Indian Creek at Mark Twain Lake - September 2016

We camped at the Indian Creek campground at Mark Twain Lake. The camp was filled with boaters out to enjoy one last weekend on the lake. This was a campground which I remember from youth. I remember Monroe too, because I think that is where Dad got a speeding ticket, when Mark and I had the caged squirrel, and were hiding from the officer in the bed of the truck for fear he'd ask us why we had a squirrel...

I remember Mom and Dad driving up to Mark Twain Lake many times. What I don't remember is how out in the middle of nowhere it feels. As one who has given up on paper maps in favor of the ever-present Google Maps, it was quite the shocker when the phone reception gave out. Of course Google Maps left us on the shortest route, which did not include any State Highways like 41, but instead abandoned us at the intersection of two county roads between corn fields. Not very descriptive landmarks, once you are that far north in Missouri. Go north of Hannibal and the difference between Missouri and Iowa is purely political, not geographic.

Thankfully, there were signs pointing to the Indian Creek Marina, and the logo of a spear with feathers was a familiar one. We made it in to camp just fine. But next time, I'm going to bring a Rand McNalley with us, if we can still buy one of those.

The Indian Creek campgrounds are near the Indian Creek Marina. The marina store on the docks was open until 10 pm. The store rented boats and sold ice cream. The diner served breakfast, lunch and dinner, to hungry boaters. The marina store sold bagged ice, but not firewood. The docks looked very similar to how they had 25 years ago. More ski-dos less sailboats, but generally the same. I don't think my boys had ever seen so many bass boats all in one place. My oldest seeing what the "good life" looked like decided he wanted a piece of it. He scanned every FOR SALE sign he could, judging how many yard mowings it would take to save up for a boat...and a truck to pull it...

I did snap into "Army Mode" once. The boys were scootering down the road, and I was following with the dog. A Jeep was coming down the road, and the boys being boys didn't exactly notice. Two did, but not the third. He just kept scooting....slowly...in front of the Jeep. Just about the time I was ready to holler at the boy, the driver made a "REALLY?!" comment snidely to my boy. I guess he was too stupid to notice me walking at his fender. I barked back "REALLY?!" at him, and gave him some neighborly advice about how he should drive, and be on the watch for pedestrians, and about how if he didn't like that, then maybe he was in the wrong place. He just turned real red, and drove on.

It was a good life lesson for the boy. He realized that he'd caused the altercation, and apologized to me for it. I asked him to be more aware of his surroundings in the future. It was also a good life-lesson for the Jeep driver...

The weather was wonderful, 80s in the day and 60s at night. The CFO enjoyed our campsite as it overlooked the lake. She also enjoyed her Merlot.

The boys took charge of the fire, and the oldest made breakfast on his own on Monday morning. I was very pleased to see my boys' skills improving. Making a fire without gas or chemicals is a basic life skill. Making your own breakfast is too. Bribing your parents with breakfast already made is an art.

These times are chances for the boys (and the parents) to unplug from our normally very electronic life. Eegads no wifi, no internet, NO YOUTUBE!! The initial shock can be rough, but in the end, the rewards are great. Conflict can be defined as two brothers in the same room. Conflict resolution is therefore a good camping trip. Additionally, while one brother may hassle another brother, woe to the strange boy who attempts to pick on one of the brothers at the play ground. Where there was just one brother, suddenly there are three!

Dad gets a chance to attempt to back in the trailer to a campsite, and do it successfully. Sometimes he makes it on the first try, like this trip. Sometimes, he doesn't. Sometime towing a trailer is easy. Sometimes you have to travel behind the Sunday driver out on a Monday afternoon. And then sometimes a giant combine comes down the road where there is clearly not room for his header, let alone for him to meet traffic. At these times, you just get to stop and watch the laws of physics dictate what happens next. (Both of those happened on the way home...)

Monday turned hot, but we were packed and gone before the weather got into the 90s.

