August 19, 2021
In truth, for this camping trip, I went to two destinations … several days at one campground, and then several days at another. I had camped at the first destination in the past (the Dungeness campground, very near Sequim, WA), but I hadn’t been to the second destination before (Chimacum, near Port Hadlock, also on the Olympic Peninsula). Hence, my second destination on this trip will be a new destination for me.
But first, come with me to Dungeness again for a wonderful, long, 5-day summer weekend with friends.
The long weekend was a gathering of women campers … tents, trailers, motorhomes … all in one of the group sites at Dungeness. There was a bit of a mixup about how much space there was for those of us coming with trailers or vans or motorhomes to that group site. Thankfully, there were a few empty individual campsites available. Friends of mine in another Escape trailer, and I too, grabbed two of those campsites right off. Instead of being cheek by jowel, crank to crank, hubcap to axle grease, right next to a neighbor in that group campsite, four or five rigs of us were off by ourselves in separate campsites. Yet we were within a 1-2 minute walk of the group site.
Wow, look at the gorgeous, wooded, private campsite I got even though I hadn’t reserved it ahead of time. It simply was available on the day I arrived.
I really liked that artistic tree behind my trailer, although I wondered if it had been stressed or cut such that it became so artistic.
You can see I had NO neighbors.
Later in the day, on this first day I arrived, I walked out to the top of the path that led down onto the Dungeness Spit. I stopped there, didn’t go any further, there wasn’t time to head down onto the Spit. But I found this sign (below) that shared all sorts of information about local birds. I was carrying Little Towhee in my arms on this walk, so she read the sign too, and she liked this sign. In fact, she got pretty excited by it!
What she had to say about this sign was … “Ann, that’s me! Or my cousin! Or my aunt or my uncle or my sister or brother … Ann, look at that!”
If a bird (even a stuffed bird like my friend Little Towhee) could grin ear to ear (eyeball to eyeball?), then Little Towhee was certainly doing exactly that.
We love Little Towhee. And we love your campsite. And yes, the organization of group events certainly depends on the leader to organize and communicate. As long time RVers involved with two different groups, we’ve run into situations where there simply was no room even though we signed up way ahead of time. Glad you folks had options. Did I mention we love Little Towhee? 🙂
And Little Towhee loves you and everyone here right back! Thanks Marge. 🙂
We used to belong to an RV group too, but it wasn’t managed very well. You sign up and show up and there isn’t room or you aren’t in the spot you reserved. And the events aren’t what you were told, etc. So we dropped out and just traveled with friends or by ourselves. Actually, traveling by ourselves was super since we then HAD to meet other people and we met people who are still friends today. Little Towhee is our friend too. 🙂
Every once in a while some friend of mine voices concern about my travling alone and how lonely it must be. It isn’t. Like you say, Tim, it forces me to meet and talk with the local folks, and I like that. I learn so much that way about the area, get to see things that I wouldn’t otherwise have a clue about, and meet the nicest people. Little Towhee asked me to thank you for your friendship … that put a smile on her beak. 🙂
Oh my goodness, what a beautiful campsite! Lucky you! I think of your Little Towhee as I walk about my farm, listening to and watching the many towhees that reside with us. She would have quite the family reunion!
I read your comment to Little Towhee, Virginia. She asked me to tell you to please say hello to all her relatives. 🙂
Little Towhee’s the best. 🙂
She is! 🙂
Hubby and I were in a sort of private group, but we were about to drop out because of exactly what you and others here say about managing a group. But then a woman took over management (and communication!) of the group and she was wonderful. Everything worked slick with her in charge. We’re still part of the group tho we rarely go to events. It all depends on who is running the show.
Right on, Wanda. It all depends on how a group is organized … and on detailed and full communication. A friend of mine (a former co-worker actually) has been the leader of a group/friends of theirs for several years now, mostly big motorhomes, and I know for sure that they in good hands. She’s really good at that.
What a beautiful place, and how fun to have a group of you together! I love camping on my own but a group camp would be fun once in awhile. A friend and I tent camped for two nights this week. It was a walk in site so we carried everything in and then out. We had a bird the first night that at first I thought was a Towhee, but turned out to be a Redstart. Beautiful birds, both of them!
I don’t know Redstart … have to go look that up online right now. Oh, they are wonderful! But then, birds are wonderful. I know you know that. 🙂
Me too, Dawn, I mostly go camping by myself and I’m happy with that, but I also love camping with a friend or friends on occasion.
Little Towhee bounced around cheeped a great deal when I read your comment to her about her being a beautiful bird. Thanks. 🙂
That is a lovely artistic tree behind you in that spot, but I too wonder if maybe the tree was cut and stressed and so took those shapes. But what a quiet private campsite! And me too, I think Little Towhee is a great pal to have along on your trips with Towhee the Trailer. Still working on that children’s books about Little Towhee? 🙂
Thanks Ruth. I loved that tree, but/and my heart wept for that tree. Still, it survives and grows and is strong and beautiful.
Ah, the children’s books about Little Towhee … no I’ve done nothing, must admit, but it’s still on the list. I’m saving everyone’s comments about Little Towhee, not that I’ll put them in a book as-is, but they will be great fodder for ideas about stories and about how Little Towhee talks with humans. And she does talk! 🙂