IT'S BEEN AWHILE...

2014 April 2

Wow! It's Been Awhile…

In the six weeks since last I posted, we have traveled from Crystal River, Florida to Waves, North Carolina, via Crooked River State Park, St Marys, Georgia, Sleepy Bear's RV Park, Lumberton, NC, and Green Acres Family Campground, Williamston, NC.

We are now ensconced at Ocean Waves Campground, in Waves, NC, where we are having our first experience as work campers. If all goes according to plan we will be here till the end of their season, in mid-November.

Our first stop as we traveled from Florida to North Carolina, was in St Marys, Georgia. We liked the descriptions of Crooked River State Park and we wanted the proximity to the ferry to visit Cumberland Island.

The park itself was very nice, with water, electric and cable hook ups, but a limited number of pull through sites. Some sites looked like they would be challenging to get into with a large motor home, because of all the trees. The sites were fairly level, especially for sand and grass sites. They had a coin op washer and dryer available on the cement area outside the bathhouses. We originally planned to stay for two nights, but extended our stay to four, because of storms. I had no desire to drive on I-95 in torrential rain. Crooked River State Park is a gem. There are loads of trails, along with both birdwatching and general nature watching blinds. In season there are bike and kayak rentals, as well as mini golf. Wifi is available at the office, but we had a strong Verizon signal for personal hot spot usage. We also got a senior discount, which is always nice.

Our desire to visit Cumberland Island got shelved for another time. Between the rain, the fact that we hadn't accounted for no bike rentals during our visit, and the inability of our aging dog to keep up with the amount of walking required, we decided Cumberland Island would wait for another time. We could've left Greyla alone in the motor home, while we went off, but didn't think it fair to leave her for a period of between five and six hours. 

Our next stop, on our way to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, was Sleepy Bear's RV Park in Lumberton, NC. It was a older park, but family owned and operated, which we prefer to big corporate parks. The owners were very nice and also helpful. We stayed there two nights. Each site was a concrete slab which proved to be very level. They had two fenced areas for large and small dogs for off leash exercise, as well as a short, but pleasant "pet trail" through the wooded area adjacent to the park. The only negative was the proximity to I-95, which accounted for traffic noise. But, it also made for easy access. 

Next we stayed in Williamston, NC, at a small family owned campground called Green Acres. Again, the owners were very nice and accommodating. The only negative was the mud road through the campground to our site. That torrential rain I mentioned from a few days earlier, had left what is probably a dirt road in summer, a slick mud path. The good news was that our site was in a grassy area with good drainage, and no mud. It was also extremely level. Behind us was what looked like a practice 9 hole golf course. They also have two pools, in season, tennis, badminton, mini golf and paddle boats for their small pond. It was a pleasant campground and had easy access to the local town and no road noise.

From Williamston, we made our way toward Roanoke Island and the town of Manteo, and then to Hatteras Island and the town of Waves. 

We are having our first ever work camping experience at Ocean Waves Campground. We signed on for the entire season, which runs from March 15 to November 15. We have stayed at this park before. Once, for a week in a tent with two dogs (Blue and puppy Jake), back in May of 1985 and again, for a month in our motor home in October/November 2012, during Hurricane Sandy. As our first adventure in work camping, we felt comfortable signing on for the whole season, since we were familiar with the owners.

Ocean Waves Campground is a small (70 sites) family built, owned and operated enterprise, which has been in business for thirty years, and four generations.  The campground location is ocean side, which means the longest walk to the dune is two tenths of a mile. Over the dune is the Atlantic Ocean! There are three bath houses and a pool, along with an extremely well stocked camp store with very reasonable prices. The laundry room is small, with two washers and two dryers. There is a game room attached to the store/office, with a pool table, and three arcade games, as well a book/DVD exchange. Many of the early season and late season campers have been coming here for years. Hence, there really is a sense of "extended family" among them. When we spent a month here in 2012, I found that sense of camaraderie to be a little intimidating. But now it feels comfortable, even for the newest comers to the work camping crew.

