Back to the west

It took us six days to drive across the US and make it back to the four corners area.  The drive was about 1600 miles and this is how we managed it.

Day 1: Somerset Center to Plainfield, IL (260 miles)

We actually took our truck to a wonderful Toyota dealership in Naperville, IL because the air conditioning was giving us some trouble.  They fit us in at the end of the day and let us unhitch the rig in their lot.  They were really very good to work with and though they could not figure out what was wrong with the A/C, we were glad that the issue was documented and entered into Toyota's system.  As a side note we have not had any further problems with it and still don't know what happened.  That night we boondocked in a Walmart parking lot.  We always call ahead to find out if it is allowed.

Day 2: Plainfield, IL to Des Moines, IA (315 miles)

We found a Walmart in Des Moines that had a bike path that ran along the back of the parking lot by a river.  We went for a nice walk and saw two deer cross the path right in the middle of the city!  When we got to the place where they had crossed we saw one of them browsing along the river.  It was an unreal scene to find!  Though we had called ahead to find out if overnight parking was ok, when we arrived we found signs saying "no overnight parking."  I went in and spoke with customer service and it turned out that they prefer to have RVs only in certain parts of their lot or in the neighboring Sam's Club lot.  We moved to the Sam's Club lot which was less congested and had a very nice night.

From the window this is what we saw for a couple of days (that's a corn field in the distance).

Day 3: Des Moines, IA to York, NE (235 miles)

We paid for a night at York KAMPgound right off the I-80.  This was a no frills place with a gravel lot, no trees, and a fairly new laundry/bathroom/shower facility.  It was totally worth the $31 (Good Sam discount) to use these facilities and have full hook-ups for the night.  We usually leave in the morning between 9-10 a.m. and arrive in the early afternoon between 2-3 p.m. with a few stops during the day for gas, rest stops and lunch.

Day 4: York, NE to North Platte, NE (180 miles)

North Platte ended up being a great stop.  As we moved west the weather was getting hotter (high of 90s) so we didn't want to boondock - we wanted A/C in the trailer!  I found the I-80 Lakeside Campground on one of my RV apps and it turned out to be really great for our family.  They have a beautiful lake and playground.  It was the perfect place to play outside and our site was gorgeous.

As a bonus, we went to the Golden Spike which gives a view of the largest train yard in the world!

It was fortunate we found North Platte on a short driving day so that we had all afternoon and evening to play and sight-see.  We also went to an excellent Mexican restaurant in town called Margaritas.  I didn't expect great Mexican food in Nebraska, but we were all very surprised at how delicious it was.  For instance, I had a mushroom burrito (vegan) and it was amazing!

Day 5: North Platte, NE to Denver, CO (265 miles)

The road to Denver was memorable because there were thunderstorms which slowed us down quite a bit.  At points the visibility was very low, other times it was just sprinkling.  The thunderstorms took out a busy signal light and we crawled through an intersection.  It was getting late and we were heading to a Cabella's, but as we sat at the light I searched for something closer because we were really ready to stop.  I found a Bass Pro Shop a couple miles away so we headed there but it turned out it was in a mall.  It was still raining out - we placed a call to the store to ask about overnight parking not very hopeful.  The customer service person stated that all of the parking is managed by the mall and that we had to call mall security and they provided the number.  Really thinking this was a lost cause we called mall security.  To our great surprise we were told that it was perfectly fine and that a security personnel would come by our trailer with a waiver form!  Shortly thereafter a very professional individual approached us and we filled out the paperwork.  The best part was that we were parked between the Bass Pro Shop and a Harkins movie theatre so we decided to go see a movie (something we have not done since we left AZ 10 weeks ago!  We saw Incredibles II and we all loved it.  These are the lucky twists of fate that occur when we don't specifically plan every move but have a general idea of what we want to do. 

