMhE33bJ6sVCNkBc-WHmZ0dqbV7BUR7HuRKMvUwKERpY8r_4DwTFQ1mA/s320/IMG_9697.jpeg" width="320" id="id_bc5b_919f_b590_441b" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Falls after it rained</td></tr></tbody></table><span> </span><div><span> </span><div>The temperatures dropped into the mid 40s at night while we camped there. We were glad we brought some cold weather clothes and that Rosie's heaters worked. </div><div><br></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are some specifics about this campground:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><ul><li>There were multiple loops in the campground </li><li>Our site was a back in</li><li>Our site had shade</li><li>Most sites had some space on both sides</li><li>Our site was paved with dirt and gravel. It took great effort to level Rosie front to back</li><li>Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service </li><li>Our site had a water connection</li><li>Our site had a sewer connection </li><li>There was a dump station in this park</li><li>The trash dumpsters were at the entrance of the campground. It was easy to walk there with your trash</li><li>There were several bathhouses in the campground </li><li>The park provided WiFi service. We measured our speed at 1.5 mbps down and 0.93 mbps up when it worked</li><li>AT&T provided 1bar of 4G voice and data service over our campsite </li><li>We were unable to pick any TV stations using Rosie’s antenna </li><li>The campground provided a TV cable connection. Our cable connection didn’t work </li><li>There were restaurants and shopping nearby</li><li>This was a pet friendly park </li></ul><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_8313_520d_8be3_b413"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqg50oP4ReTLEYB7eGpwJxu2TUpejVqhrZ0MgIlTR309iR6A0JewL195LbUaUPgYz_joBqclIv1FTinmzrN3Nt9r9m8bFBm0d-7i13ukuCkepbOFJU-YF6NiQ1cLYOvDsWumL6FmTLmpIYT2UNWXqJbMoTtVvnnCYKej_Lu21wC1FzlTuJKV3mBzECyw/s4032/IMG_9234.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqg50oP4ReTLEYB7eGpwJxu2TUpejVqhrZ0MgIlTR309iR6A0JewL195LbUaUPgYz_joBqclIv1FTinmzrN3Nt9r9m8bFBm0d-7i13ukuCkepbOFJU-YF6NiQ1cLYOvDsWumL6FmTLmpIYT2UNWXqJbMoTtVvnnCYKej_Lu21wC1FzlTuJKV3mBzECyw/s320/IMG_9234.jpeg" width="320" id="id_ce2a_a323_4b6f_e5f9" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another entrance to the park</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_5fc6_b3c1_7420_a890"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHsWXQp1X6FMmLAbMUa0_PMwOcg_bA9Dy6lQPVl8DrFkZuxK8nV17-0Z5T3dFvrGBT7mSCh07I5kpTNUJOB-X3u07BfR39teLGMDoyE50s6KMpUrzbgHtR1nHfSlDHFDzxjr3XhZOUQ7UEzX3_fcSoXMLm7ce2hxEWXq5yU9TNYFucS3kvxh5CwEJYfQ/s4032/IMG_9235.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHsWXQp1X6FMmLAbMUa0_PMwOcg_bA9Dy6lQPVl8DrFkZuxK8nV17-0Z5T3dFvrGBT7mSCh07I5kpTNUJOB-X3u07BfR39teLGMDoyE50s6KMpUrzbgHtR1nHfSlDHFDzxjr3XhZOUQ7UEzX3_fcSoXMLm7ce2hxEWXq5yU9TNYFucS3kvxh5CwEJYfQ/s320/IMG_9235.jpeg" width="320" id="id_1032_9df2_f8a4_4fcc" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The CCC sign from the 1930s</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_5df7_de2_f417_c922"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vghka8gacXKJMtDxM-oVhr1AJ_560Iy3aCTABYjcLBL7jmu444258-6xF13Umljluxa7ql4kG9So_qvil6D2tm4sdrPcyYWatEQ8s13EsSQ3qzcGS4byQ4mSiJ_lvTag8clK-rpNJfCl2ZvqSLr_BWDSOzHQA8E2A_3ExXVu91yMIjcGE9xD_CbioA/s4032/IMG_9362.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vghka8gacXKJMtDxM-oVhr1AJ_560Iy3aCTABYjcLBL7jmu444258-6xF13Umljluxa7ql4kG9So_qvil6D2tm4sdrPcyYWatEQ8s13EsSQ3qzcGS4byQ4mSiJ_lvTag8clK-rpNJfCl2ZvqSLr_BWDSOzHQA8E2A_3ExXVu91yMIjcGE9xD_CbioA/s320/IMG_9362.jpeg" width="320" id="id_db64_aaea_ddeb_161b" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mushroom Rock </td></tr></tbody></table><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_8e89_233a_258e_7370"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidtYKtHjoZBc2MFNCOPo957lcau1f8SF6JgPwDy8Mh_knDL3SK2NYjU0z6D91F4yW93hZMNaNEgYCgEi1E2M2HIv0x_rioiNmM0bqcb1wCKRyGhBY2tncKG23ysb7cbvxEGJ586PDhmyESHtADQjZBRkPTE4anbBE-5F2SqTnG7zz5ig8KzowvQT3kyw/s4032/IMG_9377.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidtYKtHjoZBc2MFNCOPo957lcau1f8SF6JgPwDy8Mh_knDL3SK2NYjU0z6D91F4yW93hZMNaNEgYCgEi1E2M2HIv0x_rioiNmM0bqcb1wCKRyGhBY2tncKG23ysb7cbvxEGJ586PDhmyESHtADQjZBRkPTE4anbBE-5F2SqTnG7zz5ig8KzowvQT3kyw/s320/IMG_9377.jpeg" width="320" id="id_6002_8082_e09f_86d" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mushroom Rock is in the middle of the road</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_19bc_2124_f34f_2504"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCjb5SHwE05W-ZdtYEbZaVEmpeqrZbnRBegOab_4iD_Zw32OUd3XnpeBQPz-3JiOkfb8-liVTrjY0FCj5MyLqu5kMVOfZZczYoYgPd7iS2uwmzcDo22cO-DFvRd6-CxW8q5_KFGbgVAzmnimNaxJOnesjicXEOrP2J1gcn4ImgfvU65Xefl739EuYlvQ/s4032/IMG_9754.