Covid, Shmovid, We're Going CAMPING Tomorrow!

Actually that was the view from #17 (unoccupied) since I have a tree close to the shoreline blocking a direct view. At least for this first morning.



Gonna eat some breakfast, put out the EZ up, take a shower, and pull out the table and puzzles. 62F this morning headed for 79F.

I wish something interesting would happen today.

Bama Ed
 
Decisions, decisions. Which one to start?



Bass boat out on the lake in the distance....



Anyway, time to put the Chromebook away, pick a puzzle, and get started soon.

Bama Ed
 


Yes but is that for seasonal reasons or Covid reasons? My DS#2 lives in NE PA and they had snow flurries this morning 🌨 (although it warmed up to about 50F today).

Some northeast state park campgrounds aren't open year round like we are down south.

We are open year round. Gulf has 500 rv campsites (full hookups but no CATV nor wifi) and from Nov-Mar they devote 450 of them to snowbirds and month long reservations ONLY. That leaves only 50 campsites (sprinkled along the backside) for those of us who want a weekend or a little longer (14 days max). But they do it for the revenue it generates and Gulf is the cash cow in the system that provides a big portion of the cash to run the network year-round.

Bama Ed

Actually a bit of both. Most of our campgrounds, especially north of Interstate 80 do not open until close to Memorial Day weekend. And well this year with Covid, the workers have been laid off, so the campgrounds are not being worked on. Now they are looking to bring people back and start prepping the campgrounds, but that is still up to the Gov. to approve. Private campgrounds are also supposed to be closed with the exception of full time campers, and some are and some aren't adhering to that.
Looks nice down there, beautiful sunrise. And well no yellow flies would be great.
 
Yes but is that for seasonal reasons or Covid reasons? My DS#2 lives in NE PA and they had snow flurries this morning 🌨 (although it warmed up to about 50F today).

Some northeast state park campgrounds aren't open year round like we are down south.


COVID reasons. We do have a few privately owned campgrounds around here that are opened year round. Most others open in April or early May, but as of last week, campgrounds could not open until at least May 8th-and this date could get moved. I have seen that many campgrounds, that plan to open as soon as the state allows it, are going to keep their bathrooms and laundry rooms closed, at least for now.
 
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Taking a break from puzzling for the moment.

I am basically set up now. Here is my setup.



One thing I've added (and probably should have a long time ago) is some weights for the EZ up legs/feet. Less stress about it blowing away. Used them for the first time at Cocoa Beach last month and they worked well. I went jumbo size with 10# weights and not the 5# you can get at Academy Sports, etc.



Flag and Aliner look good in the morning sun.





Two lady kayakers floated behind me. I could hear their conversation quite clearly before they floated into view.



It is a peaceful morning. Lots of birds singing and a gentle breeze. A WHOLE lot less humidity than when I arrived yesterday. Listening to a little bluegrass while puzzling, I had a visitor. But he didn't seem interested in laying a piece.



This is as far as I've gotten so far. I chose the Mickey/Minnie smooching 500 piece. (I miss DW .... :love:).



Listening to the MK-Tomorrowland background track from 1989-2003 that's about an hour long while making this update. Again, with birds singing in the background.

Bama Ed
 


@bama_ed dang. i am super freaking jealous. Love it though. Keep it coming, but have fun :)

Hey Kris, I wish all ya'll were here.

I hope it's as equally enjoyable at the October FW DISMeet. I only scheduled one park day and even though I have some dining plans around property for that week, I want to leave plenty of time to enjoy the ambiance of the Fort.

But if ya'll were here we could certainly have a party. I have already broken out my Dixie Red Cup.



And I have plenty more Reds for all of ya'll that want to come and party.
(warning for below: don't have the kids in the room when you view this)


You reckon' I could break out my puzzle at the party? Go crazy! :crazy2:

Bama Ed

PS - oh and ......

giphy.gif
 
Ed, I have the weights. I'm considering buying another 4 to stack two on each leg of ez up.

DW came home with this one today. Only thing Disney WM had.
158774525546825274666501069224.jpg

Maybe if I put big screen tv on a beach scene I could be like Ed. Of course this was only one I could find.
8a4a4a783b7f61cbd933f73f6c1d5e71.gif

Not sure, but with covid going on it might be appropriate once beaches open back up.
 
Those 5 puzzle boxes are a good deal in my book, tiggerdad. That's what I've got with me here at GSP this trip. I would enjoy putting that Ratatouille puzzle together.