Our commitment, as work campers, is to supply approximately twenty four hours of labor weekly, in exchange for a concrete, level site, with full hook ups, cable, and a roll of quarters weekly toward laundry. The time is divided between Raymond and me in whatever way we see fit. I am currently working two, six to eight hour days per week in the store/office. Raymond is part of the grass cutting crew for approximately four hours per week. And together, we clean the three bath houses on the same days that I work in the store and Raymond cuts grass. Bath house cleaning generally averages about two hours, which counts as four hours, since we do it together. It is nice to have our bath house responsibilities on the same days as our grass and store hours, since it gives us five free days every week. Another work camper and I are rotating working on Saturdays mornings until mid May, in order to allow Barbara, the manager, to have Saturday mornings off to yard sale. Once it becomes busy, in season, Barbara, a third generation Bullock, will work weekends.

So far, this is proving to be a wonderful experience. How could it not be? Hatteras Island, free camping, kind and generous bosses?  We are very blessed. 

2012 June 18-21 Badlands National Park, SD

I read somewhere the description of Badlands National Park as "otherworldly".  It is an apt description. But, it is so much more than that. It is different at different times of the day, depending of the way the light caresses the landscape. In that way it reminds me of the Grand Canyon. Yet, I experienced more sense of desolation in the Badlands than I ever felt in Grand Canyon. It is beauty of a different sort.  Perhaps the feeling of desolation comes from the spires and crags that are part of the landscape. Perhaps, it stems from the lack of shelter from the sun at its most oppressive. Perhaps from the lack of a powerful river like the Colorado. Whatever the source of the feeling, it never fully left me while we explored Badlands National Park.

We camped in the park and received our senior discount, but still paid nearly $20/night with electric hook up. Although, the website currently lists the discounted price @ $14/night. The campground was pleasant enough, and did tend to fill up by early afternoon, since it is operated on a no reservation, first come, first served basis. The weather when we were there was very windy and hot with a few sudden thunder storms tossed in. I was very glad we weren't camping in a tent! Due to the high wildfire possibility, fires were banned during our stay, although use of coal or propane grills was permissible. But, seriously, we tried to use our propane grill and couldn't keep it lit due to the wind.

We did marvel at the open spaces in the Park, as well as at the rock formations, and wild life. If we visit badlands National Park again, we will probably do more preparation with regard to the time of year we visit. Between the drought conditions and the high winds, the time we choose seemed less that idyllic. But, who knows, maybe the wind is simply a fact of life in the Badlands. 

We did have some amazing sunsets there. And, I managed to fall on my behind as I was trying to scale a trail that was a bit too steep for me. Fact was, I could've climbed the nearby stairs, but I was so sure I could make it…  Enjoy a few pictures. 

The Wind Began To Switch

2012 Apr 26

Crazy Wind!

The wind that was supposed to arrive yesterday is now here! Earlier this afternoon, after lunchtime, the wind began to pick up. At 3:30 pm I checked the local forecast and the winds were blowing around 25 mph. They predicted that over several hours we would experience high winds and gusting up to 50 mph. It is currently 5:00 pm and those gusts have arrived.  

The space we are in is on the windward side of the hill and it is a little unnerving when the motor home begins to list from side to side. And it is a warm, desert wind. We experienced something similar when we were camped at White's City RV Park, only then it came during the night.

Poor Greyla is totally stressed, which is kind of surprising, since she doesn't normally react to thunder storms, or fireworks, like some dogs we've had. Still, this is wind stuff is pretty new stuff for her. For a little bit she huddled under the dinette table, while Raymond & I were playing with our laptops. Then a massive gust blew through the dinette wind and with it came loads of dust. Now, with the window closed, and the dust cleaned up, we're   just trying to wait out these blustery conditions and keep our doggie calm. 

So glad we decided to stay here at Lake Cochiti for two nights. Who knows, if the wind continues tomorrow, we may stay put for an additional night. I definitely will not drive with these type of gusts happening. Too easy to lose control of the vehicle. Besides, this is a very lovely Park. More about that later.

