Monthly Archives: January 2018

Campground Review: Flatonia RV Ranch, Flatonia TX

1 Reply

006Summary

  • Name: Flatonia RV Ranch
  • Dates of stay: Jan 26 – 28, 2018
  • Location: 2055 FM 609, Flatonia, Texas
  • Type of campground: Private / Independent
  • Cost: $30/night for FHU pull through site
  • Additional fees: none
  • Stay limit: none
  • Accepts mail / packages: yes
  • Cell reception: adequate
  • Website: http://www.flatoniarvranch.com
  • Pros: convenient to highway, long pull through site, inexpensive
  • Cons: soft ground

Full Review

One of Jeff’s passions is mountain biking, so as we travel, he’s always on the lookout for trails to ride. We stopped here because he spied some trails near here. Otherwise, there’s not much to draw us to Flatonia.

008This family-owned campground was formerly a cow pasture and now features 58 pull through, full hook up (50 amp electric, water, sewer) sites. It’s right off of I-10, easy to maneuver around and has a row of super-long pull through sites in the front. The only challenge is that it had rained a day or two earlier and the ground was quite soft. There was a layer of gravel at each site, but our jacks sank right down into the soft soil underneath, rendering them essentially useless. We could have tried pulling them up, putting down jack pads and re-leveling, but we figured it wouldn’t accomplish much. For only 3 nights we can deal with a bus listing slightly to starboard.

Other than that, the campground was a perfectly acceptable place to park.  The restroom / bath house was basic, but clean. There was also a coin laundry, which I didn’t use. The owners are very friendly and accommodating and the place was extremely quiet. There appears to be quite a few semi-permanent residents, but the place is kept clean and orderly. Our over the air digital TV antenna pulled in a number of Austin channels and the AT&T signal was good.

The owners do not accept any discount programs, but $30/night is a reasonable price for basic campground amenities. After having our slides in for 5 days straight while traveling and at Dixie RV having warranty repair work done, it was just nice to spread out and have full hookups for a while!

Moravia WineryThere’s not much going on in tiny Flatonia or nearby Schulenburg. However, we did locate a couple of wineries nearby. One gem is Morania Vineyard & Winery located only 16 miles away. We stopped in on a quiet rainy morning, and the owner (a mechanical engineer from Italy) sat with us and chatted for at least an hour. A tasting is only $5 and includes nibbles of local cheeses, sausage and freshly made bread. The tiny winery only had a few offerings (mostly sweet wines), but their dry red was surprisingly drinkable and a couple of bottles found their way into our truck before we left.

Bottom Line: Not a destination park, but a good overnight stop that is convenient to I-10. The campground roads are solid, but sites can be soft, especially after rain.

Taking your house in for service

Leave a reply

When your car needs service, you just drop it off at the local garage. If it is going to take a few days, you can borrow or rent a car. But when your car is also your house …. it’s a bit more complicated!

You may recall from a prior post, we experienced an issue with our rear engine hatch. Our particular bus has a motorized cover, not manual. At delivery, we noted that one of the two cover actuators were missing. The dealership replaced it, everything seemed to be working, and we set off on our way. Unbeknownst to us, the actuator was not identical, and opening/closing the cover caused it to torque and damage the cover and bracket. In fact, for a while, we were unable to open the engine cover at all.

Back home in South Florida, we identified a local authorized warranty repair center. They were able to remove the offending actuator which enables us to open / close the hatch (with some difficulty). However repairing the unit required pre-approval from Entegra and replacement parts, which they were unable to source before Thanksgiving, our launch date. So we had the parts held at Entegra in Indiana, until we could arrange for repairs at an alternate facility.

It should be noted that most repair facilities do not have hookups or even just a parking spot for you to stay with the motorhome. So, if you have a multi-day repair (like this one), you may have to go stay in a hotel for the duration (not a simple endeavor with a cat). If the repair facility isn’t attentive to your rig’s power needs, you can come back to find your house batteries drained and spoiled food in the fridge. We attempted to find a repair facility in the vicinity of our Gatlinburg cabin after the holidays. However, since it was winter, the facilities would not guarantee our rig wouldn’t freeze and recommended we winterize before dropping it off. Um, no. Not going to do that.

So, on to Plan C. Since we were coming back by Dixie RV anyway, perhaps they could work us in around that time. And they could! And they have parking sites with power hookups, and we can sleep in the bus every night! And Entegra can ship the parts to them in time!  Sold! Since they kinda broke it, it only seemed fair for them to fix it.

