Jump to content

TR: Fall at the Falls


Recommended Posts

Let me preface this TR with a disclaimer. We really wanted to attend the GG at Defeated Creek, but my wife is still training for her new job and time off isn't happening yet.

I had been watching the weather forecasts and looking at the computer models last week. I knew this weekend would be a perfect time to do a little camping. Since the GG wasn't an option we decided to hit our favorite local park...Noccalula Falls. I have posted a few TR's from here before so I will go a little light on the scenery photos in this one, but I will through in a few recycled ones for newbs ;-)

Tuesday 9/18

I prepped the camper and hitched up. Since I had worked the weekend prior I was off Thursday through Sunday.

Ready to go

IMG_20120918_194823_zpsd929c680.jpg

Wednesday 9/18

I go in to work really early so by 2:30 I was in the truck and headed up to the CG. My wife gets off at 12:30 on Wednesday, so she picked the kids up at school. We rendezvoused about 3:30 at the camper. Success! We were officially camping.

I picked a nice site along the gorge side of the park and next to the new walking path.

As I got everything set up she picked up some dinner for us and the kids. The kids got chicken fingers, and we had some great Thai food from a place near the falls. I ordered my "drunken noodle" with 3 chili peppers out of 4. I love hot food, and this made my eyes water and nose run....good times that will haunt you later :panic: :toiletreading:

The weather was extremely nice this night. It was the first real shot of cool air that we have had. We also had a fair amount of rain on Monday and Tuesday so the creek was really rolling. Laying in bed that night I opened a window in the bedroom slideout and went to sleep listening to the rushing white water of Black Creek and crashing water of the falls. I was out in no time flat.

The creek/gorge is just behind the camper where the lighter colored leaves are in this pic

IMG_20120923_131557_zpsb6b2732f.jpg

Recycled pic of the creek at very low water

IMAG0080.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites

Awesome looking place. That looks like a place I would like to go. Great weather, sorry we missed you at Defeated Creek.

It is a nice place. We overlooked it for years because it is so close to us. Who wants to camp in the same city that you live? Well, we were wrong on that one.

New truck looks good. The f250 always looked a little small under the toy hauler.

Thanks. I tried to make the F250 work, but it wasn't enough. If my TH'er was about 2k lighter I would have been fine. I do love the dually and the 4.10 rearend, though.

That campsite looks amazing! I love the fact that you were able to open the windows and hear the water.

I am looking forward to the rest.

TCD

There were not many people there on Wednesday, so I had a nice selection of sites. We have stayed in the center of the park a lot in the pull throughs, but we both agreed that we like the gorge side better.

It was a nice way to sleep. The flow dropped each day so it was quieter and quieter, but you could still hear it on Sunday when the wind calmed down.

I'm in

Welcome!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Moving along....Thursday dawned with clear skies and a chilly breeze. I grabbed a soda and sat outside while the rest slept for a bit. I am used to getting up early so sleeping in for me is about 6am. My wife would not be off of work until Saturday, but fortunately her work is only 10 minutes away from the park. The kids also had to go to school too. They were not too excited to be going while camping, but I explained to them how cool it is to be camping while their friends are stuck at home ;-)Finally, my wife left with the kids, and I was left with the baby. BTW, this was his first camping trip. At 3 months old I know he won't remember it, but we have pics. I decided to let him sleep, but by 9am I decided to wake him up to go run some errands. He probably would have slept until 10am if I would have let him.I dropped him off at daycare for a bit, did my errands, picked him up, and then checked the girls out of school at 1pm. They were busting at the seams ready to go back to the campground to ride bicycles.They spent the rest of the afternoon alternating between bikes and playing around the camper. I cooked up some grilled chicken and new potatoes with corn that evening, once my wife returned.The campground was still relatively empty and quiet this day. Friday would bring more people and a lot more excitement.IMG_20120923_131456_zps6ae27cf6.jpgBode seemed to be relaxed most of the time

IMG_20120923_131544_zps8f04885e.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites

This is awesome, you have inspired me to check this place out, I'm thinking next weekend I might do a quick trip, I'll be calling them today to see if I can get reservations, I love camping in the fall!!

