Camping and Retirement Blog - Page 4 of 18

Vermont Camping Summer 2022

Vermont Camping

Vermont camping was a thing of beauty for us for many reasons. For example, the Green Mountains were all around and the state has more than 100 covered bridges. Also, there were picturesque small towns near our campground. So, we we spent lots of time just taking in the sights. From driving through this lovely state in late summer, I can tell that it would be breathtaking in Autumn with the turning of the leaves.

Arlington

Our campground was in the small town of Arlington, population roughly 2,500. It is an old town, established in 1761, with a rich history as the first capital of the state.

The Arlington countryside was gorgeous with very green grass, rustic structures, and mountains as a backdrop.

One very famous Arlington resident was the iconic Norman Rockwell who lived in the town for fourteen years, from 1939 to 1953. The house below was his home while in Arlington, which is now a hotel called Rockwell’s Retreat.

There is a free Norman Rockwell museum at the Sugar Shack. It features the Post magazine covers of the time that Rockwell lived in the area. He used local residents as models quite often.

I especially liked the display below that had information about a self portrait of Rockwell’s.

Just across from Rockwell’s home is the Arlington Green Covered Bridge that was built in 1852 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. We also drove our truck through this bridge.

Vermont Camping on the Battenkill

We spent three nights in Vermont and all our nights were exclusively at Camping on the Battenkill. The campground has much to offer: great location, full hookups, large level sites, beautiful landscaping, large dog park, laundry, and the Battenkill River. Many campers took tubes and floats into the river. I understand it is also a good spot for fly fishing.

Our site was very wide with a lush grass base. I was surprised that the grass does so well being covered with campers and rugs so much of the time.

Below is a photo of the Battenkill. We did not get in it, but I did dip my toes in and it was cold.

Vermont camping on the Battenkill River — The Battenkill River

Manchester

We also visited Manchester, a nearby town. It home to the historic Equinox Resort, built in 1853. Four US presidents have stayed at the hotel and Theodore Roosevelt gave a campaign speech on the lawn. It is said to be the most haunted hotel in Vermont. Mary Todd Lincoln visited in 1864 and planned to come back the next year with her husband, but he was assassinated. Hotel employees have claimed to see the ghost of Mary and a small child. It might be interesting to stay there.

Manchester also has the beautiful First Congregational Church, established in 1784.

First Congregational Church, Established 1784

Lastly, I loved the Manchester countryside with the Green Mountains all around. Note the flying object my camera caught. Not sure what it is.

Bennington

We came through Bennington as headed to our campground and returned a couple of days later. While passing through, we visited the impressive Revolutionary War Battle Monument. We saw it from a distance while stopping at the local Wal-mart. I later learned it is the tallest man-made structure in Vermont.

The monument is for the Battle of Bennington on August 16, 1777 because it was a pivotal victory for Vermont’s Green Mountain Boys, the New Hampshire Militia, and volunteers from Massachusetts. They were protecting provisions stored in Bennington that the British troops were seeking.

Bennington has three covered bridges. Paper Mill Village Bridge below is also on the National Register of Historic Places and was built in 1889. It is 126 ft long and 14 1/2 ft wide. We drove through all the bridges in this post.

Silk Road Covered Bridge was the oldest bridge we saw, built in 1840 and 88 feet long.

Vermont camping and visiting covered bridges — Silk Road Bridge

Robert Frost also lived near Bennington and his former home is a museum. We stopped by and walked around. However, we couldn’t do a tour because it was closed that day. However, it was a beautiful piece of property and I can see how it would be inspirational to Frost.

Vermont Food

We had a couple of good meals, both in Bennington. I had excellent fish and chips with a craft beer at Madison Brewing Company Pub and Restaurant. The fries were especially good. We also had burgers at Jensen’s that were good and very reasonably priced.

We purchased some robust maple syrup, pumpkin butter, apple cider doughnuts, and local raw milk cheese at the Sugar Shack in Arlington. In Manchester, we had some local non-dairy ice cream made by Wilcox Dairy. That was our dinner! We stopped there because they were dog-friendly.

Vermont Camping In Conclusion

Our time in Vermont was lovely. However, it makes me want to come back for the turning of the leaves. Camping in the fall doesn’t work though because most campgrounds close by mid October and we would have difficulty getting home. So, I think we might have to fly up here and rent a car to really see Vermont at its most beautiful.

If interested in other states we have visited, check out , States Visited, a Campsite Resource.

Happy camping!

The Train from Anchorage to Denali

The Train

We opted to fly to Alaska rather than pulling our camper. It is so far away—we just couldn’t envision being on the road so long. The bonus with this strategy was that we could take the train from Anchorage to Denali. It turned several months travel on the road to just over two weeks. I had to share the photo below of Alaska from the plane. It was stunning!

I am happy to say that all our flights to and from Alaska went smoothly. We flew American Airlines to Anchorage and Alaska Air returning home. Alaska Air was my favorite because the planes were nicer and it offered better service on the plane.

We were very happy when our plane landed at the Anchorage airport as our flight from Dallas was almost seven hours. There was a definite “Alaska” feel to the terminal.

Anchorage

Our trip began and ended in Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city. In fact, close to half of all Alaska residents live in Anchorage. It had the feel of many small cities in the lower forty-eight, except for the amazing mountains as a backdrop.

We had a little time in Anchorage before camping and before and after the train. We loved it because of excellent meals and friendly people. Our first night was at the Holiday Inn near the airport. The shuttle was reliable and the manager was excellent. He told us about a Korean restaurant nearby, which we tried and loved.

Our last two nights (before and after the train) in Anchorage was at Crown Plaza. Hotels were fully booked long before we checked in, so I recommend booking early if going in the summer. They also had a shuttle to the airport and gave us an amazing upgrade our last night.

We had great luck with meals in Anchorage, including Moose’s Tooth Pub and Pizzeria and El Jefe Taco Joint.

Alaska Aviation Museum

Our one excursion in Anchorage was to the Aviation Museum. My husband loves anything related to aviation, so he was happy with our choice.