Dixie RV was great. They worked around our travel schedule and addressed everything we listed. We cleared out each morning and the bus was parked back in a hook up spot each evening by 5 pm. It all worked out. Rear engine cover fixed!

We had to make some accommodations to stay on site. We just left the slides in the whole time,  it’s a lot simpler to do so. You just have to plan ahead and take everything out that you may need from those cabinets that are blocked when the slides are in (mainly clothes and food). We only had electric hookup, so were in water conservation mode. No long showers or laundry. But hey, it was free camping! And at night when everyone cleared out, it was super quiet. We spent a total of three nights there.

It felt a bit surreal to come full circle from last summer when we picked up the bus. Six months ago we were such newbies. Now we feel seasoned, and comfortable handling and living in this rolling home. We are back where we started this adventure and will now encounter new territory!

Westward Ho!

Laissez les bons temps rouler! Visiting New Orleans

1 Reply

The Big Easy is a fascinating blend of history, jazz music, parties, fine dining and architecture. We had the pleasure of being in the area for a couple of weeks which, despite unusually cold weather, allowed us time for exploration. Here are few highlights:

011I love the French Quarter with its historic French/Spanish architecture, narrow roads, and quirky shops. We downloaded a handy Frommers Walking Tour onto my phone – no need for a tour guide!  During that tour we explored the (high priced) French Market. Budget tip: Creole seasoning packets were $4.50 at the Market, I found the same exact ones at a nearby WalMart for $1.50! We also stopped at historic Brennen’s restaurant for breakfast and bananas Foster at its birthplace. Expensive, but oh so yummy!

We just happened to be here when my sister, Ruth, and her family were visiting. What serendipity! We took an afternoon paddleboat Mississippi River cruise on the Creole Queen, to the Chalmette Battlefield, a key site in the Battle of New Orleans. The cruise was nothing special – a  quick half hour ride each way – but the battlefield visit was quite interesting. You can visit the battlefield national park by car, if you just want to see that. Entrance is free and talks are given when the paddleboat docks at 10:45 am and 2:45 pm. We had fun doing it together!

The National World War II Museum in New Orleans’ museum district is an engrossing look at that time period. I’ve been to a number of the world’s finest museums, and this one ranks up with the best, in my humble opinion. The museum’s immersive exhibits, spiced with a number of narrated movie clips, really bring that era to life. The museum is also huge, spanning multiple buildings. A 45-minute movie experience “Beyond All Boundaries”, narrated by Tom Hanks, is fantastic. An interactive submarine battle experience (“Final Mission”) isn’t quite as impactful, but interesting to participate in. The cost is $37 per person with all of the extras; plan to spend the whole day. We arrived mid-morning and simply couldn’t get to everything by closing. Well worth a visit! If one day isn’t enough, you can pay an extra $6 for a “return the next day” ticket.

To round out our New Orleans visit, we stopped in at the Oak Alley Plantation, a former sugar cane plantation, in nearby Vacherie, Louisiana. The $22 admission fee includes a guided tour of the Big House, “Slavery at Oak Alley exhibit”, and the Sugarcane Theater which tells the story of sugar’s impact on the people of Oak Alley. The beautiful antebellum Big House, framed in an alley of 240-year-old live oak trees, is one of the most frequently photographed views around. The Plantation hosts a restaurant which serves up local fare. I had the chef’s special: crawfish stew. Yum!

New Orleans is a fascinating place to visit but come prepared to shell out for parking downtown –  $25 per day and up. I recommend downloading the Premium Parking app, which allows you to find parking lots/garages, pay by plate, and even reserve a spot in advance. A little planning makes the parking process much less stressful.

During our time in the area we experienced a spell of historically cold weather, including freezing rain and ice. What IS it about ice this winter? In any case, due to the many bridges and elevated roads, every main artery in and around New Orleans was completely shut down for several days until the weather warmed and the ice melted. Adding to the misery, frozen/burst water mains put the city under a boil water order for days. Not a big deal for us, as we are self contained, but it made for interesting times.

Soon it will be time to leave the land of gumbo, jazz and Mardi Gras and head westward!

