Teardrop camping Archives - Page 2 of 6

Virginia Camping, State, City and National Park

Virginia Camping

Virginia camping was new to us, but we have previously visited the state. Some of the best experiences of our Long Summer Trip 2019 were in Virginia and each stop was a different variety of camping. We stayed at a State Park, a City Park, and also mooch docked with friends.

Claytor Lake State Park

Claytor Lake State Park was an amazing campground—one of our favorites! We had an unassigned, but guaranteed, water and electric site. Upon checking in, I learned that they have reserved sites as well, but they fill up quickly. We had our choice of at least ten sites, all okay, but I loved the one we chose.

Virginia camping at Clayton Lake — Site # 11

Our site was large, level, shaded, and secluded—some of my favorite things in a campsite. The surrounding forest had a heavy layer of pine needles and for some reason, I found it quite appealing.

Virginia Camping in the Forest — View of our back yard

Hiking in the Forest

There was an entrance to a trail at the back of our site. The trail was mostly shaded and level and also wide. It was a very pleasant walk in the woods.

Virginia camping and hiking at Clayton Lake — Hiking Trail

The Lake

We liked the campground so much, we spent our free full day there. The lake had a beautiful marina and a very nice beach, complete with lifeguards.

Marina at Claytor Lake — Claytor Lake Marina

We spent several hours at the beach because it was a comfortable temperature in the shade. I briefly got in the water, which was very clear for lake water.

Virginia camping on the Beach at Claytor Lake — Beautiful beach at Claytor Lake

There were a few picnic tables with grills in shaded areas. We grilled hot dogs and had our lunch there. It was beautiful and peaceful.

Virginia Camping on the lake — Lunch on the lake

We had a relaxing tine at Claytor, which is definitely in the top ten campgrounds we have visited. Everything about the campground was well-maintained and the staff was very friendly and helpful.

Virginia Camping with Friends

We met Heidi and Mark at a Tiny Christmas Campout a couple of years ago and they offered to let us camp on their property near Shenandoah if ever in the area. We had Shenandoah National Park as a stop on our trip, so we took them up on their offer. They have hookups on their beautiful property and we spent three very comfortable nights there. This was Virginia camping at its finest and they were amazing hosts!

Their property is so beautiful and it has Shenandoah National Park as a backdrop.

Virginia Camping with friends — View from the property

Shenandoah National Park

One of our two full days was spent at Shenandoah National Park. Heidi and Mark guided us to things we would like. We saw Skyline Drive and views from an amazing lookout, plus a hike to an incredible Overlook.

Heidi and Mark took us on the Stony Mountain trail because it was not too strenuous in deference to my husband’s knee replacement. It was a very pleasant experience because it was quite cool. It felt good to move around to get warm.

Couple hiking Stony Mountain Trail — Hiking Stony Mountain

The payoff for our efforts was an incredible view that overlooks Shenandoah Valley, the town of Luray, and the Massanutten and Allegheny mountains. Heidi and Mark’s home is also down there.

We had lunch at the park and it was quite good. After that, we went back to Heidi and Mark’s and spent the evening playing Mexican Train Dominos, drinking adult beverages, and eating Amish cheese and sausages.

Montpelier, James Madison’s Home

Montpelier is an hour and a half away from Luray, where we were camped. However, we decided to make the drive because it was something we really wanted to see. It was the home of James Madison, the fourth president of the United States, and his wife, Dolly. The home, built in 1764, has been designated a National Historic Landmark. Our docent was very knowledgeable and painted a vivid picture of the life and times of this famous couple.

James Madison is considered the architect of the Bill of Rights and he shaped the ideas that would become the U.S. Constitution. His wife, Dolly, was a very popular lady and a warm, gracious host. She was gregarious, while her husband was a quiet intellectual. But, they seemed to offset each other well.

Statues of James and Dolly Madison — James and Dolly Madison

I remember studying the constitution in college and reading a couple of books about the men who influenced the formation of our country. Madison, of course, was very prominent in those books. It gave me great pleasure to see his home and to hear about his life.

Guest Room in Montpelier — Montpelier Guest Room

There were always guests at the home during the time the Madisons lived there. The most fancy room in the house was for guests.

The Dark Side of Montpelier

Certainly, the issue of slavery was prominent in the tour of the home and there are exhibits dedicated to the enslaved population who lived on the property. The suffering that resulted from slavery was openly acknowledged.

The Montpelier home and tour also did not sugar-coat the personal history. Madison’s stepson was a gambler and drinker who was always having money troubles. He brought them much grief. The Madisons paid so much related to his actions that after James died, Dolly lost her home.

The Home After the Madisons

Consequently, the home was sold in 1844 and was occupied for many years by private owners. The DuPonts purchased it in 1901 and kept it till 1983. They made several changes to the house and dedicated the land to horses. One room in the house was ultra modern in their time. The room below is a replica of how one of the major rooms looked under their ownership.

duPont Art Deco Room at Montpelier — DuPont Art Deco Room

Lastly, when Marion DuPont Scott died, her estate transferred the property to the National Trust for Historic Preservation It provided funds for restoration to the house to make it look the way it did when the Madisons were there.

This was a great way to spend our second day in the area.

Newport News

Our last camping in Virginia was in Newport News. I like to visit small to medium cities while camping. It helps me know more about the culture of the area. In addition, there is always something of interest to see. We searched for camping near Newport News and were happy to learn there is a city campground.

Newport News Park covers over 8,000 acres and, consequently, is one of the largest city parks in the United States. There is a lake and golf course, plus a very large campground. It also has an archery range and a field for remote controlled aircraft.

Newport News is very near the Historic Triangle: Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. However, we visited there several years ago and wanted to do something else this trip.

The Campground

We liked everything about the campground except the maintenance of the bathhouse. Our visit was in the middle of the week and there were very few campers. However, the bathhouse was filled with bugs and spider webs, inside and out. A utility door was open with ugly maintenance things strewn about and a light was on the entire time we were there. I had to kill a big, scary spider in order to take my shower!

Virginia camping at Newport News — Site A 12

Other stuff—the site, the park, store personnel, and laundry facilities—were great. I don’t know what happened on the care of the bathhouse.

The Mariners’ Museum & Park

Mariners’ is America’s National Maritime Museum and is so worth the time and effort to see. For example, there isthmus Nolan Trail, a wonderful trail around the museum and Lake Maury. It is beautiful, wide, and shaded with birds and turtles to see. We walked a good part of it. It is a popular place; there were lots of hikers and runners.

The museum itself has so many artifacts and lots of information related to maritime topics.

Within the museum is a 3D movie, model ships, and artifacts from ships dating back to the 1700s. There is a wooden anchor from 1783. The racer from the America’s Cup was in display with videos about the team and training. There were so many other full size boats as well.

Boat at Mariners Museum — Boat at the Museum

Lastly, the museum’s biggest claim to fame is major pieces of the actual USS Monitor, the Union Navy’s iron-hulled steam-powered warship used during the Civil War. The wreck of the Monitor was discovered in 1973. The story about the Union and Confederate clash of iron-bulked warships is very interesting. In addition, there is a replica of the monitor and a very compelling dramatization of the battle between the two ships.

Replica of the Monitor — Replica of the USS Monitor

Lastly, we visited the City Center, which has beautiful fountains, restaurants, and shopping. So, we walked around a bit and had some delicious ice cream.

