Fun & Friends at FDR State Park

After our fun-filled week at the FMCA rally, we headed a couple of hours northwest to FDR State Park in Pine Mountain, GA with our friends Nancy & Betsy and Chris & Cherie. We didn’t know much about this park in advance, but a quick look at the reviews on RV Park Reviews let us know that we were in for a nice few days.

FDR State Park is the largest state park in Georgia, and it was a lovely drive through the park to the campsite. We caravanned there with Nancy & Betsy, and checked in at the park office (pictured above) which we learned was originally built as a tavern.

Nancy and I headed off to scout out parking spots while Deas & Betsy stayed back with the rigs. There are several different loops in the park with plenty of spots that can accommodate big rigs, although some of the turns were kind of tight. 50amp service is spread sporadically through the campground so you just have to drive around and look for ones that have it (it’s not indicated on the park map.) We ended up in loop #5, which even though it’s designated on the map as “tent and trailer camping,” seemed to have the most 50amp sites as well as plenty of room for big rigs. There were a few uneven sites, but the vast majority of them were very large and very level. We picked two sites for ourselves as well as one for Chris and Cherie right next to us. There were lots of sites with lakefront access in loops #1 and #2, but those loops seemed to be a little more crowded so we were very happy with our sites in loop #5. In fact we all liked this park so much we extended our stays an additional 2 nights.

The park has several hiking trails, and we did a nice 3-mile hike around the lake with Nancy & Betsy and their dog Spirit. Spirit is very well-behaved doggie and her mommies let her run off leash because she sticks close by. Our crazy mutts, however, are not to be trusted, so we have to keep them on their leashes. Nikki didn’t like it at all when Spirit was allowed to go swimming in the creeks and spent a lot of time fussing at her when she went in the water! She’s a wanna be police dog.

The next day we visited FDR’s Little White House which is a short 20 minute drive away in Warm Springs. FDR built the Little White House in 1932. He originally came to the area in 1924 because of the area’s natural warm springs, which he hoped might cure the paralysis he suffered due to polio. While he didn’t find a cure, swimming in the buoyant water did result in some improvement in his movements. The publicity he brought to Warm Springs meant that many other polio victims began to flock to the area. In 1926, he bought a local resort and turned it into the Warm Springs Foundation, which today still operates as the Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation.  The Little White House historic site includes his residence, guest house, servant’s quarters, and a museum.

One of most interesting things at the museum is the famous unfinished portrait of FDR. He was sitting for this portrait on April 12, 1945 when he suddenly collapsed. He died a short time later, in the home that he loved.

The best part of being at the same park with our friends were the nightly happy hours and group dinners. We had such a blast every night sitting outside by the fire, enjoying yummy meals – and so much laughter! I hope we didn’t drive our neighbors too crazy.

Alas, the fun had to come to end as the time came for us to head our separate ways. Nancy & Betsy are on their towards Maine, Deas & I are spending the next several days with our families, and Chris & Cherie are heading next towards TN. It was hard to say good-bye, but as we all kept reminding each other: when you’re on the road, it’s not good-bye, it’s see you again somewhere else on the road!