Beached Last Year

This post from a trip last summer may warm you up a bit if you're in the area of the first winter snow blizzard of 2016. 

Leaving Stone Mountain and heading to Gulf Shores, kind of a two for one trip with mountain the first part of the trip and beach and sand the second part of the trip. 

RVing on the Gulf Coast is not for everyone. Most sun and sand vacationers prefer the beach condo with the balcony view and stepping right onto the sand.  

With our new compromise into vacationing with an RV, this sun and sand vacationer enjoyed every moment of the coast.

We booked an RV resort in Gulf Shores, AL that was 3 blocks from the beach, all concrete, sand, and palm trees everywhere. So far, so good. It's as close to a condo as we'll get now that we are RVing tourists.

This is the view from our site. It's s nature preserve between the RV resort and the condos and Boardwalk.

Only three blocks away from the boardwalk and the beautiful sand beach.

I walked the 3 blocks quite a lot and I probably went in every shoppe within the three blocks. 

The water is definitely not as beautiful as Florida's coast. But the sand and beach area was great. 

The beach was wide and clean. It makes for nice walks on the beach anytime of the day. Can't believe I didn't get any sunrise or sunset pictures on the beach.  Definitely missed out on the true beauty of a beach.

 

A few family members RV'd with us on this trip. (I wish they all could have been there.) I played family photographer (with a cell phone) for their yearly beach pictures.

It was quick click, click, clicks as the little ones moved about. 

The plan for the beach pictures was to drive to the boardwalk at the beach for dinner then walk out to take pictures.

It was a good plan. Another family watching us actually asked me to take their family pictures in the same spot. 

It was a great RV summer vacation. It was everything I needed. Sun. Sand. Shopping. I didn't miss being in a hotel or condo at all. 

And, I'm sure I can vouch for the guys, also. They went on a charter fishing day trip. Being an RV vacationer we cooked them in the RV outside kitchen for dinner one evening. The warm summer breeze coming off the Gulf, a fresh fish dinner, sitting on your private patio, with music and city lights across the way, and your family dog (we had 2 - ours and the grand-dog) at your side made it a great vacation.

I hope all my RV trips are this great.

Gin

Stone Mountain RVing

A trip to Stone Mountain Park in 2015 gave us a  good experience in our early RVing experience. 

The 8 hour drive was easy with stops for breakfast on the go, a quick lunch, gas stops, and doggie detail. 

  

On arrival, Stone Mountain Park Campground was a good expectation considering our very first RV resort experience. You can read it here. The RVing life may be growing on me a little. 

We would be meeting family members here and will be checking out the adventure park so I want things to be good. 

We had a view of the lake.  Knowing our days would be in Atlanta at the Sunburst National Pageant and then one day at Stone Mountain Adventure Park, the site wouldn't be a big concern. We would only be at the campground to shower, sleep, and eat a little. 

We experienced the adventure park. We took the shuttle from Stone Mountain Campground to Stone Mountain Adventure Park. It is a pretty area with just one mountain of granite.

We rode the sky lift to the top. And we took the train around the mountain. 

The little was content to ride and est popcorn while we walked around.

We rode the Ducs and the youngsters could drive.

Me playing the part of the Statue of Liberty.

We ate dinner at Campfire Grill in the adventure park while we waited for the laser show. Such a fitting place to eat considering our staying accommodations. 

We made our way to the Memorial Lawn for the laser show for 9:30pm. It was quite crowded but we did get a good place that we liked. My plan was to go back to the RV and bring a blanket and snacks for the show. But that plan didn't work out. We didn't have time to go back before the show. The grass was clean and soft and dry. So down we went. 

The show was enjoyable. Something for everyone to connect with. There was Frozen's Let It Go that took Brooklyn by surprise. And fireworks for everyone.

We took the shuttle back to the campground afterwards. And we're ready to pull out the next morning. 

New Year's Eve VS The Future

New Years Eve didn't work out as planned. Doesn't take much to detour my plans. So when plan #1 failed, a quick plan #2 was conjured up. Only to die in disappointment. 

Plan 1 was being planned well in advance. Had my bags packed, New Year party hats and noise makers in the bag to have a sleep over while babysitting one of the grands while his parents were going out. 

