Staunton River State Park, October 1-3, 2021

 Maiden Voyage of DOGHSE1

  

Amy and I purchased this little Camper a few years ago. We had just started remodeling our house and with our schedules we could only work on Saturdays. We were going to start camping in 2020 but COVID put a damper on that. Furthermore, we started working on the camper in July, of this year, and made some practice runs in August. Neither one of us have any experience pulling a trailer and wanted some practice before pulling any distance. 

Staunton River State Park

 

This weekend, Amy's family had a reunion at Staunton River State Park, so we decided to go and camp. We left Friday afternoon and pulled into the Park about 4pm. I did a lot of reading and watching YouTube videos in the last few months and our first trip was a smooth one with only one "bump" and that was with my truck and not the camper. We had both practiced leveling the camper and putting the jacks under it. As a team, we were able to set up the camper and camp in about 45 minutes.

 

 

 

We were both hungry by the time we were finished setting up camp, so I started supper. We had Chicken Stir fry with Keto cornbread. After dinner, we started a fire and just relaxed around it until bedtime. Amy read some magazines and I kept the fire going.

 

I was up early on Saturday, I had to get a fire going, so I could cook chili. I had the chili in the pot about 7:30am and stirred it every 15 minutes until noon. (recipe below) Amy Leigh was up about 8am and I started breakfast. We had eggs scrambled in green pesto, sausage links, keto blueberry muffins and avocado. 

Ingredients

•  1 40 oz. can of red kidney beans|
  
• 1 15 oz. can of red kidney beans
• 2 pounds hamburger
• 1 large onion
• 2 large green peppers
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 3-1/2 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt (optional)

 
Instructions

1. Chop up onions and peppers and sauté in pot
2.  Brown burger in Worcestershire Sauce with onions and peppers
3. Mix rest of ingredients together in cast iron pot
4. Cook over fire for 4 hours, stirring every 15 minutes. If it gets too hot, raise pot.

Powell Family Reunion

 

 

 

We left for the reunion a little after noon, and we only had to drive about 1 mile. The reunion was held at Picnic Shelter #2 at the Park. Amy was happy to see so many of her relatives and spent the afternoon catching up with quite a few of them. Nicole and Daniel came down from Lynchburg and joined us which made my weekend. 

 

After the reunion, Daniel and Nicole joined us at the campsite, and we talked for quite a while. 

 

 

After the kids left for home, Amy and I took a walk. Friday and Saturday night we could hear a flute playing, and on our walk we met the young lady that played the flute. We were camped at the bottom of the campground and her family were camping up near the top. They were from Greensboro, and she plays in her High School Concert Band. She practiced for 1 hour each evening, and we really enjoyed the music. 

We did not eat dinner until late, and we really just snacked on leftovers from the reunion. While we were eating, we heard kids singing. There was a family behind us that had gathered around their fire and were singing. We really enjoyed their music and told them so. 

We both went to bed and slept the whole night, we were more tired than we realized. For breakfast on Sunday we had scrambled eggs, ham, tomato and keto biscuits. We packed up camp and were nearly finished when we struck up a conversation with another of our neighbors. They were from Lynchburg and were there kayaking on the river. They liked our small camper and wanted to know a little more about it.

 

On the way home, we stopped by Amy's grandparent's home on Wolftrap Road in Scottsburg, VA. We came back to Danville and stopped at Checkered Pig for lunch. 

Notes about Park

 

• We stayed at site #3 and we liked the location. The sites on either side were fine as well. 
• The sites have nice graveled pads and fairly level. 
• There is one-bath house. The bathhouse is heated and has hot showers.
• Men: 2 urinals, 2 toilets, 2 Showers (stall private, common dressing area)
• Women: 4 toilets, 2 Showers (private)
• There is a laundry room and public wash sink at the bath house.
• Each campsite has fire rings that can be used for campfires or cooking.
• Firewood is sold at the park, you are not supposed to bring your own. ($8 bundle in 2021)
• Accepts outlets for 20 and 30-amp current.
• There are no sewer hookups, but there is a dump station.

Myrtle Beach, Labor Day Weekend, 2021

We left home at 7:20 am on September 3rd for our first camping trip since October 2019. We were both excited and anxious.

We stopped at Clarence's Steak House for breakfast and had eggs and tenerloin for about $20 total. Left and headed for Myrtle Beach. 

