EVENT: Heartland Owners Camp-Out: FL, Santa Rosa Beach - 8/12/2011 to 8/14/2011

Venue:
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• Topsail Hill State Park
• 7525 W. Scenic Highway 30A
• Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459
• http://floridastateparks.reservationamerica.com 1-800-326-3521
• www.floridastateparks.org/topsailhill/default.cfm
• Pets ok?: Yes
• Pet Fee:
• WiFi available: Yes
• WiFi Fee: $

Details:
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• From: 8/12/2011 to: 8/14/2011
• Number of sites held: none reserved must call
• Site fee: $$42/night per night.
• Club Member Event fee: $ 0
• Non-Club Member fee: $ 0
• Potluck: Yes
• Potluck date: 8/13/2011
• Potluck time: 6:00 pm

Contact:
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• Event Leader: MICKEY(click to contact)

Additional Info:
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The Florida Chapter of Heartland Owners Group is having a campout at one of the jewels of the Gulf, TopSail Hill State Park, at Santa Rosa Beach Fl. This is one of the most beautiful campgrounds in Florida. In fact it is so beautiful and desirable, getting reservations is almost impossible unless you plan ahead. We are scheduling this campout during the summer months to allow any and all families with children to make an event with us. It is also cooler in northern Florida than southern Florida. Talking with the Ranger, August is hot but cool breezes exist in the evenings. It is also just across the street from one of the most beautiful white sand beaches. There are miles of bike paths, trees, wildlife, photo ops galore. There will be a pot luck dinner Saturday night and Mickey has offered to cook his Low Country Boil for everyone. Of course anyone who doesn't like lobster, shrimp, sausage, potatoes, and corn, may feel free to bring other items or deserts.
Again this is not a formal Rally, however a little more relaxing, more time to talk to friends, plenty of food. We also hope that our friends from other states can join us to make this a memorable event. Everyone is welcome.
To make resrvations electronically at http://floridastateparks.reservationsamerica.com
or by phone 1-800-326-3521
To check out the park electronically www.floridastateparks.org/topsailhill/default.cfm
Don't hesitate on making your reservation, it naturally fills fast. Mickey is going to be in site 141 loop 103. They will try to keep us together if you ask. They do not hold spots for clubs, you must call and make your own reservation.

Attendees
Nita and Wayne Cooper.................. GETnBYE........... .site 158
Hogan and Donna Cooper ................Hoganc ..............site 139
Terry and Theresa .........................asapappl ............site 131
Eric and Dorothy vonOpstal ..............Flying Dutchman .site 126
Kim and Dot Miranda................................................site 115
Linda and Walter West.....................LindaW...............site 147
Mickey and Bonnie Meredith .............Mickey ..............site 141

Awesome Mickey - sure wish I could be in 2 places at once! Never had a low-country boil but I sure want one

Have an awesome camp-out!

Jim

Jim;

Here is what your missing! Eat till ya drop.

Yummy!

Jim

I have recieved a few private messages concerning the TopSail event. I know it's a bit in the future but you have to plan ahead for a spot. If you are planing to make this camp out or have any interest please respond on this thread so others will see the interest growing.

Wayne is working on moving some vacation days around so that we can make this one. I love this park so much and really want to get back to Florida this year.
I would very much like to learn to cook seafood, we love it.
Nita

Man O Man, can I get the rig down to Topsail for this campout? Sure hate to think about missing out on the seafood. Do you throw Mud Bugs in that concoction?
Hogan

Yea!!!! It is confirmed, booked and official. We will be there!
I'll bring some extra shrimp, cause you have not seen Wayne eat some seafood!!
I am so excited.
Nita

hoganc said:

Man O Man, can I get the rig down to Topsail for this campout? Sure hate to think about missing out on the seafood. Do you throw Mud Bugs in that concoction?
Hogan

Click to expand...

