Showing posts with label Alabama River. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alabama River. Show all posts

3/15/14

Fun, Food and Friends! The 2014 GE&H

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WHERE:  We are just west of Montgomery, Alabama on the Alabama River at a COE park, Gunter Hill.

WHO:   Between 70 and 80 fiberglass trailers, mostly 17 foot Casitas.

WHAT:  The fourth annual rally of the Green Eggs and Ham, a St Patty’s Day event.

It’s Saturday morning and the campground is still asleep; everyone resting after a very busy week of activities.

This rally has more scheduled activities than any of the others we attend.  For example, this week we can pick from a craft class, an Alaskan trip talk, a Dutch oven cooking class and a Casita maintenance class.  And that is just during the day!   Each night at the pavilion there is food and music.

Yesterday we squeeze a paddle in just before the cooking class and it is way too much for this gal.  Right after dinner I head back to the trailer, too tired to have any more fun!

We arrive on a balmy, 73 degree Tuesday afternoon finding the park full of little white trailers.  Pleased to see our good friends, Jerry and Wanda, are right across the road in a beautiful waterfront site.  Our site, while not on the water, is private and nestled in the woods…no need to pull the blinds on the back window. 

It’s exciting to walk around and find old friends scattered around the park.  Friends from Georgia, Maureen and Todd, offer us sandwiches, leftovers from feeding others at lunch, and we are grateful not to cook.   That night the warm weather ends with rain and we watch TV in the camper.  Our first night of camper TV viewing since 1/5/14!  The joys of a full hook-up!

The next day there is more visiting and greeting old friends as eggs are arriving regularly all day.  The rally starts today, Wednesday, but campers have been arriving since last Thursday.

While Larry performs some minor repairs we visit with Texas friends at our campsite.  Later, the chili coalescing affair, (the chili dump), takes place at the pavilion.  This involves two large pots and lots of contributions from homemade chili to store bought.

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It’s cold, the wind cuts like a knife, and while hubby stays for the music, I opt for the warmth of the trailer.

Thursday, the sun is out and even though it’s too cold to kayak, I find other ways to have fun.  This trike belongs to a friendly couple from Pensacola who we had previously met at this same park last year.

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Lots of fun and a good workout…one makes it go forward by leaning side to side!

I try to find something pretty to photograph but the drab water and winter landscape is uninspiring.  On my bike I spot these trees, a promise that spring is coming!

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That night we are back visiting with friends.  This is Wanda and Melanie laughing in spite of the smoke.

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Donna’s strawberry cobbler did not last long!

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Everybody is full of cobbler and brownies!

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View from our dinner site!

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Alabama sunset….made me miss Arizona!

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Picking’ at the Pavilion.

Our boats look forlorn while we wait for the temperature to rise.

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A friend joins us and we head down the creek to the Alabama River.  We do nothing strenuous, just poke along.  First time in our boats since returning from Florida one year ago.

Our buddy, Donna from Florida, asks us to be a part of the Dutch oven cooking class.  Could not say “no”, especially after learning it would be fun.  David prepares his specialty, “dump cake”.

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We have a blast doing this!  And everyone gets a small taste of all the different dishes!

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Everyone waits patiently for the food to be done.

As the cooking class ends, the gumbo begins!  Another lovely couple, Bob and Pat host the gumbo night.

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Our neighbor, Lora from Virginia, takes a turn stirring the gumbo!

Even with the erratic weather, really having a good time.  Lots of fun, making lots of memories! 

We enjoy having Mike and Gerri of Happytrails  camp next to us and meeting Bob and Sharon from Illinois.  Always special to run into other bloggers, and more special when they know who you are!

This our last day and it’s overcast. Hope the rain holds off until tonight so we can paddle and cook another meal in the Dutch oven.  Another day to visit and eat……

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3/18/13

Five Fast Days! The 2013 GE&H

 

Can’t believe that it’s over!  I’m talking about our first trip to the Green Eggs and Ham rally that’s held at Miller’s Ferry in Camden, AL.  This is a fiberglass egg celebration with a St Patty’s Day theme.

On arrival last Tuesday we are disappointed to have reserved a campsite so far from the central hub of activity.  The letdown did not last long as a bitter cold wind is blowing across the lake forcing those with the prime lakefront sites to huddle down in their campers.  Meanwhile we are basking in the warm morning sun, the wind blocked by the thick foliage.   Our site is on an inlet, far from the river, and it’s situated so we can slip our kayaks into the stream.

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This is our view from back window.  Alligators were reported to live here but none are sighted.

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It appears that we are all alone…..and we are!

Peaceful, quiet, spending our time watching the egrets and turtles.  But this is not why we drove 275 miles!  We came to socialize!

On Friday, with the temps rising into the 70’s, we found ourselves moving to a river front site, closer to friends, but still private.

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We are feeling like we’re in a brand new campground…with morning sun and afternoon shade.

This is the unopened pot from the chili dump, my first night of overeating.

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If there is a complaint about the rally, it is that the food is too good and too abundant!  The first night started with chili, progressed to gumbo and ended with an unbelievable pot luck.

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Eating and socializing pavilion.

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Morning tech talk led by Ray.

Friday’s egg parade…(where everyone got a chance to show off their camper.)

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Primary occupant of the Little Snoozy

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Our Texas friends with their Escape.

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Kentucky friends!

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The sites are so spacious, some trailers double on a single site.

More of the Texas Casitas.

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Sunset from site 21.

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Bridge over Alabama River and hubby in kayak.

 

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Our new walmart TV antenna and painter’s pole mast…..works great.  Good Morning America!

Yesterday the masses left and it seemed like a good time to host a dinner party for a few old friends.  Not experienced in camp entertaining, we opted for burgers and dogs.DSC_4970

Hubby tending the charcoal.

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Guests arrive!

Lovely evening…note to self…must do more of this!

Today finds us alone again with the last egg pulling out this morning.  And we are dug in for a few days until it’s time to head to another rally in Alabama at Joe Wheeler State Park.

Any one want to join us?