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCjb5SHwE05W-ZdtYEbZaVEmpeqrZbnRBegOab_4iD_Zw32OUd3XnpeBQPz-3JiOkfb8-liVTrjY0FCj5MyLqu5kMVOfZZczYoYgPd7iS2uwmzcDo22cO-DFvRd6-CxW8q5_KFGbgVAzmnimNaxJOnesjicXEOrP2J1gcn4ImgfvU65Xefl739EuYlvQ/s320/IMG_9754.jpeg" width="320" id="id_b807_ed26_3bf3_ae04" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had an observer as we hitched up to leave this park</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div></div></div> </div>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-75908003624329330802022-11-15T05:00:00.001-06:002022-11-15T05:00:00.171-06:00Edgar Evins State Park - Silver Point, Tennessee (October 2022)We were looking for some campgrounds to enjoy the leaves changing colors and the online reviews of Tennessee's Edgar Evins State Park were very positive. The location was good so we were convinced to give it a try. There were a few reviews that weren’t glowing, but those could easily be dismissed as cases of hard-to-please people. <div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_c86_7196_c70_d112" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0hnINtXWqfvCpZNatEbEq_-bU_og_7L4ZjIIOKvezWyJcyXk9BzS8_kqleBuWNUszlrfYxDxJMJaG4foesJGWt9fLo1-gR_YMdWqPQxj_v0ODAj_W4t4rX6k1R6ZI9XbMvESoP3Ajgl0bQ5R2XII8-qmXAUxEZB-XJwi96d6Ol22Xb4FIDbJN6Bgplg/s4030/IMG_8699.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2728" data-original-width="4030" height="217" id="id_1100_ceae_3204_2248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0hnINtXWqfvCpZNatEbEq_-bU_og_7L4ZjIIOKvezWyJcyXk9BzS8_kqleBuWNUszlrfYxDxJMJaG4foesJGWt9fLo1-gR_YMdWqPQxj_v0ODAj_W4t4rX6k1R6ZI9XbMvESoP3Ajgl0bQ5R2XII8-qmXAUxEZB-XJwi96d6Ol22Xb4FIDbJN6Bgplg/s320/IMG_8699.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sign at the entrance to this park</td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><br></div><div>You cannot talk about this park without focusing on what makes it unique. Each site was on a substantial elevated wooden deck that went out over the steep slope of a hill. Some of those sites had water views. We were able to reserve a lakeside deck and were excited about camping in this park. </div><div><br></div><div>Then we arrived. </div><div><br></div><div>The decks appeared to be much smaller than we imagined as we hunted for our site. Also, some sites had sharp inclines guaranteed to bottom out your RV as you backed in. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_5238_6f7c_746_e25a" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidWtza1HLhqtvjPLzkg2xwMheGwvkAfsgW58nMx9plkK8nO2gltZmGMyLY3qW0dLX3dm8PppnfWxKgtUnVNImskRlL9fuJWbVmeQ5ceCIN1ffk-WrupLr3pDCuTcOOmqgwlVO27rJj_1IeTliMnyo4Od6bYORYLhq-1Ladeg0ezpCee1GC9uHmCEuoOg/s4032/IMG_9018.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_b78f_f6f1_6ff8_b148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidWtza1HLhqtvjPLzkg2xwMheGwvkAfsgW58nMx9plkK8nO2gltZmGMyLY3qW0dLX3dm8PppnfWxKgtUnVNImskRlL9fuJWbVmeQ5ceCIN1ffk-WrupLr3pDCuTcOOmqgwlVO27rJj_1IeTliMnyo4Od6bYORYLhq-1Ladeg0ezpCee1GC9uHmCEuoOg/s320/IMG_9018.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An empty deck site</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>We found our site and it had only a slight incline. The only effect from that slope would be that it would be harder to release our trailer’s weight equalizer bars when we unhitched. </div><div><br></div><div>Our site was rated for RVs up to 31 feet in length. I think they used a fisherman’s measuring tape to determine that. There were multiple complications that made backing into our site a challenge. First, there was no shoulder on the side of the narrow access road beside our site, only a rocky cliff. That limited being able to maneuver as we backed into our site. Second, there were two substantial concrete columns on either side of our site. Those probably added structural integrity to the decks and helped protect the wooden sides to the sites, but they made backing in more tedious. Third, there was only a tiny space to place our tow vehicle next to Rosie, our Airstream trailer, on our deck. What could have been an area to park our truck on outside our site’s wooden deck was too washed away and at too much of an angle down the hill to feel safe. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_75b9_fd7b_ef4a_f346" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAogQetsqz0PELfpUabJrxUaSvAiIrFZrSvJswLCC98SeS9fFzz0c4cAHQH4p0YY74-ddTeHZ79TowGPfbybpFQmsRIRdABm-LD0w7UqHyY0QLiIb2GTRvbTarNY5B-v3hPGFyq5XyC5re63HTdxKNsRq0LNDigZl5bSCWVsS31xpKt1Bv08zeOFVqLg/s4032/IMG_8703.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_a61f_cc93_a1ed_8eaf" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAogQetsqz0PELfpUabJrxUaSvAiIrFZrSvJswLCC98SeS9fFzz0c4cAHQH4p0YY74-ddTeHZ79TowGPfbybpFQmsRIRdABm-LD0w7UqHyY0QLiIb2GTRvbTarNY5B-v3hPGFyq5XyC5re63HTdxKNsRq0LNDigZl5bSCWVsS31xpKt1Bv08zeOFVqLg/s320/IMG_8703.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Truck and Rosie in our site</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>Well, we were able to successfully park Rosie and squeeze our truck beside her on our platform. Things were looking up, but there were a few nervous conversations about our plans to safely pull Rosie out of this site when it was time to leave. </div><div><br></div><div>Several of our camping neighbors asked us about our plans for the big Halloween celebration over the weekend. That was the first we heard about it, but it was easy to see that this was a big deal among those in the park. </div><div><br></div><div>As predicted, the campground was full for the weekend. We were able to get to a store and buy some candy to give out to the children who were on a trick-or-treat mission. