Where did we go!

Sorry we missed writing a June blog article. I guess we are still settling into this retirement life and somehow got hooked into the busyness of all the start of summer activities.

We've posted some new photo's in the gallery tab. You can also click on the CAL Team logo and additional glamping photo's will be posted.

We did manage to travel around 12,000 miles via air and land, traveling from the east coast to the west and everywhere in between. We are still learning in our new role as the Regional Supervisors for our daughter and her husband's Timberline Glamping company.

The companies continued growth with new franchisee's signing on monthly is amazing. The company currently has 15 locations in Georgia, Alabama, Virginia and Florida with 6 to 8 more coming on between fall and next spring. Over half of these will be located in the Florida area which gives us an excuse to winter in Florida this winter.

We did reach our goal of traveling to and reviewing all current open glamping operations before the 2nd quarter of this year. We love the uniqueness and attractions each glamping location has to offer its glamping guests. Also just as unique is some of the glampers we meet and their stories on how they got hooked on glamping.

I'd like to share one such story in which I've titled "God's little Glamper Angel". The story begins back in the fall of 2021 as manager of the Shady Grove Campgrounds. I was in my office and we were having one of those severe SE thunderstorms where it was black out and buckets of water coming down. This car pulls up to the gate and is checking into one of the glamp sites. I could tell she was frazzled and upset, she had just drove through city Atlanta from Florida in this storm and was a little lost and confused. She was almost in tears as she explained she needed a small bottle of propane gas to cook her meals when she got settled in but did not know the area at all.

I told her not to worry I had plenty of these at my campsite and would gladly run one down to your site. After I closed I grabbed a bottle and dropped it off on her deck. I noticed the lights in her tent were already out and was already asleep.

It was the next morning that I officially got to meet this wonderful lady named Nancy. She tried to pay me for the bottle of gas and I refused. As we talk I learned she was going to be glamping for 10 days.

As I stopped by from time to time to check on her and chat alittle. I learned she was 83 years old and a retired missionary. I could tell she loved Jesus with all her heart. She explained how Jesus has healed her from a sickness where all her organs began to start shuting down and loss of her memory. It was there I learned she had an abusive husband who was slowly poisoning her. She was admitted to the hospital however they could not determine the initial cause. After tests and interviews it finally came out what was happening and how this man was after her inheritance and had 2 previous female victims before her. He has since past away.

She laid in the hospital, she could feel God was not through with her yet. He healed her and she is sharing the Love of Jesus wherever she travels. No telling how many lives she reached and shared with in the park as we usually have around 4,000 guests a month.

Before she left, I gave her hug and told her she needed to write a book about her life. She had been told by several people the same thing.

Now for the rest of the story, fast forward to the spring of 2023, Linda and myself are visiting the Timberlines Tampa Bay location to conduct a review. As I am preparing to setup I get a tap on my shoulder and I hear is that you Craig. You guessed it, Nancy now at 85 found the Tampa Bay location which was only an hour away from her home. She had checked in for 10 day of glamping.

It was so enjoyable to get caught up with her. She explained that she had a relapse and was in the hospital with her organs and memory problems. After a couple of months she kept pestering her doctor on if she could start to drive again. The doctor kept sidetracking her as he did not feel she needed to drive. He finally wore down and said ok, you can drive Nancy but no great distances.

She immediately went home and remembered me saying there would be a location opening in Florida for glamping in 2023. She researched it and the very first thing she did was to book a glamping reservation and come out for her 2nd glamping experience. What a blessing Nancy is and a tribute to glamping as she truly feels the presence of Jesus in her glamping experiences.

Don't be surprised if you hear about her showing up at a new glamping location in Flordia at the age of 86. We already have the park picked at Kissimmee Praire Preser State Park. It's known for its amazing star gazing views.

Nancy says "there are all sorts of Glamping venues out there, but Timberline has truly captured what Glamping is all about to me".