Wander On Over to Wanee

This dreary, cold winter gave way to some warmer weekend weather, so we took advantage of the opportunity with a short distance trip.  It was just what we needed.

On the way to the campsite, we stopped by Carroll's Sausage in Sylvester to pick up some meat for the grill; a couple of hours later those steaks & baked potatoes were quite delicious! Just a few miles north of town on Highway 112, we found our spot.  Wanee Lake Golf and RV Resort, Ashburn, GA.

We had no idea what to expect, and it seemed a bit corny to camp so close to home at Turner County's country club.  Fortunately, we were pleasantly surprised.

A few wintering couples in their home-on-wheels and a few unoccupied rigs inhabited the campground, which was located just off the fairway.  The locals filled the clubhouse on a Friday night.

A leisurely breakfast gave way to a shower, and I headed off to Tifton to a Saturday afternoon "Meet the New Husband" tea to visit with a cousin, leaving Jamie alone at the resort.  Later, he shared he'd walked down to the lake, caught a fish, and taken in some much-needed sunshine; I couldn't resist having him accompany me Sunday along the same path. The weather was just perfect for a lakeside stroll.

A view of the fairway and the lake beyond

A stroll through the golf course

Saturday evening, we ventured over to Lake Blackshear by invitation and joined family dockside in watching the South Carolina election results, hashing out the pros and cons of our favorite candidates.

The International Space Station also made a flight path across the evening sky; we two nerds insisted on the party viewing the spectacle with us.  Terrific view!  The clouds cooperated.  Are we really the only folks who track the ISS?

In no hurry to return home, we lingered later on Sunday than usual.  How nice!  Just a bit of warmth and sunshine lifted our spirits.

Sunday Lunch

We're ready to go again - anywhere - anytime - soon.

Circling the lake at Wanee Lake Golf & RV Resrot

A bridge across the lake

My favorite chef gearing up  for some cooking

Taking in some sunshine!

Mercer Reunion at Rocky Bend

Feburary 5-7, 2016

Baby, it's cold outside!  The river is high and flowing fast following heavy rain and flash flooding last week.

Not sure this photo shows just how high the Flint River is ...

... Unless you can compare it this photo from last spring

Erosion at Rocky Bend is evidence of January flooding.  Marks on the trees show the height the water reached.  It sure was smart to put those cabins on stilts!

Our weekend at Rocky Bend Flint River Retreat was a working trip.  Jamie's Mercer relatives were in town, so we celebrated an upcoming graduation on Friday night, then "the old folks" reminisced and studied their genealogy on Saturday.  We capped it off Sunday morning with breakfast before saying goodbye to the ones who chose accommodations at Rocky Bend.

We love the Pavilion at Rocky Bend - it's perfect for mid-size gatherings.  It's become our go-to spot for family events.  Sandra & James stayed in the Lighter Knot; others chose the two bedroom Cypress Knee; and Pat & Stephen brought their Airstream Bambi.  Yes, we will do some buddy camping with these relatives in the near future.

Just look at the artistry in this kitchenette - the cabins at Rocky Bend are fabulous.  (Photo: Rocky Bend)

It was much too cold for camping, but having the SolAire there made the hospitality work easier.

We've got camping fever.  We're ready for some warmer weather.  Somehow, watching Sunday afternoon television in the SolAire while parked in the backyard just doesn't fulfill the need to go camping.

This sums it up - thanks to the internet for sending this photo our way.

Fall Finale

Tailgating Camp-Style
The Georgia-Auburn game has become one of our fall highlights.  We look forward to this gathering of friends and family each year, alternating between the hayfields in Auburn and the campground behind Big Dog Tire in Athens.

Nighttime in the hayfields

This year was no exception. Our menfolk headed out of town on Thursday, campers in tow, to set up camp in the land of the War Eagle or the Tigers or whatever those Orange and Blue fans call themselves.  They snagged an ideal spot plenty large enough for five rigs and a roaring campfire. Buddy camping at its best.

Plenty of firewood ready to keep us warm; Game Day playing on the TV

A tent full of food at all times

Lots of food, warmth by the campfire and fun-filled team spirit occupied our time in Auburn.

