2018 Great Lakes States – "Heading Home" Seneca S.C, & Augusta GA & Florida

2018 Great Lakes States – "Heading Home" Seneca S.C, & Augusta GA & Florida

Photo link:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/yD1DX6LVSv7ZYoSy9

Friday October 12^th – Monday, October 15^th

Twin Lakes Campground, Lake Hartwell, Seneca, SC

Heading south, we planned to get in some more mountain biking and to visit good friends in Seneca, S.C. We had a campsite on Lake Hartwell at a great Army Corps Campground. After getting setup we packed some bags to head to Jim & Sharon’s home on Lake Keowee. We stayed at the “Wagner Resort” as we call it, for three nights. On Friday night, we all went out for dinner and drinks at a great local café. Jim was leaving the next day to visit family in California. The rest of the weekend we spent with Sharon and their sweet dog, Remi. She took us on a pontoon ride around the lake, which we all enjoyed, especially the dogs! Our last day there, Sharon came out to our campsite and we had a nice steak dinner. It was wonderful visiting with them again.

Tuesday October 16th – Saturday, October 20th

Petersburg Campground, Strom Thurmond Lake, Augusta, GA

Next we headed south to the Augusta, Georgia area. Our campsite was on Lake Thurmond, which again was lakeside with an amazing view. Our main reason to visit here are the excellent mountain bike trails at Forks Area Trailhead System (FATS) in the National Forest. These trails came highly recommended by other bikers we have met in our travels. The trails are rated IMBA (International Mountain Biking Association) Epic. And they sure were. We rode some trails every day, and had some thrills and some challenges. Overall, some of the best trails we have EVER ridden! There was also a lakeside, 20 mile trail, Bartram Trail, that Kurt did ride part of, from one trailhead in our campground. This is certainly a “go back” for our next travels north. So much fun and challenging!

Sunday, October 21^st – Wednesday, October 24th

Wekiwa Springs State Park, Apopka, Florida

This was a convenient stop for our last leg of the trip. Also, one of our favorite Florida State Parks. The campground is very nice, most sites with full hook ups. The spring is great for swimming and paddling downstream in the Wekiva River. The Park has many hiking and biking trails, which we only had time to go hiking. Our other favorite is Wekiva Island, a local bar that is on the shores of the Wekiva River that one can paddle up to the waterfront boardwalk. There is also entry via local roads. We did visit there a couple of nights and it is dog friendly! The boys love running off leash at this lovely place and playing with other dogs. We then headed home on Thursday, so we could be ready for Halloween! Our first chance to actually have “Trick or Treat” in the neighborhood where we now live!

So great to be home and to enjoy the wonderful winters down here!

2018 Great Lake States - Brevard, North Carolina

2018 Great Lakes States – Brevard, N. Carolina, DuPont State Forest

Photo link:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/HvrEnHJHUMSpoLPNA 

Tuesday October 2^nd – Thursday, October 11^th

Adventure Village RV & Lodging, Brevard, NC

During the last couple of years, after speaking with many mountain bikers, one specific place always came up, DuPont State Forest in Brevard N. Carolina. Because of this information, we were determined to visit this area and try out the trails. We found a great RV park, Adventure Village, just west of Brevard and convenient to DuPont. Since we wanted to enjoy the area, we booked for 10 days.

Our first activity was to get on the mountain bike trails. After driving through the beautiful, hilly countryside we arrived at one of the DuPont Trailheads, Lake Imaging. Out of this trailhead we found several challenging uphill climbs. Some of the trails included double track, gravel forest service roads. This part we didn’t enjoy, but it was necessary to get to the top of the mountain for a rollercoaster fun ride downhill. The trails were a lot of fun and really forced us to get used to more climbing. Most of the trails were very fun to ride. We rode out of various trailheads for 6 days, which really helped improve our climbing and trail skills. We did have two days of rain stuck inside the camper, some outer remnants of Tropical Storm Michael.

The DuPont Forest has several great waterfalls and we were able to hike one loop with the dogs. We all enjoyed the beautiful views. We also visited a series of waterfalls near Balsam Grove in the Pisgah National Forest.

Kurt was also able to get his kayak on the lazy, flowing French Broad River. I dropped him off at a put-in in the town of Rosman, then picked him up later at another public launch 8 miles downriver. It is a lovely river that’s easy to paddle.

The town of Brevard is such a wonderful mountain town that so far has not been over commercialized, like Bryson City or Gatlinburg. It still has that small town feeling, with great shops, restaurants and breweries. One of the most interesting things is the local white squirrels that inhabit the area. They are most prevalent on the Brevard College campus, as the students love and feed them. With both the Pisgah National Forest and the DuPont State Forest nearby, this is a definite mecca for mountain bikers. We have already decided that this will be on our go back list for next summer. We will probably stay here one month, there is so much to do.  Love Brevard, N.C.!

2018 Great Lake States - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

2018 Great Lakes States – Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, TN

Photo link:

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Wednesday September 26^th – Monday, October 1^st

Smokey Bear Campground, Gatlinburg, TN

For 20+ years we have visited the Smoky Mountains, but always on the North Carolina side. Since we were coming from the north, we stayed near Gatlinburg in a very nice RV campground. The campground was probably the nicest that we have stayed in during this trip; very well managed, maintained, great amenities and excellent sites. The Tennessee side of this N.P. is different from the south side. There were more access points to various places within the Park for hiking and driving tours. We spent five days visiting various parts of the Park.  We were able to mostly avoid the tourist trap of Gatlinburg, however, the drive into the Park forced visitors to drive through the fray. The second day to the Park, we found the back roads and parkway that allowed us to bypass this crazy city.

Our first day there we went to the Visitors Center in the Park. We received various brochures and maps to plan our activities. There is so much to do in this park, especially from this north entrance. The first tour we did was to drive the Cades Cove loop. This place lies in a beautiful valley surrounded by mountains. . The 11 mile loop provides a chance to see historical homesteads that were settled by Europeans during 1818 to 1821. The settlers thrived in this valley until 1934 when the land was acquired for the National Park. There are many remaining log houses, churches, working grist mill, barns and other 18^th and 19^th century structures. There are also several hiking trails to get back to some of these sites and waterfalls. The weather was perfect that day and we had a picnic lunch with us. We also took the dogs along for a nice outing.

