Season 1; Episode 7

Trip number 7 was made in heaven. All the state parks were booked for Labor Day but P-Rob remembered visiting Hidden Valley Outfitters during our Bennett Springs trip. He did some last minute dialing and everything fell into place. Here to tell you about is our guest blogger, Millie. 

This weekend to a private campground was P-Rob’s love gift to Millie. Summer was too hot to camp for our liking and we had been cooped up indoors for too long. As we pulled into the crowded campground and stopped at the fill station, six gents came flying out of their massive camper to gawk at Lil Red. They peppered P Rob with technical questions about the camper- and he made up answers. He’s a city boy from Atlanta, after all.

All our confidence in backing went out the window after a 3 month hiatus. We were rusty. Although we had finally incorporated Walkie Talkies into our communication routine, it required 45 minutes to back Lil Red into the site. Forty. Five. Minutes. Into a straight shot. The walking talkies were renamed Walkie-*blanking* Talkies. Other choice words were quietly mumbled. We settled in, taking hours, and some fishing, to recover from the backing debacle and resume speaking to one another. 

Our nerves settled, a fire built and an easy dinner of take out bar b que filled our bellies. As the last log on the fire turned to embers, we were surprised by the 1030 pm arrival of our neighbors. A single Mom with two kids. She kindly guided her posse through the pitching of two tents and welcomed our encouragement and assistance. As we slept snug in Lil Red, single Mom was joined by single Dad and his two kids and we awoke to the entertainment of a real live Brady Bunch outside our door. Mr. Brady greeted P-Rob and inquired “Did you restore that camper?” No, P-Rob responded- “I barely know the difference between a hammer and a screw driver. She’s brand new, made to look old.” 

The Springs of Bennett taunted P-Rob with their rich supply of trout. As he was fishing, a youngster called out to him “Hey Mister! I just caught the first fish of the week!” “How long have you been here?” P Rob asked. “All week” the reply. P- Rob inwardly groaned but then watched youngster’s grandpa pull fish after fish out of the water. Some people catch. Some people don’t. 

On Saturday, we entertained ourselves with a four hour float trip in a canoe down the Niangua river. It was more paddling than floating but the water and bluff views were beautiful.

Saturday afternoon and evening culminated in the much anticipated plan to watch our football games outdoors at the campsite. Due to the unimaginable technology of Direct TV streamed through a cell phone, connected to a television through an HDMI cord. WAHLAH! Campsite SEC TV! Will the wonders of the modern world never cease? With a warm fire behind us, the grill to the left, a beer to the right and the Auburn – Clemson game before us, the delight of fall camping and the love of football reached a crescendo. The meal of grilled burgers was delicious. The stars were bright and the cool crisp weather was perfect. 

As is our custom when we camp on a Sunday, we dedicate time to listen or watch the live stream from our home church The Crossing. This particular campground has a beautiful chapel atop a ridge. We parked our camp chairs on the chapel deck, overlooking the campground valley and listened to Keith’s sermon: Running the Christian race through biography of Eric Little. 

We rounded out the trip with a record setting pack up: Start to finish, including hitch up, equaled 40 minutes. Before heading out, we ate with the locals at a dive bar, overlooking the Niangua River, ending our unexpected gift of a weekend.