Rocky Bend, Again

We love Rocky Bend! So it's the perfect getaway when we have weekend commitments at home: we can camp and we can attend family functions.

This weekend was especially JOYful.  We arrived at camp late Friday afternoon to find that our good friends Jerry & Angie were set up and waiting for us, and Miss Joy had already set up her new vintage-inspired canned ham camper.

Not only have we known Miss Joy practically all of our lives, but she's the mother to a State Trooper - of course, that's close to Jamie's heart - and, with her formal title of Dr.,  she served on my dissertation committee several years ago.  We were delighted to have her join us on her first outing in her adorable canned ham.

Ol' Grillbilly Jerry marinated our steaks and fired up the grill while we ladies prepped the rest of our dinner.  Miss Joy's appetizer of cream cheese and butter with a stir-in of herbs and garlic hit the spot; I was hungry. Did I miss lunch again?





Becky and John came for the grillin' - another great feature of camping close to home - and brought the potatoes and salad, and with Miss Joy's loaf of bread, dinner was complete .

We visited by the fire pit until deep into the night.
 

Miss Joy decided it was time to turn in, so she made her way back to the canned ham only to realize that she'd inadvertently locked the door. Oh, no! It's a good thing our two public safety officials know a thing or two about unlocking locked locks. Success!

A screwdriver and a flashlight - always a must have!

Lesson learned

Jamie shared his best campsite breakfast burrito the next morning, and we enjoyed listening to the river rushing over rocks and around trees.

Breakfast - Sara & Kayleb joined us Saturday morning 

The Flint River was out of its banks, minor flooding evident at Rocky Bend.  Throughout the weekend, the water level was dropping.  We were amazed as we watched various markings go from completely covered to completely uncovered over several hours.

Flood waters at Rocky Bend

Notice how far up the boat ramp the flood waters run

Saturday afternoon Grillbilly started up his magic again when he put a Boston Butt on the grill and a dutch oven of baked beans on the fire; dinner was, yes, quite delicious.

Pulling butt

Frying bacon in the dutch oven to add to the baked beans

This cook is pleased with his iron pot!

We lazed around the campground, soaking in the spring sunshine, reading a few chapters of a just-arrived Amazon delivery, smelling the grill and poking the fire.

On Sunday, Jamie and I joined his parents in Hopeful for a special baptism service and then family lunch at their home.  Afterwards, we headed back to Rocky Bend for our Sunday afternoon nap, lounging riverside; ahh, sleeping to the sounds of the river rushing past . . .

My Sunday afternoon nap view

But all good camping trips must end.  Monday's coming. 

We're counting down the days 'til Friday because we're heading out for Spring Break.

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.

Camping with Friends in the South Georgia Heat

We managed to end our summer with two weekends of buddy camping nearby and we marked our 30th night in the SolAire.  That's 25% of the nights since we took delivery in April.

First, we met David & Marie at Rocky Bend for their inaugural camping trip in their newly purchased travel trailer and the Flint River Poker Float, and second, we joined Jerry and Angie at Kolomoki Mounds State Park and Still Pond Vineyard's Grape Stomp Fest.

At Rocky Bend, we boarded the White Rose Saturday morning for a cruise upriver for the Captain to check on kayakers.

Flint River view at Rocky Bend

Jamie headed to the river's edge to catch a ride on the White Rose

Our camp proprietors & riverboat captain -- the scenery on the Flint River never gets old.

A cavern on the Flint River

Cruising the Flint River

At Kolomoki, we met Jerry & Angie for our final summer weekend; it's back to school time for the teachers in this foursome.

The SolAire and the Wolf Pup ~ camping buddies at Kolomoki

We were most appreciative of the spaciousness of the SolAire and the air conditioner blasting cold air, which offered us respite from the unrelenting south Georgia heat and humidity, and shelter from a torrential downpour --  indoor dining and a movie for four.

Angie warned us about the ants.  We had our first run-in with ants at Eastbank Campground; Angie & Jerry woke up Friday morning to find the ants had found them.  I stopped by Wal-Mart and bought every ant remedy on the shelf, assuring myself that if one didn't work, the other would.

As Jamie set up our rig Friday evening, I busied myself with preventive measures, surrounding our trailer with granules.  Fortunately, it worked!  We didn't see a single ant until Sunday morning as we were packing up, and those were on the outside.  A shot of spray handled the job.

We headed over to Still Pond in late morning.  After all, we were camping, and we just don't get in a hurry; that would defeat the purpose of the camping lifestyle.  The crowd had already gathered, but we found a little shade under a tree, set out our chairs, checked out the vendors (especially Cathy Cakes!), skipped out on stomping grapes, and listened to the band playing our kind of music.

Kept thinking I'd see Lucy stomping grapes at Still Pond Vineyard

The band at Still Pond entertained us for a set, but the lengthy line for lunch and a cool drink in the sweltering heat prompted us to cut the afternoon short and head for town. After grabbing a bite and cooling off at the local DQ, we explored Coheelee Creek.

The covered bridge has been sealed to prevent further graffiti and damage.

Water rushing over the rocky falls was a bit muddy after Friday night's rain; nonetheless, it was beautiful.

Our buddy campers Jerry and Angie

The Food
Of course, camping and friendships revolve around food.  We've greased our arteries well.  Bacon for breakfast, lunch and dinner, two weekends in a row.

Bacon wrapped cabbage quarters on the grill

Bacon & egg burritos

And more bacon:

Bacon & turkey club sandwiches

And bacon again . . . 

Some things are just more fun together . . . like cooking. Jamie & Angie cooked breakfast for us.

Buddy cooking

It's been a wonderful four months traveling with our SolAire.  We've definitely found our home away from home. And, we've enjoyed developing some camping buddies.

Here's to more camping soon!

Rocky Bend Test Run

In April, just 48 hours after taking delivery on the SolAire, we crossed the Flint River to spend the weekend at Rocky Bend Flint River Retreat with our friends Jerry and Angie.

The Flint River at Rocky Bend Flint River Retreat in Newton, GA - April 2015

Only 15 miles from home, this was the ideal setting for our first outing in the new camper.  She's a cadillac model. So much room inside!

Jamie checking out the entertainment package

 Rocky Bend is a quaint, quiet campground located a mile or so south of Newton, GA, on the banks of the Flint River.  We've been there several times, both in our camper and lodging in one of their cabins.  Super nice and helpful owners.  It's so peaceful sitting around the campfire until the early morning hours.

On Saturday, we ventured further west to Still Pond Vineyard for the spring Bud Break festival. What a fun day we had listening to the band and sampling the merchandise!