Moving the thread to the top(ic)
Gathering 8.0 Update:
I visited Gold Brook Campground on June 5 and met John and Mary Nichol. The group site where we will be located is seen behind Geri in the first photo shown in bobandgeri's post on the first page of this thread. Unfortunately, my camera was on a tour of Ben and Jerry's and I don't have any more pictures. It is much larger than what we had last year in the Catskills. Across the road on the left in the picture are additional wooded tent sites that we may also be able to use, depending on how full the campground is. I will double-check this with the Nichols.
In talking with Mary, I repeated the rate I was quoted of $6.00 + tax per night. John said it was now $7.00. "Nope," said Mary, "I told him $6.00." $6.00 it is.
The campground is about 7 miles north of Ben and Jerry's right on Rt. 100 and about 1.5 miles south of Stowe village. Excellent!!
The rest room shown in the picture has 2 each men's and women's showers, toilets and sinks. The other rest room has 3 each and is about a 3-4 minute walk away near the pool and the office. There is a laundry area in both rest room buildings. (Coin-op, I assume). I didn't have time to check out the facilities, but will take Bob's word that they are clean.
There will be a group of trailer/RVs the weekend we are there but the group site is separate from the full hookup (water/electric/sewer) sites. Hopefully, there won't be a strain on the rest rooms.
Both water and electricity are on the site. There WILL be coffee available early, promise. BTW, if you didn't have the pleasure of being aroused from a deep sleep at 3:30 AM the day of the Escarpment hike by extra-worldly grunting, snorting, gurgling sounds, it WAS my fault but NOT my snoring that time. It was the coffee maker.
Wood and ice are available.
Campground rules, nothing unusual:
Speed limit 5 mph. (See below.)
Pets allowed, on leash, pickuppoop.
Trash, use dumpster nearby.
Water, no vehicle washing.
Showers, not after 10:00 PM or in late morning for cleaning.
Visitors must check in. (I don't know if there is a charge.)
Check-out is 12:30 PM.
Swimming is okay in the brook, the river and pool (if it's open then) at your own risk!! No lifeguards. No glass containers in pool area.
Fire, no bonfires allowed. (This may be a challenge to some pyrotechnophiles. I'll have to find out what makes a fire a bonfire.) There are established fire rings. Don't move them.
Noise, "reasonable". (Guess that depends on who you ask, eh?)
No digging or cutting trees.
Alcohol, don't abuse this privilege. (Would we?? 'Course not.)
"This campground is policed by the owner and Stowe Police Dept." (Large belt buckles, Barney Fife and WR's? Yikes!! Shudder!!)
The Shed sounds ideal for Friday's dinner. I have a copy of the menu. There are full dinners (seafood, poultry, beef and pork) available ($15-$20) as well as a more "pubbish" menu of burgers, fish 'n chips, ribs, fried chicken, shepard's pie, chili ($7-$12). I haven't spoken with them yet, but it might be possible to put together a menu from the pub selections with some appetizers thrown in and keep the price reasonable ($20 or so, with tip). What does everyone think on this? And they have a microbrewery, what more do we need? Another possibility for dinner is Town & Country Resort. It was recommended by John Nichol. Both restaurants are on Mountain Road, Rt. 108, just a few minutes away from the campground. Early returns seem to favor The Shed. Sounds good to me. I'll call them soon.
That's all for now. I'll keep everyone updated as things get firmed up.
teejay
Either way is fine - we could always do the Love Caravan 
