Chilling on a Fort road... Pam & Starla's July 4 with the squatters

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

I haven't seen SQUAT

[rdancemom... Pam 113]

oh geez I have been shamelessly hijacked... whatever will I dooooo? wherever will I go?? :rofl3:

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

diddly SQUAT

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

oh geez I have been shamelessly hijacked... whatever will I dooooo? wherever will I go?? :rofl3:SQUAT

I fixed it

12 pages in one night.... SQUAT

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

On that note... so as not to get you to 13 before you post another update. Goodnight sweet pam SQUAT (really, what can I do it's Dave's rule)SQUAT

[rdancemom... Pam 113]

I'm waiting for the "won't say squat" there Nicki... :raspberry: :heart: :laugh:

[rdancemom... Pam 113]

Nite Dave, Nicki, and Jason. I've gotta catch up b/c I haven't read squat...

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

I'm waiting for the "won't say squat" there Nicki... :raspberry: :heart: :laugh:

You think I won't have squat to say.... You would be wrong squat

[rdancemom... Pam 113]

The park has a nice campground but it's down the road a couple miles. Of course it was full. This is the biggest weekend of the year and the sites are filled months in advance. Packing everything up and driving back to Maryland every night would have been a real bear. Most people did that. I didn't envy them.

We were lucky. We'd been offered a spot dry camping right at the edge of the action with some other vendors.

While Starla and I went out to get dinner on Thursday, DH set up the TT and was entertained watching the doggy-people and other vendors set up. He was especially amused by a guy with a MH who arrived in a car then complained that he wanted to camp too. Eventually the squeaky wheel got the grease and they'd given him the ok to bring the MH. As we could have pedicted, just like Makayla at the olympics, Mr MoHo was not impressed when he realized this was a park full of hills & trees and there wasn't a reserved leveled spot ready & waiting. After he fumed & hopped around a little more, DH says he ended up pulling it behind us. Close. Very Close. So close he could've heard us napping if we'd actually had time to nap. So much for our nice shady spot to sit in lounge chairs and watch the action.

These pictures were taken just before we set up. Our TT was directly behind the 5er there. You can see there isn't a lot of room left before the blacktop - and the food court was on the blacktop so no camping there. We're 39 feet long with the rear slide out so Mr MoHo really had to squeeze to fit.

But wait, see those trees?? This man obviously forgot all about what they say about Karma.

On Friday, a storm came blowing across the lake. Just minutes before we'd been sweating and wishing it'd cool off. Then suddenly it did. The rain came down in sheets, there was golf ball size hail, and the wind. It picked up half a dozen nearby EZups that dummies hadn't tied down and flung them into the air. Two of those nearest us took flight, where they bobbed & weaved in the air on top of our EZup, between the tree and the fender of my van. Starla, DH & I each grabbed a corner of our canopy and held tight. DD11, wearing an improvised raincoat made out of a trashbag, took shelter in the bathroom remodeling company's display trailer. The legs of the two runaway EZups whipped dangerously up & down within feet of our heads. And then, just as suddenly, it was over.

There were slices in the roof of our canopy and gashes on the fender of my van from the flying canopy legs but no major damage. Walking back across the grass and up the hill to our TT, all I could think of was dry clothes. Until I got there and saw tree branches laying all around us on the ground. It was then that it occurred to me that parking under the trees for shade might not have been the best idea.

Our luck held. A large branch had fallen and just missed the rear of our slide & our truck parked next to it. Mr Moho was not as lucky. It hit the side & front of his rig. Luckily, it wasn't as bad as it looked and the branches were cleaned up quicky. Still, I couldn't help but think that if he'd just parked it where they told him to originally he'd have been totally in the clear.

Cleanup was underway. Stands were put back together. We finished setting up and turned in early. Saturday dawned. A bright shiny new day. Perfect weather for a festival in the park...

[rdancemom... Pam 113]

I am on page one. Tom

Awesome! and you're first too! :thumbsup1:

I'm here!! :jumpforjoy

Excellent! I think I may need your help keeping these bad kids from squatting everywhere...

Looking forward to more. (I'm in.)

Hi Jeff! No problemo - it appears there's going to be a lot more than i anticpated... :rotfl6:

Is this gonna be an imaginary trip report?

Only your part... squat right down and make yourself at home. :raspberry2:

Smoke rollin' out the window,

An' ice cold beer sittin' in the console.

I'm SO in!

3 weeks baby!!!!

:doublebeer: Jump on in, and man, tell your friends, We'll raise some hell where the blacktop ends.

Yep what Genia said!

I'm in!!

:pc:

Alright! Grab your koozie, let's go!

This is something I need to learn. Can't wait to read more!

