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Borrego Springs, CA

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Moved south today in more ways than one

After visiting the North Carolina Baseball Museum and one other place not really worth mentioning yesterday, I returned to the rig to begin preparations for heading out this morning.  Later in the afternoon, I got to meet some blogger friends in person.

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After some email correspondence, I finally got to meet Mike and Terry Young.  They are fellow fulltimers that write the FOREVERYOUNG blog.  They’ll be staying at Kampers Lodge Campground a few nights before heading to the coast.  We had a great time chatting it up for a couple of hours.  Some of you know how it goes with meeting blogville friends… instant report.  Smile

I made it on the road shortly before ten this morning to continue my journey south towards Okefenokee NWR in Georgia.  Thankfully, it was a pretty uneventful drive of about 165 miles to the Swamp Fox Campground outside of Florence, South Carolina.  Uneventful except that when I turned on my right turn signal, the outside passenger’s camera showed a message of ‘no signal’ instead of a view of the right side lane of traffic.  I’m hoping Paul, the guru of Winnebago maintenance , can give me some suggestions of what to do about this little defugalty. Disappointed smile

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I had called ahead yesterday to make a reservation at this Passport America campground.  Upon arrival, the office was closed, but there was a sign on the door saying I was assigned site #416.  After a very friendly and personalized arrival a few days back at Kampers Lodge, this was a bit of a let down. 

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Sites are pretty well crammed in behind a Ramada Inn, and while they are pull through, there was no way I’d be able to fit the rig and the toad in the site.  Luckily, I had the forethought to check it out on foot before driving in to my site. 

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I unhitched the toad at the entrance, drove it to the site, walked back up to the rig, and then brought it down.  Besides literally heading south today, the accommodations also took a turn south, and the price/night is $22.40.  That’s almost $5 more each night than my nice spacious site at Kampers Lodge.  Sad smile I only have this much room because I’m on an end lot.  Also, notice that the electrical box hookups for the campground are what’s in my front yard.  I did talk them into allowing me to stay for three nights at the Passport rate rather than the two normally allowed.  I got to do that since the day I leave, a couple will be coming in from Canada to spend the season at this site.

Really??  I guess I’ve been spoiled by my locations on National Wildlife Refuges because I sure wouldn’t want to spend five months in this site.  But it’s been my experience that that’s how it goes with PA campgrounds.  Some are beauties, and some are less than ideal.

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This is my view if I sit outside at the picnic table… dilapidated tennis courts behind the Ramada Inn and almost within spitting distance of I-95.  I’m staying here three nights because there are a couple of interesting, to me, things I want to see in the area.  I can’t believe anyone would pay $40 to stay here overnight.

I always try to find something positive about my circumstances, so late this afternoon I took Emma over to those unusable tennis courts.  It was a large enclosed area where I could let her off leash to burn up some of her energy.  Another lady came along with her little pup, and I’m happy to report that due to her time at Alligator River playing with her boxer friend, Princess, Emma behaved herself and didn’t crush the little dog as they ran and played together.  I guess that’s the silver lining to this rather cloud of a campground.

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

25 comments:

  1. We truly enjoy meeting fellow bloggers. It is so nice to put a face to a name.
    Always good to know you can take Emma out and she will make you proud.

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  2. I agree, keep looking until you find a positive, once you get use to doing that it will become easier. Safe travels when you leave there.

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  3. It was places like that that convinced us that boondocking was the place to be. But I guess that is hard to do over there in the Far East.

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  4. Like you, we've kinda gotten spoiled by NWR's.... there's something about looking out and seeing (what passes for) civilization that gives me claustrophobia. Give me Old Mother Nature any day! At least you're able to keep a positive attitude. Say.... if you have internet, check in with Donna K... that darned bird is giving me fits!

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  5. Great picture of Mike and Terri. They were at our place a week or so ago. They definitely get around.

