The Grand Finale to Camping Season at Katfish Katy’s
Camping season is coming to an end at Katfish Katy’s here in Missouri . . . at least for most tent campers. The nighttime temperatures in the 30s and 40s are pretty hard to endure unless you are well prepared and more of a survivalist . . . or unless you are in a RV. The winter camping season will bring deer hunters and duck hunters who are acclimated to the cold, but soon, this campground will become our own private paradise for a few months. The camping season at Katfish Katy’s reminds me of the old adage of Spring . . . coming in like a lamb . . . going out like a lion. Last April, a trickle of campers started the season – gently, like a lamb – so eager to get out to the river and frolic in the warmer weather. But then came the drought and heat of this summer which brought camping to its own drought for a few weeks. Finally, Fall awakened the camping urge and we have been filled to capacity during October . . . ending with the grand finale “roar of a lion” this weekend. Hundreds of people were here this last camping season weekend . . . The Canoe for Clean Water group held a canoe race and provided booths and live music to raise awareness for cleaning up the Missouri River.
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The Bruce Poe Band entertained the crowd for a few hours as they gathered on the banks of the river . . . he’s a familiar face to our Sunday afternoon Blues & BBQ event. The most impressive booth we visited was the Raptor Rehab Project from the University of Missouri Vet School. Imagine standing two feet away from a Great Horned Owl . . . seeing up close and personal the majestic bird that sounds its haunting hoots at night.
Every time we see a hawk soaring through the sky, we stare in amazement and wonder . . . today we were delighted to see this Red Tailed Hawk right before our eyes . . . perched on the arm of the Vet School staff member who shared how they rescued him from a woman who found the injured bird in her back yard and was keeping him in her basement.
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The Katy Trail is always busy with bicyclists and hikers who trek a few miles or across the country. Today the trail was inundated with costumed riders for the Monster Bash Bike Ride. Cyclists of all ages dressed in Halloween costumes for the 15 mile trek from Columbia to Rocheport – families, couples, groups. Wildly entertaining . . . a showcase of creativity and fun!
I was drawn to the “Chick Magnet” . . . hee hee!
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The One-Eyed, One-Horned, Flying Purple People Eaters munched on their dyed “Barbie Dolls” – their faces smeared with the residue of eating purple people.
The most creative costume was the grasshopper . . . I wish I had taken a video of this guy so you could watch the legs move as he pedaled down the trail.
Camping season would not be complete without a Scout Troop invading the grounds. We love hosting Scouts . . . the leaders and Scouts are the most respectful campers we meet . . . we never have to worry about unruly kids running wild or a trashed campsite to clean up. http://NakedHippiesRoadTrip.com
This Scout Troop comes every Fall – a highlight to camping season here – bringing its massive trebuchet to launch flaming pumpkins into the river. It’s crazy fun for the boys . . . each Scout carves his pumpkin and takes his turn pulling the pin on the trebuchet to send the ball of flame soaring up into the night sky - bringing squeals of delight from the Scouts.
The most wonderful part of the camping season here is the celebration of sunset at the “180” (named for the river mile marker on the Missouri River) where Danny John, a local river rat, has a private domain where his friends and family come to sit around the campfire, watch the sunset and share stories and beer. He is in his element here . . . at the river . . . it shows in his face. And, for the final culmination of a fantastic camping season, a fun weekend and a spirit of gratefulness, we were treated to the Orionid meteor showers in the wee hours on Sunday morning. What a magical way to end our camping season. We climbed out of bed at 3:00 am, wrapped up in blankets and sat under the brilliant starry sky . . . watching and waiting for the magic show. http://NakedHippiesRoadTrip.com
Finally, the Naked Hippies BBQ will once again set up the grill and feed the crowd that comes for the Sunday afternoon Blues & BBQ event. If weather permits, we’ll do it one more time before November, but the forecast looks a little foreboding for next weekend. So, this might be the last chance to get the “cheeseburger in paradise.” Soon, all will be still at the campground. The nightly gathering at the 180 will succumb to meeting in Danny John’s garage, sitting around the wood stove instead of a campfire. We’ll hibernate like the bears . . . snuggled up inside our pickup camper, spending the next few months of the winter camping season warm and dry . . . venturing out on clear crisp days to walk through crunchy snow and see the beauty of winter glistening on the river and trees and fields. It’s been a great camping season . . . this grand finale weekend was the perfect salute to a season of fun, adventure, work and play.
About The Author: Trisha Barnes We’re Bruce and Trisha of the Naked Hippies Road Trip! We absolutely DO live life fully - gave up our house in the suburbs, got rid of tons of stuff and moved to the banks of the Missouri River to live at a private campground. (No, it isn’t a nudist campground!) It was where we started to take the steps toward our dream of living and traveling full time in our RV. We started out bare bones naked - nothin’ to our name except our tent and essential stuff - and now we're living full time in our RV! Got a dream? We'll share the Naked Truth about all the ups and downs we've experienced - lessons learned - and how we can help you live your dream now - not in two years, not in twenty years, but NOW! “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”~ Mark Twain