Hello Friends!
As I look back at my last post, I realize I’m behind again…no surprise there right! Well I’ve been busy y’all! What can I say? Work stuff, home stuff, family stuff….but a lot of fun stuff too! How is everyone? Hope you are all doing well.
“I ain’t afraid of no ghosts!”
Who Camps On Friday the 13th???
Well…I did, along with some of my cohorts–and we lived to tell about it! So here’s what happened: In July, I volunteered to host brunch for a few of my classmate pals, which doubled as a planning meeting for a “girls only getaway” one of those wild and crazy gals came up with (not me I swear!)
We’re all in this FRIGHT together!
After tossing around several ideas, we came up with a campout in our local area. I know what you’re thinking….”kind of ordinary isn’t it Gal?” Well first of all, there ain’t nothing ordinary about this crew, and secondly…the campout was August, Friday, the 13th…in the dark…in the woods…with Jason Voorhees running loose around the campground!
Settled in for the night at Lawrence County Campground, Louisa, KY
Yes, you heard me! Famed killer from the Friday the 13th movie was alive and well at Lawrence County Park Campground in Louisa, KY! OK, let’s just say he was as well as he could be…considering he is a fictional character and has died like 12 times! Anyway, this was a super cool event put on by local charity organization, A Ray of Hope, along with several community partners to promote tourism and raise money. See video clip here: https://www.facebook.com/CatrinaVargo66/videos/1925818510922818
This hazardous happening included a campout, outdoor showing of the iconic movie, a scavenger hunt, ghost stories and s’mores around the campfire….all while campers were being stalked by Jason! Frightfully fun this was, and adding to the mood, don’t ya know a storm rolled in! The thunder and lightening set the scene perfectly; adding to the aura of the evening.
We were going to head down to the activities (we had VIP passes because Gal Gone Camping was a sponsor), but were just too comfortable to move away from the campsite…plus, we may have stumbled a little. We could hear the screams from where we were and figured we’d be safer staying put! The rain did usher us into the camper a time or two, but then dwindled to a few sprinkles for which we donned umbrellas. Hard core campers we are!
Hard core campers!
The rain stopped and turned into a perfect night around the campfire with old friends and great conversation that ranged from happy and sad, to weird and hilarious, to recalling memories from years back, to planning what our next adventure would be. A good time was had by all…right in our little hometown county campground. As I’ve said before–don’t forget to explore you’re own backyard and support local events!
Annie Oakley Festival & Darke County Fairground/Campground
In July, I also traveled to Greenville, OH for the Annie Oakley Festival! Y’all know how I love Old West history…well one of my heroes, Annie Oakley, the famous sharpshooter in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, was born in Greenville! Every year during the last full weekend in July, the town holds a festival in her honor and I wanted to go ever since I heard about it.
Finally made it to the Annie Oakley Festival, Greenville, OH
It’s a small, free festival, held at the Darke County Fairgrounds…complete with a campground! Cost to camp is $30 per night and they even have self registration if you get there after hours….which is very convenient. The campground is open throughout the year, not just for the festival, but is not available during the Darke County Fair and some other big events. Visit their website for full details: http://darkecountyfair.com/ All sites include water and electric. There are restrooms and showers, but most sites do not have any shade.
Campground at Darke County Fairground…and a beautiful sunset
“Ticket Booth Tent” & Minivan Micro Camper
Good thing I had my “ticket booth tent” as some of my friends call it. It’s a 4×6 expandable shade tent, cousin to the 10×10 model which I also have and will probably never use again! It’s just too hard to put up by yourself and too heavy. Yes, the case is on rollers, but is too much extra weight in the van and takes up way too much room. So yes, it may look like I’m selling lemonade or tickets to something…but the 4×6 is easy to put up, doesn’t take up much space, and is perfect for me. I set it up in front of the sliding door on my minivan and I have an instant canopy. This is one of the best purchases I’ve ever made! Mine is by Ozark Trail, available at Walmart.
The “Mini-Ett,” & my “ticket booth tent”
I took the “Mini-Ett” on this trip. I do love my camper, but towing it means more gas and more time…and not gonna lie–this Gal needs more experience backing up! I certainly plan to take ‘Little Ett’ on more trips, but honestly, I love van camping more. My minivan did great; is very comfortable and was perfect for this outing. I set up basecamp and then started exploring! See Part 1 Video here: https://youtu.be/IYV6XPA0VbY
Tecumseh & Treaty At Greenville
Not only is Greenville home to Annie Oakley, it is also where the Treaty of Greenville, led by the great Shawnee Indian Chief Tecumseh, was signed (and then broken by the Government). So much Indian history here! If only this place could talk! I hiked along Greenville Creek, the same path that 3,000 Indians from 13 different tribes walked to witness the treaty. Sadly, it ultimately ended in the removal of the Ohio Indians. It’s an emotional place. Peaceful now, but sad to think what all happened here.
Storyboard at Tecumseh Point
Awesome Adventure!
Besides the Annie Oakley Festival, all the sites associated with her, and all the Tecumseh/Indian history, there is so much more in this area! From the iconic Maid-Rite Restaurant, Funky Monkey Flea Market, more great shops and restaurants, the incredible Garst Museum, art/music, tons of outdoor recreation and more, Greenville, OH and the surrounding area is a great place to visit. This is small town America at its best and I highly encourage you to stop if you’re in the western Ohio region. This was an awesome adventure, one of the best trips ever! See Part 2 Video here: https://youtu.be/9bKJ3Gsc0jI
Tremendous Annie Oakley collection and much more at the Garst Museum
Famous Maid-Rite Drive In, since 1934!
Solo Trip
This was a solo trip for me, as many of my adventures are. To me, it’s second nature to travel alone. Apparently, to the conventional, “normal” world, it is not. A couple days after I got back, I was telling a friend of mine about my trip and what a wonderful time I had. The response was…”You went by yourself?” I know my friend didn’t mean anything by it, but at that moment, it was like….should I be ashamed of going somewhere by myself? I just do not understand that way of thinking, even though I know it’s how 95% of people do think. I’m going to address this issue in an upcoming post, as it is a big part of what Gal Gone Camping is all about. Stay tuned, I really want to discuss the topic, and hope to get your input as well.
Solo traveling, NOT a bad thing…I promise!
Be sure to subscribe here to the blog as well as the Gal Gone Camping YouTube channel. Follow along on Facebook & Instagram…and for a variety of topics, you may be interested in my FB group page, LIVING with Catrina. It’s a lot of fun!
Until next time, remember...DON’T WAIT TO LIVE!
See ya down the road,
Catrina