PaHunter's Great Big Gulf Adventure Trip Report

[bama_ed]

Uh, well, I'll fill in some gaps.

Joe/Flametamr got PaHunter and DW directed down to his site.

I was seated next to tiggerdad on hist site in our folding chairs as PaHunter turned the corner between our sites. Being kind, discreet, and professional campers, we hung far away (thre sites away) while PaHunter attempted to to back into his spot with Flametamf assisting.

Like he said, there was a branch close to his vent as PaHunter said (he has a tall trailer) and the branch was thick. It showed the scars of meeting other trailers. Our youngster, tiggerdad/Michael, jumped up on top of PaHunter's camper and watched the vent on top as it cleared the tree branch by a literal few inches.

Then once the camper and truck were safely set in the campsite, introductions commenced.

Ed

 

[tiggerdad]

It may be legal to ride in a fifth wheel in Alabama, but I am not sure on the legality of Surfing on top of one ???


View attachment 325575

It was funny when I handed my water bottle to my oldest and said "Hey y'all, watch this!" and "clumped" up the back of PA's rig and ended up on the roof. By the way, those new roofs (mine is vinyl, not sure what PA's is made of but certainly looks better than mine) are really nice. Man got a good looking set of vent covers and a cool antenna.

Anyway, it was fun and glad we could help. I was worried that my friends were going to throw me under the bus when I "accidently" broke that small branch off the tree so it wouldn't scratch the man's cover. Their collective facial expressions as the "piece of evidence" fell right there at their feet said it all.

Legality of surfing on the roof of a camper...pretty sure there is a loophole, I'll just have to search for it.

 

[FtW Mike]

.

... Legality of surfing on the roof of a camper...pretty sure there is a loophole, I'll just have to search for it.

I believe what you are looking for is the Neeed to to have "Sidewalk Surfing" playing in the backround

 

[FtW Mike]

Saw you and the bride made it home in one piece Hope you get that over heating problem resolved quickly and inexpensively

 

[PaHunter]

So back to our story, it was Friday evening, the smoke was wafting through the air from site 4. It was time for a feast, bamaed was cooking up hamburgers, chicken and hot dogs for all. The food was very good, and friendofeyore made an awesome desert for all to enjoy. The company was very good, and there was great conversations going on all around. There was talk of Disney, College football, and just learning about each other.
After awhile, we all retired for the night.

 

[PaHunter]

Saturday we woke up, and had breakfast. We had heard talk about this breakfast feast to end all breakfast feasts, but alas the chef was fast asleep. So with a coke in hand, and bearing banana bread, we ventured down to find bamaed and tiggerdad working on the Disney puzzle. The puzzle was coming along. We had made good progress and it was time to get on with the day.
BamaEd and his wife offered to give us a tour of Gulf Shore, show us the highlights and also make a walmart run. We hit the beach, the giant shark shop, and of course walmart. It was a very nice time, the weather was nice, but for a brief shower or two.
After that it was back to the campground, to relax, and think about dinner.
But there was something lurking, lurking way off shore...everyone was keeping an eye on it, Tropical Storm Alberto.

 

[PaHunter]

Tropical Storm Alberto, the weather service mentioned it on Friday. Well the forecast at this time was we were standing at ground zero. Mind you, the storm was still 600 miles off shore, but it was headed North, bringing rain and wind. The predictions were for a lot of wind, lots and lots of it....the kind that would toss Dorothy and Toto, in that now closed Great Movie Ride. The only thing missing was that cackling witch, I will get you my pretties.
So there was talk about what to do, to stay to go. Watches and Warnings were posted. We decided that we where staying, would monitor the storm and be ready to leave Sunday, if the weather prompted such actions.
Others worried about being tossed to Kansas, or even worse in to Aggie country, packed up to leave.
While all this was going on, tiggerdad was outlet shopping, for a second time, then stopped to RV shop. He and the DW returned with the treasure and found his neighboring site empty.


It was then decided that dinner would be held on his site, and what a feast it was.

 

[PaHunter]

The afternoon was spent socializing, and as dinner drew near everyone headed to their campers to prepare for the evening meal. What a meal it was, grumpyaggie and friendofeeyore brought smoked ribs, they were oh so good, tiggerdad made baked beans and apples, flametamr prepared some corn on the cob, and we brought some pierogies to go with everything else. No one left hungry, well actually no one left, we stayed had a great conversations until it was time for us all to head to bed. It rained a little, mainly over the lake, but so far, nothing from TS Alberto.

 

[PaHunter]

Sunday morning arrived, and the sun was out. There was some clouds and sun all day, but a good day. We stopped down and visited with friend of eeyore and grumpyaggie as they packed up the trailer to leave. We also stopped to socialize with tiggerdad as they also packed to get ready to leave.
Southalabama5er returned with some crawfish, and the boil was on. Have never had crawfish before, so we were looking forward to it.

Before the boil, resting in the cooler.



This was the first half of the first bushel. Let me say this, they are not bad, but way too much work for so little meat. The corn soaked up a lot of the spice and was very good, as were the potatoes. There was so much that we were inviting other campsites to join in, there were gallon bags packed up and handed out.The campsite by the lake was a young couple with 3 kids, they came over, their daughter who was maybe 5, wanted nothing to do with the crawfish at first. She then tasted one, and momma could not pull them apart fast enough for her.
After the shrimp was done, Southalabama5er took us on a tour of the park. It is a pretty good size campground, upon our return to the campsite he asked if there was anything we really wanted to do. I told him, his prior post made me want to hit The Yard while we were there. Well, being that we were leaving in the morning everyone piled in to the truck and off we went.

 

[PaHunter]

So to The Yard we go. I have seen pictures of the ice cream, the milkshakes, and visited the website. We arrive, and there is a crowd...


