Ed Allen's Campground & Cottages

As you can see, we tend to keep to larger name campgrounds as we travel but we found a gem with Ed Allen's Campground in Lenexa, VA.  Flashback, it was Memorial Day weekend and we had procrastinated in making a campsite reservation.  With the suggestion from a friend, we booked a site at this family owned location.  And, although we didn't go to these places that weekend, it is close to Colonial Williamsburg, Busch Gardens and Water Country USA.  

Since it was a holiday weekend, they had a large list of activities for the family.  It's my understanding that this is not always the case throughout the year.  The campsites were tucked into a wooded area which I happen to love.  The girls got busy with some t-shirt tie dying and some time in the pool.  This idyllic setting also has a stocked fish pond for some lazy afternoon fishing.  

There was a live band one evening that played a lot of classic and southern rock.  In between sets a DJ played pop music for the kids.  Our three year old was a dancing fool.  The awesome thing was that if you didn't want to come to the pavilion, you could still hear the amazing music from your campsite.  

The next day there were turtle races.  Since we didn't give much thought to catching a turtle (many kids had caught their own), the owners had caught some to hand out to the entrants.  We were given the tiniest turtle you'd ever see and named him Smokey as an homage to the University of Tennessee mascot.  Not sure how a turtle race works?...neither was I.  There were three initial semifinals rounds and the winners move on to the finals.  The turtles start in the middle of a large circle, huddled under an upside down baby pool, and the one that makes it to the perimeter first wins.  Smokey didn't make it to the finals but we were proud of his underdog effort nonetheless! 

The campground is also beside and has boat rentals on the Chickahominy Lake.  We took a pontoon boat out on the lake alongside other fishing boats and some groups of kayakers.  We didn't have any luck with fishing that day...it just wasn't in the cards.  What was in the cards was some wonderful memories and time together as a family! 

Happy travels ~ Sara

KOA Natural Bridge/Lexington

Although this stop was not planned on our trip, we recently stayed at KOA Natural Bridge/Lexington.  The best part of this campground was the setting amongst the trees and hills.  We got there just in time for the girls to enjoy some time in the pool and stop by the ice cream social in the game room.  Through the end of the month they had activities planned from morning to night, every Saturday.

  
While we were in the area we decided to stop by the Natural Bridge park.  Although the entrance fee seemed a bit steep, it was a beautiful hike.  We were "fortunate" enough to come across some wildlife.  A three foot long snake slithered in front of us and swam to the edge of the creek.  Exciting for some, not so much for others.  The bridge itself is quite massive and impressive as is the Monacan Indian Living History Exhibit.  The exhibit has a communal cooking area, basket and bag weaving, sleeping quarters (complete with animal skins for warmth), garden and compost area.  The kids loved moving through the spaces.

       

This side trip took a bit longer than planned, so we didn't get home until late in the day, but I think it's worth a stop if you're ever in the area.

Happy travels ~ Sara

KOA Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg

I would highly recommend KOA Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg.  We were close to the area, traveling from Bristol to Nashville, TN and decided we wanted to store our RV for a few days until our reservation in Pigeon Forge at the end of the week.  We stored it and, for only $10, the staff moved our RV to our site on our check in day so all we had to do is drive up and get camping.  Well worth the extra expense. 

This location has a bounce pillow, frisbee golf, corn hole and horseshoes.  The pool area has a hot tub, a special section 1 1/2 feet deep for little ones as well as a play area with a fountain.  In addition, the wifi has been working amazingly well, which is something I can't say for other campgrounds.  They have been unpredictable at best.

The campground is on the other side of the fence line into Patriot Park.  This park has a nice trail with intermittent duck food vending.  The geese and ducks come swarming when people come close with hands open.  If you're in the mood for an amazing southern meal you should check out The Old Mill restaurant, on one side of the park.  Many meals come with their signature corn chowder and you'll be happy to see their famous basket of corn fritters for the table.

We spent a day at Dollywood's Splash Country.  There are local trolley's that will pick you up on the edge of Patriot Park (close to The Old Mill) and bring you directly to the entrance of Splash Country, as well as many other local attractions.  Again, only a quick walk from our RV and it only costs 50 cents for each rider, one way.  The waterpark was really fun for adults and kids of all ages.  If you have an extra day in the area I would say it's well worth the cost of admission.  Next time we're here we'll have to check out Dollywood's theme park!

