One of the reasons we chose and like our Gulf Stream Visa is because it is a “green” RV.  They use environmentally friendly processes and materials in its construction.  Some of the materials are made from recycled plastic, and there is a distinct absence of the formaldehyde smell that I’ve noticed in other campers.  Apparently it’s not just Gulf Stream that considers the trailer “green,” but it is also certified by a third party.  Good.

So I was thinking tonight about gas mileage with the new camper, and that it’s gone down a bit with the added weight.  This was expected and not surprising.  Although it was surprising that the mileage didn’t decrease as much as we thought.  But with all that driving and gas going into the tank I realized we’re putting a lot of pollution and CO2 into the air in order to have this nature-centric activity.

So tonight I bought us some carbon offsets through TerraPass.  TerraPass is an organization that invests in companies that help offset carbon emissions in projects like wind farms and landfill gas reclamation.  I simply calculated how much gas we’re using, let TerraPass figure out how much CO2 we will be pumping out, and bought enough offsets to .. well, offset it.  Simple.  I’ve used TerraPass before and like what they do, how they do it, and that they’re independently certified.

Other people do other things.  They help pick up trash in parks and communities.  Some may help environmental causes.  In this case, I know that I’m helping to mitigate the impact I have on the environment, and I can help preserve it for the activity I enjoy and for others who do as well.

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Almost everything in the State Park system is booked up. Of course there are still walk-in sites available, but I wouldn’t make plans based on that. Even some of the campgrounds in the State Parks that rarely ever fill up are full. There was actually one site (out of two available) that I was interested in at Punderson State Park, but as I was looking at it someone else reserved it. Drat!

So next I checked out some of the local KOAs. Several of the ones we looked at are completely booked, even the one that is way out in the middle of nowhere. Somehow I lucked out, and the one campground we often stay at had some openings. Called right then and there. And now we will be camping Memorial Day weekend. I read that they have a parade and everything. Should I decorate the motorcycle?

If you want to go camping next weekend, book it now! I think if you wait until the weekend is over you might be planning 2 weeks out. Procrastination has its disadvantages.

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It was downright frigid Saturday night.  After coming back from the park the wind was blowing right off Lake Erie and it felt like it was below freezing.  We ended up putting the awning away before bed because we thought it might blow off.  For awhile it kinda felt like being in an airplane with the wind rocking the trailer back and forth.  We were glad to have a furnace in the new trailer.

GateKeeper was a great ride – waited 3 hours even after having arrived what we thought was early.  The line actually wrapped toward the front gate and back down the midway.  I’m looking forward to riding it again – just without the 3hr wait.  The highlight of the day though was at the very end when we went to ride Millennium Force (my favorite coaster of all time).  We ended up getting to ride it 6 times in a row.  Although cold, night rides are awesome.

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Sunday was a bit of a wash out.  It rained on and off most of the day, and it was cloudy and not as warm.  We did get to test the Visa for leaks though – good news that there are none.  Although we did find that if you leave the roof vent open and move the hitch, water will flow from the roof into the bathroom. Oops.  Went shopping for a few things that we now find we need.  One was a ratcheting wrench for the weight distribution hitch.  Yeah, that makes things go a little quicker when hitching up.

Also spent some time getting stuff organized.  We’re both apparently a little OCD about everything having a place in the trailer so there’s not stuff everywhere.  And since we brought the old trailer down with us and basically swapped everything out as quickly as we could at the dealer, there was stuff all about.  We found that there is ample storage space in the new trailer, and we even have a few cabinets that are empty!  We were also able to remove a tote worth of stuff that we never use – it’s always nice to simplify where possible.

I think the worst part of the day was when we brought the camper home and tried to get it into its parking spot.  We apparently underestimated how much rain we got, and the yard was a bit like the tough mudder.  We turfed a few spots, and I think our blood pressure spiked for the day.  But all’s well – it’s in a temporary spot until we can move around in the yard again. Second tip of the day: plan ahead.