Kurt found a hiking trail right next to the RV Park where he took the dogs for a hike and run. They all had some fun and exercise. The next day we drove back to the Park to hike a trail back to Hen Wallow Falls, which was near the eastern side of the Park. The trail was semi-strenuous, with a couple of creek crossings and finally at the top near the peak was the waterfall. It was a good trail for getting some exercise.

The next day we drove back by the Visitor Center and along the main Park road. We were able to find parking at the Laurel Falls trailhead. This hike was highly populated, but still a good hike up to the waterfall. The views of the Smokys from the trail were amazing. It never fails to amaze us that visitors will take crazy risks, a family climbed up the rocks of the waterfall to get pictures. There were signs all around warning not to climb up the falls. They don’t realize the power of the water and the slick rocks, but you can’t fix stupid. However, the Ranger just happened to come by and make them get down. It was an enjoyable hike and the falls were beautiful.

Another day we brought our bicycles back to the park and rode the Gatlinburg Trail, the only trail where one can ride their bikes or hike their dogs. This trail is only 1.5 miles long and ends at the edge of the town of Gatlinburg, so we rode it out and back. It was a nice time to get out and ride. 

The last day there, we drove the Roaring Forks Motor Nature Trail. Along this drive there were various hiking trailheads, cascading creeks and waterfalls. Also there were some historic, restored structures. It was a beautiful drive through dense forest.

The only activity we didn’t get to do was drive and hike up to Clingmans Dome, the highest peak in the Smokys.  The road up to the peak was closed due to a missing woman hiker. They finally found her 7 days later, she apparently fell down a steep slope and did not survive. So sad. We will be able to visit next summer when we stay near the Smoky Mountains on the North Carolina side. There is an access road from the south Visitors Center at Oconaluftee, near Cherokee. Looking forward to returning there next summer.

2018 Great Lakes States - Lake Cumberland, Kentucky

2018 Great Lakes States – Lake Cumberland, Somerset, Kentucky

Photo link:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/iYj63mgeyENKxv3t9

Wednesday September 19th – Tuesday, September 25th

Fishing Creek Army Corps Campground, Lake Cumberland

Continuing our trek south, the next campground was on Lake Cumberland. This Army Corps campground was nice, with our site backed up to the lake for a great view. This branch of the lake is called Fishing Creek, near the town of Somerset.

Just across the lake there is a mountain bike trail system in a Pulaski County park. The trails were a lot of fun, with single-track through the forest and along creeks. We were able to ride on two days. Another surprise to find such nice trails in a rural area.

As with so many days on this trip, there were two days we were again stuck inside the camper. The remnants of Hurricane Florence passed through this area. The winds were strong and the rain pelted on us. We finally resorted to watching some movies that we had recorded on our DVR. Oh well, we are beginning to get used to this weather! Sad…

After the storm passed, we headed into the town of Somerset to check out the old downtown and events in the area. There was a vintage car show downtown, along with some vintage campers. Another cool, small town historic area and the locals were so friendly.

Kurt was finally able to get the kayak on the lake and go fishing. He really enjoyed the lake, but didn’t catch any fish large enough for dinner. At least he enjoys getting out on the water.

After this pleasant stay at the lake, we were ready to continue south to the Great Smokey Mountains N.P.

2018 Great Lake States - Oxford, Ohio

2018 Great Lakes States – Hueston Woods S.P., Ohio

Photo link:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/5gb4ztBTQAYH43kS7

Wednesday September 12^th – Tuesday, September 18^th

Hueston Woods State Park, Oxford, Ohio

We drove northeast into Ohio to reach our destination at this State Park. Now we are able to apply the final state sticker to our map. Our goal has been reached to have RV’d in all the 48 contiguous states. I found this park online and was pleased to find out there are mountain biking trails right in the park. The campground is very nice with spacious sites. This huge park has so many amenities and things to do. There is a marina on the large Lake Acton. Besides the mountain bike trails and campground, there is a lodge, cottages, golf course, disc golf course, hiking trails, swimming beach, equestrian camp and trails, nature center, nature preserve and Pioneer Farm Museum. There is a covered bridge on one of the entrance roads into the park.

After getting setup and settled, Kurt couldn’t wait to check out the trails. He took off and found that the trails were great, other than some wet areas from the previous day’s rain. The next day we drove around and explored the park. Kody and Luca got to visit the dog park and run and play with the other dogs.  We also checked out the marina, beach and lodge.

The biking trails were fun and challenging. We were able to ride on four days (when it wasn’t raining) and really enjoyed it. Some of the trails were older and rough, then we found new ones that weren’t even on the maps. We certainly got our exercise riding these trails and had a lot of fun. Kurt also took the dogs hiking a couple of days on trails along the lake and creekside, so they got some exercise also.

Nearby the park is the town of Oxford. After doing some research I found out that Miami University is there. Wow, I remember hearing about this university when I lived in Ohio. Founded in 1809, it is a renowned public research university just 35 miles north of Cincinnati, known for its focus on undergraduate and graduate degree programs. We drove into town one day for lunch and to look around the university campus. The campus takes up over 2100 acres, surrounded by rental houses and apartments everywhere. The town of Oxford certainly has benefited from the university. The town has a population of 22,000, with student population at around 19,000. We were impressed by the town’s updated appearance and well-kept neighborhoods. And it’s close enough to Cincinnati for access to urban amenities.

This would be our one and only stop in Ohio. I’m glad this was the one we chose. We truly enjoyed the park and the rural area. We now continue to head south.

2018 Great Lake States - Indiana, Elkhart & Brown County S.P.

2018 Great Lakes Trip – Indiana, Elkhart & Brown County S.P.

Photo link:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/x9nxxNEYLAdqDmN36

Sunday September 2^nd – Wednesday, September 5^th

Elkhart 4-H Fairgrounds Campground, Goshen, IN

Heading south out of Michigan, we had decided to stop in the Elkhart Indiana area. This place is the capital of RV manufacturing. These manufacturers all conduct factory tours. We visited both Keystone and Jayco to watch their processes and to ask questions. Our RV is now 6 years old, and we’ve played real hard with it. We are looking into possibly getting a new RV for our future travels. Keystone has a new line of toy haulers that we are looking into and we watched some being built. These new RVs have so much newer technology and we are ready for an upgrade. 

