Well....... I made it and one other prepper made it(Who is not a member here to my knowledge)... I had a great time, personally. JimLE, I was almost positive we'd see you out there! Too bad, man. It was a relaxing time and it wasn't expensive like some trips I've taken. I was really surprised that the area was as well kept as it was.
I think this would/is a great place for a M&G if we're not intending to do much as far as actual wilderness/survival skills training, etc.. It's amazingly beautiful and very well kept. Army Corps of Engineers keeps this place IMMACULATE. I would honestly, truly... I would seriously put this on a 4 star resort level. There is actually a resort not far from it, but the 7 Points Campground is just that... A campground(But not like I'm used to). There is a lake that is bigger than I remember from when I was a kid, trails(That are easy hiking and tougher ones), wildlife, and NO BUGS. I always hear griping about BUGS! Well, I don't know if they spray some super death ray bug spray or what, but whatever it is, there are no mosquitos, flies, gnats, or other bothersome pests. Timber rattlers(Which we didn't see), deer(Which we did see), and a plethora of birds, and who know what else live out there. They DO allow hunting there during season, and I may look into that this year or next.
The campsites are NOT very private. THere isn't much of a canopy over head, even though you're surrounded by woods. The campsites are big and there are electricity hook ups for whatever you need. Easy access to drinking water, shower facilities, and just about anything else you need/want. Fire wood would be the exception. They keep it so neat that there were almost NO fallen trees to take from. You can run right up the road and buy from the locals though(Which is what we did). In the evenings, around 1800 or so, trucks roll through selling firewood and ice.... Speaking of ice..... I forgot this is Pennsylvania, so alcohol is an issue for those who drink. We must have driven around for 45 minutes to find a "Distributor" that sold beer(No wine, or liquor there)... They ONLY sold by the case, and they ONLY sell HOT beer. Nothing is cold, although you can buy ice there. We finally found a bar that sells beer for take-out. I couldn't care less, but it seems like most people I know like to drink when they're camping so this may be a consideration for you.
Overall, we had a nice weekend. We had to move our reservation to another site though. We had one that was an odd man out... It was the only one I saw that was on a slope that was steep enough that our tent and things were not staying put very well at all. Once we moved locations, we settled in nice and spent the rest of our time running around the campground looking at trails, the marina, and we went to an "Event" at the visitor center that explained the history behind Raystown Lake and all the old ghost stories and myths about the area. It was interesting, because we found some things were true that we previously thought were just BS. I have a couple pics, so I'll try and get them up today sometime.
I'm sorry no one from DPF came out, but hopefully the next time we do M&Gs around the Country, people can make it. I can always use an excuse to go camping, so I hope everyone is thinking of DPF crew when they plan their next outing.
I'm not sure when the next ones will be, I'll have to get with Clyde and the other Mods to find out. Whenever it's going to be, I'm looking forward to having more folks out there.
