North Carolina Dixie Boys State Baseball Tournament
Day 1 Friday July 7, 2023 We departed at 10:30AM for a 100+ mile trip to Carrollwoods RV Campground near Tabor City NC. We will be here 7 nights. Our youngest grandson, Levi, was picked to be on the Duplin County Allstars Baseball Team. The North Carolina Dixie Boys State Baseball Tournament was being held at the Ocean Isle Park in Ocean Isle NC about 28 miles from the campground and his team is playing in the tournament. There were a few campgrounds closer to the park but they charged about 3 times as much for a camp site. There are 8 teams in the playoff. The playoffs finish up on Wednesday with a tournament winner. How many game Levi's team plays depends on how many they win.
We arrived about 1PM and checked in and setup on site 80. I chose this site since it was on the back row and was a pull through site. I was hoping there would not be as much traffic therefore dust on the back row. For some reason the girl at the checkin counter didn't think the site was large enough for our motorhome. The site is plenty big enough for us even plenty of room to park the Jeep in front of the MH and the site is really shady which helps since it is so hot.
When I pulled into the site Lena got out of the Jeep (we had already unhooked it from the MH at the Office) to spot me on the site, she didn't turn the Jeep off or put it in Park and it rolled into the MH. It hit the tow bar on the MH but didn't damage it but the tow bar pushed in a place on the lower front of the Jeep about the size of a baseball. Would have been worse if she had been standing between the MH and the Jeep. Of all the years we have been traveling with a MH we have never experienced anything like this. But there was no real damage so not a big deal.
We stayed at this campground in April 2012 for one night on the way to a RV Rally in Brunswick GA. The campground was fairly new at that time.
Day 2 Saturday July 8, 2023 Levi's game started at 2PM so we arrived about 1PM to find a place to park and somewhere to place our chairs. Levi's best friend, Mekiah, is also on the team and his parents had set up a canopy and Levi's Aunt Megan set hers up right beside it so we all got under the two canopies and that helped with the hot sun.
It was a good game with Levi's Team winning 11 to 6 Levi pitched two innings and got a double base hit his first time at bat. He normally pitches or plays second base. When the coach relieved him with another pitcher his face was beet red from the heat.
After the game Lena, Robby, Amber, Levi and I went to Joey O's Brick Oven Pizza for supper. Levi said he was really tired. I can understand pitching in this heat. Our pizza was okay but it was just a bit overcooked and a couple of the topping we chose (sweet peppers and sun dried tomatoes) we probably should not of chosen on a pizza.
Robby, Amber and Levi aren't staying in the area so they have a 200 mile round trip commute from home each day.
Day 3 Sunday July 9, 2023 After breakfast we took a walk around the campground to look at the other sites. I got lucky with my choice of sites as I think I picked the best one for the MH. I am not always that lucky picking a site just based on the site map from the campground website.
We noticed the camper in an older motorhome parked in the row in front of us place his doggy do-do bag on the picnic table after walking his dogs and that is right where he left it when he packed up and pulled away with his MH. We see that sort of thing way to many times. Not very good campground etiquette.
We returned to the ball park for Levi's 4:30PM game. But due to all the rain and thunderstorms today the game ahead of his was delayed. About 5:30 the officials decided to move Levi's game over to another ball field. They have 4 baseball fields here laid out in a four leaf clover format. It continued to rain off an on but no lightning so the game continued. The grass in the outfield was wet so some errors were made by the payers. Levi played second base for most of the game. His team lost 11 to 2 today. One more loss and they go home.
Day 4 Monday July 10, 2023 Lena had a dental appointment in Burgaw this morning at 9AM so we left the campground at 7AM. She was in the dentist chair for 2 hours while they did the prep work to replace the crown she lost a few weeks ago. She had a sore mouth when she came out from having her jaws pried apart while they worked. She gets her permanent crown August 3rd.
Levi's game today was at 10AM so we missed his last game. His team lost again today 5 to 1 so that is two losses so his team is out of the tournament.
We stopped on the way back at a roadside produce stand for a few items before returning to the campground.
It has rained on and off almost all day.
Day 5 Tuesday July 11, 2023 We decided to do a little sightseeing today so we drove to Ocean Isle Beach and drove over the causeway bridge that spans the Intercoastal Waterway to check out the area. Almost ever square inch of the land on Bird Island is covered in beach cottages. It is a pretty area if you like sun and sandy beaches.
After checking out the area we were craving some seafood so after checking Google Maps and restaurant reviews we drove down the road to Calabash and stopped at Calabash Seafood Hut. They had a lunch special on seafood. Everything was cooked to perfection. We walked away stuffed. The Hut is right across the street from Ella's Seafood Restaurant which burned a few months ago.
After returning to the campground we were finally able to set outside in our chairs since it was cooler and the chairs had finally dried out from all the rain showers. I was outside reading, Lena had not come out yet, and the dog next door came tearing over to where I was setting barking like he was going to eat me alive. I didn't even see him until he was right in my face almost so I didn't even have time to react. A young man in the camper where the dog came from rushed over and grabbed the dog and apologized to me. I told him he needed to get that dog on a lease. The dog was a Blue Healer. I didn't think they were an aggressive dog but this one sure was.
Day 6 Wednesday July 12, 2023 We needed a Latte fix so we drove back to Calabash and stopped at Coffee Cottage. It was a good choice, a great Latte and a large selection of pastries to gorge on.
We overhead a conversation able AT&T having a issue with their service yesterday. I guess that explains why out cell signal booster in the motorhome was not providing a good signal yesterday.
Lena needed a pair of shoes to use on her morning walks that will keep her feet dry so we went to Bass Pro Shop in North Myrtle Beach but didn't find anything there so we went to Tangier Outlet and after the third shoe store there she found what she wanted.
We stopped at a roadside stand and bought a small basket of peaches.
On the way back to the campground we passed a terrible accident on Hwy 9 involving a motorcycle. We didn't see another damaged vehicle but the motorcycle was destroyed it looked like. An ambulance was leaving the scene as we came up to the scene. The traffic was backed up for a couple of miles on that side of the 4 lane but we were on the opposite side of the road so we could continue on our way.
More rain this afternoon.
Day 7 Thursday July 13, 2023 We didn't do much today except set around, read, do laundry and pack up our outside items for departure for home tomorrow. We ate some of the cantaloupe that we bought Monday at the roadside stand. It was really good, best we have had in awhile. We ate two of the peaches with breakfast this morning and wow were they juicy and sweet.
Day 8 Friday July 14, 2023 We ate breakfast and had two more of the good peaches and then finished packing up for the short 100+ mile trip home. We fueled up along the way and got home about 12:30PM just before a thunderstorm rolled through but we had enough time to get most of the stuff moved from the MH to the house.
We had a good week, just too bad Levi's team didn't go further in the tournament but maybe next year will be better.
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