Merchant Mill Pond State Park - Gatesville, NC

With the COVID thing looming around, we have not been able to travel much.  Our trip through the four corner states was just not going to happen, because of the positivity rate.  I always thought that “positivity” was a Sesame St thing.  “Ya gotta have posivitity,” but no...

We have always loved Merchants Mill Pond, and there was no one there.  Of course, dry camping when the heat index is 110 with no chance of air conditioning is a turn off for some, but not us.  We endured for one of the two nights that we reserved.   We sat quietly, and sipped our beverages (non-alcoholic, of course...NC is a “no state”), Deb drank her white grape juice, while I sipped on hoppy water.

The best part of Merchant Mill Pond is the canoe rentals with the trails through the swamp, but because of the “pandemic thing” (the ranger’s words, not mine), there were no canoe rentals, so we just walked around the swamp.  There were some lovely boardwalks (I love boardwalks).  During our walk, we determined that a second night might not be as enjoyable as the first, since the heat index was going to 116.

Well, Merchant Mill Pond does not even have a dump station.  What are we to do?  My mind races! Aha!  Chippokes Plantation State Park has a dump station, and it right next to the Jamestown Ferry (I love ferries).  I pose the idea to Deb, trying to look forlorn about the prospects of a slightly longer return trip.  I am even thinking about putting on my face mask to cover my grin, but she slowly acquiesces.

By the time we get home, the sky has darkened.  We have restarted the air conditioner in the house, and we sit quietly sipping our now legal adult beverages waiting for the storm to pass.