Isaac Creek Campground

     We broke camp Saturday morning, November 28, and got on the road at 10:15am. We drove south on U.S. Highway 43 to the small community of Grove Hill then turned east on U.S. 84. There was a rough patch of road on U.S. 43 south of the town of Linden for about 3 miles, but it eventually smoothed out. This route is all two lane U.S. highway with some occasional passing lanes on U.S. 84. After crossing the Alabama River on U.S. 84 we turned north on AL39 and travelled about 10 minutes to CR17.

     AL39 (aka Lena Landegger Hwy) took us past the large Alabama Cellulose plant, one of largest employers of the area and a subsidiary of Georgia Pacific. The gentleman we met while camping with his son at Foscue Creek (near Demopolis) is employed as a welder at this plant. We encountered numerous full log trucks enroute to the plant as we travelled. CR17 is a typical secondary road. It is narrower than the U.S. Highway or even a state road. It is in rougher shape with numerous patched potholes. The road winds and twists up and down some minor hills. We travelled for about 5 miles to then turn onto a smaller local road for about ¼ mile until we arrived at the entry road to the campground called Lock and Dam Road. This road was also narrow, winding and twisting with a couple of minor hills to climb and descend. After about 5 miles we arrived at the campground facility. The trip from Foscue to Isaac Creek took us about 2.5 hours and that included stopping one time for a breakfast biscuit prior to leaving Demopolis.

     Upon arrival to Isaac Creek we located the campground host to complete our check-in process. Although we had reservations and I had pre-registered the week before, we have learned the campground hosts are very conscientious about their duties and want campers to check-in prior to set up. So after a few minutes and locating the camp host on another site attending the pre-game Iron Bowl festivities, we got checked-in. It was a very minor delay and worthy of just being patient to get off on the right foot with the hosts, who can be very helpful with local information.

     In case you don’t know campground hosts are usually retired couples who regularly RV and travel around the country. In exchange for watching over the facilities, completing minor maintenance (cleaning restrooms, blowing off walkways, cleaning grills and fire circles), staffing the campground entrance station, and a few other projects depending on skill level, they camp for free. We have found that most of the hosts are from northern states (for me that’s any state north of Tennessee and usually plan their 3-4 month stay at a particular facility in conjunction with weather gradually working south for colder weather. During summer months some return home while others go to work at campgrounds in Oregon, Washington State, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas. We find that many hosts stay with one type of facility. For example state park hosts tend to stay with state parks and the COE or National Parks (NPS) hosts tend to stay with COE or NPS. The only drawback is to understand although the majority of these folks are fulltime RVers, they are from different states and different cultures. Most of the time they are just good folks, so be patient they are a really good information source and can serve as significant help if/when you experience a minor mechanical crisis with your rig. 

         Okay…back to the review of Isaac Creek. This is another Corp of Engineer (COE) campground. My grandparents camped a lot at COE facilities, and now I know why. So far we have camped at three different COE campgrounds.  All three have been clean and well maintained. The locations had absolutely beautiful views of major waterways and usually some pretty good fishing. The campgrounds have been designed and laid out with enough space between sites, some with small wooded buffers. Sites are level with poured concrete driving/backing pads and a large patio area composed of small pea gravel. Each site contains a large heavy duty picnic table, park type grill on a stand, lantern stand and a circle fire circle. The campgrounds are usually quiet. Our view from the camper door at Isaac Creek:

      We first visited Isaac Creek last July during a recon trip and located the sites we wanted to reserve along the river. As you can see we have a site with a beautiful view. When we arrived on Saturday all the sites, except for the one next to us to the north were taken. On Sunday, morning all campers broke camp and headed out. So from Sunday evening through our departure on Thursday morning, we had the strip along the river completely to ourselves. The wooded loop with most sites on the creek had only 5 sites occupied after Sunday afternoon.

     Saturday, when we arrived, you could tell we were in BAMA country as every site along the river had their BAMA game day flags flying and all campers including kids were outfitted in various Roll Tide clothing. Several game day parties were in what could only be described as a controlled full swing. We set up, I had my feet up and watching the game day countdown by 1:30pm. Many of the sites along the river had their tailgater dish up and running. Luckily, our camper antenna located channel 5 out of Mobile, Alabama so we were able to watch the game. Speaking of t.v. reception, we are able to pick up channel 3 (ABC) out of Pensacola, 5: Mobile, 35: Pensacola, MeTV, Cozi TV, and Get-TV.

     For Verizon service I have 2-3 bars and could access Facebook, AccuWeather, Goggle Maps, and my YouVersion Bible app. I limited my electronic use in order to conserve my data usage, so I wrote this draft while at the campground, but waited to post until we returned home. I was able to make phone calls and text while at the campground.

     The only con with this campground is its remote location. Although it is not a con for me as I like the isolated setting, it might be for others. The nearest town with a Walmart is Monroeville, Al, which is about a 40 minute drive one way. The nearest country store is about 15-20 minutes away in the little community of Finchburg. They have milk, bread, ice, fuel (including propane refill) at this store. Additionally, they have a small kitchen inside and make/sell typical southern country store fare like homemade cat-head sized biscuits filled with salt pork, fried chicken, tater logs, etc. Hours of operation is 5am - 6pm daily, but it is closed on Sunday as most everything is in this part of Alabama. The best thing is to just plan properly so you have no worries.

Our site on the Alabama River:

Wooded loop, sites on Isaac Creek:

Gazebo:

 Restroom in wooded loop:

Foggy early morning walk with Dakota, view of the dam.

     While at Isaac Creek the first week in December, we experienced temperatures of: average low was 58 and average high was 74. Winds were calm to slight breeze out of the northeast at 3-5mph. Nights and early morning were foggy with the fog burning off by 9am. 

     We ended up checking out a day early. We woke up Wednesday morning to no power. After checking the obvious breakers, I checked with the camp host who confirmed the power was out for the entire campground. We waited for 2 hours but no word on possible repairs. Storms were moving in with expected temperatures to fall to mid 30s together with not knowing when and if power would be restored, we decided to break camp and come home. 