Yes I do love it when a plan comes together. And I had wished something interesting would happen today.

The plan for today was for a day visitor, our own Flametamr, who came over from Mobile on his day off work to have lunch at the site (take-out naturally) with me. We sipped some adult beverages responsibly and chatted for 4 hours. During the entire time we did maintain social distancing. Joe is a gentleman and 4 hours is not NEARLY enough time to begin to appreciate his knowledge, experience, and story-telling abilities. I got to know him better during my 2017 Halloween visit to the Fort (he is a REGULAR for that event) with my dad and his daughter (the 4 of us in the Halloween golf cart parade). It's a fond memory I have of that trip.



I promised food pix but without the proper presentation (in a restaurant), take-out po-boys on a paper plate or wrapper paper just isn't quite the feast for the eyes. But here they are.

Shrimp Po-boy (no pickle) for Joe:



Oyster Po-boy (all the way) for Ed:



Lots of people rolling in today. Plenty of creaky sway bars making the turn left or right in front of my campsite. The guy waving returning guests through the check-in area said they had 125 sites checking in today. I have neighbors to my waterfront side in #17 (where I watched the sun come up this morning) and in #18 across Live Oak in tiggerdad's spot. They have 6 yippy yappy little dogs in an outside pen that bark at every walker and cyclist that passes by. On a TOTALLY unrelated note, I wonder if the gators in the adjacent lake are hungry for a little furry snack? :rolleyes1

Flametamr thinks many of the arrivers today are coming in anticipation of the Govenor's Stay At Home order expiring on April 30 (Thursday coming up) and she will open the beaches effective Friday May 1. I think they are mostly weekenders who will be rolling (and creaking) out on Sunday.

Gonna follow the next night of the NFL draft tonight and then walk over to the Gulf Fishing Pier (and look at the beach) in the morning. Off chance I MIGHT put it off till Sunday.

Before it gets too hot and sunny. Forecast is for a high of 80F tomorrow. :sunny: (Cue the puppy dog eyes) :

giphy.gif


I hope ya'll appreciate the sacrifice I'm making in even BEING here to bring you this trip report. I mean, seriously.....

Okay. Enough of that.

Little breezy here at 6pm now (weights are working as they should). But it's been a good day.

Bama Ed

PS - watched the guy with the huge trailer try to back into #4 (my Gulf DISmeet site the last few years) this afternoon and it took him SEVEN tries. Flametamr was not impressed and neither was I (only took me two). And that was with Kris running into the blind spot of my mirror when I attempted the first backup... :sad2:
 
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Time for nightime pix, ya'll..

I have two "Tiki Gods" with me at GSP that travel with the Aliner. Because they are open flame, they are not allowed at the Fort. They are not allowed at the Corps of Engineers campgrounds. My state parks is one of the FEW places they are. There is a cotton wick into a bottle of citronella fuel (no longer use kerosene).

Back in my day, we called these "smudge pots" because they give off a little black smoke. So I don't put them under the EZ awning. They need to breathe.



I do have a small citronella (citrus mosquito) candle as well close by (sun has gone down now).



The sun is going down here tonight (as Isaac Newton demands). What does sunset look like where you are?



The Tiki Gods got their mojo on now. I think I hear drums in the background....



I have my string of LED lights on the inside of my EZ up canopy.



String lights and Tiki Gods provide night light in a safe way.



Still some NFL draft left tonight. Bama doing well.

Bama Ed
 
To pay homage to my Dear Dad (who has always been a star guy since he could pick up a pair of binoculars)....

Late late sunset to the west over sites 1-4 you can see a sliver of the moon to the near right of the tree outline...



And Venus is quite clear above the treeline in the night Western sky.

Physics don't lie, people. The planets and stars move in predictable patterns. That is very reassuring these days....

Bama Ed
 
@bama_ed, I accept your invitation of a Red Solo Cup and raise you one to be enjoyed this October View attachment 490543

Joe, I accept your challenge but as anyone can say (even if they are from the state behind Alabama in EVERY list).....(which is a short list)

It's not the SIZE of the cup that counts ....

It's the CONTENTS that counts....

See you in 6 months.

Ed
 
Where did you find those Tiki Gods?

Where does one find anything, Joe?

Wal-Mart garden section of my local store, of course.... Citronella branded.

It's been about 5 years though. It was an end-of-summer type sale (moving the summer merch).

Ed
 
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