We camped at the Elkhart 4-H Fairgrounds. They have an enormous area for RVs and at that time there were very few RVs there. Our site was right next to the poultry and rabbits barn. The dogs were able to run free off leash for some freedom. The campground was very comfortable and had all necessary facilities. Kurt rode his bike one day along a paved recreation trail that wandered through the towns and farmlands. He truly enjoyed that ride.

We found that this area is also thriving. There were various kinds of manufacturing plants all around the area and “Now Hiring” signs at all types of businesses.  The town of Goshen seemed to be the nicest town in the area and looks to be growing. This area is also surrounded by farmlands, as you would expect in the Midwest. We enjoyed our four days there.

Thursday September 6^th – Tuesday, September 11^th

Brown County State Park, Nashville, IN

Next stop was Brown County S.P., where we had visited in June on our way north. We thought we could try again to get in some mountain biking, since it rained some of the days there previously. We drove south of Indianapolis to this park. The weather forecast did include a couple of rain days, as the remnants of Tropical Storm Gordon would be passing through the area. The trails were in decent shape to ride the first day there, but it did start raining on us at the end of our rides. Then the next two full days we spent in pouring rain. We were stuck in the camper most of the time, if the wind wasn’t so bad to sit out under the awning. Even the dogs were getting cabin (RV) fever, we all wanted to get outside.

We waited a couple of days for the trails to dry out. After that the riding was fun, but still some muddy, wet areas. I also explored a historic log cabin, which is now being used as a picnic area. The last day there, we went into the nearby town of Nashville. There is an excellent Mexican restaurant there, where we enjoyed lunch. We did walk around town some and browsed the little shops. If we ever travel through Indiana, we will definitely stop at this great state park.

Now on to Ohio!

2018 Great Lake States - Holland, Michigan

2018 Great Lakes Trip – Holland, Michigan

Photo link:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/KA2rdGS6DstNAMSo9

Monday August 27th – Saturday, September 1^st

Ottawa County Fairgrounds Campground, Holland, MI

After heading along the western coast of the lower peninsula of Michigan, we arrived at our destination of Holland, Michigan. After getting our RV setup at the campground in the Ottawa County Fairgrounds, we went out to explore the area. How can I describe this lovely city? This area is right on the east coast of Lake Michigan and has beautiful beaches and recreation areas. We drove downtown to the visitor center to gather information. Instantly, we were impressed with the modern, yet quaint downtown area. Right away we noticed that all the buildings were either updated or were new, retaining the Dutch architecture of the original settlers. Beyond that, it was so clean and organized, all the streets and sidewalks are built of brick pavers. We later found out that the city built these in order to place heating coils below the bricks. The streets and sidewalks are never covered in snow or ice during the winter, WOW. Also, the city built its own power plant, using natural gas to run jet engines which produce the electric output. Water is heated and then cycled through the heating coils under the city streets. The whole city and local area utilizes this power plant, at about 1/3 the cost of other methods of power generation. The city leaders and community are very mindful of the future, and to make their city a great place to live. We also noticed that almost all local neighborhoods were very clean, neat and well maintained. Pride in their properties here! Needless to say, we fell in love with this place.

Water sports are essential to visitors and those living in this area. There is an interior lake, Macatawa that has canal access to Lake Michigan. The original Dutch settlers dug this canal so that they could get access to the big lake. The beach at the inlet has a historical lighthouse, jetties on both sides and the beautiful sandy beach, which is part of Holland State Park.

The next evening was a scheduled Wednesday sailboat race on Lake Macatawa. So we drove to the inlet and were able to watch the races from a waterfront deck along the lakeside. While there, a nice gentleman was describing the races and strategy used. He apparently has in-depth knowledge of sailboats and this event. We learned a lot about the area from this gentleman, Gene. After chatting with him and describing how much we loved the area, he predicted that one day we would probably be back and stay longer. Funny that we had even discussed this previously. We would like to visit there again some summer, it has so much to do in the area that we could enjoy. I would even like to get into sailing again.

Another day I visited a local park, Windmill Island Gardens, to learn more about the Dutch heritage and history. I especially wanted to check out the historic windmill that was brought from the Netherlands and reconstructed in Holland, Michigan. The tour guides and workers were dressed in Dutch period clothing and were able to describe historical information and answer questions about the Dutch culture. The gardens were beautiful, but too bad it was not tulip season. I would love to see that. The windmill tour was amazing! This windmill is actually a working grain mill. There is a young lady there who is the only certified woman miller in the U.S. She runs the whole milling program there, maintains the equipment and produces milled flour made from local farm wheat grains. She also grinds cornmeal using local heritage corn grain. The visitor center is a replica of a 14^th century wayside inn. The “Little Netherlands” buildings are modeled after an 18^th century village in the Zaan region. The drawbridge is a replica of one that spanned the Amstel River in the province of Noord Holland. This attraction really allows a visitor to experience Dutch culture and history.

There were also some fun mountain biking trails nearby, which we did enjoy. Kurt also took his kayak on Lake Macatawa for a late afternoon paddle. One evening, we headed back downtown to check out the street performers. It was so much fun, watching various talents show off their skills and visiting a local brew house. On the last evening, we headed back to the beach area to watch the sunset. It was beautiful and the perfect spot on Lake Michigan to experience this amazing place. Holland Michigan! What a lovely town and we think it was the nicest area we visited in the state of Michigan! Maybe someday…..

Now, continue heading south to Indiana.

