Camping in Ohio in October

[Jim Stacey]

We had a Coleman pop-up. Just a small one and stored it in our garage when not in use (Homeowner Association Rules) So, when I was looking for a pot or a pan, out to the garage I'd go, pop it up, grab what I was looking for, put it back down - and continue what I was doing...

By doing so, I learned quickly how to put the top up and down whereas my husband only learned when we'd go camping. We'd get to our site, I'd jump out and ready for the 45min set up process. Hubby on the other hand had to re-learn what he'd forgot from the last time we went camping. It got to be that the first day of our weekend camping trip was a wash because we'd argue the first day/evening - One of us usually ended up going for a long walk as the other set things up themselves.

We had enough. We've been looking for something easier, dryer, and ready to go when the time arises (not having to spend half the day re-loading the camper from the last trip!)
We almost bought a motor home, until one of the sellers reminded us that "everything that can go wrong with your car and house can go wrong with a motor home" and all the problems with flat roofs on MH's and other TT's made the decision easy to look for something in fiberglass.

Our 16' Uhaul VT will make it's first (with us) camping trip on October 19th for a weekend, then we'll tuck her into her 30' rented garage for the winter.

Hey Folks. Where do you go camping in Ohio in October. My wife and I are planning on one more weekend before we put our 17 ft Boler away for the (shudder) winter. We are thinking of going to Algonquin Park. There is one campground there that is open all year round. Most campgrounds here close the Thanksgiving weekend which is this weekend here. Yours in Bolering. Jim

[Carolyn Patterson]

Jim,

We're going to Hocking Hills which is Southeast of Columbus. http://www.thehockinghills.org/ lots of hiking, fall colors, and the dogs can go with us to the State Parks, just not the Nature Preserve....Hocking College is having a BBQ cook-off, so there's 1 night of cooking I don't have to plan!!

I had to call around to find a campground to stay, and ended up in Nelsonville, which isn't very far from Logan. It's home to the Hocking Railroad, and (the best part) The Rocky Boot factory and Outlet....good deals on winter clothes in the Outlet store there!!

Cool weather, bon fire, warm comfy (dry) bed......Our first and last trip this season before putting 'her' in the garage for the winter...hope my neighbor gets the new curtains done before the trip!

[Terry R.]

Carolyn, we too are Akronish, Ohio and we often go to Punderson this weekend in October. I am checking today, since we are thinking about one more trip out, to see if this is the weekend of the applebutter festival up there. Terry R

[Carolyn Patterson]

Terry,

I've visited the Lodge at Punderson but have never stayed in the campground. I know they have Murder Mystery Weekends up there - something my husband and I would love to try some time! The Lodge there is very cool, and with our 'egg' being 'nested' in an inside storage garage this winter, we may have to look into a weekend at Punderson. It's a very warm and charming location.

P.S. - We live closer to Hartville Kitchen than Akron.

[Carolyn Patterson]

Glad to report that our first trip in our (new to us) "pEGGy" went wonderfully!

Once I can figure out how to add a photo, I want to show OUR egg to everyone!

We went Thursday - Sunday to the Hocking Hills Region of Ohio (near Columbus) and I'm just sure we picked the right weekend as there was more color in the leaves than we have here 3 hours north!

We couldn't get into the State Park campground, those reservations for that weekend have to be made 6 months in advance and we were not considering owning a FGRV at that time. Yet I was able to get us into a private campground (Happy Hills) about 15 miles to the east. What a great place!

Upon arriving, the campground owner took us (he walked, we drove) to our site, explained the electric box, water hook up - helped my husband back 'her' in, then told us "when you folks get settled in, come on up to the office and we'll settle up!" We had brought our 4 legged members of our family, as I believe everyone else in the campground did as well.

Our first night in our (new to us) egg, it poured down rain. I awoke to the beating of the rain on the roof (gotta love fiberglass during a heavy rain storm!) and a couple loud "clunks" to which I told my husband "Those are some big pine cones falling out of the tree.." The 'clunking' continued, and finally he got up and went out into the pouring rain (now I would have, but there's a reason I'm on the wall/window side, and he's on the outside of the bed!) only to come back in a little later saying "I guess we should have lowered the awning before we went to bed". So goes our first/last camping trip for the season, and ordering a new part to fix the awning for next season!.