New Mexico State Parks--

2012 April 24

New Mexico State Park Camping

 When checking the website for New Mexico State Parks, we couldn't find anywhere that would take a reservation, so we decided to wing it and just drive up and hope for the best. Since the area we were entering had four state parks in an area of about 80 miles, we figured we'd try the first, and see what happened. We also figured we couldn't possibly strike out four times, but if we did, our backup plan was a private RV campground.

New Mexico State Parks are very, very affordable. If you dry camp, the cost is $4 per night. Want water and electricity? That's $14 per night. Most state parks have shower houses, dump stations and lovely little shelters to keep you out of the sun, for at least some of the day. There are also yearly passes that can be purchased, either for camping or for day use and they are available for residents and non-residents.

Raymond & Greyla @ Leasburg Dam SP

As we drove toward our next State Park stop, just a little farther up the road, we realized we had a choice between Percha Dam SP and Caballo SP, since they were very close to each other. We opted for Caballo, which turned out to be an excellent choice.

Sunset at Caballo State Park

We spoke with a Ranger at the entrance who assured us there were plenty of sites with water and electric available in Appaloosa loop, and that we should drive around and pick out whichever one we wanted, as it was first come, first served. We drove through, found several spots to our liking. Then Raymond mentioned that he wanted to go to the store. But, since there were multiple sites, off we went to the store. Luckily when we got back from our little excursion, there were still several available campsites. We found one to our liking, set up and prepared to enjoy three nights under the New Mexico stars. 

Our "yard" @ Caballo SP

I can't say enough about the skies at night in New Mexico. It is beautiful and breathtaking. At least for a city girl like me. And the other plus, is that after the sun goes down, the night air is cool. You can sit out, looking at the heavens and never see a mosquito. Moths, yes. Mosquitoes, no. The area of southern New Mexico we were in doesn't have a lot of big cities, so light pollution is much less than even what we experienced in Arkansas. And, the altitude is generally around 4000 feet, which adds to the effect, along with the lack of major air pollutants. I was enthralled.

Our neighbor @ Caballo SP, John Fields

It was at Caballo SP that we met John Fields. He was extraordinarily informative. He told us things about the local area, wildlife, plants as well as, about RVing, himself and his life,about gemstones, and about Montana, where he and his wife had spent thirteen summers after his retirement, about their trips to Alaska, and about his wife of fifty-six years, whom he lost last summer. I so enjoyed talking to him. At one point, I told him he should come along with us. It would've been like having our very own expert historian and guide. The night before we left, I spent a couple of hours talking with him and petting his two dogs. I am so glad I did, because when I got up on Monday morning, he was already gone. But, it is this kind of serendipitous meeting that makes the whole RVing experience so great. And as John said, "You never know who you're going to meet, or when you'll see them again."

Before we left Caballo, we had already decide to head a few miles up the road to Truth or Consequences, NM, to camp at Elephant Butte State Park.  Along the way, we stopped for some groceries, then proceeded to the park.

Elephant Butte

Elephant Butte is a very large park. When we drove up to the entrance, there was a lovely volunteer couple working the entrance booth, who were extremely helpful and full of information. They gave us a map and instructions regarding which loops were available for "walk ups", and off we went in search of the perfect spot.

There was only one space left on the lake, and we opted against it since those sites seemed a bit close to together. We headed to Quail Run Loop. Here we found we thought was a "perfect site". Only after we were hooked up did we realize how unlevel the site was. But, no worries, that's why we have all those leveling doodads. Again, the site had a nice shelter as protection from the heaviest rays of the sun, a grill/ fire pit, and water and electric hook ups. In no time, Raymond had his satellite up and running. Ah, home sweet, motor home.

Sunrise from our bedroom window @ Elephant Butte SP

Our view was super. We could see part of the lake, as well as the actual elephant butte, for which the area is named. In addition, we found out why our loop was named "Quail Run" - as we sat and watched in late afternoon, we saw covies of quail running up and down the sandy hills. It was great! Then, a bit later, rabbits came hopping out to join in the fun. One of my favorite things to do is to sit and observe wildlife, so I was once again, very happy. Along some of the trails the various cacti species are identified, which helps those of us unfamiliar with the local fauna. Over all, we have enjoyed Elephant Butte SP. The great thing is that there are lots more New Mexico Sate Parks awaiting us.