     All in all we would return to this campground for future trips. Very relaxing and enjoyable camping experience. 

Propane refill, Laundry and Food Restock day

     Unless you have a very large camper/motor home that contains lots of storage space, if you are going to be on the road camping for more than a week, you’ll most likely need to do laundry and restock your perishables/food stores at some point. While many campgrounds have limited laundry facilities and that is always an option, so remember to pack some clothes detergent, I have found from time to time the laundry machines are down or busy. During our recent trip we burned through a propane tank in 5 days because of cold temperatures (average high was 50 and average low was 35 with a very brisk wind). We needed to refill one of our RV propane tanks before departing for the next leg of our journey to a very isolated location. We decided to do the almost 10 days of laundry that had accumulated as well as stop at the local Walmart and restock perishables and food stores before we departed the next day to our next destination which would be isolated.

     A Google search identified a couple of propane fill locations and two laundry mats. The Propane refill turned out to be a minor difficulty. The first time we attempted was on a Tuesday afternoon at 2pm. The place, Ferrell Gas was not open and the other place, Dowdle Gas, was out of business. We returned to Ferrell Gas on U.S. 80 just east of U.S. 43 on Wednesday morning with our empty tank. The guy working could not fill the tank (really?) and suggested we simply swap the tank for a Blue Rhino tank. As we have purchased this kind of swap before at Walmart for our home gas grill, I was familiar with the process. I was initially hesitant as I hated to give up my RV tank, but the guy assured me the tanks were the same. The swap cost $18.79, a little more than I have paid in the past. Upon return to the campsite I discovered the tanks were not the same. Our RV tank was 21.7 lbs while the Blue Rhino was only 15.7 lbs. Additionally the Rhino tank had a coat of spray paint over pretty sizable surface rust.

     I called Ferrell Gas to speak with the guy in order to return to pick up my tank and the phone was answered by the Carabelle, Florida Ferrell Gas location. I was told he was now at lunch and would return later. Four additional calls forwarded to different Ferrell Gas locations do not yield success. Apparently, the phone automatically kicks incoming calls to another business office.  I failed to make contact over the next 3 hours. I left messages at these other locations as well as being forwarded to the guy’s voice mail, none of which resulted in a returned call. Finally, about 4pm I called and reached the guy. I explained as it was late and the next day was a holiday, I would return Friday morning. I ask the guy to fill my tank and have it waiting. I told him I would pay the difference for the core charge on the Blue Rhino tank swap. He attempted to assure me the tanks were the same. I told him they were not and that I had set them side by side and saw where they were not the same. Finally, I explained to him in a very direct/blunt manner that I was the customer and these were my instructions. He agreed and I gave him my telephone number for any further issues.

     Friday morning I called at about 9:30am and got forwarded to the Dothan, Alabama office. Nope, not doing this again. I drove to the facility and met with the guy. He retrieved my tank. It was still unfilled....big surprise. I asked if there was another propane refill station in the area. What do you know there was one at the Alabama Co-Op Farmer’s Supply….right next door. I paid the core charge, $28.00 (really?) and loaded up.  I went next door where a very helpful man filled my RV tank and charged me $11.39. I could have done this Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning…had I known. So, all this to say I don’t recommend using Ferrell Gas company, especially the one in Demopolis, Alabama.

     Friday morning with our propane situation finally resolved, we then focused on laundry. It has been almost a lifetime since I used a commercial laundry mat. We located a great little local place on U.S.80 in Demopolis called Suds. They had three different sized commercial washers, 1 top loading and 2 front loader types, and 2 different sizes of commercial dryers. Since I had  almost ten days of laundry I selected the largest front loader. The female manager of Suds was patient and helpful with me as I navigated my first time use of a front loader. We spent 1 hour and 45 minutes at the laundry and left with a clean, folded load ready to check off the next task.

     After a 30 minute stop at Walmart with my list, we completed the restock task. Milk, bread and fruit were now resupplied for the next leg of our journey. We returned to the campsite for a well-deserved nap after lunch and then dinner at The Red Barn in Demopolis. Please see a review on this fabulous meal experience.  

The Red Barn Restaurant Review

     We hardly ever eat out while camping because we usually camp in remote locations. Additionally, we usually camp with our group from church and mealtime is good fellowship time. There were a couple of factors for us deciding to eat out on Friday night, November 27. First, we cooked all our meals thus far on this trip. Second, we were departing Saturday morning for the next leg of our journey to a very isolated location. Third, we met an interesting character Tuesday afternoon who gave us a great tip of a soul food café located inside of a local grocery store and he was adamant that The Red Barn served the best steaks, fried fish, and quail in Alabama. After discovering he was dead right about the soul food place, we wanted to give The Red Barn a try. The restaurant is only open at night, opening at 5pm daily except for Sunday. Here is a photo of the outside of the place.

As you can see it is an old barn turned into a restaurant. I wished I could have taken some photos of inside as the décor was rustic and contained many small farming and timbering hand tools as well as paintings of the local countryside, the lighting was low and I would not have wanted to interfere with other people as they intimately dined in this wonderful restaurant. 

     The inside was divided into small rooms containing about 5-6 tables for an intimate dining setting. We were seated at a handmade pine plank table with the traditional red checkered table cloth. Service was swift and friendly. After reviewing the menu and placing our drink order of sweet tea (what else?), we explained we were travelling from Florida and then inquired about the older gentleman we met on Tuesday. His name we were told was Roger. Apparently, he works part-time, does some maintenance and helps out on busy nights in the kitchen. After our tea arrived Roger came out of the kitchen and walked to our table. With a big million dollar smile he laughed and said, “I remember y’all, I’m so glad y’all came back to eat wit us, you won’t be disappointed.” He asked about our experience at the soul food café and we thanked him for the suggestion as the food was delightful.

