I have been in the travel industry for more than 25 years, I have visited, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean enjoyed some cruising for relaxation but camping has never been on my radar.
Why would I want to go camping? Growing up in the Caribbean, some of us lived the great outdoors. That was part of our daily life. From outdoor kitchens and cooking over stones, outdoor toilets, no electricity or running water. This was a regular lifestyle for some. Camping was daily life for many families.
So living in the USA with all the modern necessities of life and even some unnecessary necessities, why would I want to go camping.
Well it’s always the guy isn’t it? I met this guy who just loved for the outdoors. He has visited and camped at every national park in the USA except two. I believe he is missing Hawaii and Oregon to complete that journey. I collect hotel points and this guy collects camping grounds points. He is a member of everything national park and campgrounds. He is like the Devil likes Prada of the outdoor world. On the other hand I love my accommodation to come with indoor plumbing, a bit of room service and an immaculate bathroom. The food can be bad in the hotel but a clean bathroom will keep me there.
So here I am trying to compromise with this great guy who wanted me to experience his world. Did I tell you that he was a Ranger? 3rd Ranger Battalion. So basically he was trained to live in the great outdoors. He runs trails every day, 15-20 miles daily. He just returned from running rim to rim of the Grand Canyon. I can barely close the fitness ring on my watch and complete the daily 10,000 steps, I always have an excuse about I why I could not complete the ring.
Anyway back to my first camping experience. The campsite, Hard Labor Creek State park, approximately 1 hour from Atlanta. I’m happy it was close to home, just in case. The park is in a little town called Rutledge, quaint town with a few cotton farms. Now I wonder if the name of the park has any correlation with the cotton farms. Arrival was early and it was a cloudy and humid day. The campsite was #51 for the weekend. Fees were paid and kayaks were rented and off to campsite 51.
I was surprised to see that the site was all set up with a tent and tablecloths and lounge chairs etc. It was quite nice and I was impressed. In my mind, let the glamping begin.
I’m thinking in my 5 star hotel mind that this is how the site comes all set up? No it doesn’t, Mr Man went ahead and set up the area as setting up can be dirty and he wanted me to have a great first experience camping. I felt so loved because I never thought of setting up and plus it rained and I was wearing a white blouse. Not the first experience I would want. Completed campsite was cool, nice tent with queen size air mattress, side tables, comfy soft floors and a huge fan to prevent insects from entering inside, water and electricity, plus the bathroom was a short walk from our site. No telephone service or Wi-Fi, that was my one complaint but this was supposed to be a weekend to relax in tune with nature and the outside world. I was beginning to enjoy this, I also needed this. So let the camping continue. Once I felt comfortable and all was set up, it was time to go exploring.
First was the little town of Rutledge as I had to find Wi-Fi as I had one FB Live to host. I had to throw in some work before I set my phone down for the weekend. As soon as my FB Live was done, it was time to get food. I settled for this little sandwich restaurant called the Caboose in the town. It looked so homely and when you walked in everyone greeted you like family. It was very welcoming. The food was so good. I had a vegetable sandwich with spicy mustard, onions and lettuce with an Arnold Palmer. Everything was so good and the service was excellent. I’m definitely going back.
Lunch was done so off to see a bit more in the town of Rutledge, there was not much to see so back to the campsite after the short tour. Now let’s explore the Hard Labor Creek State park.
The Hard Labor Creek State Park is a 5,804 acre (23.49 km²) Georgia state park located between Bostwick and Rutledge. The park is named after Hard Labor Creek, a small stream that cuts through the park. The creek’s name comes either from slaves who once tilled the summer fields, or from Native Americans who found the area around the stream difficult to ford. The park plays host to an 18-hole public golf course, which offers a pro shop, driving range and rental cars. 5, 804 acres, lots of exploring to enjoy.
First stop was by the lake, so serene and peaceful. I was loving just watching how peaceful it was and then bam, there was a snake just gliding and minding its business in the lake. Now kayaking just went way down on my list of activities. I can’t be mad at the snake, I’m in his territory so I would just respect his space, plus it was a better swimmer than I was. There was also a small beach, nothing like the Caribbean Sea, but wait, that snake was a great swimmer. Now I had to rethink lake/beach swimming. How about golfing? Miniature golf was looking more interesting.
Camping the great outdoors was getting exciting. There was so much to keep you occupied.
The park was busy, every campsite was occupied. There were RVs, big and small and lots of tents. There were couples, families, and groups. The one thing I noticed from just registering was that we were the only black couple on the entire park.
This had me wondering why many people of color do not camp. Why don’t we camp too? I had my hesitation because growing up in the Caribbean, the outdoors is part of life. But here in the USA with some of the most beautiful state parks, why aren’t there more people of color using the facilities? Well that’s a topic for another piece, so let’s continue.
I arrived back at the campsite after exploring, relaxed a bit before dinner. What do you eat during camping? Very healthy. Jimmie made a fire and started on dinner. On the menu there was rib eye steak, beans, avocado and broccoli.
Since I was the guest I sat back, enjoyed a drink until dinner was ready. Everything was so good, as cooking on an open fire gives food that distinct flavor. The fire creates a distinct aroma that is responsible for the deliciousness of the food. Also most importantly, controlling the fire is a skill. The type of skill needed to know how much heat is needed to cook the food and not just burn it. Dinner was ready and served with a refreshing glass of prosecco. The first camping dinner was indeed a wonderful meal.
This was followed by a walk around the campsite to enjoy the fresh air and admire the RV’s and their awesome lightning. The rest of the evening was spent by the fire chatting and just appreciating nature.
After a few hours, it was time to hit the showers and prepare for bed. The campsite was not too far from the bathroom so a short hike in complete darkness to reach the bathroom was attempted. And I mean complete darkness. It’s like everyone decided to turn off lights at midnight. It took me a while for my eyes to get adjusted to the darkness. I just held on to Jimme for dear life and made a mental note to walk with my phone or a headlamp the next day. Bathrooms were bright, clean and spacious. Nice shower and back to cozy tent for a night under the stars.
I slept like a rock and woke up only when I heard Jimmie getting ready to go running. It was 6 am and I survived my first-night camping.
I was watching the sunrise over the lake, it was so peaceful and then it dawned on me. I never once thought about not being safe at the campsite. There was nothing to fear and it was a great experience. Will I go again, most definitely but in small doses. My first camping experience was enjoyable, peaceful and I rested. Am I ready for back country camping? I highly doubt it however a little bit of glamping is good for the soul.