Campground Review: Pine Crest RV Park, Slidell, LA

Leave a reply

003Summary

  • Name: Pine Crest RV Park
  • Dates of stay: Jan 13-22, 2018
  • Location: 2601 Old Spanish Trail, Slidell, LA
  • Type of campground: Private / Independent
  • Cost: $44/night with Good Sam discount, FHU pull through site
  • Additional fees: none
  • Stay limit: none
  • Accepts mail / packages: yes!
  • Cell reception: AT&T decent
  • Website: http://www.pinecrestrv.com/
  • Pros: Close to New Orleans, decent site, moderate price
  • Cons: limited amenities

Full Review

This campground is well located, a half-mile off of I-10 and only 30 minutes from downtown New Orleans. We wanted a base for exploring New Orleans and the surrounding area, and this location served us well.

001The price was in a moderate range (for us) and offered a 50 amp full hook up site on a concrete pad for our big rig. The pad was just wide enough for our rig, so required some careful positioning, and was not quite long enough for the bus plus toad. We had to park the truck sideways in front. But having a concrete pad was nice after sitting on gravel for a few weeks – no slow sinking of jacks over the week! Sites had adequate spacing, typical for commercial campgrounds.

The office is closed from Saturday noon through Sunday. Since we planned to arrive on Saturday afternoon, the office left our paperwork just outside the office door with a map to our site and instructions. We just picked up the envelope, pulled in, and hooked up. Easy. All I had to do was stop by the office on Monday morning and finish the check in process. The office was very accommodating and had no problem accepting several packages for us. Our stay was long enough to order some things we needed after several months on the road, as well as receive our forwarded mail.

It is a fairly large park, with over 160 sites. It looks as though there are many seasonal / full time residents in the back, but our front section appeared to be populated by mostly transient visitors like us. For all of those sites, there was only one small bath house. Presumably since all of the sites are full hook up, the bath houses are little used. We didn’t use them. This is not a “resort”, as there are no organized activities nor a pool. There is a small playground, a lounge area (closed when the office is closed), a laundry facility, fishing area, and LP gas fill station. It was very quiet during our stay; we hardly saw people out and about.

Due to proximity to New Orleans, we got quite a few over the air TV channels and AT&T reception was good.  The campground provided a code for free WiFi through Tengo internet, which most campgrounds charge for. Our normal ATT hotspot worked fine.

One warning that we heard from another camper that has been here before – this campground floods. We weren’t here during rainy season, but apparently it isn’t unusual during rainy times for campsites to be several inches under water. In that case, it is a good stop for a day or two, but maybe not for longer.

Bottom Line:  Good location for New Orleans area exploration, the amenities are sufficient, and the price won’t break the bank – but beware of flooding during rainy periods.

Camping in the Cold

2 Replies

006When Jeff and I shared our RV travel plans, we blithely told everyone that our goal was to “follow 70 degrees”. Although that was certainly our intent, the reality so far has been …. somewhat different.

A combination of work timing, family holiday plans, and a record-breaking cold spell of unusual duration has conspired to put us into much more frigid temperatures than we had ever envisioned. However, I’m pleased to share that our bus has performed admirably. I had the opportunity to visit the Entegra factory in Middlebury Indiana last year (before our purchase), and observed that fiberglass  insulation  is stuffed everywhere possible in the walls, floor and roof, giving them a respectable R-value. The windows are double-pane and well sealed. However, it is still essentially a metal box on wheels, so having an effective interior heating system is critical.

002Our Entegra motorhome has three sources of heat:  rooftop heat pumps, an electric fireplace, and the diesel Aquahot system. Each system has its uses.

  • The three electric rooftop units serve as both AC and heating systems, at least until the temperature gets down to around 40 degrees or so. Then those units don’t operate efficiently, so an alternative heating system is required.
  • When I first saw a fireplace in a motorhome, I giggled. I thought it was an affectation and completely superfluous. However, that fireplace is NICE! As a supplemental heat source, it warms up the interior quite well. It has both a thermostat and timer, so it can be set to come on automatically as needed. If you are already paying for electricity with your site fee (as is typical for us), it is also a free heat source. And the fire effects are quite homey and relaxing.
  • When the temps really drop, it’s time to fire up the Aquahot diesel boiler. The Aquahot system provides continuous hot water as well as interior heat. Tubing under the floor circulates hot fluid to warm the porcelain tile, and blowers cycle warm air out through floor and ceiling registers. I have to say, that sucker really works! Even in hard freeze conditions, our interior stays comfortable. Even the floor is warm, at least, warm where the pipes are under the floor!

The only caveat to the Aquahot system is that it does burn diesel fuel (approximately 0.3 gallons/ hour of run time) so you need to watch your diesel tank level.  Neither the generator nor Aquahot systems will fire up if the diesel level drops below one-quarter tank. Since we routinely top off our diesel tank before parking, that has not been an issue, but it could be if you aren’t watching or if you are parked for a prolonged period of time.

