That'll learn me

It seems I have received my comeuppance. See, in my last blog post, I commented on how Robb & I would have to get our fill of nature during our weekend at Philpott Lake because we'd be spending the following weekend at Shenandoah National Park with three little kids who were sure to scare away any and all signs of wildlife with their rowdiness.

HA!

Reality couldn't have been any more blatantly ironic. After winding through random rural roads, over the river and through the woods, Robb & I finally arrived at the Salthouse Branch campground at Philpott Lake (near Fairy Stone State Park). It was indeed beautiful; the campsites were arranged on terraced loops overlooking the lake and the woods were thick and green.

And then, there were the rebel flags. And rebel yells.

Ah yes, it seems that Philpott Lake is a haven for redneck weekenders. (And I'm only using this term because the people there proudly proclaimed themselves as such.) Noisy trucks, mullets, grubby chubby children, confederate flags, cigarettes, beer bottles, hootin' & hollerin' filled our weekend. The only thing missing were gunshots.

Robb and I were lulled to sleep our first night by the sound of our neighbors --
a father and son spending some quality time together for Father's Day weekend. This invovled drinking, cussing, guffawing, and then wretching until 2 a.m. What better way to say, "I love you," then to holler "DRINK! DRINK! DRINK!" at your dear ol' dad as he is bent over puking his guts out.

I won't elaborate on the rest of our weekend there, but suffice it to say everything was beautiful, except the people. We saw no deer, no birds, no wild animals at all, except for squirrels chasing each other through the treetops and vultures circling overhead. Appropriate.

Our next weekend at Loft Mountain, however, couldn't have been more pleasant. The boys were eager to help and learn and the baby was a happy camper (sorry, couldn't resist). Deer, rabbits, birds and butterflies were plentiful, as were the black raspberries. The weather was warm but comfortable and our mostly-secluded campsites backed up to the woods.

We went on a nature discovery hike with Ranger Georgette (with whom Caleb, the future biologist, instantly bonded) and Nathan was busy helping build campfires and naming boulders (here he is at right, standing on "Kid Mountain"). Eleanor toddled and giggled and picked raspberries. At the risk of speaking for Bill and Jennifer, I think they had a pretty good time themselves. Robbie & I definitely did.

All this to say, touché! Lesson learned! 

The Pattersons at Loft Mountain

The call of the wild

I can't believe I haven't been camping yet in 2010! And June is half over! SHAME!

Oh well, we're remedying that right quick by answering the persistent call of the great Virginia outdoors with two weekends in a row of camping.

This weekend Robb & I are journeying 200 miles west to Salthouse Branch campgrounds at Philpott Lake, which is near Fairy Stone State Park (here's a map). Weather is gonna be steamy but I reserved a campsite that was labeled "full shade" so me & my hot feet should be ok. I've never been to this particular campground and I'm pretty sure Robbie hasn't either. I couldn't really find any photos online of the campgrounds but there are plenty of pics of Philpott Lake and it looks gorgeous. That is one of the things I miss the most about Minnesota... the beautiful lakes that are so plentiful you can't take a step sideways without sticking your toe in one. I'll get my little fix of home this weekend... especially if they rent canoes!
 

Next weekend, we are making camping a family affair. Robb's sister, brother-in-law, niece and two nephews, dog (?) -- oh, and Robb & I -- are going to Loft Mountain campground at Shenandoah National Park. This is familiar stomping ground for us and we're all looking forward to it.

However, in the last year or so (or, perhaps more accurately, since the economic downturn really started hitting home for those who were accustomed to traveling), it has been difficult to reserve a site without doing so literally months in advance. Each time we camped at any of the grounds in Shenandoah last summer, they were always at capacity. So, for example, if you happened to load up the minivan last-minute and drive your wife and kids two hours past Charlottesville with the hope of getting a walk-up tent site at Loft Mountain upon your arrival, you'd likely be welcomed with a big fat "CAMPGROUND FULL" sign at the gate.

Also, for those of us who did make a reservation and were hoping for a nice, peaceful, relaxing weekend filled with the sights and sounds of nature... well, we were in for a "call of the wild" all right. Because all those families who decided to postpone the trip to Europe or Disneyworld in lieu of an economical family jaunt to Shenandoah descended upon the park en masse and raised enough ruckus to send even the most domesticated deer or squirrel high-tailing it out of there for some solitude.

Next weekend, Robb & I will likely be part of the latter group, so recognizing this, we are going to make the most of this weekend at Philpott Lake. We'll get our flora and fauna fix so that we can get loud and rowdy with the kiddos in the great outdoors the following weekend. Who knows... maybe after all that exploring and adventuring, we might be tuckered enough for some quiet time and get to hear some wild calls after all........