I didn't totally up and disappear :)

jbug10

hi everybody!  I haven't been on our forum since May or June.   I retired from teaching full time, sold my house and bought a home in beautiful outdoor heaven NW Arkansas all in the last 6 months!  Despite being crazy busy with remodeling and painting, I still found time though to get out in Fant@bulous and camp, kayak, hike and bike.  The house is done now TG!!   I have had my T@b now 2 years and what fun we've had. I haven't posted pics since spring, so here are a few  of the COE campsites on Beaver Lake I have camped at since July.    No longer do I have to tow T@b 2 hours +, now it's 30 - 40 minutes tops.  Talk about saving on gas costs!  AR has great Fed and State campgrounds and I am living the dream!!  I am also a solo traveler, so all you gals out there that wonder if you can handle towing and backing and all that trailer stuff....you can!   Looking forward to checking out everything I have missed on our site! June 

Jimbo

Welcome back June, I have only been around since August. Wished I had been able to get a red one like yours. You will have a lot to catch up on so have fun and glad you are living your dream.

jkjenn

Congrats on your retirement and move, June!

RZRBUG

Good to hear from you again, June.  Welcome to my home state.  You are right about the great camping here.  Enjoy.

Wanderoo

Hi, JBug -- I was thinking of you a couple of days ago and wondered how you are settling into your new digs.  Glad to hear you are doing well.  I hope to get an inflatable kayak next year.  There was a great article in Trailer Life about 2 months ago which gave specs and info on quite a few models.  What make/model do you have?

I can't wait to get to Arkansas to camp, but it will probably be 2 years.  Argh-h-h.  I still have to work for a year. 

Stay in touch with the forum, and glad to hear you still love your T@B.  I've had my girl for a year now, and I can't wait until March to take her out again.  Denver is going to get in the low 20's tonight.  I found a teardrop group to camp with in my area, and I have a few outings calendared with them for next year.

 

:x

PaulaK

Lucky you! Those are some beautiful campsites. Congrats on your retirement and your new home. (Sigh) We, like Beth, have our T@B tucked away until the end of March or later. Missing it already.

judymac

What great news. It is a blessing to be able to retire and have good health. Love the pictures. I can't wait to use ours.

jbug10

Hi Beth, I was glad to see you were still on the forum too.  My favorite kayak is a sit on top kayak.  I have two (an 11ft Ocean Kayak and a 9.5 ft  that is great for Class II and III rivers)  I also bought a 9.5 inflatable that I keep in T@b's rear cabinet.  Inflatables are nice but get a good one.  They have models that are as pricey as regular kayaks, but they have a strong reinforced bottom that will not puncture easily. I had a Old Town sit in model for about a year but sold it.  My next kayak will be a Wilderness System Tarpon 100.  Must get a little trailer to haul that one around though, at 55 lbs it's too heavy to get it on top of my jeep.   Gosh I sure would hate not to be able to camp in T@b for 6 months.  Of course last winter was the winter from hell and I did not camp from January until the end of March!! 

Verna

June, why do you want a Wilderness System Tarpon 100?  Just curious since I just bought one last month.

Wanderoo

I'm going to start a new thread about inflatable kayaks!!!

)

jbug10

Good call Verna!  First off because it's a sit on top.  Good length, although shorter than my OC.  Well made, lot's of great storage, handles well and good tracking in the water.  One of best kayak buddies has one and I get in it whenever I can.   I will use it primarily for lake paddling.  Good idea Beth, the Tarpon and my primary kayaks are not inflatable, so maybe it could just be a thread about  kayaks in general.  I was very happy to see how many kayaks there were when I camped at Dam Site River on Beaver Lake a couple of weeks ago.  Out of 37 campsites, it seemed 75% had kayaks.  And those that didn't have kayaks wanted to talk about kayaks.  Oh and talk about  T@b too of course!   I LOVE having my kayak to fill the daylight hours and Fant@bulous for the nighttime hours!!

Jimbo

Ok guys you have me interested. I love researching, drove my wife nuts. I have a Sea Eagle 285 fpb for getting out and fishing but I think I may want to get a kayak also. I have several friends here that have one or two. I also have a Mad River Explorer canoe (red fiberglass, June). Got it back in 1983 and the wife and loved to use it. She was actually a much better paddler than I. But paddling it solo is fine until you get some significant wind. Will interested in info about Kayaks.

Michigan_Mike

Congratulations on retirement June and welcome to the "old fart/travel when you want club!" <:-P   

I know I've enjoyed the time away from a career and have especially liked the geezer pass you get at 62 from the National Parks Service for $10.  Talk about a deal and it cuts camping fees in half at all of the NP camping areas.  I love it!    

Jimbo

Hey Mike thanks for the chuckle!! Love the name of our club..

TABaker

I'd like a sit-on-top kayak but have no way to haul it.  For now am considering an inflatable with a rigid backbone.  I just returned from the Carolinas, and while camping on the way home at Red Top Mountain SP in GA, was surprised to see a kayak on the lake when the temp was in the 30s.