You know, every campground has their problems and issues – especially during bike week.  Even though we’re in one of the more “calm and quiet” campgrounds with an owner/operator that keeps close tabs on things there can still be issues.  So there are those campground residents that are kind enough to keep watch on things and quell the issues as soon as they arise. 

For those of you who don’t know, Daisy is an eleven year old German Shepherd that travels with us whenever the RV leaves the yard.  She supervises the loading and all the maintenance that takes place prior to making a trip, and worries when something goes wrong. She makes sure that the two cats that travel with us (Senior Citizen Simon & Lucy) behave themselves and always find the litter box.  Once we arrive at the campground she exits the RV and announces her presence with several loud barks, then makes the rounds of all the surrounding campers introducing herself, giving everyone a good sniff, and if she really likes you maybe a lick or two. 

Most everyone in our “camping neighborhood” has at least one dog, although most of them are on the smaller side – poodles, yorkies, mostly little dust mops.  So of course, Daisy, with her instinctive herding nature, makes sure that they all stay within their boundaries.  Believe me, when those little dogs wander out of their territory and they receive a poke in their behind from a dog that weighs 100 lbs. they run for their lives back to their sanctuary. 

As you can see, Daisy has a big job ahead of her for the next 10 days.  Here’s a shot of Daisy “on guard.”

And Senior Citizen Simon doing what he does best.  He started claiming the laundry basket at home so we decided to bring it along so he had something familiar.  You see, he’s 21 years old, blind and deaf and gets around totally by his whiskers. 

And then there’s Lucy, my little chatterbox.  Judging from the way she “talks” all the time and her sky blue eyes, I would guess she’s part Siamese.  She was so thin when she came to us about 6 months of age, that you could see every rib and her back bone.  She’s chunked up now to the point that she’s nicknamed Pork Chop and Bubble Butt!

 It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood – remember that song that Mr. Rogers would sing at the beginning of his program?  Well, our camping neighborhood is like old home week.  Many of us have had the same camping spots since this campground opened up in 2001.  Karen and Dave arrived from Arizona, although they were two days late due to trouble on the road.  Something went wrong with the computer in their truck and they were stranded for 12 hours out in the wilds of Wyoming.  Then there’s Smitty and his family consisting of his wife, son and daughter-in-law.  They’re out of Alliance, Nebraska.  He’s retired military and now owns his own electrically contracting company.  There’s Jeff & Jerry, father and son from Huron, South Dakota.  They’re big cattle ranchers and operate 17 sections of land.  His beef is all organic and every year he stocks his freezer with steaks and hamburger that we dine on.  The steaks are always an inch thick and you can cut them with a fork.  They are wonderful.  Next to Jeff and Jerry is Chris – he’s a newbie in our neighborhood and is here with his wife, two young boys and his mother-in-law and father-in-law.  They’re here all the way from Los Angeles.  They don’t own a bike but they’re here because his wife has a job at the Full Throttle Saloon.  If you don’t know about the Full Throttle Saloon click here:  http://www.fullthrottlesaloon.com/  Chris is a 16-year vet from the Marine Corps and has spent 16 years on the Los Angeles Police Department, many of those years on the vice squad so he’s got quite some stories to tell.  We’re still awaiting Rocky and Billie out of Kansas City, and Don and Bernie from Arkansas.  So it will be a full house. 

You would think that with this group of people that our area would be “party city.”  WRONGO BUCKO!  We’re all of the age group where we’re back at the campground by 5 o’clock and most of us in bed by ten.  So, if you’re interested, you’ll just have to bear with the boring details as they unfold over the week ahead.

Love, Lena