Camper Elf Has Arrived....

Look who showed up here this past weekend!!  This is Peppito aka Peppy and he is a Camper Elf.  He came to live in our camper and watch over us but we are keeping him inside where it's warm for now.  He is quite mischievous and gets into lots of things.  Our main goal will be keeping Lucy Loo from eating him up.  She thinks he came for her and she stalks him all day.

This morning we found him riding on the back of the Campground Truck ~ Lucy
thought that was quite curious.  😀  We will keep you posted on his antics and Lucy's trail not too far behind.  Love our little Elf and of course our Lucy Loo.  Stay tuned. 

Myrtle Beach State Park

We took Little Red down to Myrtle Beach State Park last week and it turned out to be an awesome campground!  I wasn't really expecting much but hubby had faith. 😃  We had not seen this one in many years and I have to admit as younger tent campers our expectations were very different.  Also we were camping with kids back then and activities for them ranked high on our list.

We arrived after dark in the wet and cold so set up was a little challenging but hubby did an amazing job.  I stood outside with a flashlight beamed on the tree that lived very close to the hookups and he was able to line up perfectly.  😅Unfortunately this site was not level and we have not purchased anything to put under the tires to level up so we were leaning a bit but it wasn't bad.  We had a full hookup along with picnic table and fire ring.  We found all of the sites to be fairly good size and clean.  We were on number 29 and it was roomy with grass and we could have set up a tent with no problem.  Also there were a good many campers in that particular area of the campground which was nice.  We weren't sure if many would be there for cold weather camping.

This was our set up and even though it was too cold to spend a whole lot of time outside, we still enjoyed it.  This campground has a boardwalk that runs from the entrance of the campground all the way to the beach.  It's awesome and makes the walk such a pleasure.  It is also really good for dogs - helps get their little paws all free of sand by the time you get back to your camper.  Lucy really enjoyed the beach and visiting with other dogs and walking the board walk.  I am sure this state park is very popular during the summer.

Another really neat thing here is that they provide horse rides on the beach for a fee.  They bring them in each day and it looks amazing.  We didn't try it but we so enjoyed watching them glide across the sand...it was magical.  Of course Lucy thought they were big dogs and she was none too impressed.

We went Christmas shopping a couple of days on this trip and found some great deals and loved the decorations.  At Bass Pro Shop Santa was visiting and they invited us to bring Lucy in for a picture.  She loved walking through the store and sniffing things and talking to people.  Of course she got lots of attention too.  This is she and Greg waiting in line with a reindeer in the background.  We always visit this location when we are at the beach.  We also checked out Red Robin for lunch and it was delicious.  I know lots of people say it's over rated but we truly enjoyed it.  Lucy loved the burger bite we took back to the car for her.  It was very cold that day so she was fine waiting for us there and she was wearing her jacket.  😁


The campground was very clean and updated with wireless throughout the park.  It was a little weak in some areas but worked well on our phones to save us a little data.  The full hook-up worked really well and we didn't make many trips to the bath houses.  However they were very clean and looked like they had recently been updated.  The shower stalls were large and included a place to hang towels and clothes.  Greg took a couple of showers there and said the water was nice and hot.

There is also a legendary pier in the park and it is pictured on the left side bar as well as on the state park
web site. There are trails to walk and both the pier and the registration area have stores that include all sorts of t-shirts, mugs and other goodies as well as necessary staples and camping supplies. 

Our son gave us a Star Shower for us to take with us to decorate our campsite.  We so love it.  We had seen these at Halloween when we camped at Devil's Fork and during the summer at Hunting Island.  For this trip we used the red and green lights and it was very festive.  I wish we had been able to get it to show up on camera.  You can find them on Amazon and at Target as well as lots of other places.  It looks like you put up hundreds of little lights and it only takes a minute.  We have them set up here at home too.  The campground was festive as lots of other campers had decorations and lights.

So on our list of campgrounds this one goes up at the top end of the list.  It was so much better than we expected and had very little damage from Hurricane Matthew.  The rates, location, campsites as well as dog friendly park along with the beach made it a perfect fit for us. The camp customer service representative even called us on our way down to be sure we had the gate code to get in since we were running late.   We give it a big ole five!!!  While we were in the area we visited Huntington Beach State Park.  This was another great surprise and we really loved it.  We will definitely try and camp there next year.

