Our RV Journey, Part 7

My sister's suggestion to go camping at Stone Mountain is a good one. We have no reservations, but their website boasts they turn no one away. One of the benefits of being fully self-contained. We can go anywhere! But we're in luck, they have a site (lots of sites, actually).

We take the water taxi over and hike uphill in the sweltering heat and humidity lugging lawn chairs. We set up in the middle of the field. Bugs are biting. We drench ourselves in bug spray. We're tired and thirsty so we head for the visitors center. Lotus hangs out in the chairs; my sister and I browse the gift shop. After picking a few souvenirs, we load up on food and drink and take our seats.

The bugs are intense. We spray some more. And now the bugs are sticking to our greasy skin. Nobody else seems bothered by the bugs. Maybe they're attracted to DEET?

The show is spectacular. Fireworks interspersed with laser lights and photographs, all set to music. We had fun.

My sister enjoys the RV trip and jokes I should park it permanently in her driveway. Thanks, but we've got to start making our way North. We're due to pick up Buzz at camp in a few days.

The morning drive takes us on 7 lane roads cruising through Atlanta. My sister talks non-stop and fails to tell me when to merge left, when to merge right, when to exit. She takes us on a circuitous route, down narrow streets lined with mansions, roads under construction, no place to turn around. I think she forgot we were leaving; either that or she was stalling. We finally break free, say our goodbyes, and we head North toward Tennessee once more. Let's just say following route markers to find the interstate isn't any easier during the day than it was at night.

We spend all day driving, pulling over only to let the dogs out or microwave a meal. Since I'm not sure exactly how long it will take to get to Buzz's camp, I want some leeway. Just before dusk we hit the Virginia state line. The Exit book shows two campgrounds not too far away. Lotus is begging for WIFI. I tell her I can't promise anything, we're just picking one and that's that.

We end up following signs to a campground that has us turn into what looks like a recreational park, playground and picnic area. Signs for the campground point toward the back. We follow a winding road a couple of miles and see nothing that looks like a campground. I have my doubts about any WIFI. Soon we find a small ranger station at the edge of the woods. Trees hang low, the road is single lane and very narrow. I ask if my RV (all 33' of it!) will fit. He assures me there are larger rigs than mine in there. Okay. He directs me to the easiest back-in site he has and we inch up the hill, low-hanging branches scraping the roof. Every campsite is empty. I creep up the hill, passing suitable site after suitable site. Finally we come to a small patch of grass with a playground and bath house. Here we find two tents, a large motorhome, and a small trailer.

Backing in isn't as easy as the ranger made it sound. Sharp curve, lots of trees, low dangling branches, exposed tree roots. I give Lotus explicit directions on how she needs to guide me into the site. But when I look in my mirror she's standing there, hands in her pockets, staring at the ground. I start backwards but am suddenly stopped by something under my wheel. I yell for Lotus to look, and she declares there's nothing there. The fellow in the camper next door comes over and helps. I'm thankful there is electricity because we definitely need the air conditioning. Lotus and I watch a movie before catching some zzzz's.