In Alaska, one in five people have pilot’s licenses because so much of the state is not accessible by roads. I found it interesting that Juneau, the capital, is not even fully accessible by road. Consequently, airplanes are an important part of Alaska’s history and life today.

The museum is on Lake Hood and we watched several float planes take off while at the museum.

Float planes were taking off near the museum

Alaska Railroad

We rode Alaska Railroad’s Denali Star and chose the Goldstar Service to Denali and the Wilderness Express car returning to Anchorage. Wilderness Express is a private company that has two cars that are on the back of the train. The Goldstar Service includes dome seating, meals and a couple of drinks and Wilderness Express costs a bit less, but includes no food or drinks.

The food was better on the Goldstar service and was actually cheaper because you are on the train for approximately seven hours and food and drinks are expensive.

However, the Wilderness Express car had an excellent host/narrator who pointed out viewing opportunities, including Denali mountain. Sarah was upbeat, charming and fun! The car also had more comfortable seats and you could charge your devices at your seat, unlike the dome service.

Wilderness Express Car on the train to Denali — Wilderness Express Dome Car

Views From the Train

The trip from Anchorage to Denali takes about seven hours and covers 234 miles. It travels pretty slowly, so one can take in the sights and snap photos without everything passing quickly.

Mountains and rivers were often what we saw on the trip. There were very few people and buildings along the way. Alaska truly is wide open country.

The train went slowly on the 918 feet long bridge over Hurricane Gulch. It is also 296 feet high making it the highest and longest bridge in the Alaska Railroad. The photo below was taken from the back of the rail car.

There is a story about the house below. Many decades ago, the owners wanted to paint it a green that would blend in with the background. This particular shade, however, stood out brightly. It got so much positive attention though, that the owners kept it that color. It became a gathering place for the community.

I love the colors in the mountains and trees for this area.

One area, as you neared Anchorage, had vivid lime green ground cover for miles and miles.

Special Sightings

We were on a bear sighting hunt for all of our two-week trip, but we only saw them as the train was departing the station in Anchorage. It appears that mamma and baby were separated by a fence.

We saw bears from the train — Bears near the Anchorage Station

Denali Mountain is the highest mountain peak in North America at 20,310 feet above sea level and is also the third highest peak on Earth. It is so often covered by clouds that it is estimated that you only have a 30 percent chance of seeing it. While spending two days in Denali, we tried unsuccessfully many times to view it. So we were delighted to finally see it on our way back to Anchorage. It was a sight to behold!

View of Denali Mountain from the train — Denali, the High one, viewed from the train

The photo below was taken from the back of the train after crossing Hurricane Gulch.

View from the back of the train past Hurricane Gulch — Just past Hurricane Gulch

Conclusion

The train was not the least expensive way to get to Denali, but it certainly was a pleasurable trip. To be able to comfortably enjoy such beautiful scenery was a privilege. As we are not likely to get to Alaska again, I am so glad we got to experience the train and the dome views of Alaska.

We also spent ten days camping on the Kenai Peninsula. If you would like to check it out, it’s at Alaska Camping in a Rental RV.

Alaska Camping in a Rental RV

Alaska Camping

We have wanted to go to Alaska for a long time. When camping became our major retirement hobby and we set a goal of camping in all fifty states, it was clear that any trip to Alaska must include camping. We considered pulling our trailer there, but it is such a long trip to just get there and back and it was longer than we like to be away from home. Also, the train to Denali has always seemed so cool and we didn’t want to miss it. Therefore, it was a rental camper for this trip.

The Rental Camper

Great Alaskan Holidays was our choice for a rental company because they had the best reviews. We rented a 22 foot, 2022 Forest River Forrester from them and everything went very smoothly. We have never camped in a Class C, so it was an opportunity to try something new. It had a slide out and an on-board generator, both also new to us.

Alaska Camping — Our first day in the Forrester

I am very happy to say that all went well with the RV. Riding in the cab was not as comfortable as our Ram truck pulling the trailer and the gas mileage was only about 9. 5 miles per gallon compared to about 13 for our trailer. However, it had a more comfortable bed and a fabulous stove, refrigerator, and microwave/ convection oven. I also liked that I could see what was going on in the back and could also get back there if necessary.

Loved the access between the front and back

There was plenty of room in the RV and it was equipped with basic linens, blankets, dishes and cookware. We stocked up with food in Anchorage at the local Walmart.

2022 Forrester — My big guy fits in this!

Alaska Camping on the Kenai Peninsula

The Kenai Peninsula is where many Alaska residents go for vacation because it includes some highly prized towns to visit. I narrowed our trip down to four stops and ten nights. We could have done everything we wanted in eight or nine nights, but didn’t want us to be rushed.

Hope Alaska

Our first campground was Porcupine Campground in Hope. Hope is an old mining town and a popular weekend destination for Anchorage residents with live music. However, we were there on a weekday and absolutely nothing was going on. It would have been nice to see what a weekend would be like.

Porcupine is dry camping in the Chugach National Forest. Our site was nice and our first time operating a slide and using the generator went great. The batteries held well and we only needed minimal generator use. Overnight temperatures were in the mid-forties, but we were very comfortable.

Alaska camping at Porcupine Campground — Site # 33

A few sites are on water on Turnagain Arm. It was beautiful and phenomenal to have such a view right in the campground.

We attempted a short hike, but mosquitoes were quite aggressive. We were not adequately prepared, so we gave up this idea.

Alaska camping in Porcupine campground — A trail in the campground

We we were only in Hope for one night, but our next stop was close, so we spent awhile to explore the town. It was picturesque and rustic.

Hope has a museum dedicated to its mining history. It opened at noon, but we wanted to get on the road before then. We spoke briefly to the museum’s director and she told us to feel free to look around outside. There was quite a bit outside that we checked out.

Kenai Alaska

Diamond M Ranch Resort in Kenai was our next Alaska camping stop. The campground had full hookups, but no beautiful view. There were also very aggressive flies in the campground. Any opening of doors or windows allowed them in by the dozen.

