Day 4.203: State park camping

You can see a slideshow of campground pictures including the beach here.

Ever since we got back from Wild Goose, our new camping equipment has been burning a hole in our pocket basement calendar. So we finally took the opportunity this weekend and ventured out with a car full of stuff to a state park about 200 miles west of here. Our experience was good. We set our targets low - eating dinner on the way and lunch and dinner out on Saturday leaving only breakfast (and s'mores) to be prepared at the camp. The weather was kind in the end. On Thursday we were looking up the National Weather Service's advice on lightning safety and wondering if we would be spending Friday night in the car rather than the tent, but in the end we drove through the storms and had a dry evening to set up camp and a gloriously star-filled and clear night.

Things we were glad to have:

1. The "luggable loo" - we didn't use it at Wild Goose but appreciated it this time.
2. Mains adapter for the car 12V socket and the 'real' bed pump - so much quicker and easier than the battery powered one with my makeshift adapter for the two twin mattresses.
3. Plenty of changes of clothes for E5N1!
4. A site on the 'playground loop' - meant that there were lots of kids around and ours could come and go between the playground and the camp until it was getting really dark - you can see the route in the panorama in the middle of the collage above.

Things we wished we had:

1. Fire lighters
2. Flashlights
3. Warmer bed-clothes
4. Beer (OK maybe just me there!)
5. A bottle opener once we bought some beer.

All in all, it was another good experience which will help us to be a bit braver (and better prepared) next time and it enabled another visit that I will write about another day.