Six Ways to Irritate Your Fellow Campers

Camping at Bailey's Point, September 2012

I wrote this article last year for the QP news in Bulter County.  It's an online new source I sometimes write opinion articles for and I came upon this old article, thinking now would be a good time to share some campground etiquette that's sadly not very often used!

Summer is almost here and the great outdoors beckons our human instincts to star gaze, make fires and roast processed meat on a stick. Okay, sorry. I’m being a fuddy-duddy about the hot dogs. Seriously though, they’ll kill you.


Anyway, ever been to a campground and thought the following? Or are you one of the clueless, offending folks whose empathy towards others’ comfort is about as deep as a puddle? Here’s a collection of my thoughts while visiting campgrounds over the years.



1. Not everyone within a mile radius can appreciate your love for Stevie Nicks. Be respectful of your neighbor’s choice in music. If you want to blast your music while chillin’ in your lawn chair, stay at home.



2. Stop and say hello to fellow campers, but don’t pull up a chair unless you are invited. There’s usually a sense of camaraderie when strolling through campgrounds and it’s okay to say hello, or chat about the weather, but not cool to invite yourself to the campfire.



3. The hyena laugh. Enough said. Don’t be that guy.



4. Letting your children wander around unsupervised is rude and careless. There’s not just the safety factor to consider, but it’s annoying when curious, talkative children wander into my campsite, asking questions, touching things, and eyeing my marshmallows. They’re mine, and you can’t have them. Nah-nah-nah-nah-naaaah-nah.




5. Don’t show up at midnight to set up camp. It’s happened to almost every camper. The fire dies down, the belly is full, it’s time to call it a night. Just as you snuggle up in your sleeping bag, Billy Ray decided last minute to show up with ten of his friends. No worries. They’ll just use their headlights as guidance while shouting to one another as they set up camp. No biggie.



6. Trees for privacy? Uh, no. Guess what guys, when you go behind a tree to relieve yourself – in the daytime – I can still see you. And it’s disturbing. I don’t go seeking it. I’m casually admiring the forest and thinking, “Oh look, it’s a cute squirrel and…oh my GAWD for all that is holy!” I really didn’t want to see that.



Don’t be a slave to television this summer, or at least not the entire summer. Get your kids out of the house, and let the lull of crickets sing you to sleep…that is, as long as Billy Ray doesn’t show up with his buddies and a full bladder. Happy camping!


Sunset at Bailey's Point Campground, Loop C, on Barren River Lake

Winter Silence

First, let me say, "Happy birthday, Dad!"

Fall is my favorite season, but I have an appreciation for what each season brings.  Even winter.  The silence, the snow, the homemade stews and cornbread all come together as a wonderful sense of comfort from the sun's heat and the busy rush of a harvest. 

I snapped this photo in the patch of woods behind my home.  Simply standing in the light snow that'd fallen and the quiet of the environment so rich that the only sound was my breath is what I love about winter.  There's no other season that gives our ears such a break.

The earth is asleep but there's plenty to still enjoy about the outdoors.  What's your favorite outdoor activity in the winter?

Nolin Lake State Park Campground

I’m writing this review directly from the park itself.  This campground is much smaller – only thirty-two sites.  Each spacious site has water and electric hook-ups, and many of them afford a view of the water.  If you want to camp here, do a reservation. 

 

Site 31 at Nolin Lake State Park Campground

We currently inhabit site thirty-one, which gives us a unique view of the lake, a nestled section of water where an occasional fisherman on a boat might cruise through looking for his latest catch.  There’s a tiny path from our site that leads down to the water, but be careful, it’s quite steep!  Bring your fishing poles to this campground.  You don’t even have to drive elsewhere if you select a site next to the water.  You’ll have your own piece of the lake!  Just keep in mind some of the trails off the campsite to the lake are narrow and very steep.  If you have bad knees and high expectations  of a private island setting, you may be disappointed. 