     I ordered the grilled Rainbow Trout with baked potato and salad from the salad bar. Buddy, in typical Buddy fashion, requested a special order (not on the menu). He order fried quail and fried oysters with steamed winter veggies, wild rice and gravy, and a salad from the salad bar. The waitress did not hesitate and said, “Shore we kin do that!” After a short wait in which we observed family after family arriving to eat, our order arrived. Here are photos of our meals.

     My trout was fresh and grilled just right. Many people overcook fish, but not this restaurant. The trout was accompanied by two hefty lemon wedges and a special melted butter/citrus cream mixture for topping the fish. The baked potato side could have been a meal by itself. It was smothered in butter, cheddar cheese, real bacon bits, and topped with a generous amount of sour cream. Buddy’s quail, most likely farm raised due to the size, was tender and satisfying. His fried oysters were cooked perfectly using fresh grease. They were lightly breaded and still moist on the inside, as fried oysters should be. Buddy reported that the sides were also delicious.

     I give The Red Barn a 5 out of 5 stars and definitely recommend dining there if you are in the Demopolis area. 

Foscue Creek Campground (near Demopolis, Alabama), November 2015

We arrived at Foscue Creek Campground on Tuesday, November 24. This is another Corp of Engineer(COE)  Park and is located near Demopolis, Alabama at the confluence of the Black Warrior and Tombigbee Rivers.

      The campground has 54 sites with 48 sites having full hook-ups of electric, water, and sewer. Camp sites 49-52 are located directly on the Tombigbee River. The campground is carefully laid out and each campsite designed similar to other COE campgrounds. Sites are very level with a deep concrete or asphalt driveway. The driveway is joined with a large 50ft x 25ft pad with packed small pea gravel. The hook-ups are easily accessible and well maintained. Here is a photo of a typical campsite. 

       The majority of the sites are located along Foscue Creek which is about 50-75 yards wide in most places. The creek empties into the Tombigbee River a large navigable waterway about 150 yards wide. Yesterday, we observed a large tug pushing barges down the river. There is a system of locks on this property that permit small to medium sized yachts and tugs to egress. Also on the property is a U.S. Coast Guard Station as part of their Navigable Rivers and Lakes section. There is a public boat ramp in the day use area part of the COE facility. The gentleman camped next to us with his young son have been fishing the river since the day before we arrived. They are fishing from a 16ft Express duck boat, which he has tied to his campsite, and have returned to camp caught fish every evening. Here is a photos taken from campsite 51.

       Unlike Miller’s Ferry or where we are headed next, Isaac Creek (another COE), this campground is located about 4-5 miles from the Walmart (a brand new one with fuel), located in Demopolis. We have good Verizon cell signal here. T.V. reception is terrible. We are receiving 3 stations, all PBS. Most of the campers here have the tailgater from Dish. As I have been interested in the tailgater, yesterday evening I talked with our next door neighbor, the fisherman, about his tailgater system and feel like there will probably be one in our future especially before we depart for our trip out West. Meanwhile we are enjoying the quiet, catching up on reading, doing a little writing, and watching a movie from our DVD collection at night.

     Like other COE facilities we have camped or conducted a recon of, there are several campground hosts that take extraordinary care of the facility. A reoccurring theme throughout the park facility is the rock used to construct bridges and the restroom/shower/laundry facility.  Here is a photo of the building near our camp loop.

And one of the bridge in the campground.

     One final note is that we can hear trains several times a day and into the evening in the distance. It is not bothersome to us and kind of unique to hear a train horn in the distance especially during the evening after dark. I have not heard them at night while in the camper, so the sound of the horn as the train passes through crossings, has not kept me from sleeping.

     Well it is Thanksgiving Day and I need to get off this computer and focused on finishing up our meal on this special holiday. We are enjoying our trip, but missing friends and family especially on this holiday. Everyone…..please have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

     

Camp Cooking, Part 1

     A friend of mine, who happens to be a trained culinary chef, messaged me that she enjoyed reading my posts but that I was omitting critical information. As I thought this morning about the possible next blog topics, camp cooking came to mind. One of the advantages of RVing is that you get to take your kitchen with you everywhere you go. For some that may not be a plus, but then those folks probably fall into the category of camping is not for me. While it is economically a better idea to cook your own meals, usually, the food tastes better anyway plus there’s the advantage of  not having to get dressed up to go out…with the understanding that getting dressed up can have a variety of meanings and for me it does not include a dress and heels. Those who know me… know this well. There are distinct benefits of eating breakfast in your PJs. Just sayin….

     Now just because you have a kitchen doesn’t mean that you have to prepare 5 star gourmet meals…. just good, hot, satisfying food. It does not mean that you must slave over a hot gas 3-burner stove or be relegated to sandwiches either. As I said in a previous post, Proper Planning/Preparation Prevents Poor Performance, planning and preparation is one of the critical keys to success. This concept applies especially to menu planning and successfully cooked meals at camp. So figure out what you like, use a menu planner (a free app available for smartphones and tablets), select your ingredients for meals, and enjoy. Remember, you can always cook ahead of time at home and freeze before you leave on your trip. On previous trips with our group I have oven baked Cajun chicken leg quarters at home, and then bagged them in freezer gallon-size Ziploc bags. The morning we planned to cook for dinner that evening, I thawed the cooked chicken then placed them on the grill for about 15 minutes and they were great! As another example, on this camping trip we enjoyed pulled pork from a smoked Boston Butt roast prepared several weeks ago, and divided up into quart sized freezer Ziploc bags.  The pulled pork complimented the Cuban Black Beans and rice topped with chopped onions and hot sauce; dinner from last Sunday night. Yep, I used the crockpot to slow cook the Black Beans all day. It was delish! 

Finally, two days before our departure I prepared two sweet potato pies. One we ate at home and the other I froze for this trip to enjoy on Thanksgiving Day. 

