On the road again ... I went camping where the weather was nice and cool. In fact I would get in the truck and just look around in the mornings so I could run the heater and get warm. Something we don't have to do down here in the land of Heat & Humidity. I did find out that the mountains pooped out my ole truck just like they did with me. The truck and I liked going down hill but going up was work but both of us could make it in low gear.
I hit the Smokeys at Cherokee and went over to Bryson City at Deep Creek for some camping and one great supper at a local Italian restaurant with Jean & Sam of Adventure Foods. It is a good thing we got together for supper and didn't have some of her camping food at my camp. It rained all night long. We were nice and dry in the restaurant and when I got back to my camp site my camping gear was dry.
I was using the camping cot just to try it and see what would happen. But I am getting ahead of my self so let me step back about two steps and tell you what happen.
On the way up there I meet some bikers that were going camping and we got to shooting the breeze then I found out they were from Oviedo and Geneva.
Chuluota is right between the two of them down here. Anyway one thing led to another and they work with the scouts and do a lot of camping and hiking but not much with boats ... but forgetting that (They were on cycles and I am a former rider) I shared some of Jean's camping chow with them for when they would arrive at there camping area the next day this way they would have a great snack while setting up camp. Chicken salad and mud pie.
I got to my 1st campsite and it was some great weather , clear skies and cool ,so I set up my Eureka Timberline tent.
Just one camp site over from mine was occupied by Diane, who is a teacher from Texas going to Boston, for a teaching job and having a blast getting there.
She is hitting all of the good spots and camping, hiking, white water boating, taking in the local activities and meeting nut's like me.
I got a tickle out of one of her problems ... she was trying to get a good fire going so she could cook some veggies and a turkey breast wrapped in foil on the coals from the fire. The fire would not work for her so I stacked it and shortly she had the coals for some good cooking. It was getting late for me (after 8 P.M.) so I went to bed.
In the earlier part of the afternoon the two guy's camping behind (or south) of my camp were fly fisherman and they were having some pretty good luck with the local trout population. Well, good luck for them and not for the trout who got invited to supper. They were going upstream for the fishing because the stream area by the campground was full of kids on rubber tubes and no self respecting fish would have been there.
Now to get back to the 2nd night when I took the tent down and tried the tent cot. This is when I had the pleasure of meeting and sharing a delicious supper with Jean & Sam of Adventure Foods (who are members of this forum) at an Italian Restaurant in Bryson City.
I should have known that when everything starts out great it usually will go sour..... NO .... Not with Jean & Sam That was the best (most enjoyable) part...... But later when I got back to camp. It was raining in buckets with the 4th of July fireworks (lighting) in the sky. All I can say is the tent cot was dry but during the night in the tight confined space of the cot I rubbed or took some skin off my right elbow which caused me problems on the rest of the trip.
It was not the cot's fault because if I would have used some form of support (My Thermarest Mattress) then I really don't think that would have happen. I will say this ... The cot is really comfortable and I did get a good nights sleep.
The tent cot is really easy to break down and only takes a minute which is good when it is cold and raining on you with lighting all around and sometimes to darn close. One time I got into the truck for safetys sake.
Into town for some breakfast because it was to wet to cook, unless you like your eggs watered down and a wet breakfast..... Yes, .... I had a tarp with me but could not find the para cord to put it up with and sure as heck I left it at home, which I found out when I got back to the house several day's later.
When I got over to Big Creek on the Tennessee, North Carolina border and set up camp. I found out from Tom (Uncle Bone's) and his wife that the same storm came thru there and dropped a ton of hail which took out a lot of good size branches from the trees.
My campsite, in fact the whole camping area, was covered in torn branches and even one huge tree was down , after cleaning my area I got the tent up which was a good thing.
It Rained and Rained and Rained and Rained so I did something that I have not done for a loooooong time, crawled in the tent and took a nap listing to the rain and enjoying the cool air. The best, most relaxing, sounds in this world for me.
Four hours later when the rain stopped and I was refreshed then I got to do some hiking, or just walking around, returning to the camp I cooked up some cornbread in the bakepacker to go with my bean soup.
Then sure as heck it started to rain again so off to the tent to stay almost dry. The tent had three areas that just wanted to leak.
Between the rains I had the pleasure to meet another camper and, fellow, outdoor nut, Ronnie.
