Stories of BMcCoy | Camping Trip Ideas, Camping Journal, Camping Tools

BMcCoy Joined: 04-01-2022

I have a lot of titles that I try to be good at. I am a wife, mom, nana, teacher and freelance writer. There is another title that I try be worthy of and fall short daily and that is a Christian

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Great Smokey Mountains

God is God on the Mountain and in the Valley: The Great Smokey Mountains

BMcCoy/03-06-2023

God is the God of the Mountain and the Valley: The Great Smokey Mountains, Tennesee Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg are located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. The town of Sevierville is situated in Sevier county and is home to approximately 17,000 residents. Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are the most popular destinations because of their bustling attractions. All of these small towns are a part of Sevier county, TN. History The history of Sevier county dates back to the e...

Cave City, Kentucky: The World Down Under

BMcCoy/02-10-2023

Cave City, Kentucky: The World Down Under The 5000 years of history displayed in Cave City is phenomenal. The caves served many purposes through the years. Some say we owe the triumph of the revolutionary war to Mammoth Cave, carved under Cave City. Along with being every spelunker's dream, it is every camper's perfect retreat. Cave City, Kentucky, is a small town located in the heart of Kentucky's Cave Country, which is known for its beautiful natural scenery, rich history, and abundance of out...

God's Country: Lake Cumberland, Kentucky

BMcCoy/02-04-2023

Gods Country, Lake Cumberland, Kentucky Kentucky is home to magnificent mountains, national forests, and the most beautiful horse park in the world. We can brag about our friendliness, fantastic home cooking, and bourbon. Kentucky is so much more. I was raised in this hillbilly heaven. Our definition of fun is horse racing, basketball watching, and enjoying God's creation. Some outdoor activities include hiking, Jeep crawls, hunting, and fishing. Lakes, rivers, and creeks are bountiful in our sm...

Christmas Without Camping?

BMcCoy/12-13-2022

Christmas Without Camping? Christmas is a magical time of the year. The weather gets colder, and families make plans to spend time together. Good food, games, and weather-appropriate activities. Camping makes the list. Warm climates draw people to the south, and snowy climates draw people to the north. RV camps put up their Christmas lights, and the festivities begin. In the Florida Keys, December doesn't put a hamper on outdoor excursions, but on the contrary, it is the best weather of th...

Did You Know Camping is Very Popular at Thanksgiving?

BMcCoy/11-10-2022

Did You Know Camping is Very Popular at Thanksgiving? Campground spots are in high demand during the Thanksgiving season. Many Campgrounds require reservations up to a year in advance. Family campouts are the perfect way to spend time reconnecting with extended family and connecting to history. It doesn't matter if you are at the beach or in the mountains, there are a lot of ways to enjoy the outdoors. Snow or sunshine both are great options. Imagine sitting by a campfire, talking about al...

Taking Lessons From the GOAT of Camping

BMcCoy/10-20-2022

Taking Lessons From the GOAT of Camping So as fate would have it, our GOAT learned everything he knew from his Father. His Father seemed to invent camping. He was an expert. He knew every tree, plant, berry, and stone. He could predict the weather. He could tell you about every living creature. His voice would keep you mesmerized and in awe. He single-handedly created a camp that was beautiful and entirely self-sufficient. That camp ended up closing. I will spare you the sad details. His Dad did...

Alone

BMcCoy/08-30-2022

Alone So full disclosure, My husband and I frequently watch survival reality shows. Each one has its own set of rules and expectations. Many learn to thrive, while others submit to failure pretty quickly. I can tell you right now I am not spending 5 minutes naked in the wilderness with biting bugs. And I wouldn't do it for 30 seconds on national television. Sometimes you are left with others, and your survival depends on that dynamic. Other times you are all alone. You have to be rea...

Camping Etiquette

BMcCoy/08-30-2022

Camping Etiquette I recently was scrolling through social media and found several people that were frustrated about the same thing. Because I am a full-time RV’er, I am a member of several camping groups. I like to read about new tips and tricks. I also love to read about the best campgrounds. These groups do come with their share of drama. On this occasion, Memorial Day weekend had just ended, and campers were returning home. Many chose the groups to air their anger. It is no secret...

Frugal Facts About Camping

BMcCoy/08-30-2022

Frugal Facts of Camping So there is a meme floating around on social media that I wish to bust. It says something like camping is the only thing you spend a fortune on and live like you are homeless. Whoever wrote this was definitely not a truly experienced camper. Camping is a celebration of living simply. So here we go. Here are my tips for budget camping and loving it. When my husband and I started camping, we had a borrowed tent and an air mattress that barely fit inside. And guess what? We ...

Camping Gear Must Haves: Disaster Survival Edition

BMcCoy/08-11-2022

Camping Gear Must Haves: Disaster Survival Edition Natural disasters are happening around the world every day. Hurricanes, tornadoes, forest fires, floods, earthquakes, blizzards, volcanos, and mudslides bombard our daily news. We also have to consider those emergencies that are man-made also. Domestic and foreign acts of terrorism are on the rise. Plane crashes, trains derailed, vehicle accidents and random public shootings rob us of peace and security. How can we prepare? This week lives were ...

7 Best Tent Camping Locations in Greater Vancouver

If you’re living in Vancouver, there are likely times when you want to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and take in all the natural beauty the province has to offer. Camping is a great way to get away for the weekend and give yourself the time to slow down and reconnect with nature. Of course, you can rent a cabin if that’s your vibe, but there’s nothing quite like pitching a tent and experiencing nature. So, let’s look at the best places to go tent camping in Greater Vancouver. Before ...

Is buying a used RV worth it? Here's what to watch out for

Imagine this: You purchase a secondhand RV in beautiful condition. It's been inspected and cleared as good to go. Your first few hundred miles of adventure are blissfully smooth... then comes a mechanical breakdown, followed by the painful discovery that instead of buying your dream home on wheels, you purchased a nightmare that is riddled with hidden problems. That happened to me. And while it's tempting to say I was a fool for being — well, fooled — the truth is that a whole lot of used-RV buy...

Bighorn National Forest - Part 10 - Summer 2012, Trip to Glacier National Park

After leaving Custer State Park and Black Hills National Forest in western South Dakota, we decided to try to find a place to stay around Devil's Tower National Monument. It was late June 2012 and it was hot, somewhere north fo 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It turned out to be the hottest part of the entire trip. So we decided to continue west across northern Wyoming . We were approaching a large mountain range that I thought were too close to be the Rockies so I checked the map. They turned out to be...

Best Places to Camp in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Although national parks like Yellowstone , Yosemite , and Grand Canyon in the western United States tend to draw the public spotlight, several national parks back East deserve just as much attention. It may be surprising to some that the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which straddles the border of North Carolina and Tennessee, draws more than 10 million visitors each year, making it the most visited national park in the country (Sorry, Yellowstone). With over 800 miles of hiking trai...

Hemmed-In Hollow Falls: Spring Views in the Ozarks

Hemmed-In Hollow Falls: Your Ozark Hike for Stunning Springtime Views Spring has officially sprung. The wildflowers are blooming, the birds are chirping, and the rain is coming down in buckets. Here in the Ozarks, spring rains signify an important time for outdoor enthusiasts. That’s right, folks— it’s waterfall season. There’s nowhere better to see the waterworks than Hemmed-In Hollow Falls. Measuring 209 feet high, this is the tallest waterfall between the Rockies and the App...