We would do firecrackers at the other grands' house with their parents (I had babysit them during the day) then back to his house, watch a movie and turn in for the night. 

A phone call 2 hours before time saying they weren't feeling well and weren't going out so I didn't need to babysit for the night. 

Well. That's not going to stop me from having a New Years Eve Party with someone. I made a few quick calls of my own and set up a 3 girl all night party with the sisters. 

And just as quick as party #2 came together it got canceled just as quick. Cause, you see, I had one more call to make. Husband was an hour away at home and I called him to tell him my change in party plans. Long story short, he insisted I drive home and not stay. Because of New Year's Eve traffic and safety and everything else he could think of. 

I called the girls and canceled and drove home in the traffic after dark to spend The Eve with the husband and watched the New York Times Square ball drop, which was actually an hour ahead of my own midnight. It was touching to be in the moment of the New Year that God has given us. 

If my New Year's Eve is any indication of what the year brings its that I'll have plenty of days to plan to babysit, plenty of days to plan parties with the girls, and a year full of plans that may or may not work out. I'm good with that!

I'm linked with mamakatslosinit writing prompts for the week. 

Gin

Trick and Treat 2015

We're treated ourselves to an RV road trip to Hot Springs Arkansas in October. Thus the treat in trick or treat. The trick is that we're combining our wedding anniversary, the fall foliage sights, and Halloween all into one event. The trick-y part of the trip.

Reservations were made at Catherine's Landing RV Resort..

We arrived about 3 pm on a Wednesday and are booked until Sunday's departure. Only a 7 hour trip with 3 stops we arrived accompanied with the dog-child and encountered no problems. It's quite cooler than the temps we are accustomed too. We drove into town to buy a few grocery supplies and eat dinner. 

Day one, Thursday, spent at the RV resort. Walks, cooking out, and leisurely doing nothing. Abundant wildlife to watch while walking and sitting around. Preparations for the decoration contest were made. I think I'm going to win. I have a great idea. I hope the prize is good. 

Friday we used as our tourist day. We went to the Historic downtown known for its "hot springs" dating back to the 1800's and we drove the scenic Hot Springs Natural Park.

The main attraction is the Bath Row Houses. The tour guide at the famous Fordyce House was very informative and interesting in the background of all 8 of the bath row houses. The bath houses began for medicinal reasons using the hot springs. Actual hot springs were coming up and flowing from the ground you could feel and drink and even fill jugs with water and take.

The Promanade Walk took us down the historic strip lined with old hotels, the old stores turned into restaurants and shops, and the 8 bath row houses. Fountains, running cascades of water over rock, and spikets to fill your containers with water. It made for a lovely informative walk. 

We ate lunch at a restaurant on the Promanade Walk and while enjoying lunch mapped out our way to drive thru the Hot Springs National Park Mountain.

We drove through and around the mountain of Hot Springs National Park to the lookout mountain tower. It was rather breezy and the fall foliage was not at its peak, which was suppose to be one of our treats on the trip. It was pretty and tranquil to drive thru. Only saw one squirrel. No bears, no deer. 

On the way back to Catherine's Landing RVC Outdoors, our home base, we stopped for a few small items for the site decoration contest. Remember I said I think I'll win. I plan to win the top prize. I'm competitive like that. But as we turn in the RV resort is filling up fast. So many have arrived while we were out for the day. There's going to be a lot of competition. I'll be decorating in the morning. A hint: it's what skeletons do when they camp.

After a morning hike, then out to lunch, we got into the Hallowern fun on the block. We decorated and donned a getup to at least say we were participating to the trick or treaters. Some candy remained after the last of the dressed up kiddos had passed. Plenty of oohs and ahhhs rang out from the passers by looking at my decoration setup. 

My dress up was coordinated to look like my skeleton set up. Awww, but sadly I did not win the contest. The site with the huge blow up black mechanical cat won. 

It was cute. Glad they won. Have to show my good sportsmanship side, you know.

G

Four Day Holiday

It went down like this in 2015 on Labor Day Weekend.

Day One

We pulled in late evening. Set up our stuff. Our first visitors popped in to check us out. It was a glow in the dark night searching for frogs and bugs. 

They'll return again for some camping with us.

Its a flashlight shining at me.

Day Two

A morning walk around the lake with this following me. The brochure introduces Snowflake.