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_c93a_a11f_3981_e1eb" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5SZD6u1yECQDK1AOrhjZpJS6kPF2I3Z0MhQwvdnT3gTxbBb-4OBM_e_KuBOYpb4Fl4-e30id5mlAjVci_vn4hbvfWkegJwC40Fkdaw1n6vAh_Sri_on_69VYtZhZbk-xtAxkQk6qPpOb78ZqlnpwrXzBEoVr26wfTRcnF2C8RZXPL7cZfdye1fuqeKw/s4032/IMG_9092.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_865e_8d75_d92e_56b9" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5SZD6u1yECQDK1AOrhjZpJS6kPF2I3Z0MhQwvdnT3gTxbBb-4OBM_e_KuBOYpb4Fl4-e30id5mlAjVci_vn4hbvfWkegJwC40Fkdaw1n6vAh_Sri_on_69VYtZhZbk-xtAxkQk6qPpOb78ZqlnpwrXzBEoVr26wfTRcnF2C8RZXPL7cZfdye1fuqeKw/s320/IMG_9092.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie with her Halloween decorations <br><br></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_bb8d_cae2_1fa4_3890"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidzNQMG5VCSEYcsBSrYFQe3YgbzHTqyBN-MvlTHldScFYUsijdf_ts4-ah_xE6c8qyS7P1rwYsaZmVVc-sWH7M_XFANhachCI-gXBRzcOCzsU0rWGJWb_rcpjIWZQNk25CG1xCfiZLowi6I9_jRRqFrX4ZHP_VWRN-MaTKfc6gmwJav4E8EqANiLxk8Q/s4032/IMG_9095.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidzNQMG5VCSEYcsBSrYFQe3YgbzHTqyBN-MvlTHldScFYUsijdf_ts4-ah_xE6c8qyS7P1rwYsaZmVVc-sWH7M_XFANhachCI-gXBRzcOCzsU0rWGJWb_rcpjIWZQNk25CG1xCfiZLowi6I9_jRRqFrX4ZHP_VWRN-MaTKfc6gmwJav4E8EqANiLxk8Q/s320/IMG_9095.jpeg" width="320" id="id_7beb_aad6_876f_a9b9" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our neighbor's decorations</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div>We felt that we lucked into being in this park at a great time to enjoy it. Many sites were decorated for Halloween and we enjoyed seeing the children in their costumes. </div><div><br></div><div>The temperatures dropped below freezing our first two nights in this park. Rosie’s heat pumps and furnace kept us warm and cozy. </div><div><br></div><div>This wasn’t a campground that we wanted to ride our bikes in. Most roads in this park had steep inclines and scary declines that would have made riding our bikes very difficult and not very safe. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_82c1_ddd_25fb_109" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5KtIpPs0BPOGV3CKVRKQl4NfkXisSvZqGRBbmgZa4hE_JP5Kr7_-53zFqRMOcJ1t-Cjldq3vKesoTpIydmZYMJ1OOy_SZcOhUuN6fTX7TbfhEWTj-WWlnX9UkNBXdGdCO7wvMOQv8kkCJQbATmCzt5O0zU6aIgBh-VG6H4iH2T-EXpMsbqaRP7jyNUw/s4032/IMG_9051.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_4c95_a0a4_2f6f_a940" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5KtIpPs0BPOGV3CKVRKQl4NfkXisSvZqGRBbmgZa4hE_JP5Kr7_-53zFqRMOcJ1t-Cjldq3vKesoTpIydmZYMJ1OOy_SZcOhUuN6fTX7TbfhEWTj-WWlnX9UkNBXdGdCO7wvMOQv8kkCJQbATmCzt5O0zU6aIgBh-VG6H4iH2T-EXpMsbqaRP7jyNUw/s320/IMG_9051.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hills in this park</td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_5764_f4bd_e787_ace2" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT00e2vrc9MfNz4RJY861zlaJSDn_P_8HQpP9XLvW7X9cFav01cXBG2UcwMu4c_ffmdfPysrJtFexGytIkJKBgWw-KP7aZ5LJPU40e6BANGZg7WgOMQilwMASfJ4ZP6dE8nueho6ZVeELAEucDm3Qy8gzf5HjPGlQj3mLhpb7pCLc45yJRAnyaYNdxIg/s4032/IMG_9101.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_e80e_c030_888a_31b" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT00e2vrc9MfNz4RJY861zlaJSDn_P_8HQpP9XLvW7X9cFav01cXBG2UcwMu4c_ffmdfPysrJtFexGytIkJKBgWw-KP7aZ5LJPU40e6BANGZg7WgOMQilwMASfJ4ZP6dE8nueho6ZVeELAEucDm3Qy8gzf5HjPGlQj3mLhpb7pCLc45yJRAnyaYNdxIg/s320/IMG_9101.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The leaves were changing colors</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_5cd7_c3d1_3bc6_1a1a"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bGOhft3Q3p-5cVJjD5Sj9jXMj9-9eGEriKyWhFBKAjSz0D7Swys_Ll7ii-Ik78Nb_McvsEUu5SoZj95fUmmBq3BqToPA8eNxX_bXO4b_sFNlrubtktzcJK5rm8Ou1BIiuNQI8KbCeMwC2kpb-emHo_XcJA-x_7idi1xppnEHFPV_V8VK7toPj7B2pw/s4032/IMG_8764.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bGOhft3Q3p-5cVJjD5Sj9jXMj9-9eGEriKyWhFBKAjSz0D7Swys_Ll7ii-Ik78Nb_McvsEUu5SoZj95fUmmBq3BqToPA8eNxX_bXO4b_sFNlrubtktzcJK5rm8Ou1BIiuNQI8KbCeMwC2kpb-emHo_XcJA-x_7idi1xppnEHFPV_V8VK7toPj7B2pw/s320/IMG_8764.jpeg" width="320" id="id_94a1_b1f0_c354_5eae" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The marina across the lake</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div>Our verdict was that this was an interesting place to camp. It was also a white-knuckle experience backing into and leaving our site. We recommend people wanting to camp here call the park directly to learn the size of the decks and if it has a slope at its access that could bottom out your RV. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_63bf_c5d3_b0bb_7fca" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfZeHHb86HAf-fIiESjqDyLMu1fELjguaHBVpxrXy8d66ru88467Attx0shC7Rf0Ri4BE8MYdomWZIgtCbTqRePsKkNIk8-CXXyT9q8PCqcSMstx_Fe9qUzqy75fQttbpjdwuLIxGHORJ5AW-UhCBCNFoPQJn5QnE3AklhzJ4_C4HM-zqEaUaFdHl9Hg/s4032/IMG_8903.