A bunny visiting our site

The quail after whom Quail Run Loop is named @ Elephant Butte SP

When we leave here tomorrow, we're headed to a Corp of Engineers Park. I'll let you know how we like that, especially compared to our positive experiences in New Mexico State Parks, so far.  

Having Fun

2012 April 8

The area we're in here at Lake Whitney Thousand Trails has been filling up since last Thursday. There are lots more kids than we have encountered at any other campground. And they have been keeping me entertained!  I can only speak for myself, obviously, but it is good for me to have kids around me. 

There is a large group of inter-generational campers occupying the site behind us and to our left, as well as the two nearby cottages and possibly a couple other sites, as well. These campers have approximately 8 kids and they have been so much fun to watch.

I first noticed the kids on Friday evening, when one of the boys, Christopher, was spending time at dusk, building an assortment of stick walls, in the area behind our site. I had been watching him, engrossed in his architectural elements for awhile from our bedroom window. After I shared the pleasure of watching this activity with Raymond, I took Greyla out to pee and that's when I discovered the young boy's name. There was a group of kids, lead by an older girl, calling out, "Christopher!" Turns out, Christopher had forgotten to report his location to his family, and they were out, in force, searching. An adult in a pick up came by and was flagged down by this older girl, and given an update before she once again searched out Christopher, who had gone back into the woods to continue working on his creation. 

These kids have been tearing around on their bikes, playing ball, chasing each other, playing with super-soakers, and generally just having fun. They have also brought me a great deal of joy. I don't think I would like being in one of those 55+ communities. It would be too easy for me to become a brittle inflexible old person in a place like that. I know some people prefer that kind of community, but I don't think I'll ever be one of them. It makes me happy to watch kids playing. It reminds me to be open to experiences. It helps me stay centered. I find myself hoping they'll be here all week and not just for the Easter weekend. 

The thing that is most stunning to me is how different this experience is from my encounters with kids in our old neighborhood. In Pittsburgh, I cringed when kids played in the parking lot behind our house. I closed my doors to the sounds of the kids as the walked home from Oliver High School. Mostly, because the kids at home were loud, in the extreme, and very often, vulgar. 

The kids at this campground have been busy, active and vocal. But they haven't been excessive. Nor have I heard anything even approaching bad language. Not from the kids, nor the adults. They've just been having fun. Some of it, inter-generational fun.

In fairness, maybe being in nature has some mediating effect on noise that doesn't exist in the city. Maybe it has the same effect on people. Whatever the reason for the difference, I'm spending a lovely Resurrection Sunday being grateful for the opportunity to be reminded of what childhood can be. Maybe we need to take some of those urban kids and their parents out into the country. Maybe they too would soften some in tone and action. And maybe they could remember how to have fun. Just a thought.  

Texas, Thousand Trails and Tornadoes

2012 Apr 4

As we left the Thousand Trails, Bay Landing, headed off to our next TT stop, at Lake Whitney, Texas, the sun was shining, which we took to be a good sign. We are mistaken. We had chosen a somewhat circular route, mainly in an attempt to avoid anything even resembling a metroplex beltway. Our destination is about halfway between Ft. Worth and Waco. It should take about two hours. We planned for three, including a grocery store stop. 

As we drive along, about five miles from our start point, it began to rain. Oh well, that's not so bad. We proceed to spend the entire drive, in rain. Sometime, gentle drops, sometimes coming down in buckets, but in unrelenting rain. 

As we drove through Texas hills, I was becoming more and more aware of the ominous clouds on the horizon. At one point, I mentioned to Raymond that I didn't like the look of the clouds, because they remind me of tornado clouds. I guess that time spent living in Kansas years ago, did provide some education. R asked about the color of the sky, and we discuss greenish hues and their association with tornadoes. At one point, I remembered that we have a weather band radio in the motor home, but I never did turn it on. Perhaps it was just as well. When you're traveling through unfamiliar counties, its hard to know which warning and watches apply.