In conclusion, Virginia Camping was a delight! We are so glad we were able to be there.

Maryland Camping Adventures

Maryland Camping

We included Maryland camping in our Long Summer Trip 2019 and it was one of our favorites. Neither of us had been there before and were happy to visit two very different campgrounds, Cunningham Falls and Assateague State Park.

Cunningham Falls State Park

Cunningham Falls is a very nice state park and we had a good site with water and electric. We arrived on a Saturday night though and the campground was very crowded. There were lots of loud, unruly children producing much yelling and screaming. They had also trashed the men’s bathhouse. No one appeared to be providing any supervision. It was so unappealing that we closed our shades and spent the afternoon and evening in our camper.

Maryland camping at Cunningham Falls — Site # 20

The Lake and Falls

Sunday was Fathers Day and we checked out the swimming area at the lake. It was nice, but we did not get in the water.

The Falls were more of an attraction to us. We took the easy hike to the falls. The path was wide and though there was a bit of a climb, it was not too steep. There were lots of families on the path.

The waterfall was pretty and well worth the effort to see it. We stayed there for awhile just taking in the view and watching the people.

Back at the campsite, all the people with the unruly children had left and it was so pleasant to be there. My husband heard from all our children, wishing him a Happy Father’s Day. That made him very happy.

Gettysburg

Gettysburg is not in Maryland, but it was only a thirty-minute drive from where we were camping. We had the afternoon and I was afraid if we didn’t see it at this opportunity, we might never. Gettysburg was the site of the bloodiest battle of the Civil War with over 40,000 casualties. We have wanted to visit it for some time. So, we drove to Pennsylvania to visit the Gettysburg National Military Park.

We did not get to do everything, but toured the museum and saw exhibits and a movie. There was an enormous Cyclorama Painting depicting the battle. The canvas is 42 feet high and has a circumference of 377 feet. It took the artist, Paul Philippoteaux, and a team of assistants a year to complete. There is a show with lights and sound effects. I really preferred seeing the painting with full lights on though.

There was a bus tour of the battlefield, but we did not have the time for it. However, we saw part of it as we were leaving. It was worth the drive to visit this historic site.

Sachs Covered Bridge

The Sachs Bridge is very near the Gettysburg battlefield. It was built in 1852 in Adams County.

The truss bridge was standing during the Civil War and was used by both Union and Confederate soldiers. It has been designated Pennsylvania’s “most historic bridge”. It is also reputed to be severely haunted.

Maryland Camping at Assateague State Park

Assateague State Park was my favorite Maryland camping. We could only get one night there, but were nearby and very much wanted to see it. It is on a barrier island inhabited by approximately 150 wild horses.

Assateague Visitor Center — Visitor Center

Most importantly, the island is natural and undeveloped, a rarity for such a desirable vacation spot. The northern two-thirds is in Maryland and includes Assateague State Park and Assateague Island National Seashore. The remaining third is in Virginia and is managed by the National Park Service.

Conditions at Assateague — Conditions at the State Park

The park has a very nice gift shop and a restaurant. They warn you about the wild ponies—no food should be left out or taken to the beach. Plus, you are told to stay at least forty feet away from them.

Maryland camping at the state park — Site H302

We arrived at our site at about 2 p.m. There are very few sites with electricity, so we we dry camping. However, we were good for everything except the lack of A/C. It was very hot with zero shade. The wind was very high though, so it was fairly comfortable to be outside. However, inside the camper was hot.

The bathhouse was right behind us and was the nicest I have ever seen in a state park because it was very new and immaculate. The path to the beach was right in front of us, so we had a very good location.

The Beach

We spent some time on the beach. It was certainly windy. Our umbrella blew backwards and consequently, we had to retire it. I did put my feet in the water and it was a bit cold. While at the beach, we kept an eye out for ponies, but no luck.

Maryland camping at the beach — Testing the water

Wild Ponies!

I read reviews of the park and sometimes people come and do not see ponies or they see the from a great distance. We had been in several areas of the park for a couple of hours and no ponies. I told my husband to be prepared for a visit without them. While he was in the restroom, I saw four walking along the road on our loop. Quickly, I got the phone to take some photos. While I was standing on the step at the door, they started towards me. I quickly ducked inside. The park information stated that they bite!

Wild horses at Assateague — Wild Ponies!

As my husband headed back to the camper, I signaled him to look a couple of sites down at the ponies. I did not want him to miss them. Later, I had to keep on him not to touch them.

Man and wild horse — My husband getting too close

The ponies stayed in our area all evening. One also came back and visited our site. We loved seeing them! It made our visit to Assateague so special!

Maryland camping with wild ponies — Wild Pony in our campsite

Maryland Food

Generally, we had good food on the road, but we had some particularly good food in Maryland. Before entering the park, we had lunch at Crabs to Go Seafood Market in Berlin. Everything was good, but the fried scallops were divine!

We also had an extraordinary lunch in Annapolis at Red Hot and Blue. I believe it is a chain. I had barbecue and my husband had one of his top ten ever hamburgers.

Lastly, I had a delicious seafood dinner, including crab cakes at Rik’s Cafe in Hagerstown. However, the absolute best crab cakes I had was in Delaware, near Cape Henlopen at The Surfing Crab.

Maryland Camping was superb!

North Carolina Camping, Mountain, City, and Coast

North Carolina Camping

This was our first experience with North Carolina camping. I like that we were able to visit mountains on the west and the Outer Banks on the east, plus the area near Raleigh. It was certainly three very different experiences. We visited North Carolina as part of a longer trip, Long Summer Trip 2019, with Friends Old and New

Mount Pisgah

Mount Pisgah is part of the Appalachian Mountain Range and the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. It is almost six-thousand feet at its highest elevation. The attraction for me was the cool weather and the Blue Ridge Parkway, which we have not previously experienced.

Mount Pisgah Campground

We were dry camping at Mount Pisgah, but it was very easy because our 400 batteries can handle everything except the air conditioner and the microwave. We were very comfortable our two nights at the campground because of the high elevation and our shady site. However, the area to park the camper was very narrow and short. We barely fit.

North Carolina Camping at Mount Pisgah — Mount Pisgah Campground Site B16

The campground provides picnic tables and fire rings, but they are not typically next to where the camper is parked.

We met a very interesting couple, Walt and Casey, from Maryland while sitting in the chairs above. As we were going to Maryland in about a week, we planned to meet them for dinner. You meet such nice people while camping.

Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway has been a National Parkway since 1936, covering 469 miles. However, we only covered about 50 miles of it while in North Carolina. There are many scenic spots along the way and eight campgrounds, but they do not have hookups. There is no commerce on the parkway, no gasoline, food, advertisements, etc. They designed the Parkway to provide a beautiful drive with only nature to distract you.

The parkway has many tunnels that were carved right through the mountain. Some, like the one below, were not long, but we saw one that seemed quite long.

Across from the campground is the Pisgah Lodge. It features a restaurant and gift shop, but its greatest asset the breathtaking views.

Mount Pisgah Waterfalls

There are many waterfalls on Mount Pisgah, but we only had time to visit two, Sliding Rock and Looking Glass. Both were an easy walk from the car.