Day 6: Denver, CO to Moab, UT (355 miles)

In retrospect I wish we would have broken this drive into two days - there were so many beautiful places in Colorado that I wish we could have checked out.  Also, because this was a very mountainous road with steep up and down grades we drove slower, which meant many hours on the road.  Between 200-250 miles is perfect for us.  As we approach 300 miles in a day the kids get really sick of the drive and as they get agitated we get agitated...but we thought that we could do it as it was our last day driving before a significant break in Moab.  With that said the kids were SO good throughout this drive.  They were getting along, Sister is acting older and working out her differences with Brother with words instead of screams....very good.  The road fatigue hit the adults this day because of the steep grades and increasing heat.  Eating lunch in the Hideout is great in 70 degree weather but really unbearable in the 90s.  We can count on the trailer being many degrees hotter inside than outside. The route included many tunnels, bridges and scenic views.  It was an adventurous drive - not for everyone, but we are experienced mountain drivers! One of the coolest parts of the drive was the Eisenhower Tunnel - you have to read about it.  It seemed to go on forever, but it was only 1.6 miles!  Also there was a crazy "bridge" that I have now learned is called a viaduct lasting 12 miles and paralleling the Colorado River through Glenwood Canyon.   I had no idea what we would be driving through, but now that I know I am amazed at the ingenuity of the engineers who made this design to reduce the environmental impact of the Interstate.  However, this sort of driving requires a high level of alert when towing the rig, which is tiring.   Also there are long stretches of road without services between these places and that means timing gas and bathroom breaks so as to minimize the number of stops. 

One of the long tunnels (not Eisenhower as I was driving and not taking pictures at that point!)

Picture from Wikipedia of Glenwood Canyon Viaduct

One of many scenic views along the I-70

Even so we arrived at the Slickrock Campground in the evening before the office closed while we still had light - mission accomplished!

This is a nice campground with good shade trees and a pool.  It is about 3 miles from the Arches National Park entrance and about 40 miles from the Canyonlands National Park Entrance.  Next posts will be about Arches and Canyonlands!

Stepping into the past (AKA Michigan) Part II

I mean, if you are going to take a ferry to Mackinac Island, then you also have to drive over the Mighty Mac, which we did.  Did you know at almost 5 miles across it is the longest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere?  It's really cool and for the toll of $3 it is well worth the trip to say we visited the U.P.

Our day to Mackinac was a long one and we had a long drive back to the land at the end of the day for our last night on The Land.  From there we drove to my Aunt and Uncle's house, which is 20 minutes from my grandma's house and we "moochdocked" in their yard for a few days and prepared for Sister's 4th BD party.

We had a great visit and were so thankful for the use of their laundry, electricity, water, kitchen...  We planned Sister's BD at an indoor play place nearby and invited the family and all the cousins.  Her interests include dragons, dinosaurs, and PJ Masks.  To say she got what she wanted is an understatement.

And these are only the dragons & dinosaurs!  She basically got a whole new set of fun toys and was delighted about every aspect of the party.  I am so thankful that we could be with our family for her BD.  She was looking forward to it for a long time and she was elated.

For the last few days we went back to camping with my parents.  We spent our days either at the campground, my sister's, or brother's house with the cousins, pools, lakes, trampolines and music.  It was a lot of fun. Three of the kids, including Sister, made huge progress on learning how to swim.  That was really fun to be a part of.  Also the kids collected shells at the lake and we did a shell art project that they each took to their houses for a keepsake.  I had a really fun time singing show tunes with my siblings - my sister is an amazing pianist and vocalist and will play whatever we want to sing.  It was funny to have all the kids drifting in and out as they heard songs they liked to sing they would join in.  It was a really fun experience - one that I look forward to when visiting my sister.
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The kids are all growing up so fast and I wish that I could see them more often and be a bigger part of their lives.  I hope that they can visit us in AZ or that we can meet again somewhere in the middle of the country for another adventure.

