RV parks and awards

My goodness I've got lots to catch up on in blog world! I want to tell you a little about the RV parks we visited and then some awards I received and will be passing on. Let's start with the camping info. Charlie and I have spent the last two weekends in a row looking at some of Alabama state parks so we can decide if we want to take a short visit - or even a long one - to parks that are not so very far from home. We've just begun to explore our parks so I can only tell you about the ones we have visited thus far. Frist we went to Lake Gunterville's State Park which is actually in Albertville, Alabama. This is a fairly large park that really reminds me of the Smokie Mountains National Park. They have bike trails, hiking trails, a lake with water sports like paddle boats and fishing and they have shorter nature tails that are not too difficult to walk. I think it would be beautiful in the fall. If you want to see deer up close this is the place. The deer have lost their fear of humans and will literally eat out of your hand. Just take a look at this cutie! She was looking for a handout!

The camping areas, however, were a disappointment to us. The spots are not level and some even had potholes in the camping site. I don't know if being there in the winter had anything to do with our impression of the park or not because so many of my friends have camped there and loved it. We drove over to Nocaloola State Park (and I may have spelled that wrong) and this is a nice little park. Not very big but the sites are all concrete pads and big. This park features a large waterfall where a Cherokee Indian princess committed suicide. It has a nice playground for the kidss park is in Gadsden, Alabama. I think I'd stay at Nocaloola and visit Guntersville. They are not really that far apart.

Yesterday we visited two more parks. The best one is Lake Lurleen State Park in Coker, Alabama. Coker is just southwest of Tuscaloosa where the University of Alabama is. This was my first trip to Lake Lurleen but I really like this one. It is beautiful and the campsite are excellent. Level, look out over the lake, not too many tree and they are cut so that limbs are not a problem. The sites are really carved out of the hill side overlooking the lake and some of them - the ones on the outside rows - have their own private deck overlooking the water and steps down to the lake. Kind of neat, I thought. I'm not good with my camera but here are some of the pictures I took.

I took this picture through the windsheild of our truck but you can see one of the decks I was telling you about in front of that fifth wheel parked ahead of us. And that roadway you see to the left is a campsite. There are lots of generously sized campsites in this park and they are paved and level.

This is a picnic area - not camp sites - but I wanted you to see one of the fishing piers. There are several of these fishing piers around the lake. From the pictures we saw in the little check in station, the fishing in this lake is pretty good!

Since I want to take Cassie on some of our short visits here, I was glad to see that there are several nice play areas like the one you see here. This park is really close to where she lives anyway. If you decide to visit this park you'll probably want to eat at Dreamland Bar B Q, visit the Bear Bryant Museum at the University and then head down the road a way to Moundville. Very interesting trip to Moundville and see the early Indian relics and mounds right on the Warrior River.

The last park we visited was Tannehill State Park in McCalla, Alabama. This is a small park but chocked full of fun. There is a train for the children - or young at heart - a lovely meandering stream that goes right through the park in which you can swim, wade, or fish; a museum of iron and steel works. This furnace was very important during the Civil War as this is were the iron for bullets and such was made. The old furnace has been rebuilt and you can go through it or climb up on top of it. Then the third weekend of each month from March through October is Trade Days. Oh my gosh, you can hardly move there are so many people there and you could find just about anything you would want to buy. The campsites here are really nice; long, level and easy to get into and out of but it is a small park and the type of site we like - you know- pull through with full hookup- are limited in number. There are back-in spots right on the creek that are really nice too, and there are a good number of these. This has been a favorite spot of mine for many years since it is practically in my backyard. Unfortunately, I didn't make any pictures! I'll get better, I promise.

I know I promised awards but I've got to try and get ready for my class in the morning. I'm teaching a course this semester that I haven't taught before so I really don't know the material very well and I need to study. I'll get the awards Tuesday night since I also have to teach a night class tomorrow. Debbie and YaYa I really do appreciate my awards and I promise I'll get them on my blog this week but just don't have time to do the links tonight. With that I'll say good night to all and God bless! ♥Sharon♥