2018 Great Lakes States - Traverse City, Michigan

2018 Great Lakes States – Traverse City, Michigan

Photo link:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/cUKn7gJmzLn1eBJP7

Monday August 20th – Sunday, August 26th

Traverse City State Park, Traverse City, MI

The drive south to Traverse City was mostly along the Lake Michigan shoreline. We took the scenic drive passing through lovely lakeside towns, including Petoskey, Charlevoix and along Grand Traverse Bay ultimately arriving in Traverse City. We had been warned before heading this way that the traffic in this town was congested and very busy. This area has expanded greatly in the last couple of decades. We arrived at the State Park, which was along the lakeshore and right across the highway. The Park had built a walkway over the road so that campers could easily cross over to the beach. The campground was very basic, lots of trees for shade and spacious sites. The day we arrived the weather again was rainy and windy. The lake conditions were choppy, not good for enjoying the beach. We setup in the rain, again. The bay lakefront is very beautiful with nice beaches and clear blue water.

The city is very bicycle friendly with many paved trails all around the area. There were nearby mountain bike trails, so we did enjoy them, they were not technical but fun and a good workout. We visited these trails on two days and enjoyed the workouts.

The next day we decided to drive west to the Lake Michigan shore to visit the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. This lake shore has many sand dunes with some as high as 400 feet. There were trails around the park and we were able to take the dogs hiking on one trail. Unfortunately, while there it began raining so much that we abandoned the hike. Also the rain was so strong that we could not see any part of the dunes area from the trail. We headed back to camp after being soaked from the rain.

The next day the weather was much better and Kurt decided to go back to Sleeping Bear Dunes for a chance to see the wonderful sights. The drive was 60 miles round trip and would be a long day, so I decided to stay back with the dogs and take them on some walks. Kurt hiked trails along the lakeshore dunes and was able to get very nice pictures of the park. The park allowed visitors to climb the 400 foot dunes, provided they were able to do it safely. The good thing is the climb was uphill first, so many people realized they wouldn’t be able to make the complete climb, so they turned around before reaching the top.

Another day, Kurt wanted to ride another mountain bike trail system that was a longer drive away, and was more challenging. He drove to the Glacial Hills Pathway and Natural Area. He really enjoyed the trails, more up to his expert riding level. On his way back he stopped along Torch Lake to view that area. It was another large inland lake that was beautiful with small harbor towns along the shore.

Overall, we enjoyed the Traverse City visit. The downside was that we spent half of our days in the rain. Oh well, that has been the story with this summer trip. Too many rain days!

Now we continue to head south to our last stop in Michigan.

2018 Great Lake States - Mackinaw City, Michigan

2018 Great Lakes Trip – Mackinaw City, Michigan

Photo link:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/KLiy7cZSmAYZ9igQ6

Monday August 13^th – Sunday, August 19^th

Mackinaw Mill Creek Camping, Mackinaw City, MI

Our next adventure in Michigan took us on a southeasterly drive through the Upper Peninsula.  During this drive, we passed through forests and along the north shore of Lake Michigan. Finally we crossed the Mackinaw Bridge and entered the Lower Peninsula. Then we arrived in Mackinaw City, driving south to the campground.

Mackinaw Mill Creek Camping is probably the largest campground we’ve ever stayed in. There were over 800 campsites and cabins. Everything that any camper needs exist in this park. There was a lakefront grassy park, a sandy beach, swimming pool, camp store, dog park, playgrounds, and nightly fire truck rides. Our site was small but comfortable with full hookups. Mackinaw City was a short 5 mile drive to everything else.

We relaxed for a while and spent some time on the lakefront park. The view from there included the Mackinaw Bridge and Mackinaw Island. The water was clear and cold, so we didn’t swim in it. It was a nice place to take our camp chairs and the dogs down by the water and relax with a cool beverage.

The next day we drove into town to check out the visitor’s information and the general area. We had already decided to take the ferry to Mackinaw Island, so we planned for a later day when the weather was supposed to be perfect. There is a lot of history in this area, so I took the tour of the historic Michilimackinac Fort. This 18^th century fort was originally built by the French and later taken over by the British. It was a major village for fur trading. This fort is reconstructed based on historic maps and more than 50 years of archaeological excavations that continue today. In 1780 a new fort was rebuilt during the Revolutionary War on Mackinac Island by the French troops. Both forts are shown with period furnishings and demonstrations by costumed interpreters on all the historical daily life. This tour was very interesting and informative regarding the history of the area.

One day we took the ferry over to Mackinaw Island along with our bicycles. This Island does not allow any motorized vehicles, only bikes and horse drawn carriages/carts. All transportation by the Island merchants and town maintenance are horse drawn wagons. Arriving off the ferry, the streets were lined with parked bicycles and many others riding. There are bike trails all over the Island for exploring the beautiful area. There are also many shops, restaurants, vacation homes, inns and hotels. The town is very beautiful and definitely caters to tourists. However, there are some residents that live there all year long, despite the extreme winters and the lake freezing over. We enjoyed the day exploring the island by bike and having a great lunch.

We also rode our bikes around Mackinaw City, where there were paved trails everywhere. One evening we drove to the west side of the peninsula to the Headlands International Dark Sky Park, to hopefully view the Perseid Meteor Shower. We took our chairs and setup ready to view, but the sky was overcast too much to even see the brightest stars.  Bummer, we were really looking for to this experience. After exploring this nice area, we were ready to continue our trek south to more sites in Michigan.

2018 Great Lake States - Munising, Michigan

2018 Great Lakes Trip – Munising, Michigan

Photo link: 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/F6252TCpvCsjEfDs5

Wednesday August 8^th – Tuesday, August 14^th 

Superior Times Resort, AuTrain, MI

After spending a week in the Keweenaw area, we were ready to head on to our next location in Michigan.

So we headed south and then eastward towards the town of Munising. Along the way we stopped at a beautiful roadside park to check out what was advertised as Canyon Falls hike. It was amazing to find this type of hiking trail along the roadside. Michigan has done very well on these parks and provided extra exploring opportunities. The hike back to the falls included the trail along the Sturgeon River Gorge, ultimately to the beautiful falls. Everyone including the dogs enjoyed the hike. We then proceeded eastward until we arrived at the Superior Times Resort and Campground where we had reservations. After getting the campsite setup we realized it was not sufficient, so we just had to work with what we had since we had already paid for it. We regret to say we were totally disappointed in the campground. Instead of being called Superior Resort & Campground, I will call it Inferior Resort. It was probably one of the worst campgrounds we've ever stayed in. They advertised it as being beautiful with great amenities, but it was completely the opposite. Terrible campsites, terrible supporting amenities (such as a trashed game room) and beach and terrible non-caring owners. Everything seemed to be a total mess, not as advertised, so we were ready to get out of there.