 

There was a kid's coloring contest. 

Yayyy!! Brooklyn won 2nd place in 0/3 years and won a Walmart gift card. And her and I both won door prizes. Her a tiny sea animal collection and a swim noodle. Me a rod and reel. We did good!

To end the evening a walk around the park with all 3 little ones, with a rest stop in the middle of everything.

Say cheese!

Day Three

Sitting by the pool and a few jumps in to cool off in the 99 degree temp.

Day Four

Of course, it wouldn't be Labor Day without the ol' cookout and pool time. 

We did it all. Swim, cookout, walks, camping, and fun for the official end of summer as RVers.

Gin

   

The First Trip

Being RV newbies, the RV dealership gave us a few complimentary night stays at several close-by RV resorts. 

We booked our first RV road trip as guests at one of the complimentary stays. 

My expectations were high. I like clean, comfort, and convenience in everything. When we arrived, my bubble burst. 

The place was clean. I was uncomfortable. The site was close quarters to others. There was nothing to do in the area. Nothing was convenient to the "RV Resort".

If this is RV camping, I decided right quick I was not going to be happy. We had invited some family members to be with us. So we made the best of it. 

We did the campfire thing both nights. 

Hot fire.

We need to focus on campfires in the fire ring and not on blazing marshmellows on fire.

We utilized the pool in the daytime. And did the paddle boats once and fished once. No fish. And the paddle boats were so hard to paddle.

There sure were a lot of ducks. Scary, hungry ducks. 

They were everywhere.

If you wanted a restful weekend with nothing to do this would be it. 

But my interpretation of RVing is going and doing something exciting. Am I expecting to much in the RV world?

Gin

Old News From 2015

The old news from last year is What We Have Become. We haven't been much of vacationers since the kids have grown and gone. We did the beach trips, mountain vacations, Disney World, and other vacation destinations when the kids were young.  We should be traveling and vacationing. I love going places and being a tourists. I like nice hotels, being on the road, and seeing the sights our great country has to offer. Who doesn't?

Larry doesn't. He doesn't mind going places and doing things, but he doesn't like hotels. We have a problem. We have different likes in the traveling department. He came up with a compromise that we're going to try.

He suggested an RV travel trailer. He's thrilled. I'm not quite sure what to think. We're going to try and see if this meets both our traveling vacation likes. 

He researched and studied on-line all about RVs. Then went shopping.  It's a 2010, 29ft, traveling hotel.

We have become RVers.

We started spring 2015. The next few posts will be on the trips we've made thus far. 

Gin

A Perfect 2016

I plan to make 2016 an almost perfect year. I know it can't be perfect, for nothing is absolute perfect. But to be as perfect a year as I can get, this is how it would be:

I'd never sleep. I could fit everything into every 24 hour day. No more excuses for not getting things done because I ran out of time.

I'd wear skinny jeans and cute tops everyday. No need to overspend on a shopping spree. But, I would need boots for winter and flip flops the rest of the year.

My hair would be perfect. I wouldn't have to ever color again or use a straight iron. I would just look in the mirror and "poof" it's perfect hair everyday.

My kids would shower me with grandbabies, grandbabies, and more grandbabies. I could babysit and spoil them and buy them things. And maybe my kids would shower me with gifts on my birthday and Mother's Day. 

My house would grow an extra room or two. Like maybe another bedroom and bathroom. We downsized a few years ago as empty nesters. Now as the family grows again with spouses and grandbabies, more room is needed. Trust me, it's a mistake to downsize. You should expand not compact, just saying. 

My vehicle would survive all the miles and wear and tear put on it traveling home and back all the time. Sad to spend good money on tires, gas, and maintenance. 

I'd live back home in the house where all the memories were made, where we always lived, where the kids grew up, the town where all the people I love live. It's called home for a reason. Yea, I'm a little sentimental, a.k.a. homesick.

I'd eat nutritional meals 3 times a day and no snacks in between. No coke. No sweets. I'd be healthy, wealthy, and wise. And lose weight.

My significant other would give in to my every whim and say yes to everything. NOT! It would be nice for a day, not the whole year. 

I hope your 2016 is as perfect as it can be.

I'm linked to mamakatslosinit and sorta kinda mixed a writing prompt with a vlogging prompt. 

Gin