Sliding Rock is a popular spot to slide down a sixty foot waterfall. There are three paths down, slow, medium, and fast, all of which which drop into an eight-foot deep pool. It looked pretty scary to me, but there were lots of brave souls taking the plunge. Supposedly, thousands do the slide each summer. I spoke to one young woman who had done it once and her boyfriend was trying to get her to do it again. She was not interested! I understand it is also quite cold (approximately 60 degrees).

North Carolina Camping and Waterfalls — Sliding Rock Waterfall

Looking Glass was beautiful and you could hear and feel the water from the lookout. They named the waterfall Looking Glass because it looks like a mirror when the water freezes and glistens in the sunlight. There were quite a few people in the water and climbing among the rocks. This Waterfall is also sixty feet tall.

A Problem

On the last night of our stay, we arrived back at the campsite at about 4:30 pm to discover that one of our tires had a screw in it. Because we were leaving early the next morning, we were concerned about finding a place to fix the tire before everything was closed.

We drove to Asheville and happened upon Discount Tire about ten minutes before they closed. Thankfully, they agreed to take care of our tire. While we watched through a glass, the technician removed our tire and went through all the predictable steps. They offered us water and were very gracious even though we kept them past closing.

The technician, who we were surprised to see was a young woman, completed the job pretty quickly. Amazingly, there was absolutely no charge, despite the fact that we did not buy our tire from them. We were told it is their policy to fix tires free of charge. We were very impressed! I hope there will be a Discount Tire in our hometown when we are ready to buy our next set!

Days and Nights In Rodanthe

I am a huge fan of the writing of Nicolas Sparks so the Outer Banks (OBX) has been a desired destination for quite some time. Additionally, a post some time ago on a camping Facebook group included some extraordinary photos taken at Rodanthe Water Sports and Campground. Rodanthe Water Sports became my goal and we booked several months out to secure a waterfront site. It would be a very different version of North Carolina camping.

Getting to Rodanthe, Wright Brothers National Memorial

The Outer Banks has a very cool attraction in Kill Devil Hills, the site of the first flight and the Wright Brothers Memorial. It is a must see while in the Outer Banks. Below is a replica of the plane used for the historic flight. The original is at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.

Replica of Wright Brothers Plane — Replica of the Wright Brothers plane

Wight Brothers Flight Path — The Flight Path

Rodanthe Water Sports and Campground

The campground is small, as are the sites, but the view of the sound is extraordinary! The water is very shallow and as warm as bathwater. The campers were a younger crowd who enjoyed kayaks, surfboards, and paddle boards on the calm waters of the sound. We were a bit more sedentary, but I can say that the hammocks in the background are extremely comfortable in the late afternoon as the sun is going down.

North Carolina Camping In Rodanthe — Site # 12 at Rodanthe Water Sports

We witnessed the most beautiful sunset that I have ever seen. However, I am not much of a photographer so these photos do not do adequately represent its astonishing beauty.

North Carolina Camping Sunset — Sunset over the Sound

North Carolina Sunset From Rodanthe Water Sports — Sunset at Rodanthe Water Sports

For me, it does not get much better than this!

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, circa 1870, is the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States at 198.49 feet and 269 steps. It replaced a shorter lighthouse that did not meet the needs of ships in the area. I was a little hesitant of the climb as it is known to be quite strenuous, but am happy to say I made it to the top.

The view was certainly worth the climb. Also, it was not as bad as I feared. Taking it slowly made the climb very doable.

In 1999, they moved the lighthouse to a site 2,900 feet away. The move was completed in 23 days and the lighthouse reopened for climbing the next year. The move included seven historic structures that were placed in the same relationship as the original site.

View from Cape Hatteras Lighthouse — View from the Top

Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station

The sea along the OBX has long been very treacherous for ships because of the shifting landscape and shallow waters. The hundreds if not thousands of wrecks has caused it to be called the Graveyard of the Atlantic. The life-saving service concept began in 1784 and the U.S. Treasury standardized it in 1871. The stations were manned by local men trained to rescue those in danger in the sea. The station provides a history of the life-saving station and biweekly live demonstrations of the process. We were lucky to see a live drill. It was very informative and included a canon shot.

Chicamacomico Life-saving drill — Live life-saving drill

Interestingly, the life-saving services, along with other services, was later rolled into what became the United States Coast Guard.

There are many artifacts at the station, including a house from 1907 that I really enjoyed seeing.

Midgett House 1907 — Midgett House circa 1907

The Inn at Rodanthe

No trip to Rodanthe would be complete without checking out the inn from the movie, Nights in Rodanthe. The exterior of the inn is an iconic image in the movie, though they shot interior scenes elsewhere. Sadly, the shifting sands of the area put the house in danger several years ago. It is my understanding that same company that moved the lighthouse moved the house. I believe it is now a vacation rental house. The new location is not as picturesque, but I was still happy to see it.

North Carolina Camping Near Raleigh-Durham

On our return south, we camped near the center of the state at Falls Lake Recreation Area in the Rollingview Campground. Our site was very long and partially shaded. The site was nice and peaceful and the nearby bathhouse was clean.

North Carolina Camping in Rollingview Campground — Rollingview Campground

We spent one day in the campground and nearby area. The campground had an area for swimming and a marina. It would be a wonderful place if you had a boat, but alas, we had none. There were also paddle boats and kayaks for rent, but it was miserably hot.

North Carolina Camping at Rollingview Campground — Rollingview Campground Swimming Area

Stagville State Historic Site

We decided to visit Stagville State Historic Site, a nearby plantation. It is actually the largest pre-Civil War plantation in North Carolina with a rich history that spans many decades. The docent provided a thought-provoking account of life on the plantation from both owner and enslaved population perspectives.

The house was built in the late 1700s and by 1860 was on almost 30,000 acres of land with an enslaved population of nearly 900. Currently, the historic site is on 71 acres and also includes four two-story, four-room enslaved family dwellings and a massive barn. Stagville represents a time in history that I believe it is important to know and understand.

Raleigh Attractions

We spent our second full day in Raleigh, a city we haven’t previously visited. It would have been nice to visit the courthouse and Governor’s Mansion, but they were closed for the weekend. However, we did get to see a great museum and visit another historic site.

North Carolina Museum of Art

Raleigh has an excellent art museum, the North Carolina Museum of Art. It opened in 1956 and the state legislature created and funded it, a first for a state government. The Museum is free to the public, though it requests donations. Two buildings buildings contain the art, which includes several Monets, countless Rodan statues, and works by Georgia O’Keeffe, Pissarro, and Boudin. I loved it! There were more works by German and English artists than I have typically seen. They were quite good as well.

The museum also includes many outside exhibits on a trail, but the heat made that not so desirable.

Mordecai Historic Park

Mordecai Historic Park was somewhat similar to Stagville in that it was a plantation that began in the late 1700s, though at 5,000 acres, it was much smaller. The home is similar to Stagville in size and style. The family built the house in 1785 and it is the oldest residence in Raleigh.

Mordecai has an added historic building, the birth home of Andrew Johnson in 1808. Johnson was the 17th President of the United States. His mother worked in the home, which was originally at another location. Johnson became president after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and he was the first impeached president.

Birth home to Andrew Johnson — Home In which Andrew Johnson was born

In Conclusion

North Carolina camping was diverse and quite amazing! Mountains, plantations, lighthouses, and the amazing eastern coast. We enjoyed it all, but I must say that the Outer Banks was my favorite.