Alaska camping at Diamond M Ranch — Full hookups at Diamond M Ranch

We were in Kenai for two nights and our major sight to see was the Kenai National Wildlife refuge. On the way, we encountered a moose. So exciting!

Moose sighting on side of the road—too slow getting camera

We spent several hours at the refuge. The employees were very nice and informative. They recommended a hike by the lake and a loop. We had bug spray, but it didn’t contain deet. The had complementary bug spray with deet and we used it.

We also visited the City of Kenai. It is a small and quaint town with a wonderful restaurant in Old Town called Veronica’s. The desserts were so good, we stopped there twice. Old Town has several very old buildings, such as the Russian Orthodox Church built in 1841 below.

Holy Assumption Russian Orthodox Church 1841 to present

Homer

Homer was our favorite stop on this trip because it had our favorite campground and extraordinary views. Ocean Shores had full hookups, a nice laundry, and very well-maintained facilities. We were there for three days.

Alaska Camping at Ocean Shores — Ocean Shores Site #19

Our campground had a beautiful view of the mountains, the bay, and the beach below. We walked down to the beach and discovered dark sand and rocks with shapes and colors like I have never seen. Very other worldly. An interesting fact about Homer is that its tides create a variation in water levels by as much as thirty feet within a single day. Boats can become stranded because of this.

The Spit

A big attraction for Homer is The Spit. It is a narrow 4.5 mile jutting out of land into the bay. The harbor, tours, restaurants, and several campgrounds are on it. It is a cool place to visit, but extremely windy.

Homer is known as the Halibut Fishing Capital of the World. We didn’t do any fishing, but we did try the halibut and it was delicious!

Fresh Halibut at Boardwalk Fish and Chips on the Spit

The harbor was a very busy place. We took the Kachemack Bay Wildlife Tour with Seabird Ventures and it was excellent. Davey and his wife, Lindsey, have a small boat and they took us to Gull Island, a rookery where over 15,000 seabirds nest.

While near Gull Island, we saw eagles, common murres, and puffins. We also saw sea otters in the water.

When we returned to The Spit, my husband spied an eagle perched on a pole. He was able to get fairly close. We saw several eagles there.

Homer also has tours by plane or air that will take you to a place where you are likely to see brown bears from a close range. We considered it, but the tours were quite expensive. I think if we had it to do again, we would take the tour despite the cost because we are not likely to have another opportunity to do something like that.

Seward

Seward was the last stop of our Alaska camping adventure and it was an amazing place. We were at Waterfront Campground right on Resurrection Bay. The campground had electricity and water, but few amenities beyond that. However, the view more than made up for it.

Alaska Camping at Waterfront Park — Site #554 Waterfront Park Campground

Resurrection Bay is actually a deep fjord that was carved by ancient glaciers, much like those that can be found in Norway. It is almost a thousand feet deep and is a stop for cruise ships.

Alaska camping on Resurrection Bay — Resurrection Bay

The Alaska Sealife Center is an aquarium and a marine rehabilitation facility in Homer. It provides care for sick and injured marine animals and returns them to their natural habitat. We spent an afternoon there and saw many aquatic birds, seals, and sea lions.

Nearby Kenai Fjords National Park is only accessible by plane or car with the exception of Exit Glacier. We took a six-hour cruise and saw stunning rock formations and mountains. On two separate occasions, we saw orcas from a distance, but sadly they did not rise highly from the water.

We also saw a group of sea lions resting on a cliff from a fairly close perspective.

Glaciers

The highlight of the cruise was Aialik Glacier located in Aialik Bay. It was enormous and pieces of it was falling off into the water. It was so majestic!

The next day, we visited Exit Glacier, a few miles north of Seward. It is part of Kenai Fjord National Park and the glacier can be viewed by taking a mile hike. We took a ranger tour, which made it more interesting. The glacier has been receding since the 1800s and it appears much smaller than Aialik.

Alaska Camping Conclusion

Our Alaska camping adventure was everything we expected and more. We have now camped in thirty-nine states. If interested in reading about our adventures in other states, check out our page, States Visited, a Campsite Resource.

Winter 2022, Florida Camping

Since retirement, we have sought to escape the cold for a few weeks every year and winter 2022 was no exception. Last year, we also went to Florida, Winter in Florida, Two Weeks Early in 2021. This year, we were several hundred miles south in Florida for four weeks. The standout memories for this trip were the time we had with our friends and the beautiful water views.

Topsail State Park, Winter 2022

Winter 2022 camping began at Topsail State Park in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. We booked many months ahead and were able to snag two weeks at this epic park. Our site was roomy, but we were beside the main path and it was a little noisy. Despite that, we loved every day we spent there.

We walked Sophie a lot at this campground and she loved it. The photo below was taken at No Name Lake. Most days during our stay were warm and sunny, but we had a few that were cold and several that were also rainy.

The private beach was just a mile or so from our site, down a road dedicated only to pedestrians and bikes. There is also a tram that runs daily which transports people to and from the beach. We rode our bikes to the beach a couple of times during our stay and walked it once. Sophie stayed in the camper when we rode our bikes.

It was so wonderful to spend some time on the beautiful emerald coast. The beach was glorious!

Winter 2022 at Topsail — Enjoying the beach at Topsail

Restaurants Nearby

I cooked a lot while we were at Topsail, but we did enjoy a few meals out. The most memorable was Emeril’s. It was a rare, bucket list type of experience and a delicious meal. We had a less expensive meal that was equally delicious at Shunk Gulley. Also, we had a nice meal at Thai Chiang Rai.

Winter 2022 at Emeril’s — Dinner at Emeril’s

Gamble Rogers State Park, Winter 2022

Next, we had eight nights at Gamble Rogers beachside and the best views of our entire trip. Our first four nights were not on the waterfront, but we were gifted by access to our friends waterfront site for the last four nights because they had to leave early. It was one of the most beautiful sites we have ever had.