When we stopped at the grocery store we were only eight miles from our destination. The sun was shining, though it was clouding up, and the humidity was oppressive. As we left the store, the sky was growing darker. As we drove up to the gate and Ranger station at Lake Whitney Thousand Trails, the rains began in torrents, and the wind began to gust. The gate into the park was closed and there was no one manning the entry station. We decided to sit it out in the motor home. After about five minutes or so, a Thousand Trails employee, DJ, came driving down, ran over to us in the rain, and said she would open the gate, and that we should follow her.

We parked in the main parking lot outside the family center. I followed DJ into the center, thinking that Ray was coming too. While  inside the center, I met another employee, Margie, to whom I had spoken the day before. These folks informed me that there had been either a tornado watch or warning for Meridian, about 20 miles to the west. While I attempted to dry off with paper towels, it began to hail. Most of the hail I saw was about marble sized with a few quarter sized thrown in. DJ and Margie told us to go ahead and drive down to section A where there were pull thrus and just picked any one of them for the night. The plan was to head up to the center in the morning to register and pick our site for the duration of our stay and to minimize our time in the elements.

When the rains and hail slowed down, I went back to the motor home to find that Raymond had stayed there because Greyla was freaking out. Between the heavy rain, the whipping wind, and the hail, poor Greyla was a total stress ball. 

Later, in the early evening, as the sun was setting, after making a brief appearance, Margie came by with our reservation information and paperwork. She said that since we didn't have a car, if we wanted to move to another area in the morning, we should come to the Ranger station and let them know. This was because, section A, where the pull thrus are located is the farthest area from the activities area. She also told us that if there was any threatening weather, she would come by with her car and bullhorn and we should either go to the bathhouse or up to the family center. Thankfully, evacuation was not necessary.

Watching the local news made us realize how fortunate we were. There had been as many as 10 tornadoes which touched down that afternoon. It seems that we had been ahead of the storm front the whole time we were driving. And the tornadoes touched down in some of the very areas we drove past of Saturday as we made our way from Point to Bridgeport, Texas. In fact, the Flying J on I-30 was destroyed, and that had been one of the places described to us in directions. Raymond heard that the edge of the storm was heading toward Lake Tawakoni, and Sulphur Springs, both places where we had recently been. 

So many people were affected by these tornadoes, it makes me wonder how effective that prayer I said as we left Bridgeport was. I mean, we took a roundabout route, instead of a more direct one. We managed to be in, or near communities that were hit, before it happened. I thought about turning on the weather radio, but didn't. And if I had, would I have panicked?  I don't know. But what I do know is that we are safe. Thank you, Jesus. 

I am sorry we don't have any pictures to post of the ominous clouds. Since I am both the driver and, generally also the photographer, it was not possible. Although, Raymond could've taken some shots. We will work on being better at documentation. 

Now, we've settled into our time here at Lake Whitney Thousand Trails, planning for the next leg of our adventure, which will be New Mexico and then the Grand Canyon, where we have reservations from May 8 till May 18. I am so excited! Raymond has never been to the Grand Canyon, and I haven't been there in in 38 years! And neither of us has ever camped there. We're staying here past Easter and I am looking forward to Resurrection services here at the campground. 

Crater of Diamonds State Park, AR

2012 Mar 28

 We left Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas on Wednesday. It had been a really nice time, in spite of not finding any diamonds, even teeny ones. The park itself was very nice. The sites were spacious and nearly level, with full hook ups, including sewer, which surprised us. The sites also each have a huge fire ring, along with a camp grill, if you don't want to cook over your fire. There were trails, though they weren't extremely long. There were birds galore and clear, star filled skies most nights.