North Carolina camping, check it out!

Atlantis Ocean at Rodanthe — The Atlantic at Rodanthe

Long Summer Trip 2019, with Friends Old and New

Long Summer Trip

We like to head north for a long summer trip each year. Summers in Alabama are sweltering and it is good to get away for awhile. For two years in a row, the highlight of our trip has been the nüCamp rally in Sugarcreek, Ohio. As we head there and back, we visit states where we have not previously camped. This year, we were fortunate to also be able to connect with Southeastern T@Bs, T@Gs and Friends and to reconnect with friends along the way.

Over the course of five weeks, we pulled our camper almost 3,000 miles and camped in seven states, five of which were new states for us and camping.

Southeastern T@Bs, T@Gs and Friends

This Facebook group, managed by Jeff Lackey, is quite active and we joined them at Vogel State Park in Blairsville, Georgia. It was the first stop on our trip. Also, our friends from Florida, Peggy and Chandler, met us there. We were so happy to be able to spend time with them. They are the best camping buddies ever!

Long summer trip at Helton Creek Falls — With friends Peggy and Chan at Helton Creek Falls

It was great getting to know other nüCamp owners who are also relatively close to home. We hope to camp with members of the group often. We spent time with three couples from the group; Diana and Jeff, Victoria and Fred, and Lois and Gary. We also spent time with two single campers, Allison and Karen. All were very nice. There was a potluck one night and the food and company was amazing. We hiked with Jeff, Diana, and Karen, plus her dog, Cashew. We had not for planned a long hike, but Jeff and Diana offered water and snacks, plus loaned us hiking poles and a hat. They are both so nice!

Potluck at Vogel State Park — Potluck at Vogel

Long summer trip at Vogel — Potluck at Vogel

nüCamp Rally, Focus of Long Summer Trip

The üCamp 19 event was awesome, despite some challenges with the weather. It is clear that nüCamp still engenders tremendous loyalty from its customers because of the service it provides and how its people treat the customers. One person this year, Robert Yoder, went out of his way to take care of a minor problem that was our creation.

Winklepeck was lovely and we had a spot with some shade that did not flood too badly.

Long summer trip at üCamp 19 — Our happy place at Winklepleck

We did the factory tour and saw the new, larger camper, the Avia. It was really nice, but we still are happy with our 400.

NüCamp Avia assembly line — New Avias assembly line

It was great to see Kevin, Gloria, and Sheryl, our neighbors from the 2018 rally. Two couples and one single lady we met at Vogel were also there. We had great neighbors again this year, especially Rosa, who was so generous with her homemade pumpkin cookies.

Five New States

Five new states will be added to our map from this trip: Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, and North Carolina. We had some great times! Below is a post for each state.

Delaware Camping at Cape Henlopen

Maryland Camping Adventures

North Carolina Camping, Mountain, City, and Coast

Virginia Camping, State, City and National Park

West Virginia Camping in the Mountains

Reconnecting With Friends

We met Mark and Heidi at a Tiny Christmas Campout in 2017 and have really enjoyed their company. They offered to let us camp on their property if we were ever in the area. It so happened that we wanted to visit Shenandoah National Park and they live just a few miles away, so we took them up on their offer.

Long summer trip Mooch docking — Our mooch docking site with hookups

Heidi and Mark live on a beautiful piece of property and we loved spending a few days taking in the views.

Heidi and Mark live closely to nature with a minimalist attitude. It is inspiring to be around them. They were wonderful hosts! Mark prepared a meal for us and they gave us honey and blackberry preserves they cultivated and prepared. We also played Mexican Train Dominos. We hauled the game around for five weeks and were glad for an opportunity to play.

One passion both Heidi and Mark share is their dog, Tru. He has a great life with them as his parents.

Heidi is an amazing woman. She completely built the house that is behind them. All the labor! I am blown away by her skills and because there doesn’t seem to be anything she won’t tackle.

Summer trip in Virginia — Heidi, Mark and the House Heidi built

Long Summer Trip and New Friends

Lastly, we met a lovely couple, Casey and Walt, at our campsite in Mount Pisgah. They are both charming and we really enjoyed their company. They are from Maryland and we were visiting there later in our trip. So, while camping near them, we met for dinner.

Long Summer Trip meeting friends — New Friends, Casey and Walt

It is so nice when you meet people along the way that you really enjoy and have a rapport. Not everyone you meet falls into that category, which makes those who do so special.

We can go to new places and enjoy them without knowing anyone in the area and without really connecting in a significant way, but it is really good to enjoy travels with people who are special to you.

Safe Travels Everyone!

Stone Mountain Camping with Friends

Stone Mountain camping during a few beautiful autumn days with our friends was amazing. There was a total of five couples, all friends from ballroom dancing. It was so great to be able to spend some quality time with them in such a beautiful setting.

Stone Mountain Camping

This was our first trip to Stone Mountain and we encountered a new restriction for teardrops campers, they must camp in the tent area. The area was cheaper, but did not offer sewer or cable television. This was not a problem, but it meant we could not be in the same area as our friends.

We originally booked site #51 because it was closer to our friends , but site #55 was much nicer and they allowed us to take it instead. The road to the site was not well-paved, but it was right by the lake with an incredible view. The photo below was taken from our site.

We arrived on a Thursday amid steady rain. We just removed the items that are transported in our cabin and went to hang out with our friends who have much larger campers. Consequently, because of the rain when we arrived and many activities with friends, we never really set up much of a campsite. No tent, awning, nor rug. We did not even hook up the water.

By midday the next day, we had beautiful weather that continued for the remainder of our stay. However, it was cool at night and quite chilly in the mornings. It made breakfast at the campsite not so desirable. We had one very basic breakfast that we ate in our cabin and we ate out all of the other mornings.

Stone Mountain camping was a great experience for us despite the sparseness of our campsite. Our site by the lake was peaceful and lovely and the park staff was very accommodating.

Weekend Activities

Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum

Our single rainy morning breakfast was at Folk Art Cafe, followed by a visit to the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum. https://www.jimmycarterlibrary.gov/ We are trying to visit all the presidential libraries and it was perfect for this trip because it was only about fifteen miles from the campground. All the libraries we have visited have been worthwhile and this one was no exception. There is always so much to learn about the life and times of our country’s highest leaders.

I was an adult while Jimmy Carter was president, but there were quite a few things I did not know about him. Most noteworthy to me was that he came from very humble beginnings, significantly more than I had imagined. His family did not have electricity and running water until he was a teenager and he and Rosalyn lived in public housing early in their marriage. His efforts on the treaty between Israel and Egypt and his lifetime contribution to humanitarian causes were highly impressive.

The grounds behind the library were beautiful with fall colors and there was a pond. Many geese were residents to the area.

Rear Grounds of Carter Presidential Center

Stone Mountain Attraction Center

The Attraction Center has shops and restaurants plus a lift to the top of the mountain and a train that travels five miles around the perimeter. For children, there is a farmyard, miniature golf, a dinosaur-themed playground, and a 4-D theatre. It is my understanding that there is a pretty impressive laser light show, but it ended for the season the week before we arrived. Most of the restaurants and shops were also closed for the season.

We took the lift to the top and the view was amazing. It was a beautiful day and we walked around quite a bit on the top of the mountain. A couple of our friends actually hiked to the top. That is something I would have loved to do, but we are still rehabbing my husband’s knee replacement.