Glad to see you along! Once upon a time we followed the kamikaze tour plan. If there'd been spreadsheets 30 yrs ago, I'd have filled them. Now we're what I refer to as lazy butt tourists, moving from one bench to the next...

[rdancemom... Pam 113]

So...

Every time I get ready to complain about dry camping in the summer and how hot it is without electricity, these guys show up to make me feel like a total wuss. Check out the civil war encampment.

These are people who really need a/c and electricity - yet there they are every winter, spring, summer, & fall - out there truly roughing it. I can't even begin to imagine how hot it can get dressed in that wool in the sun on a humid summer day.

Thank heaven they do it too b/c it's the kind of thing today's kids have to see to believe and understand just how much men & women in America's past sacrificed to give them the freedoms we have today.

The sun hadn't been up very long when I took the pictues below on the way to buy breakfast for my gang. Their morning was already well underway with chores started and breakfast on the fire. It smelled great but it sure didn't look easy...

I continued on in the direction of another era of soldiers' tent to buy our breakfast.

We were eating at the Mess Tent. The proceeds from our breakfast - and that of all food sold at the mess tent - would benefit the Wounded Warriors Fund. It's a really snazzy looking food stand - if army green can be called snazzy - manned by volunteers. The food is simple but good and reasonably priced.

Standing there waiting for our breakfast to be cooked gives us time to contemplate the sacrifices still being made today for many of those same freedoms our forefathers fought for in previous wars. I love this fundraising idea. And I'm especially fond of their pig...

See this duece and a half below? DH drove one of it's older brothers while stationed at Ft Rucker when we were first married to evacuate flooded Panana City, FL during Hurricane David. Those things will drive thru, or over, almost anything and have mega pulling power. Now that's a tow vehicle...

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

But does it gave a good hitch? SQUAt

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

Can we use it to drive to Discovery Island? SQUAT

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Will it keep the amebas out? SQUAT

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

will it keep someone from Squat ting in stall#2

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

will Pam remember how to post without seeing the world SQUAT?

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

would this hijack be considered SQUATting on Pam's parade?

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

oh look page 13 of Pam's imaginary TR... about SQUATting time.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

It this a record for TRs? 13 pages and only three(?) updates? SQUAT.

[momof3kids-Yvonne 596]

Enjoying both the real and imaginary report.

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

Oh we saw the golf cart parade. but we had chairs so no SQUAT ing

[rdancemom... Pam 113]

The Keystone DockDogs hold a big competition at the Blast each year. They've got an entire side of the park for their campers & gear. And boy were they enjoying it. Really nice makeshift sites overlooking the lake with a seperate driveway out & a path down to the water. If there was a such a thing as preferred parking, the dogs had it. I bet they drove Mr MoHo positively crazy with envy.

I'd never been to a DockDogs event before but heard about them. They're all about fun with challenges in "outdoor big air", "speed vertical", and "speed retrieve". There were dogs of all breeds there. And OMG these dogs are good. and fast. and very disciplined. They even made being drenched by a wet dog look fun. My favorite was a little cocker spaniel champion. Seeing how well trained they all were made me almost green with envy, even though I've done a fantastic job with my own talented canines. I've taught them how to pee outside, to come when called if they feel like it, and to take the cookies from my hand while leaving fingers behind.

Yup, I've worked hard with them. My dogs should be ready to join that club next year in ten years before I die never. But maybe one day I'll own one of those cool dockdogs and I'll get to camp in the primo sites with the fun crowd too. For now, I just focused on taking pics of them jumping. Judging by the results, I've got a whole lot of work yet to do...

Keystone DockDogs - outdoor big air, speed vertical, and speed retrieve

The Dock Dogs weren't the only animals in the park. There were several rescue groups including one dedicated to helping blind dogs find homes that especially touches our hearts. There were kittens. And there were lots of nature exibits with other interesting animals. Spiders, snakes, and scary looking creatures I hoped didn't get out of their cages. Plus falcons, owls, and other big birds to inspire awe without cages.

The girls insisted on taking a hands on approach that sent me heading the other way. Starla has snakes at the BF's house. That's where they'll stay too. I'm sure they're great pets, but after being awakened by a hamster crawling across my face, I know where to draw the line.

[photogal06...Sommer 10]

{{{{SHUDDER}}}} I hate snakes so much it took me 3 tries to spell shudder correctly, lol! WTHeck is that thing she's holding in the first picture? The stuff of nightmares, for sure. The dogs are awesome though!

[Lou... 3,118]

Poor snakes. They need a better PR firm.

I think they're pretty cool. I just wish that people didn't keep them as pets. They deserve to be out in the wild and not in a cage.

What's the point of owning one? They don't do anything.

Off course what's not to like about the DockDogs event? They're having great fun.

[Southern Blessings 4]

Enjoying your TR! Looks like a really cool place with lots to do!