Geezerhood

Still hanging out near Madison, Wisconsin.  The last month has been warm and very dry.  Very unusual for June.  Now for the news:

I have entered that part of life which some refer to as "geezer-hood."   Advancement to this status includes but is not limited to:

• being of that certain age where the Social Security Administration is viewed as a positive,
• being able to purchase a lifetime Senior Pass (for all of $10) for reduced entry and camping fees at National Parks, Corps of Engineering Campgrounds, etc., and
• having six 2's line up on the odometer of my truck (no decimals).  

So next time when someone asks me who was that geezer in that old truck, I'll know of whom they are talking.  Or when I hear "Hey geezer, get off the road," I'll know its not the other guy who is the problem.

Oh, and Donna, being married to a geezer, is now affectionately referred to as a "geezelle" and/or a "geezette."

I wonder if there is monthly gazette for geezers.

April Showers and KOA

We decided to head back to Wisconsin early since weather reports in March were almost balmy.  Of course, as soon as we arrived on March 31, the weather turned cold, wet and nasty.  We brought below freezing temperatures and oodles of rain.  But no snow.  April actually was colder than March was here in the Madison area.  We unpacked our electric heaters--the ones we so neatly packed away for next season.  And we became reacquainted with our winter coats.  I think we have seen the sun almost three days in a row sometime this last month.  Gray and wet has been the norm.  Thankfully, severe weather did not tag along with us.

Here at the KOA we are in training as work campers.  We were recruited last fall by the owners and decided to give it a try.  We each toil for 12 hours a week.  It's hard to get back to a schedule.  But so far so good.  Donna has been up to her eyebrows with registration/reservations/walk-ins and store sales.  She is learning the campground computer program and has come a long way.  I started out spraying dandelions ("pretty flowers") and weed whacking.  I didn't break too many things (there's a story or two which will forever remain hidden from public view).  We both  graduated to learning to clean bathrooms/showers.  We passed.  Recently I have been learning the ins and outs of filling propane tanks/cylinders, escorting vehicles to their sites and delivering fire wood.  We haven't been asked to leave the premises yet, so we must be doing OK.  Or, maybe they're short of help??  Time will tell.

Oh, by the way, it's still raining and the thermometer says 56.

Graceland

Our campground at Hernando Point was only about 20 miles from Graceland, so we succumbed.  Graceland is on the south side of Memphis.  It is easily reached going north of our campground up highway 51.  Very little traffic existed on this route.  The campground is really perfectly situated for a Graceland visit.

Of course Graceland is there for a profit.  We handed over $10 for parking and $54 for a self-guided audio tour of the mansion.  If one wanted to visit the airplane and auto museum, more cash was needed.  Of course, you could hand over wads more cash to purchase Elvis's likeness and name on everything imaginable.

A shuttle takes you from the parking/ticketing area across the street to the house.   Audio devices are issued so that you can hear a description of what you are seeing at your own pace.  Video recording and flash photography is not allowed.  Most of the house is sufficiently lit to allow flash-less picture taking.

And now some flash-less photos. First the front door:

 Here is the formal living area viewed directly upon entering the house.

The billiard room with its pleated fabric walls.

The "monkey" room:

The backyard.

A photo-op with the King:

A garage building full of gold records and other memorabilia.  The room has two aisles filled with his trophies.

More gold/platinum records in the racquetball court:

A favorite movie poster:

The "Memory Gardens" burial plot:

And a parting shot of the front yard:

 

The crowd was light during our morning visit.

Arkabutla Lake, Mississippi

Today we drove about 230 miles northeast and landed 30 miles south of Memphis at the Hernando Point Corps of Engineering Campground.  The campground lies along the shores of the 12,730 acre Arkabutla Lake.  The campground is less than 10 miles off I-55 and about 5 miles off of US 51 on Wheeler Road.

Payment of the $20 fee is on the honor system.  Sites are level and paved with table, grill, fire pit and lantern pole.  Some sites are on a bluff overlooking the lake while others are inland.  Most sites have some shade.  Some of the parking pads are raised so that there is a steep drop off to the table etc.  One needs to watch their step in the dark so as not to fall and/or twist an ankle.

Our site #21 is fairly typical.

