Changes, Camping and More....

In the last four months we have been through lots of changes and we find ourselves in a bit of a new reality.  That's not always a bad thing and we are working to embrace our new day to day.  Life changes quickly and if there is anything we have learned it's to embrace each and every day, enjoy life, and don't waste time on things that just don't matter.  I'm posting this rare picture of us here because we want to come out from behind the camera and let everyone know that we are the face of senior life and the challenges it can include. 

We are in that now common position where our parents have been our responsibility and concern in day to day life.  In the last few months we have lost my Mother and Greg's Dad.  Now Greg's Mom is alone and that is a daily worry.  She is very independent and self sufficient but loosing a partner that you have spent more than 60 years of your life with can bring on all sorts of dilemmas.  The loss of Greg's Dad was quick and somewhat unexpected and has left a hole in our family.  My Mother was ill and in long term care for over a year and a half and while expected, it was much sooner than anticipated.

In the midst of all of this Greg has suffered a long chronic illness which resulted in his loosing a job that he loved.  This has been another death of sorts for him and has been a process to begin to move forward from that.  We have been stalled and having difficulty in moving in that direction but we are now on the road and hoping to keep plodding ahead.

Another event that has definitely effected our lives was the loss of our beloved 14 year old Beagle Jack, Beeger.  He was the most loyal and sweet boy and his favorite person in the world was Greg.  He never left his side when he was home and he was happiest in the yard helping out.  He had been declining for quite a while and also had dementia.  We had to make the very difficult decision to put him down four days before Greg's Dad died.  We could not allow him to suffer any longer.  He talked to us until he drew his last breath.  He was never able to camp with us due to his health but he was so happy to see us each time we returned.  Understandably this has been very hard on Lucy as well.  She knows that he is gone and she is alone with out a sibling for the first time in her life.  Hopefully at some point we will find another rescue the she loves like she did our sweet Beeger aka BJ!

What's the point of sharing all of this??  We hope that others out there who are suffering similar difficulties in life can see that it is possible to find joy even in the midst of pain and loss.  We have felt that we have been hit by a landslide of loss lately but as the clouds clear away we are left with a glimmer of bright light and hope for our future.  We are so excited to be welcoming our very first Grandchild this month and the joy and anticipation of his arrival gives us hope for brighter days ahead.  We are so very fortunate to have four beautiful grown sons and their wonderful spouses!!  And...we know that all of these events are part of life and endured by us all.

We are looking forward to a camping trip hopefully next week before Greg gets back to work in a new and different job.  A little time spent in Little Red always gives us perspective and brings us back to whats important in life.  Stay tuned to see where we travel to.  Spring is usually beautiful in South Caroling!

Huntington Beach State Park.....and COLD Weather!

We made a quick trip down to Myrtle Beach in January while we were having a little spurt of warmer weather.  We had reservations at Huntington Beach State Park. We have visited this park many times but never camped here.  It is a beautiful campground with lots of trees, wildlife, trails and more. Of course the beach is the main attraction here and it is absolutely beautiful.

Unfortunately the day we left home, it was rainy but that normally doesn't slow us down.  When we arrived at the campground it was so dark and we had a little trouble finding our site.  After rounding all of the loops about 10 times I talked Greg into talking to one of the campground hosts.  They were awesome and actually had an extra site map that we used and quickly found the spot.  The temperatures had dropped considerably and getting into our site in the cold rain with me on flashlight duty was not exactly fun.  However, it made our cozy little camper with some tasty homemade vegetable soup that much more appealing.  Those frozen meals sure do come in handy.  Miss Lucy was so happy to snuggle and get warm.  She did good on the ride down but as always it's not her favorite thing to do. I can't recommend the car seat and seat belt enough for those who have puppers who don't like riding in cars.  It keeps her from pacing and climbing all over the car.  The most important part of this is the seat belt clip.  We clip it to her harness and she is safe and sound. 

The next morning it was beautiful and sunny although very cold and brisk outside.  I'll take dry cold any day.  Miss Lucy stayed behind in the warm camper while we ventured out and about.  We rode down to an RV store and looked at a little larger camper made by Gulf Stream and checked out the Vintage again as well.  Sadly neither can match the quality of craftsmanship of the Retro so we will be working to figure out how we will order one when we are ready to move up to a bigger size.  The closest place to find one near us is Florida.  I surely don't mind venturing down that way to camper shop.  (Big smile!)  We are thinking 180 or in the 190 range but we are researching models before we make a decision.

