Conker Camping

 The plan has always been to develop our campground as a family business. This year, the newest member of our team- Beth- is now working at the campground fulltime. She and her husband Joey bring a new energy to the campground as well as many new ideas for us to explore. Among them is their social media presentence as Conker Camping. They do weekly pod casts and publish camping blogs. Instagram is  also a platform for fun photo's and posts. There is still a lot we want to do with video, but we are taking one each project one step at a time. 

One of the ways we will be using this space is to post the Conker Camping blogs our guests are likely to enjoy. We will also sharing the link to the Conker Camping Podcasts( Conker camping)
.  We are excited to include new camping perspectives in this space as well as sharing past camping experiences. Whether we are working on a new project or taking a trip to see what others are doing, the camping industry is a dynamic place to work and enjoy the outdoors. 

 This spring we are taking advantage of the good weather to determine what we like to do best and think more about what still needs to be done here at Lake Eufaula Campground. For me a new passion is landscaping. We have lots of wooded areas to enjoy and explore but we also have several spaces that would look better with new plants. shrubs and bushes.  Not everything grows well in sandy soils with very warm summer months but we are slowly discovering what works best. 

Rick and Joey are all about building and other projects that improve the facility. Visitors will notice a clearer path to the creek down by the point, more definition at the prayer labyrinth and soon a new look to the office and shed areas. 

Beth is bringing to the campground her love of design and style. She has an appreciation for clean lines and open spaces. She made the decorating choices for the new tiny house and has a new vision for the current office space. 

We have already had a very busy spring and we expect this trend to continue as more people get a COVID vaccine and life gets more mobile again. Scheduling our own campground get- a-ways has become more important as reservations are filling up quickly up at nearby campgrounds.  So plan ahead if you plan to come see us. Happy Spring!

The Tiny House

 

The tiny house project at Lake Eufaula Campground has in many ways been a labor of love. It starts with the love of creating something- having an idea and seeing it come to life. Those of you that enjoy woodworking, crafting or sewing appreciate the creativity involved in competing such a a project. A project well done is a work of art. Art is food for the soul.

This project in particular involved bringing the family together. Whether it was sharing expertise related to carpentry skills or collaboration on interior design, each of us played a part in bringing this little house to life. We imagine who might live here and how each part of the design will meet their needs. We are focused on the details and building something that is beautiful both inside and out. Our world,  especially online, is filled with images and information. Building this house is something concrete- something to share with others. 

Soon we plan to have an open house for the community- with social distancing of course - and there will be online videos. We are discussing  how people can try it out for a weekend retreat or options for renting longer term.  Given all the projects involved in running a campground, the house took longer than anticipated to complete, but it did come in on budget. It has several interesting features from a conduction stove top to a modular air conditioning system. The porch design provides for more functional outdoor space. The lot on which it currently sits is midway between the pool area and the back fishing ponds. We want to showcase it's design. 

 As to next steps, if you are interested in tiny house living please contact us at the campground. We are discussing the option of putting together a tiny house village on the property. We have space in mind and our team would love to build more tiny houses. To anyone new to RV camping a RV is your home away from home. Life is less about stuff and more about location. It's a shared experience. Tiny house living takes that option to the next level. We have found that what we heard about living in a campground is true. It's not your big house that is the center of everything- your pool is in one location, your porch someplace else and living outside is a major benefit. Rick likes to point out that wherever you go is where you are. While that is certainly true here's hoping you love where you live.  

COVID 19

 As we think about our world forever changed for the near future, the idea of balance seems even harder to come by than usual. There is a tendency to trust that those in charge are taking care of things and all we need to do is take everything one step at a time. On the other hand, it seems like now may be the time for action. Perhaps we need to make some bold moves in order to be better positioned for what lies ahead.

The campground is open. It is open now because being outdoors and staying in your camper is one way to practice social distancing and avoid the crowds, We are open because some RVer's need to drive home to be with family and others will need places to stay as they travel to do important work. The weather is cooperating so far. It is a beautiful spring and the kids home from school and daycare can spend much of their time outside.

Since we are in a small town, the national news is not reporting what is going on here. People travel through all the time on their way to more important destinations. That means like it or not we are at some point going to be exposed. We are lucky indeed to have a local hospital that is still open, a newspaper that is in print twice a week and a Chamber of Commerce that is in touch with small business. Not everyone here gets their news in the same way and so we have reached other to others to make sure we are keeping up to date.

Like you we wonder what bills to pay and whether we or those we love will become ill. We are glad to have community and thankful that we can be port in the storm for people that find themselves on the road. Many of our proprieties are changing as we decide what work needs to be accomplished and how best  to enjoy certain aspects of this new normal. It comes down to balance, and having faith and making good decisions. We can do this people and we are all in this together.

Tenting Anyone?

Back in my Girl Scout days our family had a four person tent. My sister and I would each hold a corner and mom and dad would have the other two. We could move our tent to get to the most level spot for a good nights sleep or we placed it on an open hay bale for extra cushioning. Two teams of one parent and one child were formed for most trips. One team cooked - the other cleaned up and we would alternate the next meal. One of the last memories our family had with my dad was recounting those good times in the  Rocky Mountains.  We also went on trips with other families- rain or shine- but there is nothing like a group of kids unleashed to use their imaginations in the woods.

Sites near the creek 

At Lake Eufaula Campground we now have  three tent areas for your use. The area by the creek is a great location for your group. It has a community campfire ring and lots of room for parking. We can launch kayaks from this area water level permitting. .