Stepping into the past can be tricky.  My diet has changed a lot and am a teetotaller - this is a place where there is a disconnect between my present and past.  I think that I tried to be flexible and that my family was open to trying my recipes.  My kids food experiences were expanded and not in a good direction. While I have some lines that I don't cross, I didn't enforce anything with the kids - they ate what was offered to them and/or what their cousins were eating.  The thing is, I think they still were eating better than I ate as a kid - for instance when sloppy joes were made, ground turkey was used, not beef.  Meatloaf was also made it was made turkey, not beef.  So I can see that my family is making positive changes.  But then again...bacon?  Brother got to try that for the first time.  This was also the first prolonged significant social interaction where alcohol was offered to me multiple times since I quit.  I want to remain a teetotaller as I can see the positive effects on my health, but I have to admit that it was difficult to be around the drinking for many reasons.  Suffice it to say that I am not judging - I was a drinker until this year.  I am just glad that we don't drink anymore and I will not miss being around the drinking.  I think that is probably how anyone feels when they quit something - I remember feeling that way when I quit smoking cigarettes.

With that said, I think I have recorded the good and the bad of stepping into the past.  I really do hope that we can return to Michigan in a future trip and see Isle Royale and more sights of the Upper Peninsula.  I would also love to go back to The Land.  I also hope that I can find a way to remain connected to my nieces and nephews while we are apart.  They are really great kids and my siblings are awesome parents.  It was a joy to hang out with them, have them sleep over in the Hideout, and get to know Brother and Sister a bit more.  I will cherish the memories of this trip and look forward to the next one.

Stepping into the past

It was the most time I have spent in Michigan in over 20 years and it was a whirlwind of activity (hence the lack of a blog post).  We were there for just short of three weeks and we spent most of the time with my parents, siblings, nieces and nephews.  I also spent time with my 90-year old grandma and my aunt and uncle as well.  It was a good visit full of what Michigan has to offer - mostly lakes, rivers, woods and Mackinac Island!

We spent time at the Somerset Beach Campground with my parents.  There is a nice lake and other activities for the kids. Four of my nieces and nephews spent a significant amount of time with us and Brother and Sister loved connecting with their cousins.

We had a beautiful site next to my parents' "Fox."

After hanging at the lake we headed "Up North" to my parents' land near Fife Lake.  It is on the Big Cannon Creek.  Hours of creek fun were had by all; but the creek is too shallow and narrow for boating.  Nearby is the Manistee River.  My aunt and uncle brought up their canoes and we were fortunate to go on two river excursions with them as well.  One day they loaded all three canoes on their car and we traveled down a road that I remembered from my youth as we made our way to the put-in spot.

Big Cannon Creek 

Three canoes...

"The Land" is a fun place with lots to do and see besides the water activities.  My family built a tree house which sleeps 4-6 comfortably between the floor and the loft.  There is also a balcony on the back side with a bridge door that folds down from the loft.

There is a path through the Enchanted Woods where fairies make their homes in the trees.  Once a year in July they are known to leave gold for the children to find...

One fairy home in a tree

Additionally there is a zip line and a slack line for the kids to play on.  It's like a mini-Michigan adventure park - something for everyone!  This was the first time they hosted an additional trailer and they had done some work to improve the space for us.  It was very nice and we were quite comfortable.  We were boondocking - only using our solar power - and one of our panels failed during this time inexplicably.  It didn't seem to affect us too much, if we would have been short on power my parents have a generator, but it didn't come to that.  We will have to improve our solar set up during the school year while we are back in AZ in preparation for our next adventure.

The "Fox" is to the right of the shed behind the trees.  We liked the spot because we had sun during the day.  The main campsite, fire pit, & pump house are over by the Fox, but we were able to run the hose to the Hideout to fill our fresh tank while we were there.  We stayed six nights.  There is a septic system at the property, but it wasn't possible to get the Hideout connected to it.  We ended up finding a dump station after we left and that worked out just fine.

While we were Up North we also went on a couple fun adventures.  The kids earned a Junior Ranger Badge at the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore.  In addition to the dunes and Lake Michigan we visited a Maritime Museum and a historic village.  I remember climbing the dunes as a kid...it doesn't look so bad from the parking lot, but it is a really hard walk up...

But once you climb that hill this is what is in front of you...

And this is the view looking back at the parking lot...