Here is a view from our front door:

The campground has 83 sites and is listed as acceptable for RVs up to 40 feet.  Electric and water hookups are at each site.  A dump station is available.  Temperatures were in the mid-80s when we arrived so snow was not in evidence.  Shucks!

Okatibbee Lake, Mississippi

Today we started our trip north for the season.  We followed US 45 north from near Mobile to Collinsville, Mississippi.  The short 180 mile trip brought us through lightly populated and heavily wooded parts of eastern Mississippi.  Collinsville is about 15 miles northwest of Meridian.

We set up camp at site 32 on the Black Gum loop of the Twiltley Branch campground at the Corps of Engineering complex at Okatibbee Lake.  In other words, we are camping for the night on a rather large lake in eastern Mississippi.

The sites in our area all have electrical and water hook-ups.  We had a roomy area on our door side, but the site was a bit crowded on the opposite side.

For $20 a night, we have a wonderful little piece of paradise for the evening.   All sites came with a large newer table, fire ring, grill and lantern  pole.  And best of all, we could not get much closer to the water without getting our feet wet.

 We sat out until dark watching boats unload and reload from the nearby boat ramp. A couple of jet skis were also seen racing from one end of the lake to another.  Many fishing boats were out and about.  Upon check-in, I was told that the fish have begun to bite which brought in the fishermen.

Surprisingly for us, the campground was quite full.  We were not expecting so many campers in March.  We are fortunate that we were able to get such a scenic site.  Unfortunately, we expect to be on the road again in the morning.

Alligators Galore

We took another Wisconsin-based couple with us to Alligator Alley which lies a few miles northeast of Summerdale, Alabama, on highway 71..  We heard mixed reviews about this place, so we weren't expecting much.  We did want to see some alligators, however, so we handed over our $8 entrance fee.

We were pleasantly surprised.  All the alligators are "rescued" from housing developments, etc. and moved to the expansive natural settings of Alligator Alley.  Instead of feasting on family pets, these nuisance alligators now feed on turtles, snakes, fish and other more appropriate morsels.  The large natural setting includes a swamp which offers viewing on an elevated boardwalk.  Food pellets are for sale to reward the creatures for being themselves.

So, what is the difference between alligators and their cousins, the crocodiles?  There are several including alligators prefer freshwater whereas crocs prefer saltwater.  Alligators have a U-shaped, rounded snout whereas the crocs have more of a pointed, V-shaped snout.  But the easiest way to distinguish them is that the crocodile has a tooth on their lower jaw which sticks up over their upper lip even when their mouth is closed.  But whatever they are, they are best viewed in the wild from a distance.

Alligator Alley is very kid-friendly.  Even older kids can get into the act.

Above, the great and fearless hunters has captured a ferocious young alligator saving the local community from certain destruction.  The band on its mouth holding its jaw shut was for demonstration purposes only!

Swimming was posted "at your own risk" throughout the park.  Not too many people were seen swimming for some reason.

The star of the park is named "Cap'n Crunch."  Here is the old captain snoozing in a secure area on "time out" for being too aggressive in the park.

The park has a feeding schedule where you can view the ritual from a shaded area.

The gators were feasting on a small feral pig. previously killed.  It was quite a show.

We felt that the entrance fee was very well worth the experience.  We have never seen so many alligators and no zoo experience comes close.

Bellingrath Gardens

We took a short day trip through Mobile and south of Theodore on the west shore of Mobile Bay to the renown Bellingrath Gardens.   The garden totals about 65 acres and include a home also available for tour.  We opted for the $12 self-guided tour of the gardens and passed on the extra fee for the home tour.  At an additional charge, there is a river cruise available on the Southern Belle.  The rose garden was honored as the 2004 Top Public Rose Garden in the US.

The gardens were abloom with the colors of azaleas.

Other times of the year camellias (winter), roses (summer) and chrysanthemums (fall).   During the Christmas holiday season, the gardens are aglow with poinsettias and lit with festive lighting which brings busloads of spectators during December evenings.

There are also many water features in the garden which offer a little tranquility from the noise of colors.

Of course other flowers were in bloom also.

And after a long stroll through the flowers, a little nose scratching was in order.

Now for a pollen count!