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_ed53_23c3_bd33_5148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfZeHHb86HAf-fIiESjqDyLMu1fELjguaHBVpxrXy8d66ru88467Attx0shC7Rf0Ri4BE8MYdomWZIgtCbTqRePsKkNIk8-CXXyT9q8PCqcSMstx_Fe9qUzqy75fQttbpjdwuLIxGHORJ5AW-UhCBCNFoPQJn5QnE3AklhzJ4_C4HM-zqEaUaFdHl9Hg/s320/IMG_8903.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lake</td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_abd0_764_1512_a79b" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd1ZHhcjAFLDmZ_JuiznPkHhA2wP9oUpmK7rAflXvTsUhqCiRuL-NEyWt0MIHKThOTvefKAiEkEhkiTWgSd6kmlH5cuCIlXHw2VM4eDULzecup7-Es0Z6b794Fa5b4IIh5ZbGR4xpaUrskt4ht58mTHm6W5RhjaldH0K5ZyDZK0D5oK3gSDHclDmu1Dw/s4032/IMG_8933.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_db0f_5bc9_491e_14e0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd1ZHhcjAFLDmZ_JuiznPkHhA2wP9oUpmK7rAflXvTsUhqCiRuL-NEyWt0MIHKThOTvefKAiEkEhkiTWgSd6kmlH5cuCIlXHw2VM4eDULzecup7-Es0Z6b794Fa5b4IIh5ZbGR4xpaUrskt4ht58mTHm6W5RhjaldH0K5ZyDZK0D5oK3gSDHclDmu1Dw/s320/IMG_8933.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking at Rosie from beneath the deck</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>By the way, we didn’t see any huge fifth-wheel units nor large motor homes in this park. There were a few sites that could accommodate larger rigs, but most sites appeared to be designed to fit campers less than 30 feet in size. </div><div><br></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are some specifics about this campground:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><ul><li>There were multiple loops in the campground. All sites were a wooden deck that jutted out over a hill</li><li>Our site was a back in</li><li>Our site had shade</li><li>Most sites had some space on both sides</li><li>Our site was paved with wood and was level</li><li>Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service </li><li>Our site had a water connection</li><li>Our site did not have a sewer connection</li><li>There was a dump station in this park. It was up several steep hills and not easy to reach</li><li>The trash dumpsters were at the entrance of the campground. You had to walk up some steep hills to get there</li><li>There were several bathhouses in the campground. The one closest to Rosie was clean and warm</li><li>We were confused about WiFi service in this campground. WiFi units were on poles around the park. In fact, one was next to Rosie. It didn’t work and I found only one while walking around the campground that actually worked. I was able to use a marginal WiFi signal from the marina across the lake while standing outside Rosie </li><li>AT&T provided 2 bars of 4G voice and data service over our campsite </li><li>We were unable to pick up any TV stations using Rosie’s antenna </li><li>Plan on a drive if you want to go to restaurants or shopping</li><li>This was a pet friendly park </li></ul></div></div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" id="id_4354_1290_e76a_cfac" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguFAwrXVnQ-5rix06TMOGe-Z1wBxPmH5LdXMJiYlHLa22NV7sUGJlDnRb-GjGSIJmQjKN1qWoEGQ0aBsEPvNAltqRdqO9kSJXw8jQ6EPvgXuZInmfksRa6qcSBCOS0dKt5Rvs0CTY-k-agAfsDhT-knspe_PaGnN0LB_IB-5g1N6cAlFV5gG_wLi5nVg/s4032/IMG_8879.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" id="id_4226_8d16_4c1d_6106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguFAwrXVnQ-5rix06TMOGe-Z1wBxPmH5LdXMJiYlHLa22NV7sUGJlDnRb-GjGSIJmQjKN1qWoEGQ0aBsEPvNAltqRdqO9kSJXw8jQ6EPvgXuZInmfksRa6qcSBCOS0dKt5Rvs0CTY-k-agAfsDhT-knspe_PaGnN0LB_IB-5g1N6cAlFV5gG_wLi5nVg/s320/IMG_8879.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selfie at the visitors center</td></tr></tbody></table><br><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_f956_570c_b9c1_7fcd"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivh9ZKKC7OU1NoFG0oVcXqDNA6MHs7hNxh4r_i9mK-hJrgiFFO5a362kuzUxuMgeOy-vLQLDBfoONvBsQSBucPe2NN_H0OPnu950HHO1hQzQpKXBEBoVTxuZEPLhS4uv1Y1rYTrdsMafxKBox-J16zJhh0nMLM8y_LiD1FO-k1PLFaHSBVnrdiwMLuYQ/s4032/IMG_8807.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivh9ZKKC7OU1NoFG0oVcXqDNA6MHs7hNxh4r_i9mK-hJrgiFFO5a362kuzUxuMgeOy-vLQLDBfoONvBsQSBucPe2NN_H0OPnu950HHO1hQzQpKXBEBoVTxuZEPLhS4uv1Y1rYTrdsMafxKBox-J16zJhh0nMLM8y_LiD1FO-k1PLFaHSBVnrdiwMLuYQ/s320/IMG_8807.jpeg" width="240" id="id_951c_9f2f_46d7_3f9d" style="width: 240px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saving our Yorkie from the monster</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div><br></div></div>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-33815627863141879342022-11-08T06:00:00.001-06:002022-11-08T13:35:50.693-06:00Rock Island State Park - Rock Island, Tennessee (October 2022)<div>Several of the campground review sites we trust convinced us to make reservations for Rock Island State Park. Their reviews were positive and we decided to check it out for ourselves. </div><div><br></div><div>The RV GPS was helpful in that it alerted us to multiple sharp turns and narrow roads as we weaved our way through Tennessee's hills to get to the park. It became clear that you had to travel some state roads to reach this park. After checking in, we were given a map to our site. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_569a_dcaf_11bb_5ffd"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnL3OMtiD796SPieN7VvZyk-339QJtQuRsecanpXcgel94jCV52QIU2DyI5WXLL_89d_FQfJ8xw82Txbceo3nlg8v33kNrqvY7XnVtZb_SfXoK4qrBgEVVYaXTjm2f5GU6DPu00nVY_EgisqhIN0zCzgDb8bxXFq9YkSOp_jq8sf-z9Ze6O03ufsgj7w/s4032/IMG_8410.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnL3OMtiD796SPieN7VvZyk-339QJtQuRsecanpXcgel94jCV52QIU2DyI5WXLL_89d_FQfJ8xw82Txbceo3nlg8v33kNrqvY7XnVtZb_SfXoK4qrBgEVVYaXTjm2f5GU6DPu00nVY_EgisqhIN0zCzgDb8bxXFq9YkSOp_jq8sf-z9Ze6O03ufsgj7w/s320/IMG_8410.jpeg" width="320" id="id_1d3d_3687_f6f_efb" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bridge heading into the park</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_78e9_6769_cc13_6404"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWC7mdbfwf9lM_YH-wzfF749nrHJE52J-9b7jyJg9pt3pz0DJeAgwyt4QTatt1x6jT_8BDbjURLHCLqa092gsNl0XXy-B5Ue4m-difL3BCynvUReKh5O7oSoChneyKDs9JaQRiKDItq9K92XnDUyMWLqKHt9_lkeeYtrkQW453WJIUe33uIzfOa_tulw/s3618/IMG_8278.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2831" data-original-width="3618" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWC7mdbfwf9lM_YH-wzfF749nrHJE52J-9b7jyJg9pt3pz0DJeAgwyt4QTatt1x6jT_8BDbjURLHCLqa092gsNl0XXy-B5Ue4m-difL3BCynvUReKh5O7oSoChneyKDs9JaQRiKDItq9K92XnDUyMWLqKHt9_lkeeYtrkQW453WJIUe33uIzfOa_tulw/s320/IMG_8278.jpeg" width="320" id="id_a415_e9d_72fb_732f" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sign at the entrance to the park</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>We found ourselves saying “Oh my” as we pulled Rosie, our Airstream trailer, to our site. The campground had many mature trees and their leaves were in the process of changing colors. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_7438_fed3_bdb5_9b60"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgErebQyclzEGC3ShsGnyCNtXW51QOHKgPgeaW9jg1HREwuliLvhpjugC9gDKt-fu-ho5UKad6qRW3kvNBidVSQqmvWaJ-YFJUjX1ZkpbMINI22cbPIdU0QYQXFy72hn4xgKj8xlqmzry1kQp-VolM0Y7H57rtX2PgqzKoJqGlohYee_4HNoJRg3q3ciA/s4030/IMG_8528.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2747" data-original-width="4030" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgErebQyclzEGC3ShsGnyCNtXW51QOHKgPgeaW9jg1HREwuliLvhpjugC9gDKt-fu-ho5UKad6qRW3kvNBidVSQqmvWaJ-YFJUjX1ZkpbMINI22cbPIdU0QYQXFy72hn4xgKj8xlqmzry1kQp-VolM0Y7H57rtX2PgqzKoJqGlohYee_4HNoJRg3q3ciA/s320/IMG_8528.jpeg" width="320" id="id_87e9_1931_5a81_aa89" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The colors of the leaves were amazing</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>That changed to, “Our sons would have loved this campground” as we arrived at our site. It had trees all around it and it was on a slope. We felt like we were in hill country. Also, there was space between Rosie and our camping neighbors. It really felt as if we were camping in the woods. Yes, this was a campground that our sons would have loved when they were small. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_8da7_b565_a2cc_b6ff"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJADoF_az4t_Mvfyp5DTpLDF-2pO6raiWyf9QjKWu7hqdVsRV9lmv-TtU1OqWKdjM_tc6kowSRL2K5fo7XMcDFSF3e0KpxLOQ2xfNGLnSaDj7V9Kejo8d--ktajH34BVP0l7TG2u2bxepLxkY9fT7snXz34NUmxQPuJSRayib1uXNKzlCYRH-b33ROPQ/s4032/IMG_8146.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJADoF_az4t_Mvfyp5DTpLDF-2pO6raiWyf9QjKWu7hqdVsRV9lmv-TtU1OqWKdjM_tc6kowSRL2K5fo7XMcDFSF3e0KpxLOQ2xfNGLnSaDj7V9Kejo8d--ktajH34BVP0l7TG2u2bxepLxkY9fT7snXz34NUmxQPuJSRayib1uXNKzlCYRH-b33ROPQ/s320/IMG_8146.jpeg" width="320" id="id_da87_b02d_161b_b8c0" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie in the campground</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>We quickly figured out that this was not a park that we would be riding our bicycles around. There were too many steep hills and we knew we would be walking our bikes up them. </div><div><br></div><div>The main features in this park were the waterfalls. There were several and you ended up having to drive to them because they were five or more miles from the campground. The multiple waterfalls were impressive and fun to hike to after parking our truck in the parking lots. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_aedd_74c1_c112_2ba4"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEino4TBOxmlIaGF1LFi-jluTxHV4RMwLCJVYiPVXqHHEE5EF14n37-4a6EHRFhfdNnL1sRrk8pB1yR0cqP3f9mqIymL2YQ2YoNHV-oHAkgXafuwvopQJzwh8W2RwaNomreNKJp-sKPxEtp9GW39OqvaKrdtWXzWOwkhdNqaKy6Co_UPXKQnIelafzY8xA/s4032/IMG_8306.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEino4TBOxmlIaGF1LFi-jluTxHV4RMwLCJVYiPVXqHHEE5EF14n37-4a6EHRFhfdNnL1sRrk8pB1yR0cqP3f9mqIymL2YQ2YoNHV-oHAkgXafuwvopQJzwh8W2RwaNomreNKJp-sKPxEtp9GW39OqvaKrdtWXzWOwkhdNqaKy6Co_UPXKQnIelafzY8xA/s320/IMG_8306.jpeg" width="320" id="id_d5c7_de0c_c8b5_2fdf" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First view of the waterfalls<br><br></td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_69f2_975b_eb29_62e"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHYkyV4zBV4g3YWzoBjKLrJIS4d4hBnXMBa29QL_oS_8ccYF4qVPDvDD4krGIUgPBFmVON3eXymjUIuidoy3D04cth3AYaJpxkCs2uRlNhSPKZWpriY-8nPvf3qNvHcapvxeZdn7AokLef0cj2dm7XByX42ZC4eRSt4oplQ5tPvHV-AHV80g1mOm2aQ/s4032/IMG_8328.