In the Swim

 The pool is open for the 2017 season and if the weather cooperates it will soon be filled with guests young and old. Once the pool is up an running summer can't be far behind. To be in the Swim means lots of activities are happening and we all need to plan ahead for those long holiday weekends  of Memorial Day and the 4th of July

While many winter guests stay months at a time, summer reservations are more about spending the weekend outside. One of the challenges we face as owners is to help summer campers get the type of site that best will meet their needs. Large family groups need extra parking. Some folks want waterfront sites while other prefer that the pool is not too far away. Shade is key for some RV owners but not those that need satellite TV access.

As we now enter our 4th year as campground owners the seasonality of the park continues to both amaze and challenge us. Grass cutting is in full swing once again. Some of the rose bushes could  use some trimming but its nice to see flowers and new growth. The bike trail is becoming more popular and many of our guest are renting bikes or bringing their own bicycles to enjoy the ride.

This is the first year I have seen an Ibis in the back ponds and we have a blue bird couple starting a family. There is a 16 lb catfish in the first pond. Its been hooked twice and thrown back in the hopes that younger guests  will have a chance to land it. We trust that guests that enjoy the sport will catch and release - especially the bigger fish that are such fun to catch. we don't require catch and release since we have been told by Fish and Wildlife that harvesting a certain number allows other fish to grow bigger.

We have a couple of surprises planned that we hope to launch by Memorial Day. we have also commented to getting out on the boat once a week to enjoy this beautiful area of Alabama. Come see us this summer - we have a lot going on here at the campground.

It's My Birthday!

It's rather nice that our new "Micki " cabin is completed just in time for my birthday and Eufaula's Pilgrimage weekend. When you get older birthdays are less about the presents and more about reflections on good times. The campground was very full these last couple of months with longer term guests and it nice to see some sites open up and weekend campers starting to arrive.

Having a spring birthday adds to the celebration when you live at a campground. My favorite color is green. Spring green is everywhere as flowers and new leaves invite us all to enjoy the outdoors. The pontoon boat is going back in the water this month as well. We are starting to make plans for our summer holiday crafts and the 2017 Children's Scavenger hunt is good to go. It will be another few weeks before the pool is open but new flowers are already in place.

Besides working on the cabin this winter we have spent some quality time bird watching.  Plan now for next years Fin's Feather and Flowers Event held the last weekend in February. I have discovered that the way to learn more about birds is to go out with a group of people. The more eyes you have looking, the more you see. We have a birding scope that shows lots of detail even when the birds are further away. Bird watching can be very much like fishing.. You stay focused on the activity giving you a break from day to to day responsibilities. Spotting a new bird is like trying to catch a fish. Some get away  as they fly quickly out of view while others let you study them or even take a picture.The added bonus is no fish cleaning at the end of the trip.

Even though my age is fast approaching those golden years this is still just our fourth year at the campground. We are looking forward to our first Spring Bike A Thon and our grandson catching his first fish.Spring is a wonderful new beginning. Happy Birthday to us all. 
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Drought and Lessons Learned

No Campfires Permitted  Due to the Drought

A rainy day at a campground often puts a damper on planned activities. However, at this point most of us would welcome some showers to end the drought that has been going on almost two months. We are under a statewide campfire ban, the sites are pretty dusty and I am sure that any day now I will see top fins sticking out of the water because our fishing ponds are so low. Contrast this with temperatures being above normal, the leaves changing colors and the birds we see that are migrating south. It seems that nature is playing with us as we head into the late fall and the early winter camping season.

In my most sane moments I recognize that one thing you cannot control is the weather. Over time I am learning to be more tolerant but that does not mean I don't watch forecasts closely around major holidays or the weekend of the Chili Cook Off. I guess if  I think rooting helps my favorite football team, I can at least try the same logic when it comes to the weather. Like all examples of the extremes these conditions have shown us some things we might not otherwise see. I find it interesting to note which plants seem to hold up well and which ones look the most thirsty. I wondered about the depth of each pond and now we have a better idea of how deep they really are. I was also surprised to see how smooth the base of the pond is - I expected more weeds and rocks to be located 2 to 3 feet from shore.

