Eastbank Campground – Bainbridge, Georgia

 We visited this campground on our way back to Florida last November.  It was interesting to see how it morphed from our previous visit.  The lake lacked the standing lily pods, and the coots were not en masse covering the water’s surface as they have already migrated elsewhere.  We were fortunate to obtain once again a site overlooking the lake.  However, a massive thunderstorm lingered most of the day by presenting itself with hail and torrential rain. The lake rose about two feet, and pools of water started to form around our trailer.  At one point, the camp host knocked on our door and suggested we leave and go to another park.  Mitch politely declined and said we would be fine.  He was right.  The next day the sun shone brightly, and no one would have suspected the storm the day before had even existed. 

We decided to venture out and visit the town of Bainbridge.  Trip advisor stated a quaint little village with shops dating back to 1823.  It was initially known for its lumbering and river port. The town was magnificent with its old buildings and a center square equipped with a gazebo, fountains, and statues.  Unfortunately, like most of these towns we visited, it was a ghost town.  Most shops were barren, and those that were open had limited times they were available.  It’s an eerie feeling to walk the main square to find closed shops and not too many people strolling the streets.  I am not sure if it is the aftermath of the pandemic or just dying little towns across the country. Either way, this isn’t what we expected, and we hope this changes in the future as we continue our journey across the country.

Mitch and I are preparers.  We like to think ahead and prepare for what might happen.  One method is to have a checklist.  We each have our own.   Checking each item on the list avoids having to miss something and pay for it later.  Upon reviewing my checklist, getting ready for our departure, we had a significant hiccup.  The last thing on my list was to bring in the three slides.  Press the button and wait for the slide to encapsulate into the trailer slowly.  This time, press the button, no response, not even a little squeak of movement.  I called my mechanic – Mitch. He comes in from outside and presses the button expecting it to work for his magic finger.  Nope, still dead. The toolbox comes out. He could bring the slides in, but we still have an issue we need to address.  Troubleshooting the problem will have to wait; we need to hit the road to our next destination.