Retired Couple on top of Stone Mountain — On Top of Stone Mountain

The train was not very exciting as there was not much to see. A Native American Pow Wow was occurring while we were there, but we left early to ice the knee. Our friends really liked it. I think the light show and a climb up the mountain will be my preferred activities if we return.

Stone Mountain is a 1,683 feet tall granite block with a circumference of at the base of 3.8 miles. Blocks of the granite has been shipped all across the country and around the world. It has been used in courthouses and in many federal buildings and structures.

Stone Mountain Memorial

There is a giant carving into the granite of Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and Jefferson Davis. The sculpture is 42 feet deep and 400 feet above the ground. They completed the memorial in 1970. It is so large that it has been said that a grown man could stand inside one of the three horses mouths. The sculpting efforts were led by Walter Kirkland Hancock and it is the largest high relief sculpture in the world. The memorial is a subject of ongoing controversy today.

Stone Mountain Confederate Memorial — Stone Mountain Memorial

In Conclusion

Stone Mountain camping was a great experience for us, but the best part of the trip was that we had lots of time to visit with our friends. We had dinner together each night and played cards. Loved it!

This was our first camping trip since my husband’s knee replacement and it was exhilarating to be camping again! If you would like to see posts of other states and campgrounds we have visited, we have a page with all the links. States Visited, a Campsite Resource

Happy Camping!

Modifications in Cool Tears Magazine!

Modifications in Cool Tears

We are excited to have our teardrop and some of the modifications we have made to it included in Cool Tears Magazine. Cool Tears is a free online magazine devoted to teardrop campers and their interests. A new issue is available each month.

The article came from portions of our most recent post. It covered the modifications that we made during our second year as T@G owners. The article, “After You Buy: 5 Simple Modifications for a T@G”, is in the November 2018 issue of the magazine.

Our Modifications

Firstly, much of the inspiration for our modifications came from other T@G owners that we follow on multiple Facebook groups. There are so many creative people in those groups. They have great ideas and freely share them. Second, the changes we made came down to our individual needs and the ways that we could add convenience to our camper. The T@G is an amazing camper that has extraordinary amenities just as it comes off the assembly line. However, there are always opportunities to make whatever camper you own more suited to your specific camping lifestyle.

My husband made all these enhancements happen for us. He is always willing to use his considerable skills to improve our camping experiences. I am truly blessed to have a husband so talented and accommodating.

In conclusion, we love our T@G and have enjoyed the modifications made this year. They have certainly enhanced our camping trips. We hope you will check out the article in a Cool Tears.

If you would like to see our entire post, here is the link. It also includes a summary of our travels during our second year. Teardrop Modification and Travel Summary 2nd Year

We are excitedly looking forward to our third year of teardrop camping!

Happy Camping!

Teardrop Modification and Travel Summary 2nd Year

Our second year of camping has gone by so quickly. Our teardrop is a NuCamp 2017 T@G MAX XL and it has served us so well! This post is a summary of the miles we have traveled in the past year and the teardrop modification we have made.

Second Year Camping Trips

We only took six camping trips this past year, which does not sound like a lot for a retired couple. However, two were monthlong trips and one included three stops. We hauled our teardrop 10,451 miles—three times the miles traveled in our first year. We revisited three nearby states, but also camped in thirteen new states. Our hope is to eventually camp in every state.

The trips included 36 different campgrounds and 75 nights away from home. We were inexperienced newbies when we began camping two years ago. Now, I think of us as seasoned campers.

Below are links to the plans for our two monthlong trips. Our first one was out west during the winter and the second was a summer trip north. Those trips were so amazing!

Planning That First Long Trip

Summer Camping, Planning a Long Summer Trip

Teardrop Modification

Our camper is so well designed that we have not needed much in the way of teardrop modification. Our mods were really just minor changes to increase comfort and functionality of the camper.

Heater Stand

This may not technically be considered a modification because everything is removable. We needed a heater for our winter trip out west; so we purchased a Honeywell HCE 100B Heat Bud Ceramic Heater. It has tip over protection, but we soon realized that we would need a stable surface for it to operate. A Facebook user had posted photos of a stand for a heater and my husband built one that was similar. The stand has proven to work very well.

The holes on the back panel enable the stand to rest very securely upon the door handles. There is a hole in the bottom panel for the cord to flow through to the electrical outlet. Lastly, there are two piano hinge to allow the stand to lay flat for easier storage in the cabinet when unused.

Teardrop Modification Heater Stand — Heater stand

An added bonus, the stand works great for holding tablets that are being charged when there is no need for a heater.

Under Camper Storage Container

We needed a place to store my husband’s shoes and the inspiration for this teardrop modification came from another post on a Facebook group. It required drilling holes below the bed and mounting a track in which a plastic box can slide.

Teardrop Modification Storage bin — Under Camper Storage

This has worked well for the shoes. We store the bin in the cabin when we travel. We were concerned that we might forget to remove it when the camper is being pulled, but so far, so good.

Mesh Net Door Storage

We like to watch TV or DVDs before sleeping and I am the keeper of remotes. Before we did this teardrop modification, I was often searching for them. We have seen that other T@G owners have made this mod and at the rally in Ohio, we learned NüCamp is now installing mesh storage on the doors of new units. I love this mod!

We used Velcro, but noticed the factory was using screws to attach the mesh pockets.

Mesh Storage on T@G Door — Mesh Storage on Door

When the door is closed, the storage pocket is just above the bed. We installed these on both sides.

Storage Behind Television

This is another modification that many owners have made that is also included at the factory on new models. It involved removing the panel and putting hinges on the door. My husband finished the inside with particle board for ventilation purposes.

Storage behind T@G TV — Storage Behind TV

Window Rail Brushes

We learned that nüCamp will provide rail brushes for the windows to prevent bugs from coming in. You have to install them, but it is not difficult. We obtained them at no charge from the parts department.

We really saw the need for them earlier this year while camping in an area that was overrun by mosquitoes. SW Trip, Stop #2 Sea Rim State Park in Texas

The photo below shows the side of the window without the rail brushes.

The rail brushes installed below should be effective in keeping out insects.

Conclusion

Our T&G has been wonderful this last year! The modifications we made primarily added a little more storage in key areas and we are happy with them.

In this next year, we are considering getting a bigger camper. The nüCamp 400 will likely be the replacement. However, it is hard for me to imagine loving any other camper as much as Endeavor.

Our reasons are simple. We now know how much we love to travel and are willing to take it to a higher level to have something that provides comfortable daytime space inside.

We will keep you posted!

Indiana Camping, A Large City and Two State Parks

Indiana Camping

Our Indiana camping experience was excellent from start to finish. It was the last state we visited on our monthlong, four-state, camping trip. We loved Indiana and its natural beauty, plus all the wonderful things to do in the areas we visited. Below is link to the plan for our overall trip.

Summer Camping, Planning a Long Summer Trip

Indiana Dunes State Park

Our first Indiana camping was at Indiana Dunes for just one night, but we arrived early and had some time to enjoy the park. Our site was ideal—large, flat, shady, and just across from the bathhouse. The bathhouse was pretty new and also had a water source. Our site had electricity, but no water.

We took the walk to the beach. It was a good bit of walking for my husband’s bad knee, but we stopped and rested several times along the path. The walk was mostly shady and there was a boardwalk for much of the distance with places to sit, so it was not a bad walk.

