Farewell snow, hello North Carolina

The Uwharrie National Forest offered excellent kayaking, hiking, and warm campground friendships at the start of my winter-long RV journey.

You have all been exceedingly patient in waiting for the full NC story, which will be covered in the next several posts. This was the first true camping stay of the trip, chosen for its convenience for a visit to my dad’s first cousin Janet in Graham, NC. I arrived on January 5, 2024, two days after my 62nd birthday. I had been eagerly anticipating this milestone, the magic age for purchasing a Senior Lifetime America the Beautiful pass.

Running from the snow and toward the Uwharrie National Forest headquarters before Friday closing time, I made it. After a marathon 484-mile drive, with my pass in hand, I set up in the Arrowhead Campground on Site #31 (first come, first serve so it was mine for up to 14 days). There was an electric hookup and a thankfully sturdy (more on that later!) stone shower house.

The Uwharrie National Forest is in Piedmont North Carolina, east of Charlotte.

At the campground, I found the community I had been promised. Don, the campground host, lives out his philosophy of making the world a better place, one camper at a time. He, and fellow campers Joan and Al, even bought my books! Joan, an AT section hiker who is well on her way to finishing, read as far as chapter 12 in Upwards, and it was fun to be able to answer her questions about my NFCT thru-paddle around the campfire.

How fortunate that Don was my first campground host! He finessed my trailer into a better spot for me, treated me to an El Dorado cheeseburger with onion rings, and stood next to my truck yesterday in the freezing cold and miraculously got it to start when it hadn’t earlier.
Me, with Al and Joan…a fun surprise was unexpectedly meeting them and their dog Missy, during my hike on the Dark Mt. trail!
Looking out from the shelter of the shower house during a downpour with a tornado warning!
My Arrowhead campsite (#31) was paved, fairly level, and very wide, with an electric hookup.
Looking toward the lake at sunset, with a glimpse of the lake through the trees.

7 thoughts on “Farewell snow, hello North Carolina”

  3. Love your “Weather in Woodland“ photos! Or would are they more accurately called “Woodland in Weather?” You are a wonderful photographer and I’d love to see a book of your photos with that theme following your trip as you go.

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    1. Thanks for that inspiration! I am trying to be organized and sort and file my favorites as I go. What’s harder it to delete the not-so-good ones. Happy you are following along!

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