Winter 2022 at Gamble Rogers — Site # 23

Gamble Rogers was special because we were able to spend time with our very good friends, Peggy and Chan. It was chilly for most of their stay, but we still had a great time. Peggy made a special steak dinner for us for Valentine’s Day and it was delicious.

Access to the beach was beside our site. It was lovely, but most days it was rather cold and windy.

The thing about the beachside of Gamble Rogers is that is such a beautiful environment. Sophie took multiple walks every day and got to know a lot of the campers and volunteers. That girl is very sociable.

Day Trips

Gamble Rogers is located near many areas one would want to visit. We took two day trips while there.

Ravine Gardens State Park

A friend recommended Ravine Gardens State Park and it was very pleasant. The 146-acre park has multiple trails and some, like the 1.8 mile paved road below, are very easy to walk. Cars and bikes can also access it. We took our pup and had a very relaxing day.

We were there during the blooming season for azaleas and they were present throughout the park. We also saw citrus fruit along our walk.

We checked out the suspension bridge in one of the ravines and enjoyed a cool view of the trails below.

There is a 64-foot obelisk dedicated to Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was responsible for the the park’s construction in 1933 by the Work’s Progress Administration.

Saint Augustine

Saint Augustine was our second day trip. We have been there before, but did not have time to visit Castillo de San Marcos. The fort is the oldest masonry fortification in the continental United States and has a interesting history. I highly recommend a visit if you are in the area.

We had a fabulous lunch at Harry’s and then a walk along the river. Saint Augustine is a gorgeous city and we had beautiful weather that day.

Presnell’s RV Resort, Winter 2022

Our last campground was Presnell’s in Port St. Joe and we were there for a week. Our site had full hookups and was very comfortable.

Presnell’s has a marina that almost always has visiting pelicans. The campground also has a heated pool, but we didn’t go in during our stay.

The bay was just across from our site and we enjoyed the views most nights. It is truly a beautiful place.

A big plus about our stay was spending time with our friends who were also there. We had bike rides, saw pickle ball played and many great meals with them. Our favorite restaurants were Shipwreck, Mango Marley’s, Indian Pass Raw Bar, and Pepper’s Mexican Grill.

Our winter 2022 camping was so much fun! This could become addictive!

Happy Camping!

Fresh Water Sanitation for Lance 2075

Fresh Water Sanitation

It is important to annually perform sanitation of the fresh water system on RVs. I did an earlier post on this topic, Sanitize the Fresh Water System on the T@B 400. It has general information on why it is necessary. However, it was for our NüCamp 400 and the Lance 2075 sanitation process has a few differences.

Lance Differences

The Truma Combi water heater is in the 2075 and Truma instructs that bleach should not be used in it. See page from Truma Combi manual below.
More bleach is needed in the 2075 because the fresh water tank holds 45 gallons. So, 3/4 cup of bleach is required. (1/4 cup per 15 gallons)
Lastly, one must bypass the Truma hot water heater to perform the Lance sanitation process.

Truma Fresh Water Sanitization — Truma Sanitization Instructions

Fresh Water Sanitation Steps

Empty the fresh water tank.
Perform steps to bypass Truma Combi water heater. (See below)
Put 3/4 cup of bleach (1/4 cup per 15 gallon tank) into a gallon container and fill with water. Pour contents of container into the fresh water tank.
Fill fresh water tank with water.
Use pump to draw water through to all faucets to bring in the bleach water.
Allow bleach water to sit at least three hours or (preferably) overnight.
Drain the bleach water from the tank.
Fill the water tank with fresh water and pull it through the all faucets using the water pump.
Drain the water.
Reverse the steps used to bypass the Truma.

Truma Bypass Valve

Our Lance has a yellow tag near the bypass valve. Once on bypass, I verified that our hot water heater was indeed not taking in water. Water does flow to the hot water faucets, but no water flowed to the Truma. (I could tell because I emptied the Truma and after drawing water to the faucets, it was still empty).

Our valve is right next to the door to the Truma compartment at the bottom. The first photo below shows the normal valve position and the second is in bypass mode.

In Conclusion

The process was easy, but a bit time-consuming. I found that doing this increased my understanding of the Truma.

Happy Camping Y’all

Changes, Retirement Year Five

Many Changes

Year five of retirement was kind to us. Looking back through 2021 photos emphasized that thought for me. It was a year of changes and some challenges, but those changes enhanced our year and our lives. The Covid pandemic that began in 2020 kept us isolated early in the year, with the exception of camping. However, the Moderna vaccine enabled us to be around people more, starting in May.

A Puppy, Our Biggest Change

Our sweet Sophie came into our lives right at the end of 2020 and became our obsession for 2021. We have not had a dog in decades and never one so fully integrated into our lives. However, it was quickly clear that we did not correctly anticipate the amount of work a puppy would bring.

We had many challenging moments. Potty training was certainly not easy. Puppy biting was not fun. But she is now well over a year old and is the sweetest thing.

One of our changes, a puppy — Our puppy, Sophie

Sophie is very smart and has gone through a couple of training courses, Basic Obedience and Impulse Control. She did a great job at Love Them, Train Them. Our greatest challenge today is that she is still excitable when people come into our home and there is way too much trying to jump on them.

One thing that made our life much easier as puppy parents was having a portion of our yard fenced. It gives her a place to run around when she gets the zoomies and we don’t have to watch her every moment she is outside.

Sophie is a great little traveler. She loves riding in the car and we discovered she especially likes being on a boat. We rented a pontoon boat in Carabelle on one of our trips and she was so happy. We will seek out more boating opportunities in the future.

More Changes, A Much Bigger Camper

Last year, we were content with out T@B 400 trailer. It had all the basic comforts in a size that could fit into any campground. We camped in it for three years, but having a dog in that tiny camper was a different story.

After a six-week trip covering over 6 thousand miles, we were happy to welcome our new and much larger Lance 2075 trailer. It is a good size for our now larger family and we feel it is a real beauty. It’s definitely not as cute as the 400, but is so comfortable in our new puppy world.

