# First Trip Is Under Our Belts!!



## wendy & chuck (Sep 14, 2004)

We got home last night from our maiden voyage and for the most part it was great!!!!!

Nights 1 & 2 were at Moonshine Creek Campground, Balsam, NC. It was beautiful, green and quiet except for the creek. My kids loved playing in the creek. We rode over to Cherokee (personally, I thought it was just sad) and then to Maggie Valley for a Walmart run but the rest of the time we were relaxing at the campground. I hated to leave but it had rained the night before and became so muggy you could hardly breathe. Everything was damp even with the A/C on. The foliage was so thick that the sun was having trouble getting through but it did just as we pulled out and I almost changed my mind and decided to stay.

By fall the foliage will be turning so it should be awesome. Can't wait for the Fall SE Rally to meet everyone.

Nights 3, 4 & 5 were over the mountains at River Plantation in Seviereville, TN. This campground is large and except for the granite yard down the block, really quiet. We were on the backside along the river with plenty of recently mowed grass, a fairly young shade tree, concrete pad w/picnic table and a level gravel drive. The kids got to practice casting their fishing rods into the fire ring. The river was too swift for them to fish in and the water a bit on the brown side. My dad said he would be afraid of any fish that came out of it. We went to Cades Cove (absolutely beautiful) and saw dear within 15 feet of the car. They were so used to cars that they completely ignored everyone unless you stepped out towards them. There were bucks with fuzzy horns, spikes does and spotted fawns. I could have stayed there all day. We let the kids play in the stream along the highway betweend Cades Cove and Sugarland Info Center. My daughter was determined to catch a minnow in a plastic cup. The next day we went up to Clingman's Dome. That was the longest 1/2 mile I have ever walked. It was almost straight up (thank goodness for benches every .1 of a mile). We walked 50 feet, hyperventilated on the side for a few minutes, walked another 50 feet and so on. I was determined not to let the mountain win (even if it did beat my butt). Once we got to the top it started to sprinkle rain but we went to the top of the observatory, took pictures of the kids and then came down the mountain in a fifth of the time it took to go up--IN THE POURING RAIN. Let's see, 6600 feet above sea level, 65 degrees, in the rain equals 4 freezing bodies climbing back in the car. We pulled off the wet shirts and wrapped up in towels. Coming back down the highway, we saw a black bear cub crossing the road. By the time we got back to camp, it was 95 degrees again. Had a ball but I was ready to leave ******* Aspen.

Nights 6 & 7 were at Moccasin Creek State Park near Clayton, GA. It has been 25-30 years since I had been there and it was so much better than I remembered. They had beautiful pines, maples, firs and oak trees throughout the park and nice swings facing the water. The kids finally got to fish although they didn't catch anything. There were kids for them to play with and they had a ball. My husband and the kids did see 2 big snakes although they didn't get close enough to see what kind. Thanks goodness we didn't have any near the trailer. Even with the heat and the snakes, I would go back again. It was a very relaxing place.

We saw a kajillion campsites along the way. Work is such a nuisance now when all I want to do is camp. My dad and my DH said camping was just an excuse for my mom and I to find new Walmarts to visit. HMMMMM, could be.

Wendy


----------



## mswalt (Sep 14, 2004)

Glad you had a good trip.

I agree, there are times I wish I could just stay and never return to "normal" life.

Mark


----------



## h2oman (Nov 17, 2005)

Sounds like Heaven. Glad you guys had a great time. How about some pics?

John


----------



## Lady Di (Oct 28, 2005)

If you have come home from the first trip, then YES it is definitely time to go again.


----------



## lori26 (Jul 23, 2007)

Well you made me want go hook up right now and go somewhere. I agree with Mark --- sometimes Steven and I don't want to leave the campsites and come back home. Sounds like you had a good first trip. You made me want to try out Moccasin Creek Park. Thanks for sharing.

Lori


----------



## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

Great story Wendy








Glad you had a nice time with your family and that everything went well on your first trip out.
We'd love to see some photos, especially close ups of those big snakes!


----------



## OB--One (Aug 1, 2007)

Wow, I can't get the rig hooked up fast enough. Actually I just found out that our trip we had planned this coming weekend got moved up a week. I guess that will be OK, it will give me more time to think up some mods. We try to go on a 2,3 or 4 day trip every two or three weeks (70 to 200 miles), usually in the southern half of the states. We try to go on three or four 5 day trips (Southeast) a year. Like you we never want to come home and plan our next trip while we are traveling home. One day we will be on the road full time. Anyway, I hope you next trip is good as your first; I know it will because a bad day camping is better than the very best day anywhere else.


----------



## Lmbevard (Mar 18, 2006)

Lady Di said:


> If you have come home from the first trip, then YES it is definitely time to go again.


I haven't been to NC area for a long time, since 1962. I was 11 years old and I remember going to Clayton, GA for their 150 th anniversity. They had a greased pole climbing contest and several other things going on. I remember we bought some gobber peas from a street stand. Turn out to be raw peanuts,yeck. We were going to eat at the picnic but when we went to go there, there was this fat, sweaty guy standing over the raw meat hitting it with his hands and calling out come and git it. For some reason we weren't that hungry. Beautify area, One of these days we'll get back there.


----------



## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Sounds like you have the Outback Flu.

I recommend you take another 7 days off and get lot of rest....in a campground!!!


----------



## wendy & chuck (Sep 14, 2004)

Oregon_Camper said:


> Sounds like you have the Outback Flu.
> 
> I recommend you take another 7 days off and get lot of rest....in a campground!!!


I think 9 days worth of Kennel bill for 3 dogs & 4 cats may cure that bug. OUCH!! We got some pictures at Moonshine Creek, Cades Cove and Clingman's Dome, but thank God no pictures of the snakes. Eek!! I will try to post them in the gallery soon.

As for "a bad day camping..." I said the same thing to Chuck as we ran through the pouring rain down the mountain. I don't know why he didn't find that comforting.

Wendy


----------



## campingnut18 (Mar 11, 2004)

wow wendy , sounds like you had a great trip over all.
hope all worked out with the camper.
did you and chuck figure out how everything works?
we did the same this weekend on our new camper too.

cant wait to see the great pictures. keep the ones of the snake if you have any.
i hate sankes...

see you soon, lamar


----------

