About Brenda Naused
Hey there, I'm Brenda.. a native Floridian who recently moved to Illinois on business. I plan to be here for a few years and brought my RV with me. Florida provides the weather for being outdoors almost daily if it's not raining.. REALLY raining & not that liquid sunshine. And I did lots of that, riding my horses, showing my Bull Terrier (Target) dogs, boating, kayaking, fishing, and swimming. Having an RV was a great way to get out of town affordably and comfortably even if only for a couple days. To the NHRA Gatornationals or Daytona 500, the four day long AKC Dog Shows, or to spend the night at a weekend Futurity Horse Show hours away from home. Camping on a river or a spring. Vacationing in the Smokey's... I'm a firm believer that everyone should own, or have access to an RV or Motorhome. You'll never be without a roof over your head, as well as one to take along, vacation in, or utilize as Guest Quarters for yourself or your visitors. During the recent pandemic they've gotten more popular than ever as a safer way to vacation or get away while social distancing, or provide a work from home workspace. Stationary or rolling down the highway - it's your "other" home away from home on wheels. For eight years I kept one parked at a friend's RV Fish Camp on Lake George in North Central Florida where it served as my own personal getaway whenever I wanted one... which was often. Nothing sweeter than waking up to the unobstructed vista of a big ole lake stretching eight miles across to three different fresh water, clear as glass Springs. Nightly views of colorful sunsets. The sound at springtime of owls hooting, in search of a mate. Or the riotous cacophony of frogs at night doing the same. BBQ'ing on my grill or smoking something in the smoker.. hammock stretched between the hickory trees, chillaxing, enjoying Mother Nature and the fresh air of the great outdoors. Now that I'm here in Illinois, I found Emerald Green Campground South of Chicago in the rural Forest area of Crete. The lake is smaller, better described as a pond. And the setting.. with plenty of shade trees is very soothing, the Campground itself with a neighborly vibe. The RV spots are laid out nicely with 30 and 50 Amp hookups available to choose from, and tenters have their own area overlooking the pond. You can catch a fish, take a kayak out for free, or sit and enjoy the view from the wooden dock. There's a Playground for the kids and a clean Bath House with showers. The Office has some snacks but no groceries. Bring your chosen fare with you. This isn't some commercialized, huge, paved & concrete from end to end - KOA style Resort alongside a busy highway. Cramped and fIlled with overnight campers coming & going, the swimming pool noise loud with the screeching cries of kids and revelers hootin and hollerin. If you want the camping experience in a pleasant and relaxing setting - Emerald Trails will give you exactly that. It's within a Forest Preserve yet not 2 miles east is a brand new Mobile Gas/Convenience store on the opposite side of Stateline Road. That's Indiana folks! Matter of fact - that's my fiance's family's food - Salina's - offered in the self serve food court. Pizza, Salads, Wraps, Sandwiches, Hoagies, Hotdogs, Chili, Soups, Desserts. There's something tasty and made fresh daily for everyone. Not to mention what's on the other side of the store. Forget something? Get it here. Need something that's not here?.. Walmart is just up the road. Enjoy camping right here at Emerald Trails Campground if you like. Or hook up to my easy peasy bumper pull RV and tow it to your own camping paradise for a spell. There's just something about camping and campers. Good folks. I like em! Enjoy yourselves. Most anything you'll need is already in there. Having managed the Short Term rental of two Efficiency condo's on Daytona Beach the past few years, I've stocked my camper similarly. With the essentials and then some. Linens, bath towels, bath & door mats, blanket & throws, chairs for outside by the picnic table - sitting on a swath of indoor/outdoor grass carpeting I put out there to keep your feet clean. Crank out the awning if you like a roof above your head. Just be sure to crank it closed again, (and when you leave), in case the Windy City wind gets a bit too gusty. Go on inside.. One door enters into the bedroom, and further down a sliding glass door enters the living area. Both the slider & large picture window on the rear provide open views & plenty of natural light in daytime. There are two comfy rocking swivel chairs, a counter height bar stool, and the sofa. Yes, it converts to a queen size bed. A propane 3 burner stove/oven. Decent size fridge, a microwave, electric perk coffee pot, air fryer, plates & flatware for up to 4 people and disposables if you need more. A few drink cups and coffee mugs of mine - as well as a new sleeve of Solo's. I keep a medium size cooler in there, and a cast aluminum small Weber propane grill I've used for years, with a twin pack of it's unused new propane tanks that screw on. If you prefer, I may be able to secure you the use of a brand new, only used once Traeger wood pellet grill/smoker still there. If you're planning on doing a lot of that -please inquire ahead to ascertain it's availability and any additional charge or deposit. It belongs to someone else in the family. There are four long handled grilling skewer forks for dogs, brats, sausages, or marshmallows. A few pots & a frying pan. Kitchen utensils and can opener. Foil & plastic food storage for leftovers and a small electric ceramic heater on the entertainment center - just in case. Remember.. I'm from Florida. LOL. You'll even find a telescope in the bedroom closet for stargazing. There's a new flat-screen TV, a digital antennae, and HDMI cord - all still in their boxes. I haven't used the TV yet so can't comment on how many channels it picks up, but surely a few. If you want to watch movies bring your Blu Ray or DVD player. Be aware - there is NO wifi signal to stream from, but there is signal for your data use. Also a stereo/cassette player that came installed in the RV entertainment center. You can play music in every room. I provide a few rolls of toilet paper and some paper towels. Usually paper plates.. Shampoo, Conditioner, liquid body soap, Dawn dish soap, sponges, and dish towels. Ketchup and mustard. Mosquito repellant, two tiki torches, and some LED strip lights, a Jenga game and deck of cards if you need some back to basics entertainment. Oh yeah.. there's a King size bed instead of the usual Queen in the bedroom.. Thank you very much Forrester. The other feature I like is the separate toilet room. All by itself behind a door. No PDA's - Public Displays of yer arse. 😉 Like I said - the essentials are in there, and I've probably forgotten a couple worth mentioning. If you think of one - ask me.. it may be there. Bring yourselves, your clothes & toiletries, and some food and drink. I think the rest is pretty well covered. Have a great time camping. *Bookings of 30 days or more receive 20% off the published daily rate.