Building a small RV park, Part 3

[ARD]

This is an extension of the RV life where you can enjoy the lifestyle with friends who don't have the freedom and joy of having an RV.

I like your vision. I think the tiny home like the one you linked is fantastic. If you can't use the area for rigs, I can totally understand the tiny home option. I believe if anyone can make it work, it is you.

Having said that I will admit to also being apprehensive having watched Lake Norman Motorcoach Resort devolve into a tiny home village. All the best sites on the lake were converted to tiny homes. There are only a few sites that I can go into and at some point they will be gone too. The owner loves the tiny homes as he does make more money from them. And now he is selling them. The energy is completely different at the park with many more calls to the police for domestic violence, drugs, etc. However, I do believe the location makes a big difference and doubt you will encounter these issues.

It seems that Campfire Lodgings makes it work having cabins and yurts. I've also stayed at a KOA in Colorado that had cabins which was great because friends were able to come for 5 days and we had a big time. Sorry for the babbling. I had a knee jerk reaction....oh no, tiny homes. Then I remembered other parks with cabins and yurts and how much fun it was to have those options. I can't wait to see what you do. Oh and from a business perspective, it makes a lot of sense!

 

[Headhunter]

Wow Jim, what are you going to do with all that FIREWOOD..???? Seems you cut down a ton of trees....LOL

HH

 

[Jim]

Wow Jim, what are you going to do with all that FIREWOOD..???? Seems you cut down a ton of trees....LOL

HH

Well, since you asked, lol.

Some of it will get run through my sawmill for whatever project I'm working on. Most of the larger lumber we used here at the park was actually harvested right here on the property. The following pictures are of an old White Oak that fell down years ago. You can pour water on the fresh cut slab and you'll see what it looks like when it's finished.

Some of it will become firewood for the "Dragon" which is an outdoor wood burning furnace. The dragon heats water to 180* and that water is pumped through a series of tubes in the floors, which in turn heats the house.

And whatever is left we use at the park to supply our guests with firewood.

 

[Scooterfan]

That is SO awesome. We managed to mill a large redwood a few years back (Alaskan jig) and have enjoyed the beautiful slabs in so many projects since. However, your professional setup is an outdoorsman's dream. So do you have a "grapple" to move that heavy timber around ? One day we hope to do a cross-country trip and hope to be your guest for a few days (I won't want to leave). Anyhoo, I like many (I'm certain) admire your work. Blessings

 

[Headhunter]

Wow..... man you truly have it covered. That huge white oak looks fantastic. I hope to definitely head your way sometime this year.

I am recovering from a total knee replacement and am just starting to hobble around. But your park looks outstanding.

Finishing cutting and stacking about 4 cords of fire wood for next year. I had a huge Cherry that was dropped last year. My buds cut it up for me and stacked it behind the shop.

HH

 

[Neal]

@Jim you had us fooled all this time! You're not Jim, you're Bob Vila! Now we all know! You've been outed!

 

[Jim]

So do you have a "grapple" to move that heavy timber around ?

Oh lord no! I bought the least expensive mill in the Norwood lineup so it has -0- hydraulics, it's all brute force stuff. But I already had a trackhoe to lift the logs up with so I made due without the high-dollar rig.

That was back in 2017 and I was thinking of making tables and stuff. I was also buying a lot of repossessed properties, remolding them and turning them into rentals, so the wood I was cutting helped on the jobs.

I bought some tools from a cabinet maker here in town and between the sawmill and the cabinet tools, I was making stuff like beams, baseboard, and even some cool crown molding!

Trish humors me through most of my foolishness. The only thing she ever put her foot down about was when I wanted to learn to fly. She pointed out how I've run out of gas in the boat and that pretty much brought the discussion to an end.

 

[Jim]

@Jim you had us fooled all this time! You're not Jim, you're Bob Vila! Now we all know! You've been outed!

lol, taught him everything he knows . . .

 

[J&JD]

My gosh @Jim who is your sugar daddy backer? So much work for so few beautiful sites. Doesn’t seem possible to recoup your investment.

 

[Jim]

My gosh @Jim who is your sugar daddy backer? So much work for so few beautiful sites. Doesn’t seem possible to recoup your investment.

Sugar daddy? lol, haven't found that one yet. But we aren't afraid to work and we did OK in our earlier life. We own the property and we pay cash for everything as we go along, so no bank notes to worry about.

Our model isn't about visitor volume, it's about visitor quality. We would rather have guests that aren't shaken to the core about paying $65 - $75 a night, than to have twice the volume at $45 a night.

Not knocking people that want to camp inexpensively, that's not it at all. But from an owners perspective, I've found that the people who book on the higher end are generally more in tune with a quieter lifestyle. They're also much less likely to raise hell at 11:30 and cause me to drive down and get everyone under control.

Well, except for these two! They were completely out of control!