     Okay...I personally do not want to spend an unnecessary amount of time in the kitchen. Yes, I know some of my foodie friends are cringing right now, but after all it is a camping trip/vacation….right? And there are so many fun places to explore. So, I like to use the crockpot….a lot! The last thing you want to do after a day of exploring is to slave over a hot 3-burner gas stove….right? Here you go….the crockpot is the answer. For example, tonight’s dinner will be venison and bean chili. After breakfast this morning and while the 4qt crockpot is heating-up, I will brown ½ pound lean ground venison, with chunked onions (larger pieces of onion than chopped). This is a ½ pound of ground venison left over from a one pound package used to make the spaghetti sauce for dinner last Thursday night (also in the crockpot).

     Okay, back to the chili. While the venison is browning, I add coarse ground black pepper and seasoned salt. Be careful to not over salt as the McCormick Chili season packs, added later, have sodium too. Then, I add 2 packages of McCormick Chili season. Even though I’m only making a little less than 4 quarts of chili, I like the boldness, not hot, that 2 season packs provide. One package is just too mild, at least for me.  I add a little water to the meat mixture and simmer for about another minute. Meanwhile, I add 2 drained cans of kidney beans. I like to use Bush Kidney beans. I add a can of dark and a can of light Kidney beans. I cannot taste any difference between the two types of beans but I like the color difference it gives the finished product. As Martha Stewart says, “It’s all about the presentation.” Next, I add a can of diced tomatoes. If I don’t have any of Buddy’s homemade canned tomatoes, I like to use the regular diced Hunts instead of the petite. It seems like the petite tomatoes disappear during the slow cooking process in the crockpot, but the regular diced hold together well.  

     Next, I add the seasoned and browned venison with onion mixture to the crockpot and stir. Sometimes I need to add a little more liquid, so I usually add V-8 juice. Finally, I add about 1 tablespoon of Splenda. Now you can use sugar, I use Splenda to try to cut back a little on the sugar. Why add sweetener? It cuts the bitterness from the tomatoes. All that is left is to stir, put the crockpot lid on, and then walk away. I usually start the crockpot on high for the first hour then reduce to low for the next 4-5 or maybe six hours. Depends on how long I can stand it til I have to get a bowl. Every couple of hours I check on, stir, and sample the chili to see how it is progressing. Viola! Basically it cooks itself.

            So for this camping trip here is how our dinner menu looked:

Thursday: Grilled Kielbasa sausage with lots of  pan seared onions and sauerkraut complimented with sliced Italian buttered bread.

Friday: Spaghetti Meat sauce over Angel hair pasta (picked up a box of angle hair instead of regular spaghetti noodles – oh well, improvise, adapt, and overcome). Sliced Italian buttered bread and a garden salad with Italian dressing.

Saturday: Oyster Stew with Saltine crackers.

Sunday: Pulled Smoked Pork, Cuban Black Beans over rice with chopped Texas sweet onions covered in hot sauce.

Monday: leftovers (spaghetti / Cuban beans) – breaking camp Tuesday morning.

Tuesday: Soul food from a local grocery store. Fried chicken, turnip greens, cornbread, mac & cheese, and mashed potatoes with gravy.

Wednesday: Venison & bean Chili

Thursday: Rotisserie Chicken (purchased on Wed evening from the Soul Food place), Mary’s stovetop stuffing (extra ingredients – chicken broth, onion, celery, boiled eggs, ground sage - to add flavor), steamed green beans, deviled eggs, cranberry sauce, and sweet potato pie (pie that was cooked 2 days prior to camping trip and frozen).

Friday: Eating out at a local restaurant we found – review to be posted later.

Saturday: (breaking camping and travelling to next stop) Grilled Ribeye steaks with baked potatoes and a garden salad with ranch dressing. (Easy peasy after a travel day).

Sunday: Beef, tomato & mac soup.

Monday: Marinated, grilled venison backstrap, English peas, parmesan cheese angel hair pasta. 

Tuesday: Grilled hamburger patties (in chunks) in brown gravy with mushrooms over rice, steamed carrots.

Wednesday: leftovers (breaking camp Thursday morning to head home)

Here is a photo of the marinated, grilled venison backstrap:

Beef, tomato, Macaroni soup:

The Hamburger, mushroom gravy over rice with steamed carrots (my gravy was a little brothy as I did not have any flour or corn starch to thicken):

 Our Thanksgiving meal while camping. 

     This is not an all-inclusive list, just this trip’s menu. There are a gazillion different things to cook at camp that taste great, and take minimal effort with a little proper planning. The key, in addition to proper planning (just in case you have not heard that by now) is to change up the menu so it doesn’t get boring. See, you really can eat good without a whole lot of fuss and with a little planning in advance.

     And for my foodie friends…..yeah, I know this is only the dinner meals. Yes, we eat breakfast and lunch also at camp. Maybe a part 2 on this topic will include hearty camp breakfast meals as well as quick camp lunch ideas. Also, check back as we met an interesting character yesterday when we were searching around for a propane refill location as well as a good place to eat. We plan to eat at his recommended restaurant as he said it has, “The best steaks, fried fish, and quail in Alabama!” Additionally, he turned us on to a great little Soul Food Café inside of a locally owned grocery store. Whoa….let me tell you they had the absolutely best turnip greens and cornbread I have ever…..I’m talking ever eaten! More about that as well as how our Friday night meal goes on a later post.

            For now…..have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving! 

Exploring Historic Selma, Nov 21, 2015

     We began our day of exploration by checking out the day use Corp of Engineer(COE) facility across the road from the campground. Also situated on the east side of the Dannelly Reservoir, the recreational spot included a medium size covered pavilion with well-built picnic tables, like the ones on each of the campsites at the COE campground. A man-made wide grassy finger type pier stretches out into the lake for numerous fishing opportunities. Permanent benches are positioned on either side of the finger provide a great view allowing quiet contemplation and praise of God’s wondrous creation.

