Day 7 — Tuesday, July 7
Pack up, leave it better than we found it, and drive home.
At a Glance
| Time | Plan |
|---|---|
| Morning | Pack-up breakfast; teardown |
| Mid-morning | Final site sweep; load up |
| Midday | Check out; drive home (~1.5 hr) |
Morning — Eat Down & Tear Down
- Pack-Up Breakfast: cereal, bagels, yogurt, fruit, the last of the milk—eat down the leftovers so less goes home. (Schedule.)
- Teardown order: bedding → tents/awnings → kitchen last (coffee stays out until the end).
- RV/camper: run the departure circle—slides, awning, jacks, hookups, chocks, lights.
Final Site Sweep (Leave No Trace)
- Fire is cold — drown, stir, feel
- All trash & recycling packed out; micro-trash picked up (bottle caps, twist ties, fishing line)
- Coolers drained; food sealed for the drive
- Nothing left in the bathhouse / on the line
- Walk every site once more — leave it cleaner than we found it
- Bikes & boats strapped and re-checked before the highway
Drive Home
- Check out per the campground’s posted time.
- Top off ice for any cold leftovers; gas in Troy.
- Reverse the drive: Route 147 → US-61 south → I-70 west to Columbia.
Before You Forget
- Swap photos to the group chat/album.
- Note what to do differently next time (gear, food amounts, sites) while it’s fresh.
- Say thanks around the group—four families pulled this off together.
Until next time. Sandy feet, tired kids, a cooler full of “we should’ve bought less ham,” and a week’s worth of stories. That’s a successful trip.