Gas Prices BELOW Last Year’s?

Can we Talk?

    It looks like gas is going to run past the $4.00/gallon mark, and it may stay there through the summer travel season. I have my own views on some of the how and why of all that, but it is not my purpose here to explain the intricacies of the commodities futures markets and election-year panic mongering.  Let’s just stay with park related issues here; and talk about the realities of the impact of gas prices on camping, boating and other forms of vacation travel.

    Yes, $4.00 per gallon is a galling record. And yes, $126 per barrel for crude oil is mind boggling. But if we are not careful we will do exactly what I think the political class wants us to do; which is to panic and scream and shout for them to save us. And in the process we may make some choices that a year from now may seem a little silly. One of those choices would be to deprive our families of the quality time that outdoor recreation offers. I hear people talk about maybe not going camping this year because of the gas prices. Those people, in my opinion, are buying what the fear mongers are selling.

    I don’t like paying more for gas either, but while $4.00 is galling, it is not like it went UP $4.00. It was over $3.25 this time last year and we didn’t let it ruin our family outings. The price is up maybe 75 cents now; which if you are driving a trailer towing vehicle that only gets 11 MPG, you are going to pay an extra $0.07 per mile while towing. If you live in the Bloomington area and drive to West Boggs, the round trip will cost you an extra $7.00 for gas, compared to last year. Sure that galls us all some, and the politicians are counting on that reaction; but should we let it decide our vacation time activities? I for one hope you don’t let that happen.

    At West Boggs we feel so strongly that it is a mistake to let the combination of election year politics and market goofiness ruin your vacation that we have decided to offer an extra incentive to you to not allow that to happen. We will give you an INSTANT FUEL REBATE of $25.00 for any camping visit of a week or longer; just to take away any reason you might have thought you had to miss the trip this year. At the rate shown above, driving the gas hog trailer puller at 11 MPG, and with gas at $0.75 above last year, that will totally absorb the increased gas price out to about 356 miles round trip. If you live closed than that the rebate means you get the equivalent of gas prices actually below last year’s.

    Now get the family together and make those plans and don’t let the headlines ruin your summer. You’ll be glad you made the right choice; and we’ll be glad to have been able to help. Call 812-295-3421.

There are still honest people in the world and some of them fish at Boggs!!!

With the way our world is today sometimes you wonder about people and their morals; but I’m here to tell you that despite all of the happenings in the world today there are still some good honest people left. I want to say a big Thank you to the Early Bird Bass Club and coordinator Ron Hooker for being so honest during their fishing tournament on Sunday April 20, 2008 there was about six vehicles and boats waiting at the gate for me to show up before they would enter the park. Their response to me was that they know that the park relies on those entry and boating fees to operate the park and they wanted to pay their part. So to all of you give yourself a big pat on the back and I want you to know that we appreciate your business.

Sincerely,

Customer Service Manager

 

 

 

$25 Gas Rebate! Plus Last Year’s Camping Rates!

It seems like everywhere you look there is another story about the high cost of motor fuel. If you have been alarmed about what the rise in gas prices will do to your family vacation this season, West Boggs Park has the solution. If you book a camping visit for a week or more in 2008, you will receive an INSTANT GAS PRICE REBATE to help pay for the gas price increase. The Instant Rebate of $25 will be in addition to any other discount or promotional offer you might receive, including the free day you get for a week long reservation. This offer is limited to the first 100 people that book a camping visit of one week or longer. Call today and then tune out the worry. This offer is not limited, and campers will receive the rebate for each seperate camping visit of at least a week.

Lake Reaches Normal Pool Level

Good news for earlybird anglers and boaters! Courtesy of recent heavy rain and snowfall, West Boggs Lake is now at (or maybe just a bit above) normal pool. Talk about good timing – the weather forecast calls for temperatures near 60 degrees by the end of this week. Boater access to the lake at the boat ramp is now possible offering an opportunity for fishing scouts and a sure cure for cabin fever. I know most of you won’t need any encouragement, but it’s time to come back outside and play.

M. Susan Harrawood

West Boggs Park Ranger Notes

We often get questions about what goes on in the park during the winter. Thought I’d give you a few impressions of what I’ve seen in the park this week. Very early in the week there was a noticeable presence of seagulls hunting the lake. This is a promising sign and may mean good news for anglers in the upcoming fishing season. The gull activity during the time the lake is at draw down levels usually indicates a winter kill of gizzard shad. Elimination of shad in any numbers is a benefit to other species in the fishery – you know, the ones you like to catch. I haven’t been one of the lucky ones yet this winter, but we have had reports of bald eagle sightings on the lake.

