First trip for 2008

[Jim K in PA]

This Friday we are heading up to Watkins Glen SP (Mohawk/Loop B, site 90).  It will be our second trip in our Viking (not counting Camp Pennbrook-our pasture) and the first of 5 planned for this year.  I hope we have weather like we just had over the holiday weekend.  We are really looking forward to getting away for a quiet weekend of hiking and relaxing.  May has been nuts for us, but all good stuff.

If any PUT folks are in the neighborhood, stop by and say hello!

[dthurk]

We live about a 30 minute drive from Watkins Glen.  If I have a chance, I may drop in.  Thanks.

[CajunCamper]

We are leaving Friday morning ourselves. Our first stop will be Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores Alabama to camp one night with some of our dearest friends and their two young sons. This will be their first camping trip. Then Saturday afternoon we're off to Grayton Beach State Park where our campsite is located on Western Lake where we will be doing most of our kayaking. From the lake you can actually paddle about 1 mile through a little channel to the beach on the Gulf of Mexico. Projected temps will be a high of 82 and lows in the mid 70's, that is perfect beach temps. We'll be there until next Wednesday.

CajunCamper

[Jim K in PA]

Dave - we may be hiking the gorge in the AM on Saturday.  If we are not there, watch out for the scorpions in the camper . . .  :yikes:   It looks like it may be a rainy weekend, but we don't care.  It will be fun anyway.

Cajuncamper - that sounds like a FANTASTIC trip.  I want to take a trip to the NJ shore down near Atlantic City and paddle the marshlands.  There are hundreds of miles of waterways and small bayous along the southern NJ shore.  We are canoe paddlers, but I don't plan on doing any canoing this weekend.  This is a relaxation trip primarily.

[cjpoppin]

Kinda far for us to travel but I sure hope you have a great camping trip and find lots of time to relax and HAVE FUN......carol

 :-()

[Jim K in PA]

Carol - aw c'mon, what's a few thousand miles, eh?  Thanks for the kind words.  

Dave & Sherrie - I am SO sorry we missed you guys.  We were right down by the pavillion when you stopped by.  Our neighbors said you were there not 10 minutes before we came back to fix up dinner.  And we even had wine to share!  PM me if you can or email me at jim at pennbrookfarm dot com.  :!

The trip was excellent.  Despite rain and T'storms, we still had plenty of sunny weather.  The Gorge is beautiful as always, with blooming red wild Columbine and other wildflowers.  The water was a bit low, but still amazing to watch as it coursed through the rock.  

We stayed in the Mohawk loop, which is the only loop with electricity.  It is a beautiful campground, and there are a few other spots in Mohawk that we will come back for.  But I think I would have preferred the less crowded Cayuga loop.  The battery would have been fine for the weekend, and the fridge works great on propane. :rolleyes:

The PUP worked great and no surprises.  Just one stupid PUP trick - when I plugged in to shore power, I forgot to check the breaker.  It was off.  For the life of me I could not understand why the fridge would not cool on 110!  Dummy.  I ran it on propane for half of saturday before I remembered to check the breaker.  

So, now back to reality and looking forward to our next outing.  Perhaps a trip to Robert S. Treman SP in a few weeks . . .  :sombraro:

[dthurk]

Jim and family-

Well, it was bad luck, I guess.  We're not often at our site on camping trips ourselves.  We had just finished playing a wedding in Montour Falls (we're performing musicians), and were on our way home.  We dropped by on a chance, and it just didn't work out.  Maybe next time.  We've never camped at Robert Treman, but I've been thinking about going there for the past couple of years.  Maybe we could work something out.  Our DD is 13 and often brings a friend.  It might make for a nice trip.  

Dave

[austinado16]

Glad to hear your trip went so well!

We've got a big one planned in about 3 weeks, so I need to get back into camping mode myself.

[tlhdoc]

Jim glad you had a good trip.  I have been going to Watkins Glen for several years.  I love the wooded campsites and the gorge.  Did you walk up or down the gorge?  I will be there June Th for 5 nights.  

[Jim K in PA]

Jim glad you had a good trip.  I have been going to Watkins Glen for several years.  I love the wooded campsites and the gorge.  Did you walk up or down the gorge?  I will be there June Th for 5 nights.  

Thanks Tracy.  I have been going to the gorge since I was about 12 - that's 32 years now (yikes).  I have hiked it probably 6 or 8 times.  We hiked up from the lower entrance, but the trail is only open to the Mile bridge.  The trail is damaged above that.  We came back down via the Indian trail, lover's lane, and then back through the gorge.  We even did the staircase for fun.

Enjoy your trip.  Our next big trip will be to Montebello, VA in July.  We'll probably get in at least one trip at the off-road park before then.