     We then continued on our trek north for about 35 miles to the city of Selma, Alabama. We drove through heavily wooded forests of various hardwoods and planted pine stands and a few rolling green pastures filled with herds of cattle. No large mansions, just simple small homes usually surrounded by an assortment of heavy equipment from tractors to log trucks told the story of the hardworking people who call this area home. I’ve noticed the dirt here is black and rich. As an interesting side note, I discovered this area is referred to as the River Region and called the Black Prairie Belt.

     We arrived in Selma and found the main east-west highway through the city, U.S. 80. I knew I wanted to see the historic Edmund Pettus Bridge, probably the most photographed bridge in Alabama. We quickly located the bridge on the east side of the city, where the bridge crosses the Alabama River. Here is a photo of the Pettus Bridge.

A historic marker at the foot of the west side of the bridge approach told the story of the significance, the site of Bloody Sunday - March 7, 1965.  

     Located across the street west of the marker is the National Park Service’s Interpretive Center containing educational exhibits of Black Americans’ struggle for voting rights in the Selma/Dallas County area in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The site also serves as a trailhead for the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail, commemorating the historic 54 mile walk, on March 21-25, 1965, to bring awareness to the difficulties experienced by Black Americans in gaining the right to vote.

     Many of the buildings in the immediate downtown Selma area appeared to have been intentionally kept in their historical form. Here is a picture of downtown Selma looking west, after exiting the Pettus Bridge.

      We drove around and saw some of the historic structures. The Train Depot, St James Hotel, Brown Chapel AME Church (the site of the beginning of the walk), the Dallas County Courthouse, the Federal Courthouse (each of the courthouses are located directly across the street from each other), the First Baptist Church, and the Methodist Church (located side by side). All gorgeous architecture, the historic structures are beautifully preserved.

     By then we were getting hungry so we looked for a place to eat as well as a hardware store to pick up a couple of needed items for camp. The old fashioned hardware store we stopped at just up the street from the train depot, had the appearance of a typical country hardware store. As I entered and heard the ting, ting of the bell hung on the door, I imagined a character like Ike Godsey from the t.v. show The Waltons would greet me. Instead, a short redheaded woman with a thick southern accent loudly announced, “Hey! What can I do fur ya!” Now, those of you who know me, know that I have a southern accent and can speak Bubba fluently so, you know when I say this woman had a strong southern accent you can rest in the knowledge it was very pronounced. Anyway, I inquired about the items on my list.

     The red headed woman immediately turned and hollered a man’s name then turned back to face me and said, “Sweetie, Earl will have to help you on that one, I don’t know nuthin bout tools.” Shortly, Earl arrived and attempted to help me without success. We could not locate any washers for a water hose so we went onto the next item, a ½ drive ratchet with a ¾ socket. Apparently Buddy used the ratchet and socket at home and forgot to return it to the camper outside pass-through storage. Anyway, the ratchet is the tool I use to fine tune the camper level.  After Earl looked through a chain-link fence locked area inside of the store and attempted to sell me a whole set of tools for $40 which incidentally had about ½ of an inch of dust on the cover, I thanked both Earl and the redhead woman for their time and effort. Earl told me he hated to lose a sale, then he suggested trying the local Walmart store. I must have had a puzzled look on my face because the Redheaded woman announced to me proudly they had a Super Walmart in Selma. She corrected surmised and announced, “You ain’t from round here are you sugar?” I felt the rest of the phrase coming….bless yur lil heart, but she saved that one. I don’t know if it was wisdom on her part or just plain good manners, either way I was glad to not have to hear the southern translation for you’re a dumb tourist huh. Then she proceeded to give me directions in a way which can only be described as country.

     She told me to go on down the street to the corner and turn left then go til I saw a redlight and turn right. I was to go down this road called Broad Street to a, “Big flag on a flagpole in front of the car worsh place, it’s a big ole American flag, honey, you’ll know it when you see it,” I guess in case I had never seen one before. She finished up with, “Then turn right and go about 5 more minutes, the Walmart is on the left up there.” Earl stood there nodding his head up and down in approval of the accuracy of her directions.  When I asked if Broad Street was the same road as U.S. 80, they both looked at me and she said, “Don’t know nuthin bout no 80, it’s Broad Street, honey.” I thanked them for the information and exited feeling confident with an onboard Garmin GPS plus Google Maps on my cell phone, I could mostly likely successfully navigate to the Walmart location. It took me about two minutes to find Broad Street, also known as U.S. 80, about 5 minutes to find the big American Flag (it was a big one the size you see at some car dealerships) at the corner of Broad Street and Highland Avenue and another three minutes to locate the Walmart.

     It was Saturday, the Saturday before Thanksgiving, and this must be the only Walmart within 50 miles as well as the social center of Selma as the parking lot was packed. Once inside I quickly discovered this particular store was not set-up like many of the typical Supercenter Walmart stores I have visited. Automotive tools, specifically ratchet with a few SAE sockets were not in automotive, but on the plumbing isle. I ended up settling for a hefty 3/8 drive ratchet with a few common SAE and metric sockets all in a kit made by Stanley for about $18. I picked up a few grocery items including apple fritters, requested by Buddy, and navigated my way to the front to check out.

     I discovered Walmart had Wi-Fi so I could quickly jump on with my laptop from the truck in the parking lot and upload a saved post for this blog before departure. It took a little longer than expected, but it was successful. At the campground my cellphone had 3 bars of signal – no 4LTE. While I could receive texts and calls, apparently, it is not enough to upload data. I definitely must check on a booster or signal amplifier for the camper.  I know some of you are thinking wait a minute….aren’t you camping? Yeah, but I still like to jump on Facebook at least once a day to see what’s going on, you know it’s like reading the newspaper. I like to have access to my Bible reading plans on You Version. While I can access some portions of the reading plans off-line, it’s just better when you can have full access. Finally, I’m a bit of a weather bug nut. I like knowing what is coming weather wise so I can plan better. Guess that is a left-over habit from my working days with Fish & Wildlife. I’m a bit distrustful of local weathermen. Over the years, I have found my reading of the weather and predictions are way more accurate than many of theirs.   

