Mammatus clouds hang ominously over the Pactola Lake Campground on July 2. Fortunate for us, they didn't produce any large hail. They might also symbolize the pace of activity in the campground, where campers and boaters have been flocking all summer.
Note: Our photos for this post are sky, land and water of Pactola Lake in the Black Hills of South Dakota. At times, it is more than a little strange to be in such beautiful surroundings during these challenging, even unimaginable times. The Black Hills are a magical place, and despite the pace of our current assignment, we are fortunate to be here. We have had few journeys away from the campground, but fortunately, we have stunning scenery all around us. Trees, water and sky. We keep looking up and we hope you do too.
Hello from, Site 15, Loop C, Pactola Lake Campground, Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota.
We rolled into this site at the end of June, and here we are looking at a busy August. How did we get here? In short, we moved from Sheridan, where we took care of a campground loop plus entrance booth duties, to Pactola, where we stepped into the role of lead hosts, working with a team of 8 other crew members. Life is about the same here as at Sheridan, but we have more responsibilities.
You might have heard that because of the pandemic, people from across the region have flocked to the Black Hills. Some have made it their easier alternatives to bigger, more extravagant summer vacations.
This view from C Loop overlooks the south boat ramp, left, the lake and the Pactola Dam in the distance. Afternoon clouds become the main attraction as they emerge from the Black Hills and spread over the eastern slope toward the Great Plains.
For whatever reason, because of the pandemic, the vacationers, the boaters, the hikers and the sightseers have been pouring in, filling all the campgrounds in the National Forest, and, we assume, the state parks as well.
An illustration: Last year during our time at Pactola, we could expect the campground’s three loops and 80 primitive sites to fill up by about noon Friday.
Last week, those loops were full on Wednesday afternoon, and we had to turn away dozens of campers. This was a change from the week before, when the campground was packed on Thursday.
Our employer, a concessionaire for the Forest Service, hired another couple to come in and help with the extra load. Taking care of the campers coming and going is a major part of our workload, but there’s more. Our beach’s small parking lot is full by noon (nearby swimming pools are closed) when the temperature reaches 80, and that means the swimmers and picnickers who come to the beach continue their search to get to the lake shore, even if they have to walk down 50 yards down a rocky bank with their kayaks, coolers and other gear.
At least a couple times a week, we can expect to see lofty thunderheads and perhaps a 20 minute downpour. We cross our fingers that hail isn't part of the spectacle.
On Saturdays and Sundays, boaters fill our ramp parking lots, some arriving early and others arriving at noon or later and wondering why they can’t find a spot to park. The way it looks, we may have a couple slow days on Mondays and Tuesdays, but even then, we have some catching up to do on maintenance.
You must be thinking, dear reader, that this doesn’t sound like much fun, and at times, you are correct. We hustle for a good part of every day, and with some staff turnover, a few days off have been sacrificed to fill the work schedule and train new arrivals.
Working at a campground, especially in a place like this, is a mixed blessing. The moments of soaking in the surroundings are countered by a line of boats or campers disrupting your peace of mind. Visitors are hungry for the outdoors, and we work to make their time here go as smoothly as possible.
It is a job, after all.
At this stage of our life – the Third Quarter – we long for a more relaxed lifestyle, with time and space to seek out the wonders of our great nation. The Black Hills will accommodate those desires, but even on a slow year, the campground requires maintenance and the guests need our assistance.
Angie captured this early morning scene, looking across the lake from near our camp site.
We catch ourselves being tired, even fed up with long hours, but then we remember that this is a short time gig, it’s not a life sentence. We were fortunate to have our daughters come up and brighten our lives at the end of June.
There’s nothing wrong with hard work, and to my surprise, one of the things I enjoy most is digging ashes out of fire pits. I imagine the next guest coming in and dropping their bundle of firewood by the pit, relieved that they don’t have to clean up a mess from the campers who just left.
And let’s face it, I need the exercise. But work, like relaxation has its limits. The flow of outdoors-craving visitors can let up at any time and it won’t hurt my feelings.
Jenny Gulch is a couple miles from the campground by boat, but a 10 mile drive. It's cliffs are popular for brave souls to jump into the lake's clear waters.
And finally, we have to remember that while we have had to put up with some real headaches, they pale in comparison to the grief, turmoil and heartbreak that is occurring in our old hometowns, in our great cities and around the world.
For this summer, this job will have to do. We can only imagine how many people would eagerly drive up the hills to trade places with us. There may come a time down the road when we long for the fresh air of the Black Hills, pesky guests and all.
A view from the edge of the boat ramp, looking toward Pactola Dam. The colors of sunset reflect off the clouds.
July has been a whirlwind, and we look forward to August. With some luck, we will get away for a week to attend a much overdue special family celebration. We’re taking it one day at a time. So many things these days are out of our control.
Storm clouds blow over Pactola in this photo taken from the visitor's center on the dam, seen at right. A rocky island in the foreground, lower right, is known as Big Alcatraz.
We’ll see you next time. Be safe.
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