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.