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHYkyV4zBV4g3YWzoBjKLrJIS4d4hBnXMBa29QL_oS_8ccYF4qVPDvDD4krGIUgPBFmVON3eXymjUIuidoy3D04cth3AYaJpxkCs2uRlNhSPKZWpriY-8nPvf3qNvHcapvxeZdn7AokLef0cj2dm7XByX42ZC4eRSt4oplQ5tPvHV-AHV80g1mOm2aQ/s320/IMG_8328.jpeg" width="320" id="id_20d2_7f2_47e4_552a" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selfie by the falls</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_836a_4809_86b6_ca76"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_RHFhlzm_F8cg7JjbTb89LxzTksx5ZNxdw7y4BLJCA3-2UFcce39TGhbqjtOFYjaGMyl5RWSweZy8ARikhIQUwYTEkqt7nbB5z4vY5OY9-wyGkw2AYd7XJvIEF7fQXHa9LlF8J3a_nlK9VmD0uaF8W3dAh52qfAW78Ll1wApZ9ycBI82U4JjlCe82Q/s4032/IMG_8377.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_RHFhlzm_F8cg7JjbTb89LxzTksx5ZNxdw7y4BLJCA3-2UFcce39TGhbqjtOFYjaGMyl5RWSweZy8ARikhIQUwYTEkqt7nbB5z4vY5OY9-wyGkw2AYd7XJvIEF7fQXHa9LlF8J3a_nlK9VmD0uaF8W3dAh52qfAW78Ll1wApZ9ycBI82U4JjlCe82Q/s320/IMG_8377.jpeg" width="320" id="id_a379_e1fe_4dfe_f227" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The falls in this park</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>There were other things that were interesting to see in the park. There was an old cotton mill and something we called Rapunzel's Tower, a water spring house for the mill. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_451d_77a8_2835_e118"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQC_JNLHLxj36P2ffRaq-v05e0PGx-_xakrZOjW4Eg6Or1c3ozA0V5w3euAswMTiibQV5BRY9VpGLKYqmNM3bEhjEEvUcyfduLKnV97z7g0OxHiZtK-GmPwKaM2OT5KL6c_yNuRMhfI2snVYqEW-mQtXebLMNbA6iSqy3RkrHU31SNVsvqZbjyb5bf6A/s3636/IMG_8691.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2727" data-original-width="3636" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQC_JNLHLxj36P2ffRaq-v05e0PGx-_xakrZOjW4Eg6Or1c3ozA0V5w3euAswMTiibQV5BRY9VpGLKYqmNM3bEhjEEvUcyfduLKnV97z7g0OxHiZtK-GmPwKaM2OT5KL6c_yNuRMhfI2snVYqEW-mQtXebLMNbA6iSqy3RkrHU31SNVsvqZbjyb5bf6A/s320/IMG_8691.jpeg" width="320" id="id_5ce6_4329_6118_15ce" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The water spring house in the park</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div>One of the reasons for this trip was to enjoy the fall colors and we were not disappointed. While the colors were not at peak, we enjoyed seeing them. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_cecf_8adb_7d19_9627"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhluBto0pjKGLSXyqs6n2EbAbkuNJynLsQXyl26m-ptoXlsV_phcW7n0sQ1TP-lyik9godUOorr3HTE-0IRcwh535RaUpaooUixxo2vbED4DJLz_pw_DGLve6HG-Tb1LqJikD4bVsmDGE8jzQNbnx7CvYnWymwyaxh72zKHyH6bbRgb7q-iK26MbHrF-A/s4032/IMG_8679.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhluBto0pjKGLSXyqs6n2EbAbkuNJynLsQXyl26m-ptoXlsV_phcW7n0sQ1TP-lyik9godUOorr3HTE-0IRcwh535RaUpaooUixxo2vbED4DJLz_pw_DGLve6HG-Tb1LqJikD4bVsmDGE8jzQNbnx7CvYnWymwyaxh72zKHyH6bbRgb7q-iK26MbHrF-A/s320/IMG_8679.jpeg" width="320" id="id_9329_d2b_2b0f_fd74" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie's site in this park</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>The temperature did dip below freezing while camping here. Between Rosie's heat pump and furnace, we were warm and hoped the people in tents had cold weather sleeping bags. </div><div><br></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are some specifics about this campground:</span></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><ul><li>There were multiple loops in the campground</li><li>Our site was a back in</li><li>Our site had lots shade</li><li>Most sites had some space on both sides</li><li>Our site was paved with asphalt and was level</li><li>Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service </li><li>Our site had a water connection</li><li>Our site did not have a sewer connection</li><li>There was a dump station in this park </li><li>The trash dumpsters were near the dump station. It was easy to walk there with your trash</li><li>There were several bathhouses in the campground </li><li>The park provided WiFi service. We measured 5.89 mbps download and 3.05 mbps upload speeds</li><li>AT&T provided 2 bars of 4G voice and data service over our campsite </li><li>We were unable to pickup any TV stations using Rosie's antenna </li><li>There were restaurants and shopping nearby</li><li>This was a pet friendly park </li></ul></div></div><div><br></div>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6275296474372685165.post-82309032383183984252022-10-31T06:00:00.001-05:002022-10-31T06:00:00.164-05:00Harrison Bay State Park - Harrison, Tennessee (October 2022)<div><br></div><div>Why not head north to the Tennessee mountains in Rosie, our Airstream trailer, during October to enjoy the beauty of the leaves changing colors? That question started a conversation about taking another trip to the Smokies and we called the campground we stayed in the previous year to book a site. Yes, they had some open sites, but their rates shot up to more than $140 per night. </div><div><br></div><div>Wow! That price tag convinced us to look at other campground possibilities during that time span. There were several Tennessee State Parks that we wanted to visit and this was an opportunity to explore them. We made our reservations, loaded Rosie and started out on a new adventure. </div><div><br></div><div>Harrison Bay State Park wasn’t on our list of “must visit “ parks. It was simply a convenient stop on our way to our top choices. Having said that, the park was a pleasant surprise. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_6ad5_782b_fae4_1d5c"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZ9spCLiQGEBqn1uzxayr96S6wnQM0GkiZ8xtpwlSYV2e0vWosp8I2rF2HA2-G1PQNyc8bLgTGGGAHOkGNUytOs6FUlImXDKB2_YgCRKv8zDIeoXLa9y49yc69e9IFF7bT1rsFTxQt74NvLU0AALgJaX9ogVKD2vpuO5HiVY9Kn7IVtUAnjhWiRfSXw/s4032/IMG_7908.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZ9spCLiQGEBqn1uzxayr96S6wnQM0GkiZ8xtpwlSYV2e0vWosp8I2rF2HA2-G1PQNyc8bLgTGGGAHOkGNUytOs6FUlImXDKB2_YgCRKv8zDIeoXLa9y49yc69e9IFF7bT1rsFTxQt74NvLU0AALgJaX9ogVKD2vpuO5HiVY9Kn7IVtUAnjhWiRfSXw/s320/IMG_7908.HEIC" width="320" id="id_25a7_a378_eed_3b3f" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sign at the entrance of the park</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>We noticed a sign that said this was Tennessee's first state park and was created with the help of the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps, a federal agency created during the Great Depression to put people to work on public projects) in 1937. That helped to explain some of the “issues” with this park. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_54a3_fa_e7e7_e406"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6pRDQhqNdHZTlwagvva_F0bkvSldjLWl7mfXlWVPIzh0v_DwnDPXG77o0B3TBIYVgdnK7TbHQ_AqXVQUd-3K_i0bedtmMccimtff5S1xqaQkybBsURN2bheiHhNerOty6sJOjWbfPW5ItahcKJhOl0YdZntUvn9BLUjS0TRZui-h07dMzE-c9-0pnUA/s4032/IMG_7913.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6pRDQhqNdHZTlwagvva_F0bkvSldjLWl7mfXlWVPIzh0v_DwnDPXG77o0B3TBIYVgdnK7TbHQ_AqXVQUd-3K_i0bedtmMccimtff5S1xqaQkybBsURN2bheiHhNerOty6sJOjWbfPW5ItahcKJhOl0YdZntUvn9BLUjS0TRZui-h07dMzE-c9-0pnUA/s320/IMG_7913.HEIC" width="320" id="id_e92f_4987_38c5_1c4d" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The CCC was involved in building this park</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div>For example, the roads were surprisingly narrow there. Well, no one had huge trucks and fifth wheel trailers back in the 1930s. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_1308_5fcb_c3d8_383e"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjphb_Jl6jSMNuwVzsba2S_44XWKQ8Sc_iwC8Ri4_N88P60UvyETfGZ9y-5vHBXxJQL6gdd54xkAHsUWvbQH8MejxQtWwpZ1-9nK9moAUcyfdQJu5Pfbo7sx2kV9BjmpM6Dgo3gR_CXSE-dEFaoJ8qVD2HHSJx_T3iObbV3LHfszBOx6phtpU1WUnh0DQ/s4032/IMG_7797.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjphb_Jl6jSMNuwVzsba2S_44XWKQ8Sc_iwC8Ri4_N88P60UvyETfGZ9y-5vHBXxJQL6gdd54xkAHsUWvbQH8MejxQtWwpZ1-9nK9moAUcyfdQJu5Pfbo7sx2kV9BjmpM6Dgo3gR_CXSE-dEFaoJ8qVD2HHSJx_T3iObbV3LHfszBOx6phtpU1WUnh0DQ/s320/IMG_7797.HEIC" width="320" id="id_e17d_5419_69d8_c196" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie in our site</td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_f02e_140d_a3c3_16d9"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh552siWCLr6Uya8QxeIoPuq5-8D92HtfQrANn_-nlW-wWj2Ml_JgVV2TrFtTNaf2bPFmQScg_ohNf1oRTmPzE77d0d3Q834fyl_gSRA8uwZuj423Bpr7DSLGqr0uDYbAGDm6RtitnRTuifaBF1WjxuyqPLyPnUHorOuwbU95YmtZQBvrGskWOu3xmxvg/s4032/IMG_7851.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh552siWCLr6Uya8QxeIoPuq5-8D92HtfQrANn_-nlW-wWj2Ml_JgVV2TrFtTNaf2bPFmQScg_ohNf1oRTmPzE77d0d3Q834fyl_gSRA8uwZuj423Bpr7DSLGqr0uDYbAGDm6RtitnRTuifaBF1WjxuyqPLyPnUHorOuwbU95YmtZQBvrGskWOu3xmxvg/s320/IMG_7851.HEIC" width="320" id="id_6e08_abbe_9f07_e02c" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Rosie's window</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div>Another point we noticed was that most campsites in the B and C loops would make KOAs envious at how many RVs were packed into a small area. That probably made sense in the 1930s as people mostly used tents back then, which require less space than the big rigs of today. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_cda4_45e2_8220_9205"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTtjbVIn0rcCmy-SS7ngWOf30y8h5Rh5cuRXdAcP6h-1V0L-2Vec40aNXKoSE-L0fJTXlnaHvNdWzb4mQTnlVXT7oewsDaadmfm5BM3wgRgwMeqB6v2a8IyC7VoTlzJMj1gha5qJlcFQqgGgEdWpjuNMIInsXqqnO_ZP37BT5JJaPGWb_uYZauoXITSg/s4032/IMG_7800.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTtjbVIn0rcCmy-SS7ngWOf30y8h5Rh5cuRXdAcP6h-1V0L-2Vec40aNXKoSE-L0fJTXlnaHvNdWzb4mQTnlVXT7oewsDaadmfm5BM3wgRgwMeqB6v2a8IyC7VoTlzJMj1gha5qJlcFQqgGgEdWpjuNMIInsXqqnO_ZP37BT5JJaPGWb_uYZauoXITSg/s320/IMG_7800.HEIC" width="320" id="id_4388_e13a_3f32_d53e" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selfie near our site</td></tr></tbody></table><br><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_97b_151c_68a7_651"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ_GBJI6GeGuq1HXOtXpoQOh0RpBhGLa5jMr3u14KJ-3l4BvAf8pIqj9uXan3MEQQNWyH4EXJalqb15uiO9BBrtuRJ2Z8V1utdtFSs8MBGmfGsiyAFnd6UJr35gtLwuozq1Kgsa3LlnoSb4avq3PqyORmXMIX_TAU_C0M50UmSp-P_MfhrsVQ-48J6BQ/s4032/IMG_7803.