Bad Campground JuJu In Kentucky

 Location: Bailey's Point Campground (COE); near Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Before leaving the campground in Tennessee, I received an email reminding me about my reservation at my current campground. I like those reminders because it gives me my campsite number so I can write it down on my driving directions. It also gives the check-in/check-out times. I thought it was a mistake at first because it listed the check-in time as being 5:00 pm. That is very late compared to the many COE's I've camped at over the years. This could be a problem since my travel time was only a couple hours with stops along the way. I waited as long as I could before I hitched up and left. I still arrived at this campground about 3:00 but they checked me in and off I went to find my campsite, oblivious to the adventure ahead. 

One lesson I've learned over the years is to check out a campsite before unhitching. If possible, do that before even backing into a site. By walking into the site you can get a better sense on how you're going to back in. It is also important to see where the electrical and water are located in the site. Well, this campground has lots of narrow, winding one lane roads to most of the campsites. This campground is also very large and filled to the brim. I knew I wouldn't be able to stop in the road long enough to check out the site without blocking traffic, so I quickly backed in knowing I could jockey around to find a good spot. Once I backed in, I got out to look the site over. Relatively level, both fore and aft, Check. Nothing to hurt the tires (lots of nails found over the years), Check. Room to move around to find the best location. Check. Any places where a mud puddle will form after a rain. Check. Any overhead problems? yep, I saw Bois d'Arc (Bodock) apples on the ground. Those could put a hurting on Liberty if they fell from way high up. I think some Yankees call them Horse Apples. Not ideal, but should be OK since no major storms were predicted. Electrical pedestal located in a strange place, but close enough. Check. Water location? Wait, where the heck is the water. When I made reservations, it said water and electricity available. I looked around at other RV's and they were using 100 plus feet of water hose to reach their rig. I didn't see a water spigot within 200 feet. I carry two 25 foot hoses for use every day plus a brand new 25 foot one in storage. Even using every hose I had, I couldn't reach the spigot, so I went back to the office to see where the fresh water fill sites were located. I passed the dump station and looked there since some campgrounds put potable water near, but not too near, there. Nope, not there.

I asked the guy in the office but he said he was new and didn't know. We looked at the campground map and noticed locations of water spigots scattered around the campground, mostly way off the roads. I made a U-turn and went in search of one that was located in a place where I wouldn't block traffic and still be close enough to fill my fresh water tank. After getting water, I went back to the campsite and backed in as easy as the first time. They designed the angle just right. Since I had already scouted the campsite, I started setting up. Then I noticed the water spigot about 100 feet away. I had missed it on my first scouting mission. I've since convinced myself that I would have been just a little short, maybe a few inches, of reaching that newly discovered, (possibly newly installed while I went to the office) water spigot. Oh well, no harm, no foul.

I continued setting up by plugging into the electrical. Ut oh, the insulation near the male end of the cord had come loose from the plug, not burnt, just loose. Bare wires weren't exposed but the internal paper insulation was showing. I hadn't noticed any problem when I stored the cord after breaking down the last campsite. Hmmmm,,,, It looked safe enough and I had already turned the power on before noticing the insulation so I told myself, it would be OK until I could get a new cord or plug on Monday. Well, today is Monday and the cord has done fine but I will be making a trip to get a new cord today. If one is in stock, I'll get a brand new complete cord since I've had minor problems with the female end as well. I figure the dealer supplied the cheapest cord possible and needs replacing. I'll put new plugs on this old one and use it as a back up. After doing some internet checking, the best location is a Camping World in Bowling Green. To help make the trip worthwhile, I'll combine it with a trip to Walmart to get a prescription filled. They probably have a Taco Bell in a city that size. I hope I can get in without having a reservation. A few pictures, with captions, from around the area.

The obligatory road picture showing the sky.

It's a couple of miles of narrow road getting to the campground. Corn is growing close by. I saw a field of a short crop but I'm not sure what it is and couldn't find anyone to ask. I didn't get a picture but if I remember I'll get on today.

A campsite cut into the side of the hill. Easy in and out. If you look at the middle right of the picture you can see the water spigot with its "cloak of invisibility".

The view out my back window while sitting at my computer work station. Hmmmm, I need to think of a retirement term instead of "work station".

I checked out one of the many boat ramps at this lake. 

Of course I had to check out the dam. Sadly, it's not hydro. People were fishing, maybe snagging, at the outlet end. I didn't see anyone catch anything though. Notice the RV passing over the dam. I hope they are going places they've never been before.

A view from the top of the dam. That is a smaller campground to the left of the spillway. I drove through it and would prefer it over the bad JuJu one I'm at now, but I could only get a very weak cell signal down in the bowl. A strong cell signal has moved up higher on my list of things I want/need.

A narrow state highway that circles around the lake.

I think I'll call this the typical picture of Central Kentucky, or it's at least what I'll remember it as being.

This campground stay is only for three days and tomorrow is moving day. It will be a very short tow of less than an hour and will be a campground on this same lake. I drove by and checked it out after receiving a mixed bag of reviews. It will be fine and I got a good vibe when driving through. The only potential problem is it has the same 5:00 pm check in time. I may kill some time by taking a short detour into a bigger city down the road to get some groceries before going to the campground. If the campsite is still occupied when I get there, I'll go park at the boat ramp and wait.  

Ya'll take care of each other. Maybe I'll Cya down the road.