He had (Had is the key word) one of the nicest walking sticks that I have ever seen and I told him that, You know me not bashful at all. Well, he liked the southernpaddler shirt that I was wearing and suggested a trade for the stick.
No, not my dirty, sweaty, well worn, shirt but one of the new and improved shirts. We made a trade one (southernpaddler) shirt for the (very beautiful, hand made, mountain) walking stick.
As I told Ronnie I got the better trade but later he wants to come down to Fla. to camp & paddle and that I will help him with.
I got to meet some great folks (fellow campers and outdoors enthusiasts) and enjoy there stories and company. I also have a feeling they enjoyed some of the chow I cooked in the Bake Packer. You can make quite a lot in it and Jeans two person packs are quite generous in the portions and very tasty both the hot and cold prep foods. I think, I gained some weight on this trip.
By the way the Fireflies or Lighting Bug's were out at night (when it was not raining) and it looked like the 4th of July in the woods every night, something that I have not seen for a looooooong time and loved every minute of it.
The park service had several of the back country trails closed because, of the way they so pleasantly put it ..Aggressive Bears . This might explain why there were so many folks doing the white water in the little plastic kayaks or tubes, What bear would want a fast , wet ,meal? The rivers were moving along at a good speed, my guess is that all of the rain helped to increase the water flow.
One other thing about me , out camping or paddling and this trip proved just that...... Did I say it rained?
Tents are nice but leak, Tent Cots are off the ground and waterproof but short on elbow room, Hammocks have a lot of comfort, room, are off the ground and easy to set up. ..... Guess which I like?
"O" before you answer that question.
I did find one more way to enjoy camping .... It includes a room that has A/C or Heat, a shower and/or bath tub with hot and/or cold running water, a big comfortable bed, electric lights and sometimes room service, with a large assortment of cooked foods and cold drinks and you don't have to do anything but unlock the door to enjoy all of it.
.
I include one of these for my enjoyment on every, out of state, camping trip when returning home.Something about a hot bath and a good ,cold, drink while in the tub soaking.
Chuck.
By The Way .....Even while camping at the motel room I looked out the window and sure as hell there was a monsoon , blowing ,outside. I was inside nice and warm , clean refreshed and having a good drink. It was a great trip and I had a blast.
I hit the Smokeys at Cherokee and went over to Bryson City at Deep Creek for some camping and one great supper at a local Italian restaurant with Jean & Sam of Adventure Foods. It is a good thing we got together for supper and didn't have some of her camping food at my camp. It rained all night long. We were nice and dry in the restaurant and when I got back to my camp site my camping gear was dry.
I was using the camping cot just to try it and see what would happen. But I am getting ahead of my self so let me step back about two steps and tell you what happen.
On the way up there I meet some bikers that were going camping and we got to shooting the breeze then I found out they were from Oviedo and Geneva.
Chuluota is right between the two of them down here. Anyway one thing led to another and they work with the scouts and do a lot of camping and hiking but not much with boats ... but forgetting that (They were on cycles and I am a former rider) I shared some of Jean's camping chow with them for when they would arrive at there camping area the next day this way they would have a great snack while setting up camp. Chicken salad and mud pie.
I got to my 1st campsite and it was some great weather , clear skies and cool ,so I set up my Eureka Timberline tent.
Just one camp site over from mine was occupied by Diane, who is a teacher from Texas going to Boston, for a teaching job and having a blast getting there.
She is hitting all of the good spots and camping, hiking, white water boating, taking in the local activities and meeting nut's like me.
I got a tickle out of one of her problems ... she was trying to get a good fire going so she could cook some veggies and a turkey breast wrapped in foil on the coals from the fire. The fire would not work for her so I stacked it and shortly she had the coals for some good cooking. It was getting late for me (after 8 P.M.) so I went to bed.
In the earlier part of the afternoon the two guy's camping behind (or south) of my camp were fly fisherman and they were having some pretty good luck with the local trout population. Well, good luck for them and not for the trout who got invited to supper. They were going upstream for the fishing because the stream area by the campground was full of kids on rubber tubes and no self respecting fish would have been there.