Hogan, I know Donna wants some beach time or maybe some great outlet shoppin, so just book it.
But, leave the bugs out of the boil. LOL
Nita

Wayne and Nita;
Cool. I usually use Large Shrimp and Lobster tails for the seafood. If Hogan is going to make it we will even make one with bugs in it just for him. I have never been able to shell crabs fast enough to make them work. That's just me. I have been to those all you can eat crab places in the Chesapeake Bay area with the brown paper table cloths and the hole in the middle. Thought I was going to starve to death trying to get enough meat out of those blue crabs. Crawdads are good, easier to shuck. I just cant suck the heads! Here is the challenge!!! How about a seafood cookoff.
Teach me to eat Blue crabs like a native; Teach me to like crawdads just a little better; Come on Hogan, bring your best recipe for Seafood Gumbo. Bring all the great friends I have met from Missisippi and Alabama. I have been told that people don't camp in Florida in the summer! I told them if you are from the south you do cause that's all we have. Hot sultry weather, with great beaches, great scenery, and even better times. I have been perfecting the perfect frozen Margarita concoction. Just made for beaches, warm weather, and good friends. I need someone to show it to.

Nita, thanks for the great site showing campground. Looks like a great place.

I somehow deleted my post I guess, unless it shows up twice.

If you have not been there before, you are in for a great surprise. Most sites are shady and the beach is as near to private as you can get/with a trolley that runs every hour. We plan to bring bikes because the roads are nicely paved and trails too. There is a nice pool, not huge, but the park is very well kept.

So, are mudbugs crab or crawfish?

A cook-off sounds great, I do shrimp scampi with lemon, but will be happy to bring a lime and test out your margarita concoction.

As for the heat, it's nice and cool in the stores at the outlet center!!!

Nita

NITA;
I call Hogan's mudbugs, Crawfish. Turn out really red when cooked. My wife loves them.
Crabs for me are blue crabs caught in salt water bays and estuaries.
Two different things
Looking back at last post I was trying to take care of too many things while writing and jumped around a little.

Either way we can make a cullinary weekend out of this. I love to cook when I'm out of the house and have time. I say this while I'm boiling hot dogs for a quick lunch so we can go to the movies

We love to bike, we carry them everywhere we go. My wife even bought a basket to allow our new pup to ride with us. Didn't ride as much at Goshen. I had a JOB to do most of the time and was constantly on the go. That's one of the reasons we chose to go to Topsail, was the great roads to ride on.

I'm glad Wayne could get off.

Come on Hogan, bring your best recipe for Seafood Gumbo. Bring all the great friends I have met from Missisippi
Challenge accepted. Got to find a sack o mudbugs for Nita. I am working on the Gumbo recipe right now. Look forward to seeing you there.

Hogan

Okay, Mickey. We are in. Site number 139. That should be close to the Margariter Machine. Looking forward to seeing you there and a great time. We will probably arrive early on the 12th after a stay in LA. Hogan

Hogan;

Fantastic! I looking forward to spending time with you and Donna. By the way....do you have a good gumbo recipe? Nita says she makes a mean shrimp scampi. Looks like we won't go hungry. I will try to keep the Margarita machine crankin!

Sounds like a great time is in the works....wish we could make it, but we'll have to pass on this outing. We are looking at Topsail for a week's vacation though.

Looking forward to seeing some photos of all your good times!
Susan

Susan;
We'll keep you in the fun loop. Wish you could make it.

Mickey

I took this photo at the beach area in Topsail. I can't wait to get back.
Nita

Well I may end up having those guys in white robes chasing after me, but I intend to have loads of fun before they catch me. We just can't pass up the opportunity to visit the FL pan handle again, haven't been there since 1971 vacationing in Panama City in my Army life. I have reserved site 126 in loop 103, the closest I could get to the margaretta machine. We will arrive on Wednesday 8/10 coming from the Tennessee rally and have reserved the site for 7 nights. Sure am glad the site has 50 Amp service as I aim to have both A/C's cranking.
We'll give some thoughts to the potluck, you know I am on the "see food" diet. Shrimp, craw dads, blue crabs, they all sound wonderful. I recall being able to get a bushel of oysters in my old days, perhaps that is still an option. Anyway we are excited about this camp out, and can't wait to see you all.

Eric and Dorothy;

WOOHOO! I too am on the "see food" diet. Goshen ruined me! It's nice having the President and First Lady visiting. We'll have to bring out the good china.
This just keeps getting better and better. I hope I can keep up with you seasoned pros in the cullinary department. Looking forward to it.