We awoke the next morning to find that we had new neighbors! Upon turning in for the night, we were the only egg in the campground, not to mention the smallest. In the morning parked behind us was a 13' Scamp! How exciting to see another egg in the land of the 30' fifth wheels that surrounded us! Also exciting was to see that this young couple and their 13' Scamp housed the largest dog I have ever seen! (We have a golden retriever and a lab mix) 2 people and a very large black Great Dane emerged from the tiny trailer! If that didn't convince me that a 13ft trailer had room, nothing will!

The campground (Happy Hills) is a great place for dog lovers (all the owners we saw were never without a bag), and children. On our 2nd night, (Friday) it was movie night down at the pavillion for the kids. Saturday night was a Karaoke and a DJ for everyone.

Sitting around the campfire the night before check out having a thermo-cup of wine and snacks of different cheeses, my husband and I agreed that we were going to need a 'jump start' to get going for our monday morning commute to work as we have NEVER felt so relaxed. He claimed that his arms grew 2 inches in those days......well, his shoulders lowered 2 inches from a stress-free first-time-in-our-trailer camping trip!

If you're ever in the Hocking Hills region of Ohio, I highly recommend Happy Hills Campground!

[Jim Stacey]

Jim,

We're going to Hocking Hills which is Southeast of Columbus. http://www.thehockinghills.org/ lots of hiking, fall colors, and the dogs can go with us to the State Parks, just not the Nature Preserve....Hocking College is having a BBQ cook-off, so there's 1 night of cooking I don't have to plan!!

I had to call around to find a campground to stay, and ended up in Nelsonville, which isn't very far from Logan. It's home to the Hocking Railroad, and (the best part) The Rocky Boot factory and Outlet....good deals on winter clothes in the Outlet store there!!

Cool weather, bon fire, warm comfy (dry) bed......Our first and last trip this season before putting 'her' in the garage for the winter...hope my neighbor gets the new curtains done before the trip!

Hey Carolyn. I am happy to hear that you had such a wonderful weekend. We didn't get to go anywhere because a wheel bearing on our tow vehicle decided that it didn't want to do anymore work. Perhaps we will be able to get together some time next year. I am hoping to go to Alabama right after Christmas this year. I drive a school bus so have to plan outings around the school year. Yours in Bolering. Jim

[BOBSMITH]

Our first night in our (new to us) egg, it poured down rain. I awoke to the beating of the rain on the roof (gotta love fiberglass during a heavy rain storm!) and a couple loud "clunks" to which I told my husband "Those are some big pine cones falling out of the tree.." The 'clunking' continued, and finally he got up and went out into the pouring rain (now I would have, but there's a reason I'm on the wall/window side, and he's on the outside of the bed!) only to come back in a little later saying "I guess we should have lowered the awning before we went to bed". So goes our first/last camping trip for the season, and ordering a new part to fix the awning for next season!.

Sitting around the campfire the night before check out having a thermo-cup of wine and snacks of different cheeses, my husband and I agreed that we were going to need a 'jump start' to get going for our monday morning commute to work as we have NEVER felt so relaxed. He claimed that his arms grew 2 inches in those days......well, his shoulders lowered 2 inches from a stress-free first-time-in-our-trailer camping trip!

If you're ever in the Hocking Hills region of Ohio, I highly recommend Happy Hills Campground!

Sounds like you had a great time! We had some minor awning damage last year when a cloudburst suddenly appeared and dropped an enormous amount of rain instantly. It pooled on the awning before I could get out of bed to do anything about it and snapped the center tension rafter and collapsed one of the legs. I was able to fix the leg with a screw, but had to buy a new tension rafter.

My wife and I camp in our Casita in every season. Winter camping in a fiberglass RV is fun, especially if you have a furnace.