Stone Mountain State Park April 25-May 1 2018

Day 30 Wednesday April 25, 2018 Today was our last day off before we end our time here so we went to McDonalds's in Elkin for breakfast and access to WiFi. The rain finally ended while we were eating. It has rained since around 10AM Monday morning so we are ready for some sunshine. Later we drove back toward Sparta and explored some more of the backroads through some really pretty areas with lots of black cows grazing of green grass on rolling hills.

We discovered a farm that had a really big barn (probably a dairy barn) that was painted red with white trimmed windows. The old farm house was big and really well maintained and across the street there was an old country store that had been meticulously maintained with an old gas pump out front. This store probably served the community several years ago.

We returned to the campground and was able to set outside in the sun for awhile for the first time in days. Later we took a walk through part of the campground.

Day 31 Thursday April 26, 2018 We had 20 reservation signs to put out this morning. Today looks like it will be a nice day with some sunshine and should be kind of a easy day for us. It was an easy and nice day but it started raining again about 4PM and rained until late in the night.

Day 32 Friday April 27, 2018 Looks like another busy weekend as we have 62 reservations tonight plus those that are already onsite. All sites except two of the 88 are either occuplied or reserved and 3 of the four group sites. While putting the signs out we stopped and talked to a couple that are walking the Mountain to Sea Trail that passes nearby. They said they only have 350 more miles to go. WOW!

While preparing breakfast a lady came up to our site looking for help. They had left their keys in the truck while preparing to depart the campground and their cat had stepped on the door lock button and locked the doors. She couldn't get a cell signal so I was able to call her son. But another camper had a friend that was a lock smith so he called him and he came out and unlocked their door. Then another camper had blown the water lines off their camper and needed directions to Wilksboro to go get parts. So we finally got to eat breakfast about 9:30AM.

I worked for awhile in the Contact Station and had to turn two families away because they wanted to stay multiple nights and the two availabe sites are just open for one night.

No rain today and some sunshine finally.

Day 33 Saturday April 28, 2018 We have 18 reservations today, so with those already here that means NO VACANCY tonight. That also means we should have an easy day because there will no sites to clean as we have all the open sites ready for the campers coming in.

This has been the best day weather wise, warm and lots of sunshine, since we have been here so we got to be outside all day. The campers are enjoying the weather, many are out playing games, gathered up at sites cooking in groups and out hiking the trails.

Day 34 Sunday April 29, 2018 “Shift change day” again, most of the campers will leave today and we have 16 reservations coming in. That means we have lots of sites to clean and rake. We got out at 8:15AM to put the reservation signs out wearing coats and gloves as the temperature was 44 degrees with a breeze blowing.

We depart for home Tuesday morning on our 36th day from home. Our Camp Host Site is sitting on a rise overlooking the Contact Station and we are surrounded on all sides by mostly harwood trees. We have witnessed the gradual waking up of the trees from their Winter sleep of bare limbs to the green leaves of the Spring. This is our 4th year as Volunteer Campground Host (3rd year working in April) and we enjoy the gradual changing of the trees.

A few days ago I talked to a couple that was camped here and he told me that his family lived on some of the land that is now the park. He was a caretaker of a farm that was across the road from the campground entrance and he and his wife was married in the field behind what is now a parking lot. His family tried to fight the state in court about the take over of their land but of course they lost in court. He also helped build the house in the park that is the Superintendent's house.

Today a man that is on the Park Advisory Board stopped by the contact station while we were there and showed us some photos he had just taken of 3 black bear cubs and the mama that were in the woods behind the Superintendent's house. He also said he has found the remains of 180 moonshine stills on park land. He does a lot of hiking in areas that do not have established trails.

Day 35 Monday April 30, 2018 It was 41 degrees this morning but as soon as the sun came over the top of the mountain it turned into a beautiful warm day. We put out the reservation signs raked a few sites and returned to the motorhome for breakfast. Then went back out and raked and cleaned several more sites. This is the first Monday since we got here 5 weeks ago that it has not rained. Some of the maintenance staff came and cleaned the fire pits and raked the sites we had not done which was not very many because we did 25 yesterday plus those we did today. Later we cleaned and raked the sites that were vacated today.

We packed up all we could today for our departure tomorrow morning Then late in the day we put out the reservation signs for Tuesday and Wednesday, since noone will be in the contact station tomorrow and the next host don't start to work until Thursday. We turned in our time sheet, keys, etc. and said goodby for our departure tomorrow.

Big Sandy Creek runs through the campground

A new camper in the "Retro" style

Really cute Pop-Up Camper

Looking down on Loop B from Loop A

View from Loop C site 90 looking back to Loop B 

Day 36 Tuesday May 1, 2018 We ate breakfast, finished packing and departed at 8:30AM. After stopping in Dunn for lunch and Wallace for fuel we arrived home about 2:30PM safe and sound.

Stone Mountain State Park April 17-24, 2018

Campground view

Day 17 Thursday April 12, 2018 Finally a nice day with sunshine. Lena was not feeling well today so I did all the work in the campground that was required. I worked in the Contact Station selling wood and ice and also checking  in campers off and on until about 7PM because there was no one scheduled to work in the Contact Station today. I also repaired a water hydrant that was not working properly. This relieved the Rangers do attend to other responsibilities.

