Still Laughing

Wednesday July 20, 2011
Antelope Island State Park
Bridger Bay Campground Site 12

This morning we got packed up,
through the dump station and down Interstate 15
a total of 89 miles including 7 miles of causeway
to plop down at Antelope Island State Park.
We chose site 12 which is up high enough
that we get the breezes, cell service and Verizon wireless.
VERY NICE
given that this is a “primitive campground”
miles off the coast on the edge of the
largest natural lake West of the Mississippi.
No water, vault toilets, no hook ups period.
BUT gorgeous views! $10 a night.

The campground sign up and pay booth is on the mainland side
of the causeway so you have to know what you are doing
when you get there or be prepared to go in,
pick your site and drive back out there
(18 miles round trip from the campground).

We took a chance,
given the hot weather temperature predictions,
the unknown bug situation, and no hook ups,
and signed up for 4 nights to get us through the
week-end which is always questionable in the summer time.

In an earlier blog where I was whining
about the Utah Lake mosquitoes
(which then were nothing like last night),
Gail wondered whether I’d forgotten to get my Thermacell
and Nancy commented that they sold a lot of them at Home Depot.
I kept that in mind although I realize now I’d forgotten
to ask either of them if they had used it with success.

On the way to the island you pass through Syracuse, Utah
where every national chain store you could want
lines the highway.
I stopped at one of them and picked up this gadget ,
formally known as “Theracell Mosquito Repellent Appliance”
in a very becoming environmental green.

I’ll let you know how it does with the bugs.

So on to today’s funniest event.

We were told at the entrance check in
that we could take on fresh water as we drove in
“on the left hand side of the road”.
The island road is a circle.
One arm goes fairly directly to the campground,
the other goes by the beach, the grille and the visitors center
on its way to the campground.
Not a lot of difference in distance
but the booth lady said take the direct route.
What she neglected to mention is that the water
is at the dump station which is on the other loop.
DUH!

SO after picking the site
out we went again to the dump station
where David’s happy from yesterday wore off.
He hooked up the water hose to fill the fresh water tank
about half way. We heard the water coming in.
I went inside for something and David watched the tank
but the water wasn’t filling after what seemed like far too long.
He heard a creaking noise in the back,
like the back end was getting heavy.
So he came inside to see what the noise was
and noticed there was about 6” of “colored” water in the toilet.
Since this was clearly NOT RIGHT,
he decided he should flush the toilet and let the water out.

BIG MISTAKE.

When he pushed the flush, you can guess what happened.
The bubble erupted from the commode.
**Note, it did not hit the ceiling fan
or require that he shower and change clothes.

I quickly ran outside and cut the water off.
Trying unsuccessfully not to laugh.

After cleaning up the mess,
which really was not too bad since luckily the black tank
had just been emptied, and flushed and treated,
we discovered that he had hooked the water up incorrectly.
Too much laughing gas obviously
since he’s done this correctly every time we’ve boon docked.

So now he’s eating crow.
And I’m STILL laughing!
:-)

Along with the “mishap”, one cool thing
that also happened at the dump station
was that while the water was finally filling correctly,
we saw one of the 500 head herd of buffalo
(not a great picture of him since he’s showing us
his rear)

So how about this proof….especially dedicated to
my friend Nellie who loves this sort of thing.
yes she’s weird, maybe you know her?

Diameter here ONE FOOT.

 

We also saw about a dozen pronghorn antelope.
Both range animals freely on the island along with Big Horned Sheep,
coyotes, mule deer, bobcats and numerous birds and shorebirds. People are in the great minority here.
I LOVE IT!!

Back at the campground we were serenaded from
the tree behind our site for
quite some time by this beautiful fellow.

Here is a Duckie’s view from the front window of the coach.

  

 

And the view from the “dining room”.
Pardon the window glass reflection.

After dinner we decided to go
out to Buffalo Point to watch the sun set.

The hike is half mile UP hill
but a really lovely sage lined path
that smelled GREAT.

 

 

 

Terrific views

The campground is in the mid lower left although
the sites look like teeny weeny boxes here.

 

Can you recognize Winnona??

There were Great rocks on top.

 

 

 

 

This reminds me of Ireland
where we visited Carrie when she was
an exchange student.

 

 

 

And of course, the sunset.

 

 

All in all, another GREAT day!
Even David is laughing now although not as hard as I still am.

(^;       :-{)