Changes in our camper — New Lance 2075 Trailer

Last Major Change, a New Truck

So we got a puppy and then felt we had to get a bigger camper. Once we had the bigger camper, we felt we needed a stronger tow vehicle. Though vehicles were scarce, we located a Ram 2500 diesel. It does a much better job of pulling our Lance than our SUV. An added bonus, we traded my husband’s 2016 Camaro convertible that was mostly sitting in the garage for an excellent amount. Win/win!

Changes with a new tow vehicle — Ram 2500, Our last big chance in 2021

Travel in 2021

We were fortunate to be able to take some wonderful trips in this year five of retirement, including two long ones. Our longest trip was out west to The Great Plains, Our Summer Trip in 2021. We were in our T@B 400 and it was tight with the pup, but we managed. We camped in six new states and visited four national parks and many national monuments. It was an extraordinary trip!

Our Lance arrived in August and in time for our other big trip, Lance Shake Down Trip was a Long One. This time we were headed northeast and we were on the road for three and a half weeks. The Lance made it much more comfortable. That trip included three new states, Niagara Falls, and the Roosevelt Museum and Library. That trip made nine new states for us in 2021.

We also took four smaller trips to meet friends in our T@B camping group and two shorter trips to Florida. Needless to say, we love to travel!

Family

I am happy to say that one constant in this fifth year of retirement was family. Though Covid was still an issue, vaccinations enabled us to spend more time with them. We are very grateful that our immediate family remained healthy and prosperous in this year.

Though they live in another state, we are happy we were able to visit our son and daughter-in-law a couple of times. They are well and recently purchased a new home.

Lori and Mitch live fairly close to us and we were able to freely see them once vaccinations were available. They had a good year overall, but Lori got the flu and we were unable to see them for Christmas. The photo below was taken on Memorial Day.

Angie and Steven live relatively close to us and we are happy we are able to spend time with them. The photo below was taken at a celebration of Steven’s birthday.

The photo below is our granddaughter, Kayla, and her family. It was also taken at our house on Memorial Day. Who knew that Memorial Day would be our big get together with photos? They are all doing well and also moved into a new home this year. I am happy that it is just a few miles from us.

I don’t have photos of several of our grandchildren from 2021. We did get to see them, but sadly, we did not take any photos.

Dancing

Dancing was a major part of our retirement life prior to the pandemic. But we danced only a couple of times this past year and none last year. It was so good to dress up and finally get out and see our dance friends.

In Conclusion

I am grateful for so many positive changes in our lives this last year! We are really enjoying the new trailer and tow vehicle. Our sweet puppy was a wonderful, though sometimes challenging change. She is such a joy!

Our family remained healthy overall, which is vitally important in a year where COVID harmed so many. For that, we are very grateful.

Though we are certainly getting older, we remained relatively healthy and able to travel. Every day with my sweet husband is a blessing! We were able to see some incredible parts of our country and meet lots of interesting people. Also, we were blessed to be able to connect with friends.

Lookin forward to 2022 and year six!

December Camping with Friends, 2021

December Camping

December was a great end to our 2021 camping year. We camped with Southeastern Tabs, Tags, and Friends (SETTF) at two great campgrounds, Stephen C. Foster State Park in Fargo, Georgia and Silver Springs State Park in Ocala, Florida. We were also joined for a couple of days by two of our dance friends who formerly lived near us. It was so wonderful seeing everyone!

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

Stephen C Foster State Park is located within the wildlife refuge. It is a small, but well- maintained Georgia State Park. Though we now have a much bigger camper, there was plenty of room on our site.

December camping at Stephen C Foster State Park — Site # 30

We were only there for two nights. Our friends spent their days paddling the rivers, but we didn’t think our shoulder issues would allow it. However, we were able to experience the water on an interpretive tour led by a park ranger.

December camping and on a boat tour — View from Ranger boat tour

Our boat ride was mostly on Billy Lake, near Billy Island, the largest in the area. It was a beautiful day to be on the water and we saw lots of wildlife, including birds, turtles, and alligators. One alligator was quite large and we were fairly close, but when the gator started moving, our ranger moved us away.

There were also several egrets on the water while we were on our ride.

Silver Springs State Park

We were at Silver Springs State Park for four nights and it has become one of our favorites. The park offers an nice campground, excellent paddling opportunities, and good bike trails. We were there with SETTF and were joined by our dance friends for two nights.

The Campground

Our site was nice, but pretty much all the sites in the campground were good—large and level. All had electricity and water, but a few, like ours, had sewer. Unfortunately, the sewer was located at the far back corner of our site and was not useful to us because our hose was not very long.

December camping at Silver Springs State Park — Site # 31 was great

My husband was delighted to see a big gopher turtle in the road. He moved it to an open area near our campsite and it disappeared quickly.

December Camping with Friends

We spent a couple of nights at campfires with members of SETTF and accompanied them as they were putting their kayaks in the water at the Silver River. It looked like so much fun! We learned that the padding was relatively easy there, so we decided to come back later prepared to try it ourselves. So, we came back the next day and did the loop. It was an awesome time! There was lots of wildlife: a manatee, and many turtles, alligators, and birds. However, we didn’t see any monkeys.

December camping and kayaking on the Silver River — Kayak Launch at Silver Springs

We had a few meals with our dance friends and took a ride on the glass bottom boat in the park. It was great to spend time with them.

Views from the Glass Bottom Boat

The glass bottom boat was a very pleasant time on the Silver River. We learned that a glass bottom boat has been operating there since the 1870s. The river, which is estimated to have over 600 springs, has a daily flow of 500 million gallons per day. It was clear with silver hues. It was the setting for multiple Tarzan movies and Creature from the Black Lagoon.

Through the glass bottom of the boat, we saw an ancient canoe and several of the major springs.

The view of the river from the boat and later in our tandem kayak was amazing. It is such a beautiful place!

We saw a manatee underwater and many fish and turtles.

There were several ahingas on the river and it was easy to get a photo because they can’t fly well until their feathers dry. I have never seen them before this trip.

