We-2Bs: Srone Mountain State Park 10/01/2023 to 10/09/2023

Day 14 Sunday 10/01/2023

We departed our campground at 10:45 and headed down the Blue Ridge Parkway for about 23 miles before turning onto Hwy 21 a few miles from Sparta. We could have got back on I77 but this was a little less miles and a more peaceful drive down the parkway. We got to Stone Mountain State Park at 12:00. It took us about an hour to setup which is longer than normal at other campgrounds because we setup our Clam, which is a 6 sided screened in enclosure we use here. It is nice to set in if it is rainy or a little cool and it keeps most of the bugs outside.

After we got setup we walked over to the Contact Station to get our camp host stuff, radio, clipboard, keys, etc.

Later we started our duties in the campground. This is our eighth year as hosts but the first year we have hosted two months in one year. We haven’t been to the mountains in the Fall in a long time so this gave us the chance to try hosting in the Fall and also see some of the color changes here in the mountains.

Day 15 Monday 10/02/2023

We got back into our normal hosting duties today as we went out at 8AM to put out reservation signs and start checking campsites for anything that needed our attention. Most everything was in better condition than sometimes when we arrive.

The hosts we relieved did a good job in the campground better than most others we have relieved in the past. She is the oldest host and has been doing it the longest of any host that works here. She did 4 months straight this year. She had signed up for June and July but the August and September hosts both canceled out so she did those months also. This is probably her last year due to the health of her husband. We have been hosting here the second longest of the hosts.

Mushroom on our site that looks like a table

Day 16 Tuesday 10/03/2023

Today was the first day of our two day weekend so we went to Elkin to visit, you guessed it, a coffee shop, Dirty Joe’s. We have been so many times they recognize us now. Then we went to Hamptonville to get a couple items at the Amish General Store and then to an Amish Dairy farm nearby to get some of their milk. Pretty fresh when you buy milk at the dairy.

Then we returned to Elkin to Combs Butcher Shop for a few items. They make their own country sausage that we discovered last year.

Then back to Stone Mountain to do some chores. I needed to wash the bugs off the motorhome windshield from the last few days of travel. The weather since we have been here is absolutely perfect but we are expecting some cold weather this weekend.

Day 17 Wednesday 10/04/2023

I had an appetite for a pancake this morning so we headed towards Sparta to eat at the Circle L Cafe where we have ate several times. It is a small local cafe where the locals go.

They serve a large pancake, about the size of a dinner plate. Our first time here I didn’t know and ordered two. Some of the local men setting next to our table laughed at me when the waitress brought them out.

Well they have changed their schedule and are closed on Wednesday so I missed out this morning. So we went on to The Gathering Place, a coffee shop that has only been open a few months. It was open in May when we were here. They have good coffee and this morning their large muffins were very good. They have started closing at 10AM on Wednesday but we were ready to go by that time anyway.

We rode through some of the backroads for awhile to get some photos before heading back to the park for lunch and some more chores. We passed one farm that had thousands of pumpkins about ready to pick just in time for Halloween.

I don’t think we have never been to a place with as many crows as there are here and they really like the trees around our host site. They squak and chase each other through the trees all day. There is a lot of oak trees around us and they have huge acorns. The squirrels around here don’t need to hide many to keep them in food for the Winter as big as they are.

Day 18 Thursday 10/05/2023

Back to our duties today of cleaning campsites that have vacated. The leaves are beginning to fall and the maples have begun to put on their Fall colors. It will probably be a couple of weeks at this elevation before they are in their full color palette.

One of the campers left his ignition on last night so I got my jump pack to jump his battery and we got his vehicle started.

We are expecting a busy weekend as is usual here.

Day 19 Friday 10/06/2023

We have 61 reservations for today, so with the campers already here every site is booked for tonight and most of the weekend. That is nothing unusual here from April to November when the weather is decent.

Day 20 Saturday 10/07/2023

The overnight temperature dropped to 54 degrees and we had a fair amount of rain which is not good for the campers here in tents. The high temperature today is predicted to be 54 but the sun is shining so it will not be bad.

We had a few “no shows” in the tent section which is to be expected when there is less than decent weather and rain.

We had to remind three campers this morning to keep their dogs on a lease while outside. Off lease dogs can be a real problem in a crowded campground with lots of dogs around.

I worked in the Contact Station for about 1.5 hours so Jackie could go to the Visitor Center to relieve the lady there so she could have a lunch break.

Day 21 Sunday 10/08/2023

It was a cool 42 degrees this morning when we got out about 8AM on the golf cart to put out reservation signs and do a campground check. But unlike yesterday the wind is not blowing.

We have 37 reservations for tonight so there will be about that many leaving so we will be busy checking and cleaning campsites today.

We had a good day, rather cool but pullover sweatshirts with hoods solved that problem. Unlike “Senator” Fetterman we didn’t wear shorts with our hoodies while we did our job. We got a chance to talk to several of the campers about RVs and traveling.

Day 22 Monday 10/09/2023

Another 42 degree morning but the sun is shining. It was still cool on the golf cart, or as I have named it, “The Campground Cadillac”. We have a Casita RV Club that came in yesterday. There is about 15 of them here. A Casita is a small pull behind travel trailer with rounded corners that is white and can be pulled with a small pickup or a SUV.