Side note: If you are in need of any camping equipment, definitely check out the Coleman Factory Outlet Store while you're in the area.  

As we wind down our day, a summer thunderstorm has rolled in.  We were lucky to have had such a beautiful day at the water park.  Tomorrow we're loading up and heading home...hopefully, we'll have enough time for a local pancake house on our way out of town.

Happy travels ~ Sara

KOA Bristol/Kingsport

We recently rolled into the Bristol/Kingsport KOA.  There was talk of thunderstorms that night and through the next day.  Not the best news for Mike who was accompanying his dad to the drag races on Father’s Day.  The rain held out for the evening, thank goodness.  We chose to reserve a site with a deck, picnic table and bistro set.  This flat sturdy area was great for ease of meals and relaxation.  

Side note: If you’re concerned about accessing cable in your RV, our 25 foot cable that wasn’t long enough to reach the hookup.  The office did agree to allow us to borrow a longer cable instead of purchasing one which was great but still an inconvenience.    

While the boys went to the races, the rest of us enjoyed the pool.  This campground had all kinds of activities for the kids to include a bounce pillow, playground, sandbox, swings, horse shoes and corn hole.  But, the greatest fun always comes with a dip in the pool for my girls.  The weather cooperated.  One thing to mention, this KOA pool had a bottom surface as slick as a bathtub.  If you need to be steady on your feet, you may not want to be holding a squirmy three year old.

For those equestrian lovers, there are three ponies on site.  The girls loved watching them, naming them and petting them.  Unfortunately, they only offer pony rides Saturday mornings so if you’re there any other day you’re out of luck.  Although we didn’t follow up with the idea, one employee in the office said they often have horse riding at the nearby Warriors' Path State Park.  If you tire of petting the ponies, they also have a sweet goat named Thelma who really enjoys the attention.

We went out to dinner one evening at La Carreta in Kingsport.  The service and food was great, I would definitely recommend if you're in the mood for Mexican.  Here are some comments and ratings from TripAdvisor.  Even though the weather held out for the day, an incredible thunderstorm hit while we were in the restaurant.  The power went out momentarily which was very exciting for the girls and a fun story to share with their friends.  That evening we slept well in our Mexican food comas and the pitter-patter of rain on our roof.

Happy travels ~ Sara

Road Tripping with Kids

Lists and strategically placed piles are my best friends when it comes to packing and preparing for a road trip.  I have a 'method to the madness' mentality prior to a big trip.  No one else in the family quite knows what's going on with my system but I'm okay with that.  I know where everything is and, although the piles litter my house, it works for me.

There was a time in my life when I could get ready for a trip in twenty minutes, that is no longer the case.  These days I'm concerned with activities to entertain kids, snacks, sippy cups, dvd players and headphones.  I will say the last being the most important.  Get a good movie in the player and you'll have complete silence for at least an hour.  This is a treat when the alternative is the question as old as time, "when will we be there?".

Since our RV is a travel trailer we are still at the mercy of traveling in our truck.  Despite Mike's frustration, I load up the back seat practically to the ceiling.  By the time we arrive it's cluttered with crayons, stuffed animals, books and goldfish crackers.  I say...if it keeps them content and quiet, it's well worth the filth they create.

As I've mentioned, I love the Dollar Tree, it's one of my favorites.  I like to go there before a big trip. They have all kinds of activity books, snacks and treats for kids.  I pick up a bag for each girl so they can keep track of their own stuff and try to keep things contained.  All of the items for both bags totaled only $18.  This is my effort to keep the back seat clean ~ it's a futile effort!  Regardless, the girls are always excited to see the surprises awaiting them in their bags.  

Another thing I have grown to love is our local library.  I am not a huge reader and was never one to enjoy being in a library (you can ask my parents) but now I see all the amazing services our library provides, especially for kids.  If you haven't checked yours out lately I would highly recommend it.  We make a trip to the library to stock up on books and videos for the kids before we hit the road.  We had a particularly fruitful trip today, coming away with 9 books and 12 videos.  That should keep them busy for a while.  Free, easy and a great selection!

