It was a whirlwind week for us! Both Julia and I had to travel back to the DC area for business, but that didn't impede progress at Mecca Camp Resort. This week we began accepting online reservations through a new booking system that Julia created for Boondockers via our website. We are also now accepting credit card payments for merchandise and amenities! On the first day of the reservation system going live, we had a confirmed guest within 3 hours! Since then, we have had a couple more reservations and it's been absolutely incredible! We will have new guests arriving tomorrow as well.
Our most recent visitors were a nice family from Georgia whose kids enjoyed running around the property and playing with Zoey, our Chesapeake Bay Retriever. They enjoyed the evening with a campfire and then headed up the Cherohala Skyway to experience the beauty of the East Tennessee Mountains in the fall.
The first week of November will be peak fall colors in the mountains and the photo below was taken Saturday at Indian Boundary National Park by a resident of Tellico Plains who posted the photo to a local Facebook page. Indian Boundary Lake is about 14 minutes from the Mecca Camp Resort and well worth the visit.
Master Plan
The Master Plan for the campground is beginning to progress. We have a weekly meeting with our Land Architect, Jake Morello of Morello & Associates. Our conversation and next steps of the master plan centered around ordering a Topographic Survey of the property in order to understand the elevations that will lend itself to the design concepts of the park. Additionally, we are beginning the process this fall to install a pool and pavilion with a communal space and fire-pit for our oasis in the mountains. The pool and community space will be the cornerstone of activity and amenities at the resort and will service visitors immediately this spring season!
Camp Store
As we have begun to host more guests, the availability of firewood, ice and other items is starting to become a necessity! As a result, we are working on an agreement with a local firewood provider to supply bundles of wood on a weekly basis and we have a freezer stocked full of ice for anyone who might need it. We also are renting fire-pits for visitors! So far, the fire-pits and wood are the primary sellers, but as we add items to the camp store, we hope to be able to partner with local artists and vendors to make original Tellico Plains items available in our store. Below are some pictures of the camp store as it's beginning to take shape this week with shelving. We will soon see product up on those shelves!
Land Prep
There are a few things we are doing in preparation of having a house put on the property for my parents, Don and Jane. Among those, includes a graded road, which required the install of a culvert this weekend, using my new tractor. Full disclosure, this is the first time I have ever done this type of work, but with some suggestions from my father-in-law Gary, I don't think the initial work turned out too bad. I will need to level things out for sure and am having gravel delivered this week, but otherwise, not bad for a rookie with a new tractor.
Closing
Once again, from our family to yours, may God Bless Us All as we look forward to another great week. Stay Safe, Stay Healthy and Stay Kind! We look forward to seeing you soon at the Mecca Camp Resort!
Chris & Julia Jones
Mecca Camp Resort
423-253-3513