     Prior to leaving Historic Selma, we topped off our fuel at $1.79 per gallon, the lowest price for gasoline I’ve seen in years and returned south to the campsite. We arrived in time to watch the LSU v. Ole Miss game, watched another beautiful sunset, and had Oyster stew for supper (yeah, I brought the oysters with me from Florida). 

Not a bad day at all.   

Miller's Ferry Campground, Nov 2015

     I’m up early this morning (Nov 20, 2015), a crisp 52 degrees with a slight breeze out of the northwest. We arrived at Miller’s Ferry Campground yesterday afternoon about 3pm. The trip took a little more driving time that I had planned (about an hour longer), but that’s okay. Utilizing I-65 north to Evergreen then U.S. 84 west (mostly two-lane) to U.S. 43 north (four-lane) to AL 5 (two lane), we had good roads the entire trip. No traffic or road construction issues. Out planned fuel stop in Thomasville, Alabama worked out great. We pulled into the Walmart lot and re-fueled at the Murphy Gas station.

     The Thomasville Walmart is not a super-center but not a Neighborhood Grocery either.  It is the size in-between. Although the parking lot was extremely big and only about ¼ occupied, there were numerous signs posted on parking light pole fixtures stating no overnight parking of trucks or campers. Just as I have read in some other posts, don’t depend on all Walmart locations as an overnight boon-docking spot (aka dry camping-no hook-ups only battery power). It is best to check first with the store manager before setting-up and then be courteous where you park and remember to re-stock/purchase while you are there. By the time we made it to Thomasville we needed to re-fuel with only a ¼ of a tank left and the country we were about to cover, another 30 miles to the northeast, would be void of trusted refuel locations.

     Even though there was no traffic light to get back out onto U.S. 43 north, a four-lane highway, the Lord was with us and a clear path opened for us to make the left turn crossing all four lanes at once. The last leg of our journey we traveled AL 5 a recently repaved secondary road. The road was wider than the usual secondary roads but had no passing lanes. Eventually, we got behind a small car driving 35-40mph in the posted 55mph zone. We were on a two-lane road up and down hills and around curves with the car driving slow and drifting across the center no passing line. I could not see the driver’s head so I assumed it was an older person as I had experienced this same situation numerous times when working in south Florida. The longer we followed the car the more the driver continued to drift across the center line, sometimes ½ the car width, once almost striking an oncoming vehicle head on. In my former line of work this would have been a traffic stop to investigate possible impairment. But on this day I wisely chose to back off about 15 car lengths to possibly avoid any crash that might occur until this driver could find his/her way home.

     Calling the police was not an option. One, there was no cell service. And two, who are you going to call? I didn’t see a single police car all day. Not an Alabama Trooper (too few and mostly assigned to the Interstate highways), not a county Sheriff, nor a police officer (who would have had no jurisdiction in this no mans land).  After about 20 minutes, the elderly gentleman wearing his English driving hat exited down a two-rut dirt road, and I thanked Jesus for both his exodus and our safe departure from this precarious situation. We were delayed for some unknown reason, but I’m confident the Lord worked it all for our benefit. We arrived, as I said a little later than anticipated, but with enough daylight to get set-up. We were immediately contacted by the campground host and issued our vehicle pass as well as the campsite pass to hang on the site marker. All is well.

     Now a little information about the campground, Miller’s Ferry. This is a U.S. Government, Corp of Engineer (COE) facility. It is our first time camping in a COE park. We visited this campground in July 2015 during a recon trip and liked it. As a U.S. Government facility, we made our reservations on-line back in August at Recreation.gov. Last week I pre-registered on-line. Because Buddy meets the criteria of over 65 years of age, he qualifies for the U.S. Government Senior Passport (formerly called the Golden Age Pass). This pass which cost $10, a one-time fee, allows us to enter most all Federal areas free and camp for ½ price. For example our nightly fee here at Miller’s Ferry is $11 a night. The Senior Passport is available for purchase from any National Park office (we purchased Buddy’s at Ft Pickens) and covers National Parks, National forests, COE facilities, and U.S. Fish & Wildlife facilities. At Miller’s Ferry, the 42 campsites have electric and water, no sewer hook-up; but they have a dump station within the park. Laundry facilities are also available.

     According to the facility brochure, the park is located on the scenic Dannelly Reservoir, covering about 27 square miles and over 500 miles of shoreline. The Alabama River goes through this lake. Boating, fishing, hunting, and hiking are popular activities. A boat ramp, fish cleaning stations, and fishing dock as well as a number of shoreline fishing spots are offered. Across the road (AL 28) from the park entrance is another COE facility, day use only and designed with grass covered fingers out into the lake for shoreline fishing (I’ll try to get a photo of this and post later). Small mouth bass, crappie (speckled perch), bluegill and catfish are among the fish species targeted. Ducks are prevalent along the lake, and duck hunting is permitted. On a special note, on two separate occasions this morning I have heard, but not seen, Sandhill Cranes. I did not know they ventured this far north.

Here is a photo of Dannelly Reservoir.

     For the campers with kids, there is a huge playground, on about a 4 acre grassy area. Also, during the summer a designated swimming area on the lake is available.

Here are a couple of photos of our campsite. We are right on the Dannelly Reservoir lakeshore.

     Well, that is all for now. 

Recon Trip Andalusia/Opp, Alabama area

     This past Saturday (Nov 14) Buddy and I conducted a Recon Trip for a group camping trip planned for April 2016. The fishers in our church group want to do some Jug Fishing, which is not permitted in Florida fresh waters. We wanted some good fishing but not too far to travel.
     We started our trip with a visit to Sweet Home Alabama Campground about 15 minutes northeast of Andalusia, Alabama situated on Gantt Lake (about 700 acre lake) on the Conecuh River. After touring through the campground we decided to push on and visit some other options. Next we visited Gantt Lake RV park about 28 minutes northeast of Sweet Home. After a brief look around, we pushed on. I would not recommend either of these facilities.
     Our next stop was Frank Jackson State Park just north of Opp, Alabama, about 30 minutes driving time east of Andalusia. Lake Jackson is a spring/stream fed lake covering 1,000 acres. I took this photo while standing on the hill in front of a large very clean, heated restroom/shower facility.

