Project Choose Your Own Adventure

[ScottyB]

we decided on a campground in Cherokee NC that was staying to a 50% capacity for the sake of social distancing.  we just had to get out...between job stress, kid being bored and annoying, temps being perfect up in the mountains and just being sick of walking the same sidewalks every day.  initial weather reports looked not great, potential rain every day.  turns out you really don't bother trusting the weather report in the smokies any more than you'd trust a weather vane to tell you which way the birds are flying.  

got in on Monday, stayed until Friday.  we had rain just after setting up Monday night, and then that was about it aside from 2 little 5 minute showers throughout the week.  i found that the hatch leaks a little when its up and covered in water...appears the water is running back down the hatch and forcing its way back up through the hurricane hinge.  nothing horrendous, just some drops but i'm OCD about water getting in the camper and i'm fixing it this week with a thin rubber sheet over the hinge to keep it from happening again.

we had no issues with power - we had an outlet at the campsite and it kept us topped off regardless of how much we ran the fan or the lights, so that was good.  the Yeti kept our stuff cold for 4 nights on 30lbs of ice with about another 8 lbs to spare when we got home.  pulled great, we had no travel issues and did about 450 miles out and back.  

pupper slept in the screen room.  found out he can weasel his way out by forcing the zippers open, thankfully i had some vise grips on hand to keep the zippers locked shut the next night!

getting in on Monday.  right on the river!  no neighbors...we had the entire campground block to ourselves.


the full gypsy camp.  screen room did a decent job of giving us a place to dry things, keep gear, and put our chairs when the bugs got bitey, and the big dome tent kept our picnic table dry.  those things break down and travel in the camper when they're stuffed away in their bags.


have to tilt the roof of the awning to let it drain when it rains hard.  the only downfall but not a big deal.


i immediately got to work.


as did the boy


the neighborhood scenery wasn't bad.





found a few of these guys


funny story here.  we're sitting grilling bratworsts after a slow day fishing.  a local (Cherokee Native) drives up and comes into our camp holding a big rubbermaid bin.  I'm thinking....uh hey?  crap, did I do something to upset the locals?  what's going on....

he goes "hey, i love to catch fish but i'm not big on cleaning them.  i caught too many today and just wanted to see if you want some.  do you want them all?  take all you want."  there's like 8 enormous trout in there.  i tried to offer him firewood or anything i could think of in exchange but he just wanted the fish gone.  so we grabbed 3 biggins and cleaned em right there on the creek.  straight into foil with lemon/butter and it was fantastic.


some of our other neighbors:



on the way out on the last day.  it was exactly what we hoped - an adventure.  


we're off to the coast soon.  will report back with how island camping goes.