Just wondering

We have moved north to Clayton, New York along the shores of the St Lawrence Seaway. The Birch Haven campground is really more of a fixed community of park models and permanent campers, with only a very few sites for transients. It has a very friendly staff and, as it turned out, helpful neighbors. It is also located on the banks of the seaway and has a fairly steep slope downhill from the roadway.

Since there are very few visitors, there is no office and you have to hunt for the manager to determine what spot you will be assigned. This was interesting for us, as the only place I could safely park and wait was the narrow driveway, effectively blocking in and out traffic. We got a spot in the grass between two small roads and up against a park model. The turn was very tight and it was necessary to pull ahead into the road in front of me to get the toad straight enough to unhook. I did not see a small TV cable that was just out of my sight line and as I moved forward, it was snagged on my satellite dish. My first ever overhead entanglement. Fortunately, one of my fellow transient neighbors quickly came to my rescue and pushed the cable out of the way with a long pole and I backed up.

This started me thinking about the arrivals and departures from campgrounds. Over the years, I have noted two very common types of reactions from fellow campers. On arrival, there are regularly one or more folks who will rush over , while the engine is still running and greet us, discuss the pros and cons of the place, their history and perhaps an invitations to a social event, while discussing to me the best way to get into my spot. Most often this group turns out to be fun to talk too. Then there are others who pretend we are invisible.

Now the most interesting part of the departure scenario for me is when one or more of those who pretended we had not arrived and often were less than responsive to friendly waves or hello’s while in the park, will come over and start talking to me while I am hooking up the toad, as if we are old friends-or should have been? On our last departure, our next door neighbor who went inside every time I came around their side of my coach, actually came out in the rain and started a conversation about where we had both travelled too and all kinds of other friendly stuff. I just had no idea what that was about. So, I am wondering, am I the only one this happens too?

If the rain lets up, I think this is going to be a fun stop. The 1000 island area is famous for its summer resort activities and beautiful waterway scenery. Looking in a real estate office window, it seems the crunch is on here, also. You can buy a 15 acre island with three bedrooms, 3 baths home. You will need your own boat for only 280K. Now that sounds like a deal to me.