I know that at some point the drought will end. I can almost anticipate the relief the land will experience as dry layers of dust taste the first few drops of moisture. Rain will then cover all of the ground until some spots end up with puddles. One reason people enjoy the outdoors so much is that what happens in nature reflects in many ways what happens in life. If you are in a personal drought of sorts we hope the holidays and the new year will help lift your spirits and offer you hope. The firewood pile that sits idle now will again be in high demand and new wood will be added once this pile gets smaller. We will be more careful in drought conditions knowing that it is possible to make matters worse if we are careless or unaware of how the drought impacts areas in our lives we often take for granted . It says in the bible that "all things work together for good for those that love God". Let us all learn the lessons a drought is designed to teach us and prepare well for some of the rainy
days that lie ahead.

Sunday Morning

Sunday morning at a campground tends much more about going rather than coming. The goal is that every guest has had a great time or when traveling, an uneventful stay. As each camper leaves, others will come in soon. Sometimes, though,  it is  hard to watch the RVs pull out and the tents come down. We personally make it a point to go to church knowing that many of  our guests will not be attending services on camping or travel Sundays.

On most Sundays worship really starts at dawn. The birds are singing, the rooster crows and we have this very peaceful time to reflect on the week and plan for what is ahead. When our kids were young we were fortunate enough to own a lake house on the north side of Houston . Two high powered jobs left us wanting quite and quality family time. Before cell phones and with no TV we took rides in the canoe, went out to swimming island and watched the dog try to figure out what to do with a box turtle. Most Sundays we made it back for church. Not only was our congregation full of friends very involved in mission and outreach but we needed time to transition from the calm to gear up again for the busy week ahead.
We know that many working parents have not made church a priority. The traditional services that are full of meaning to those who have come to a strong understanding of their faith may not seem very relevant to  parents of young children that rarely went to church. More modern music and a projector has impact for some but in either case it tends to be the relationships with other believers that flesh out what church is all about.
I know that as a young adult church was often the only time during the week that my mind was not focused  on my work and my personal priorities. This quiet hour gave me some perspective and eventually, with time, my focus changed to what was happening in the service. I started to better appreciate that the hour was not just defined by the sermon or the music. I saw value in confession, the offering and  prayer. I wanted to learn more and recognized that for all the books and studied I had read I had not yet read the bible.  Church helped me better define who I am, what I believe  and my priorities. I have come to see faith as the most important part of my life.
So as I reflect on Sunday morning I trust that some of our campers see what I see as dawn approaches, I hope that those who walk our spiritual trail are touched by some of the richness the bible has to offer. I pray that people of faith find effective ways to make churches more a place you want to be and less of something you feel you should do. Lets remember that in the end its not about how many mountains you climbed, how many dollars you earned or how many experiences you had- its about relationships and honoring the glory of our creator. Amen.
 

On-line Booking and Reservations-Lions and Tigers and Bears -Oh My!

Completing transactions on- line is transitioning from a trend of the future to the way many people do business.The first time we bought something on EBay, I was just a bit uncertain about entering the credit card numbers, but the folks at Pay Pal helped me feel a bit more secure.  The last time I did a purchase from Walmart, I liked the price but really wondered if I had the right site pulled up. It's hard to tell sometimes. My daughter stays Amazon Prime has become much too easy to use. If you like on- line options the following information may help you with your next campground reservation.
  Here at Lake Eufaula Campground our on-line reservation system helps me track the comings and goings of guests weekend to weekend and keeps records of sites reserved months ahead.We only have a few sites listed for on- line reservations- 10 actually- because the main goal is to show a sample of what we have to offer rather than overwhelming everyone looking at every site option. If the listing helps overnight guests secure a spot when traveling that makes sense as well.Although our current reservation system securely asks for payment information, you are not charged until you arrive.

We have also decided to add to our list of on-line options. Here is how it all works:
1. We are excited to help launch "CAMP NATIVE" for on- line booking. This website takes payment at the time you make a reservation through a secure pay system. We felt this company offers a lot of information about the campgrounds you may encounter on your trip, as well as cutting down on check- in time. Their staff is very friendly and helpful. In addition we hope that Camp Native can help get the word out to more potential winter residents about our winter options. We have not found many web based sites that provide the type of detailed information winter residents need when spending several months in the same location.
2. Trip Advisor  We have a two of our cabins listed through Trip Advisor and it has helped get the word out for people not familiar with the area or those that do not know we have cabins. You pay up front on this site and we get word if you want to book. This helps since someone may have just reserved the cabin right before the request was sent. Trip Advisor limits the type of interactions we can have with a guest until the cabin is booked. Once payment is secured we can exchange contact information and talk on the phone.
3. Pitch Up- This site is nice because it targets guests traveling from  Europe. Feel free to Google the site to see how it shows campground information.

