Next stop and to our final US Army Corps of Engineers (COE) campground was an easy drive, just over 85 miles to Eastbank Campground, 153 Eastbank Road, Bainbridge, GA  39819, telephone number (229) 662-9273. We were there from 3/14 until 3/16/2017

We enjoyed our time in southwestern Georgia. It’s very rural, but the road system is really nice. Thanks to Jimmy Carter a local Georgian told us! After last summer in rural Kentucky, we made sure of our route the night before we traveled. The directions were not crystal clear on the website, so we called and talked with one of the camp hosts. She said to call them when we were just about 5 miles away so she could “talk” us in as many people end up at the dam! She didn’t seem to think the signage was very good, but if you have a passenger who focuses on the signs, there were more than she said. Anyway, here are a few pictures of our journey there:

Once we passed through Bainbridge, a small but easy to maneuver through town, we called the camp host. We weren’t too far away, but she warned us it is easy to get confused!

We were assigned to Site 12 in A loop. We originally planned for three nights, but due to a weather storm, stayed in our last campground, Cotton Hill, one extra day and we had to cute this stay short one night. We did and saw about all we could in that short time! As usual, this COE had very nice sites and was pretty well laid out.  Which means, easy for a big 40′ motor home to maneuver around!

We never know how our hiking and/or walking might be in these parks. This is always the most important feature when we stay somewhere for more than a night. Although, full hook ups (that means 50 amps, water and sewer) is also preferred. And sadly, only two of the four COEs we’ve stayed in had sewer (Gunter Hill and Lands Between the Lakes-Canal last summer). If it’s just an over night stay, we hope to get in at least a two-mile walk. The COE descriptions of these parks mentioned hiking, but it was low on the totem pole of things to do.

When we checked in, the camp host provided a map that showed a hiking trail! Yay! He said he had never been on it so he wasn’t sure how long it was. He told us how we could take the trail to the road over to the nearby dam. So our first day there, we went exploring and found the nice hiking trail which went up a hill and through the woods and over the dam. It turned out to only be 3 1/2 miles, but we spotted a possibility for a longer hike the next day. Here are a few pictures from our walk/hike on our first day:

And the next day, here is a picture of our great five-mile hike/walk. We had used the All Trails app to find a trail as it looked like there was something there when we walked over to the dam. It showed the Chattahoochee trail, but it also showed it was 7 miles away. We didn’t want to drive 7 miles to hike five miles….so we just went “exploring” and ended up there! It was just a mile away and we just did three miles on the trails over there.

We really enjoyed this day and it was warmer than our arrival day. We saw things you don’t expect to see when you are exploring and trying to hike! All in all, it wasn’t an unpleasant stay, but this one is not ranking in one of our top campground. I wish I had figured out the incline or at least noted the elevation as we went up from our campsite to the exit. When we arrived, Bill unhooked the car and I drove to the site while Bill drove the motor home without his trusty navigator. He had to pass another motor home and it was a bit narrow! Of course we are arriving early so what should we expect? But the worst part was that the dump station is on the way out, which is right at the entrance, too. Remember that one picture of the entrance? There was a motor home near it, using the dump station. There just wasn’t much room to line up and wait your turn as you are on also on a hill on a narrow road.  When we left, we timed it right so we wouldn’t have to wait long or on the hill!

This wraps up our three back to back stays in COEs. For the most part, we think we will seek out more. But we will have to do our research as to what we might expect. We do appreciate other bloggers who share their experiences in these parks!

Our winter travels are coming to a close. It’s gone too fast! Next up, just an overnight stay in Jellystone RV Park in Madison, Florida, then a glorious week in what we think is about the most perfect campground set up outside of Jacksonville, Florida. We top of the travels with five days in Myrtle Beach and then back up to Fredericksburg, Virginia for the month of April. Time to be with our grandsons and their parents!

May we end on this note of gratitude to the Lord:

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Psalm 103:1-5