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Old 08-16-2022, 01:08 PM   #1
DutchmenSport
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Is it still "Nirvana"?

As a continuation of this post:

I have finally reached Nirvana!

... the answer is "YES!"

It's been 16 days since my wife and I became the August 2022 camp host at Pilot Mountain State Park in North Carolina. My first impressions on this position were unbelievably overwhelming in the most positive of ways. My experience has not changed.

I've survived 2 week ends now. The second week-end, every campsite was reserved. Between Friday and Saturday night, there was about a 95% flip-flop of visitors on those sites. That meant cleaning the fire pits, prepping the tent platforms, and blowing off the drives and road for each one. Needless to say, that second Saturday was the busiest day I've experienced yet.

I was able to clean up about 1/3 of the sites on Sunday when folks left, but finished the remaining ones yesterday (Monday).

We've had rain several days over the last 2 weeks, and the extreme hot weather has moved out. We had crystal clear night skies for the meteor showers and with all non-electric camp sites, there was no light pollution hindering the beautiful night sky, except the trees.

The Park Rangers and the State Park Staff are wonderful people. They truly enjoy their jobs and it seems as though everyone really appreciates being able to do their duties in such a magnificent setting as this.

For 2 weeks now, Monday night through Thursday night, my wife and I have been the only people in the campground. Cleaning out the fire pits and prepping the tent sites is such an enjoyment. One would not think it is very fun doing this kind of work. But, just the opposite is true! It's quiet, peaceful, and solitary! I'm no mountain Jack, but just being in this forest makes me feel more in tune to nature, my surroundings, and even my Creator! It's a spiritual Nirvana experience ever moment.

Nights are so dark now, especially with overcast rainy skies, I can't even see the road. Many times, I've walked off the road and right up one of the campsite drives. I started carrying a red flashlight at night.

The visitors to the park have been really great! Unlike what was happening at so many Indiana State Parks, the fire pits, may occasionally have egg shells left in them. But no cigarette butts, no trash, no plastic, no paper. Only ash remains. I think the people who use these State Parks in these mountains realize how precious and how fortunate they are to experience camping here. So, they all seem to be very, very mindful of leaving trash and how they handle their campfires.

Again, everyone here is on a campsite with no electricity. Flashlights, campfires, and an occasional Coleman gas lantern are the only lights. Of course the bath houses have lights inside, but no outside lights blaring for miles. We keep all our outside lights off at the camper (as we do have full hookup), unless someone knocks on the door and we need light outside. Otherwise, we are as dark as everyone else. I'm not spoiling this atmosphere by turning on my outside lights. This is not Las Vegas, it's the deep mountains and forests of North Carolina!

Another thing, a family of musicians arrived at the campground on Sunday morning. Guitar, violin, dulcimer, (all stringed instruments), and played old-school gospel hymns. They sang and played for a couple hours. Their instruments resonated throughout the entire campground. Their style was traditional Bluegrass Hymns. It also was an awesome experience hearing this style of "mountain music" in the faint distance through out the campground. What a pleasant way to start out a Sunday morning! I went up and talked to them and the "Dad" said they've been coming and playing there every Sunday morning for the last 27 years. When their kids were born, the switched back to gospel hymns.

Our two little doggies absolutely love saying hello to everyone, love the attention they get from the visitors, and absolutely love riding in the Bobcat. They love walking the 1/2 mile loop with us, and all together, we walk the loop, probably 5 or 6 times a days. We also love hiking the nearby trails. My wife and I are walking / hiking 7 miles a day now! I'm loosing more weight!

Nirvana! Oh yes! And the Park Rangers and have slotted me to return as a camp host for August 2023!
 