Indiana Dunes Boardwalk — Indiana Dunes boardwalk

The Dunes were very nice with hundreds of people, many swimming in Lake Michigan. I only put my feet in the water. The lake was warmer than the dunes farther north in Michigan, but still a bit cold for me.

Indiana Dunes State Park — The Dunes and Lake Michigan

The park was established in 1925 and the State later built an enormous pavilion. At one time, it held a soft drink parlor, grill room, two stores, and dressing rooms for beach users. Long ago, the pavilion had a hotel beside it, but it was removed in 1970. Currently, the building is locked up and unused, but it is my understanding there are plans to restore it. It is a lovely building and it is sad to see it unused.

There were newer changing rooms and restrooms next to the pavilion—very functional, but not nearly as grand!

Indiana Dunes Pavilion — Pavilion at Indiana Dunes

We returned to our site just barely ahead of a fairly strong thunderstorm., which we enjoyed from the comfort of our tiny camper.

Indianapolis

Big city Indiana camping was nice as well. We enjoy visiting large cities during our travels and Indianapolis beckoned. While we normally like to stay in public campgrounds, they are not usually close to larger cities. Lake Haven Retreat is located two miles south of Indianapolis and is also very near shopping and lots of nice restaurants, so it was very convenient.

We had a gravel site with a little shade and full hookups. While at this park, our camper was a baby among giants, some for extended stays. The bathhouse and laundry were a bit of a hike, but were very nice and well-maintained. We were quite comfortable during our stay at Lake Haven, but it was pretty hot. The one full day we were there, we left early and did not return till late afternoon.

Benjamin Harrison Home

We enjoy visiting Presidential libraries and museums. Benjamin Harrison has the distinction of being the twenty-third President of the United States and the only one from Indiana. Today, his Indianapolis home is a museum with tours that provide information about his life and presidency.

Harrison was from a political family; his grandfather was the ninth United States president. He was also the great grandson of William Henry Harrison, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Harrison was president from 1889 to 1893, a time when the country was in the healing process after the Civil War.

Presidential Tour of Harrison — Presidential Tour in 1892

Harrison and family members took an unprecedented train trip cross country during his term. (Seephoto above.) They traveled 10,000 miles in 31 days covering 21 states and delivered 150 speeches. He even visited our home city of Birmingham!

Piano in Benjamin Harrison’s home — Piano in Library

The Harrison home has much of the original furnishings. That, plus the memorabilia and very informative tour guide made it very easy to get a sense of the life and times of this president. We were very glad that we had an opportunity to visit this presidential museum.

Museum of Art (Newfields)

Indianapolis is fortunate to have an amazing art museum. We arrived just in time for me to participate in a Gallery Tour, “Neoclassicism to Modernism”. My husband chilled with his tablet while I received a fabulous art lesson that included some of my favorite artists: Pissarro, Monet, Renoir, Seurat, Van Gogh, Cezannne, and O’Keefe. Heaven for me and relaxing for my husband. I will share some of the highlights of the tour.

The above painting is one of the later examples of Neoclassicism, which is characterized by idealistic forms, inspirational subjects, shallow space, Classical subject matter, and an utterly smooth surface without visible brushstrokes.

Millet’s Peasant with a Wheelbarrow — Millett’s Peasant with a Wheelbarrow

Realism (naturalism) came after Neoclassicism and the painting above shows how subject matter is represented truthfully without exotic or supernatural elements. The common man was often highlighted as in the above painting.

Impressionism was a major force in art and the museum has many of those works. Post-Impressionism followed and George-Pierre Seurat’s pointillism is one of my favorites. It is a very labor-intensive way of painting using individual dots instead of brush strokes, but the results are very interesting. I love the expressions on the sisters above, particularly the older one’s. I can just see the thought, “Why do I have to do this?”

The Newfields price of admission includes a tour of Oldfields, also known as the Lily House. It is the impressive home of J.K. Lily with eight historic furnished rooms depicting elegant country living in the 1930s. The home and it’s 26-acre grounds and gardens are a National Historic Landmark. Docent tours are sometimes available, but not at the time we were visiting.

City Sights

While in the city, we checked out some interesting architectural design. The first, Indiana State Soldiers and Sailors Monument. The 284-foot structure has been a landmark in Indianapolis since 1902. It was the first monument in the United States to be dedicated to the common soldier.

An affiliated body of Freemasonry owns the Scottish Rite Cathedral pictured below. It is such a large, impressive building that it does not fit in one shot. It was built between 1927 and 1929 and is one of the largest Masonic buildings. Guided tours are available daily, but we did get an opportunity to do anything beyond seeing the outside.

Indiana Camping at Clifty Falls State Park

Indiana camping ended for us at Clifty Falls. It is a beautiful state park with excellent, well-marked trails and abundant shade. Unfortunately, the abundant shade was everywhere except the campground. We, along with quite a few others, had a very sunny site for most of the day. The weather was very hot during our stay and our awning was essential!

The site had electricity, but no water or sewer. The Park staff did a good job of maintaining the bathhouse and it was relatively close to us.

We arrived on a Saturday and the park was very crowded with mostly young families with children. By mid-morning the next day, the campers had vacated most of the sites.

Indiana camping at Clifty Falls State Park — Clifty Falls State Park, Site 81

We checked out the falls. There was not much water flowing, but the walk down to the them was very nice. The park information states that the falls are best from December through June.

A big public pool is inside the park, but we did not get an opportunity to use it because of its very limited hours. I actually complained and the pool attendant told me that they have a very hard time getting lifeguards after school starts. I later learned that there is a very nice public pool in nearby Madison with more accommodating hours. Sadly, we did not get a chance to visit the pool with its historic bathhouse, which was built in 1938.

The Public Pool in Clifty Falls State Park

I would love to visit this park again when my husband’s knee recovers from replacement surgery to hike the trails, but I would like one of the few shady spots.

Town of Madison

We really, really loved the little town of Madison! As small towns go, it may be my favorite. There is a historic section of the town, right on the river, with blocks and blocks of well-preserved historic homes. Madison was recognized as “The prettiest small town in the Midwest” by Ladies Home Journal and “Best Preserved Town in the Midwest” by the Chicago Tribune.

We took a guided tour of the Lanier Mansion, built in 1844 with a Greek arevival style. The home still has many original furnishings. There is a walking tour of 44 historic sites, but we did not have enough time.

Lanier Mansion Historic House — Lanier Mansion Historic Site

My favorite hour on this monthlong trip in four states was the Rockin Thunder Jet Boat Ride on the Ohio River.

https://rockinthunder.com/

We had a blast! We became quite wet as the boat did spins, slides, and fishtails. The people who operate the rides were great and Will, our captain, provided lots of interesting tales about the area. I felt absolutely safe during the ride, but loved getting wet and going fast on that very hot afternoon.

Rockin River Boat Tour — Rockin River Tour Boat

Our excursion into Madison ended with a delicious meal at Key West Shrimp House. It provided a view of the river, delicious food, and excellent service.

We plan to return to Madison and Indiana camping. There was so much more to do, plus Madison is an adorable town just across the river from Kentucky. As we make our way to other states to visit, I would gladly go out of my way to revisit.

Indiana camping was amazing and we loved our visit to this beautiful state.

