Indian Lake State Park MI

Aug 14, 2012 Wed
So I left the lovely little park on Lake Superior and headed east. I stopped at a Michigan Welcome Center and after explaining my travel plans and interests to the young woman behind the counter she suggested I check out Indian Lake State Park and Seney National Wildlife Refuge. So off I went. Indian Lake SP campground is a well maintained campground with a decent amount of space between sites. All sites have electrical hookups.

Indian Lake State Park Michigan's Upper Penninsula

Sunset on Indian Lake MI

Manisitque Lighthouse Michigan's Upper Penninsula

Saxon Harbor - Iron County - Boat Harbor and RV Park

Aug 13, 2012 Mon

I made it out of Minnesota and across Wisconsin today. The people up here have an interesting accent. I was just minutes away from the Michigan border when I saw a sign that said “County Park and Camping”. The arrow pointed toward Lake Superior. I drove 5 miles down one of those county roads with no line in the middle. I came to a small but pleasant park. This turned out to be Saxon Harbor, Iron County, Boat Harbor and RV Park. Such a big name for such a little park.  The park included a boat harbor, a sandy swimming beach with a dozen or so people lounging on the beach and playing in the water, and a rock beach where, I was told, you could find agates. I probably walked right over dozens of agates. Where’s Sandy Tuet when you need her? It was a calm day on Lake Superior. The waves could be measured in inches. I walked the beach for a while and watched people feeding the Ring-billed Gulls. Then I returned to the trailer, with not one agate, and was having a quiet dinner when all of a sudden I heard someone singing Margaritaville to a Kareoke machine. The gentleman singing actually had a rather pleasant voice. It seems there is a family from the area that has a tradition of meeting and singing at this campground every year. The family was very friendly and even invited me to sing. I assured them they wanted no part of me singing and then discovered part of the family was not really as good as the first gentleman – not even close.

A couple of the women wanted a tour of my trailer and also wanted to know all about my travels. I keep getting the same reaction where ever I tell my story. “I would love to do that. I dream about doing that. Someday - maybe.”  I keep telling them that I used to say the same things and here I am.
I was purchasing a map in a convenience store a while back and I said to the lady behind the counter that it’s always good to know where you are going. She replied that might not always be true. I said to her  “then maybe you should change your direction”. She smiled. I guess that was a bit presumptive on my part, but I just couldn’t help myself.

Lake Superior

Saxon Harbor - Iron County - Boat Harbor and RV Park

Headwaters of the Mississippi River

Aug 12, 2012 Sun

This is my last night at Itasca State Park in Minnesota. This park has been on my bucket list for a long time. I grew up on the banks of the Mississippi River in a small town in MO. I’ve always wanted to see were all that water comes from. Well I found out it really starts out as a small trickle over some rocks flowing out of Lake Itasca. Someday maybe I’ll follow it all the way to New Orleans to see how wide it gets at different locations.

On July 2, 2012 a storm with winds of 80 mph toppled many trees in the park. I saw trees that were snapped like match sticks all over the park. I’ve included a couple of photos. It must have been a very scary time to be here. One of the toppled trees was right next to my camp site.
The park was established in 1891. It is Minnesota’s oldest state park. Today the park totals more than 32,000 acres and includes more than 100 lakes.

It has barely reached 70 deg the whole time I’ve been here. That sure is a pleasant contrast to the 100+ deg’s almost every day I was in MO waiting for my truck repairs to be completed.

While I was in the area, I took a side trip to Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge. I saw a few trumpeter swans and ducks, but not the amount of birds I was hoping for. I’ve seen a few loons on the lakes here in the park, but only from quite a distance. I’ll be continuing my journey to the northeast in the morning.

The Mighty Mississippi River becgin with a trickle in the fog

Had to get here at dawn to get a photo without dozens of people walking across the Mississippi

Caretaker Woman
In Ojibwe culture it is believed that women are the caretakers of the water. The turtles represent universal cycles of life to the Ojibwe

Tree Damage 1

This was right next to my trailer. Glad I wasn't here during the storm.