Next we dropped off the deposit for a summer rental for the family vacation in July.  There are 10 of us and by then we will be 11 when our sweet little Grandson will have arrived.  We plan to take Little Red and we will use that space as necessary.

For dinner that night we rode down to Murrels Inlet where we found many of our favorite restaurants were closed until February or March.  We didn't think of that as we haven't been to this area in January before.  We finally found a great choice - Wahoo Fish House.  Oh my gosh - this restaurant was excellent.  It has a very cozy rustic atmosphere and we were able to sit on the side by the water and watch wildlife as we ate.  The food was excellent and we enjoyed every bite with the exception of the few morsels we saved for Lucy Loo.  I ordered the seared scallops over cheese grits and Greg had a stuffed fish special that they featured that night.  Although this restaurant was a little more expensive that we would normally try, it was well worth it.  We thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend it.

We will definitely visit this campground again when it's warmer.  The only drawback we saw is that many of the sites don't have shade so you will need to choose wisely in the summer months.  There are shady spots available.  This is a great campground for all ages and is very senior friendly.  The bathhouses were clean and well kept.  WIFI is available and this state park is pet friendly. They have a very nice gift shop and store with a gigantic Adirondack chair out front which makes a great picture prop.  This park is also the home of a National Historic Landmark, Atalaya, the winter home of Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington.  There is an arts festival held here each year in September.  If you like the Myrtle Beach area, I would put this one on your bucket list for sure.

December Trip Planned

 Well - we have booked our December trip and I am so excited!  We plan to roll down to Myrtle Beach and camp at Myrtle Beach State Park and Campground!   I haven't been to this campground in many years and we have never camped there before.  I remember it as being fairly rustic but I'm sure much of it has changed over the years.  The exciting part about this area in December is that they do Christmas really big and we hope to get lots of shopping done while we are there.  I am working on some little Christmas Decorations for the camper too.  Pictures to come.

Additionally this will be our first time ever camping with a full hook-up.  I for one am really looking forward to trying that.  Hubby is excited not to have to dump the gray water so often.   We will let you know how that goes and I know other Retro owners do this regularly and it does make life easier.

Another great thing about visiting our beaches in fall and winter is that the bug population has moved on and you can stroll the beautiful shores with a sweater.  It is awesome and we love that time of the year on the beach.  A camp fire is that much better when there is a chill in the air.

Check this campground out if you are ever in the area.  As with all of state campgrounds, the cost is just so reasonable and makes camping that much more affordable. The pier here is a must see experience.  This picture was taken at sunrise on the beach.  There is also the Snowbird Coastal Camping Specials ~ more info on this on the site linked above.

More to come.....

Hobo Dinner

Here is another camping recipe and one of my favorites.  When I was in girl scouts we never were able to go camping so we made this over a fire in the church yard and it was delicious.  Going camping just gives me an excuse to make it again.  I didn't get a pic of mine but this one I found on Pinterest....my favorite hangout!  It came from Every Day Moms Meals.

For ours we used a box mix of scalloped potatoes - you don't have to do this but it is really easy to prepare and pack.  If you don't use those just use regular potatoes of your choice.  You can cook this over a fire, in a toaster oven or on your grill.  Just what ever works for you.  We loved it and added sour cream and more shredded cheese and of course hubby added ketchup.  This will be a staple for us from now on especially in cooler months.  You can also make these ahead before you leave home and pack in your fridge and they are ready for the fire.  Hope you enjoy!

Hobo Dinner
1 pound ground beef or turkey
1 box scalloped potatoes or two large potatoes peeled and sliced
1 cup milk
1/2 stick margarine or butter
1 cup hot water
1 sliced onion
Heavy duty foil
1 cup shredded cheese
Sour cream, shredded cheese and steak sauce for toppings (Ketchup if you are somebody who eats it on everything like my hubby)

If using the scalloped potato dinner put the potatoes in a sauce pan or iron skillet and cover with the hot water.  Simmer until they soak up the water - about 10 minutes.  Brown the hamburger meat and drain if desired.  Add milk and the sauce packet from the potatoes and heat until smooth.  I tear off a large sheet of foil - about the size of a large baking sheet.  Place your ground beef on the foil and add potatoes and then onions.  Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top and then pour the sauce over. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Garlic salt is also good if you have it on hand.  Pull the foil up and fold securely to make a sealed packed.  Metal pie pans that you recycle can work great here to avoid any drips if you want to use them.  Cook over fire or grill for about 35 minutes. If you are using raw potatoes just place them in as above and add another half cup of shredded cheese. You won't need the water or milk.  Canned fried onions are also really good in place of the raw onion.  This meal is also delicious leftover!