Upper Peninsula: Summer Camping in Michigan

Upper Peninsula Camping

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula was high on our list for our summer camping trip. We were counting on cooler weather because it is so far north and had high expectations for beautiful sights.

Straits State Park

Most of our time in the Upper Peninsula was spent at Straits State Park in St. Ignace. It was a base as we traveled to surrounding areas and because it was on the Upper Peninsula side, we did not have to cross the bridge every day to reach our destinations.

We loved many things about Straits. It was very near places we wanted to visit and offered electricity and a nearby bathhouse. Also, the Straits of Mackinac were only about a thousand feet from our site with a killer view of Mackinac Bridge. The only downside was our site, which was small and not level, so it would have been a good trade off to have a level site farther from the bathhouse.

Upper Peninsula camping — Site # 110 at Straits State Park

The view of the Straits of Mackinac and Mackinac Bridge from the campground was amazing. Several of our fellow campers enjoyed getting in the water, but it was too cold for anything but toes for me.

Woman with feet in Straits of Mackinac — Testing the water

The nighttime view of the bridge and the water was mesmerizing. This was such a peaceful place.

We were very comfortable at Straits State Park in the evenings, but spent most of our days on short trips to surrounding areas.

Daytime Activities

St. Ignace

Our campground was in the small, but lovely town of St. Ignace and we had several meals there. My favorite was breakfast at Java Joe’s where I had some delicious crepes.

While in St. Ignace, we visited Castle Rock, a 200-foot ancient lookout of the Ojibway Indians, referred to as Pontiac’s lookout. It is also a spot related to the legendary Paul Bunyan and his Blue Ox, Babe. We took the climb and it was quite a view.

Top of Castle Rock — Great but cloudy view from the top

Another spot we liked was the lighthouse. St. Ignace has a relatively new one, Wawatam Lighthouse, built in 2006. Its beacon is visable for over 13 miles over Lake Huron.

It was overcast and/or raining for a couple of the days we were in the area, but it did not prevent us from seeing the sights. The temperatures were very comfortable though, with high seventies and low eighties in the daytime. Also, the days were very long and it was not dark until well after eight p.m.

Wawatam Lighthouse in St. Ignace — Wawatam Lighthouse, St. Ignace

St. Ignace is also a departure location for the ferry to Mackinac Island. We used Sheplers because they also take you under the Mackinac Bridge.

Mackinac Island

We loved the day we spent on the island; it’s a truly unique place. Accessible only by ferry, it is on Lake Huron near the Upper and Lower peninsulas. The island is only 3.8 square miles, yet still boasts the largest summer hotel in the world, The Grand Hotel, which opened in 1887. The Biddle House, dating back to 1780 is also on the island.

We had lunch at the hotel. It was pricey, but very, very good. It was interesting to see the inside of the hotel. You have to pay $10 each to even get close to it, but if you have the buffet, they credit you for that amount. I considered booking us a room for the night in the hotel until I discovered it would be $700. Too rich for our blood! We settled for lunch instead.

Perhaps the most unique aspect of the island is that cars are not allowed, except for emergency vehicles. Horses or bicycles are the modes of transportation. We took the carriage tour that covered downtown and the State Park.

Carriage on Mackinac Island — Carriages everywhere

Arch Rock was also part of the carriage tour.

Mackinac Island is a truly magical place! It is like stepping back to an earlier time. In fact, the movie, “Somewhere in Time” was filmed on the island. I will need to check on it.

I took lots of additional photos while there. If interested, you can find them on the Big Guy Tiny Trailer Facebook page.

View from Mackinac Island — View from the island

The Island in the Winter

We learned something interesting about the island. In the winter, the ferrys shut down when the lake freezes and the only way to cross the lake is by snowmobile. In fact, they create a path where the ice is frozen and outline it with Christmas trees to make it easier to cross the lake. I would love to experience that!

Tahquamenon Falls

We took the scenic drive to the falls. There were few cars along the drive and the area was generally unpopulated with very little commerce. The Lower Falls are a series of cascades with rowboats available to rent that provide access to an island and hiking trails.

Sault Ste. Marie

Salut Ste. Marie is Michigan’s oldest city, incorporated in 1668 and is currently celebrating 350 years. Its major attraction is the famous Soo Locks, built over 150 years ago to enable ships to navigate the 21-foot drop between Lake Superior and the lower lakes. I never really understood locks before this visit, but now think of them as a bit like an escalator for ships.

The Corps of Engineers operate the Soo and there is a large viewing area for visitors to see ships passing through the locks. We watched two ships pass.

Canada and the United States both have locks along the Saint Mary’s River, which is the connecting waterway to Lakes Superior and Huron. The locks on the Canadian side are used exclusively for recreational vessels. In the photo below, the bridge on the left leads to Canada. We were very close, but did not cross the border because we did not have our passports. Also, we want to see much more when we eventually go to Canada.

Ship passing the locks — Ship passing the lock

The Soo Locks are attributed to enable $500.4 billion of iron ore to be shipped through each year. They are an important resource for this country and have a major impact on the economy. The Visitor Center had an abundance of information about the locks and the their history, including videos.

While in the city, we had a nice lunch at Karl’s Cuisine just down the street from the entrance to the locks. We had a killer bread pudding there.

Shipwreck Museum and Whitefish Point

Whitefish Point is located at a spot on Lake Superior where many shipwrecks have occurred, including the famous Edmund Fitzgerald that sank in 1975, burying 29 crewmen. Gordon Lightfoot tells its story by a song by the same name.

The bell was retrieved in a burial ceremony twenty years later and a replacement bell with the names of all the crew was installed on the sunken ship.

Edmund Fitzgerald bell — Edmund Fitzgerald Bell

The museum had many artifacts about the ships that have gone down in the nearby treacherous waters. There was also a film about the retrieval of the Fitzgerald bell.

Over 300 Recorded Accidents along this coast

For a small additional fee, you can climb the light station, which I did. It was a tight, steep climb, but the view from the top was nice and the tour guide had lots of good information about the area and its history.

That is Lake Superior below, the largest lake in the world based on surface area.

Munising

We chose the Munising area to also visit because we wanted to camp in a more remote area of the Upper Peninsula and we wanted to see Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

We visited Pictured Rocks on our way to Munising. Pictured Rocks are sandstone cliffs along Lake Superior that tower as high as 200 feet. There are many access points for boating and hiking. My husband’s bad leg and my bad shoulder would have made many of the cool spots difficult for us. However, one of the more spectators views, Miners Castle, has a lookout view that was easily accessible.

Miners Castle at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

The view was truly beautiful. We spent about an hour at the viewing area and then headed to our campground.

Widewaters Campground

Widewaters is part of the Hiawatha National Forest and is located between Irwin Lake and the Indian River. It was truly remote! There was no one to check in with when we arrived, but they had our site reserved with our name.

We had a lovely, large, partially-shaded lot. Also, temperatures were very comfortable during our stay, bugs were not an issue, and there were well-maintained vault toilets just across the street. We were aware that there were no electrical hookups and no showers. As we were only there for one night, we felt we could survive.

However, we were expecting access to water near our site, based on the map of the campground. We never found it and I searched twice. Despite the lack of any amenities beyond the vault toilets, we enjoyed our time there.