The next day we drove into the town of Munising to the Visitor Center to get information on the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. We did a short hike from The Visitor Center to the Munising Falls. We also walked down to a sandy beach lake front on a very foggy day. Kurt was able to also get information on paddling his kayak along the Pictured Rocks Lakeshore.

The next day we purchased tickets to take the boat tour out of Munising Marina along the Pictured Rocks Lakeshore. This National Treasure is the main attraction for the Munising area. The tour lasted about two and a half hours and it was very exciting to see the many rock formations and the painted rocks created by various minerals seepage along the cliff walls. We truly enjoyed the tour and would highly recommend it to anyone visiting that area.

The next day Kurt took his kayak down to the Lakeshore and decided to do the same and observe the cliffs from his kayak. He got much closer than we were able to with the boat tour and took some amazing photos. He was excited to say that he has for a second time paddled his kayak in Lake Superior.

The last day we were there Kurt wanted to kayak along the Autrain River which flows from Lake Autrain out to Lake Superior. The weather was perfect and he enjoyed the kayak along a nice flowing river. I decided not to do this paddle because I wanted to spend the day with my boys, Kody and Luca.

After our 5 days there we were ready to move south to the Lower Peninsula of Michigan.

2018 Great Lakes Trip - Keweenaw, Michigan

2018 Great Lakes Trip – Keweenaw, Michigan

Photo link:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/mc1Wd1kbgoc8snMt8

Wednesday August 1^st – Tuesday, August 7^th

Lake Linden Campground, Lake Linden, MI

Our next adventure was in Keweenaw County, Michigan on the northern peninsula. We drove out of Wisconsin heading south and then east, passing into Michigan then continuing along the Lake Superior coastal highway. There were many beautiful views along the way, including the Ottawa National Forest and passing through many small coastal towns. We finally arrived in the village of Lake Linden where we set up at the city campground. The campground was very nice, especially for a small town, and was on Lake Linden. We had a beautiful view from our campsite which was very nice and spacious.

One of the main attractions on this peninsula is the town of Copper Harbor, on the northernmost shore. The drive up to that area was beautiful and we were able to see scenic views of the whole Copper Harbor area from the Brockway Mountain top. This whole peninsula area has a rich history of mining, especially copper and iron. Now Copper Harbor is a lovely lakeside tourist town.

We found a hiking trail in the Copper Harbor area at Hunter's Point Park. The trail followed the narrow peninsula along the lakeshore.  We visited Agate Beach which is made up of nothing but red smooth rocks and boulders, where one could potentially find agate stones. We enjoyed the hike, the beautiful views of the lake and harbor with our dogs.

Another day we drove back up to Copper Harbor along a scenic drive along the peninsula shores. This took us through other coastal towns of Eagle River and Eagle Harbor. The beaches along the lake were beautiful and mostly rock covered with some sand. Along the way we visited three lighthouses, rocky shores and historical towns.

There were also mountain biking opportunities in the area. Just south of Lake Linden is Michigan Tech University. So therefore, there were some great trails near there. We spent some time riding the fun trails and enjoying the exercise. Another day, Kurt drove back up to Copper Harbor to ride the trails there. They were more difficult and technical, so I chose to pass on those trails.

We enjoyed our time in this area of Michigan. Now onto our next location in Michigan.

2018 Great Lakes Trip - Bayfield, Wisconsin

2018 Great Lakes Trip – Bayfield, Wisconsin

Photo link:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/rX8oPvFuZsrzx4SJ6

 

Wednesday, July 25^th – Tuesday, July 31^st

Apostle Islands Area Campground, Bayfield, WI

For our next adventure we headed towards the northernmost point of Wisconsin, a peninsula on Lake Superior. The town of Bayfield on the south shore of the peninsula was our destination.

This cool, small harbor town dates back to 1856. The town is surrounded by the Chequamegon National Forest and the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. The crystal clear waters of Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands is an adventure haven for fisherman, kayakers and beachcombers. Also in the area are networks of trails in the surrounding hills for hiking, biking, skiing, dogsledding, horseback riding, snowmobiling and ATVs. There are orchards for strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries and apples from spring through fall. The little town of Bayfield is filled with great restaurants, art shops, cottages and inns, all looking towards the beautiful waters of the lake.

We camped at a wonderful local campground surrounded by forest, just about a mile from Bayfield. So far this was our stop that had the coolest weather. One night the temps actually got down to 49 degrees and averaged in the upper 70s during the day.

The first day, as usual, we drove into town and around the area to check it out. We found a really nice lakefront hiking trail that started in Bayfield, so we decided the next day to bring the dogs and do a wonderful hike.

Just across the bay from Bayfield is Madeline Island. One day we took the ferry to the Island with our bicycles. We were able to tour the island on our bikes and check out the town and the countryside. It reminded us a little bit of Martha's Vineyard, but more quaint and not so upscale. The weather was perfect and we had a wonderful day.

Nearby Bayfield we found a great mountain bike trail system on Mt. Ashwabay. We spent two days there riding the fun trails, which were really well designed and maintained. Just our style of mountain biking. At the top of the mountain were great views of Lake Superior and Madeline Island.

The main attraction near Bayfield is an offshore series of islands called the Apostle Islands.  These islands are an archipelago of 22 islands formed by ice, wind and waves. Over time the sandstone eroded, creating cliffs, sea caves, windows and arches. A few islands still have the historic light houses in place. A portion of the National Lakeshore lies on the shore of the peninsula on the northwest side.

Also along the northern peninsula shore are a series of sea caves. One day Kurt took his kayak there and paddled along the sea caves, going in and out of some of the open caves. The geologic changes to the sandstone cliffs in this area are amazingly beautiful and unlike anything else we've ever seen. He truly enjoyed the day.