These Tent sites are across from the office 

The area by the pool is best on warm summer days when you will be in and out of the pool a lot. These sites have great shade and are close to the rest rooms for folks with small children or older adults. The sites are across from the office so they are not quite as isolated as the other two areas.

Now open are 3 sites by our large fishing pond. We are only allowing one vehicle back to these sites but they do provide more privacy than the other two areas. Be sure to bring shade cover for these new sites. They are recommended for older children since restrooms are not close by.
We can also accommodate smaller pop up tent campers on all of these tent sites if guests are not looking for sewer hook up or cable TV. 

. Thanks for tenting with us-Karen

Only one car allowed at pond sites

Milestones

 Five years into the adventure of owning a campground we have reached many milestones- some significant, others not so much. Starting in April a main milestone was reached when our son -in-law, Joey Conklin, was able to start working at the campground full time. Joey had been working in the steel building industry full of deadlines and time behind a desk. Campgrounds are different- in a good way.

It has been good for us to see the campground through fresh eyes and make a new list of priorities. We do admit having saved a few projects for him that required extra help, but we are also open to new ideas to make the campground even better. Because the newness has not yet worn off, simple tasks like cutting grass and solving a plumbing problem are completed with a bit more enthusiasm. There are lots of things to learn to keep a campground running smoothly, as we transition from him help us to us helping him. An extra pair of hands is always welcome.

One new project close to completion is the development of four new tent sites out by the first fishing pond. The campground will be hosting its first wedding in June and we soon will have power and water to that site. For those of you that have not been to the campground recently, our bathrooms are now fully renovated and we have new tile floors in the laundry and rainy day room. The pool has new fencing and a fresh coat of paint for the summer season.

This past year most of our guests were working in the area and work was progressing on renovations. Now that the work projects are completed we have more space for our weekend visitors. We have more cabin availability as well. Another big change is that Eufaula now has a Bowling Alley. Weekend guests will have something else to do indoors when there is a passing summer shower.
We have had some luck at jug fishing this spring but still need more practice at bass fishing. Joey has 3 sons that are always looking for things to do from swimming to bike riding to playing catch. The oldest is five so he has lots of help on weekends especially if it involves riding on the golf cart.
Everyone is invited to come visit us this summer- get away from your routine and enjoy the outdoors. Family makes it all worth it.

Raining Cats and Dogs

While most people may think that a long holiday weekend is a real money maker for a campground in reality is its more of a service to our guests. Yes, the weekend does promise additional revenue, but along with it comes added responsibility. It's one of the few times in the year where we may need to tell guests that we are full leaving them disappointed that they did not plan far enough ahead. Most every site is full so not everyone has as much space as they might like. We try to match the right site to the needs of the group but that is not always easy to do. This year there were additional challenges. The weather forecast had thunderstorms possible for about ten days before the holiday and 10 days after. Watching the weather reports, guests could expect that sometime during their stay it would be raining cats and dogs.

Long holidays are times when family and friends plan to camp together. We have many more requests for tent sites as well. This means when a group decides to cancel last minute due to weather concerns, we are often left with multiple sites open rather than just one. When guests do decide to take a chance on the weather,  owners worry that the weather conditions will spoil their good time or even put them at risk. This holiday had a bit of everything as large groups cancelled and last minute shoppers quickly filled the vacated spaces. We were so pleased to see that once the weekend was in full swing the weather was mostly nice and the rain was minimal. Our craft this holiday weekend was painting wooden cats and dogs. While the kids did not get the connection they were very creative in decorating the animals. So despite the forecast there was plenty of opportunity to have a good time.

Holiday weekends mean long days and lots of moving parts- they are hard but made easier by the good folks you meet along the way. Mid summer weekdays are quiet and peaceful. Weekend campers bring energy and excitement. Longer term guests and weary travelers  need a safe and quiet place to rest. What we hope to say is that all types of guests are welcome here. Variety is a good thing- like a  dog that gets so excited to see its owner or the cat quietly sitting in your lap. We hope everyone had a chance to reflect on the reason for Memorial Day and the sacrifices made to proved us with the freedoms we enjoy. Thank you for joining me in this reflection- Karen

2018- Look Out

We have to admit that winter in Eufaula does not have the same hectic pace we see during three day holiday weekends or peak vacation season. Still it is a great time to welcome longer term guests, finish up pending projects and plan for the new year. We actually do update the business plan each year and its great to see what we have accomplished and what ideas we had that are now part of the Campground tapestry. Even a simple thing like Pool Christmas Decorations helps make the space more festive and fun.

For the last several years one of the more interesting questions to answer has been how many sites do you have? The campground was designed with many more sites than we actually use on a regular basis so this year we took the plunge to make as many sites as possible larger, basically double sites. I look forward to site 59 having as much character as site 38 and being a great option for your weekend camping trip. We were also able to work with the cable company to get these sites all hooked up with cable TV. 

The big ongoing project for the year is working to upgrade the bathroom area so we can offer more individual space for campers and day use. Its a bit of balance to work on the new area but still keeping the older sites operational. So far so good with no major problems encountered as we proceed with the upgrades.  One project the family is rather excited about is offering some tent spaces in the 9 Ponds Retreat Center area. These sites, once completed, will be a bit more private and will encourage more people to enjoy the space. If we get the expansion completed by year's end we will be doing well - keep up with our progress on facebook.
We are entering our 4 year for hosting a chili cook off and this will be year two for our spring Bike A Thon . We would love to do more weekend focused events like orienteering or a cornhole tournament but since the interest of our guests vary a great deal look for these new ideas on holiday weekends to start.  Thanks to all of our Guests for your continued support and your help in making the campground better each year.