    I so agree that PPA parks are quite varied. We have found 3 that we like on the road between Virginia and Florida since we've had to drive it so often lately. Sure hope that's going to stop after this winter and we can get back to something much less civilized. But I guess to have what I'd love - which is boondocking - in the East I'll have to follow your lead and volunteer at the NWRs. There isn't much space here in the East anywhere else.

    LOVE Okefenokee. Can't wait to see it with you.

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  6. Thanks for your email and help with the bird! More posted now. I'm always looking for safe places for Poppy to run but have never used a tennis court!! That's good thinking and a good use for an otherwise unused space. Glad Emma behaved herself.

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  7. Great picture of Mike and Terri! They are headed here and we are looking forward to spending a couple days with them. Too bad about your PA park. We have had everything from the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to PA! It's still a good deal though, even if only 50% of the parks are "acceptable".

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  8. Well, I had to look up " defugalty"...One site says it is a word used by old people..I'm now going to forget it....I love out West, here...We have sooo much more space to camp. There's no way I'd spend the night there unless I was broke-down.
    Safe travels!!
    David

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  9. Ya just never know what you're going to get with PA parks. Some great and some really really bad. Just adds to the excitement of the journey you know. Well maybe not. Good girl Emma - not to tromp all over the little one.

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  10. A nice big playpen for Emma to play in, like you said - you have to find something good about the park.

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  11. Yes nice place for Emma at least. And it's only 3 day's.

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  12. We're so glad we got to meet you and Emma and thoroughly enjoyed our visit with you. Already looking forward to the next time our paths may cross.

    Can certainly see why your current campground is a disappointment after the first class treatment you received at Kampers Lodge. Hopefully the excursions you have planned will make the time pass quickly so that you're soon on to your next adventure.

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  13. "For the season"? Wow. I got nothing else.

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  14. Good one, Bob!

    It's good to know when accommodations stink! Thanks for the heads up. That was a very nice photo of Mike and Terri!

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  15. Yeah, I agree. That's not a very nice spot and I think I would be a little nervous there with the Ramada Inn right next door. Lock your doors :)

    I was hoping you would decide to stay at Jolly Acres in St. George. You would have been warmly greeted and guided to a big pull through site....and you can use the PA discount as long as you want.

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  16. As others have said, sometimes PA parks are suitable, lots of times not. We've stayed a night or two in some doozies. We have to keep reminding ourselves of our budget! That is why we like COE's and some state parks.

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  17. That sure does not loo like the kind of place I would like to spend the winter!

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  18. Not a great looking campground to be spending 5 months at.

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  19. Judy,

    First thing I'd do if you can is look for a loose connection on the backside of the camera monitor. You'll have to get the dashboard cover off to do that. I am not sure if your Adventurer has the flip up dashboard or not. Check your owner's manual, I know the Adventurers with the front engine chassis do, don't know if the ones like yours on the UFO Workhorse chassis do. I hope it does, that'll make the access to the monitor so much easier.

    Next I would try to swap the wires on the back side of the monitor for the left side camera and right side camera and see if the left side camera works plugged into the right side and visa versa. This will tell if the camera is good or bad.

    Lastly, I'd contact the Camera Guru, Tim, at RV Cameras, he is the expert on this stuff. Here is his website: http://www.rvcams.com

    Hope this helps, wish I was closer so I could take a look at it. :c(

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  20. Wayne and I have found memories of Swampfox because it was our very first overnight stop the very first time we headed south together in 2004. We were so excited that we did not give much thought to the looks of it. I saw my first cotton field as there was a small patch of cotton growing just outside the campground.

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  21. Hey Judy, Just had a though. Do you ever go on RV Park Reviews and check for parks? If so, why don't you give Swamp Fox a huge thumbs down so others will know to avoid it?

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  22. yeah I have a though but that was supposed to be a thought..............

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  23. On a positive note... you'd never appreciate the great campgrounds, if you never experienced the dumps. Hope you find some interesting campers to swap stories with.

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  24. That's the beauty of being mobile, eh? If you don't like the neighborhood, you just unhook and ease on down the road..

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