 

Upon our Friday arrival, we purchased firewood.  Instead of picking out our own bundles, it was delivered to our site and the kind gentleman employee unloaded it himself.  On Saturday morning, we wanted to check out the hiking trails.  Needing a map, we stopped at the check-in office and a lady told us where we needed to go, but there was no map available!  

 

Feeling adventurous we took to the trail anyway.  There is a map available for viewing at an information station at the head of the trail. It wasn’t so bad, just stay on the path.  It makes a loop back to where we started.  We took the Waterfall Loop which is about 1.6 miles, but the waterfall was dry.  For mountain bikers, there is a new trail that loops around approximately eight miles, which splits off of the Waterfall Loop.  The new trail is called the Omega Loop.  We saw a father and son on a bike outing and it appears very challenging.  Lots up hill, winding trails through the woods.  Thumbs up on the added adventure to this state park!   By the way, both trails are for mountain bikers and hikers, so please be aware and respect each other’s presence. 

An unsuspecting me leaving bathhouse.

 

The bathhouse gets an thumbs up from me.  Clean, modern amenities and that’s all I can really ask for.  I hate walking into a campground restroom only to feel like a hockey mask is going to peer at me from under the stall.  The other side of the bathhouse has an indoor laundry facility and vending machines. 

 

Site 31 looking over to 32.  Nice distance between sites.

Our neighbors this trip were the kind of people you hope you never camp next to.  This can happen at ANY campground so I don’t want this to reflect badly on the campground itself.  There was a crew of at least a dozen people camping at the site across from us.  They took great pleasure in laughing and talking as loudly as possible all day and nearly all night.  It was like a forty-eight hour birthday party with your annoying Aunt Edna cackling the whole time!  Even well past the established quiet hour, the noisy campers continued their revelry.  These were not rednecks or metal heads, but middle-aged fifth wheel camper owners who walked their sweater-wearing dogs.  They finally quieted down, and I’m not sure if someone complained or if an attendant had to shush them, but I was happy to finally go to sleep.   Sleep at last!  Oh but wait, the same noisy crew decided to chop wood at six-thirty the next morning.  What?  This can’t be! I wanted yell at these inconsiderate campers.  So I do only what I can do.  I take a deep breath, shake my head in annoyance and choose to get over it.  It was time for coffee anyway. 

 



Our final morning here, Sunday, it’s thirty-nine degrees outside.  Our heat is keeping us toasty but I must enjoy my coffee wrapped up in a blanket under the awning.  The fog is lifting off the lake and I can hear a wood-pecker off into the distance.  Squirrels are gathering nuts for breakfast and I envy their freedom.  They have no office to report to come Monday morning.  If only I could make a living visiting campgrounds and writing reviews!  But I do this for free because it’s what I love.

 

Pros: 

·         Well-maintained campground/friendly staff

·         Clean bath houses…zero creepiness!

·         Camp sites are spacious and there is a nice distance of separation between sites

·         This campground is very accommodating for both the RV (large fifth wheel to a pop-up) and the tent campers.

Cons

·         Zero bars for cell phone reception/zero 3G network/zero Internet – you’re camping anyway!

 Click here to learn more about the park.

 

Summer is Great and All, But I Really Miss the Fall





This photo is the quintessential hiking trail for me. It was about a fifty degree morning last fall at Natural Bridge State Park when Derek and I hiked up to the natural bridge. Not a soul was around. It felt our feet shuffling through the leaves on this path disturbed the environment, and we actually found ourselves whispering.

"Why are we whispering?" I asked. We laughed and remembered to make some noise because this was bear country. Sneaking up on a black bear in search of her morning breakfast is NOT an ideal hiking trip.

I love the fall. It's my favorite of seasons. I cherish the coolness of the air and the colors that adorn the walls and floors of the forest. My hands were freezing and my heart was racing with the exertion from the hike (notice it's just about all uphill) but it was the joy of nature, the peace of God's creation that really made my heart beat.   

We're taking a break from this humid-hellish heat and there will be more reviews coming up this fall. 

Know of a great hiking trail?  Share it in a comment below, please! 

On top of Natural Bridge.  Sixty foot drop-off on either side!



