Winter Break from working

 If you have been following the blog, you can see how we haven't been able to get out camping much in the last 2 years for a number of reasons.  This year I had a trip all lined up in August for a return to Gamble Rogers, but there was a strike at my work, so all hands on deck,  I was working 80 hr weeks for a month straight and had to cancel that trip.

With end of year coming and use it or lose it vacation, I scheduled this week just prior to Christmas off as the remaining two weeks of the year, I have to work.

Back at the end of October or so, when I got my dates, I started looking for campgrounds.   Initially there was NOTHING south of  Jacksonville available at any state park.   I kept checking (but was looking at other travel oppurtunities). and low and behold, old reliable Jonathan Dickenson SP had and ONE spot open up over the weekend starting on Friday the 13th.  I booked it for 3 nights as 2 always seems rushed and Lucy had classes on Saturday to teach (Side benefit of being so close to home, she can still make $$ and go camping!)

I had to work Friday, but did so from home.   The great part of JDSP is that it is less than an hour from the house.   I had planned on getting on the road by 3PM at the latest to beat rush hour, but with work being busy, I was rolling by 3:30.    Traffic hit a couple of slow downs, but local knowledge had me sliding over to the faster lanes as I anticipated the normal choke points.  In all the usual 45 min ride took about 65 minutes, but it wasn't horrible as it kept moving.

Beggars can't be choosers and our site was next to the sidewalk walkup to the bathrooms.  On the upside, the bathhouse closest to us, was closed for renovations (kept the foot traffic down), but we had to go to the other one if we wanted to use their facilties (5 min walk).

Nothing says camping, like an 8ft tall electrical box just across the sidewalk from the firepit.  They need  to hide it behind a bush or something.  The whole weekend was pretty full moon as friday it was 96%, 98% on Saturday, and Full on Sunday.

Shrimp on the campfire is a staple of our trips as they thaw quick, cook fast, and taste delicious.  These guys were 16-20s so nice sized.    Coucous and salad rounded out dinner.

The Moon and Jupiter.  this was a longer exposure so the electrical box is a bit brighter than it appeared.  We often refer to the GMC as the Intergalatic Space Pineapple, so it was fun to imagine that the electrical box was the monolith from 2001 A Space Odyssey, but I doesn't appear to have the correct dimensional ratios....

Across the way, there was a group of 3 sites and they were having a good time with lights strung up and playing musical instruments and kids running around.   Great stuff! YOu can see how much light the moon is reflecting.

It was a beautiful night with a fresh breeze, hi 60s and the moon and stars poking in and out of the clouds.  The rain did not come until after we were inside for the evening, to it was great!