There are cruise boats that can take people out to the Apostle Islands and cruise around several of the main islands to view the cliffs, sea caves and light houses. We chose instead to take a small boat tour along the lakeshore caves, as this captain only takes 6 people. Because of the smaller size of his boat, he can actually take you back into a lot of the caves for a close up view.  We took this tour and really enjoyed Captain Mike's narration of the geology and history.

We also really enjoyed touring the town of Bayfield, it is so beautiful and filled with a lot of historical mansions, which many have been converted to inns or Bed and Breakfast. There were plenty of shops and restaurants. We celebrated our 24th anniversary one evening in the town of Bayfield at a really nice restaurant. We indulged in lake trout and other local seafood. We enjoyed walking around the town looking at the historical buildings, the boats in the harbor, all the beautiful flower gardens and checking out some retail shops.

The last day there we found a gorgeous little beach south of Bayfield on the lake.  We took the dogs and enjoyed the afternoon just relaxing and looking at the views of the lake.

We truly fell in love with Bayfield. This has been added to our “go back” list. Hopefully, one day we can return to Wisconsin and visit our favorite places.

2018 Great Lakes Trip - Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

2018 Great Lakes Trip – Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

Photo link: 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/k7rr6GwjRhGjpjZv5

Wednesday July 18^th – Tuesday, July 24^th

Eagle Ridge Campground, Chippewa Falls, WI

After traveling west about 100 miles, we arrived at this campground. This campground is very nice, with a campground host that is the best. After getting settled in, we drove into Chippewa Falls and checked out the Visitor Center. The Chippewa River flows through town, providing water recreation for those in the area. There are also mountain bike trails at a nearby county park in Eau Claire.

The next day we drove into downtown Chippewa Falls and went to the visitor center for detailed information. We also went to the Leinenkugel Brewery for a tour and beer tastings. What a great, well run business. The Leinenkugel Lodge was well stocked with a beer tasting bar and products related to the beer and outdoor activities. The brewery was founded in 1867 and has been in this location since then. The company was wrapped up in a purchase by Miller Brewery in Milwaukee, which now is all owned by Molson in Canada. Too bad none of these great American beers are no longer owned by Americans…

Nearby is Loopy’s, a business on the river which includes a bar and grill, canoe, kayak and tube outfitter and shuttle service. We went there on Friday for the Fish Fry and more Leinenkugel beer! We also had fresh fried cheese curds, YUM. It was all delicious. Another day we used their shuttle service to drop us on the Chippewa River for a 6 mile downstream float, then pick us up. The weather was perfect and we took the dogs for the trip. We were able to stop a couple of times at gravel bars along the way.

We visited Lowes Creek County Park on two days for some fun mountain biking. This is an urban park that is a huge forested area with a creek running through it. There were numerous mountain biking trails and for the winter sports, ski/snow shoe trails. The trails were fun and presented some challenges, but we enjoyed them. The most exciting event was when Kurt rode up a trail and noticed a momma black bear and her two cubs on the trail. He stopped when she noticed him and then she stood up tall. He then waited to see how she would react. After a couple of minutes she went down off the trail with the cubs. Kurt waited a little more, trying to decide if he should go forward or turn around. She then came back up on the trail and looked right at him. At that time he turned around and rode the opposite way. He later saw a ranger and reported the incident, the ranger had not heard of any bears in the park this year. They really should put up some bear warning signs. Regardless, it was a fun ride!

Our last day there we decided to ride a paved trail that winds through the city of Chippewa Falls, along Duncan Creek and out towards a State Park. After riding several miles through residential and industrial areas, we finally followed the trail along the Chippewa River to a downtown riverside park where Duncan Creek converges. It was not really the ride we anticipated. But we did get some good exercise.

We enjoyed our time in this area, but not sure if this is on our “go back” list. Next heading north to a peninsula on Lake Superior.

2018 Great Lakes Trip - Wausau, Wisconsin

2018 Great Lakes Trip – Wausau, Wisconsin

Photo link:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/VZkFbV4yPDoTea9S8

Friday July 13^th – Tuesday, July 17^th

Marathon County Campground, Wausau, WI

Leaving Door County, we drove southwest towards central Wisconsin, headed to Wausau. Here we stayed at a really nice county park campground that was in the city. It sounds strange, but was nicely laid out and many trees for shade. Also, the location was convenient to everything we wanted to do.

Another nice surprise that weekend was a hot air balloon rally and rib fest that took place at the local airport. We attended this event and watched several balloons fly, ate great ribs and met some very nice local people. We also ate our first fried Wisconsin cheese curds, so yummy! We stayed for the evening event of the balloon glow. This is when the balloons line up and at dusk inflate the balloons for a spectacular show set to music. After dark, there were fireworks that were very well done. It was very entertaining and an all-around fun time.

One day we traveled east into the country to the county park, Dells of the Eau Claire. We took the dogs so they could also have a day of hiking, which they really enjoy when they can get in a river. The Eau Claire River flows through this park, which has several hiking trails and water activities. The rock formations in the river are the main attraction at this park. Also, part of the Ice Age Trail converges with the hiking trail along the river. The Ice Age Trail is over 1200 miles long, reaching from Sturgeon Bay in Door County, south through many multi-use trails, private lands, city parks, state parks, county forests and national forests. The trail heads northwest and ends in St. Croix Falls overlooking the St. Croix River. This trail follows the path of ancient glaciers.

On two other days, we went to Nine Mile Forest for great mountain biking trails. These were really fun trails, nicely designed and maintained. It was great to get back on some amazing trails.

Kurt decided to go on a hike at Rib Mountain State Park. He hiked to the top of the mountain and had great views of the valley and the city of Wausau. This park also has downhill skiing and cross country skiing for the winter, which is common for many mountain areas in Wisconsin.

Again, as we have experienced in this state, the people we have met are just hard-working, middle class, good people.  It’s so refreshing to see regular Americans living a good life.

Next, on to explore Chippewa Falls/Eau Claire area.