Prizer Point: Great View, But Guard Your Wallet!



View from the campsite.  My husband and stepson throwin' a line.

Location:  Cadiz, KY, Western Region

We made another trip to Lake Barkley this summer by going out on a limb at Prizer Point.  I say that because the prices were unbelievably high, more than we've ever paid for a campsite.  For our prime site on the water, we paid $90 per night! 


Now, the site itself was beautiful, as you can see from the photos.  We were right on the water, the sunsets were ours (along with everyone else we shared the shore line with) and fishing was just a few steps away -- no packing up the tackle box and driving to a separate location. 

But, with the cost associated with this campground, I guess I expected more.  Yeah, yeah, I know.  It's camping.  We brought our kids and thought how much they would enjoy all the amenities described on the website, figuring the extraordinary costs would be well worth the splurge.  Free high speed wi-fi, a game room full of arcades and air hockey, a swimming pool and mini-golf.  How nice would that be?  After all, we'd spend the money easily on those activities combined, right?

Well, considering the wi-fi was unattainable and "fair" at best, the game room had broken machines, some which were not marked "out of order" and took my daughter's quarters.  Imagine the disappointment when we found the air hockey table in the back room and the trash talk had already begun on who'd beat who, we put the fifty cents into the slots and heard the hiss of the air escape the table, ready for action!  Only...where's the disc?  "Mommy, is the disc on your side?" 

"Nope, are you sure it's not on your side?  No?"  Guess they took the meaning of air hockey literally.

The swimming pool was nice and refreshing but it got a little crowded, especially when about a dozen or so adults got in with their frosty beers.  Okay, that's fine, drink your beer, but keep it to your campsite and please do not slurp on it whilst in the same darn pool my daughters are swimming in.  Thank you very much. 

Finally, a staff member showed up and told the people they weren't allowed to drink while in the pool.  You'd figure adults well over the age of forty would know that.  Guess it takes a genius.  Sorry, people annoy me sometimes.  Did I mention this campground is REALLY crowded?  Every single site was full.  It's not that I didn't expect that -- I know weekends run busy -- but if you are looking for more privacy, or quiet, this is not the place for that.  I would recommend the state park at Lake Barkley instead.  At least the sites there are set up where you aren't constantly observing another site.  They appear more private and are in a more wooded setting. 

Mini-golf.  Sigh.  Where do I begin?  This "course" was a joke.  It's probably the worst mini golf course I've seen.  Ever.  Looks like someone took a bunch of plywood, covered them in astro turf, put some creepy animal statues up as decor and called it a day. 

By the way, the mini golf and jumping pillow (like a big trampoline) are NOT included in the cost of camping.  You've got to purchase a wrist band for an additional $10 per person to "enjoy" these amenities.  Can you hear the cash register ringing in your ears? 

A nice thing to mention:  When my husband went to purchase firewood, the assisting staff was a really nice young man who told us he felt like the cost was a rip-off for what we got.  The normally $5 per bundle of wood was given to us, courtesy of him.  Not sure if that's safe to say here since it probably wasn't his call to do so, but either way, when you're getting sympathy of costs from the staff, that's usually not a good sign.  All in all, we enjoyed a fantastic camp fire and were able to roast our marshmallows. 

Pros: 

• Really, and I mean really awesome lake side campsites. 
• Children will love this place and will most likely see it with a less critical eye
• Friendly staff (we got escort service to our camp site, but I've received the same service at state park campgrounds)
• Bathrooms were rather clean
• Cell phone reception - no problems sending or receiving text messages
• Wi-fi available, but iffy reception, and couldn't obtain it during much of our stay (two nights)
• Outdoor movie screen -- no extra charge.  We enjoyed this feature (Shrek II) very much.  Walk up, bring your own snacks and blanket.  Family friendly movies.  

Cons:

• Terribly expensive.  Not worth the costs we paid.
• Crowded, popular place. 
• I felt the Prizer Point website didn't live up to their glorious website.  Never pump up your customers'/guests' expectations to come visit you and then offer them half-a**ed amenities. 

