Winter Trip 2017--Lakepoint State Resort and Campground

We made a late decision to go back to Eufaula, Alabama as our last stop “Down South”. We knew the campground from last year and were sure we could get in there without a reservation. Carol and Macel Ezell were still present in a rented cabin and we were happy to be able to check in with them. And it got us about 6 or 7 hours on our way north while keeping us in warm enough weather to make re-winterizing the trailer easy before returning to freezing temperatures. Though they had had above average temperatures just like Florida, they had cooler weather for our visit. It got down to mid-30s the first night, mid-40s the second and mid-50s the third. 

While we enjoyed near record high temps in the mid-80s in Florida, Michigan was having
unusually high temperatures too. Linda Nuttall and Aaron Kabodian both sent me pictures Feb. 23
of the crocuses in our front flower bed blooming. The heliotropes also began blooming in February,  

We got a nice lakeside campsite down at the end of the Clark loop so we had woods on one side and lake on one side. We were still getting set-up when Macel pulled into the campsite and told us that Carol had dinner ready for us so we could come over as soon as we were ready. Their weekend was pretty open and their daughter, Lynn, was flying in on Saturday afternoon and leaving first thing Sunday to drive their car home for them. We planned to kayak on Lake Eufaula Saturday morning, go to Ezells to watch the MSU men’s basketball game at 1:00, drive Carol and attend the Fish Fry with the Michigan Circle (the group of friends they had long camped with at the State Park but who this year moved en masse to a nearby RV park) while Macel picked up Lynn in Columbus, and return to their cabin after the Fish Fry to watch the MSU women’s basketball game at 5:30. 

Marv looks over Lake Eufaula as he enjoys his morning coffee.

A picture of our campsite from our kayak on the lake.

We paddled across the lake to an island where there were at least
four Great Blue Heron nests high in the trees. 

Close-up of a Great Blue Heron on her nest

A Great Egret on the far side of the island

The wind was very strong on the long reservoir/lake but it wasn't
the factor we feared it would be as we paddled our very light inflatable kayak.

It all worked out just perfectly except that both teams lost their games to Marilyn L and we were still so full from the afternoon Fish Fry that we had no interest in any dinner so Lynn and Macel went out without us. The five of us visited until we headed back to our chilly camper. 

Peggy was uncharacteristically up early on Sunday and took
some pictures. Here, two early fisherpeople ply the shallows at the point.

Mist rose eerily on the water

The sun barely shows through the trees.

Macel is such a patient and tolerant golf partner! 

Sunday morning we played golf with Macel and then the four of us (Lynn left by 9:00) went to the Sunday Dinner Buffet at the Park Lodge. For the second day we were too stuffed to want an evening meal! Marv and I said our good-byes to the Ezells and went back to begin packing up the camper. When things were under control we took a final bike ride. That brought our miles ridden on the trip to 75.5 miles! We did the dishes and packed a suitcase and hoped for an early getaway in the morning.