We arrived shortly after some extremely wet weather. In fact, we had a little rain when we first arrived. The day after our arrival we headed out to the digging fields, to dig for diamonds. Because of the wet conditions, it was necessary to water sift through the mud. What this means is that you rent a kit, which consists of a 5 gallon bucket, a folding army style shovel, and a wet sifting pair of screens. Then you dig mud, place it in your bucket, haul it to one of the pavilions where there are huge water holding tables into which you immerse your double screened sifter, filled with the mud from your bucket, in small batches. You then wash the mud, using a side to side motion. The heavier minerals, fall from the mud, through the first screen, into the smaller screen. After you have washed a reasonable amount of mud, you begin to accumulate minerals, in the smaller screen. At this time, you put the larger screen aside, and concentrate on washing the minerals in the smaller one. You get a bit wet and if you are doing this on a cool day when there are occasional gusts of wind, you find yourself chilled after a relatively short time. Keep repeating, "It's all about the experience." 

My "sexy" diamond diggers

On our first expedition into the diamond digging fields, we spent about 90 minutes, and we never even emptied our bucket of mud. First, I got cold. I should've worn my rain poncho. I am so glad I wore my new rain boots! The mud in the fields was the "sucking" kind that sticks. Second, mining is hard work! They make it sound like it's not, but trust me, it is! Thirdly, Raymond's heart really wasn't in it; he was simply along to keep me company. After all, this place wasn't on his bucket list! We did find some cool rocks. No diamonds, though. My stash included, barite, calcite, jasper, hematite and "volcanic rock". One the day we were digging, the latest diamond found had been on March 19. We were there digging on March 23.

After that, the weather improved tremendously and the idea of digging again was put on hold, while we waited for the fields to dry out some. Instead, we hiked, looked at wild flowers, spent time playing games in the sunshine, cooked steaks on the grill and generally just chilled. It was great! The only drawbacks were that we were running out of clean clothes and I was getting very low on medications. Otherwise we might still be in Arkansas!

Our location in SW Arkansas

Our "yard"

Raymond & Greyla relaxing

The view from my camp chair :)

Along the trail

Mayapples along the trail

Digging fields

We extended our stay to seven days total, planning on one more diamond digging experience, doing the dry sifting, before we'd leave. The morning we headed out to the digging fields, it was sunny and warm, with a very slight breeze. My plan had been to go as soon as the fields were open, but because Ray wanted to watch Mike & Mike on ESPN, we delayed our dig till after 10. This dig trip we only rented a screen for dry sifting, and brought our own trowel and small garden fork. Once again, we learned that diamond digging is hard work. Like we needed that lesson to be re enforced! At least we could sit for the dry sifting. And since there was no water involved, we managed to stay dry and boots were not required. 

Digging fields

We sifted, which means, scraping up some dirt with your trowel or fork, placing it into the screen and rubbing it through the screen, hopefully leaving the heavier minerals behind in the screen. It was a lot less messy than the water sifting. After two hours of sifting, our fortune in rocks consisted mainly of jasper, with a little bit of calcite thrown in. There was some one who found a diamond on the same day that we dug, March 27, but they found it before we ever showed up in the fields. Remember: "It's all about the experience ." :D

It was fun, but not really Raymond's cup of beer. I think I would enjoy doing it again, but with someone who was really into it, like maybe a couple of my brothers? In any case, the park itself is worth the time, even if you don't find any diamonds. Arkansas is beautiful, especially when spring comes earlier than normal. And I am learning so much about the geology of this country. Until now, I never knew that there had been volcanic action in places like Arkansas.

Up the Road We Go

2012 March 20

Happy Spring! 

Seems odd to say that when we haven't experienced anything even close to winter this year. We have been in warm weather since we entered South Carolina, on December 18. Oh, there have been a few cool mornings that required a hoodie, or a fleece, but basically we have been warm all winter long. It changes my perspective somewhat. 

In northern Florida, it did smell like spring, though, and I love that smell. Here in Mississippi, it has been hot (to me) and humid, with mosquitoes that seem to be starving. A local guy, Mike, who was camped next to us, said they didn't have much of what usually passes for winter around here. He seemed to think that was the reason the mosquitoes were so ferocious already. 

Being very sensitive to hot weather, and humidity, I am uncertain I could visit Mississippi in the summer. That goes for Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, and probably Arkansas, too.