We both have realized that as we are getting older, we cannot go as long between stops, if you know what I mean. Our next outing was at Shuler's BBQ and Store on 38 just before getting to 501. Amy purchased some cheesecake and I some pickled asparagus. We made it to Myrtle Beach in time for lunch and stopped at a new place we heard about on Facebook Myrtle Beach Eats, Victoria's Country Cooking. It is a local place that reminded us of the Old 360 Diner in SOBO. We both had Friday's Special, catfish and tea. Cost $17.98 to eat. 

 

Since we could not check in to the KOA just yet, we drove to the Christmas Mouse to look around. I always like to buy ornaments for the kids. I knew that Scarlett likes pink flamingos, so I found her one.

Found a special ornament for all the kids and I purchased the lights Amy has been wanting for quite some time. We left and went on to the KOA to check in, and I was able to save $50 using my points. YAY! 

This time around, we were in Kabin #4. We set up camp in about 30 minutes, and we were ready to go to the beach. 

 

We went to the beach and walked a bit and then stopped at an ice cream parlor on 7th Ave South. I was not going to eat any, but they had sugar-free ice cream, and it was good. 

 

After we came back, we built the fire so that it was ready to light. We waited until about 7:30 to eat and light the fire. I made a steak and shrimp stir-fry with lemonade. After supper, we just enjoyed the campfire and went to bed about 10pm.

 

Saturday, September 4th

We woke about 7am and after getting ready we started the coffee. Amy rose about 8am, and we did our daily reading. 

For breakfast this morning we had keto pancakes, eggs and bacon. We are both still mystified as to why bacon taste better cooked in a pan outside than it does at home?

 

After we read and talked a while, we walked most of the campground roads. By this time it was 11am and Amy was ready to hit the beach. She changed, and I drove her over to the beach and I went to Walmart. I was looking for.a pair of dress shorts and ended up purchasing two pairs.

 

I picked Amy up about 1pm, and we started lunch. We had chicken, broccoli and mixed it in the G.Hughes Cluckin Chicken sauce. It was pretty good, better than a peanut butter sandwich!!

After lunch, we walked some more and gathered some kindling for the evening fire. I then drove Amy back to the beach while I just drove around. About 4pm, I picked her up, and she cleaned up and changed, so we could go play putt-putt. (We both forgot our phones so no pictures!!) 

For supper, we had hot dogs and chili (no buns) with a side of seasoned green beans. I had a muffin with dark melted chocolate on top, it was delicious. We had a nice roaring fire all evening while we played dominoes and 21. I even got in a game of solitaire.  We turned in about 10pm and slept soundly through the night.

 

Sunday, September 5th 

Today we had to rise an hour early so we would not be rushed all morning, check out was at 10am. We made coffee and I started packing a little outside while Amy was getting up. Started breakfast about 7am and we had scambled eggs, sausage, sliced tomato and a keto blueberry muffin.

 

After breakfast, we finished packing up camp. Everything outside the cabin fits in 4 containers. The kitchen and utensils, minus any cast iron, fits in the chuck box. The chairs, fire tools, seat pads and tarp (which we did not use this weekend) fits in an old cabin tent bag. Toolbox has all tools we may need and extra tent stakes. A lunch box is what we use to bring condiments that we do not permanently store in the chuck box. Stuff like olive oil, salt and pepper, etc. I have a separate page on this blog with all that stuff listed. We took a goodbye picture and headed for church service.

Our church has been putting service on Facebook Live since COVID and we found a shady spot and watched the service on my phone and over the speakers in the truck. Pastor Wood preached from Isaiah 55:6, "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:". It was a good message that taught me a couple of things that I need to change. I especially liked the part about how we pray wrong! We should be seeking God before we ever kneel to pray, but we usually do it backwards.

After service, we walked on Broadway on the Beach and ate lunch at the Grumpy Monk Restaurant. Amy had a burger and I had the Honey Pecan Chicken and man was it good.

 

We left there and headed home, but made one stop on the way. There is a place called McArthurs Farms outside Bennetsville that we like to stop. They were getting ready for the pumpkins that were coming and the fall corn maze. I purchased some Mustard Relish and we headed on home. 

This trip we took a little different route, we went through Martinsville instead of going through Greensboro. This route lets us skip Greensboro and the road is much better than 29 but it adds 20 minutes to our time. We like the trade-off.