The Aquahot heating system also heats the under-bus storage space (the “basement”), keeping water pipes/tanks and stored items above freezing. However, it doesn’t keep OUTSIDE pipes and hoses from freezing. So, when we anticipate freezing conditions, we fill our 100 gallon freshwater tank and then disconnect and stow our water hose. We can operate in self-contained mode for several days with no problem and no worries about a frozen water hose. On really hard-freeze nights, we’ll leave the campground water spigot trickling, hopefully preventing it from freezing solid. Some folks who routinely camp in cold weather use heat tape and insulation to protect their water line, but I don’t plan to be in these conditions enough to have to take those measures!

Weather patterns are forecast to return to a more “normal” pattern soon. I hope so – I really like our bus, but this cold weather has kept us inside it more than expected. Here’s hoping for balmier weather ahead! In the meantime, I will put my feet up in front of the fireplace and enjoy a warm beverage.

2d4a934bab0cfd02fb357e9fcb63fe75--the-heat-seasons

 

 

Visiting Mississippi’s Gulf Coast

Leave a reply

During our few days stay near Pass Christian Mississippi, we had the opportunity to explore a bit of the gulf coast region including Gulfport and Biloxi. I’m sure the joint is hopping during the summer, but during our off-season cold-weather visit, we found the area a bit sleepy.

Pass Christian was nearly obliterated during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Signs of damage are still evident in the pier skeletons poking up from the Gulf, and vacant beach-front lots where homes used to be. The surviving homes are dwarfed by new houses built on 20 foot pilings. It is apparent that full recovery is still years away.

The beach along the Gulf in this area is beautiful – broad and white. We were astounded to see that parking along the beach is absolutely free! Coming from Southeast Florida, free beach parking is simply unheard of.

Biloxi is touted as a casino destination, so we checked it out. I have to say – Biloxi is no Vegas. There are a few casinos, but all of them together could probably fit into one of Las Vegas’ mega casinos. They were nice enough, but rather plain Jane.  We did visit the spa one day at Harrah’s, for massages and to relax in the spa amenities (hot tubs, steam room, sauna). It was a splurge, but worth it.

I was a bit disappointed in the blackjack tables. You may not know this about me, but I do like to play the game of blackjack, I just don’t like to risk a lot of money on high minimum tables. At these casinos, the tables with lower minimums ($5-15) all had very unfavorable rules for the player. Rules like “dealer must hit soft 17” and “blackjack pays 6-5” (rather than 3-2), shift the odds even more in the house’s favor than it is already. The most egregious $5 table required players to pay $0.25 per hand, just to play! Now that doesn’t sound like much, but paying 25 cents every single hand just for the privilege of playing adds up. If the table is half full of players, you will be dealt an average of  80 hands/hour. That means you will pay $20 / hour just to play, plus risking your stake WHILE playing with unfavorable rules! No wonder no one was playing at that table. In order to get conventional blackjack rules, I’d have needed to play at a $25 minimum per hand table, which is too much for me. I passed. I’ll have to go to Vegas to get my blackjack fix, I guess.

We had a lovely and delicious lunch at Mary Mahoney’s Old French House in Biloxi. Set in a historic home, the restaurant is a local legend.  We also managed to find the world’s largest rocking chair, set outside a local furniture manufacturer.

It’s a pretty area, but after a few days we were ready to move on.

002

Campground Review: TLC Wolf River Resort, Pass Christian, MS

1 Reply

017Summary

  • Name: TLC Wolf River Resort
  • Dates of stay: Jan 8-13, 2018
  • Location: 23098 Freddie Frank Road, Pass Christian, MS 39571
  • Type of campground: Private / membership
  • Cost: Free!
  • Additional fees: None
  • Stay limit: See details below
  • Accepts mail / packages: Yes
  • Cell reception: A&T reception decent
  • Website: http://www.tlcwolfriverresort.com/
  • Pros: pretty site, free trial stay
  • Cons: older membership resort

Full Review

When we purchased our motorhome from Dixie RV Superstore in Hammond, LA, we received an invitation for free camping at this resort in our package. Since our travel plans moved us in this direction, I called to see what the promotion entailed. We were offered 5 days of free camping in exchange for attending a sales pitch on the last day for this membership resort.

