Thanksgiving was spent here at Turkey Creek RV Park in Hollister. The park manager organized a meal whereby the park provided turkey and gravy and those in the park provided their favorite side dishes. To pay for the turkey, guests were charged $2 each for the meal.
About 20 people shared the meal. Prepared dishes ranged from the traditional mashed potatoes and green bean casserole to the unusual--homemade noodles in gravy. Desserts, salads and breads were aplenty. Donna made acorn squash and scalloped corn. We both ate too much. I did miss the late night leftover turkey for sandwiches though.
Since there was so much food remaining, we reconvened on Friday night to finish off the 40 pounds of turkey and the remaining go-withs. Again we ate too much but we did score some left over turkey to return home with for late night snacking.
It was a good day--the temperature reached into the 60s with a bright sun, and both the Lions and Cowboys lost their NFL games. Not quite like being home but not bad.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Elfish Problems
One of the problems living in an RV is seldom being able to find what you want when you need it. Things disappear. Of course, in a stick house things disappear also. But you would think that in an RV with its smaller square footage, things would not get as lost as they do. There are only a few places to hide--no attics, basements, garages or storage rooms. I think that some things just don't like where they are placed and mysteriously move sometime in the middle of the night. Maybe that's what wakes me at 3 AM? I thought it was just the nightly freight train.
Recent case in point: Donna has been enlisted as an honorary Santa's Elf. She planned ahead. She brought out her sewing machine. She visited fabric stores to buy the necessary material and go-withs. Here in the Branson area, that in itself is a quite a chore. There are no fabric stores. A Walmart in West Branson--20 miles and 45 minutes from us--was found to carry usable fabric, thread and patterns. Two other nearby Walmarts do not carry any fabric at all. Donna bought her necessities and was excited to begin her sewing project for that jolly old man from up north.
The dining table was cleared and an additional leaf was inserted to give more space. Patterns were lain out, pinned and cut. The sewing machine was dusted off, the task lamp was placed just right and other sewing needs were placed to be handy. But wait. What's this? No electrical cord for the sewing machine! Several choice words were spoken and/or left unsaid. A search high and low was begun to locate that wayward power cord. But where could it be hiding? Did you check there? Yes. There? Of course I did. The cord must have escaped during the night as she was sure it was right there with the machine. Nope.
After several hours of consternation and tearing through this house on wheels, the problem was solved. The cord must have been left 600 miles north of here in a storage shed. It was placed in a bag of also missing books all prepped for a journey south. Apparently, the bag desired a colder climate.
Several choices were available. (1) Wait until we go north for the holidays to retrieve the cord and sew like mad to meet Santa's demands. (2) Order a new cord from the Internet. (3) Try to buy one locally. (4) Punt. The first option was impractical so Donna searched the Internet and found a cord for her Brother brand machine. With shipping it would have cost nearly $40. Not gonna happen. Considering the problem finding even a spool of thread locally, finding a shop which carries a power cord for a specific machine seemed far out of the question. The Internet save the day. Donna located a sewing machine repair facility and other possible shops in Springfield--about 40 minutes north. Road trip.
We left shortly after breakfast and after the commuter traffic had eased. Donna got out her phone and activated the GPS to ensure we could find the primary location. If that store did not have the cord, she also had a second possible place. We got into Springfield and merged onto another four lane highway. Turn here, she said. Where? The driver was obviously not in tune with the demand. There! Why is it that it is always the driver's fault? Oops, missed the exit. OK, we will try this other place first and then come back. We found our destination--a sewing machine shop and classroom on the southwest side of Springfield, Told the clerk of the problem. Cord was identified in a catalog. They could get the cord in two weeks for $16. Maybe we should try the primary shop first and then, if they don't have it, we could return and order from here. As we were about to leave, one clerk said to the other "Couldn't we just take one from one of the used machines?'" "That should work" came the reply. Sure enough. They had the perfect cord on a used machine. Only the cord was brand new. Someone else must have had the same disappearing cord problem. Donna exchanged $9 for a new cord. Eureka (oh, Brother!).
So we are with cord and happy. Santa has been reassured, and project deadlines will be met, The cold rain has given way to a bright, cloudless sky.
Today is a good day.
Recent case in point: Donna has been enlisted as an honorary Santa's Elf. She planned ahead. She brought out her sewing machine. She visited fabric stores to buy the necessary material and go-withs. Here in the Branson area, that in itself is a quite a chore. There are no fabric stores. A Walmart in West Branson--20 miles and 45 minutes from us--was found to carry usable fabric, thread and patterns. Two other nearby Walmarts do not carry any fabric at all. Donna bought her necessities and was excited to begin her sewing project for that jolly old man from up north.
The dining table was cleared and an additional leaf was inserted to give more space. Patterns were lain out, pinned and cut. The sewing machine was dusted off, the task lamp was placed just right and other sewing needs were placed to be handy. But wait. What's this? No electrical cord for the sewing machine! Several choice words were spoken and/or left unsaid. A search high and low was begun to locate that wayward power cord. But where could it be hiding? Did you check there? Yes. There? Of course I did. The cord must have escaped during the night as she was sure it was right there with the machine. Nope.
After several hours of consternation and tearing through this house on wheels, the problem was solved. The cord must have been left 600 miles north of here in a storage shed. It was placed in a bag of also missing books all prepped for a journey south. Apparently, the bag desired a colder climate.