Campground
Loops
The campground is divided into a East and West campgrounds. The East Campground has two loops for electric, and one rustic tent-only loops. The West Campground has three loops for electric hookups. Some electric sites have water, some have sewer. Some don't. You'll need to pay attention to which site you reserve to make sure you get what you want.

Shower Houses & Latrines
There were three latrines on each loop, one of which was a shower house. These were kept fairly clean. All had running water and flushing toilets. Public water spigots were well placed between campsites.

Playgrounds
There was one playground for the East Campground and one for the West.

Trails
There were several short trails that led from the campground loops to the lake shore. These were short and graveled. Hilly portions were landscaped with railroad tie stairs.

Campsites
Terrain
The main section of the campground is level, and had good asphalt road between the sites.  The area was generally mowed along the road, but the areas between campsites were filled with abundant poison ivy and aromatic sumac crops. The lack of well mowed area between campsites was disappointing and concerning as this limited the children's play area and presented a concern for skin rashes.

The camp is set next to Mark Twain lake. The hikes down to the lake can be steep, but the trails are well marked, and even have landscape timber stairs.

Pad Space
The pads are generally all of a good length, and are pretty level. These I might even describe as deep, since campers can generally fit a combination of trailer, truck, and boat on the same pad.

Amenities
Each campsite came with one aluminium picnic table , one fire pit, and one lantern pole. The electric site all have electric hook-ups at a post at the back of the pad. The sites are all leveled and have been terraced with landscape timbers and gravel to mark out the main picnic area. There is no camp store. The nearest general store is in Monroe, MO. However, a local farmer off HH sells firewood in generous amounts. We paid $10 and got a whole load of wood in the back of the Traverse.

Camp Staff
Check-in Hosts
The check-in hosts were efficient at the gate. We were allowed to check in early without issue. However, small talk was not in the game plan, as the Labor Day weekend caused several campers to stack up in the check-in lane.

Campsite Hosts
Campsite hosts did check on campers by driving by in a pickup truck. They were identified by polo shirts.

Rangers
We had no interaction with any Rangers.

Programs
The camp offered a nature trivia night on Friday night. We missed it.

Silver Mines Campground - June 2016

(Author's Note 09/05/2016 - this is being posted very late.)

Hot.  That was how to describe this camp out.

Our good family friend, my Best Man, and my Wingman joined us for this trip. The boys were super excited to have Jason along - he's the best Uncle they've never had.

Silver Mines is a camp which I had stayed at as a Boy Scout. The Long Ride was a week-long horseback ride through the Mark Twain National Forest, and this was one of our stops. I remember shooting through the dam like a water slide. I don't know if you can still do that today...we didn't try.

The curve in the creek presented a natural swimming hole. The creek was filled with slipper rocks. You could be ankle deep one moment, and over your head the next. There were a few large boulders in the creek which the boys jumped off of.

Due to the heat, we spent much of the time in the water. And due to the heat, my brain melted, and I forgot to take pictures.

My wife really liked this campground. The camping loop was small, so there weren't too many neighbors. The camp staff was very concerned that all tires fit on the pad, but the pads were fairly small. So Jason had to park in the overflow parking by the showerhouse.

Campground:
Loops -
The campground has three major loops.  The southern most loop is across the river from the other two.  The south loop boasts spacious sites, level parking pads, electricity, picnic tables, lantern poles, and raised concrete fireplaces.  The grounds are grassy, but with ample trees for shade.  The only downside was the lack of site-specific water and the sites on the riverside tended to be pretty sloped off the pad.  The middle loop and north loops were primitive campsites only.  All have ready access to the St. Francis River.  Only the southern loop was in use while we were there.  This was likely due to the lack of electricity at the other loops.
Shower Houses -
There were no shower houses, only latrines.  The south loops latrine was serviceable, but not well kept. The other loop latrines were very clean, but we suspect this was from the complete lack of use of the other loops.
Playgrounds -
There were no playgrounds or activity fields.  The St. Francis River was the focus of all activity.
Trails -
There were few trails in the park.  We did not venture onto them due to the heat.