Rawlings Historic State Park

A SETTF friend suggested a stop on our way home at Marjorie Rawlings Historic State Park . Though the house wasn’t open, we are very glad we made the stop. Rawlings is the Pulitzer award-winning writer of the “Yearling” and “Cross Creek”.

Her home and the land is much like it was when she lived there. The photo below was taken from outside. She sat on the porch at that typewriter when she wrote her famous novels.

A really nice park ranger told us a lot about the place and Rawlings’ life. He also gave us some grapefruits from the citrus trees.

December Camping Conclusion

We loved this last trip of the year. The parks were extraordinary and spending time with our friends was wonderful. More of our adventures can be accessed on our webpage, Retirement and camping!

Wishing everyone a merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Lance Shake Down Trip was a Long One

Lance Shake Down Trip

Our Lance shake down trip was much longer than we planned. Our 2075 camper was projected to arrive in May, but it was August when we took delivery from Bankston Motorhomes in Huntsville. We were so excited and Bankston gave us a red-carpet delivery!

It was also just a few days before a long trip that had been on the books for many months. We tried to squeeze in a short trip for the Lance, but it was just too busy a time. However, we did have several days in our driveway where we were able to test some systems and get somewhat comfortable with the Lance.

Our first trip in the Lance was over 2,500 miles, covering six states, with twelve stops, and twenty-four nights. It wasn’t quite as bad as it sounds because we were able to test some of the systems in our driveway and get to know it better. We did not, however, cook in it or sleep in it until the trip.

Towing the Lance

One reason we were unable to do a short Lance Shake down trip was a change in our tow vehicle. We just were not happy with the impact of big trucks on the interstate with our Ford Expedition. The long trip was coming up quickly, so we rushed to purchase a truck and equip it with a bed-liner and cover. Those few days were quite the whirlwind! We managed to acquire a Ram 2500 diesel. It towed the camper well and big trucks did not push us around nearly as much.

Ready for Lance Shake down Trip — New Ram Truck and Lance 2075

The Campsites

We have camped for five years in small, teardrop campers. A twenty-five foot camper was a big change regarding flexibility in campsites. We have not really worried about the size of sites before, but it is definitely a consideration now. This trip involved twelve different campsites, so there were a lot of unknowns.

First Night

Our very first night in the Lance was dry camping at a Harvest Host. It went well and there was plenty of room for us. However, we were uncertain what to expect from the batteries. We only have one solar panel, but it did a good job of keeping the battery up until the sun went down. I set the refrigerator to propane and it was a game changer. It significantly reduced our electrical draw. We used as little power as possible and were able to use the inverter to power our morning coffee. So, this stop confirmed successful operation of the solar panel, inverter, and refrigerator on propane. Yay!

Lance Shake Down Camping — Dry Camping at Silver Springs Vineyard

Five Nights with a Teardrop Camping Group

We have enjoyed camping for several years with Southeastern T@Bs, T@Gs, and Friends. It is always a great time with the wonderful people in the group. This trip we were at Roan Mountain State Park in a bit of a challenging site. My husband had to back in uphill and the truck had to be parked in an angle because the site was not very long. He is an excellent backer though and it went well.

The larger holding tanks in the Lance came in handy for this extended stay. However, we relied on the bathhouse quite heavily and did not do a lot of cooking as we did not bring a honey pot.

Sadly, one of our friends noted an issue with the roof rack. One rail had come undone. It was very disturbing because it was dangerous to travel with it loose. It required getting to the top of the roof. Fortunately, one of our friends who is younger and more limber climbed up and attached it for us. We did not have any kind of an incident that would have caused the rack to come undone and will be requesting warranty repair.

Another Challenging Site

Ohiophyle State Park in Pennsylvania was another stop that was quite challenging. It is in a very mountainous area and many of the campers were in tents. Our site was not level and there was a lot of small hills. We had lifted one side up, but could not get the trailer off the ball because the truck was in a slant. Finally, we had to give up the side leveling to make it work.

This was two nights of dry camping and we made it through okay. Loving the solar panel and propane-burning refrigerator!

The Other Sites

Setting up the Lance in the other nine stops was blissfully uneventful. There was electricity in all nine and they were relatively large and level.

Lance Shake Down Performance

During the trip, everything in the Lance was used. Though we use bathhouses often, we did use the shower. It took some trial and error to figure out the hot water, but we got there. However, it has very limited capacity. The heat, air conditioning, and outside kitchen were also used.

We discovered on the trip that the space under the bed is not aligned properly and is rubbing. The lock is also bent. Additionally, the door is not locking securely. We are taking the camper to Bankston to leave for these and previously identified warranty repairs.

Three New States

We planned this trip to camp in three new states toward our goal of camping in all fifty. The new states were Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. Below are links to individual posts regarding our time in each.

We are looking forward to having the Lance for camping in the remaining ten states in the lower forty-eight. Rentals are planned for Alaska and Hawaii.

Pennsylvania, A New State on a Long Trip Fall 2021

New York, a New State on a Long Trip Fall 2021

New Jersey, New State on Fall 2021 Trip

Room for Our Pup

Our goldendoodle, Sophie, was the main reason we moved from a teardrop to a much larger trailer. We lost our dining area to her crate and also had practically no floor area. It was so much more comfortable in the Lance. One day we were inside the entire day because of heavy rain. It was quite comfortable.

Puppy on Lance Shake Down Trip — Room for Sophie

Lance Shake Down Conclusion

Our Lance Shake down trip confirmed that we are in love with the 2075. It suits our needs in this new puppy-parenting phase of our life. Not too big, not too small—just right! It is a beautiful camper and I am confident we can get our list of issues resolved before our next trip.

Happy Camping!

Pennsylvania, A New State on a Long Trip Fall 2021

Pennsylvania

We have visited Pennsylvania before, but this was our first time to camp there. Our camping included two state parks on the western side of the state and an RV park on the eastern side. Western Pennsylvania is very mountainous and reminds me of West Virginia. We focused on Harrisburg, the State Capital, as we traveled through the eastern portion of the state. It was quite different.

