Very busy
Since my last post it has been a very busy couple of weeks. I am learning each day how to handle visitors, cleaning pit toilets,fire pits, extra vehicles, Day Use areas, etc. etc. etc. It has been very busy to say the least. Even on my days off I find myself working doing this or that.
Covering 3 campgrounds
I am parked at the Panorama Point Campground, but I am also responsible for 2 other campgrounds as well. The first is Boulder Creek Campground with 1 group site and 9 normal sites. They also have 2 pit toilets. Boulder Creek is only a mile down the road so I can usually check on everything there in a short time.
Shannon Creek Campground is 4 miles north with 3 miles of it on a dirt road. This campground has 18 sites with 2 multisites. A multisite is a bigger then normal campsite with room for several cars. Shannon Creek also has a boat ramp with a day use area. This seems to be one of the campgrounds most popular with tent campers although there are a few larger sites for RV’s. Here are a couple of pics heading north to Shannon Creek.
Covering 3 campgrounds makes it a very busy day on the weekend as I usually visit each campground twice a day.
Extra Vehicles
I find I spend a majority of my time checking on those campsites with extra vehicles. One camper reserves the site and then invites a lot of family and friends to join them. This makes for cars all over the place and I have to see that they either pay a day use fee if just spending the day or an extra vehicle fee if they are staying overnight. Some campers can fit 4-5 cars in a campsite. HELP! But most people have no problem paying the extra fee.
Memorial Day Weekend
Most of the campsites are reserved online through recreation.gov. I have to put up signs showing that the person indeed reserved that site. I don’t have to collect any fees for these sites since the customer already payed online. I just have to collect the extra vehicle fees.
Both Panorama Point and Boulder Creek were totally full with only a couple of sites left in Shannon Creek. Friday it poured rain all day and I think it kept a few campers away. Saturday was beautiful and then it rained on Sunday and Monday. LOTS of MUD.
Concrete, WA
Concrete is a very small town and located 19 miles south of the campground. Prior to the Memorial Day, I spent my day off in Concrete doing my laundry. It is a great laundromat and also met one of my fellow host’s who was also doing her laundry and another workamper who works down the road at an organic farm. She was very interested in working at Amazon so I had to fill her in on workamping there.
More pics of Concrete.
It is a rather old town but has most of what I need such as small grocery store, post office and a great little diner.
Mount Baker
On my way to the Boulder Creek Campground you cross a bridge over Boulder Creek.
When driving south on the bridge on a clear day, you have a fantastic view of Mt. Baker.
My friends drop in
This past Monday Marti and Charlie as well as Kay and Paul all dropped in to see me after attending a Lazy Daze Northwest rally. It was really good seeing them but the weather was not cooperating. They set up a tarp in the Day Use area and we had a great Happy Hour. I got lots of tips from everyone for places to see up in this area. After Happy Hour they picked up the tarp and walked it down the road to my campsite where Marti and Charlie are letting me us it this summer.
I wish I had my camera with me as they were walking it down the road. It was a riot. to see. Thank you Marti and Charlie for allowing me to use it. Also thanks for the wine and brewskies.
I am posting this from the Burlington, WA library. There is also a Fred Meyer here as well where I will be doing any major shopping. I will try to post more regular, but I have to go into Concrete where I can get a 4G connection. The connection is 3G at my campsite and that is with a booster, but it is very intermittent.
Great pics as always Jim, So glad Charlie & Marti camped and enjoyed the experience together. They are such neat folks; look forward seeing them @ Qsite Roger’s HalfAcre next January.
So pretty there! And lucky you to see Marti/Charlie and Paul/Kay! Your summer is going to fly by, as busy as you are.
Take care,
Jeanne
Glad you’re staying so busy and having so much fun, Jim! The Concrete Laundromat, eh? Good that your clothes turned out so well.
You’re in a most beautiful area, Jimbo. I’m green with envy!:-) With three sites to monitor, you MUST be really really busy. I hope you get some time for yourself to check the area out! Enjoy!
Nice to catch up with you and get a feel for where you are. Sounds like you’re going to be very busy the next few months but what a beautiful place you picked to be busy in!
Hi Jimbo, Great pictures. Hows Chica enjoying the new campsite? She helping scrub out the toilets? Probably leaves that to you I bet. OH!!! a dogs life.lol…..HoboJoe
Good morning! Good to hear you’re enjoying yourself–the time must be flying by as busy as you are! You’re in a beautiful area! I can just imagine the walking tarp–that must’ve been a sight to see! Take good care & enjoy your time here in the great Northwet!
Sounds like too many campgrounds for one person to manage! How nice of Charlie and Marti and Paul and Kay to stop by. We may just make it there sometime later in the summer.
Hi Jim, my friend Stan Perry said he met up with you. Hope you’re have a great time.
Your friend, Linda
I’m with Jim and Gayle – too many campsites, etc., for one person. That sounds like way too much work. Don’t start doing some of it on your days off, you need them to rest up and have some fun. Trust me, once you start that, it’s expected. I thought these volunteer jobs weren’t full time! I mean, honestly… 🙂