Campsites:
Terrain -
The ground is relatively flat, as the campground was down in the St. Francis River valley.  The ground and the river was decorated with the purple granite rocks which are characteristic to the area. The river itself had a few large granite boulders in it which were good for jumping and splashing off of.  The river bed was filled with more of the slippery rocks.  River shoes are a must, and walk carefully as you will slip.
Pad Space -
Pads were just long enough to park our popup camper and one vehicle.  Visitors were made to park in the overflow parking by the latrine.
Amenities -
Each campsite comes with one picnic table (not chained down) and one fire pit.  The electric sites also have one electrical post and one water spigot.  The full hook-up sites add sewer.

Camp Staff:
Check-in Hosts -
There is one check-in at the campground entry.  The check-in office is staffed by State Park employees and rangers.  Everyone was very nice.
Campsite Hosts -
The were no volunteer hosts.
Rangers -
We met one ranger. He was gracious enough to check our water spigot and get it working again.
Programs -
none offered

Montgomery Bell State Park, TN - April 2016

(Author's Note 09/05/2016 - This is being posted very late. So, I'll do my best.)

This camp was an enjoyable, but strangely cold, time. My mother camped with us, and the boys were very excited for that. The CFO and I have been to this campground once before, when there was just one boy.

If all State Park organizations modeled themselves from the TN State Parks, the world would be a pretty good place. Clean campsites, friendly staff, a convenient camp store. The only slight thing was that the voters of TN apparently think that parents are not free to decide whether or not their children need bicycle helmets or not. For one who grew up when I wasn't too good to go through the front windshield with the rest of the family, this seems like a tremendous overreach. Children peddling through campgrounds at 10 miles-an-hour cannot possibly benefit from a helmet. Either the helmet is an unnecessary style statement, or it is woefully under whelming protection. But, the TN voters have spoken, the boys wore their helmets, and yes, we had them.

Having just come off a chilling and snow Missouri camp, we were hoping for the warmer weather that more Southern climes guaranteed us. Imagine our surprise when again, we saw it snowing...in April...in TN! This time we did have a space heater in the camper, and it did its part - Mom and the dog happily snuggled together next to the heater on the middle bed. Us on the outside beds had a more chilly time.

All in all it was a great camping trip. We will try TN again, but this time in warming weather.


Campground:
Loops -
There is one large campground loop that is subdivided into a few sub-loops.  Each loop caters to a different level of camper.  The tent sub-loop provide a spacious, grassy area to camp beneath cathedral like pine trees.  The electric sub-loop provides moderately spaced gravel pads with electric and water hook-ups.  The sewer sub-loops packs camper tightly together, with full hook-ups.
Shower Houses -
There were three shower houses. One had coin-operated washers and dryers. The facilities were kept very clean.  The dumpsters were kept at the far end of the loop. (TN recently moved from keeping individual trash cans at each side to dumpsters at the end of the loop.)
Playgrounds -
There was a large play ground and a large activity field, suitable for football games, baseball, kites, or any other sort of field sport.
Trails -
There were several trails in the park.  These range from short nature hikes directly from the campsite to several mile backpacking trails with back country campsites.

Campsites:
Terrain -
The ground is hilly, "hills and hollers" with steeps climbs and babbling creeks.  Middle Tennessee is where the earth begins to change from Mississippi river bottom land to Appalachian foot hills.  This makes for a beauty but hilly area.
Pad Space -
The pads are different depending on the sub-loop type.  Tent sites allow parking parallel to the road. Electric sites offer generally deep gravel pads that contain parking space, picnic tables, and a fire pit. Full sites offer deep pads, but space is minimal to help tight-pack in the RVs.
Amenities -
Each campsite comes with one picnic table (not chained down) and one fire pit.  The electric sites also have one electrical post and one water spigot.  The full hook-up sites add sewer.

Camp Staff:
Check-in Hosts -
There is one check-in at the campground entry.  The check-in office is staffed by State Park employees and rangers.  Everyone was very nice.
Campsite Hosts -
The were no volunteer hosts.
Rangers -
We met one ranger. He was gracious enough to check our water spigot and get it working again.
Programs -
none offered