Devils Fork State Park

We took the Little Red Retro on our 3rd camping trip up to Devils Fork State Park and Campground which sits on Lake Jocassee.  We had planned on staying four days but we loved it so much we extended our stay an extra day.  To say the lake is beautiful is an absolute understatement.  It is breath taking and the most beautiful shade of aqua we've ever seen in a lake.  I will post pictures but they just don't do it justice. 


We stayed on site 43 but we found quite a few that we liked and we already have a return trip booked next May on site 1.  This campground is very woodsy and there are sites on the lake side and down on the wooded side.  We liked the lake side and we were just up the hill and could look down onto the lake and trees from our window.  There are also pack in pack out tent sites that are very nice.  The weather was perfect during this visit with bright sunny days and warm with a crisp cool in the evenings.  One of the best things was there were no flying bugs or insects.  Camping a lot in the low country, we were so happy not to have to deal with those little buggars. 

We found all sorts of things to explore here and walked a lot every day.  There are trails and pathways and we loved the beach areas of the lake where you could sit and relax.  This was another dog friendly campground and our Lucy made lots of friends.  There is a camp store and a lakeside rental place where you can rent canoes, kayaks, life vests and more.  They also have ice cream and drinks as well.

This is the view from the registration/office and it is beautiful.  We had seen this picture on the web site but you just have to see it in person to believe how awesome it is.  The grounds are very clean and well maintained.  The staff is friendly, helpful and well versed on the campground

There are a few areas to grab a bite or shop close to Powdersville where the park is located.  We went into Walhalla and grabbed lunch one day and picked up a few things.  There is a very nice Ingles grocery store there as well as Dollar General, and CVS along with McDonalds.  On our way home we had a recommendation from a fellow camper to stop off in Easley, SC and visit Mutts BBQ.  It was excellent and we highly recommend it too.  If you like BBQ and veggies then this is your place.  A full review is on our Yelp profile on the right hand side of this page.

This area is the side of the lake where we put in.  There are several boat ramps and an area to put in for non-motorized boats.  We put in near the beach area and didn't have any trouble.  All of the boaters were very respectful of the small boats and kayaks and took it slow and easy until they got further out.  We canoed across to the other side and back and it was a very nice trip.  We loved it!! 

Scuba diving and other activities are also readily available and you don't need to leave the campground to find a group to provide these services.  There is also a boat tour of the lake available and we definitely plan on doing that the next time we visit.  They actually take you out to the falls which we heard is pretty amazing. 

The bathhouses are ample and convenient and very clean with large showers that have separate areas with curtains for each shower.  Plenty of hot water and strong water flow make for a nice relaxing shower.  On our site the bathroom was only a couple of sites away and most of them even had drink machines just outside on the porch area.

This campground is definitely at the top of our list now and we have to give it a 5+ rating.  It hits all of the things we love and then some!

Cost:  $  (The most reasonable one so far)
Location:  5 out of a possible 5 - this is one of our favorites!
Service:  Excellent
Overall Rating:  5+ out of a possible 5 Campers

Update on our Little Red Retro.  We still love it and are enjoying it more each time we take it out.  We get lots of attention when we are hauling it - everything from high fives, thumbs up and horn honks.  Each time we stop somebody walks up and asks us about it.  We went to Costco on our way out of town and even had a couple come up to us there and want to know all about it.  We had visitors at the campground and on the way home.

I believe we have tried out everything on the camper now and it all works well for us.  We even tested the gas heat on this trip and it worked really well and heated things up very quickly.  For the two of us and our little Lucy Loo this camper is just perfect for us.   We are still working on that video of the camper and we will get it up soon.  Another recipe will be up this week - Hobo Dinner.  It turned out pretty yummy!!

Camp Chili

One of our very favorite foods for fall camping is Chili and Beans!  I added beans because I know that in many parts of the country Chili is something very different from what we make.  We use both ground turkey and beef and several different kinds of beans.  I make this at home and freeze it because chili just gets better the longer the beans and other goodies get to hang out together.  You can also make it meatless and we have done that many times. Corn is also really good in this too.  Now as I have said before - I'm no chef so this is just an idea to get you started and it's just easy and yummy!!!  This is a big ole batch so if you don't want lots of chili then cut back on the amounts.

