Our next trip is upon us, and this time, there is no return. The house and tiny plot of land have been sold. All the strife of suburbia is behind us. Now it's time to be on the road for good. As this is being typed, the realization has come that we fell flat on our faces.
As we pulled out of our former driveway for the final time, the trailer and the truck were jam-packed. The entire aisle between the dining area and kitchen was filled. The beds and couches were packed, as we hoped a bump or a quick yellow-to-red light wasn't hit to send everything flying. Even now, after consolidating and packing away more stuff, barely enough space was made to fit the Raspberry Pi used to type this. What seemed to be the biggest mistake was that we had two living spaces established: The RV, and our former house. Had we been able to turn the clock back about a month to try this again, the game plan would be to live in the house with what we used to live in the RV during our first trips.
The biggest culprit in double living for us, thus far, has been clothing. We had a number of clothes packed for the RV, but then also had more for the house. A week's worth of clothes has been endorsed by some outlets as a good target for how much to have. You may want to adjust based on your personal preferences, or how often you go through a particular article. It may take a couple rounds to decide what you really want or need, and you can always replace clothes as they wear out. Care needs to taken for adverse weather, business, and formal conditions as needed, but in lesser quantities.
Aside from clothes, there were several other areas where our planning could have used some improvement. Kitchen and dining left room to be desired. It wasn't until about a week or two before the closing that we finally ditched our house dinnerware for what we have in the RV. Flatware also had multiple sets, we were still using breakable glassware as opposed to travel-friendly tumblers, and cookware we bought as a result of lessons learned, but never began to use until late. Emergency storage is also an adjustment. Although meals ready-to-eat (MREs) aren't the most desirable, we may have to pare down some of the supplies, even though we'll be saving a bit on groceries, especially for travel days. Tough decisions with personal items also had to be made, although we've thus far made the best with the room we have. Thankfully, we are still close to a storage point so we have a final opportunity to make these adjustments.
A little bit of organization time later, and we seem to be much more stable. Another storage trip or two later, and we should once again be ready to follow our internal compass.
The third trip, and first without a return, saw us visiting the Lake George Riverview resort in Warrensburg NY. Situated on the Schroon River, Lake George Riverview provides a family camping experience for visitors to the southern Adirondack Park. Like the last review, we'll rate the site on five criteria and give our overall impressions.
Grounds: The location of the campground is very conveniently located off the interstate highway. However, its only entrance is along the only thoroughfare connecting the highway and the hamlet of Warrensburg, a popular tourist destination in the summer months. A left turn along this stretch to get to the highway can be daunting, especially with a long RV. Not much can be done to improve the situation, but traffic is light enough that a turn can be made.
Sites: The campground has around 150 sites for either RV or tents. Most require a back-in, but a number of pull-through are available. Our site wasn't exactly the most level, but nothing that a few blocks couldn't fix. Unpaved loose stone seems to be the method of choice for the RV sites, a bit unfairly judged against the last time, but you live and learn. The map was easy to understand, although the pull-through sites were only marked on one side. At least one fully grown tree was at the site providing adequate shade while still allowing for the awning. Hookups were easy, although the water at their side had a tendency to "spit".
Staff: Check-in and check-out staff was friendly. Maintenance and security was attentive, as we unfortunately had to witness on account of some badly-behaved neighbors. All of the staff is on salary; there are no "workamping" opportunities, but with everything running smoothly, they don't seem to need any additional hands.
Amenities: For the price that was paid, you would expect some decent amenities, and the park gives some. These include a pool, a beach, an arcade and playground for the children, horseshoes, and a bocce setup. Even simple walks around the property are a joy. Construction was happening during our stay so some amenities changed from what was listed, such as volleyball and a pool bathhouse. A single sheet addendum or sign at the main house would have helped guests understand what was happening. One of the men's shower stalls had a lock that wasn't lined up to the hole, making it impossible to lock. One of the women's houses could have used more regular cleaning, and one of the women's shower stalls had a floor that seemed ready to break.
Atmosphere: If you want something that is family friendly, this is a good place to go. Children, whom we once again had in tow for this special trip, have ample opportunities to make friends and remain entertained. Although many guests will spend the day exploring attractions the surrounding area offers, even those preferring to stay in one place won't be disappointed. The park is also very dog-friendly, many animals of which receive great love and praise from most other guests.
Overall, Lake George Riverview receives a rating of 8 out of a possible 10. The price was the biggest stickler for point deduction, as this is less geared towards the young full-time RVer, and more towards the city dweller. Sure, the amenities were nice, but it doesn't make up for the lack of value for money, especially when premium pricing was not involved. With better rates, it is worth returning, but until such time, other locations may be better.
Copyright 2021-24 Freedom Rolling.
Logo Image Courtesy Clipartmax.com
United States Image Courtesy Simple Maps