Great! They do take reservations on the odd numbered sites. I like the "A" sites around 13-25 the best.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I am impressed that you watched the baby, picked the kids up from school and had dinner ready for the wife.

Way to go.

Now the rest of us look bad.

Bode is a good looking baby!

TCD

What can I say....I'm a great husband.

Plus, with 3 kids I couldn't afford a divorce;-)

This sounds like an awesome place! I really wish we had a place to camp that was close to the house. I have nothing within an hour.

It is nice. I wish that we would've started going sooner.

Link to post
Share on other sites

What can I say....I'm a great husband.

You and Dave are really making it hard on the rest of us!

Plus, with 3 kids I couldn't afford a divorce;-)

My wife and I both joke (at least I think she is joking) that is the same reason we stay married. Neither of us want the kids in a divorce!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Love the truck!

I bet that you could hardly contain yourself when you hear its diesel clatter ;-)

The baby is adorable.

I'm halfway responsible for that....thanks

Lol at your divorce comment. :rofl2:

Truth is funny sometimes ;-)

Really cool CG. Love the pics of the creek.

The weird thing is you can go a half mile upstream or downstream from here it is completely different. It is like a microcosm.

The new truck looks like a much better match than the other.

Thanks....it is. The F250 was under on GCWR but over on GVWR.

I like your garage/shop too!

Thanks....its my man cave.

You and Dave are really making it hard on the rest of us!

My wife and I both joke (at least I think she is joking) that is the same reason we stay married. Neither of us want the kids in a divorce!

LOL....married life

Bode is just precious! Love all the other pics, but the baby got my attention!

Thanks! I think we are going to keep him too.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Moving right along now.

Friday morning was a bit warmer, but there was still a nice chill in the air. I chillaxed under the awning for a bit while watching people start to stir about. Like TCD, I also like early morning camp activity.

My wife left for work around 6:45, and I had a surprise for the girls. I let them stay out of school. I figured one day every now and then wouldn't hurt. That meant that I had to keep track of 2 girls and an infant for 11 hours. I had my fingers crossed that Bode would be good.

Friday also brought new neighbors. (Let me backtrack a bit....my girls seem to always make friends with some kids when we go there to camp. They met some kids there 2 years ago several times by coincidence. It seemed that our families were always camping at the same time. Last year we were surprised to see them in my kid's school. Their parents had moved to our town and switched schools. So Tish and I are never surprised when they drag some kids back to the camper).

So the new neighbors had 2 daughters that are 10 and 8 yrs old. Also we found out that they live less than 5 miles from us too. I have never seen kids become friends so fast. It was like insta-friends....just add dirt.

They rode bicycles, played at the playground, made mudpies and frog houses, literally poured dirt over each other's heads, and laughed the whole time. I just let them have at it. I figured that was what outside showers were made for.

Bode was pretty good too. I just had to keep him fed and dry, which wasn't too hard.

The wife showed up at 5:30, and I handed off the baby and fired up the grill. We had some black angus burgers, which were pretty tasty.

That night is when the fearless raccoon raided the trash. To be so well fed that guy was pretty skinny. Must have been the rabies or something.

The motley crew....I swear the other kids have faces....not sure if the parents want them on the net tho.

62497_10151224999427419_1308141142_n_zpsbcfa99b0.jpg

At one point I looked up to see my youngest on the very top of this swing. I think she is part monkey.

The neighbor's rig

IMG_20120923_131627_zpse4688fb6.jpg

I'm not sure if I have posted this video before but here is a sweet one of some guys doing a first kayak descent of Noccalula. I thought some may enjoy seeing what this area can be like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z132Np3ze2E

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...