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Old 08-16-2022, 05:48 PM   #2
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I remember we were spring gobbler hunting at Lake Momaw. There was 2 groups of campers, us and some guys making music and and the camp host. Both groups had 2 or 3 camp sites. Everybody would set around making music or listening. It was wonderful. The problem at nine o’clock the camp host would make them quit making music when everyone including the camp host was there enjoying the music. Quiet hour. I wouldn’t say anything about his intelligence but he got caught shooting the game department’s robo deer. Nuf said.
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Thanks for the story.
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Old 08-25-2022, 01:02 PM   #3
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DutchmenSport, Our first summer full timing was spending 4 months at Eagle Nest Lake State Park in Eagle Nest, NM. The park was situated at the North end of the Moreno Valley at an elevation of 8000 feet surrounded by the Sangre de Cristos Mountains.



We also were campground hosts. We answered phones, counted the daily receipts and picked up trash along the water's edge 25 hours a week. We loved every minute of it. I especially enjoyed pickup up trash along the water's edge as I got to replenish all my fishing hooks, lures, bobbers, etc. for free. I also found 4 complete fishing poles (but turned those in).



It was a wonderful experience living in the mountains, fishing the rivers and lakes and traveling all over NE New Mexico.
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Old 08-25-2022, 03:02 PM   #4
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Born and raised in Texas Panhandle. Love the mountains in NE New Mexico. Use to spend a week at a time camped along the river next to the highway between Cimmeron and Eagle Nest. Then the state closed the pull offs and stopped the camping.
We still go to Red River with the various campers we have owned. Next Summer we will do it again.
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Old 08-26-2022, 06:39 AM   #5
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Thanks for sharing Dutchman. With everything else going on in the world right now, camping in peaceful places seem to be the only place that brings peace of mind to rejuvenate our souls. No one here but us older folks. Myself, the DW and our "alarm clock" cat seem to be the only ones watching the sun come up each morning. We do have other early morning visitors though. Enjoy the blessing of being able to commune with nature. You are doing great as a camp host and setting a wonderful example.👍
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Old 08-30-2022, 07:53 PM   #6
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My time has come to an end, but it is still Nirvana! I have been asked to return next year for another month as a Campground Host and I accepted the offer.

It is still an amazing experience here, one I will relish the rest of my life. The nights are magnificent, so dark, so quiet, and stars so bright.

I've met some really wonderful people who have camped here. Some were overly friendly, they just loved to stand around and talk, others sharing their personal experiences about ever facet of life imaginable.

I've gotten to know the park management, the rangers, the maintenance and grounds keepers and feel I have made some new friends. I've met young families and older couples who had no problem boomdocking in their RV's. Most folks left their campsites as nice and clean as when they came, with the exception of ashes in the fire pits. A few were horribly inconsiderate and definitely were on their own agenda, leaving cigarttte butts all around and trash in the fire pits. But, I've attempted to be a bit more forgiving and hope someday, these people who wake up. We had one person paint on the rocks by the fire pit. This was not a nice water base paint that washed off easily. The park maintenance folks had to use some pretty harsh chemicals to dissolve the paint and then scrubbed for a couple hours cleaning it all off. So sad. Some people truly are idiots.

I'm going to miss this place. It has been a wonderful experience. Following are some photos from my own journies while inside the park. My "hiking" companion is my faithful little girl doggie. She appears in several of these photos.

Tomorrow we move to West Virginia for an overnight, and then Kincaid River State Park in Kentucky for a few day. Next week, we'll be closer to home at Mounds State Park in Anderson, Indiana.

















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Old 08-30-2022, 07:56 PM   #7
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Old 08-30-2022, 07:58 PM   #8
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Old 08-31-2022, 07:07 AM   #9
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Absolutely gorgeous views Dutchman! You were obviously blessed with your own little slice of heaven while there. Thanks for sharing the pics.

Edit: What time of day did you see the eastern timber rattler? Photo led me to believe it was an evening pic with camera flash. If so - the who noticed who first? LOL Have safe travels.
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Old 08-31-2022, 08:13 AM   #10
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The really nice part is you are enjoying your life. Think of all the people who aren’t.
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Old 08-31-2022, 10:30 PM   #11
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Great pictures of a beautiful place! Looks and sounds like it’s been an enjoyable experience you won’t soon forget.
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