Ithaca Car Camping trip

“All the sites mentioned above are available. I reserved site # 32, but all the others are unaccounted for. Go up to my post about 2/3 the way down the page, Lyndy!”

“Look at the bottom of the page for the site.

#31....Important Information:
Site is gravel based not suitable for a tent--site is under water when it rains.”

“They all seem to say that, Mark! I told you: it isn't going to rain!”

“Should I go for the gravel?

Does #32 have the same "important information"?

Will it be buggy?

And, are you sure about the booze?

Maybe I should rent a pop-up trailer.”

“Do you guys realize you're going on a camping trip that I'm going on? Under water? Yikes! Better bring SCUBA gear! Remember last year when the trees nearly drowned?

Don't they have sites on dry land? Maybe we need to look at the other park.”

“Jeez, tarps was a-floatin' by, the foghorn was sounding, and there was this guy with a wooden leg trying to harpoon a big white whale.

Then some dude shows up in a big boat and asks whether we've got two marmosets, he needs two marmosets. I don't have any stinkin marmosets, can't you see it's a freakin flood? I think Paul gave him two nearly drowned rats and told him they were marmosets.

Oh yeah, the big boat had a sign that read "Mt. Ararat or bust!"”

“Uh, maybe >:^]”

“Paging Alvin. We need Alvin. Alvin needed for underwater expedition in NY state park.”

“glub......glub......”

“Naysayers!”

“Easy for you to say tree. You've got Mapes' 426 kayaks to jump into when you abandon ship.

(Don't worry ma'am, the Titanic is unsinkable. Nothing can go wrong.)”

“If I go, maybe I should bring the 14' Radisson.”

“Just so the Staten Island Ferry doesn't show up with a drunk pilot.”

“Well, guys. Seriously, is this going to be a problem. Because if it is, I have to do something about the reservation I already paid for...”

“I just feel like if the website says the site goes under water when it rains and we're going there for three days six months from now, we stand a good chance that somebody's gonna have a lake for a tentsite.

The situation in Maryland was pretty bad that first day. Paul's site looked real nice in the web photo, but there was standing water in that site. He had to dig trenches to drain it.

If we want to have a decent trip, I'd rather find a place to do it that's on higher ground. I've learned the hard way that when you camp in a swale on a clear day, a rogue thunderstorm is gonna pop up that night and you will wake up to find the water is billowing underneath your tent.

It kind of ruins the whole trip.”

“Is this a camping trip or a kayaking trip?”

“Well, since all the tentsites in that loop are subject to flooding when it rains, it could be either or.”

“Geobeet, if you stay away, so will the rain......so sayeth the soothsayer.”

“Well, then I can either move things to another loop or we can go to Taughannock SP. If it's the latter, I hope they give me my money back...”

“Well, let me suggest you ask them if you could transfer the reservation to Taughannock, and if they won't let you, then we'll have to figure out a way to deal with things if it becomes a lake.”

“....thay dat three timth fatht!


I hope so too!

I was gonna reserve one when I noticed the notice.”

“What about another loop that doesn't have that warning?”

“That would be okay too. I just remember a drowned treebeard trying to string up a tarp last summer before heading off to the nearest motel.”

“I am heading home. Will work on this later or in the morning...”

“Sounds cool.”

“My husband and I checked out the campground in the State Park of Watkins Glen (the day after the wine tours, when we were sober) and it was really nice. We made notes on the map as to which campsite areas were good, with a future group trip in mind. See if you want to switch to that one, Treebeard.”

“I hope you folks are coming on this trip Lyndy. If not, Allison will have nobody to play with.”

“We really want to , I just have to finish planning the summer camp stuff to know which weekends we are free. It is like fitting a puzzle together. Tara is looking forward to seeing Alison again.”

“Those kids stuck together like glue. It was neat to see them marauding their way around the campground together, giggling and laughing.”

“Yeah it was great to see them enjoying themselves and not worrying about bugs, mud and critters.”

“...bugs, mud and critters...

We must have a Snake Hunt while we're there.”

“Mud & bugs, hey that's my ADK trip.”

“Site 31, that is! Well not really I signed up for another car and 4 other people so if that helps anyone! All this talk of Noah like floods I think I'll sleep in the back of my Highlander!”

“High and dry?”

“Yeah, baby!!!!!!”

“Are we still waiting to see if a place with better sites is available?”

“Dango, Tango, are you driving up from Florida?”

“I was checking into that, but having trouble getting through. Now that Tango and I have reservations, I'd like to see that we don't lose any money on this...”

“Finally talked to my wife about this. She was up for it, I think, except I got the dates wrong and told her it was in August, and our kids' school starts in early August. Now that I have the dates right, I'll have to talk to her again about it.

Hmmm....might have to get a bigger better tent for this one...hmmm....”

“...a tent with a raised floor?”

“Or with an inflatable raft under it...”

“Yes, MarkO, I am going to leisurely drive up there since I have 5 days off before this trip and I took a few days after. I will be seeing the sites of the Eastern United States! I am really looking forward to this one! So many new people to meet! So many new pics to take! So many new recipes to try out before then!!! MoooooooWhahaahaahaa!!!”

“Tango, are you on Gemini's list?

How many in your party?”

“Gemini's list? What's that?

Just lil' ole me!”

“Hey, maybe I'll share your site???

Gemini has a "who have you met" list.”

“Not to be a dick, but are we trying to re-locate or not? I have no problem with the current setup but before I put money down for the site, I want to be sure.”

“I'm trying to get through all morning, WK. There really must be something wrong with the lines, because I never had this problem with them. I just came back from lunch. Let me try again now...”

“OK, I was just wondering. If you would like me to make some calls as well, let me know.”

“Ok, here's the scoop!

Hopefully, no one else has made reservations yet. The only snag in switching is an $8.50 charge that I am going to have to eat. Tango, being that this was my mistake, I would like to pay you penalty fee as well. So, no hard feelings, I hope. I am going to take about ten minutes and check availability for those days and then post again, ok? This should solve our problem...”

“You want me to call anyone Tree?”