You can find our campground on -line through Good Sam but the webpage does not support booking on-line at this time. We plan to offer on -line reservations and booking from our Facebook page soon. We hope its not too confusing to offer site reservations on Facebook and our web page as well as  booking ( paid reservations ) with Camp Native. When traveling I tend to be a bit old school and use the Good Sam Book as my starting point. I get to see what sites are in the area before checking out the web pages on my phone. I am getting better at entering required information but there is something to be said for talking to a person who can head me in the right direction, explain the rates or help me find the a good spot. We hope you find our new on- line options helpful but when in doubt please call. We love to talk about everything our campground has to offer.

East of the Pecos

The picture to your left is part of the Pecos Wilderness in northern New Mexico. After 18 years we were fortunate enough to meet up with our girls and their families to revisit the region where they were raised. Las Vegas, New Mexico is a town about the size of Eufaula with a rich history of the American West. We stayed in a campground just south of town which served as our base of operations for day trips to the mountains, Taos and Santa Fe. We ate lots of tortillas and green chilies. The temperatures ranged from about 72 to 84 and most days had a brief afternoon shower. We explored the trail heads where Rick had taken guests llama trekking( that is hiking with llamas carrying the gear) and visited an alpaca ranch that we knew of from our time raising llamas.  At church we met up with some old friends and we made a few new ones on our trip as well. In the canyons there were people with strings of trout and we visited the fish hatchery where many of the fish were raised.  We understand New Mexico stalks some streams as often as once a week. There were high mountain campgrounds with very people and crowded streets full of tourists. I loved walking in the mountains as we enjoyed days with low humidity and mild temperatures.

As part of the trip we visited a number of different campgrounds in a variety of locations. On this trip we stayed at several campgrounds that were more like large parking lots designed for easy access to and from the freeway. It might be a good business model but they offer more of a travel experience than a camping experience. It was good to see how other parks are designed and as we got closer to home the " to do" list took shape with some new ideas and a refreshing perspective. As lovely as the western part of the United states is, we do enjoy being East of the Pecos.

Vacations are important not just for memories made and relaxation but also for new perspectives. The warm days of summer mean more hours spent by the pool and some midday adventures that include air conditioning. The campground is quite now waiting for weekend guests enjoying long summer days. Don't put off spending time away with family and friends- the rewards are well worth the journey.   

Spring Fever

Most of time spring fever refers to longing for the end of winter in anticipation of the warmer and longer days that lie ahead. This year spring fever refers to the fevered pitch that we have been working to get ready for the 2016 camping season. First we started on the campground " to do" list. These are the projects that have been on the list for awhile that don't fall into that "must do now" category. Getting this new larger sign posted was one of several items on the list. All new site markers, more flower beds between each site and the designation of several larger sites were some of the items that made the top ten list for 2016. Restrooms are now air conditioned for the summer months that lie ahead.

Several community projects that were in the works  began to move forward as the weather warmed up. Working with the Friends of Lake Eufaula,  the new brochure for the Alabama Scenic River Trail will soon be ready for publication. It will be a great guide for paddlers on the lake. The paddling  map stretches from Phenix City south to the Alabama boarder.  4-H gardening has started and we are almost set for our big planting meeting in April. We have made bird houses, garden stepping stones and learned about local soils. 4-H is also involved with kayaking.   The River Kids program in Eufaula will have a kick off day in July. The kayaking program will be  part of fun day for local 4-H ers hosted here at the campground.  Our community group also met to make plans for next year's Winter Residents. A kick off breakfast in November will feature vendors of interest to folks that call Eufaula home for the winter months. 

At the beginning of March construction started on the extension to the city bike trail. If you notice a semi trailer parked at the east end of the campground, its there temporarily to help the builders construct the trail as soon as possible. If all goes well we should have a working trail by Memorial Day.    Out new rental bikes arrive this weekend complete with a bicycle built for two. We also elected to get the pontoon boat in the water in March to get ready for numerous outings on the lake. 

We still have space to accomidate most every need but the choice of sites for guests is more limited. The mini cabin has been very popular and our new Mash Army tent  is also attracting some interest. Reservations are recommended- especially for holiday weekends. The backdrop to all of these activities has been the beautiful spring weather. Fishing has been good and we have had several visitors enjoying this special time of year. Before you know it the pool will be open and the season will be in full swing. We hope everyone enjoys this year's improvements. We have had a lot of fun getting ready.