At the state parks most people were just vacationing and they use the RVs during the summer months to travel. At the RV campgrounds most people live full time, but there are the occasional people who just come for a holiday or the weekend with their families. Those people usually live in town and just do little getaways when they can. For the full time RVers that we've met in this campground, they are well over 65 and the RVs range from looking a million years old to some that look like a very nice stretched house. Everyone waves to each other and they are all intrigued to know their new neighbor. I welcome the company during the day, and by now everyone knows the pups, which helps when Jasper decides to wonder a bit far beyond our area:) On the 4th of July we were even invited to our neighbors family BBQ.
Amongst the very nice people, there are also the not so nice ones. So far I've encountered a couple in our journey, and let me tell you...it wasn't pleasant. When we first arrived to the campground there were many open spots, so we were lucky to find one that suited all our needs (grass for the boys, full hookup, and some space from the other RVs). We first found this spot that was perfect, but unfortunately the only RV in that area had two dogs barking their heads off, and the RV itself looked in rough shape. After finding our spot that we are currently in now, we walked the dogs around the lake path, and we could hear those dogs going crazy in there. I immediately felt bad about them being locked up in the very small RV all day long without having a chance to go outside.
A few days had passed and I decided to go for a run. Usually, I always take the boys with me, but Rich was home and Brody had injured his leg the day before, so I left them behind. As I started my run I noticed the two dogs from that RV, a huge German Shepherd and a black lab, were loose and the owner was trying to bring them back with his van by chasing them with it. Even though I thought it was odd, I continued running and headed for the lake. I had almost finished my first lap and I see the German Shepherd running straight towards me, no tail wagging, just coming straight for me. I immediately stopped and noticed how rough this dog was. It was missing spots of hair and it looked too thin. I put my hand out by my side so the dog could smell my hands first, but he just circled me with no happy reaction at all. My heart was pounding, and this fisherman noticed and told me to stay calm as the dog circled me. The fisherman came over and got in the way of me and the dog, and I yelled to see if the owner could hear me and get his dog back. This old guy comes out of the RV with a gun and shoots it at the air twice and the dog runs back to him. I couldn't have been more grateful that our dogs weren't with me, and for the fisherman helping me out.
I'm a dog lover, but that dog, unfortunately, seemed to have been raised by this crazy guy. We contacted the superintendent of the campground and he told us that this isn't the first time he has had complaints and to call 911 and him again if this happens again. I usually avoid going for runs now when his van is there, and since the 4th there have been a few other RVs near his area, so he has kept the dogs locked up. After speaking to another neighbor he says those dogs are crazy and not supervised, so I've started running with my pepper spray just in case.
Aside from this crazy guy and his dogs, this park is extremely safe:) We have a weekly farmers market, people fishing or exercising on the lake all day, park employees, and police officers are constantly driving by throughout the day. Whether you are in an RV campground, a neighborhood, or a public location there is always someone out there who doesn't have the best intentions, which is why I wonder about protection. I'm not for guns or against them, it's just never been part of my life thus far, but it makes me wonder if in this journey is it worth to have a way to protect yourself against that one crazy person or animal?
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