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Feedback about camping, quiet area

Started by PollyPoPo, October 11, 2015, 08:25:52 PM

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PollyPoPo

I figured I would start a thread to give some feedback and maybe get others to add their own experiences. 

We were in row 17, about 1/3 way from the restrooms to the end of the road.

1.  Love, love, love the idea of restrooms available for campers.  For me it was definitely worth the walk. 

2.  The restrooms and store have some outside lighting, which some people might find distracting; I like being able to see where I'm going.

3.  As for noise from TRF After Dark and from the Bonfire, it seems to be a matter of individual perception of a problem.  The After Dark has a heavy bass effect, so even if someone did not object to hearing it, some campers found the vibrations from the ground to be annoying.  I could hear the bonfire people Friday (til at least 2 a.m. ish), though it definitely sounded far away.  On Saturday, someone had what sounded like a microphone/loudspeaker, not music, an announcer.  I could hear people shouting, indistinct, but then could distinguish what the guy was saying.  (My son was at the bonfire and knew there was a guy with loudspeaker, but he did not realize it traveled all the way to where we were in row 17 until I mentioned it Sunday morning).  Disclaimer: I am hard of hearing for certain tones and do not find the noise as annoying as many other people.

4.  Parking - driving from the quiet area to rows 2-5 is a good way to go unless someone wants to drive all the way around to regular camping.  We left camp at 8:30ish Saturday morning and parked in row 2, first few cars. On Sunday, we left about 9:00 and again got in row 2, just a few cars further down the lane.  It is still a long way for this old elf to make it from the car to the entrance, but people in day parking have the same situation.

5.  There were several camps set up in Row 18 (in the tree line there), so it wasn't like being alone.  The huge open area (no tree coverage) was pretty much empty.  Of course, the main camping area was packed muffler to engine and guy wire to guy wire; it became a bit more open as one would leave the center and move towards to outer edges.  Same as every year.

6.  Where we were, there did not seem to be much noise from cars in the store/restroom/shower parking lots, but it might have bothered camps closest to those spots.

7.  Of course, the iron dragon had the horn going as it rumbled by; again, probably most people find it disturbing. 

8.  There is a road parallel to the camping row (the one where faire and camping entrances are).  Traffic was heavy at times and very sparse at times. 

9.  One of the ranger people (I don't know which one, I got the story second hand) came by about 7ish checking on the fire pit.  Ours passed, but looks like they are checking this closely.  Nice guy, just making sure we don't burn ourselves and the campgrounds with us.

Okay, so what were experiences of others opening weekend out in the quiet camping area?
Polly PoPo
(aka Grannie)

Laird Fraser of Lovatt

#1
I noticed that there was a thick mat of dried grass around where McShug is camping and Grimes County is almost back to banning all fires.  I'm hoping we can get a couple of inches of rain between now and AHE... :-\

The LEO's are usually pretty cool about fire pits as long as you use them correctly.
Cha togar m' fhearg gun dìoladh
Alba gu brath
Laird of Dunans Castle
Warrior Poet/Loki God

LadyJessica

Quote from: Laird Fraser of Lovatt on October 12, 2015, 06:28:46 AM
I noticed that there was a thick mat of dried grass around where McShug is camping and Grimes County is almost back to banning all fires.  I'm hoping we can get a couple of inches of rain between now and AHE... :-\

The LEO's are usually pretty cool about fire pits as long as you use them correctly.

Perhaps we bring out a rake to move some of that off to make it a bit safer?
Loki GODDESS
Lady-in-Lacing to QOE
FOKTOP
Director of Social Tourture for the Empire
Gneaitheas Gnomie (DG#290)

Laird Fraser of Lovatt

Quote from: LadyJessica on October 12, 2015, 09:12:34 AM
Quote from: Laird Fraser of Lovatt on October 12, 2015, 06:28:46 AM
I noticed that there was a thick mat of dried grass around where McShug is camping and Grimes County is almost back to banning all fires.  I'm hoping we can get a couple of inches of rain between now and AHE... :-\

The LEO's are usually pretty cool about fire pits as long as you use them correctly.

Perhaps we bring out a rake to move some of that off to make it a bit safer?

Nah...let's live dangerously.... :o

;D
Cha togar m' fhearg gun dìoladh
Alba gu brath
Laird of Dunans Castle
Warrior Poet/Loki God

Terre Albert

We are going to lower the base from After Dark.

ermahgerd_trf

#5
Regarding fire pits: Can you clarify if it is any different than any other year? (and not like several years ago where you couldn't have any fires period)?

I noticed that the Grimes county's website says "Burn Ban Effective August 3, 2015"

http://www.co.grimes.tx.us/

Laird Fraser of Lovatt

Quote from: ermahgerd_trf on October 12, 2015, 07:09:20 PM
Regarding fire pits: Can you clarify if it is any different than any other year? (and not like several years ago where you couldn't have any fires period)?

I noticed that the Grimes county's website says "Burn Ban Effective August 3, 2015"

http://www.co.grimes.tx.us/


I'm assuming that the fire pits should have a cover or be enclosed.  During other dry years, LEO's have come by and checked the pits to make sure you were using the expanded metal covers.  I had a chimera, one year, and they didn't have a problem with it.

*fingers crossed for rain before AHE*
Cha togar m' fhearg gun dìoladh
Alba gu brath
Laird of Dunans Castle
Warrior Poet/Loki God