Blue Lake Camp - Alabama - NOMADS part 1

     We arrived at Blue Lake Camp on Friday, March 8th, to settle in for our 3 week long NOMADS project. Upon arrival we were greeted by Larry and Linda Schluer our leaders for this project. They are from Ohio. A couple of hours later  Joy and Dave Tabor, campground owners from northern Wisconsin, arrived. They are new NOMADS and this is their first project. 

Our campsite @ Blue Lake Camp

     Saturday morning we headed into Andalusia to pick up a few supplies and have a trailer tire repaired. (we picked up a nail) Shortly after we returned to Blue Lake 2 other NOMADS couples showed up; Bill and Kathy Waters from the southwestern tip of North Carolina, Lon & Billie Labumbard from Spooner Wisconsin. A while later on Duane and Linda Wakefield from Cape Elizabeth Maine arrived making our team complete. Sunday we all went to church at First United Methodist in Andalusia, followed by lunch together at Beef O'Brady's.

Sunday evening we had our initial team meeting with a tasty supper provided by Linda & Larry. 

 Duane & Lon tearing down old playground equipment

Duane and Lon painting the door they repaired

     Monday morning we met at 8 for devotions and were welcomed by the camp director, Phyllis, who gave us a tour of the camps. There are actually 3 separate camping areas here at Blue Lake. There are 300 acres of property surrounded by the Conecuh National Forest. The camps occupy about 3/4 of the lake frontage with each having their own swimming areas. We were given assignments and went off to work after our tour.

Bill working on firewood storage shed

 Bill cementing water line together

Dave running the trencher

 Joyce & Lon cutting wood for new bunk beds

     Some of the work assigned for week #1 was: replace 12 faucets, plumbing repairs, painting rooms in the north wing of Oakwood, installing 3 water lines and bubblers for drinking water in recreation areas (1000' of pipe), repair doors, tear down playground equipment, cut wood for new bunk beds, build 2 firewood storage sheds, repair noisy dryer, etc. 

     The camp was kind enough to feed us several times as well. I will continue with more about our time here at Blue Lake Camp next time.

Visiting Flame & Pyro in Texas

     Friday, March 1st, we hooked up the trailer, said good-bye to our fellow NOMADS, and headed east away from Phoenix around 8 am. We drove east on I-10 past Tucson and on in to New Mexico, stopping near Deming for the night.

We camped at Rockhound SP, which is nestled up against some jagged mountains.

Our campsite @ Monahan Sandhills SP in west Texas

    The next morning we headed down the road and rolled into Texas at El Paso. We drove until mid-afternoon when we arrived at Monahan Sandhills SP.

 Nearing sunset

People rent plastic saucers or sleds to slide down the dunes

    We got one of the few remaining sites that would fit our trailer and headed for a walk on the dunes after setting up camp. The next morning we were off to an early start and drove to about 60 miles south of Dallas where we camped at Lofer Bend Campground (a COE cmpgnd). In the morning we drove to Pyro & Flame's home near Edgewood where we would enjoy the next 3 days visiting our friends from the AT. We went to visit an old estate of Mrs. Lee who had planted a boxcar load of Daffodils around the property years ago. Late afternoon we went for a nice walk on the trails around Flame & Tom's land. That evening we were pleased to meet Flame's sister Norma, niece Carla and her 2 children. They came all the way over from Tyler to meet us. Thank you.

Flame spent most of last summer painting their house a new color scheme.

The carport they had installed last year was a valuable addition.

 Tberry & Flame in front of Mrs. Lee's cabin

Monday afternoon Flame took us to Mrs. Lee's Daffodil ranch.

Dozens of acres of yellow beauty. Very nice!

 Salt Palace Museum

     Tuesday Flame took us to visit the Salt Palace museum in nearby Grand Saline. After that we visited the Southwest Dairy Farmers Museum near Sulphur  Springs. Very interesting time at both places.

When saw this fellow and immediately thought of our long distance hiking/biking friends Snake Hips and Spud from the AT

     Wednesday morning we headed to Mineral Wells SP to meet Jeriatric, who lives near Fort Worth. The 5 of us went out for a 6 mile hike thru the park. On the way home that afternoon we drove by the stadiums that the Rangers and Cowboys play in. We stopped at Mr. Biggs Smokehouse for some great Texas BBQ. Yum, yum! The next morning we headed east again to begin the trek to Alabama for our next NOMADS project at Blue Lake Assembly camp near Andalusia. It was hard to leave Flame and Tom's after having such a nice time seeing them again. Thank you again for the wonderful hospitality you showed "the Yoopers". We hope it works out for us to host you at our place in the not to distant future.

Our campsite in Roosevelt SP near Jackson, MS Thursday night

Glendale UMC - NOMADS Project

     We recently completed 2 weeks of volunteer work with a NOMADS team at Glendale UMC in Arizona. Our team leaders were Gary & Phyllis Prichard from the local Phoenix area. Gary & Linda Williams from Missouri and Lois & Wayne Babcock from Michigan were the remaining team members. Pastor Kim is pictured on the right. We did a wide variety of projects while at Glendale UMC:
Painting doors, replaced 3 doors, painting conduit and exterior walls, painted playground equipment, repair ceiling and countertop backsplash, etc.

Joyce painting exterior doors

 Wayne working on repairs to barrier free ramp

Lois painting stucco wall

The 2 Gary's it appears are having way too much fun!

Linda painting playground equipment

     Gary and Phyllis invited us over to their home for dinner one Friday evening.

The meal was great and the time together was enjoyed by all. 

Gary made an amazing desert

We camped at Calvary UMC and drove to Glendale to work everyday