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ_GBJI6GeGuq1HXOtXpoQOh0RpBhGLa5jMr3u14KJ-3l4BvAf8pIqj9uXan3MEQQNWyH4EXJalqb15uiO9BBrtuRJ2Z8V1utdtFSs8MBGmfGsiyAFnd6UJr35gtLwuozq1Kgsa3LlnoSb4avq3PqyORmXMIX_TAU_C0M50UmSp-P_MfhrsVQ-48J6BQ/s320/IMG_7803.HEIC" width="320" id="id_9f6_930c_1163_c5a9" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie from across the lake</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div>Then there is the layout of this park. Perhaps the best way to describe it is “unique.” It appeared to me that the CCC was stronger on doing things than creating an overall plan before starting this project. The paths of some roads and the locations of some things defy logic and scream that this park wasn’t designed with trailers and motorhomes in mind. </div><div><br></div><div>I don’t want to give the impression that this is a park to avoid. We were fortunate in that our site was on the lake and had great water and sunset views. Plus, the quirkiness of this park made it interesting to explore on our bicycles. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_8a4d_af6b_73f8_86f3"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuyEdSgClxazhnlqXlDYiar8fqIRNXcF6yEES-prIeRyas7qdLDrkeTkWqhcq2FivAeqTmkpYj32Eh4aOfvWlLIoCcVY4OLhBVNz-jV7RmTDozhAxc2ispZSBDBawyKVipYD_ESL8jzH_-1Ot8WFDDEiBiewECnL0b-xu-BV5xrsY0HSqnZcV8tVx4Q/s4032/IMG_7921.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuyEdSgClxazhnlqXlDYiar8fqIRNXcF6yEES-prIeRyas7qdLDrkeTkWqhcq2FivAeqTmkpYj32Eh4aOfvWlLIoCcVY4OLhBVNz-jV7RmTDozhAxc2ispZSBDBawyKVipYD_ESL8jzH_-1Ot8WFDDEiBiewECnL0b-xu-BV5xrsY0HSqnZcV8tVx4Q/s320/IMG_7921.HEIC" width="240" id="id_d6cd_1c7b_1c9b_8a8c" style="width: 240px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We haven't seen a sign like this at other campgrounds</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div>Speaking of bicycles, we didn’t find any designated bike trails, but the roads around the park were great for bike rides. </div><div><br></div><div>We were amazed at the number of deer spotted in multiple locations in this park. Some of our neighbors talked about raccoons, but we didn’t see any. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="id_387c_afa0_fc01_f7d1"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3nbN_6pfujWVJ7Nr2_gjbHciVKa_tvbACDDON2zunvUBL52rjEza7aC-Ccc8nYVVS3GHWlwFs8hwaZ8mWbOsRYoZbYGx4h4z1WrtAJjRGMjnzlrcPVUCIar5zd000_-UgVmLjANcZeKSEvaDaM0pRGyjvhcnrN8hTxGuqUFPjqBNWbQlj0LXMuxUAYg/s4032/IMG_7954.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3nbN_6pfujWVJ7Nr2_gjbHciVKa_tvbACDDON2zunvUBL52rjEza7aC-Ccc8nYVVS3GHWlwFs8hwaZ8mWbOsRYoZbYGx4h4z1WrtAJjRGMjnzlrcPVUCIar5zd000_-UgVmLjANcZeKSEvaDaM0pRGyjvhcnrN8hTxGuqUFPjqBNWbQlj0LXMuxUAYg/s320/IMG_7954.HEIC" width="320" id="id_ea4c_a745_431a_cbef" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deer in the park</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are some specifics about this campground:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><ul><li>There were multiple loops in the campground. Some loops appeared to us to have better camping sites than others</li><li>Our site was a back in</li><li>Our site could be classified as "full sun" as we had a waterfront site</li><li>Some sites had some space on both sides while others were very close. Our site had sufficient space on one side of Rosie and close to our neighbors on the other side </li><li>Our site was paved with asphalt and we needed to use leveling tools to correct a side-to-side lean in Rosie. There were several sites in the B and C loops that I felt it would be impossible to level both side-to-side and front-to-back</li><li>Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service </li><li>Our site had a water connection</li><li>Our site did not have a sewer connection </li><li>There were several dump stations in this park. The dump site closest to Rosie was poorly located because the sewer connection was on the wrong side. If you followed the “one way” road signs, you would have to run your sewer hose underneath your RV to dump. That prompted most people to ignore the traffic signs in the park</li><li>There were several trash dumpsters located in the camping loops. It was easy to walk there with your trash</li><li>There were multiple bathhouses in the campground </li><li>The park did provide WiFi service. We measured 1.05 mb down and 1.3 mb upload speeds. The park’s network authentication system required you to log back in multiple times a day</li><li>AT&T provided 2 bars of 5G voice and data service over our campsite </li><li>We were able to watch ABC, CBS, CW, FOX, NBC and PBS using Rosie’s TV antenna. Digital channels seen were Bounce, Charge, Comet, Court-TV, Dabl, Get, Grit, ION, LAFF, ME-TV, MY-T, TBD and THiS</li><li>There were restaurants and shopping nearby</li><li>This was a pet friendly park </li></ul><div>This appeared to be a campground that local people really enjoy and support. We camped there during the local area’s public school's Fall Break and enjoyed seeing children play in the campground. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div><div><br></div>Cozy Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997485989220753421noreply@blogger.com0