12-28-2019 Winton Woods

The weather was so nice for nearly 2 weeks in late December with daytime highs in the low 50's to the low 60's so I decided to take advantage of it and go camping. I went nearby to Winton Woods Hamilton (Ohio) County Park for several reasons such as it is located only a few miles from Carie's work therefore making it easy for her to join me after work and the campground is full hook up (minus water at the site due to the season). I was able to get the waterfront site which is never available during the high season. In fact this campground is so popular that it can be difficult to get in at all without advanced reservations...which is becoming the norm at most campgrounds these days.  :-( 
This was a different camp out for me because one of our kitties, Callie, had eyelid surgery the day I set up camp (the day after Christmas, 12/26/2019) so when I picked her up from the vet after surgery in the early afternoon she joined me camping, which is a first that our cats have ever camped with us but it also enabled me to care for her better and more personally. The confined space of the Airstream made it easy to not have to chase her around the house in order to catch her to give her her meds, keep her eyes clean and generally care for her, etc. Carie stopped by Thursday after work for a couple of hours and then joined me for the weekend Friday after work. We really enjoyed having Callie with us and may start bringing both cats with us more often.
Most of these pictures are of the Airstream and the campsite but a few of Callie and Carie, etc.
Enjoy...

The waterfront site -

Me! Happy New Year!!!

Callie recovering in the Airstream...

 Her nourishment setup. Her litter box was set up in the bathroom.

 Callie and Carie lounging -

 A closeup of our little gremlin and her eyelid surgery...

I met Carie for lunch on Thursday at Outback Steakhouse!

2019-11-02 Elkmont Campground - Great Smoky Mountain National Park

Friends Ella & Tom go to the Elkmont Campground every Fall in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. This year they made a rally out of it and invited all. It was beautiful. I believe it was me and Carie's first time actually camping in a National park. We've been to Nat'l parks before and camp near them but never in them. It was boondocking only, as are most Nat'l parks. We were there from Wednesday to Sunday. Other showed up at different days but most were there for that long weekend. There were 10 couples scheduled although four had to cancel for various personal reasons, so six couple in attendance. We did all kinds of fun stuff like hike to the old Elkmont "ghost town"   https://roadtrippers.com/magazine/abandoned-ghost-town-smoky-mountains/  and drive the Roaring Fork loop which is similar to the Cades Cove loop but smaller, we hiked one of the trails along the Roaring Fork loop, we did some shopping at the 8 mile Arts & Crafts loop   https://www.gatlinburgcrafts.com/    and of course we did touristy Gatlinburg and more. We avoided some of the other great sites due mainly to crowds and time constraints, like Kingman's Dome, Cades Cove, etc...

This sign photo compliments of the internet because the crowds waiting to take pictures with the sign were crazy...



Our setup at camp

 John preparing his morning coffee on his little BioLite

 Tom & Ella

 Turkey's were everywhere!

We did a 3 mile hike on one of the trails, well, they did, I did about a third of it. Mainly because the ground was wet with leaves and my inappropriate shoes were slipping all over the place.

(l to r) Judy, Tom, Georgia, Carie, Alan, Suzie, Rick and not shown is Tom taking the picture.

 Georgia & Carie on the trail

 

 Carie -

Alan & John

Chris & Lauren

 John cooking his famous pizzas for the group! They are delicous!

 

 The fixin's

 Lauren and Rick

 Carie, looking cute in the Airstream!

The Roaring Fork loop drive -

 More turkeys!

 

 

 

The Arts & Crafts Loop road

 

Sparky the glass blower...this guy was a hoot! Great story teller, honored veteran, and extremely talented and skilled in glass blowing, and self-taught!

 The Elkmont village (ghost town) -

Carie

 "Penny", one of Suzie & John's pups -

Back at camp...

Gassing up with Chris & Lauren on the way home -