Arkansas, that's where we're headed next. Today & tomorrow are basically travel days, with rest built in whenever we need it and stops as we desire. Life in the motor home is good, but would be easier with a tow vehicle. We get to see some sights and do some things, if they are close enough to where we camp, or if they have a place to park a 30 feet long motor home. 

We saw something on Sunday Morning (a TV show on CBS) while we still in Pittsburgh, about a new art museum, built by one of the Walmart heirs and we need to do some research to find out where it is and all the incidentals, since we would love to visit there.

Looking forward to Crater of Diamonds State Park, too. It's been on my "to visit" list for many years. Kind of wish my brothers, Vinny and David, were with us for that. The three of us love treasure hunting and we would have a blast together. Well, no reason we can't visit again someday with them, right?

Well, time to do the RV check and get on the road...  

Farewell, Florida

2012 Mar 19

Wow! We really did spend a lot of time in Florida! We arrived in the state on 22 December 2011 and finally bid farewell to it on 16 March 2012! Although, to be fair, from 5 - 16 March we were in the Pensacola area, which is almost Alabama. But, almost doesn't count, and Pensacola is still Florida. So, on Friday 16 March, we drove out of Florida, into Alabama, then into Mississippi. 

Sunset along 98, on our way to Hattiesburg, MS

We spent two night at an off the beaten track RV campground called, Okatoma Resort and RV Park. It is located about 10 miles outside Hattiesburg, MS. Because of poor planning, too long of a lunch break, and too long stopping at Walmart in Pace, we arrived at Okatoma after dark. Not my favorite thing to do. When I say this place is "off the beaten path", I mean it is  down a country road with no street lights, and arrival after dark seemed an adventure in itself. Once we navigated the back road and made our entrance at the gate, we had to call a posted number. The person who answered explained that we should drive back on the twisting road which was directly ahead of us, slowly, and at the top of the hill, look for the office.  At the crest of the hill, we noted a lovely lake, and what we took to be several houses. Thinking that one of them was the office, we stopped. Then we noticed, someone with a flashlight about 200 yards further up into the property. That was the person we were to meet at the office.

We registered and paid. And were surprised to find we could get the 10% Good Sam discount here. We hadn't noted that when we found this place in Woodall's. We had our choice of lake front campsites. Raymond choose #21 (Clemente's number). The park recently underwent some renovation and the sites all have new water, electric and sewer hook ups. The parking area is pea gravel and there is fairly new sod between the pea gravel and the lake. The sites are wide enough that you wouldn't be cheek to cheek with your neighbor, though that was not an issue for us.

Our site at Okatoma, in Hattiesburg, MS

The lake offers fishing, but all bass must be catch and release. There was even a resident alligator, about 3 feet long, living in the lake. Brandon, a neighbor whose family has a vacation spot in the park, said that they've removed the gator at least three times, but he keeps coming back. 

Raymond called him "Alli"

Speaking of Brandon, he was another of those really nice, helpful people we keep meeting. He came over with his flashlight to help Raymond and I hook up. He was doing such a good job, along with Ray, that I didn't have to do much of anything. We ran into a little glitch in that the electric service receptacle and our plug were not compatible. Ray and Brandon went up to the office and the manager was willing to lend us an adapter to use, but Raymond opted to purchase one instead, in case we ever run into problem again.

Waddling away

We enjoyed our time at Okatoma. There were loads of ducks on the property, along with chickens and a rooster. I got to feed the ducks, too. Greyla was less than thrilled by the fact that the ducks would walk up to the door of the RV and quack. But I loved waking up in the morning to the sound of the ducks greeting the day.

Muscovy duck

It was also enjoyable because we could have a campfire. Many of the campgrounds in Florida prohibited fires because it has been very dry there, mostly in the southwestern portion of the state.

The first night there, I was enthralled with the stars. There was a breeze and it was far enough out in the country that there was little light pollution. The second night, the breeze died down and the mosquitoes invaded. We did very little star gazing that night.

But we both liked Okatoma enough to add it to our list of places where we would spend more time.