2018 Great Lakes Trip - Madison & Door County, WI

2018 Great Lakes Trip – Madison & Door County, WI

Photo link: 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/asDMkgou73vmJkQv7

Monday July 2^nd – Thursday, July 5^th  

Lake Farm Campground, Madison, WI

Our next stop in Wisconsin was Madison, the Capital City. The campground I found was south of the city in a nice preserve area, Lake Farm. This campground is very nice and has great spacious campsites. This area has an amazing bike trail system, mostly paved but some areas are gravel. Bicycling is a major activity in the area. The only downside for us is the county requires a permit to ride these trails. Since we are not local residents, a daily pass costs $5 per bike, WOW! We also took the dogs to a nearby dog park, where the fee was $5 per dog, needless to say, we didn’t take them in.

When we arrived and setup our campsite, we were immediately assaulted with swarms of mosquitos! It was so crazy, we had to stay inside as much as possible. The poor dogs were covered with these beasts just trying to walk them. At least the weather was a little cooler here. 

Our plan was to spend the Fourth of July here celebrating, but it was a challenge to be outdoors. We did drive into downtown Madison to check it out and find where the fireworks were going to be. Apparently, the smaller communities around Lake Monona have their own displays, so they can be viewed from any location around the lake. 

The next day we drove into town to an outdoor sporting goods store and purchased an outdoor screened room. We were finally able to sit outside and enjoy our nice campsite. Kurt was able to ride some of the trails and he really enjoyed them. However, I caught some kind of 24 hour bug that kept me inside with a fever. Oh well, I didn’t want to sit outside anyway. Since I was not well enough to go to watch fireworks, Kurt went into the city. I watched the celebration on TV of the NYC/Macy’s fireworks and music extravaganza. That worked for me!

So this stop was pretty much a bummer for me mostly, and for July 4^th celebrations! We were ready to move on to our next location, north to Door County.

Friday July 6th – Thursday, July 12th  

Baileys Grove Campground, Door County, WI

Our drive north into Door County, the peninsula between Lake Michigan and Green Bay, was very pleasant. We immediately enjoyed the cooler temps and were amazed to view the lakeside from the highway. This peninsula is not more than 10 miles wide at the most. The shoreline is enormous, with many parks and harbors along the waterfront. Door County has many lighthouses, several of which date back to the 19th century. Near the town of Baileys Harbor, the Cana Island Lighthouse offers Lake Michigan and peninsula views. Lake Michigan is cold enough to moderate the temps along the peninsula. Door County is also famed for its cherry orchards, many of which offer cherry picking. 

We stayed at Baileys Grove campground and really liked the property and campsites. We got settled into our site, which had full hookups. The campground offered many amenities; pool, laundry, wifi, and free popcorn every evening! The campground was about 1 mile from Baileys Harbor, so we could ride our bikes into town and enjoy the views. 

We also drove to the west side of the peninsula to visit Peninsula State Park. While there we hiked with the dogs one day and another day we took our bikes and rode the trails in the park. We also visited some small harbor towns, with their marinas and lovely beaches; Fish Creek, Egg Harbor, Sister Bay, Ellison Bay, Gills Rock and Jacksonport. In various places there were lighthouses and sunken ships in the water.  We even got our kayaks in the water and paddled along the shore of Cave Point Park. This was a very interesting rocky shoreline with carved out caves. There was so much to see and do there, we really fell in love with this area.

We so much enjoyed our relaxed time here and we would love to return one summer, except to stay at least a month!

2018 Great Lake States Trip - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

2018 Great Lakes Trip – Milwaukee, WI

Photo link: 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/HhqKx4ovnbqsfob38

Wednesday June 27th – Sunday, July 1st

Milwaukee Fairgrounds RV Park, Milwaukee, WI

We next headed due north to Milwaukee Wisconsin. Our dear friends Diana and Tom had really enjoyed it there and advised us not to miss it, especially with the German heritage influence. We camped at an RV Park in one of the suburbs of the city at the Wisconsin State Fairgrounds. This RV park was nothing more than a parking lot setup, but we did have water and electric. It was suitable for our needs because we would spend most of our time in the city.

We decided to drive around the city and get our bearings. We took our bicycles down to the Lake Michigan water front and rode our bikes along the paved trail. From there we saw beautiful views of the city skyline and were amazed at what a modern city this is. There are several green space parks along the waterfront, marinas and beaches. The weather was perfect and we really enjoyed our time on the lakefront. We also stopped at a great beach side cafe and had a nice lunch.

The next day we drove to the north side of the city and checked out an area called North Point. We visited an historic lighthouse there and walked through a beautiful park. After that we headed down into the city to a tour of the Miller Brewery. We found out that Miller owns almost all the former American beer brands, including Kurt's favorite, Icehouse. The Miller Company was ultimately bought out by Molson from Canada. We were able to tour the brewery and check out the process and at the end we sampled several of the beers at a nice outdoor beer garden. Many of the buildings were original historic buildings that are still used for production and others were more for touring.

While in the city we found out about the traveling beer gardens, so of course we had to try those out. The traveling beer gardens were organized by the local craft breweries and the county. Beautiful, green County Parks were used as the event locations and local breweries would set up to sell their beer. There were food trucks and on certain nights live music. Each brewery would be at each location for a week. So on one evening we went to a traveling beer garden in McCarty Park and then a couple of nights later we went to another beer garden in Grant Park. This was so much fun as the beer gardens are set up with community tables where you would sit with other people, have some brews and meet friendly people. Thanks to the Germans for this tradition.

One evening we went downtown to the Lakeshore Brewery which was one of the biggest craft breweries in the city. They also have a wonderful restaurant. We did the brewery tour, which was quite unique, with a really funny young man who narrated the whole process from start to finish, including some historical background on the brewery. During this tour we drank beer at the beginning and throughout the tour, then we were ready to sit down for dinner. We were there for the traditional Friday night fish fry, which turned out to be excellent food. We also sat outside after dinner on the Riverwalk and had our final sample beers. It was a really fun evening and we enjoyed the tour.

