North Dock on Graduation Week

We got away uneventfully Wednesday morning and drove the 45 miles to Round Pond, a military recreation area and campground. We were scheduled to spend two nights here until we moved to North Dock on the post at West Point. Normal policy allows RVs on North Dock only on Friday and Saturday. Less than a month ago it was decided to permit RVs for all of graduation week, but apparently no one told the AOG (Association of Graduates) who was coordinating our visit. It is now a reservation only spot and I had a reservation. As a result every parents’ club for a thousand miles descended on the place. Fortunately I found a guy who could make things happen. He was only an Outdoor Rec Coordinator at Round Pond, but he said, “I’m going to North Dock (about a half hour drive). Start packing up and I’ll call you after I’ve found you a spot.” About an hour later he called. With the help of some MPs and a tow truck, they found me a spot. He was waiting here when I arrived. For those of you not familiar with the post, it is a densely configured old Revolutionary war fort replete with 12-15% grades, very sharp turns, one-way streets etc. North Dock is not actually a dock, though it may have been at one time, but a paved area behind a seawall on the Hudson River. It is congested on football weekends, packed for graduation and completely over the top with security with Obama coming to be the graduation speaker. Wheeling a forty footer around under these circumstances was a bit challenging, but we are set up with a partially blocked view up the river. The weather is in the mid-80s and mostly clear skies. It is a beautiful warm (hot)day with a few clouds. The weekend promises to be the same. I'll be wearing a straw hat with a black band, so if they show four people handing 2Lt's bars to the new grads as they exit the stage, look for the fat guy in the straw hat.