Tree Damage 3



Elk Lake empties into Lake Itasca

Tour Boat on Lake Itasca

Hey the magic bus is in the campground

On The Road Again

Aug 6, 2012 Mon
As Willie says “On The Road Again”. After making a stop at the tire shop and swapping a couple of tires on the trailer I hit the road. Made it as far as Wakonda SP in MO. It was a nice park, with a beach volleyball area. Lots of bugs. I had electric hookups and picked up NBC out of Quincy IL so I stayed in and watched the Olympics. I think electric and TV might be on my priority list until the Olympics are over.
Tuesday I made it to Waterloo IA with a stop at the Iowa information center in Burlington. Spending the evening watching Olympics.

While waiting for the body work on my truck to be completed.

Aug 3, 2012 Fri

I picked up my truck from the body shop just as it was getting dark. The front end looks great. I had them change the oil as it was overdue. Good to have the truck back.
It was over 100 deg F almost every day I was in MO so I didn’t do much outdoor activity.
My niece and I made a trip to Confluence SP. This is where the Mississippi and Missouri rivers meet. Here are a few images I managed to capture.



Ruby-throated Hummingbird in the Rain

Marie throwing rocks. The rock leaving the right hand is going into the Mississippi River. The rock leaving the left hand is going into the Missouri River.

The top of the pole is where the water level was in the 1993 flood.

Mural on a building in Alton IL

Restored Texaco Station in DeSoto MO
The old car clubs love it

Pirate Ship Gypsy Rose on the Mississippi River at Alton IL

Race to get bumper damage repaired

July 10, 2012 Tues
I left Green Trees Crazy Woman campground at 6:00 AM. I drove until 9:00 PM when I stopped at the Wal-Mart in Council Bluffs IA. I hit the road the next morning at 6:00 and arrived at my niece’s house in Hillsboro MO at 3:00 PM. According to Google maps that was 1,110 miles. I was VERY tired when I arrived, but I wanted to expedite the repairs that needed to be made to my truck. When I was parked at the Laundromat in Gillette a man backed into my truck and damaged the left front bumper. Now I'm sitting here waiting for my insurance adjuster to call back. UGH!!!!

2012 RVW Convention and Solo Ralley

June 28, 2012 Thur

Arrived at Green Trees Crazy Woman campground in Gillette for the preconvention rally of the Solos Chapter of RVW. Some of the women visited a few of the local sites and went to dinner. I stuck around the campground and rested and just enjoyed visiting with the gals. Early one morning I did manage to drive on a wildlife tour loop. I found several Pronghorn Antelope and a few birds.
The last day at the campground one of our members opened the door to her rig to take her dog out and the dog saw a rabbit and leapt out of the rig pulling Carolyn head first out the door and down the stairs. Carolyn landed on her back and was unable to get up. She was discovered some time later by one of our group and an ambulance was summoned. After spending some time in the hospital x-ray lab it was determined that she had four broken ribs. This was the day we were to move over to the camplex and join the convention. Two women moved Carolyn’s rig to the complex, but she was unable to climb the stairs of her rig so she moved into the motel across the street from the camplex. One of our RVW members is a chaplain with the Red Cross and not only stayed with Carolyn in the hospital, but spent the next week with Carolyn in the motel. I took Carolyn’s dog Cassie with me. Cassie and I spent the next week together. Cassie was very confused and a bit traumatized. I felt the best thing I had to offer her was my time and a lot of TLC. We spent a lot of time in Carolyn’s rig and this seemed to help keep the puppy calm. After the convention was over the same wonderful women that had moved Carolyn’s rig once again moved it back to Green Trees Crazy woman campground. Carolyn was then well enough to get into her rig. Cassie was the happiest dog in the world when she came home from a walk and found momma back home. It took two of us to keep Cassie from jumping on Carolyn. Cassie eventually calmed down and all was right with the world.
Carolyn decided she would stay at the campground for at least a couple of weeks to see if she could feel well enough to drive back to CA. The wonderful young man that runs the campground agreed to walk Cassie twice a day during Carolyn’s recovery.
Between the Solo’s members and the FreeWheelers members, errands were run, shopping was done, laundry was done, and Carolyn was able to attend a couple of the convention events in a wheelchair. What a fantastic group we are.



I'm gonna miss my precious Cassie

Hey did you forget something?