Foscue Creek Campground, Demopolis AL
Portrait at Dawn, Foscue Creek Campground, Demopolis AL, Novenber 22, 2008
Here's the Recreation.gov description of Foscue Creek Campground
"Foscue Campground is located on Demopolis Lake near Demopolis, AL. Demopolis Lake is the largest lake in the Black Warrior-Tombigbee system, covering 10,000 acres. Two campgrounds, many day use facilities, primitive camping areas, and a full service marina are available. The region is excellent for hunting, and game is plentiful.
Renovations are complete at Foscue. Foscue Campground has 54 sites in total. All sites have 50 amp service. 49 sites have full hook-ups and 5 sites have electric and water."
Foscue Creek Campground, Demopolis AL
- This is a well maintained US Army Corps of Engineers campground with level paved sites, most with full hookups
- Many sites overlook the water of the inlets off Demopolis Lake on the Tombigbee River
- There is good biking on the park roads
- The campground is pretty full Thanksgiving week and is generally booked solid the weekend of the Demopolis Christmas on the River festival in early December.
- Poor Verizon cell phone service - access is via Extended Network, roaming
- No Verizon EVDO service - access is via the Extended Network and service varies is slow but reliable
- Only 3 miles to Wal-Mart and other services in Demopolis AL
- Find other references to Foscue Creek
- List the nights I've camped here
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- Reserve a site
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Nights I've camped here
- Friday, December 4, 2009 - Brantley Lake State Park, Carlsbad NM
- This year I was determined to leave the northeast a month earlier than my usual November 15th departures. I didn't make it - the grinning gods kept me busy with mechanical problems - it was November 20th by the time I tamed them enough to dare head out. Image: Snowsbirds at rest, Brantley Lake State Park, Carlsbad NM, December 1, 2009.
- Sunday, November 22, 2009 - Clarksburg WV
- These first few days on the road out of the northeast are no fun at all. I've tried several routes over the years and they all suck. There is way too much traffic on the few good routes in and out of the northeast for my taste. Image: Cleared out cabover junkroom before renovations, July 19, 2009.
- Wednesday, December 03, 2008 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- Before I leave Foscue Creek tomorrow I wanted to finish up a roof sealing project I've been working on. I found a couple of questionable spots around the Fantastic vents I thought might be leaking and resealed them with Eternabond tape. Image: On the Tombigbee, Dec 01, 2008.
- Tuesday, December 02, 2008 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- Today I did a little more painting in the kitchen. The light yellow I'm putting on the walls is a huge improvement over the silly fake wallpaper panelling Lazy Daze used. Image: LD at site 37 at Foscue Creek Park, Dec 01, 2008.
- Monday, December 01, 2008 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- The Thanksgiving crowd has left and the Christmas On The River crowd is moving in for the festivities and parade on the Tombigbee River next weekend. Image: Tombigbee riverfront, site 51 at Foscue Creek Park, Dec 01, 2008.
- Sunday, November 30, 2008 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- The Thanksgiving crowd went home and the weather cleared a bit so today I spent some time on the roof sealing leaks. Image: Foscue Creek Park sunset, Nov 30, 2008.
- Saturday, November 29, 2008 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- It's astonishing how dependent I am on the internet. I've had no internet access for the past 24 hours and the effects on my equanimity have been quite disquieting. Image: Checking the weather on my iPod Touch, Nov 29, 2008.
- Friday, November 28, 2008 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- Last night I took a shot at night photography by steadying the camera against a tree - with modest results. Image: Lighted Hexion water tower from Foscue Creek Park, Nov 28, 2008.
- Thursday, November 27, 2008 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- Happy Thanksgiving from Site 37. Image: Ms Turkey Visits the Studio, May 10, 2003.
- Wednesday, November 26, 2008 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- Today is moving day. Site 45 is reserved by incoming travelers - I'm moving across the way to Site 37. Image: Tombigbee Sunset, Nov 25, 2008.
- Tuesday, November 25, 2008 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- This beautiful sunny day finally got me in the mood to paint over the dumb wallpaper this old kitchen. Image: Sunset at Foscue Creek, Nov 25, 2008.
- Monday, November 24, 2008 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- Yesterday I took a bike ride downstream to the park area below the Demopolis locks and got a nice shot of a towboat I want to share with you. Image: Towboat Thelma Parker II working on the Tombigbee River, Nov 23, 2008.
- Sunday, November 23, 2008 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- Today was a dull, cloudy Sunday here at the park - a good day to laze around, get in some short bike rides. And surf the net if my connection here via Verizon Broadband weren't so frustratingly slow. Image: Mist at dawn - Foscue Creek Park, Nov 22, 2008.
- Saturday, November 22, 2008 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- Today dawned bright and cold, 20 degrees, and off I went to get some pictures of the mist rising off the creek. Image: Portrait of LD at dawn - Foscue Creek Park, Nov 22, 2008.
- Friday, November 21, 2008 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- Today was a quiet day of walks, a bit of bicycling and catching up on domestic chores. Image: Slide - Foscue Creek Park, Dec 22, 2007.
- Thursday, November 20, 2008 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- After stopping in Tuscaloosa AL on my way south to catch up on some bookstore browsing I headed out today to my destination at Foscue Creek Park in Demopolis AL. Image: Tree - Foscue Creek Park, Nov 21, 2008.
- Tuesday, December 25, 2007 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- Here's a quote from the Poet: An Essay, by Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1844. Image: Nightfall on Foscue Creek, December 23, 2007.