Camp Chili
2 pounds ground turkey
3 pounds ground beef
Large can tomato sauce
Large can tomato puree
2 cans of Rotel tomatoes
1 can tomato soup
3 cubes beef bullion
2 cups water
1 cup catsup
1 large chopped onion
1 large chopped bell pepper
2 tablespoons jarred garlic or fresh
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon parsley
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon Mrs. Dash
Salt and pepper to taste (I use a lot!)
2 large cans kidney beans
2 small cans chili beans
2 cans black beans

I like to add the tomatoes and liquids to the soup pot first and let them start to simmer.  In a sauce pan I sautee the onion, garlic and bell pepper until tender and add to the pot.  Then brown the turkey and hamburger and add to the pot. There is a big debate around my house about how the meat is browned!  I like it chunky and hubby likes if very fine.  If I make it it's gonna be chunky - I want to know there is meat int there!  :-)   I do season all of these as I brown/sautee them to add flavor.  At this point I season this mixture and it should be a little strong because the beans will dilute the flavor.  I let it simmer for about an hour before adding the beans.

Give the mixture a good stir and drain and rinse the beans.  The only ones I don't rinse are the chili beans because they are packed in a seasoned sauce.  Add all of the beans to the hot tub and stir well.  I normally simmer for at least a couple of hours after that and add more of anything that may be missing at this point.  If it is too thick you can add more water.  Too thin - you can add more catsup or sauce.  For us this makes a huge stock pot full of chili.  We top ours with cheese and raw onions, sour cream and crackers.  Enjoy and remember it's even better the next day!

Maiden Roll for the Little Red Retro

We took our Little Red Retro out on her first journey and rolled up to Calhoun Falls, SC.  If you have never heard of this little town don't be surprised.  We live in SC and had never heard or been aware that it existed.  It is very small with only one little grocery store and it it's surrounded by Lake Russell.  We camped in Calhoun Falls State Park which sits on the lake.  We have a state park pass and hope to hit all of the ones in South Carolina, Georgia and North Carolina.

This park is large compared to some we have visited and when I say natural and quiet, that is a real understatement.  We actually witnessed a family of deer running through the woods and squirrels frolicked about with no fear.  Each site includes a large iron stand to hang your trash so that its not down low for animal consumption.  Our site was on the lake and most are and each one has
ample room for an RV and tents as well.  There are pull through sites for third wheels and we visited one of the handicapped sites which was located in a good flat spot with a roll up pad for wheel chairs, etc.  All lake front sites have a set of steps to get down to the water.  Of course there's a picnic table, grill and hook-ups for RVs.  We had no trouble with our trip to the dump station when we left and recycling is also available.

This park has something for just about every camper including tennis courts, basketball court, swimming area with a beach front to the lake, boat launch ramps, hiking trails and more.  The one thing you won't find here is wireless.  Lots of campers had tailgater pods and  little satellite dishes and they appeared to work fine here.  We have an air TV antenna on our unit but nestled in the trees here in the woods it didn't work  We did get good cell reception and that worked good throughout our two day stay.

So for us this campground hit about 4 out of 5 campers on our rating system.  The bathrooms were typical of state campground facilities and had ample supplies with older showers but toilets were in good condition and the bath houses were located in fairly convenient locations.  One thing to be aware of is there is very little lighting at night.  We found that a good flashlight was a life saver and really was necessary.  There were lots of dogs in tow and we of course had our little camper Lucy.  You will just need to bring along your dooty bags for pick-ups and pups must be leashed at all times.  Lucy gave this campground a big ole paws up - she made friends and loved smelling all the trails and lake areas.  So in summary we enjoyed Calhoun Falls and would definitely return.  We found the staff at the lodge helpful and friendly and the little onsite store had lots of goodies as well as necessary items you might forget.

Ok so here is our rating for Calhoun Falls Campground:

Cost:  $
Location:  4.5 out of a possible 5
Service:  Excellent
Overall Rating:  4 out of a possible 5 Campers 

So far we love our Little Red Retro and are very happy with our first RV purchase.  We already have our second trip planned for the end of September.  We will be checking into Hunting Island State Park Campground!  Pics and our review on that one to come.