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First is that it’s in a great location.  It’s just north of Polaris (which is a big retail area) so things you might need and stuff to do is close by.  Downtown Columbus is just a short drive down I71.  However, when you’re at Alum Creek you certainly don’t feel like you’re in an urban area.  In fact, the park isn’t really in an urban area.  It’s nicely out of the way.

Keep in mind we stayed there in the very early camping season so the place was pretty quiet.  Although there was a camper nearby who seemed to think that everything said needed to be shouted, especially with their music turned up.  We seem to remember coming down here back in the tent camping days and were turned away because the park was full, so I think this one gets pretty busy during peak months.

Facilities were functional and decent.  I would give them 2.5 stars out of 5 if I rated things like that.  Sites were nice sized and in the trees – didn’t feel like I would be staring right at a neighbor.  It’s a big campground with lots of trails right through it, and the lake is easily accessible.  Took a nice walk around one evening and watched the sun set at the lake.  Only downside I saw was when it rained and some of the campsites seemed to have some water issues.  Some were just muddy.  Others had standing water around the power post which I would find troublesome and/or shocking.

Overall, I would recommend the park.  Great location, nice park and campsites.  Just be aware when it’s raining to not play with electricity.

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It towed great for the 12 mile drive from the dealer to Alum Creek State Park. And I slept like a rock last night even with the power going out in the campground. We’re still getting settled in so I’ll post more observations later. But suffice it to say we’re pretty thrilled with it.

And now time has lost some hold over us. We woke up… Whenever. I haven’t really paid much attention to what time it is up until this point – and that’s because my iPad displays it for me and WordPress likes to post it. It’s nice for life to slow down a little every so often. Next time I will bring my blood pressure monitor so I will have concrete proof of my reduced stress level.

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Sunday night is a special day at the campground if you are staying the night.  It’s the day when most folks pack up and head home from their camping weekend.  The campground empties out and is very quiet that night.  Although campgrounds generally aren’t overly noisy, Sunday night is especially quiet.  It also makes it seem like you’re getting an extra day off.  You watch everyone pack up knowing you have another 24 hours of serenity.

There’s one moment though that I’m looking forward to.  It’s the moment when you know you’re there – when life slows down for awhile and you can start to catch your breath.  It’s when the camper is all set up, the awning is out, and you put the camp chair under it and plop down.  There’s nothing more to do, no schedule, and no demands.  I think that moment also includes a significant drop in my blood pressure.  It’s one of those slightly magical moments.

One should never take magical moments for granted.

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The mother settled on “weird” to describe the rest of her shoes.  And to the daughter I say kudos to you!  Thank you for not letting it go, and for making a difference in my evening.

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I woke up early for some reason this morning and decided to come to the lobby for some breakfast and to read for awhile. While here a girls soccer team came in to eat. One might think they caused a ruckus, but it was the parents who were rather obnoxious.

One woman in particular was rather loud, and with every story she told she got louder. She seemed upset that their team was so successful getting the keys to the city and a few other things. She exclaimed loudly about how she could see someone in their house while she was on the phone with them. And the part that got under my skin was when she went on about how she calls some kids team the Kentucky Queers.

I think some of the kids around her were embarrassed by her. I hope at some point she understands why.

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One would think that waiting for a few years would give people more experience in life from which to make a decision about who they want to spend the rest of their life with. I know that for me, if I had married earlier, I would likely be divorced. I was dating a nice guy, but he wasn’t the one I would have spent my life with. I know that by waiting I ended up marrying the love of my life. Better choice.

And some recent studies indicate that getting married a little later may decrease the chances of divorce. There are some studies from the 1960s and 70s that seemed to conclude that marrying after the early twenties made for a higher divorce risk. But studies done more recently contradict this older trend. The probability of divorce levels out after the 30s.

So I suppose what I’m saying is that I don’t think we need to pressure people into getting married for society’s sake. The world as we know it will not end if you don’t marry in your early 20s. Take the time to find the right person. Know that you’ve found the right one. If it takes a little longer so be it.

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