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Thursday, August 30, 2007

Summer’s coming to a close

The end of summer is looming and I can neither believe it’s almost over nor am I ready for it to be over.

It seems like it was just a few days ago when we were shopping for our new camper and planning a two-week excursion in our new home on wheels. But it wasn’t just yesterday and it really is almost the end of summer – at least unofficially.

After this Labor Day holiday weekend, kids who haven’t already returned to school will do so and many families will pack away their RVs and campers until next spring.

I both love and hate this time of year. While I really love the crisp days of fall and the cool evenings, as well as my son’s high school football games, I really miss the carefree days of summer and the more frequent camping trips.

We do have some fall camping planned, but it won’t be on as regular a schedule as our summer camping. Maybe just a couple of times out, and likely near home because of late Friday night games.

But that will be for a future note. Right now I’m planning for our last big hurrah weekend of camping.

We’re going to Gordon's Camping Resort, just a few miles north of Kendallville in northern Indiana, about an hour from our home. The 75-acre campground doesn’t take reservations and has never turned a camper away, but we’re taking our camper up Thursday night just to be safe.

We have that Friday night football thing to deal with, so we didn’t want to lose out on our choice site by waiting until late Friday or early Saturday to get there.

The campground has sites for almost any preference, from open lawns, to wooded and shaded sites, and all with water, electricity and 20/30/50 AMP electrical connections.

But it’s not just the sites that have us interested. I’ve heard from people for many years that this is a nice place to go and we just haven’t made the outing, but with the list of activities, I think we’re going to have a great time.

My daughter and her friend – both nearly 13 – will have a grand time with all of the events planned, from kids Bingo, to hay rides, to a dance, the two girls should have a wonderful weekend. The heated swimming pool will be nice for the lazy afternoons, as well.

And our son, who will join us after work on Saturday, will be bringing a friend to admire the local scenery as they put it. And to get that last long weekend of doing nothing before the really intenseness of the senior year of high school sets in.

Even the weatherman is cooperating. He’s calling for sunny days and warm skies, but not the horrible heat we’ve been having. Now, if we could just get the gas stations to cooperate, but staying fairly close to home should keep our costs down.

AAA is calling for a flat holiday weekend with travel growing only .02 percent, even with the average fuel price at around $2.79 per gallon – lower than last year. AAA estimates that 34.6 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, almost the exact same number that traveled last Labor Day. According to the Travel Industry Association (TIA), travelers' perception of higher costs for fuel, lodging and airfares have resulted in the small growth in Labor Day travelers from 2006.

But that doesn’t mean that you can’t get out in the RV. While the gas may cost you, the lodging is reasonable and so is the entertainment. Firewood is inexpensive, and you have to eat even if you are at home.

So, pull up a camp chair, grab a hotdog stick and let’s go camping!

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