However, we plan to return next summer mainly for the great view and the fun our kids had, but are going to plan a through-the-week visit.  Weekends are too crazy.

New thing we tried this camp out:  Those HUGE marshmallows at the grocery.  If you try them, break them in half before roasting.  If you try and roast a whole one, they'll only cook on one side and will most likely fall off into the fire.  Break them in two and they roast beautifully and oh my goodness, they are terrific in s'mores. 

Next camping trip, I'm just ready to chill out by the fire and enjoy the sounds of nature.  I don't want all of the activities Prizer Point offers when I'm camping.  If you have kids, then this place may be for you, but if you're just a couple looking for some quiet time, look elsewhere. 

Visit http://www.prizerpoint.com/ for more info.  This is a KOA campground. 

Twilight on the lake.



Lake Barkley State Park

The girls check out the sea shells by the lake shore.

Location:  Cadiz, KY, Western Region.  Follow HWY 68/80 

This woodsy campground was a Memorial Day weekend treat.  I remember going to Cadiz when I was a kid in the 80's, shopping with my mother at the Piggly Wiggly and staying at our little cabin my dad had built years before.  It had a wood stove that warmed us up nearly to the point of stripping to our undies in the winter time.  We chopped down our own Christmas tree one year and spent several chilly days of December in that cabin.  In the summer, I'd catch tadpoles in the nearby creek and my mom would have to check me for ticks each and every time I came back into the shelter of the cabin. 

Anyway, those are my memories of this area, so I was looking forward to a stay at the same lake that is only about a mile from my childhood memories.  That cabin is long gone now, my dad sold it years ago, and the last news I heard of it, my stepbrother, Jamie, had driven by one day out of curiosity when he was in the area.  The cabin had burned down. 

So here we are at Lake Barkley.  Our site was off to a hillside but the pavement was pretty level and a nice little deck accompanied our hang out spot.  It was hot during the day, very hot actually, but the shade from the trees provided comfort.  We camped at site # 41, a little uphill walk to the restroom, which can be a pain if you've no bathroom in your camper, which we do not, but not so bad.  Good exercise if anything. 

The restrooms are not air conditioned and are completely covered in little pesky gnats.  Nor are they maintained but maybe once or twice per week.  There was an employee who came by to remove the trash and sort of wipe down the sinks, but the shower stalls weren't cleaned.  I definitely recommend wearing your flip flops while showering!  Have I mentioned I cannot wait for the day we own a camper that has its own shower? 

It was crowded for the holiday weekend.  Every site was full. Come Sunday morning though, majority of campers packed up and left.  We enjoyed the quiet that overcame the campground, the only sounds were the hum of passing boats on the lake just down the hill from us. 

The hiking trails were hot and long.  Not recommended for summer time.  The maps weren't officially up to date either.  We began looking for the Wilderness Trail but the trail head was no where to be seen even though we were at the correct location according to the map.  We checked with a friendly park employee and he noted the trail was closed. 

It hasn't really been cleaned up from the January ice storm that his the area hard back in 2010.  Several branches from trees were crushed by the weight of the ice, covering the trail.  He also noted there was a high population of copperheads down by the water this year.  Good to know!

There is a nice, quick trail (that is open) that starts at the campground and will take you to the beach.  We walked this trail with the kids and came out to the parking lot. 

My kids loved swimming in the questionable lake water.  However, I'm not big on any form of public bathing.  I let my feet get a little wet, but that was all.  It was so hot and they love to swim, so I let them jump in and refresh for about an hour.  They have immune systems anyway.

There is an outdoor shower by the restrooms to rinse of the sand and lake water, which I felt was a nice feature.  They need more than one however.  It's located right next to the entrance to the ladies restroom.  There should be one by the men's as well.   

I needed butter to make my fire roasted potatoes, so we took a quick drive to a little general store, where an elderly man sat at his counter, the smell of cigarette smoke thick in the air.  He was quiet, barley nodded his head when I said hello.  His dog lay in the floor by the entrance, a friendly fellow.  Luckily, they had butter, so we purchased it, along with some ice cream for the kids and headed back to the camp site. 

