Back on the farm
So how do I begin to describe tonight's campground? Let me start with it's beginning.... about 35+ years ago, a farmer and his wife decided to make part of their farm into a campground along a fishing stream that runs through their acreage. As the years went by, they added more campsites, and a couple of bathhouses to expand the operation. They sold their cows and turned their old barn into a "rec center" while renting out the rest of their property. Now they still have a few horses, a couple of llamas and goats, and some peacocks.
Since then, little has been done to change the campground. On the newer portion, they built a mini-golf course & playground (which look like they're at least 20 years old) and a picnic shelter. The bathhouses are pretty much the same as when they were built. The "rec center" looks like an incredibly bad youth room, with very old leftover couches and chairs lining both sides (where the stalls used to be) and a bunch of old tables in the middle. There are no games in this rec center, but several dilapidated antique sleighs and buggies. I believe they may still do hay rides with some of them occasionally.
I came upon this campground by what I thought would be convenience. We'd been on the road for about 6 hours today, traveling from Wytheville, VA (where we stayed at a very nice campground in the middle of a gorgeous western portion of Virginia)and it was darn hot! I wanted to get as close to Harrisburg, PA as possible today so we have less driving tomorrow to get to the town where my writing class begins on Monday. As soon as we crossed the PA border though, I knew I was hitting my wall. So out came the good ol' Woodall's directory of camps. This one was close and cheap, so it appeared to be a good place to stay for the night.
It was 6 miles off the interstate - not too bad until I realized that it was almost all driving through the town of Chambersburg. Then when I got to the campground, I realized I would need them to take a check - no way was this place going to have credit card capability. A very nice old lady greeted me at the door to her "office" - the old farmhouse where she lived. She showed me where my campsite was on her nice hand-drawn chart of the campground that was covered with old plastic to make it last. All around the camp there were hand-written signs.
So off I went around the barns to cross the road to find my campsite - which was taken. I wound my way through the campground to get back to the farmhouse so I could ask for a new site. She pointed across the field to where my next one was, and said if I crossed either of the one lane bridges, I missed it. Well, I couldn't find a campsite there to save my life. Thankfully a golf cart came driving by, with what I thought was this woman's husband. Turns out he's another retired farmer who works there. I told him my dilemma, and he said that someone was in this campsite too. OK - 2 strikes... 3 and I was going to get back on the road and head on up to Carlisle. When he called the owner on his cell phone (yes he had one!) she said they were supposed to be gone. I'm thinking there are way too many people taking advantage of this 84-year-old lady who isn't going to be driving around the campgrounds to see who actually leaves when they're supposed to. Her 86-year-old stone deaf husband isn't going to either. I wonder how many people pay for 1 night and stay for 3? Or more?
Anyway, golf-cart-man found a site for me, and helped me back in, only to find the hook-ups were on the other side and no way was my cord going to reach. So I had to pull out yet again, turn the Beast around, and pull in nose-first. With all this time, I could have driven another 30 miles and been set up in a site in Carlisle.
BUT now that I'm settled, it is quiet (the tractors hauling hay have stopped for the night) and it's a cheap place to stay for the night, and I'm helping to support an old farm couple. Plus it's a lot more interesting to talk about than just another KOA campground.
I was so tempted to pick up a couple of souvenirs here too. They have some kittens to give away for free. I saw 4 or maybe 5 of them - adorable 8-10 week old fluffballs that are your typical barn cats. They all need to have a boric acid eye wash like we used to do for our kittens when they got pink pussy eyes, and I'm sure they all need de-worming and de-fleaing. But they were pretty tame and very playful and just so darn cute. All of them were black & white Holstein kitties except one that looked like her light grey tiger-striped mama. Lucky for my boys I resisted temptation! I don't think they'd know what to do with a kitten or two. Besides it would have been too darn crowded in the Pink Beast.
Since then, little has been done to change the campground. On the newer portion, they built a mini-golf course & playground (which look like they're at least 20 years old) and a picnic shelter. The bathhouses are pretty much the same as when they were built. The "rec center" looks like an incredibly bad youth room, with very old leftover couches and chairs lining both sides (where the stalls used to be) and a bunch of old tables in the middle. There are no games in this rec center, but several dilapidated antique sleighs and buggies. I believe they may still do hay rides with some of them occasionally.
I came upon this campground by what I thought would be convenience. We'd been on the road for about 6 hours today, traveling from Wytheville, VA (where we stayed at a very nice campground in the middle of a gorgeous western portion of Virginia)and it was darn hot! I wanted to get as close to Harrisburg, PA as possible today so we have less driving tomorrow to get to the town where my writing class begins on Monday. As soon as we crossed the PA border though, I knew I was hitting my wall. So out came the good ol' Woodall's directory of camps. This one was close and cheap, so it appeared to be a good place to stay for the night.
It was 6 miles off the interstate - not too bad until I realized that it was almost all driving through the town of Chambersburg. Then when I got to the campground, I realized I would need them to take a check - no way was this place going to have credit card capability. A very nice old lady greeted me at the door to her "office" - the old farmhouse where she lived. She showed me where my campsite was on her nice hand-drawn chart of the campground that was covered with old plastic to make it last. All around the camp there were hand-written signs.
So off I went around the barns to cross the road to find my campsite - which was taken. I wound my way through the campground to get back to the farmhouse so I could ask for a new site. She pointed across the field to where my next one was, and said if I crossed either of the one lane bridges, I missed it. Well, I couldn't find a campsite there to save my life. Thankfully a golf cart came driving by, with what I thought was this woman's husband. Turns out he's another retired farmer who works there. I told him my dilemma, and he said that someone was in this campsite too. OK - 2 strikes... 3 and I was going to get back on the road and head on up to Carlisle. When he called the owner on his cell phone (yes he had one!) she said they were supposed to be gone. I'm thinking there are way too many people taking advantage of this 84-year-old lady who isn't going to be driving around the campgrounds to see who actually leaves when they're supposed to. Her 86-year-old stone deaf husband isn't going to either. I wonder how many people pay for 1 night and stay for 3? Or more?
Anyway, golf-cart-man found a site for me, and helped me back in, only to find the hook-ups were on the other side and no way was my cord going to reach. So I had to pull out yet again, turn the Beast around, and pull in nose-first.
BUT now that I'm settled, it is quiet (the tractors hauling hay have stopped for the night) and it's a cheap place to stay for the night, and I'm helping to support an old farm couple. Plus it's a lot more interesting to talk about than just another KOA campground.
I was so tempted to pick up a couple of souvenirs here too. They have some kittens to give away for free. I saw 4 or maybe 5 of them - adorable 8-10 week old fluffballs that are your typical barn cats. They all need to have a boric acid eye wash like we used to do for our kittens when they got pink pussy eyes, and I'm sure they all need de-worming and de-fleaing. But they were pretty tame and very playful and just so darn cute. All of them were black & white Holstein kitties except one that looked like her light grey tiger-striped mama. Lucky for my boys I resisted temptation! I don't think they'd know what to do with a kitten or two. Besides it would have been too darn crowded in the Pink Beast.
posted by Kris at 6/17/2006 08:48:00 PM
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