Day 18 Friday April 13, 2018 We had another beautiful sunshine day. Lena is still sick with a bad sinus head cold but did go out with me to put out the 60 reservation signs for campers that are coming in today. After breakfast I cleaned a few sites that needed it before today's campers came in, then I releaved Jackie at the Contact Station while she took her lunch break. It was nice to set outside and relax and read in the sunshine today in between performing our duties. Out of 88 sites we have only 10 not occuied or reserved tonight.

Day 19 Saturday April 14, 2018 We only have 16 reservations today so I put them out and checked the campground for any issues before breakfast. There were lots of campers outside this morning cooking breakfast so I got to smell bacon, etc. cooking while out doing my duties, so I was ready for breakfast when I got back to the motorhome.

Later in the afternoon Lena was feeling a little better so she went out with me to check the campground so she could get some fresh air. Rain is predicted for tomorrow so we put out the reservation sign for Sunday. We only have 9 for Sunday.

Dau 20 Sunday April 15, 2018 We had a good breakfast of Lena's blueberry pancakes then started working in the campground getting the sites cleaned as the campers leave. We try to get the sites cleaned before the next campers come in if we can. Sunday is busy with most of the weekend campers leaving and new campers coming in.

The rain started about 2PM, with heavy rain and winds, with a tornado warning so we brought our awnings in and lowered the canopy over the picnic table. Sure am glad all the tent campers have packed up and gone home because it would be rather uncomfortable in a tent in this weather. The rain continued on until around midnight.

Day 21 Monday April 16, 2018 We got about 4” of rain yesterday so the Big Sandy Creek running through the campground had plenty of water in it today. Temps in the low 40's this morning and windy. I went out to check the campground for any problems after the storm yesterday and checked in a couple of campers that arrived before the Contact Station opened. We only have three reservations today plus any “walk-ins” that may show up so it is a quite day. We worked hard yesterday morning so we are taking advantage of the slow day today. The temps never got above 43 degrees today and windy. We got a little bit of snow starting about 7PM.

Day 22 Tuesday April 17, 2018 It was our first of two days off so we went to Terry's Cafe in State Road for breakfast and then to McDonalds's to use their WiFi and get a Latte before driving out to Hamptonville to the Amish store for some groceries. The dogwoods and azaleas have bloomed since last week when we were out this way and the leaves on the trees have popped out, more so that at the campground which is a little higher elevation. On the way back to the campground we also stopped at Walmart to get a few grocery items.
The weather was warmer today but windy so we were able to enjoy setting outside in the sun and read before supper.

Day 23 Wednesday April 18, 2018 Finally we have a warm day with sunshine and it is our day off so we were outside most of the day enjoying a relaxing warm day. We hiked up to the top of Stone Mountain Falls and then came back and I cooked my “almost world famous” baby back ribs in my Dutch Oven. They sure were good and tender. Then I built a campfire with some Bio-Wood that Ranger Kassie wanted me to test out. Bio-Wood is a block of compressed sawdust. The company had sent the park a box of it for us to test in the hopes the park would purchase it for resale to campers. She also had one of the campers do a test of it and we both had about the same thoughts about the product. Not something we would recommend or use.

Top of Stone Mountain Falls

Big Sandy Creek feeding the falls

One of the old chimneys from one of the cabins of the homesteaders that liven on this land

Day 24 Thursday April 19, 2018 We did our normal morning campground duties had breakfast and relaxed for awhile. There was noone scheduled to work in the Contact Station today so I had to run back and forth from our site to the contact station when campers came in to check them in. Finally I just stayed at the contact station and didn't get to close up until 8:15PM when all the reservations but one had come in.

Day 25 Friday April 20, 2018 We had 62 reservations signs to put out this morning which is typical for a Friday. Then I opened the Contact Station at 11AM and began checking in campers while Lena did the laundry. I was relieved about 3:30PM by a park employee. We did a final campground check about 7PM and called it a day. The weather had been nice today without the heavy winds and cold air that we had Thursday.

This church group filled this site up with tents

Day 26 Saturday April 21, 2018 We have 25 reservations for today. Some of yesterday's reservations has not come in yet. All 88 sites are reserved for tonight eventhough some will probably not show up and not cancel their reservations to free up the site. After the sun warmed the air it was a nice pleasant day. I had to work at the Contact Station for an hour during the lunch hour.

We saw a first this afternoon. Three horses and riders came walking down the road through the campground. And of course one of them left a “present” right in the middle of the road in front of a campsite for me to clean up.

Day 27 Sunday April 22, 2018 We only have 8 reservations today but most everyone here is leaving today as is usual on Sunday. I call Sunday “shift change day”. We raked and cleaned several sites before we relieved Shannon at the contact station during the lunch period. After we had lunch we cleaned several more sites before quitting for the day. Lots of rain is exxpected tomorrow so we tried to get as much done today as possible.

Day 28 Monday April 23, 2018 We only had 8 reservations signs for today so we got them out early before the predicted rain started. The rain began about 10AM and it continued all day and night. I opened the Contact Station and checked in one camper, then ate lunch and went back to the station for a couple of hours but no one else came in so I quit and went back to the motorhome.

Day 29 Tuesday April 24, 2018 This is our day off so we headed to the Circle L Cafe in Sparta for breakfast, but we rode through the campground and put out the 4 reservation signs that are due in today. Later we rode through some of the backroads enjoying the beautiful views eventhough it was drizzling rain. We returned to Sparta for lunch at a Mexican restaurant for lunch, then did some more back roads before returning to the campground.

Bridge with no railings that flooded last night