Next step, organizing clothes and groceries.  Let the piles begin!

Happy travels ~ Sara

Cheatham Annex RV Park

Mike picked up our RV and we met him at Cheatham Annex RV Park.  He arrived before us so when we drove up everything was already set up.  That's my guy!  The only thing left to do was level it out so we wouldn't all be rolling to one side of the camper in the middle of the night.  Once that was taken care of we got down to the business of camping.

This site is on a military base so the access may be limited to some.  There were definitely pros and cons to this location.  

Pros: large sites, wooded trails, on base activities (bowling, pool, playgrounds, etc) and the Youth Pond.  This was my favorite thing.  The pond is set back in the trees and has a good sized pier that extends toward the middle.  It is stocked with fish and is catch and release.  Among the frogs, turtles and dragonflies, you can find some great quality time with your family.  It did take us quite a while but I'm happy to say each of our girls caught at least one fish.  Thank goodness.      

Cons: direction to check-in and to the sites, small spaces to maneuver/turn around RV, sites were not surrounded by trees, you could see industrial parts of the base from our site.  Some of these aesthetics may not be overly important but I really would prefer to feel that I'm in the midst of nature on these excursions.

Our night was filled with marshmallows, bubbles, and the card game Go Fish.  We all settled in nicely.  Even the girls came to a good understanding about the bunk beds and who would sleep where.  

In the morning we went for a nature walk through the woods.  It became a bit hurried as someone needed to 'go to the potty' half way through the walk.  Even still, it was so nice to be out in nature with the girls.  Later that day we went to the pond for some fishing which really was our favorite part of our stay.  We had a wonderful time on our first adventure and look forward to many, many more.

Happy travels ~ Sara

Keystone Outback 324CG

We finally found the RV that met all our needs and we couldn't be more thrilled.  We decided on a travel trailer with a toy hauler twist.  The Keystone Outback 324CG was a perfect fit for our family's current needs and those in the near future.  

As we shopped, I was quite amazed at the selection and options of each RV.  Even within a row of seemingly similar campers, there were variations in each.  Once we firmed down our price and really decided what our most important options were things narrowed down fairly quickly...thank goodness.

We had made the mistake of bringing the girls to other dealerships and had spent our time yelling at them to "stop pulling that", "stop sitting on that", "you're interrupting me", "stop touching each other", "don't play with that", etc, etc, etc.  I'm sure you parents can absolutely relate.  No good came from those initial dealership visits.

It was a rainy April day, we got a babysitter, and headed to Ashland, VA (close to Richmond).  Mike found some great options online and we drove up with excitement and anticipation. We ended up at McGeorge's Rolling Hills RV.  Our Sales Associate, Kevin, gathered a quick list of our specifications and carted us out into a sea of RV's.  After looking at a few that might work for us, we saw the Keystone Outback.  

It was a bit out of our price range, but we hoped we could haggle it right down to our sweet spot.  It was perfect.  We were really excited about the entire space, but especially the following: king bed in a separate bedroom, all sorts of storage, bluetooth for music with outside speakers, large door with ramp for ease of bikes and other awkward items, bunk beds and a very modern look.

We did, indeed, get an amazing price and decided to sign on the dotted line.  Mike picked it up the following weekend and we headed directly to Cheatham Annex RV Park.  We're both so ecstatic...let the adventures begin!

Happy travels ~ Sara

Booking Military Campgrounds

There are some amazing connections to be made around a campfire of military members and their families.  I was astonished at the vast number of military campgrounds across the United States.

For those of you familiar with military bases, you know there are processes and procedures for everything.  If you can figure out the systems aboard the base you can certainly master the base campgrounds.  It just takes some time, patience and research.  

These campsites can be up to half the price of campgrounds out in town but this is only if you are willing to take time to crack their codes.  Each branch and base has specific requirements for booking.  Here's a great list of sites that have already been quite helpful in our quest for a less expensive nights stay.