Now to get back to the 2nd night when I took the tent down and tried the tent cot. This is when I had the pleasure of meeting and sharing a delicious supper with Jean & Sam of Adventure Foods (who are members of this forum) at an Italian Restaurant in Bryson City.
I should have known that when everything starts out great it usually will go sour..... NO .... Not with Jean & Sam That was the best (most enjoyable) part...... But later when I got back to camp. It was raining in buckets with the 4th of July fireworks (lighting) in the sky. All I can say is the tent cot was dry but during the night in the tight confined space of the cot I rubbed or took some skin off my right elbow which caused me problems on the rest of the trip.
It was not the cot's fault because if I would have used some form of support (My Thermarest Mattress) then I really don't think that would have happen. I will say this ... The cot is really comfortable and I did get a good nights sleep.
The tent cot is really easy to break down and only takes a minute which is good when it is cold and raining on you with lighting all around and sometimes to darn close. One time I got into the truck for safetys sake.
Into town for some breakfast because it was to wet to cook, unless you like your eggs watered down and a wet breakfast..... Yes, .... I had a tarp with me but could not find the para cord to put it up with and sure as heck I left it at home, which I found out when I got back to the house several day's later.
When I got over to Big Creek on the Tennessee, North Carolina border and set up camp. I found out from Tom (Uncle Bone's) and his wife that the same storm came thru there and dropped a ton of hail which took out a lot of good size branches from the trees.
My campsite, in fact the whole camping area, was covered in torn branches and even one huge tree was down , after cleaning my area I got the tent up which was a good thing.
It Rained and Rained and Rained and Rained so I did something that I have not done for a loooooong time, crawled in the tent and took a nap listing to the rain and enjoying the cool air. The best, most relaxing, sounds in this world for me.
Four hours later when the rain stopped and I was refreshed then I got to do some hiking, or just walking around, returning to the camp I cooked up some cornbread in the bakepacker to go with my bean soup.
Then sure as heck it started to rain again so off to the tent to stay almost dry. The tent had three areas that just wanted to leak.
Between the rains I had the pleasure to meet another camper and, fellow, outdoor nut, Ronnie.
He had (Had is the key word) one of the nicest walking sticks that I have ever seen and I told him that, You know me not bashful at all. Well, he liked the southernpaddler shirt that I was wearing and suggested a trade for the stick.
No, not my dirty, sweaty, well worn, shirt but one of the new and improved shirts. We made a trade one (southernpaddler) shirt for the (very beautiful, hand made, mountain) walking stick.
As I told Ronnie I got the better trade but later he wants to come down to Fla. to camp & paddle and that I will help him with.
I got to meet some great folks (fellow campers and outdoors enthusiasts) and enjoy there stories and company. I also have a feeling they enjoyed some of the chow I cooked in the Bake Packer. You can make quite a lot in it and Jeans two person packs are quite generous in the portions and very tasty both the hot and cold prep foods. I think, I gained some weight on this trip.
By the way the Fireflies or Lighting Bug's were out at night (when it was not raining) and it looked like the 4th of July in the woods every night, something that I have not seen for a looooooong time and loved every minute of it.
The park service had several of the back country trails closed because, of the way they so pleasantly put it ..Aggressive Bears . This might explain why there were so many folks doing the white water in the little plastic kayaks or tubes, What bear would want a fast , wet ,meal? The rivers were moving along at a good speed, my guess is that all of the rain helped to increase the water flow.
One other thing about me , out camping or paddling and this trip proved just that...... Did I say it rained?
Tents are nice but leak, Tent Cots are off the ground and waterproof but short on elbow room, Hammocks have a lot of comfort, room, are off the ground and easy to set up. ..... Guess which I like?
"O" before you answer that question.
I did find one more way to enjoy camping .... It includes a room that has A/C or Heat, a shower and/or bath tub with hot and/or cold running water, a big comfortable bed, electric lights and sometimes room service, with a large assortment of cooked foods and cold drinks and you don't have to do anything but unlock the door to enjoy all of it.
.
I include one of these for my enjoyment on every, out of state, camping trip when returning home.Something about a hot bath and a good ,cold, drink while in the tub soaking.
Chuck.
By The Way .....Even while camping at the motel room I looked out the window and sure as hell there was a monsoon , blowing ,outside. I was inside nice and warm , clean refreshed and having a good drink. It was a great trip and I had a blast.