# My Camping Guardian Angel



## heruide (Feb 12, 2008)

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Over a month ago I had planned my final fall camping trip to view the autumn leaves. We ran into a conflict in that DW decided that she would baby sit the DGDs and take them to Atlanta. Given that I have previously forfeited one three-day camp ground reservation she was OK with me going camping by myself. On Thursday she and one of the DGDs came down with the flu and so the trip to Atlanta was canceled. She still said it was OK for me to go camping. I wanted to leave mid day on Friday but needed a medical treatment and the only time that was available was 3:00 PM. Plus I had one mod – installing a Shurflo Whisper King pump and accumulator. I thought I knew exactly they were but I did not find them until 5:30 PM and so decided I would go to the CG on Saturday morning.

So early the next morning I headed out to pick my PUP. On the way my guardian angel appeared in the passenger seat.

“Ruide you are one self-center, selfish, inconsiderate, bull head person!”

“Excuse me. What I have I done now?”

“You just left your sick DW and DGD in bed – both with the flu – so you can go off camping by yourself? How can you claim to be a loving DH and DGF?” 

I was caught in a trap and there was no way out but to accept the accusation. So I turned around, stopped at a drug store and bought a box of disposable gloves and headed home. Donned my 3M N 92 mask and gloves and entered my bedroom. DW pulled her head from under the covers to ask.

“What’s wrong? Did you forget something?

“Nothing. I decided it was wrong for me to go camping while you both are here sick. So I’m going to stay here and take care you and the DGD. My DW crawled out of bed and gave me a bear hug. Meanwhile out of the corner of my eye I saw my guardian angel doing a touch down dance. Next thing she flapped her wings and came at me for a chest bump. Of course DW wondered why after her hug I was jumping up in the air… but I just smiled.

On Sunday, she surprised me and suggested that we go camping on the next weekend - which was her birthday. I was really surprised as camping in the cold is not my DW’s idea of fun. But I agreed and although the Ohio Caesar Creek CG was almost full I found an ideal site in a cul-de-sac – site 26.

Next week we repacked and off we went. Now I made a couple mistakes. We left late and I did not print the reservation conformation. I figured we could get there before sundown and I would get the site details at the CG gate. 

Wrong. There was no one at the CG gate so I looked the site on my lap top. The confirmation page said I have reserved site 28. So off we went. I got to the cul-de-sac and found a couple problems. First there was a tent camper that was at the site 27 and 26 (the site I thought I had reserved). I actually walked by the site 26 and did not see the reservation card with family name initial and departure date. Site 28 had a reservation card and was empty. So I assumed the map was bad and I set up at site 28 which I thought my conformation said I had reserved. 

Later that night I went back to the camp ground reservation site. Low and behold the CG map was correct, I made a mistake in looking at the conformation page and I had reserved site 26. I grabbed my flash light and headed over to site 26 where the tent campers had parked a car only to find it now had a reservation card with a BIG H – my family name initial. How could they park a car in a site with a reservation or did they remove my reservation card before I showed up? 








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Back to the site I had set up and its reservation card had a BIG P – NOT ME. The only good news was the departure date was Saturday and they must have left early. Needless I was worried that someone had made a reservation for the rest of the weekend and I was going to be a squatter just like the tent campers!

Needless to say I was FLAMING MAD and started thinking of how I could move my PUP in the morning without having to lower the roof all the way down. DW did want to move and wanted to avoid a confrontation with the tent campers,. Of course I can’t think straight and still wanted the tent campers to move from my site. That’s when my guardian angel appeared and whisper in my ear.

“Here we go again - you egotistical, principle based, aggressive, confrontational idiot. It’s is DW birthday and you want to ruin it. When are you going to be a sensitive caring husband?”

Caught again! Why is my guardian angel always right? So I checked the CG reservation and yes site 28 was available for the rest of the weekend. 

So the following morning I realized that the tent campers not only parked cars in two sites but they have set up their tent in between the two sites and took over my site fire pit and camping table. The only thing they used the site they had reserved was to park a car and use the CG post. So I took pictures what they had done and headed to the CG gate office.

The young girl in the office had a surprised look on her face when I said “We have an opportunity.”

She confirmed I had reserved site 26 and she called to park guard and was told that folks can only use the area that is to the right of the CG post, My camera clearly showed that the tent campers had violated this rule and really was occupying two sites when they only paid for one. Here are the pictures:






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She asked me what I wanted to do and I told her that the site I using was available and I would stay there for the rest of the weekend. I also reminded her that the last time I camped at Caesar Creek CG another tent camper did the same thing and I wanted to the CG park officers to enforce the CG rules (see this post). She changed the reservation and said she would call the Park officers and have them talk to the campers. It turned out that she was having a bad day. Some one had shouted at her because she would give them a refund since they thought it was too cold to camp. I did my best to explain that she was not at fault and the issue was us campers.

I went back to site 28, and put up my new reservation card (Here is picture of site 28).








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I then waited for the confrontation with the park officers. That did not happen and finally at 3:00 PM (two hours after they should check out) they broke camp. As they were leaving I started walking to the road to do the job of the park officers :whipyobut:

At that point my guardian angel re-appeared, blocked me, and with her hands on her hip and her wings spread out asked 

“What in hell are you getting ready to do?" Yes she says exactly what is on her mind. 

“Do what the park officers should have done.”

Why?

Time to give my DGD answer to most questions “Because.”

“Because is not an answer. I can’t stop you from being an idiot but you should know I was the one that made sure you were late, no one was in the office yesterday evening, made sure you did not see your reservation card when you first arrived, made sure you thought your site was this one, made sure this site was available for the weekend. So do what you want and ruin DW birthday and camping trip.”

My response “You are so right and thank God that you have been assigned to take care of me. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Can we have a hug please?.”

Ruide


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## utahguy (Dec 2, 2009)

He Ruide,
Great stuff, I love your Mod page and because of your blog I just became a member of this site.
I found your Mod page from RV.net but it looks like this site may have as much to offer if not more.
Thanks for all your tips.
UtahGuy


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## heruide (Feb 12, 2008)

UtahGuy,

Welcome to the Forum, thanks for the compliments and I'm glad my blog made you decide to join.

There are a number of fora and they all have different characteristics. Some are very large and you get quick answers.... but that also brings conflicting recommendations and POV. Others are monitored to make sure everyone follows the forum rules and that can hurt feelings. Others are a free for all and the debates can get nasty and personal.

This site is what I would call the neighborhood site. It covers all forms of camping, everyone will jump in to welcome new members and we are just a small group of folks chatting and helping each other.

So welcome again.

Ruide


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## rdorta (Mar 10, 2010)

Hi. I'm new to this. I'm an avid internet user but never blogged, twitted etc. I have a question about a pop up camper I just purchased and a friend told me that you are very good about responding. I went on your site and spent hours looking at all your pictures and suggestions-they're all very interesting and I plan to do some (start slow). Anyway, would this be an appropriate place for posting my question? Please let me know. Thank You. Richard


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## heruide (Feb 12, 2008)

Richard,

Actually this place is for comments on specific blog posts. If you want to send me a private message the best place would be to click on "Private Messages" (on the right side of your screen) and then scroll down to "Send New Message" (on the left side of your screen). Enter "heruide" in the "Recipient User name" box and then enter the message title and content.

I'll be more than happy to help in any way I can.

Ruide


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