Cost:  $  (Snowbird rates are excellent!)
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 Retro - we are still loving it and enjoying spending time in it on every trip.  The heat worked well in the cold weather on this trip and with full hook ups it was great.  We love being able to stock the fridge when we pack and not have to worry about moving the food when we get to our destination.  Hubby says the camper is very easy to pull and he can barely tell it's back there when driving.  We still get lots of comments and horn honks every where we go.  A guy actually stopped us in traffic on this trip to talk about it.  Of course we love talking about our Little Red Retro!!!


Another note on Hunting Island - we heard on this trip that it more than likely won't reopen until 2018.  This makes us very sad and we are hoping that things will move along a little faster.  We will keep you updated on anything that we hear.

Pot Pie for the Road...

Since we have a camping trip scheduled in early December, I was hoping to make something out of our leftovers that could be frozen and kept till then.  While perusing Pinterest as I do, I found the perfect idea....a pot pie!  Our Dad used to make something called ice box soup so this just fit right in.  The idea is to make the pie from your leftover turkey, gravy, veggies and add a crust.  Simple and yummy!  Full disclosure - this picture came from Google Images because I once again forgot to take a picture of mine.  If I do say so myself, it turned out pretty cute.  (Smile)

This recipe is really flexible and you can switch out the meat, etc. and make it your own - even if you don't have leftovers.   I plan to make it with chicken next time. Frozen peas or green beans work great in this too. It freezes up well and can be reheated in the oven or microwave.  When camping you could also reheat it over the fire after it's thawed completely.  This would work awesome in an iron skillet.  It's great for pack and go.

Turkey Pot Pie
2 cups cooked chopped turkey or chicken
1 cup gravy - I used leftover but you can grab a pack of gravy mix which makes about a cup
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped carrot
3 medium potatoes cubed
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 cup creamed corn - I used homemade but any kind will work
1 small onion
1 package crescent rolls
1/2 stick margarine or butter
3 teaspoons corn starch
1/4 cup water
 Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic parsley salt

Start by sauteing the onions, potatoes, celery and carrots in butter/margarine until softened.  Then add the chicken broth to the pan and stir well.  Let this simmer until the veggies are tender.  Then add the gravy and turkey and corn and mix well.  Heat until warm through.  Mix corn starch and water well and add to the mixture. Stir completely and simmer until the sauce is thickened.  You will need to stir regularly to keep the sauce smooth.  Add water if needed to keep the sauce from being too thick.

Next roll out the crescent rolls on a floured surface.  Use a rolling pin to smooth the package into one sheet of dough.  Pour the filling into a baking dish sized to fit and carefully lift the dough over the pie filling.  Tuck in any ends and butter the top well.  I used spray butter but any softened butter or margarine will do.  Sprinkle garlic/parsley salt over the top and place in a 375 degree oven for approximately 15 minutes.  Keep a close watch as this browns up pretty quickly.  Cool and enjoy!

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!!

Camping Trip Prep...

Oh my gosh - I so remember the old days when getting ready for a camping trip was pure torture and included days of packing and a nightmare the night before.  Also when we returned the amount of work cleaning up things and putting them away was a job too.  But we still enjoyed the trip and did it again and again for a week at a time.

One of the many reasons we wanted a camper was so that it would be somewhat self contained and the packing would be minimal.  So far that has been the case and we hope to get better at it as we do more.  In our case Hubby has to do most of this because I have some health issues that limit my energy and ability to lift and move easily. So anything we can do to simplify and ease the process is appreciated.  He also still works more than full time so we have to make the most of what time he has.

Over the years we have finally learned not to take so many clothing items.  We each have a duffel type bags and we roll our clothes and we only take what will fit in each bag.  Those are stored at one corner of our bed near the cabinet and stacked.  That works for us and doesn't really get in the way.  Anything not needed for everyday use clothing wise (ex. hanging items)  stays in the car.  We keep duplicate personal items such as tooth brushes, deodorant, toothpaste, hair items, etc. in a mesh hanging bag inside the bathroom door. So no need to worry about packing those.  We also keep some staple non-perishable food items in the cabinet so we are ready to go at any time.