Like many other areas of Indiana, we’ve been dealing with the icy aftermath of the winter storm that visited the midwest this week. The covering of ice has transformed the park and surrounding counties into a winter wonderland – beautiful, but no fun when you attempt to slide up or down one of the park’s hills. For the first time in days, we are enjoying some sunshine today. Hopefully it will melt some of the ice from the roadways and allow our sightseers and walkers to return.

Hard to believe on these cold winter days, but in a matter of just a few weeks, the first spring wildflowers will appear in the shelter of woodland areas. Earliest bloomers in this area include snow drops and aconite. I look hard for these promises that milder days will soon return and will gladly share the good news.

M. Susan Harrawood

Welcome Indy Boat, Sport & Travel Show visitors!

If you are visiting our blog as a result of having found the link from the main West Boggs Park website, and arrived the after learning of us at the Indianapolis Boat sport and travel show, I’d like to offer you a special welcome. Being in that group says you are probably an outdoor enthusiast looking for an alternative to some of the less rewarding camping and outdoor recreation experiences you’ve had in the past. That is precisely what West Boggs is all about; providing that alternative. What you’ll find here is a people oriented, pleasant and more relaxed atmosphere for enjoying your time outdoors.

Come and visit us, and you will find that the only bad part of the West Boggs camping experience is the fact that at some point you have to go home.

And now we’re on YouTube Too!

Here is a great video that includes some information about West Boggs Park and the rest of the Daviess County outdoor recreation community. This wsa part of the Raghorn Adventures outdoor show on Cable TV in the summer of 2007. The first segment is about Glendale, and we follow that. I got a lot of “face” time in the epesode. Hope you enjoy it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjfTccB7i_A

Photos Added To West Blogs!

We are now able to post photos on the blog! That should make this whole experience more fun for everyone. Look in the right sidebar and you’ll see a few picds that are being fed in from out Flicker site. Hope you enjoy them and we’ll be adding more over the season. Maybe you’ll see yourself there! If you have fun photos of your own family visits to West Boggs Park, send them over and we’ll try to add them to the list.

What IS Seasonal Camping?

Every year about this time we are letting people know about any availability in our Seasonal Camping program; and that prompts questions about just what that program is all about. Simply put, Seasonal Camping is camping where you rent the campsite for an entire season. The West Boggs program is set up so the season is actually a calendar year. Seasonal Campers set up their RV or trailer once, and leave it there for the rest of the year. This arrangement works very well for people who enjoy camping a lot, and who will actually camp more if they can avoid the towing, setting up and tearing down of the equipment each weekend.  

Current rates for the West Boggs Seasonal Camping program is $1,550.00 for the year, plus a modest surcharge to make fairer some costs like utilities use that are not consumed equally among campers. This rate includes two Seasonal Campers vehicle passes to the park, the ability to renew each year without moving, and no additional fees for winter storage of the camping unit left on the site. You can even store your boat in the park for no extra cost. All this comes out to less than $5.00 per day, in a full service outdoor recreation area those otherwise costs $25-$30 per day.  

Space is always limited, but we are in the process of building a new camping section just for this program, and we hope to have that on line in 2009. Whatever turnover there is in the program takes place in the period from January to March, and for 2008 the number of available sites is smaller than the average year. But if you think this sounds like what your family needs to be able to take better advantage of your leisure time, give our Customer Service team a call at 812-295-3421, or email them here.

Expect the Unexpected

If you have never visited West Boggs park before, you’re in for a surprise. The park does contain many of the features found at other outdoor recreation venues. West Boggs Lake provides visitors with opportunities for fishing, boating or day at the beach. You will also find a nine hole golf course, full service restaurant, miniature golf and miles of multi-use trails that invite exploration. The park facilities also include a shady picnic area and rental shelters for group events. One of the most popular attractions found here is the full service campground with 225 campsites in wooded, lakefront and lake view settings. Reservations are available for daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal accomodations. So far, sounds inviting, but nothing that unusual for a park,right? Well, what really sets this park apart is a very unique feature, one few would expect. This feature is Fun Activities Programs. Visitors to the park are invited to participate in regularly scheduled complimentary programs offerred at no additional charge beyond regular entry and camping fees. During a visit to the park, you may be able to create a souvenir at a craft session, enjoy afternoon beach games, participate in a scavenger hunt or nature hike, compete in a golf cart poker run or enjoy an evening concert. These events are coordinated by a program staff whose only job is finding ways to engage, entertain and assist you in making family memories. The goal is to provide a memorable family experience, one that will convince you to return again and again just to find out what fun we have planned for you.