Getting ready to go this morning the girls went up to paint the bridges from the top of the camper before we headed out. I can’t stress enough that this is a great city campground–clean, efficient, spacious for the city and our site was right on the water. Very cool.
Anna slept in her bed all night so she got a treat at our gas stop and we were tantrum-less this morning and the drive was kind of stressful because we had Keith’s parents look at another house for us and we had to give our identity information just to see it. It is just crazy the amount of information people feel OK with sharing to get a rental. After Oma and Opa’s assessment and videos we just decided to wait on the houses til we get back.
Starkville KOA was eerie but pleasant and quiet. The eeriness of the campground was the closed amusement park vibe you get upon entering. They have huge water park slides fenced off that used to meet a lake that is now dried up. The lake must have been huge because the little pond that was left was maybe a mile away from the slides–large bushes and grass now filling in what used to be a water bed. Grass covered sand surrounded the slides by volleyball courts and fake palm trees in disrepair. The RV park was quiet big with green space, picnic tables, a playground, bathrooms, and laundry. As we walked around, there was a sense of loss to what I imagine to have been a bustling summer destination in this rural area.
I realized I didn’t take any pictures of this unsettling sight unfortunately–when we went on our walks I kept forgetting my phone. However, I did find some pictures on the internet (top: how it used to be; bottom: photos from a 2016 blog where this person explains there was a levee problem which required them to lower the water to reach the levee and I guess they decided not fix the problem. Since this persons 2016 photos, the lake has reduced even more to no more than a quarter-mile puddle. We did know this before we went to the park, so we weren’t disappointed.)
Although the water park was closed, the girls rode bikes and played on the playground while we did laundry. We played Skip-bo while I made dinner (Annie’s mac’n’cheese for the girls and a cheese and spinach omelet for Keith and I). I went on a quarter hunting walk (I needed one more quarter to dry our clothing a second time) with the girls and we got a closer look at apoco-park. I found a fellow RV-er who exchanged 5 nickles for a quarter so I could finish drying the clothing and we started a fire for S’mores. Bedtime was looming, so they all got ready as I had a Facetime with my friend. Night set in as I sat at a nearby pavilion. Keith came out to get me as everyone was in fear of my life, being outside in the dark by myself. After hugs and kisses, slumber for all.
See photos/videos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/kFPPPC1mHbJB2ND9A