By the way, the recipe for the fire roasted potatoes (or any additional veggies) I'll place in a separate post.  They were AWESOME and not a single bite was left.  Even the kids enjoyed. 

All in all, we will return to this wooded paradise.  I don't expect elegance or service because after all, we are camping. 

Pros: 

• Friendly park staff
• Very wooded, nice and shaded
• Quiet setting, no highway noise, but not too far off the beaten path
• Playground for the kids
• Cell phone reception was good in the mornings
• Hiking is available.  Check with staff to ensure up-to-date info on the trails. 
• Treat yourself to breakfast at the lodge one morning.  You won't regret it.  Great food and service.

Cons:

• Bathrooms are an icky, gnat, spider infested mess
• If I have to pick, it'd be better maintained fire rings.  There were cigarette butts and lots of ash/debris/trash in ours that I had to clean out before making our own fire.
• No firewood available for sale on site.  Firewood for sale at the local general store.  Follow the signs. 

By the way, I forgot the SD card for my Nikon.  I shot a few pictures with my cell phone.  You can see our campsite below. 

Gear Up For A Stress-Free Camping Trip

Barren River Lake State Park Campground. 

Camping can be exhausting, especially when kids come along for the ride.  Don't let an unprepared trip spoil your fun. 

Here we are, already at the end of April, and there have been so many great opportunities for camping this spring!  Normally, an unpredictable season for weather, we've not had much rain or severe storms here in Kentucky this spring so far.  Our first camp out is coming up next month, as are for many campers, so I'll be writing a review on that trip afterwards. 

However in preparation for the many people venturing out with their tents and stakes, pop-ups and trailers, tempers will rise with warmer weather.  Here are some tips to help you avoid those stressful moments, especially if children are involved.

1. Pack enough drinking water.  I can't stress this enough.  This was mentioned in my first post about camping a few months ago, but I'm going to relay the importance again.  Sodas and tea are OK, but don't rely on them solely to effectively quench your thirst.  Only water can satisfy your thirst, prevent dehydration, headaches, muscle aches and helps your ability to function well when doing a lot of physical activity.
2. Don't freak out when the kids get messy.  I write this to you because I am guilty of the same exact thing!  I've always packed extra clothing for the kids because there are mud puddles to fall in, tree sap, plates of food that spill into laps, etc, but I didn't think I'd need to pack extra PJs on our last camping trip with the kids.  We were gazing at stars and one simple step later, my daughter slipped on mud, soiling her pajamas.  I was livid, but it wasn't her fault.  She was OK, but I was not.  At some point, you must take a deep breath (or two) and just go with it. 
3. Does your infant really need to go on that camp out?  Most of you might be saying 'yes', but it's probably best to leave the little one with Grandma if possible.  This will create less stress on you, and enable you to enjoy campfire stories with the older children who may be begging for your attention anyway. 
4. Bring a box fan.  This is a simple way to help cool down on those summer camp outs.  We don't always want to stay cooped up in an RV with the AC running if we can help it.  After all, we camp to enjoy the great outdoors, right?  Most campgrounds come equipped with electricity (which is also great for electric skillets for those pancakes in the morning), so plug it up and enjoy your lawn chair.  This may sound obvious, but pairing the box fan with a shaded camp site is a MUST in the summer.  Most camp sites have descriptions on their website if the site is shaded or not.  Pay attention to these details before booking a reservation. 
5. Buy paper plates.  I realize we are in a time and age of going "green" and that's a great thing, but unless you are camping every single weekend, buying paper plates and cups will save a huge amount of time on washing, packing away dishes and reduce the stress of your camping trip. Hefty Basics is a brand available that is friendlier on the the environment.  Their products are free of inks, dyes, and coatings and are biodegradable. 

Now, are you ready for the hiss of the lantern?  The crackle of the fire?  Me too!  Be safe out there is season.  Happy camping!