Ohiopyle State Park

Ohiophyle State Park is a highly-rated park because there is so much to do. It has whitewater rafting, rail trail biking, canoeing and kayaking, hiking, and zip lining. The park is a dream if you are young and agile. Unfortunately, we are neither. Therefore, we did not experience some of the park’s finer things.

The Kentuck Campground

The park’s Kentuck Campground was a challenge for us. We arrived later than normal and mistakenly passed our campsite. This led us to a dead end and a need to turn around in an uphill campsite. The Lance is a much bigger camper than out T@B 400 and the space was very tight. Consequently, my husband felt a lot of stress because of the event.

Pennsylvania Kentuck Campground — Site # 155

Our site required a sizable lift to level the trailer. However, the truck was uphill and we couldn’t get the trailer off the ball. The trailer released when we finally gave up on the side-to-side leveling. By that time, it was quite dark. We were also dry camping. It certainly was a stressful set up!

Fallingwater

I wish I could say we were there for all the outdoor activities, but that was not the case. We were there to see one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s most famous creations, Fallingwater. Wright designed it as the summer home for a Pittsburgh businessman. The 1939 house rests over a waterfall and is most impressive. We obtained tickets for an outdoor self-guided tour. We would have needed to book an interior tour in April. I had no idea that kind of lead time was required, so it was outdoors only for us.

It was a beautiful day and the property that surrounds the house was quite extensive. Actually, it was like an easy hike in the woods.

The campground is only a few miles from Fallingwater which was very convenient. It is a very mountainous area and it was a beautiful drive.

Lastly, we had an excellent meal at Brenda’s Family Restaurant. It was just down the road and the food was delicious.

After such a difficult start, our stay at Ohiopyle State Park was great for the rest of our time there. Sometimes, you just have to push through.

Raccoon Creek State Park

Our two nights at Raccoon Creek were very relaxing and low stress. I had to be careful to book a site that allowed pets because they are pet specific. Apparently, it is a requirement for Pennsylvania State Parks. We did, however, have a nice level site. The only negative was hickory nuts that frequently dropped from a nearby tree. We had a little sunshine, but it was mostly cloudy or raining.

We just hung out at the campground for our one full day there. Our day involved a ride to the beach and a drive around the park.

We also stopped at the Wildflower Reserve. It was closed, but I left husband and pup in the car while I looked around.

Wildflower Reserve in Pennsylvania — Wildflower Reserve

I bet it is very nice if you are there at the right time of the year. However, this wasn’t that good time to be there. There were only a few wildflowers, including the strange one below.

Lastly, we had ice cream cones for lunch and hot dogs for dinner. It certainly was not an eating healthy day!

Pennsylvania Capital, Harrisburg

Because we like to visit cities and state capitals, Harrisburg was a natural choice for a stop on the way back home. It is also near Hershey, on our list as well, but we didn’t quite fit it in. Harrisburg’s 2010 population was 49 thousand so it is a good sized city to visit while camping. (We prefer to visit large cities by staying in centrally-located hotels.)

We got a Rover sitter close to our campground in Carlisle for our puppy because we were gone for several hours.

Western Village RV Park

Western Village is a large RV park in nearby Carlisle. It is quite nice. The campground offers full hookups, level, shaded sites, a nice bathhouse, and a laundry. It has a pool too, but it was not open while we were there. I liked that it is so close to Harrisburg.

The Campground’s only negative is that the sites are short. We had to park the truck across the road. It was okay in this instance, but if there had been more cars parked, it could be difficult getting in and out with the camper.

Pennsylvania Western Village Campground — Site #229

Pennsylvania State Capital

Our day in Harrisburg was a Saturday, but happily, the Capital Building was open and a tour was available. The outside of the building is majestic, but the interior is opulent beyond belief.

The photo below is a view from the second floor. It is absolutely gorgeous! In 1903, when President Theodore Roosevelt attended the dedication of the building, he said it was the “handsomest building I ever saw.”

The building cost 13 million at the time it was built and is considered priceless by today’s standards. The dome was inspired by St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and there is an untold amount of 24 karat gold in the building.

While we were there, a Womens Rights Group was holding a rally on the Capital steps protesting the new Texas anti-abortion law.

National Civil War Museum

Typically, the Civil War sites and museums we have visited are dedicated to portions of the war, like Gettysburg. However, this museum covers the war in its entirety.

I liked that it provided a balanced approach to the war and the exhibits offered the perspective from both sides.

One exhibit addressed the cost of this terrible war. I had heard the statistic before, but revisiting it was still disheartening. The Civil War was the most costly war ever in our country’s history in terms of lives lost and human suffering. Approximately 700,000 died and nearly 400,000 were wounded. The number of deaths was greater than the number of lives lost in all other American wars. The loss of livelihood and property was disastrous as well.

There is a bittersweet monument in front of the building. It is dedicated to the act of providing water to suffering soldiers by the opposing side. Both sides performed this act of mercy many times throughout the war.

My husband and I recently toured the Alabama State Capital in Montgomery. I remember our guide discussing that the delegates from the southern states organized a new government, the Confederate States of America, in Montgomery and swore in Jefferson Davis as President. This picture in the Civil War Museum depicts that event. It was interesting to see that link.

The Cork and Fork

The Cork and Fork is a lovely restaurant just a couple of blocks from the capital. We had amazing weather that day and our outdoor table was perfect! The food and service were very good and my handsome date was very attentive.

In Conclusion

I am grateful that we were able to enjoy so much of the things Pennsylvania has to offer on this recent trip. Fallingwater and Harrisburg were both very wonderful to see and the state parks offered an opportunity to experience the Pennsylvania countryside. Other states we have visited can be seen on our page, States Visited, a Campsite Resource.

Happy camping!

