Shelburne Camping is not a place we would have chosen, but we saw advertising photos which seemed quite nice. However, these photos did not say 1,000 words; they kept the truth hidden.
At first, it seems somewhat rundown. The sites are small even though they say "Big Rigs Welcome." They may be welcomed, but these are tight sites for big rigs like ours. There are 78 sites here of which about half seem to be occupied by permanent rvs. There is a tent section that does not have electric hook ups and then the rest is for rvers who are vacationing or part time to full time rvers. The owners are a husband and wife in their 40s with two small children. One mother-in-law works here along with another lady and two maintenance men. They seem very hard working and constantly trying to make improvements, but there is much needed to be done here.
We have been in campgrounds where there were permanent occupants and for the most part, they have a well maintained unit and grounds. This is not the case here. At first, we wanted to leave, but then decided that part of this adventure was to see America in its many different ways.
The permanent folks here are varied. We felt a little uncomfortable at first as these folks are not people we are used to being with. Many of them are very poor and living a really marginal existence. The first day, as we were trying to get into our very tight spot, a man in his early 30s came over to help us as he had 6 years experience driving tractor trailers. He was very helpful, and we have gotten to know him a bit over our first week. He lives in a fairly run down small rv trailer that is about 20 feet long which equates to 160 square feet of living space. He has no telephone and a very old minivan.
There is a single women, maybe in her 30s, who has a slightly larger rv which gives her maybe 180 square feet of living space. This is an old trailer with no slideouts and small windows by the bedroom area, one small window in the back, a door on one side with a small window, and two small windows on the other side across from the door side. We have waved to her, but not talked to her. She was right behind us until she was moved to another spot the other day. Not sure why.
Behind us and one space over was a fellow in his 40s in a small travel trailer with Florida plates. He apparently, was here for contract work and lived out of the trailer. He left this morning.
Another fellow across the street from us, in his 30s, has a small travel trailer. He keeps his motorcycle there during the day and uses his truck for work. He is gone from Friday after work until Sunday evening. Seems to have been living here for some time.
All of these folks are people we are not used to being around in that they are truly folks without safety nets. They all work everyday, full time. They come home to these very tiny marginal homes where their existence is very tenuous. If they get sick, or their car breaks down, they could lose their jobs. If they lose their jobs, that is the end of any income. These are folks with no savings and no insurance. They have a job and work hard, the American way, but still they live on the edge.
There are others here too that live like the above group. Some are parents with small children, some are single moms with children, and some are single dads with children. School is still in session here so most of the children are gone during the day. I start seeing them in late afternoon. I am not sure if anyone is home when they get home from school. Our site is next to the small pool that is available here, and I notice the children always seem to have a parent with them in the pool area. These parents seem to be trying to give their children quality time, but everyone looks like they are really struggling.
When I walk around the campground with Wubie, just by the nature of an outing with a cat, the going is slow. I notice that when these folks are home, they are inside their unit, and I can hear the television. Most camps we have been in, folks are out and about either walking or sitting outside or visiting with the other folks, but these folks, other than when they are outside with their children, come home from work and stay in their unit.
This campground is behind a 1950s type motel that is laid out in a wide V shape and behind it are small one room log cabin type buildings and behind that is the campground. The motel is not a motel. It is home to very low income folks as are the cabins. I don't see folks there at all during the day. Again, I think they are at work. In the evening and on weekends they are there. This is housing that I can not imagine anyone dreaming of having.
The other day one of the men was working on his car, and I suspect until he gets it fixed, there is no way to get to work. I think the interior of these units are still set up as they were for a motel and any cooking facility or sink is make-shift at best.
People I have know in the past that were struggling with bills, getting cars fixed, buying clothes for children etc seem, to me now, that they were well off compared to what I have seen here. We are known as the wealthiest country in the world, and I wonder, how what I see, can be. I do not know their history, but what they want and work for is no different than anyone else. I do not believe there is anyone who would want to live like this, and I can not imagine the fear and worry these folks live under where an unexpected health problem or car problem could be financially disastrous.
When I lived in other places, I guess I just assumed that people I met in the things I did, lived like me. We see folks, they seem like us, so they must live like us, but of course, that is not so. I wonder how many Americans live in this terrifying way that I see these folks living.
tg
