The evening "drive-bys"

Something that I have found unique about Rice Lake State Park, is the evening drive through's by many people. These are not people looking for a campsite for the night, but I think they are local citizens that enjoy driving through all the roads of the park in the evening. Joel, the park manager, has speculated that they are people scoping out the campground for future camping. I'm not sure I agree. Many of the folks are quite elderly, and don't appear to me to be interested in camping.



Earlier today, I calculated that since 1999, there have been only two summers when I have not hosted here. In that time, many of the evening drive-bys have been repeat visitations. I recall a quite elderly couple that has been here many summers. The wife drives the car and inevitably asks me if those big white birds are pelicans. I reassure her every year that they are.

Over the years here, I have owned three different rigs, and more than one evening visitor has noticed my change of abode and commented on it. One family that has driven through each year I have been here is led by a man that has the loudest speaking voice that I have ever run into. He buys firewood here to use in his fireplace at home. Back in 2005, I decided to camp for the weekend at another MN state park for my shake down trip for my present rig. Would you believe that this man with the loud voice, and his family, decided to camp that weekend at the same state park? Well, he did...and when he arrived, he spotted me, and asked what site he should set up his rig in, as if I were the camphost at this park! I gave him my opinion, and sure enough, that's where they camped for the weekend.

It's no wonder why I feel like I'm coming home each time I host at Rice Lake. I wonder if I'll see these same folks this year in the short time I'm here. Time will tell....

Thanks for stopping by....talk to you later, Judy