Shoes! What to do with them?

Space is limited in the travel trailer.  Thankfully, our Zinger 28bh has tons of storage.  I am constantly taking things out that we don't use and making the most of our space.  However, shoe storage is an issue.  I started with a small wicker basket to hold our shoes.  This worked fine when we were towing the Zinger on weekend excursions.  Now that we are seasonal, the basket just isn't working for us.

The problem is that we have several types of shoes per person.  We don't like to haul shoes back and forth from home, so we keep extra pairs in the camper. I guess I am the main shoe culprit.  I have my Crocs that I typically wear around the campsite.  Then I have a pair of tennis shoes for hiking excursions.  I have my slip on, water proof clogs for those nasty rainy or cool days.  Finally, I have my sandals that I wear up to the campground and when we go out.  The kiddos have a pair of tennis shoes and a pair of flip-flops.  That is four more pairs of adult size shoes.  (The boy is in a man's size 10!  He is only eleven!)  The Hubs has two pairs of shoes.  Our water sandals stay outside on a rack under the trailer, so I won't count those.

So, I've been searching and browsing the internet and local stores to find a solution for us.  Shoe racks are always to big for the space.  I don't want to put them under the master bed.  It is too inconvenient.  A larger basket didn't feel right.  So, I searched and searched.  Something had to be out there to solve my problem!

Finally, I stumbled upon a collapsible storage ottoman at a local big box store.  Hmmm....  I toyed with the idea.  This could solve a couple of issues besides shoe storage.  I liked the fact that it would definitely hold our shoes.  It would be a place to kick up the feet while relaxing on the sofa.  It could double as extra seating when necessary. (The ottomans can hold 220 lbs for seating.)

I decided to buy two!  I had measured and knew that we could accommodate two in the space without an issue.  I purchased the faux leather brown ottomans.  They blended in with the decor.

I placed my three pairs of shoes into one of the ottomans and I have room to place four or five more pairs in just that one!  These are going to work great.

We have sat on them and put our feet up.  I love them!  I did tell the kids not to sit and scoot them around.  They need to move them then sit on them.  I think they will hold up just fine.



For other mods and storage ideas for the travel trailer:  Stove Covers, Kitchen Organization, Frugal Way to Stock the Trailer, RV Mods Part 2, Making the Zinger 28bh Our Own

Cicada Molt

I happened to stumble upon a cicada that was just finishing emerging from its molt.  I always find the remnants of the molt, but have never witnessed it in action.

Nature Sightings

We have spent a good deal of time outdoors this past month and have discovered all sorts of insects, plants, fungi, and animals.  Here is just a small bit of what we have observed.

Toms Creek Falls

The boy and I decided to check out Toms Creek Falls.  This little gem isn't too far off the beaten path and is well worth the trip.  The parking area is a small, gravel, road side lot.  There is a kiosk marking the trail head.

We began this easy hike into the cove forest.  The path is mainly gravel and other parts are well worn, so you shouldn't get lost.

There is a foot bridge to cross over a little creek.  We made our way to the primitive campsites and down to Toms Creek.

We then made our way to the waterfall deck.  It provides a nice view of the falls.  A tree had fallen recently and we had to climb over it.  I'm sure it has been removed.  Little Man wanted to continue up the trail to get a better view.

We headed up and over a few large rocks and then down to the base of the falls.  This was the best view!

We enjoyed our short mile long excursion to Toms Creek Falls.  We can't wait to return with other family members to show them!

Joseph McDowell Historical Catawba Greenway Trail

Little Man and I decided to go exploring in the Marion, NC area.  We stumbled upon the Joseph McDowell Historical Catawba Greenway trail.  This little gem is well worth a visit!

The small parking area was almost full when we arrived, but the trail is about two miles long (4 round trip) and the foot traffic was spread out.  At times we saw no one on the trail.  When we did see others, everyone was friendly.

Little Man loved the exercise/fitness portion of the trail.  He had to try out each piece of equipment.

The path is paved and level.  It has plenty of shade and nice views of the Catawba river. There are two fishing decks along the river.  Several sloping areas to access the river along the trail.  We saw one man fly fishing in the river.  There are also several benches along the trail to stop and take a break if needed.

We enjoyed finding a variety of insects along the path.  We also spotted several squirrels, slider turtles, woodpecker, and song birds.

We decided to follow the Round Hill loop and climb to the top of Round Hill.  The steep climb to the top of Round Hill will get your cardio going!

We can't wait to return and take our fishing poles to see what we can catch from the Catawba river!