There are lots of packing lists available on Pinterest and we have saved lots of those to reference.  Our main

thing is to cut down on excess stuff and weight and keep "things" from stressing us out.  We are also still learning what necessary items are needed.  The next thing on our purchase list will be one of these containers that can be attached to your black water hose and can be wheeled to the dump station.  We don't use our bathroom exclusively and still make trips to the bathhouse but we have found that after about 3 days our black water needs to be dumped.  We actually overflowed the toilet on our last trip...yep that was fun but a good learning experience all the same...just water thank heavens!!  They can be found here.

We do carry a camp stove and cook outside on it a good bit and over a fire.  We normally do make most breakfasts inside and love using our little two burner gas stove in the camper as well as our little toaster oven/coffee maker/griddle.  As the temperatures cool some here in South Carolina, we probably will venture outside to cook even more.  We love this little guy and totally recommend it.  It is just perfect for two and works well for us so far.  You can find it here.

I have mentioned before that we love to take at least one leftover frozen meal.  This goes in the bottom of the cooler and helps to keep the ice cold and other items cold.  Our fridge works on gas while we are traveling so we fill it too.  Next on our wish list will be a Yetti Cooler.  They are very expensive but such a great item to have for next year when we hope to take a couple of week long trips.  I have to drink lots of water and ice becomes a big deal.  Those bad boys can keep ice for days.   There are lots of sizes and styles and they even make one big enough to hold a body.....not that I would ever need that. (Smile).  This one can be found here.

We are learning so much from fellow campers and for this trip I hope to get a notebook ready so that we can exchange email addresses, etc. and keep in touch.  Meeting people and hearing their stories is the very best thing about camping.  We will share more after our trip this week.  Thanks for joining us on this journey!!

Hunting Island Update

We were so fortunate to have scheduled a visit back to Hunting Island State Park this year just before Hurricane Matthew rolled through there.  This park has always been one of our favorites and we are so saddened by the damage done by this powerful storm.  There are more links in the side bar about the damage and expectations for reopening which will be at least 2-3 months out.

This was our campsite setup with a tent added.  We normally bring this along for when our kids join us and this gives us a good bit of space.  This old Sears canvas tent is over 30 years old and has some wear.  At one point our dogs ripped out the back window so we sewed it shut - that was fun.  Anyway....it works and is great for Fall camping.  To me it is too warm for summer but the guys still seem to enjoy it.  The screened room is a K-Mart purchase....yep I said K-Mart.  It was on sale and matched the camper so we couldn't pass it up.  It worked great and hubby said it was easy to put up and take down.  We set it up in line with our little retro awning and so we could walk out right into it.  We had a good rain storm our first night on this trip and it worked great for that.

This is the set up from the back end of our site.  Please ignore the huge bag of trash - we were headed for the dump.  The raccoons will gladly handle it for you if you leave it out over night. We love that front big window on our unit and it really gives us a lot of light and visibility.  We are still working on a full walk through so that you can see all of the features of Little Red.

One of our favorite things about Hunting Island is the close proximity of the wild life.  They literally hang out with you and we so enjoyed that.  Below is a picture of one of our

regular visitors to our site.  It is against the law to feed them but it is so tempting because they come right up and lick your hands.  I'm pretty sure some campers are feeding them. (Smile)  This was my first experience getting up close and personal with a deer.  They look you right in the eye.  It was amazing! We didn't catch the raccoons on camera but they were so brave and were all around us most of the time.  They stole marshmallows on a regular basis. We are just hoping that all of the beautiful wildlife fared okay with the storm.  Lots of babies were there on this visit.

As we hear more and find out about the park reopening, we will visit and post more information.  This campground is just magical and the powers that be are committed to bringing it back to as close as it was.  Watch for more details as they are available!

Cabbage Roll Soup

Here is another easy recipe that works great to prepare at home and take along with you on the road.  We love this one because it actually tastes like cabbage rolls without all the hassle of putting those little guys together.  Sometimes it's called deconstructed cabbage rolls.  Either way it is delicious if you like cooked cabbage.  So yummy!!  You can use all sorts of meats but we mostly go with hamburger, ground turkey or both.  Here again this is a really easy big ole pot of food and you can make it your own with seasonings and additions.