New York, a New State on a Long Trip Fall 2021

New York

This was our first camping in New York, but we visited New York City several years ago. First, we stopped for three nights in western New York near Niagara Falls. Second, we spent a couple days in central part of the state in the Finger Lake area. Our last stop for a couple of nights was in the southeastern corner near Hyde Park. Throughout it all, we saw quite a bit of the beautiful New York countryside.

A significant portion of our travel was on interstates and most, if not all, were toll roads. None of the toll stations were manned and they bill using your license plate. I expect we will be getting a sizable bill in the mail after we return home. There were many service center exits and exits for texting, which is not seen in our state.

As we drove close and parallel to the lakes, Lake Erie in particular, it was windy and driving felt uncomfortable. Big trucks passing coupled with the wind made it feel quite treacherous.

Grand Island

Grand Island is just a few miles south of Niagara Falls and we chose it for that reason. Our campground was Branches of Niagara and it was very nice. The bathhouse and laundry were immaculate and modern. We did our only laundry of the trip while there.

The weather was not very nice during our stay. It as overcast or raining most of the three days se were there, but the temperatures were mild.

Branches of Niagara New York — Site # 23

Niagara Falls

We have long wanted to see Niagara Falls and it did not disappoint! The park is beautiful and very well maintained. The falls were incredible!

Our plan was to cross over into Canada as well, but it didn’t work out. I tried to get a sitter for our pup and did not have any luck. We could have left her for several hours in the crate, but we were not comfortable crossing the border under that circumstance. Also, the Covid test that would have gotten us across was $140 each. That seemed too much for just a couple of hours.

Niagara Falls in New York — Beautiful Niagara Falls

What we ended up doing was spectacular because we rode the Maid of the Mist. It is a ride in an electric boat that takes you right under the American and Canadian falls. We really felt the force and magnificence of nature under the falls. I don’t remember seeing my husband happier than he was on that ride. He said it was almost a religious experience.

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Historic Site

Buffalo, New York was very near our campground. So, we took a day trip to see some of the sights. The actual house where Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in as president is a historic site. They did a re-enactment of the circumstances surrounding his taking office. It was quite dramatic because he was sworn in after President McKinley was assassinated.

The guide at the site provided a lot of information about the issues of the day and President Roosevelt’s demeanor. It was definitely worth a stop!

Manilus, New York

Manilus is located in what is known as the finger lake area. The area is very beautiful and there are many quite large, finger-shaped lakes. I chose this area because it was close to where we needed a stop on our route and the state park was highly-rated. Also, I like to book state parks when we visit new states.

Green Lakes State Park

Green Lakes State Park was awesome! The park was beautiful—clean, well-maintained, and nicely-landscaped. We had an amazing corner site with lots of grass around and well-shaded. Our electric site was only $35 a night. We did, however, have to be careful to select a pet site. I also had to show our pup’s vaccination record.

Se used our one free day to just enjoy the park. The two lakes at Green Lakes are a sight to behold. I personally think they should be called Blue Lakes because they are really more like the color of the Caribbean. The two glacial lakes are very deep and are products of the last ice age. The lake appears green because of the presence of calcium carbonate.

In the photo below, the chalky white areas are reefs comprised of living organisms called “microbialites”.

The park allows swimming in the lake from Memorial to Labor Day. One can also rent rowboats and kayaks.

There is a wonderful trail around the lake that is relatively flat and wide. My husband hiked it with me and it was a wonderful afternoon. We encountered these weird-looking mushrooms. I thought they were kinda cool.

Rhinebeck, New York

Rhinebeck is very near Hyde Park and we were there because we wanted to go to the nearby Franklin D. Roosevelt Library. The countryside there was very beautiful.

Interlake RV Park

Interlake was a very cute campground because it was very decorated for Halloween. We had full hookups for $63 a night.

We were just beginning to see some turning of the leaves during the last couple of days in September. The photo below was taken from an empty site in the campground.

Reinbeck New York — Beginnings of Fall Colors

Franklin D. Roosevelt Library

The FDR Library was our main reason for stopping at Reinbeck. We had a full day dedicated to seeing it but discovered that because of Covid reduced hours, it was closed that day.

Our day was spent instead in the camper while it rained heavily and in late afternoon walking the grounds of the library. We were also checking to see if we could tour it as we left the next day with trailer and Sophie in the parking lot. We knew she would be okay with windows open because the high temperature was forecasted to be in the low seventies.

The Roosevelt family home is also on the property, but was not available for tours. It appeared to be undergoing significant work. It was a grand old home for its time with an incredible view from the rear.

FDR’s home in Hyde Park New York — Roosevelt home in Hyde Park

Careful planning made the strategy work. We had scoped out a corner of the parking lot and had sandwiches ready for lunch so we wouldn’t have to stop on the road to make up for the late start.

Entrance into the library required tickets and a specific time. We obtained the earliest possible tickets. They were for 11:30. So, we were able to spend about an hour and a half touring the library.

I learned that this was the first ever presidential library and the presidential office in the photo below is only office in a presidential library that was actively used by a president.

Val-Kill

We also stopped by Val-Kill, which was Eleanor’s home for a number of years. The home was not open, but you could tour the property. It was nice to see.

The Great Lakes

We have now seen all five of the Great Lakes. Before this trip, Lakes Ontario and Erie were outstanding. While on a day trip to Buffalo, my husband and I drove to Wilkeson Pointe Park to see Lake Erie. It was a cold and very windy day, but I managed to put my hands in the water.

While camping at Branches of Niagara, we drove to Porter on the Lake Town Park to access Lake Ontario. It was getting close to dusk and the lake was quite beautiful.

In Conclusion

I never expected New York to be so beautiful. Two places we really wanted to visit on our trip, Niagara Falls and the FDR Library, are there and were the highlights of this long trip. Each stop in the state was different, yet very special.

Conversely, the worst thing thing on our trip also happened in New York. I got a ticket that will be almost $200 for taking a trailer on the Taconic Parkway. Evidently, everyone in New York knows that you can’t take a trailer on any “Parkway”, but this Alabama gal was oblivious to the rule.

Check out our adventures in other states on our page, States Visited, a Campsite Resource.