The campground is a bit older than some, with limited pull through sites suited for a big rig like ours. When we arrived, the camp host greeted me by name and invited me to jump into his golf cart to pick out a site.  Even though the park was not heavily occupied, we only found one pull through site that had working 50 amp service. Getting into the site took a bit of careful maneuvering, but we managed it without incident.

020The site itself is one of the prettiest we’ve had at a commercial campground so far. Situated on a creek, the site is huge and private. During our stay, there were only a couple of other campers at our end of the park, making it even more private than usual. We didn’t even pull our shades at night, because there wasn’t anyone around to see in!

The campground had a few nice amenities such as laundry room, club house, canoe/paddleboat, and a bare-bones 9-hole mini golf course. There were a few organized activities on the weekend, which we didn’t participate in because we were there primarily during the week. I can see how the place could be hopping during the summer, but it was very quiet during our cold-weather stay. Cell phone coverage was adequate. Over the air TV channels were sparse, but our DirectTV worked fine.

The campground is located a few miles from the beach and about a half hour from the casinos of Biloxi. If you like to hunt and fish and go to the beach, this is a nice area. For us, frankly, there wasn’t enough around to do, especially in the winter.

024This is a members-only park, part of the Coast to Coast membership network. The way it works (as we learned) is that first you have to become a member of a “home” resort, then you can tack on a national network for an additional fee, plus annual maintenance fees. This entitles you to “free” camping at a network of resorts with a number of caveats, such as stay limits, and size limitations (problematic for us). Since we just started full-timing, it is far too soon in the game for us to commit ourselves to any particular membership scheme, especially one with a sizeable up-front buy in. The manager tried hard to do a deal, but we passed.

Bottom Line: It was a pleasant park, but we didn’t love it (or the area) enough to commit to anything long term. But it was nice to get a few free nights of camping.

 

Pumpkin’s Perspective: Life on the Road

Leave a reply

012My name is Pumpkin and my human is transcribing my words of wisdom for this  communication forum. It is my pleasure to share my feline perspective with you.

Yes, I am a cat, a striking orange tabby, hence the name. My human and I found each other 5 years ago, when I was four. It has proved to be a most felicitous partnership. Although I enjoyed our years together in the big house with the fabulous screened patio, I am equally excited to share this life on the road. How many cats can boast of an ever-changing view outside their window?

004My humans have provided well for my comfort. They removed an unneeded chair and replaced it with a most satisfactory cat tree. The perches are just the right height for window viewing and the cedar scratching post is quite serviceable. I appreciate having my own space in this new world.

Living in a moving home was unsettling at first. I must confess that I sought the comfort of the under-bed space many times. Intellectually, I understand what is happening, but my cat body gets anxious. I am gradually adjusting to the sounds and movements, but my preferred travel-day spot is on my human’s lap. It is very comforting and I like the neck scratches.

I am looking forward to this life of adventure. Hmmm, I like the sound of that – Pumpkin, the adventure cat! I will share my unique perspective with you from time to time. Or, maybe not.

027

 

Campground Review: Eagle’s Landing RV Park, Holt, FL

Leave a reply

048Summary

  • Name: Eagle’s Landing RV Park
  • Dates of stay:  January 7, 2018
  • Location: 4504 Log Lake Road, Holt, FL 32564
  • Type of campground: Private / Independent
  • Cost: $28/night for large pull through FHU site
  • Additional fees: $1/device for optional wifi
  • Stay limit: none
  • Accepts mail / packages: Yes
  • Cell reception:  AT&T signal adequate
  • Website: http://www.eagleslandingrvpark.com/
  • Pros: Large pull through FHU site, inexpensive, convenient to highway
  • Cons: no frills park

Full Review

This was just a one-night stand for us. We were looking for a safe, inexpensive place to pull off the highway for the night, and Eagle’s Landing fit the bill perfectly. We didn’t even put out our slides or unhook our toad, just plugged in electric.

This isn’t a destination park – there are no mini-golf courses or swimming pools. But the park has sixty 100-foot long pull-through flat gravel sites with full hook up, laundry facilities, a club house with book trading library, and two squeaky-clean restroom/shower units.  There was plenty of room for our big rig to maneuver. The grounds are impeccably maintained by friendly owner couple Rob and Sue. Located only a half-mile off of I-10, this campground is a perfect easy-access stopover, or a place to stay longer to explore the area.  The facilities are basic, but done well.

The campground does fill up, so call ahead to reserve your spot. They accept cash or checks only, no credit cards.