 The first 20 campsites are located right on the water. Here is a look at a typical site.

The view at the back of the site.

     Very nice! Each site has electric, water, sewer, cable, and I saw a sign that said they have Wi-Fi also. Sites are $30 a night Sunday night through Thursday night and $32 for Friday and Saturday nights. Non-residents 65 and older or those 100% disabled get 15% discount.
      A boat ramp is located about 1/2 mile from the campground. There are loads of walking/biking trails within the park. The entire lake boundary is state park so the shoreline is extremely pristine and without development. The nearest town with the typical grocery, hardware stores is Opp, Alabama, about a 10 minute drive away. But I have to say that with town so close it doesn't feel that way when you're in the park. It feels like your're in the middle of nowhere. Just exactly the way we like it when camping.
     This campground has been selected as our destination for our April trip. I'll post photos and follow-up after our trip.

Lake Stone Camping trip, November 2015

     We like to visit new places and camp with friends. This photo, of Buddy and Dakota resting, was taken November 2015 while on a trip with our group from church. Lake Stone Campground is maintained by Escambia County. They offer a 50% discount for Escambia County residents over 65 years of age. Each site was level, shady and had electric and water. While there was no sewer hook-up on the sites, they have a dump station for use. No cable or Wi-Fi. Verizon cell coverage was good. The one drawback was that this campground is first come first serve only. In other words no reservations are taken. This necessitates going up early, as we did on a Thursday, to claim your site. Waiting for Friday night or Saturday morning would have resulted in not having a site on the lake or not getting a site at all. 

     We camped for four nights. It was a enjoyable weekend with other campers respectful of the quiet time. The campground was well maintained and facilities were clean. Restrooms and shower areas were clean, modern, and heated. A enclosed community room was available was large groups including a large covered outdoor grill fish fry area. Campsites were situated with enough room between and many with a nice scenic view of the lake. 

     A boat ramp was available about 1/4 mile drive from the campground. Several fishing piers and grass covered fingers out into the lake were available for those fishers who do not have a boat. Fish cleaning tables were appropriately positioned for campers/fishers to clean their catch. Two couples in our group went fishing in their respective boats, but alas no fish were caught during this trip. The lake appeared to be experiencing an over-growth of algae. No smell from the lake or difficulty respiratory issues as and algae bloom red tide can cause on the coastal areas. 

     The small community of Century, Florida was about a 5 minute drive away. The nearest grocery store was about a 10 minute drive into Flomaton, Alabama. 

     This was a good camping trip and a campground that we would definitely visit again.

Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance

     I mentioned in my last post about the importance of proper preparation. I cited a story about a recon mission last July. Yes, proper recon is important, but it is only one component of the total planning picture. Once you or your group have selected a campground and made reservations next comes the prep phase. Now the prep phase for me usually begins several weeks out as I begin the "planning" process. It is a good idea to make a checklist of all the obvious things you'll need to inspect prior to departure.
     The planning process includes many of the obvious things like check and refill/top-off your LP gas tanks. While some may like the convenience of switching out their propane tanks at the local Wal-mart, I personally prefer using a local LP gas vendor, Miltown Storage, located in Milton to fill my tanks. Often at the conclusion of a camp trip my tank is only 1/2 empty. I hate paying for a whole new tank at Wal-mart when James Wheelus can top off our tank for about 1/2 the price of switching tanks. Plus when James fills the tank I know it is completely full instead of close to full from Wal-mart.
     Some other items to check during prep is the camper spare tire as well as the air pressure in all the tires on the ground. Recommended air pressure should be displayed on the side of the tire. Check them cold. Check the grease in the wheel bearings. Check the trailer hitch area and lighting to ensure all is working properly. Make sure to have a 4-way lug wrench, appropriate jack, small toolbox with appropriate replacement fuses for any roadside emergencies.
     Check on the camper batteries. I use a cordless drill to lower the four camper stabilizers, so make sure the batteries for the cordless drill are charged. We use 2x6 wood as our stabilizer/jack stands. Some people purchase the lego type jack pads. It's a matter of personal preference. I store these items in black plastic milk crates purchased at Wal-Mart. Ensure all hoses (water & sewer) as well as any filters, or pressure regulators are in good working order and properly stored. Check power cords, adapters, and surge protectors. I also check to make sure I have enough ant bait. We have found that ants are always present at campgrounds, but we can eliminate the problems they cause by spreading ant bait (we use Spectricide) on the ground around the camper, especially where our RV outdoor mat/rug will be positioned.
     Next, check the inside routine things you will need every camp trip like toilet paper and chemicals for the toilet. All the bathroom toiletries, towels, etc. Kitchen should also be checked. Things like coffee and sugar/splenda as well as other commonly used items should be checked and topped off.
     One of the things you will have to guard against, and is a struggle for any woman, is to not bring everything including the kitchen sink. Think smaller amounts and what you can get by with. For example no need to bring your entire closet with you, only what you will need for the trip. If it's more than a few days, many campgrounds have laundry facilities so bring clothes detergent (and quarters to feed the machine) so you can do laundry if your trip will extend beyond 7 days.
      Getting back to planning....I have found that planning my menu helps me to not only purchase and stock properly, but cuts down on unnecessary food items that take up space in a sometimes limited cabinet/storage area. If you are camping with a group it is wise to meet with or set up a chat group (private closed Facebook group will work) the other ladies and plan out the evening meals, who will do/bring what items. Our group takes turns providing the main meat entrée. When it is not our turn on the main entrée, we provide a complimentary supporting food item or necessary paper goods. Obviously, there are women (and men) who are more skilled/talented than others in preparing some foods. For example, I am not a baker so I am happy to let another take on the role of baking cakes, pies, candies, etc. I am a good salad, soup, stew, gumbo, and crockpot cooker (comfort food is right up my alley)....so my contributions usually involve one of these dishes.
     To assist me with the food planning phase I use a digital menu planner to help in the process (free app on my tablet). Then I use a digital "notepad list" (another free app on my tablet) to create checklists: a camp food list (according to planned menu), a summer camp list, and a winter camp list. Two different lists according to season...why?..you might ask. Because there are items you'll need during summer camping trips like additional shade, sunblock, chairs, tiki torches, coolers, etc. that you may not need during winter camping and vice versa. Using these digital lists keeps me on track and ensures that I don't forget critical items. As you might imagine, the morning of departure I'm reviewing these lists to ensure I have not forgotten anything.
     Download/print the reservation confirmation letters. Ensure you have proper physical addresses for the campgrounds. If you have a GPS/navigation system you can enter the addresses and should be able to correctly navigate to your destination. Beware that in some isolated incidents the GPS may take you to a faulty destination....they are not foolproof. Ensure you check the route prior to departure. If I am not able to physically recon the route, another method I use is Google maps, both traffic and satellite views, to look the route over for any concerns. Remember towing a camper or operating an RV is different than driving your regular car. You have height, length, and turning limitations to consider. It is my personal preference to stay off small secondary roads or county roads unless I have personally travelled them and ensured they are adequate/safe to handle towing our camping rig. Many county roads are not built or maintained to the standard of Federal or state highways. Common issues may be present like insufficient width, little or no road shoulder, tree overhangs, rapid rise/fall in elevation, winding/twisting roads, or possible flooding.
     Some navigation systems (Garmin & Magellan) of today have the option of entering your rig into the profile to avoid secondary and toll roads as well as traffic delays in construction zones or low bridges. Plan your route and take into consideration the available refuel locations along the route as well as stopping to stretch and walk the dog. If Google maps advises your destination is 2 hours away, remember Google is assuming you're driving a car not towing a camper (unless you have entered your profile correctly adjusting). Add anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour onto whatever Google tells you.
     The day before departure we hook up the power to the camper and turn on the refrigerator. This allows it to cool down so that the morning of departure I can move the cold items from the house frig to the camper.
     Plan to depart for your campground in time to set up prior to dark. There is nothing more frustrating than arriving late and setting up in the dark.
     This is not an all inclusive list. I have probably forgotten something, but it should be enough to get you started in the right direction. Remember Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.
     