I was surprised how clear and clean Lake Michigan and later Lake Huron looked.  I don't know what I was expecting, but they were both beautiful.  Here is Lake Michigan from the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore Park.  The beach is part of the Glen Haven historic village.  We enjoyed an excellent demonstration and history of the blacksmith in the original building.  In the end Brother was given the decorative hook made by the blacksmith as he was very engaged and asked many good questions!

At our last stop in the park was the Maritime Museum where we learned about breech buoy rescues using a Lyle gun.  It was fascinating to watch a video reenactment in the museum and see all of the actual tools used by the Coast Guard.  Again Brother was really engaged and was honored when the NPS employee asked him to help her lower and fold the flag at the end of the day.  It was a wonderful experience.

The other fun adventure we went on was a trip to Mackinac Island.  As a child I visited the island and I wanted to take the kids.  Also, Husband had never been there.  If you don't know, cars are not allowed on the island.  Transportation on the island is by bike or horse.  There is a fort to tour and there are many touristy shops.  We rented bikes and did the 8 mile loop around the island while enjoying the beauty of Lake Huron.  We also toured the fort.  It was a fun day, even the ferry ride was memorable.

Double-decker ferry gets windy on top - great view of the Mackinac Bridge

A picture from our bike tour of the island, hard not to get photo bombed in this busy place!

Horses hitched on main street

A view that reminded me of the movie "Somewhere in Time" which was filmed on the island

View from the Fort

Well this post is getting too long!  I will have to break and finish up in a Part II.  I will leave with this - Michigan is a beautiful place to visit.  I also love seeing and spending time with my family, but I also love my desert home in AZ.  I've lived over half of my life in the West.  Not spending summers in AZ is perfect and this is the best time to visit Michigan.  There is much left to see in Michigan - we will have to plan to visit those places on a future trip!

South Dakota

Hello dear readers - Still here, still travelin', just slow on documenting!

We met many members of my family in South Dakota June 23 and from that day forward it has been a whirlwind of excitement and adventure.  We stayed at Horsethief Campground in Hill City for almost a week, it was a beautiful place.

Brother (age 8) and Sister (age 3) have had their four cousins to play with ages 11, 9, 8, & 5.  It was so much fun to watch them all get along so well, play games, run around outside and explore the sights together.  During our travels together we visited five National Parks/Monuments.  Quick trivia: what is the difference between a National Park and a National Monument?  Monuments are designated by the President, Parks are designated by Congress!  So either way they are special sights set aside by the Federal Government for the enjoyment of all and both offer the Junior Ranger badges.  With the family we visited Mount Rushmore, Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, and the Badlands in South Dakota and then Effigy Mounds in Iowa.  Five of the six kids completed the Junior Ranger activities and earned their badges. 

We also had a really great time in Hot Springs, SD swimming in the mineral spring.  What a great experience.  5,000 gallons of water flow into the facility each minute and there are water slides and a really nice indoor facility.  We all loved it and would certainly go again if passing through that region. I wish I would have taken some pictures of the indoor facility, but it is called Evan's Plunge and you can see their website.

Another sight we saw that was not related to the National Park Service was the 1880 train.  We took this antique train from Hill City, SD to Keystone, SD.  It was an hour each way and we rode on an antique passenger car.  The engine was a classic steam engine.  It was the coolest train ride I have ever taken.

It was HOT driving to Michigan.  We stopped at the Badlands and Effigy National Monument on the way and had a hard time really enjoying either due to the heat.  We had escaped the heat until South Dakota, but since we left there we have had to run our air conditioning in the truck and in the Hideout.  It is disappointing to be trapped by the heat even in the East.  To get to Michigan, we drove approximately 1,200 miles in four days - it was a strenuous haul.  Prior to that we had been limiting our driving to no more than 200 miles in a day.  On our way home we are going to go back to that limit - it works better for us.  All together the Hideout has traveled about 4000 miles this summer! 

It's been good to be with my family, we see each other so infrequently.  I am glad that this trip allows us to share four weeks with them. I'll have to write future posts about our adventures in MI!