We spent another day again down on the Lakeshore riding our bicycles from one end to the other. On the southern end we rode through Lakeshore State Park. From there we again saw the beautiful skyline and got up close with the Milwaukee Art Museum, which is a very unique architectural design. This modern designed building has winged shape flaps that open and close at certain times of the day to shade the building. We never got to see the wings move, but I am including a video here at this link to show you how it looks.  https://youtu.be/eGQJPkQL0fU?t=61

The beaches along the Lakeshore were packed as it was a gorgeous weather for the weekend and it was very hot in the city. Being on the lakeside with the winds coming over the cold water  was like a huge air conditioner blowing. It was a really fun day and we truly enjoyed the city again.

On our last day there we had planned to go back into the city, but there was a major electrical outage throughout the Milwaukee area.  We couldn't leave our dogs unattended in the camper without AC. This time we were stuck at the camper without AC in the extreme heat wave that had moved across the whole state. The temperature was around 95 degrees with a heat index over 100. The power actually came back on after 3 hours and then a couple of hours later and went off again so it was a pretty miserable day our last day there. 

I have to say I'm not really a beer drinker, but I did drink more beer there in the few days than I have in probably a year. Despite the power outage we really did enjoy Milwaukee, the wonderful atmosphere and the friendly people. We truly enjoyed our time in Milwaukee.

Our tour of Wisconsin continues!

2018 Great Lakes Trip – Chicago

Photo link: 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/M5koJB8t4BXCR6eP8

Saturday June 23rd – Tuesday June 26th 

Camp Bullfrog Lake, Willow Springs, Illinois

We headed toward Chicago and camped at a County Forest Preserve. From there we were able to drive to transit stations and take trains into the city. We went into the city on two days. We also hired a professional dog walker to come to the camper for those two days, so we didn’t have to rush back at a specified time. Rover.com!

The first day we toured the city in a double decker bus where you could hop on and hop off at various stops. It’s an easy way to get familiar with the city and move around easily. We toured for hours around the city and saw so much. We stopped at the Navy Pier and rode by many buildings and parks. The John Hancock building was one of the places where we stopped and took the elevator to the 94^th Observation Floor. The views are amazing and the weather was perfect as the skies were clear. We also walked along the Riverwalk, stopping at a nice bar for a drink. We also had a delicious Chicago beef sandwich at a famous Italian restaurant. Another stop was at Millennial Park where we walked around “The Bean”, which is really named Cloud Gate. This art work was designed to reflect the surrounding buildings. Its unusual shape allows for very strange reflections of people and buildings. 

The second day, we rode the bus to the pier where we had lunch and boarded the Chicago River Architectural Tour boat. This was the most informative and enjoyable thing we did in the city. Being on the water and seeing the buildings from a different perspective was awesome. There was a young man who narrated and described all the buildings along the tour. He was incredible with his knowledge of all the buildings, added humor and historical information of Chicago. We also walked around the Riverwalk to the Willis Tower (Sears tower) for the tour to the 104^th floor observation deck. Again, the views were amazing, even though the skies were a little hazy. We rode the “L” train back to our parking location.

Our last day there, Kurt was determined to drive into the city, which he did. He took his bike and was able to park near the Lakeview Drive and ride along the lake. Later in the day we picked up a famous Chicago Deep Dish pizza from a local restaurant, gosh it was the best!

I’m so glad that Kurt talked me into visiting the city, I had been there three times on business in the 90’s, but didn’t really get to see what a beautiful, clean city that it is. If you love cities, you should go there!

We loved Chicago!

2018 Great Lake States Trip - Indiana & Illinois

2018 Great Lakes Trip – Indiana & Illinois

Photo link:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/sSTnthpnq9tPfJJZ6

Monday June 11^th – Sunday, June 17^th 

Brown County State Park, Nashville, Indiana

Next we traveled north into Indiana, taking mostly back roads through agricultural areas with huge farms. We were heading to this state park that came highly recommended. This huge park has over 27 miles of mountain biking trails from easy to extremely difficult, with steep mountain slopes. This park is called the “Little Smokies” as it reminds one of the Smoky Mountains in N. Carolina. There are also more than 18 miles of hiking trails. We planned a week there at the mountain top campground. The weather was nice when we arrived, but it had been raining for the three previous days. The trails were still wet and not ridable, so we decided to do some hiking. We took the dogs on a 3 mile hike around Lake Ogle, which was easy to strenuous. 

The next day it rained some more, so we decided to go into the nearby town of Nashville. We walked around the cool little town and had lunch at a great Mexican restaurant. By the third day, we tried to ride some of the easier trails, but still found them to be wet and muddy in places. The following day the trails had begun to dry up, so we both rode a few miles. On one trail I hit a wet rock and crashed my bike. I fell on my right side and hurt my ribs, among other scrapes and bruises. I was okay but very sore with a lot of pain. So the remaining days I was not able to ride any more. We did drive around most of the park, checking out long view overlooks. The mountains are very beautiful and did remind us of the Smokies.

Maybe one day we will return here when the weather is better and we can really enjoy the trails. We keep hoping that the weather will be better at our next stop.

Monday June 18th – Friday, June 22nd 

Starved Rock State Park, Utica, Illinois

Next we headed into Illinois to this state park on the Illinois River, about 100 miles southwest of Chicago. The park was nestled among vast farmlands in central Illinois. Well, again it was rainy the day we arrived and continued to rain most every day. Between rain storms we did get out to explore the park. There is a lot of history here of the Native Americans and the pioneers that settled the area. 

We discovered that nearby Matthiessen State Park has some amazing hiking trails. Now we know what a “dell” is, you know the old song “the farmers in the dell”? The park has a one mile long canyon, called a dell. It’s forested with lush greenery and a stream running through it. The geology is quite interesting, as the water has worn down the sandstone in unusual rock formations that look like ripples. The creek was mostly shallow and there were rock stepping stones placed across the stream to allow crossing without wading in the water. There were stairs leading down into and out of the canyon. This was one of the most unusual hikes we have ever done. We took the dogs and let them run, they had so much fun playing in the creek. We enjoyed this hike so much that we went back another day.

We did take some scenic drives along the Illinois River up to some nearby towns. I’m not so sure how scenic they were, but we were getting outside and out of the RV. We were all ready for a break from the rainy weather. As we go forward to Chicago, we are really hoping for drier, cooler weather!