After receiving news about my stepmom’s death and being forced to interact with a sociopathic brother, I was relieved to start camp hosting. Respite from the storm. There is not anything I cannot face from the comfort of a lush, Western Washington forest! I am only about 80 miles away from Sequim on a peninsula across from Tacoma, WA. However, the road is mostly two-lane and winding so I drove 3 hours. During that time, the stress and trauma that had welled up inside my soul had subsided. For some reason, my computer is also behaving better out here, so I am back to writing, another calming pastime.
The setting is beautiful but camp hosting is more than an opportunity to hang out in a stellar setting. I learned after a few years of RV travel that I need to keep busy. Besides needing company, I need a purpose, something constructive to do. Lunching and drinking around the campfire with the buddies is not enough. However, I learned that most volunteer projects involve just married couples who seem nervous with a single female among them. My son and his family have their own busy life and there is not much I can contribute there. Camp hosting is perfect because I can contribute and keep busy. I am pleased to be a part of the Washington State Park system.
In exchange for my labor, I have a beautiful camp host site, water/electricity, free use of the showers, and plenty of firewood. Although I am always on call, I work about 4 hours per day, with Tuesday and Wednesday off. I change out the “reservation” tags on the post at each campsite and then pick any trash at the site after the campers pull out. I will also do some nature talks for the kids since I have a special interest in interpretive activities. Today, for example, I am doing a presentation for a group of young Girl Scouts. They are working on an environmental badge and I will be sharing how park rules (stowing trash, not collecting firewood) help wildlife and the environment. For fun, I have also been walking the campground (88 sites) around 9 PM with the female ranger. She is not retirement age yet but definitely older and we have a lot of fun. She checks each car at each campsite to make sure it is registered. Extra vehicles cost $10 per night, and an amazing number of people don’t want to pay that! Although they are beautiful and worth every penny, the state parks here are expensive. The premium sites are $40/night, which is hefty compared to states like NM where it is under $20 or even less if you have an annual pass. In Washington, if you add an extra vehicle you are up to $50/night. You don’t see too many older, full-time RVers at these prices, but during the off months, seniors can get a pass that allows them $4/night camping in utility sites. The pass costs $75, but at $40 a night it is easy to see the value in that for a pass that is good October through mid-May.
Below, Girl Scouts and their parents. I did a presentation to help them earn their ecology badge!
As I write, the 4th of July weekend has ended. I have gone through each campsite and was amazed to find that most were not a mess. A few inconsiderate people left behind bits and pieces of trash but, even then, things we surprisingly clean. Campers were respectful of the “no fireworks” rule and life was relatively peaceful. The place was swarming with kids who are part of large groups of campers. Some groups have 2 or three adjacent sites and can be noisy. However, when we walk through at night they start to quiet down and eventually evey one gets to sleep.
Still, we had some cranky campers by the end of the long weekend. Some kids taunted others and, inevitably, parents had to get involved. Again I was surprised. The parents held their kids accountable and had them apologize.
On Saturday afternoon, after completing all my tasks, I explored the area for a few hours. I visited another nearby State Park and also drove to the nearest little town. I knew they had a library and was hoping I could get a visitor library card and then check out some movies. I told the librarian my story, about being a camp host, etc, etc, and learned that this library system has a reciprocal agreement with my library system! So, I received a library card, just like that. I checked out 2 movies, Downton Abbey Season 5, and a new-to-me TV series that I have not started yet. I am enjoying catching up on the TV programs I missed while working, especially those on HBO (Deadwood, Downton Abbey).
That afternoon, I also set up my TV and satellite radio. I had not rushed to do this because I assumed that I would not have service with either since I am in a somewhat remote area. I checked for air antenna TV stations at an online site and saw that I could possibly receive up to 50 stations! Huh? What? Oh yeah, I may be in a remote setting, but I am right across the water from Tacoma and just downstream from Seattle. Sure enough, when I prompted my TV to search for stations, it locked in 50 or more. I have all the networks plus all the smaller channels, like ION. PBS always comes in, even when nothing else will. Satellite radio (Sirius XM) was just as wonderful. I hung the antenna in my big, south-facing window and everything came it the first time I set the receiver to search. Between the library, satellite radio, and digital air antenna, I am in entertainment heaven. I already watched all of Season 5, Downton Abbey.
My Verizon Hotspot works just fine as well, so I have Internet.
As I mentioned, my days off are Tues/Weds, and tomorrow I head back to Sequim. I had a routine doctor appointment that I want to keep. I will also pick up some mail and get groceries! The main thing I am picking up is a new, folding, twin bed frame and memory foam mattress for the van. I am setting it up again as a mini camper like I did 10 years ago when I bought it. I have been thinking about traveling in just the van (fewer carbon emissions than when I pull the camper) for a month or so in October and then again in January. This winter, I want to visit the desert SW again, and I have a tiny studio reserved for two weeks in Rosarito, Mexico. I definitely don’t want to take the RV into Mexico, although I know quite a few people who do and they don’t have problems. At the moment, the van is just a storeroom and somewhat disorganized. Soon, it will be more functional. I already have lots of food, camping, and survival stuff in there, thanks to my earthquake preparation. Now I will be able to find stuff and also sleep comfortably in there again. During my last van outing, I slept on a camping pad on the floor, which was not much fun.
So, life is good. Tango loves living in the woods and I feel so much peace here. I am thinking a bit about the winter season that lies ahead and well as other camp hosting gigs this summer.
