McIntosh Campground and RV Park

The day I left Hunting Island, Harley had to go to the vet, then we had errands to run, groceries to buy then suddenly I was wore out, unable to travel very far. I threw my plans out the window, searching for a campground. We had managed to make 100 miles in one day. I looked for something budget-friendly as I only expected to be there one night. What I found was $22 a night minus 10% off for my AAA card, making it only $19.80 a night. 

Later upon settling in, I discovered this was a huge bargain as it included a small lot on the lake with electric, water, sewer, Wi-Fi, and cable TV. 

 The whimsical mailbox at McIntosh Campground and RV Park in Townsend, Georgia near the  east coast. 

 My little old wheel estate was assigned this spot next to the mega rig. The couple that owned the rig, came walking up to their coach.   I said "Good afternoon!" to them as I was hooking up my utilities just a few feet away.  I was answered with eerily dead silence. Were they deeply offended by my cheeriness?  Did I break some mysterious unwritten code of conduct?  

McIntosh Lake was quite gorgeous. The campground was peaceful and beautiful. There is a highway nearby, but it wasn't very noisy, except when the occasional 18 wheeler sped past. Harley was thrilled to tour the park several times a day on his beloved walks.  We came for one night, then stayed four. I would have readily spent a month here, had I not been on a deadline schedule.  Still, I threw out my current plans, to stay three more nights. So much for my planning.

 I tried my best to capture the smoke on the water (left) early one morning when the air was colder than the lake water, creating this uncanny phenomenon. I have posted a daytime picture of the lake beside it, for comparison. Watching the smoke on the water seemingly roll across the waters was mesmerizing. I guess it doesn't take much to entertain me.  I am sorry I couldn't capture it better with my camera. 

Temperatures were down in the 40's at night for the first 3 nights.  Harley napped in a sweater in his little fleece lined cat bed. Amazingly, the bed is in great shape after 18 months of heavy use.  I wash it now and then to keep it clean and comfy for him. He is always alarmed when it's time for a washing. Last time I let it air dry in bright sunshine outdoors. He gave me suspicious looks, as if he was being permanently banished to the outdoors. When it finally dried, I moved it back indoors.  The joy and relief on his face was comical as he gave it a thorough sniffing before he deigned to curl up in it. 

McIntosh Lake Campground and RV Park boasts a new dog park. Harley and I were thrilled until we discovered his slender body could slip right through the fencing. The owner says he is going to eventually fix that. I sure hope he does. Little dogs need to run and romp as much as large dogs. 

Early one morning, Harley and I were in the new dog park. I could see he could slip through the gap in the gate and post, so I found a log to block that off. We were playing fetch with his tennis ball. Suddenly he slipped right through the fencing.  You can't really tell it here, but the fencing has large squares. He would not come when he was called, instead he was running faster than the wind, around the park, dangerously close to the public highway. I was pretty mad at him, and scared for his foolish future. 

This is one area, he is driving me insane!  He randomly comes when he is called, just like a cat. This is not good.  He has no road sense at all.  He doesn't understand that those big wheels can flatten him into a teeny tiny greasy spot in the road. 

I think pets can sometimes see ghosts.  I also think sadly, that my lost cat, "Lil Bear" has met his death. Whenever I call his name, Harley's ears perk up, he looks off into space and barks like he has seen a cat.  Is it Lil Bear's ghost he sees?  

I had a dream about a little ugly dog. The very next day, I met Harley for the first time. He was the spitting image of the dog in my dream. Could he be Lil Bear reincarnated?  Lil Bear was lost in Blacksburg, South Carolina the night of September 30, 2009. It was my first day in America and I lost my cat of 9 years who had flown up here with me. I pray he is alive somewhere, but I never found him. I cried for months. I felt so lost in America with my beloved cat missing. 


Harley was born December 25, 2009 in Orlando, Florida.  In March 2010, I drove my motorhome to Orlando to park on my friend's property while I recuperated. They encouraged me to get a dog.   I was still so shook-up over losing Lil Bear, that I couldn't deal with another cat, but I was super lonely.  I adopted this little waif, Harley,  May 25, 2010. The family that had him, no longer wanted him, saying they had too many dogs and little Harley had been voted out of the family. They fed him a diet of corn chips and Doritos. He was severely malnourished with thin limp fur and while he was very loving, he had no energy. They gave him to me for free.  


While I stood at their door holding the tiny puppy, I asked if he had a leash or toys or vet records. They gave me a strange look, saying "He has none of that!" as if I had asked if he came with  a trust fund. 

Their son called me several times, over the next few months,  nearly in tears, to check on Harley's progress. I fed him a healthy puppy diet. A few days later, he suddenly sprung into action with all sorts of mad energy. His legs shot up and his little body looked so funny perched on them. The first week he lived with me, I was sure I had made a huge mistake. He wasn't housebroken as promised, he had never had a toy or a leash. Indeed he refused to walk on a leash, so training him to go outdoors to do his business was a bit awkward at first. Finally by the end of the week, I had him walking on a leash though frightened of everything and through me walking him hourly (yes hourly!) and praising him lavishly when he did his potty business outdoors, he quickly became housebroken. 


He understood all about toys immediately. He loves his toys, his bed, his sweaters, his motorhome. I just wish he could learn to drive. 

Now he is healthy, full of energy, loves to walk on a leash, can't get enough of playtime and is still pretty goofy looking. I love my wacky fur baby. He filled a large empty hole in my heart. 

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