Work camping?

This summer we are co-managing a campground on the shore of Lake Huron with the owners, the park has about 250 sites all seasonal. It is a full time position, five days a week, we get two days a week off but not weekends, the compensation package includes a site with utilities as well as a weekly wage. We start on April 23rd and work till the park is closed for the season sometime near the end of October. Full details will follow as we go through our orientation and training but it appears I will be the pool boy and operator of the honey wagon or stool trailer, I know I had you at pool boy……

This is our plan on how to subsidize our upgrades to the coach, as well as maybe getting some really neat positions at a variety of parks around the country, there seems to be a fair demand all across the country some as simple as camp host to this type of managing position. This years upgrade hopefully will be a lithium battery bank to increase our dependence on solar while boon-docking in Arizona this winter to reduce the generator dependence and help run essentials such as furnace fans over night when it’s cold. We are always looking for ways to reduce our power load, but still enjoy the comforts of our electronics.

it is about six in the morning and I have just put the coffee on the stove, there is nothing better than fresh perked coffee to get you ready for the day! Laurie made oatmeal for breakfast and off we went to find out our tasks for the day, priorities from my list getting the water to the second half of the park, we have fixed a defective tap and repaired one leak, but still have another leak to be found. Need all the landscaping ready for opening day, leaves raked and removed, ornamental grass cut, shrubs trimmed, as well as the lawn moved. Washrooms and laundry facilities cleaned and prepared for opening day. The weather is not cooperating today started out warm and breezy but turned into wet and cold with a low tonight of a few degrees above the freezing point. While it was raining, I worked on one of the golf carts, bad connections on the terminals, a little clean up and we seem to be back up and running, the park is big enough that the cart saves a lot of time and miles.

Other duties include splitting fire wood, pool maintenance, weekly pump outs (half the park is not connected to sewer), maintenance of the play ground and courts area, troubleshooting issues with power and water throughout the park, as well a delivering firewood and such to the guests throughout the season. I know the next couple of weeks will be tough with a lot of landscaping as well as road maintenance, and helping get trailers placed on lots as rigs come in, we placed one today. Well it seems like it has been a long day, heading for a hot shower and won’t be long out of bed…..