One tidbit I learned from Rob is that it costs upwards of $1000 to be listed as a Good Sam park! Since his campground is often full anyway, he doesn’t see the benefit of spending that kind of money for the privilege of giving someone a discount! I found this park using the All-Stays app, so that seems like good business sense to me.

Bottom Line:  It’s a clean, quiet, well-maintained RV park with easy in/out access to the interstate. If you don’t need the frills, it’s a great budget-friendly option.

Campground Review: Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park

Leave a reply

Summary

  • Name: Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park
  • Dates of stay:  January 2 – 7, 2018
  • Location: 11016 Lillian Saunders Drive / Hwy 41, White Springs, FL 32096
  • Type of campground: State Park – Florida
  • Cost: $23.34/night for spacious pull-through site water/electric site
  • Additional fees: none
  • Stay limit: 14 days
  • Accepts mail / packages: Did not ask
  • Cell reception:  AT&T signal decent, 2 – 3 bars
  • Website: https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Stephen-Foster
  • Pros: Sites are beautiful; large, wooded, private and cheap!
  • Cons: no sewer hookup

Full Review

After several weeks in commercial campgrounds, I’m struck once again by the natural peace and beauty of a park campground. Instead of being stacked next to another camper, we tucked into a large wooded site that felt both spacious and private. Commercial campgrounds just can’t replicate that “back in the woods” experience. And the cost effectiveness just can’t be beat.

The first night of our stay, we experienced an ice storm that nearly cleared out the campground and closed the park for several days because of downed tree limbs. Due to the conditions and cold weather, we mainly just hung out in the RV for a day or two. It gave me a chance to catch up on some work and draft several blog posts!

We had a long 100 foot curved pull through gravel site equipped with water and electric (30/50 amp) hookups, picnic table, grill and fire ring. The entire campground has only 45 sites in three loops. There is a playground, a dump station, and two bath houses, each with coin laundry facilities. The clean shower facilities offered plenty of hot water and heat lamps, which took just enough of the chill from the air to make getting out bearable. DirectTV reception was fine, but we could only get a few over-the-air TV channels, and no major networks. Our AT&T signal and hotspot worked adequately for internet access.

The park is a tribute to Stephen Foster, an early American composer who wrote such classic folk songs as  “Old Folks At Home” (Way Down Upon the Suwanee River), “Camptown Races”, “Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair”, “Beautiful Dreamer”, “Oh Susanna”, and “My Old Kentucky Home”, to name a few. The park is home to an informative Stephen Foster Museum and a huge carillon, which plays snippets of Stephen’s greatest hits. At least, when the carillon is working! The aged electrical system (1950’s era) for the carillon was damaged in a recent storm and the park is currently fund-raising to repair it. The park also hosts a gift shop and craft village, where locals provide craft demonstrations. Unfortunately, the cold weather meant no demonstrations, as these are normally done outside! There were musicians playing/singing in the carillon house and the gift shop, so the volunteers did their best despite the unusual weather conditions. The park also has multi-use trails (bike/hike/horse) that are currently closed due to limited logging operations. If you go, admission to the park is $5 / car and includes access to all of the amenities.

IMG_3485We also visited nearby Big Shoals State Park. Located on the Suwanee River, the Park boasts Florida’s only class 3 rapids — at least they’re class 3 when the river is high enough! There are two access points to the park. We attempted to enter the south end and drive the unpaved, sandy roads through the park but were thwarted due to downed trees that our little hand saw couldn’t defeat. So we went out and around to the north entrance and were able to make it to the trail head that leads to an overlook of the rapids area. We had to clamber over and around downed branches, but the trail was passable and we were rewarded by a view of the famed rapids.

The north side parking area offers restrooms, a picnic area and a bat exhibit consisting of a large bat house mounted on four high pillars. I was excited about the bat exhibit until Jeff pointed out the dozen or so bats on the ground under the bat house. Apparently they succumbed to the freezing weather, lost their grip and fell to the ground where they are currently napping. At least, that’s what I prefer to think …..

If you go, be aware that the access road is graded soft sand, passable with care. For interior roads, 4-wheel drive is advisable. There is a 3.4 mile paved walk/bike trail that extends the length of the park.  Entrance fee is $4, paid at boxes at the entrances.

Bottom Line:  The Stephen Foster campground is very nice and would have been much more enjoyable in better weather. You don’t have a sewer hookup, but the bath houses are convenient and clean. There’s more to do in the area than we were able to see given the conditions. I’d like to go back again sometime.