It was our first opportunity to try out our solar panels and we at least had a chance to become more familiar with them. We used them more extensively on our way home in Kentucky. I have written what we learned about them in a separate post. Solar Panels for Newbies, Access to New Places

We took a short walk to the Indian River, which is on one side of the campground. It was lovely with the shadow of the trees reflected on the water.

The cool temperatures and the lack of hookups meant that we could sleep in the peaceful quiet of the forest without the noise of a fan. I loved that part of our time there!

Regrets

We had a fabulous time in the Upper Peninsula and I don’t regret anything that we did. We tried to squeeze as much as we could during our time there. I do regret that we did not squeeze just a few more things into the trip.

We did not see the Upper Tahquamenon Falls. We were both a little tired when we got to the park and had been driving quite a bit. Also, we have seen quite a few waterfalls lately, so we just left after the Lower Falls. But, we were so close and now looking at the literature, I have major regrets.
I would have liked to have stayed a night near Marquette, the largest city in the Upper Peninsula. We saw the small city of St. Ignace with many nearby attractions and remote Munising, but not we did not see the city in which most Upper Peninsula residents live.
I think we would have enjoyed Shepler’s Lighthouse Cruise along the straits. There was just not enough time.
We did not get an opportunity to try a pastie, an Upper Peninsula traditional meat pie that is eaten by hand. When we were near a place that had them, we were not hungry and when we wanted one, there were none nearby.

So we will just have to return to the Upper Peninsula. Once was not enough!

Michigan Camping, the Lower Peninsula

Michigan Camping

Michigan camping was the third of our four-state summer trip and it was incredible. We camped in three different locations in the lower peninsula and loved them all. However, we needed to purchase a Michigan Annual Pass to avoid entrance fees of $9 per day to the state parks. The annual pass was $32 and was good for Sleepy Hollow and Straits campgrounds in the Upper Peninsula.

Sleepy Hollow State Park

Firstly, we visited Sleepy Hollow State Park in Laingsburg, which was a very nice campground. We had a large, level lot very near the well-maintained bathhouse. It was an electric site, but we did need our extension cord. It was the first time we have ever had to use it. There was a source of water nearby but no water hookup or sewer. Also, there is a beach, lake (Lake Ovid), fishing pier, and Disc Golf Course within walking distance. The site was very reasonable at $29 per night.

We also walked the beautiful shaded path to check out the beach. The beach can also be accessed via the road. It was a very relaxing afternoon.

Sleepy Hollow Beach Path — Path to the beach

Another reason we chose Sleepy Hollow was that it is only about 30 minutes from Lansing, the capital of Michigan. We liked this because there were two attractions we wanted to visit: the Michigan History Center and the R.E. Olds Museum.

Michigan History Center

The History Center is an impressive five-level museum depicting the history of Michigan from prehistoric times through to 1975. It was one of my favorite museums ever! There were tons of actual artifacts plus many dioramas illustrating life in various points in time. Helpful docents were also on every floor.

The museum reminds me somewhat of a Disney Epcot attraction that depicts the history of mankind and what each stage was like. It is a real bargain because admission to the museum was only four dollars.

R.E. Olds Museum

I liked this museum more than I expected. The old cars were beautiful and the story of the founder’s life was also quite interesting.

We finished our day trip to Lansing with a late lunch at the Soup Spoon Cafe, a walk through Old Town, and last but not least, a visit to a local laundromat.

Next, our Michigan camping trip took us to the Upper Peninsula, which is covered in a separate post. Below is a link. The next photo is a view of the Mackinac Bridge and Lake Huron from the Lower Peninsula. The bridge connects the upper and lower peninsulas.

Upper Peninsula: Summer Camping in Michigan

Lake Huron and Mackinac Bridge — Mackinaw City View of Lake Huron

On our way home, our next stop in the Lower Peninsula was at the Platte River Campground in Beulah.

Platte River Campground

Our second Michigan camping in the lower peninsula was at Platte River Campground, which is part of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. This was by far our favorite campground. The site was a huge electric site with an immaculate bathhouse just across the street. There was also a separate enclosed dishwashing room in the bathhouse. We attended an entertaining ranger-sponsored musical performance at the Amphitheater that night.

We only had the site for one night. Before leaving the next day, we drove down a gravel road to check out the dunes. It was fairly early and there was no one there. This was Peterson Road Beach and this area is not the major portion of Sleeping Bear Dunes. I suspect we have missed something by not seeing the major section of Sleeping Bear. Dunes, but there was no availability when we were booking our trip.

The campground and lake were beautiful, but there was not much to do in the nearby area. After spending a little time on the dunes, we headed to our next Michigan camping location in Kalamazoo.

Two Stops Along the Way

Gerald R. Ford Museum

We are trying to visit all the presidential libraries and this trip offered an opportunity to visit the Gerald R. Ford Museum in Grand Rapids. It was right along the way to Kalamazoo.

The library included films and artifacts from the Ford presidential years. It also had quite a bit about the First Lady, Betty Ford. Gerald Ford had the distinction of becoming president without ever running for the office of President or Vice-President. I was impressed by the information provided about his presidency. I think he was a very good man.

The Outdoor Discovery Center

The Outdoor Discovery Center was a detour for us, but it had great reviews and my husband loves animals and birds. It is a nature preserve in Holland, Michigan.

There are two large rooms with taxidermy displays that feature all sorts of animals, which look very lifelike. While we were impressed with the inside of the facility, the nature walk and the Birds of Prey exhibit was the most enjoyable.

The Center rescues Birds of Prey that have been injured and can no longer take care of themselves in the wild. Most had either wing or eye injuries. There were several varieties of owls, two bald eagles, and a falcon. There was also a couple of buzzards. It is not often that we are able to see birds like this up close. However, it was also sad to see these majestic birds in captivity.

It was a lovely walk to the Birds of Prey exhibit, most along a shady boardwalk. There were bird feeders and flowers along the way, which made the walk more interesting.

The Center was really worth the detour, especially considering that admission is free.

Kalamazoo

Our last Michigan camping experience was in Kalamazoo. It was also our first ever boondocking experience. As I understand it, boondocking is free camping. Perhaps this was moochdocking as we were staying on our friend’s property and using their electricity.

We arrived in time for a delicious outdoor meal they had prepared. It was wonderful to watch the sun begin to set over the water. We enjoyed the view and their company.

When our friends mentioned a nearby YMCA, we requested a trip to the gym the next morning. It was our only opportunity to use gym facilities during our trip and we we excited to be able to get some gym-related exercise .

After our workouts, we ate at Breakfast at Tiffany’s and it was awesome. In fact, my favorite breakfast on our entire trip was at Breakfast at Tiffany’s Restaurant in Kalamazoo. Korean BBQ and waffles was the special. It sounded a little weird, but I am so glad I tried it! The dish is fried chicken with Korean barbecue sauce topped with peanuts and diced green onions served over a malted waffle. So good!

Our friends took us sightseeing and we visited nearby Saugatuck that afternoon. It is a lovely area with parks and nice shops.

We returned that night to pouring rain, but our camper kept us very cozy on our friend’s property. The only downside was the very aggressive mosquitoes.

Sadly, our Michigan camping experience was ending. We had a delicious home-cooked breakfast prepared by our wonderful friends and said our goodbyes. So, we headed to Indiana, looking forward to the next adventure. So long lovely Michigan! However, we must return someday.

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