Army MWR
Navy Getaways
Military OneSource
Map Muse
U.S. Military Campgrounds
AllStays

There are a variety of factors which go into booking with a military campground.  The first item they verify is your military status, be it Active Duty, Reservist, Retired, DoD employee, etc.  This information leads to a second line of hoops which is the time in which you are eligible to book in advance.  For example: Active duty and Reservists may be able to book sites 12 weeks ahead while Retired or DoD individuals may only book 9 weeks ahead.  These specifications can change from place to place which makes planning a road trip especially exhausting.  

What I have found is that people are wise to these rules and make reservations they may or may not have any intentions of keeping...just in case.  I called, on a whim, about booking a cabin for the last day of school last year (then only 2 days away).  They had numerous cabins available and we ended up at a prime location on the beach.  There were a number of people who made their reservations weeks prior just to cancel at the last minute. 

On the flip side, we were trying to book a cabin last summer for a week.  We were waiting for our appropriate date to call and reserve but they were ALWAYS already booked.  That was, until my husband cracked the code.  He literally went to the campground office at 11:57pm on the designated date (12 weeks prior) and when the clock struck midnight he was given first priority to book a cabin.  He said the phone was ringing off the hook with people doing the same thing but being much less successful from the comfort of their living rooms. 

We are so very fortunate to have these facilities available to us, it just takes time to maneuver through the various procedures.  Take a deep breath, keep your magnifying glass handy and pipe lit and you may just become the Sherlock Holmes of booking military campgrounds. 

Happy travels ~ Sara 

10 Do's for Successful Camping

10.   DO cherish the time with your family:  it's not recommended to hide from them, in the woods, until it's time to leave

9.   DO enjoy roasting marshmallows to your heart's content:  counting carbs can wait for another day

8.   DO invest in a festive beer cozy:  this can tell a lot about you and you certainly don't want a warm beer

7.   DO use sticks for a variety of purposes:  enjoy this while you can, you will be viewed as a crazy person if you use them at home

6.   DO be open to meeting great people:  you may just find your 5th cousin, twice removed

5.   DO join in on campground fun and games:  you never know when you might win the coveted ice cream sandwich or popsicle prize

4.   DO wear a shirt, men:  with the exception of the pool area, let's keep those beer bellies under wraps

3.   DO bring boardgames and cards:  nothing beats the insanity of a rainy day better than a long bout of Monopoly     
2.   DO take a lot of pictures:  you never know when you'll need photographic proof of a crazy hairdo or tipsy spouse 

and... 

1.   DO make lasting memories:  take them with you and cherish them for a lifetime!

Happy Travels ~ Sara

Outfitting Our RV

In high school, my parents would give me an allowance for back-to-school clothes shopping.  I started realizing I could purchase a lot more of what I wanted when I used the money more wisely.  Simple enough.  This lesson, paired with my innate thrifty nature (thanks to my Dutch heritage), created the perfect frugal storm. I've evolved into a girl who loves to get a great deal and share a great deal.     

Now that I work in the home and my husband supports our family financially, my frugal ways have led to thrift stores, garage sales and coupons.  I love to contribute to our family by sniffing out these deals.  

As we were shopping for an RV, we would peruse the aisles of camping accessories.  We could easily spend a load of cash to outfit the inside of our house on wheels.  I began to think of alternative options to all these pricey items.  I got my initial list together and made a game plan.  Outfitting a camper on a budget is in direct correlation to where you choose to shop.  Flexibility and thinking outside the box is the name of the game.  

I started at the thrift stores.  These are always hit or miss but you can find some really great items.  My trip yielded, among other things, a Cuisinart coffee pot and an IHome clock complete with IPod/IPhone docking and charging station (score!).  Although a gamble, both work beautifully and cost only $5 each.

  Goodwill - pots, coffee mugs, baskets, a folding chair, plates

  Salvation Army - serving bowls, trash cans, coffee pot, clock

The dollar stores were next.  Dollar General has quite a large selection of household goods and, if you happen to be stocking the shelves, a lot of canned and boxed goods.  There is a range of prices but everything is still very inexpensive.  Dollar Tree literally has all their items for a dollar.  Who wouldn't love that?  This time of year they have a lot of heavy plastic cups, plates and serving bowls (great for picnics and camping).

