Summer’s coming to a close

The end of summer is looming and I can neither believe it’s almost over nor am I ready for it to be over.

It seems like it was just a few days ago when we were shopping for our new camper and planning a two-week excursion in our new home on wheels. But it wasn’t just yesterday and it really is almost the end of summer – at least unofficially.

After this Labor Day holiday weekend, kids who haven’t already returned to school will do so and many families will pack away their RVs and campers until next spring.

I both love and hate this time of year. While I really love the crisp days of fall and the cool evenings, as well as my son’s high school football games, I really miss the carefree days of summer and the more frequent camping trips.

We do have some fall camping planned, but it won’t be on as regular a schedule as our summer camping. Maybe just a couple of times out, and likely near home because of late Friday night games.

But that will be for a future note. Right now I’m planning for our last big hurrah weekend of camping.

We’re going to Gordon's Camping Resort, just a few miles north of Kendallville in northern Indiana, about an hour from our home. The 75-acre campground doesn’t take reservations and has never turned a camper away, but we’re taking our camper up Thursday night just to be safe.

We have that Friday night football thing to deal with, so we didn’t want to lose out on our choice site by waiting until late Friday or early Saturday to get there.

The campground has sites for almost any preference, from open lawns, to wooded and shaded sites, and all with water, electricity and 20/30/50 AMP electrical connections.

But it’s not just the sites that have us interested. I’ve heard from people for many years that this is a nice place to go and we just haven’t made the outing, but with the list of activities, I think we’re going to have a great time.

My daughter and her friend – both nearly 13 – will have a grand time with all of the events planned, from kids Bingo, to hay rides, to a dance, the two girls should have a wonderful weekend. The heated swimming pool will be nice for the lazy afternoons, as well.

And our son, who will join us after work on Saturday, will be bringing a friend to admire the local scenery as they put it. And to get that last long weekend of doing nothing before the really intenseness of the senior year of high school sets in.

Even the weatherman is cooperating. He’s calling for sunny days and warm skies, but not the horrible heat we’ve been having. Now, if we could just get the gas stations to cooperate, but staying fairly close to home should keep our costs down.

AAA is calling for a flat holiday weekend with travel growing only .02 percent, even with the average fuel price at around $2.79 per gallon – lower than last year. AAA estimates that 34.6 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, almost the exact same number that traveled last Labor Day. According to the Travel Industry Association (TIA), travelers' perception of higher costs for fuel, lodging and airfares have resulted in the small growth in Labor Day travelers from 2006.

But that doesn’t mean that you can’t get out in the RV. While the gas may cost you, the lodging is reasonable and so is the entertainment. Firewood is inexpensive, and you have to eat even if you are at home.

So, pull up a camp chair, grab a hotdog stick and let’s go camping!

The Campground Can Break an Outing

Camping with family and friends just doesn’t get any better than when you find the perfect campsite and have wonderful weather. However, the weather will be what it will be, so make sure the site works for you.

On a recent camping excursion we caught up with my dad and mom, sister and her family, brother and his family, and two grown nephews and their fiancé/girlfriend to do some camping at a state park in northern Michigan. Since this is near where I grew up and this is a state park my grandma took me to for many day trips as a kid – and we’ve camped there in the past, quite a while ago and several popup campers ago – I thought this would be great. Things sure change over time!

The state park camping facilities, like many state parks, need some updating attention. With trees in the way and very uneven sites, it isn’t easy maneuvering into a site, especially from the narrow roads. While we don’t have a mammoth trailer, at 29 feet, it does use up it’s own space.

Finally, we were in our space and since my family was there and the weather was decent, we could claim a successful trip. But wait, that was before we visited the lake and beach area that I grew up loving!

No longer is there a lifeguard on duty and the beach is not what I remember. And what happened to the HUGE swing set and merry-go-round? And what, no cotton candy or snow cones in the concession? Apparently, a new concessionaire has taken over and decided to trim down the offerings, both in food and in the souvenir shop. There’s nothing worse than realizing you can’t go back!

But wait, there’s more. I took my 3-year-old twin nieces to the lake to swim. They were catching minnows, splashing around and having fun, and because I’ve never been bothered before, we ignored the swimmer’s itch sign and went in anyway. I’ve still never had a reaction, but one of my nieces did and she suffered tremendously from the itching!

Maybe that’s why the once crowded beach had room for any visitor, and then some.

Now, just so you don’t think I’m condemning this place, I have many happy memories here from my childhood. But I think there used to be more care given to the facilities and the operations.

This is the campground where we got squirrels to run up our legs and take peanuts from our hands when I was probably 10. This is also the park where I spent long days swimming, playing and running with newfound friends as my grandma lounged in the shaded area when we took that special day off from the farm to spend a day at the beach. So, I have not ill feelings about the park. And I’ve stayed in beautiful state parks, so I don’t dislike them.

Now fast-forward a couple of weeks later to a private park just 20 minutes from there, just a few miles from my family’s farm in Mesick, and there you have a park that offers large, roomy sites for bigger campers and easy access roads.

While the attractions are still mainly the natural waterways and outdoor recreation, there is more attention to detail here.

This is also a park that brings back memories. I grew up swimming at the beach and few choice spots with swinging ropes at this Manistee River backwaters. I also spent some camping trips here with just my sister and me and my parent’s popup camper when we were teenagers. Yes, we were good – my dad could show up any time, and he did.

My family’s also camped here several times in the past 15 years. This was my daughter’s favorite place to make “dirt angels” when she was 3.

Since it’s early years, it has had groomed hiking trails added, which are great for runners or hikers. I’ve jogged the trails many times, and even searched them for my daughter once when she went too far with a puppy.

Northern Exposure Campground for this trek was one of relaxation. With sites right on the water, and large enough to easily accommodate our 29-foot trailer and it’s small slide, things were already much better.

The weather also seemed to cooperate more this weekend. No rain in sight!

Being able to easily back in the camper and set it up is the best way to start a weekend – that is if no pull-thru sites are available. My husband is much happier when he doesn’t have to make strategic maneuvers to make the camper fit. And since I didn’t think we bought that big of a camper, I’m always amazed when it can’t be accommodated, and that’s often at public campgrounds, state parks and even national parks.

So, listening to the frogs and crickets is made so much nicer when you didn’t have to work up a sweat to set up camp.

And visiting with neighbors who had just as easy a time is also good.

My dad did his usual talking with neighbors, which did help give us vital information about a new tow vehicle. We’re looking at a heavy-duty truck and now will likely go with the diesel after my dad’s conversation with an engineer from GM. We’re GM people anyway, but now we’ve done our homework and talked to the pros.

My husband is so happy – a new camper and now a new truck – life is good!

Now, sit back and relax!