Getting Started...The Adventure Begins

     Recently, upon returning from another camping trip, a friend told me that I should start a blog and write about our adventures camping. As I mentioned in my profile, my husband, Buddy, and I camp with a group of RVers (is that a real word?) from our church. We also do solo excursions. Although I have camped most all of my life, we finally entered into the world of RV camping last November. We have planned and managed to go somewhere wonderful almost every month since purchasing our camper. We camp the beaches and in the woods. So we are now officially "experienced" RVers.
     I have to admit that I was the resistant one in purchasing a camper. After all it is a huge investment. So, after having slept in tents as a child then gradually transitioning to various upgraded models of campers as my grandparents trekked around the country in their Airstream I wasn't sure if camping in my now older life would be as fun as it was as a child. Yep, it's still fun. I remember the day we pulled out of the RV dealership telling Buddy, I never thought the day would come when I would be an Rver. Now, don't misunderstand me. Camping is not for the faint of heart. It requires a positive and motivated mindset. You cannot sit down and cry every time there is a minor difficulty. It requires routine maintenance and proper planning in order to keep problems to a bare minimum when on the road. As a wise mentor once told me, "Proper planning prevents poor performance."
     My goal with writing this blog is to provide a view into our camping adventures and along the way impart some wisdom from our camping experiences. You know...like the things that worked and things that did not. And maybe pass on some thoughts about life in general.
     Since Buddy and I are both retired and have a flexible schedule, we provide the reconnaissance for future camping trips for our group. The key to good recon is to be observant, take notes, take pictures, and consider all issues. Murphy's Law states, "If it can go wrong it will." So it is best to be prepared for a host of emergencies and obstacles.
     For example, back during the summer we were camping at a wonderful campground, Magnolia Branch Reserve on the Porch Creek Indian Reservation near Atmore, Alabama, when we conducted a recon north to visit 4 campgrounds. One was private and three were Corp of Engineer (COE) parks on the Alabama River. Anyway, the private campground was a bust so we travelled on north. We arrived at the first two COE campgrounds and found they were well maintained, possessed all the amenities we wanted with beautiful riverfront view sites along the Alabama River and Lake Clairborn (Isaac Creek and Miller's Ferry).
     We then crossed the bridge over the river and visited Chilatchee Creek, another COE campground on the river across the lake from Miller's Ferry and south of Selma. While the campground had some scenic sites along the lake, the bumpy, dirt, 4 mile long two-rut road leading in was horrible and I would not pull our camper over such a road.  Next, while I don't mind being off....way off the beaten path...even with limited or no cell service, the nearest town was 35 miles away and the closest one-gas-pump-country-road store (situated next to the local gun & knife club...aka bar) was about 12 miles away. Apparently this little hole in the wall was the center of commerce as well as social gatherings as about 20-25 folks in various patterns of camo hung around drinking beer near their pick-up trucks with about 30 hound dogs and two recently killed deer....in July. Can we say slightly out of season and apparently no game wardens venture into this area? When we stopped to get a drink, I was glad I was armed with my .45 as I know I heard banjos playing the entire time I was paying for my coke. So...proper recon is important if you want to have a great camping trip.
     Well that's probably enough for now. I've been told all my life I have issues with brevity so I'll stop....for now. Got to get the camper loaded for our next trip this Thursday. Solo excursion this time to western Alabama: Miller's Creek, Foscue Creek, and Isaac Creek. Will post more later.