It’s not over yet! The camping season may be winding down – but the best is still ahead. Our favorite time of year to camp is in the fall and this year we are doing a long trip . . . with friends! Alumalina, a long-running rally in North Carolina, is known for being one of the best; we are attending with 6 Airstream Friends – and about 200 other Airstreams! It is a big deal! Following my dental appointment, we ate a quick lunch and headed off by 11:30. Our first night destination was Plain City, Ohio and Pastime Park . . . just a 3-hour trip. A funny thing happened on the way to Pastime Park: Three years ago I pieced a quilt and never finished it with batting, backing and quilting. Two weeks ago I dropped it off to be finished at Heavenly Stitches . . . a little quilt shop in an old country church. Just 30 minutes out of the driveway, and just 11 miles away from the shop, my phone rang -- the quilt was finished and ready to be picked up! SIDETRIP! We were back on track quickly and reached Pastime Park before 3:00. We dropped the trailer and headed into our favorite outdoor recreation store, Recreational Equipment Inc. Tom bought boots there in May and the soles were considerably worn after just 6 months. Long story short – REI replaced them! I also picked up a new pair of lace-up shoes; newly shod we were back at the Silvermine for dinner. We had hoped to hitch up with John and Suzie for tomorrow’s 8-hour drive to North Carolina, but the fates conspired to keep them in town until later in the day. Tom and I planned for an early take-off in the morning, and with that in mind, we shut down early in the evening. With it getting darker so much earlier – it is not as embarrassing to go to bed early! Wednesday, Oct 23 We were awake at 6:00 a.m. – 41 degrees! By 6:30 we were on the road, in the dark, with lots of people heading to work and school buses. By 8:00 we were well south of Columbus, out of the traffic, and the sun was bright. Our navigator estimated a 7 hour trip . . . we knocked it off in 9 hours! Marion, NC – the Tom Johnson Camping Center – is smack dab in the middle of Smoky Mountain delights and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Welcomed at the gate, we were given an overview of the weekend and then turned loose to start enjoying. Our campground was a large open field with THICK grass, freshly mowed, and full hook-ups. At this time of year we appreciated the fact that there was full sun! Our little camping community, comprised of six Airstream units staged together in two back-to-back rows, was surrounded by individuals and other little communities. The Tom Johnson Camping Center is so big that it easily accommodated over 200 campers at Alumilina! The rest of the afternoon and evening was the usual set-up, meet-and-greet, and a quick circle around a campfire. By 8:00, the cold chased most of us in. John and Suzie did not arrive until 11:15, and when everyone else woke up in the morning – it was to find the whole gang here: Sue, Tam & Steve, Chris & Randy, Mike & Sue, Suzie & John, and Tom & Ella.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
October 2021
We don’t go camping any more . . . we go ‘streamin’ ! The “SIlvermine and His” is our 2018 25' Airstream Serenity with Salsa interior and front twin beds., and ‘streamin’ is the name we use to describe our adventures. Stream along as we document everything from weekend trips to longer summer excursions and full-blown vacations. You know what they say: if you’re not in an Airstream – you’re just camping!
Tom & Ella Brown |