Some of our group attended the game; others of us kept the campfire burning.  Afterwards, we watched the Georgia bus convoy leaving town; Coach Richt drove separately - we wondered why - the news Sunday morning answered: he flew to Washington state to recruit.  It wouldn't be but a few weeks more before we'd learn of Richt's departure from UGA.


Thanksgiving at Hannahatchee
After enjoying a scrumptious Thanksgiving Dinner at the lake with family, we headed over to Louvale to Hannahatchee for a couple nights of camping with John & Becky in their new camper.

We learned that we can survive a few days with a generator and a full water tank in place of electric and water hookups.

Boondocking at Hannahatchee with Becky & John

Thanks to the Gator at the farm, we ventured into the badlands under cover of darkness - oh, it's creepy! Remember when we visited last spring?

On Friday, our foursome toured the Infantry Museum at Fort Benning.  We were especially intrigued by a tiny exhibit on the 1983 invasion of Grenada as we have a cousin who was involved in this operation.  No Black Friday shopping for us!

New Year's at Mike's Place
We rounded out the year with a final trip to St. Joe Beach.  We arrived at the campsite to find the neighbors had celebrated the season with lots of lights.

Signs of the season lit up the neighborhood

We met our friend Mike and his companion there, endured a cool and breezy boat ride up the canal, and watched fireworks on the beach.

The sun came out for a few minutes - seemed like a good idea to put the boat in the water and take a ride.

The rain is about to start. Again.  Can you tell by the photo that it was cold?

We included the traditional New Year menu items to ensure our luck for the coming year: black eyed peas and greens with cornbread.

Always keeping warm with a campfire. Christmas lights remind us the season's not quite over.

We watched movies and television shows while it rained.  With friends around and adequate indoor space in the SolAire, we rang in the New Year just fine.

And, we marked our 50th night in the SolAire: January 1, 2016.

Autumn Escapes

He's been bugging me about not updating this blogspot.  If you've been wondering what happened, I haven't written about our fall and winter escapes because they are just that - escapes!  I left the laptop at school, took no work with me, and enjoyed the chances we had to get out of town.

I figure I'll do some catching up here and maybe that'll get me primed for our spring and summer adventures.

North Georgia Mountains
In October we visited Whispering Pines Campground in Morganton, GA.  Located just off the highway outside of Blue Ridge, this quiet campground is nestled alongside the gently flowing Hemptown Creek. Nestled is the nice word - tucked tightly is more like it.

Hemptown Creek flowing next to the Whispering Pines Campground in Morganton, GA

We arrived late in the evening after all the other campers had burned their day's ration of firewood and called it a night.  Our reserved space spanned a few feet between two other campers.  With a narrow driveway, a couple of trees, and a propane tank all perfectly situated, we tested Jamie's parking prowess. This was a one-shot backup - no retries.  We caught a limb, but luckily no damage.
It was so late, and the campground so quiet, that we chose to forego our usual careful leveling for the night.

Fall in the north Georgia mountains is delightful.  The temperature was pleasant, the leaves colorful.
With Jamie's mother and aunt, who stayed at their cabin, not in the campground with us, we enjoyed the Blairsville Sorghum Festival and the Punkin Chunkin in Brasstown, NC.  The Punkin Chunkin was a real treat - we'd never seen anything like it before. Man, they could toss a pumpkin!  That was some serious engineering for such silliness.

Punkin Chunkin 

Fortunately, I had made an advance reservation at one of my favorite spas, Serenity in the Mountains. I relaxed and enjoyed the pampering on Monday.  To how much I like this spot, read my previous review.

Prior to this trip, we had purchased an Oster roasting oven.  We tried it out.  Oh. My. Yum!  We baked a turkey breast and treated Sandra and Jan to dinner in the SolAire.  It was so delicious that we used the oven again at home for Christmas.

The Oster Roasting Oven

We baked cookies in the Oster.

My lumberjack keeping the fire burning

St. Joe Beach
Fall at the beach is another of our favorites.  We made a quick trip to St. Joe Beach in late October. Sunny afternoon on the beach.  Football on television.

Baked a cake in the Oster!  This little gem is incredible.