The Tribe at Spookapalooza - Desoto State Park Fort Payne, Alabama

Journal Entry - October 22 thru 24

Desoto State Park near Fort Payne, Alabama is one of the Richardson Tribe's top ten favorite destinations. We have spent several long holiday weekends here because Desoto has all the positive aspects of a state park with the conveniences of an RV Park. There is an abundance of nature and the campsites are large like most state parks, but Desoto's campground also features full RV hookup (30 & 50 amp electricity, water, cable, and sewer). Amenities are abundant and the staff organizes some really great events and activities.

This particular adventure was planned around Spookapalooza, a weekend of Halloween activities like outdoor movies, games, story telling, and Trick or Treating. For the Richardson Tribe, it was the end of a very long and trying week. John Micah had a fever of over 103 Thursday night, and work was piled on everyone. The costumes we'd ordered hadn't yet arrived (or so we thought, another story), and we got away from the house late on Friday making our arrival at Desoto well after the office had closed. Fortunately, the trusty security ranger had the code and our paperwork handy. It didn't take long to get the camper leveled and connected, and it was once again beginning to feel like home. The psychology of being on Central time for a change made me decide it was early enough for a fire, so I indulged.

Saturday went a little differently than planned. We  rode bikes for a while a in the morning, but didn't cover the distance I'd hoped. There was just too much happening. After enjoying the playground for a while, we visited some good friends at a cozy little cabin they rented that overlooked Desoto Falls. The cabin, nearly 70 years old,  was very rustic and quaint, but a newer structure just a short walk away was even more unique. The cabin's owner has also built a very nice screened chalet over the small lake formed from the dam at the top of Desoto Falls. There is no glass in the structure. It is completely screened, but has most of the comforts of home. Later in the afternoon, we headed back to the park. Unfortunately, the cabin isn't usually for rent, but there are others available. Google it!

We hadn't planned on "trick or treating" because the kids had no costumes. Initially it was working. The little guys helped entertain the trick or treaters by posing as statues while Mommy played the "Candy Lady". But then, with a stroke of genius, Lee Thomas created the costume of a Dumb and Dumber Hobo Nerd!  The rest of our crew followed suit, and were soon a hit with the other trick or treaters and parents. It wasn't the goofy way they dressed, it was how they acted and talked. They REALLY got into character, especially the dumber part. They went around our loop in the campground, and came back with grocery bags loaded with candy.

We sat around the fire for a very long time talking and laughing that evening before retiring to the camper. We started a movie, but, as so often happens, everyone was out well before the end. That's ok, 'cause we have to get up tomorrow morning, pack-up, and head for Rome and the Chiaha Art Festival, but that's another story...

For more about this and other trips to Desoto State Park, visit their dedicated page on our website.