- Monday, December 24, 2007 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- It's cold here in Demopolis this morning - 26 degrees - with a full moon lighting the mist over the glassy calm inlet. Beautiful. Image: Dawn at Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL, December 24, 2007.
- Sunday, December 23, 2007 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- I'm at a loss for words. Some days if feels as if keeping a daily journal going is beyond my capacity for words. This is one of those days. Image: Demopolis lock and dam.
- Saturday, December 22, 2007 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- Yesterday on my way back from Wal-Mart I took a ride down to the lower pool below the lock and dam to see what I could see. Image: The Bobby Joe James pushing its charges out of the lock at Demopolis AL, December 21, 2007.
- Friday, December 21, 2007 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- We must be having a winter solstice along about now. It sure will be nice to see the days begin to lengthen. Image: Site 51 overlooking the river, Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL, December 21, 2007.
- Thursday, December 20, 2007 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- As usual I took an early morning walk. Early morning is my favorite time of day. I get great joy watching and listening to the world, particularly the natural world, awaken and begin a new day. Image: Towboat Heloise passing Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL, December 20, 2007.
- Wednesday, December 19, 2007 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- Ah, yes, the green chair. Let's have a little fun with the green chair. Image: Green chair, on the peninsula behind LD, site 42, Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL, December 15, 2007.
- Tuesday, December 18, 2007 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- The temperature is a much more reasonable 35 degrees this morning, but there was still some frost. Ah, but the sun is coming out. It promises to be a fine day by the lake. Image: Fallen, Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL, December 18, 2007.
- Monday, December 17, 2007 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- Brrrr.... it's only 25 degrees here this morning. This may be a bit colder than is really comfortable for the Lazy Daze but at least it's a cut above the winter storm conditions the northeast is experiencing. Image: Sunrise at Site 42, Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL, December 17, 2007 (Brrrr - open the door & shoot).
- Sunday, December 16, 2007 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- Sunday dawned cold and blustery and foiled my plan for an early walking photo shoot. I've been thinking the last couple of days that I want to add more photographs to this journal. Image: The new, lovely little towboat Gretchen T pushing a load of xylene up the river, Demopolis AL, December 16, 2007.
- Saturday, December 15, 2007 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- Today marks the beginning of my second month on this excursion. Images: Armadillo and Site 42 at Foscue Creek Park.
- Friday, December 14, 2007 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- I was up early again this morning for a walk out to the observation deck by the Tombigbee River to see if I could catch a passing barge. Image: Cove at Foscue Creek Park.
- Thursday, December 13, 2007 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- This day dawned cloudy with a touch of mist in the air but the clouds now seem to be breaking up a bit. Maybe I'll get in the hike I have planned. There are some trails down near the lock I started to explore yesterday and I want to take an extended hike through the woods down there this morning. Image: Fungus, Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL, December 13, 2007.
- Wednesday, December 12, 2007 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- Good morning from Foscue Creek Park, site 42. Once again I was up early this morning - about 5:00 am - for a walk out to the observation deck by the Tombigbee River. This morning was quiet compared to yesterday morning. Image: In the woods, Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL, December 13, 2007.
- Tuesday, December 11, 2007 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- I've been up since before dawn and spent a couple of early hours sitting out on the observation deck out on the point at the junction of the campground cove and the Tombigbee River. Listening to owls hoot, great blue herons honk. Image:US Coast Guard boat house, Demopolis Lock and Dam, Demopolis AL, December 13, 2007.
- Monday, December 10, 2007 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- I've decided to stay another few days and to move over to site 42 which is out on a peninsula and laid out in such a way that I can leave my curtains open at night without losing privacy, and have a view of the cove on three sides. Image: LD set up on Site 42, Foscue Creek Park, December 12, 2007.
- Sunday, December 9, 2007 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- Today I spent some time cleaning the RV, walking around the park, and generally taking it easy. One could get used to this. Image: Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL, December 13, 2007.
- Saturday, December 8, 2007 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- I like this place and I think I'll hang out here a while. I'm on site 22 with the tail end of the RV with its wrap-around picture windows hanging practically out over the water. Image: Campground surrounding inlet, Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL, December 13, 2007.
- Friday, December 7, 2007 - Foscue Creek Park, Demopolis AL
- Today is a domesticus day. It's time to dump the tanks, do laundry etc. An internet search for local (to Demopolis AL that is) dumping stations turned up a couple of US Army Corp of Engineers campgrounds right near here on Demopolis Lake. Image: Foscue Creek, Demopolis AL, December 12, 2007.
When Hope Dies
When you give up on hope, something even better happens than it not killing you, which is that in some sense it does kill you. You die. And there's a wonderful thing about being dead, which is that they—those in power—cannot really touch you anymore. Not through promises, not through threats, not through violence itself. Once you're dead in this way, you can still sing, you can still dance, you can still make love, you can still fight like hell—you can still live because you are still alive, more alive in fact than ever before. You come to realize that when hope died, the you who died with the hope was not you, but was the you who depended on those who exploit you, the you who believed that those who exploit you will somehow stop on their own, the you who believed in the mythologies propagated by those who exploit you in order to facilitate that exploitation. The socially constructed you died. The civilized you died. The manufactured, fabricated, stamped, molded you died. The victim died.
And who is left when that you dies? You are left. Animal you. Naked you. Vulnerable (and invulnerable) you. Mortal you. Survivor you. The you who thinks not what the culture taught you to think but what you think. The you who feels not what the culture taught you to feel but what you feel. The you who is not who the culture taught you to be but who you are. The you who can say yes, the you who can say no.