I am not ready to live within four walls, and trade in my two tires.
After consideration of sister Becky’s generous offer of an empty 3 bedroom 2 bath house in Raleigh, I have decided to stay in my 20′ of living space and the outdoors. Living in an unfurnished house, after just getting rid of the last of my housewares and 5×5 storage space — I just couldn’t do it, virus or no virus.
Fortunately, Becky was able to quickly rent the property and I have started to explore becoming a campground host. In August I will be at Kerr Lake (pronounced ‘car’). Kerr Lake State Recreation Area is a North Carolina state park on Virginia’s southern border. Located near Henderson, NC, the park includes 3,376 acres of woodlands along the shores of the 50,000-acre man-made Kerr Lake reservoir. Hundreds of campsites among five of the access areas offer a range of outdoor experiences from RV hookups to group camps, and several swim beaches, according to the webpage. 
Public campgrounds often have campground host positions. Hosts serve as off-duty hour monitor when park staff isn’t working, greeting campers, some light maintenance such as trash collection, raking campsites for arriving campers and this summer monitoring social distancing. For the month of service, I will have a full hook-up campsite (water, electric, and sewer) FREE. At $30 per night, and a limit of 14 nights, for campers, a campground host can stay the full month at a savings of $930.
I am looking for other host positions in NC, South Carolina and Virginia for July, September, October and November. It isn’t the trip I had planned for the 2020 summer, Maine, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin, but it will allow me to continue my Road2Reinvention lifestyle and not have to worry about park closures. That is of course if parks stay open and campers are responsible for social distancing and wearing masks. Who knows what the future will be, but for now this is my plan for our new normal.
For those of you who enjoy camping, I hope you will consider coming to a campground where I am hosting this summer. I’ll keep you posted on other assignments. But for now, I am in Florida through June and will head north in July.
Please subscribe to this blog by adding your email address on the right side of the page below Maggie’s picture. Stay tuned.
Alison
Sounds like a plan! I hope you are successful with other host positions and can continue your road2reivention lifestyle. Stay safe and healthy. Give Maggie a big hug from me. Give yourself a big virtual hug from me.
This is a beautiful area and clean water. I remember when I visiting “Buggs Island” in the 1970’s. What a great idea plus close to your family. You certainly found a solution that keeps you outdoors.
Great idea!
You found a wonderful way to continue your journey. Living the outdoor adventure, staying in prime golf communities, swimming and hiking, I know you and Maggie will enjoy your stay.
Hostess with Mostest!
That sounds like a great plan!!! I understand that if you’re just traveling and camping that it can be hard to find a space where they will welcome you in because of COVID-19. And I think you would make a GREAT Host too.
Keep having FUN!
Dunc
we did some hosting when we started and liked it but in the end, I wanted all my time to myself. We started at Ft. Craig in Socorro NM for 6 weeks we sat on the historic site w/almost no visitors, then the govt. shut down and we closed the fort and drove away.
Next was awesome: Big Bend NP in winter. A full week of nature and park training inc. a raft trip down the Rio Grande. The volunteer group was full of interesting retired professionals and naturalists. That was a gig I’ll never forget. Opportunities to work on science projects, etc.
Last was SP Taylor State Park Marin, CA…north of San Francisco. We only managed 3 bunk cabins and group camp…so practically no work, but still, we had to remain in camp on duty. In between we managed lots of nearby golf and trips to sit on the beach, etc.
If you can, get on with the National Parks cause you learn so much more than just camp hosting…