  Dollar General - rugs, cleaning supplies, flatware, sheets, laundry bag 

  Dollar Tree - cups, bowls, kitchen utensils, cutlery tray, paper towels, napkin holder

I ended up at Walmart for my remaining items.  As I've mentioned, this is my go-to store when I just need convenience at a good price.

  Walmart - broom, drying rack, hanging closet organizers, towels 

Last but not least, I shopped in our own house.  I was already in the market for some new non-stick frying pans and this was the perfect time for the old ones to make their way to the camper.  Win-win!  Shiny, new pans for the house and another check off my RV list.

In my quest to completely outfit our camper, I have already found the following to be true: melamine dishes are a beautiful thing, a catch-all basket by the door is absolutely essential and a quality broom pays for itself in the first trip!  

Happy travels ~ Sara   

Tanks and Hoses and Sidewinders, Oh My!

I take for granted washing dishes and using the toilet in my home.  I have never, in my 43 years, given much thought to where the waste goes or where I get my water.  I have enjoyed being a bit of a mindless consumer.  What I knew, for certain, was I paid a monthly bill to ensure this was not a subject taking precious space in my crowded brain.

All of a sudden I was learning about sewer hose kits, toilet treatments and holding tanks.

When I run shopping errands for Mike he often provides me with extensive descriptions and photos of what I need to purchase.  This, in the past, has meant dull trips to AutoZone and Home Depot.  So imagine my delight when he said he needed me to grab something at Walmart for the RV.  I love a good Walmart Supercenter for anything from strawberries to socks to shampoo but would I find a 15' Sidewinder?

I checked the camping aisle, no luck.  I asked a sales associate where I could find my desired item and she gave me a bit of a confused look.  The picture I accessed on my phone didn't clear up anything.  She asked her coworker and he pointed us toward the RV aisle.  Who knew there was an extensive RV aisle in the corner of my local store?  We cruised up and down the aisle (it was truly the blind leading the blind).  Finally, there it was.  It was as though a single ray of light shown down on the box and the angels rejoiced.

As I stood in the checkout line, with the 25 additional items I hadn't come in for but had to have, I was still a bit perplexed by this device.  It resembles an accordion with incrementally graduating plastic pieces, notched out for a sewer hose.  Apparently, the hose requires a gently sloping holder and path to exit the RV which prevents a build up of waste.  Nothing worse than a build up of waste, I always say!

It was finally time to try out our little gadget.  It seemed to be working, if it weren't I'm not sure I'd do much investigation to find out otherwise.  The most exciting moment for this novice was seeing all our RV neighbors using the same system.  Maybe I could be a part of this camping culture after all.

Taking care of our sewer hose needs is all fine and dandy but my next purchase, and highest priority, is a string of fun party lights for our awning!

Happy travels ~ Sara

Taking One for the Team

With girls, 3 & 8, I participate in activities based on their interests and have currently placed mine way (way, way) on the back burner.  Those interests occasionally sneak out from hidden nooks and crannies but, for the most part, this season of life is for the kids.  Despite my influence, my girls LOVE to camp, LOVE to fish and LOVE to get (and stay) dirty.  I'm convinced I have been given boys in the shells of sweet, gentle, princess-loving bodies. What's a mom to do but get with the program and go with the flow.  

Through the years our family has had a handful of interesting tent camping experiences together.  Two are quite vivid in my mind.  Enjoy the highlights.   

Ocotillo Wells, CA.  I'm not sure we were even at a campsite.  It seemed more like the leader of our pack just found a spot in the desert and said, 'this is it'.  We were armed with our trusty tent while our companions rolled up in their tricked-out Class A Motorhomes and trailers filled with 4WD goodies.  It was about 100 degrees during the day and 40 degrees at night.  Even our dog, Max, didn't seem to get the appeal.  

We had peanut butter and jelly shoved in a backpack while our friends laid out a complete Mexican feast for dinner thanks to their stocked kitchens.  Luckily, they took pity on us and we went to bed with full tummies.  As is often the case in the desert, a huge wind storm picked up in the middle of the night.  We barely escaped being carried off as effortlessly as a tumbleweed into the sunset, when our friends offered their trailer for refuge.  We picked up the entire tent and our belongings and spent the rest of the night inside a tent, inside a trailer.