All these people waiting for ice cream and or milkshakes. We went in and ordered, it is not easy with so many choices. Got to the check out and the nice young lady there, informed us it would be a two hour wait. I told her, I did not drive 1100 miles to not get a milkshake. The wife and I ordered up Quarts, as did Southalabama5er. Everyone else ordered pints. While we were waiting the sun went down, and well....

It was pretty spectacular. So we waited, and waited, and waited. We should have timed this better, maybe we could have ordered, went to see the new Solo movie and came back. Finally the brought out our order, and it was a sight to see, chocolate and caramel everywhere.

So I start to eat/drink mine, DW was still waiting on hers, but it is ice cream and does not survive well in the heat. Then hers arrived.



Hey wait, how come yours is so much bigger than mine ?? I mean we both ordered quarts. Looks like they messed up my order, and I only received a pint. Well I finished mine up, went back to the counter, showed the nice young lady my receipt, the empty small glass, and explained politely that it should have been a quart. So they made me up a second one....wow I thought the first one was filling, can I get carry out service here, I mean just for me ?? Maybe someone with a moving dolly ?? Yes I finished the second one, and was really full.
From there we headed back to the campground as it was now after 10pm and we were leaving at it is still very dark thirty in the morning.

 

[PaHunter]

Monday Morning and we were up and disconnected from our campsite, fired up the big ole diesel and hitched her up. We waved goodbye to everyone left, and well they were still sleeping. We pulled out of GSP's campground headed for home. The nice part about leaving at 430 am is there is no other traffic on the road. So we headed up 59, with most of the traffic lights staying green. After awhile I asked my navigator if there was anywhere I was supposed to turn, and I get, ummm no. Ok then. So we get further up the road, and I get, turn west on I10, get off at exit 44, so I roll up on I10, turns out I am already at exit 44, hmmm. Rerouting, Did I mention, we may really really need to buy a GPS unit ?
So we get off the next exit, get on 31 Eastbound and loop back through the Alabama countryside to get back on 59 North. That was the end of our navigational troubles for the day. We made it up to Seiverville TN with no further issues, we ran in to rain north of Birmingham, and it stayed with us the rest of the day.

 

[PaHunter]

So we pull in to the campground in TN and walk in to check in. Mind you now, the lady checking us in has a huge glass window, she can see out rig. She is pulling up our campsite information, while telling me, I don't know where you are going to park that ?? She did not say it, but I don't think she thought we could even get in to the campsite. I told her, we will be ok, campsites are 65 ft long and 18 feet wide. So I pull down the road, and line it up to back in the campsite, back her right on in, like a glove, first try. The lady from the office, her husband walked down to watch the show, and well was surprised it was over so quickly. He asked me if I was a professional driver ? I told him, no, and this was only the second time backing up the trailer in this set up. He was very surprised.







It was small campground, nice quiet, not much for amenities, but for an overnight stop very nice. Once we were setup, we took a walk to the top of the hill, to Smoke Mountain Knife Works. The have a whole selection of knives, outdoor, kitchen, and a firearms shop also inside.


Found one that was firefighter themed.

Then found these....may have been in the discount aisle....



Thought BamaEd may appreciate them.

 

[PaHunter]

The following morning found us up again, and on the road. We drove in some rain for a little while, then about the time we entered VA it cleared for the rest of the trip home. Over all was a very good trip, we got to meet a lot of very nice people from the boards. Had a great time, lots of good food and well look forward to coming down and visiting with everyone again next year. Maybe next year we will take the time to go get a hot dog ??

 

[PaHunter]

We will try and keep everyone updated on our camping adventures with the new tow vehicle. The remainder of our trips this year are local. If anyone ever wants to get up this way for a trip let me know, Gettysburg is 45 mins away, NYC is about 2 hours, DC is about 3, and a trip up to Elk country to see the Elk is about 4 hours, but so worth it, they are magnificent animals.

 

[Teamubr]

I don't know where you are going to park that ?? The lady from the office, her husband walked down to watch the show, and well was surprised it was over so quickly.

People don't realize the wheel cut on the big trucks. Makes it SO much easier to back things in without taking a football field to do it.

j

 

[PaHunter]

People don't realize the wheel cut on the big trucks. Makes it SO much easier to back things in without taking a football field to do it.

j

It makes a big difference and at our length allowed us to get in no problem. 50 degrees with this truck vs about 30 on the pick up. I think we decided during this trip we will be singling out the truck, most likely to the short position, will make it about the size of a dually with a better wheel cut. May even look at shortening up our pin box to one that is straight down from the mount.

 

[Teamubr]

May even look at shortening up our pin box to one that is straight down from the mount.

Looks like you should have plenty of space, even with the frame cut and single axled.

j

 

[SouthAlabama5er]

It's all a learning curve, I think I'm gonna look for a second Pete, a single axle 379 maybe a fixed up Cabover if I can talk Ashley into it, just to pull the camper, it's so much safer and your more at easy driving!

 

[PaHunter]

It's all a learning curve, I think I'm gonna look for a second Pete, a single axle 379 maybe a fixed up Cabover if I can talk Ashley into it, just to pull the camper, it's so much safer and your more at easy driving!

Saw a cabover, around Bay Minette (?? Sp) on 59, I mean she probably hasn't run in 20 years, needs new tire, shocks, electrical system, new paint job but other than that she is cherry.

 

[bama_ed]

Then found these....may have been in the discount aisle....

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View attachment 326913

Thought BamaEd may appreciate them.

Sure do appreciate it but we gotta move them fast.

We need to make room for the 2018 National Championship Alabama Merchandise that will be coming out in a couple of months.



Ed