I’m going to be occupied for a few days and I’d like to get a little something out to you guys before I go radio silent.
We are attending our first RV rally this weekend. <Insert your laughter here.> I sure as shit did when Rob suggested the idea to me. I looked at him and thought, have you lost your mind? All the while the banjos and fiddles are dancing in my head as the MC draws up his suspenders. But all could do is look at him like he had 2 heads and nervously giggle, because he was serious.
Fun facto about me, I’m an introvert. Large gatherings of people make me incredibly nervous. First meetings with strangers usually involves me cramming my foot into my mouth at least once followed up by nervous chatter. And somehow people like me, I still don’t get it. They probably think something is wrong with me and wonder how I survived the brain damage. But now that I have a Rob and a Roxy, they are the social butterflies and never meet a stranger. And here’s where it gets good, Rob won’t be able to go to the entire rally with me. He’s shirking his responsibilities as my handler and has to be somewhere else for the middle of this thing. So, here’s to not hiding out in the camper while he’s gone and actually getting out there and making some connections to people living the life we live. I may need some of you to shove me out the door, so encouraging messages are always welcome. Or just send me funny memes, either will do really.
But enough about me, here’s what you came for…
We left Suwanee State Park after a 2 night stay and headed on to Spirit of the Suwanee Music Park for the rally and a week of excitement and the opportunity to meet like minded people. Upon arrival to the campground we follow protocol and are directed to our campsite by a golf cart escort. Now we really think we are shitting in the tall weeds because, an escort? Whoa Nelly, now that’s fancy.
The gentleman leading our parade of 1 had what appeared to be a fresh perm gently blowing in the breeze under his fedora. Because it’s a fancy campground with escorts in FEDORAS!! As we bobbed and weaved in and out of passersby on foot, scooters and other strange contraptions I thought to myself, these are not my people. None of these people are my people. I saw what appeared to be dreadlocks with dirty feet. I saw what appeared to be hangovers on men in long dresses. I saw what appeared to be tapestries as makeshift shelters. But I definitely saw Rob slowly losing his even disposition. And then we abruptly stop. We had arrived at our destination for the next 7 nights. As Rob hesitantly put the camper in park and cut the motor, we were finally able to find the source of the bass that serenaded our ride from the front gate. It was a 2 story speaker located exactly 3.6 feet away from our rented campsite blaring a playlist that I can only describe as: What is happening right now.
Rob had just 4 short words for me. “I can’t do this.” This was by far the biggest protest I have ever heard come out of his mouth. I stared wide-eyed as the people that were not my people wandered dazed and confused through our campsite that was rapidly approaching to be not our campsite.
Rob met with the fedora outside and they discussed the logistics of how this campsite was to be utilized to it’s full potential. Our electrical outlet was located 20 feet away at a community electrical pole. The area we had to park our camper was halved by the water spigot close to the street. The leveling of our camper would require our camper be installed on stilts due to the downward slope toward the lake. And darn if we didn’t leave our stilts at home.
Rob proceeded to the office, post haste, to rectify this problem and I stayed behind to check availability at neighboring campgrounds. One set and 30 minutes later he returned with a solution to our problem in that he found us another campsite in the park suited for an RV. We somehow got booked into a tent site located directly across from the main stage with quiet hours being 1 hour after the last performance or 11pm, whichever is later. Our saving grace at the office could not figure out why we were booked into that site in the first place as I’m sure she patiently awaited Rob’s arrival back to change our reservations.
As the attendees from the techno/funk music festival from the night before slowly start to vacate, the park has been filling with RVers as I watch the 42+ footer class A back in as I type this. We are in a quiet little area with few neighbors…for now. Wish me luck as I sweat and stutter by myself these next few days trying to learn more about life on the road.