Cabbage Roll Soup
2-3 pounds hamburger or ground turkey (or use equal parts of both)
2 large cans diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel
1 very large (6 lb 9 oz) can crushed tomatoes or other tomatoes of choice
1 large head of cabbage chopped
1 or 2 large bell peppers chopped (depending on taste)
1 large onion chopped
2 tablespoons jarred garlic or fresh
1 large container beef broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons basil
2 tablespoons Mrs. Dash Seasoning (love this stuff)
2 cups brown rice prepared (optional)


We love this soup in fall especially but the main reason we made it this week is that my daughter-in-law brought us the most beautiful large fresh cabbage.  I just wish we had taken a picture before we cut it.  Also I just
happened to have that massive can of crushed tomatoes on hand.  You don't really have to have that and can use any kind ~ pureed, crushed, diced or mix of those. But they have these at Costco and they are awesome to have on hand for soups, etc.  If you don't like it so tomatoey (that's a word, right??)  then you can increase the broth, add water and decrease the tomatoes.

As usual I like to put a big ole pot on the stove and add the sauces/liquid and seasonings.  Then I brown the onions, garlic, cabbage and bell pepper and season as I go and add to the pot after they are softened.  Then I brown the meat again seasoning while it's cooking and since I used turkey this time I didn't need to drain.  Add to the pot along with the cabbage.  This one was so fresh that it took a little bit of time to soften but I just kept stirring and simmering for at least two hours.  Just keep testing to see that it is the desired tenderness.

We serve ours with a bed of brown rice in the bottom of the bowl.  This is completely optional and the rice could also be added to the soup raw and let it cook in the pot.  It's all up to how your family likes it.  The guys like lots of hots sauces for toppers and we make skillet corn bread to go along with it.  Enjoy!!  Oh and it freezes up beautifully making it easy to take along on your camping trip.

Decorating the Camper

A big part of the fun of camping and having a camper is decorating it to make it feel like your own portable little home away from home.  I am ashamed to admit how very many pins I have on Pinterest that are all about the inside.  I have loved all things retro for a good while and incorporating that in our little retro makes it all the more fun!

A sweet coffee mug for enjoying a good cup while camping is an essential.  This one is my favorite and was a gift from my kids.  It is a nice heave ceramic one and has the retro design that I so love.  You can find these on Amazon under Camp Casual!  They have a couple of other colors too.  We were able to find a set of red melamine dishes that go perfectly in our camper.  Camp Casual also makes a full set of dishes in melamine with a camping theme - also sold on amazon.

My next favorite thing would be cute dish towels and such.  My daughter-in-law made this one for me and it

is absolutely perfect!!  She adapted the colors to match our camper. I haven't decided how best to display it but you can be sure it will not be drying any dishes - this one is just for the joy of its beauty.  Of course it is also retro!  Love it!!

The Retro campers have a little wood valance over all of the windows and this makes an excellent place to have little items on display when camping.  We also set it up when it is parked here at home.  We are working on some ideas to place the pins we collect from the state campgrounds we visit.  We're also thinking of adding a map board that we can pin each campground as we visit.  You can see the valances in the picture below where Camper Lucy is enjoying the pillows on the bed.  She likes napping there and sleeps like a baby on the bed with us at night.

We also have a really cute retro toaster-coffee maker-griddle thing that lives on the dinning table when we are camping.  Of course it's red and I also found it at Amazon.  It is just perfect for two and works great. It also comes in the old fashioned aqua too.  Since we camped for years before we had a camper, we have a lot of stuff like chairs, mats and such.  Surprisingly Walmart now has a decent camp section and we added a new large outdoor rug from there to cut down on tracking in sand and dirt.  We also added two of those balance type chairs for our campsite and they are so comfortable you can even take a snooze in them.  Pictures of this set up are in some of our earlier posts.

We love lights for our little awning that pulls out over the front door and the kids gave us a set of chili pepper ones.  One strand works perfect and they are pictured in the right side photos.  We are planning to get a video done of the camper inside and out the way we set it up when we camp.  We will include information on where we found items included.  I am sure we will add more as we go.  We are always trying to get things as organized as is possible and to keep out weight under control when towing.  For us the main objective is for it to make us feel at home wherever we go and just plain fun.