San Onofre Beach-Camp Pendleton, CA.  A celebration for July 4th.  A group of friends, Marines and their families, were going to camp and watch the fireworks together with all the kids and their craziness.  Some tents, some RV's.  The best and most terrifying part of these campsites was that you were very close to the edge of the Pacific Ocean.  I was convinced we might just be swept out by a wave during the night and wake up in Hawaii.  Aloha!

When we arrived, Mike marveled (and griped) at bags upon bags being handed to him.  I had accepted the challenge of creating our most happy camping experience to date.  He gave me a particularly astonished look when he realized he would be inflating a queen sized air mattress.  The cherry on top of my camping sundae, and source of Mike's most embarrassment, was the unveiling of our king sized down comforter.  This is not the 'roughing it' model Mike had grown up with or experienced as a Marine.  Lucky for me, he just forged ahead with a (albeit small) smile on his face.  Happy wife, happy life as they say.

I was not surprised by the inner resistance I continued to feel regarding camping.  My surprise came with the joy of shared experiences, camaraderie, quality family time and a great story to tell.  My true enthusiasm and delight came with witnessing my girls having the time of their lives!  I knew there must be a happy medium between completely roughing it and, the now trendy, glamping.  

Side note: We never saw the fireworks on that 4th of July.  We were on the wrong side of a bluff that blocked our view!  Who knew? 

Happy travels ~ Sara

Introduction

Full disclosure: I did not grow up camping and I, until recently, never had the desire!  

I had a hard time with the dirt, bugs, small critters and basic lack of civility of the entire experience.  My most vivid memory is when Mike, then boyfriend - now husband, took me to a remote campsite at Colorado's Eleven Mile State Park. This meant after walking a quarter mile from the car there was still no site in sight.  I was asked to sit tight on the trail while he scoped out the distance to our desired location.  As his footsteps disappeared up the hill, a light mist began to fall and visions of a wilderness ax murderer flashed through my mind.  

Eventually, I heard rapid footsteps making their way back down the hill.  We grabbed all our equipment, supplies and food and hiked to our park-assigned spot.  I was spoiled, my outdoorsman took care of all our tent and site set up.  This may have been his attempt to allow me to enjoy the experience without enduring all the work behind the it.      

We had fun together around the campfire and enjoyed some peaceful, relaxing time together.  (What I wouldn't do for some of those moments today in our very hectic life.)  I would love to say that we fell asleep and woke up refreshed to a new day but, with us, that scenario is not quite our style.

Late into the evening, we heard some commotion outside our tent and up the hill.  We also heard the sound of other campers (who even knew they were there?) in the distance yelling and clanking pans together.  Having lived in Colorado for a while, even I knew that this was a way to deter animals, mainly bears, from your campsite and food.  

We hung our food up in a tree and in his backpack, as recommended, before we turned in for the evening.  Apparently this animal had seen this game before and would not be deterred.  Mike opened a 2x2 inch hole at the bottom of our tent zipper to see what he could see.  Even though the source of the noise couldn't be verified, there was some rustling and grumbling a little too close to home.  

We awoke to find the backpack chewed through, slashed up and twenty feet from its original location.  I'm convinced it was a bear and Mike swears it was a fox.  Does that really make it any better?  Would a little fox make such noise to get to some food?  Unlikely.  Speaking of foxes, just to top off our visit, while we were enjoying our bacon and eggs in the morning, a fox strolled right through our campsite.  I made an executive decision...this two night camping trip had just been downgraded to a one night camping trip.      

With all this said, the view was amazing, the company couldn't have been better but this may not have been the best way to initiate my love affair with camping.  It was like an arranged marriage gone terribly wrong!  

I have known and loved Mike for over 20 years and although I didn't love camping, the one I love loved camping so I kept getting up on that horse.  Fast forward 15 years of marriage and a handful of other camping adventures (to be shared another day) and we arrive at a 35' travel trailer filled with bells and whistles I could have only dreamed of back at our walk-in campsite in Colorado.

I hope to inspire those who may have not yet embraced the camping/RV lifestyle and offer my, ever so humble, experiences and thoughts through our family adventures!

Our home away from home

Happy travels ~ Sara