Several choices were available. (1) Wait until we go north for the holidays to retrieve the cord and sew like mad to meet Santa's demands. (2) Order a new cord from the Internet. (3) Try to buy one locally. (4) Punt. The first option was impractical so Donna searched the Internet and found a cord for her Brother brand machine. With shipping it would have cost nearly $40. Not gonna happen. Considering the problem finding even a spool of thread locally, finding a shop which carries a power cord for a specific machine seemed far out of the question. The Internet save the day. Donna located a sewing machine repair facility and other possible shops in Springfield--about 40 minutes north. Road trip.
We left shortly after breakfast and after the commuter traffic had eased. Donna got out her phone and activated the GPS to ensure we could find the primary location. If that store did not have the cord, she also had a second possible place. We got into Springfield and merged onto another four lane highway. Turn here, she said. Where? The driver was obviously not in tune with the demand. There! Why is it that it is always the driver's fault? Oops, missed the exit. OK, we will try this other place first and then come back. We found our destination--a sewing machine shop and classroom on the southwest side of Springfield, Told the clerk of the problem. Cord was identified in a catalog. They could get the cord in two weeks for $16. Maybe we should try the primary shop first and then, if they don't have it, we could return and order from here. As we were about to leave, one clerk said to the other "Couldn't we just take one from one of the used machines?'" "That should work" came the reply. Sure enough. They had the perfect cord on a used machine. Only the cord was brand new. Someone else must have had the same disappearing cord problem. Donna exchanged $9 for a new cord. Eureka (oh, Brother!).
So we are with cord and happy. Santa has been reassured, and project deadlines will be met, The cold rain has given way to a bright, cloudless sky.
Today is a good day.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Down and Out in Branson
Since arriving in Branson, we have had some issues with our trailer. First, we noticed a significant smell of propane on the outside of the rig whenever we turned on the propane. And second, our kitchen sink no longer drained into the holding tank but onto the fabric underbelly of the trailer instead.
The propane issue being the most urgent and significant caused immediate reaction. We have a fixed 70 pound tank welded to the frame of the trailer--like a motorhome's. This is an unusual setup for a trailer. The tank is controlled by an electronic switch to allow propane service to be on or off. When off, no leak was detected. When on, a very significant leak occurred. After a little research, we determined that the regulator needed to be changed. It is the original 8 year old regulator and they are known to develop leaks. Since I am not comfortable with gas, I called a mobile RV repair person to come and (1) determine cause of leak and (2) repair it. After a few days, the technician showed up and believed that it was indeed a regulator problem. He said he would return tomorrow with a regulator. Well tomorrow came and went several times. Temperatures fell below freezing on several of these "tomorrows" so we were without a furnace. Fortunately, we have two 1500 watt ceramic electric heaters which work quite well though they do not heat the underbelly of the trailer (and the water tank and pipes) like the furnace does. Finally he appeared with his daughter in tow (perhaps 20 years old). He began explaining to her how to remove the regulator and how to install the new one. It was quite obvious that she had never done so before. He explained that she needed to do it for him as he had a medical condition and could not use his arms while laying on his back. I told him that she was not a certified tech and, therefore, would not be doing the work on our trailer. He left understanding my concerns.
I then called another mobile tech--recommended by the manager of the campground. He said he would be at our door by 10:00 AM tomorrow. He showed on time with an assistant. He too believed the problem was the regulator and installed a new one. However, the leak persisted. He felt that the second leak was somewhere in the enclosed underbelly of the trailer. However, he couldn't get to it as the trailer rides low and needed to be jacked up at least a foot to remove the protective underbelly in order to work under the trailer. He said they could not do that on site. He recommended a nearby repair shop. He also stated that our kitchen sink was draining onto the underbelly fabric and not into the 30 gallon holding tank. He stated that this occurs periodically and was sure the holding tank had become dislodged from the trailer frame. He spoke with the repair shop, Allen's RV, and told them what the problems were and made arrangements for us to get the repairs done. All in all, these mobile techs were in and around our trailer for about an hour. He charged us only $25 for the part and apologized for not being able to fix the problem himself. We were grateful for his help and would highly recommend them, Branson RV, to anyone needing service in the area.
So we took our trailer to Allen's RV for the repair. Upon dropping it off, we were told that they couldn't guarantee that we would get the trailer back the same day as they wouldn't know how significant the problem was until they actually saw the damage. We were told if the holding tank was damaged, it could not be fixed in one day. But hopefully, no damage was done to the tank. He also said that the propane leak would be fairly easy to find and fix. By late afternoon, there was hope we would have the trailer back but we did plan for a stay in a hotel in case of the worst. Unfortunately, we soon learned that we did indeed need a hotel for the night. We were told that the holding tank was not damaged though a feeder pipe (plastic) to it was broke when the tank fell from the frame. They strapped the tank and replaced the pipe. That was accomplished by late afternoon. The propane issue was problematic. A flair at the end of a copper propane pipe had cracked and either the pipe needed to be replace or reworked to provide enough slack to reconnect the fitting. The repair would require more time than anticipated. So we were hotel bound for the night. By early the following afternoon, the repairs were complete and we had our house on wheels back. They were able to slice about a 1/8 inch from the copper pipe and rework it without needed to replace the pipe. The owner was very apologetic about needing our trailer overnight and fully explained the problems encountered. Again, we were please with the work and were pleasantly surprised at the cost of the repairs. He had two technicians working on the trailer for a day and a half and charged us $550. In our home area, hourly labor rates run at minimum $100 an hour. Again, we wouldn't hesitate to recommend Allen's RV in Hollister to anyone needing service on their RV.
We were mentally prepared to spend the night in a hotel if the repair was going to take longer than one day. We checked reviews and prices of area hotels and found many of them highly suspect. As this is a tourist area, many on the hotel beds do not cool off between guests. Therefore, they are well worn and many are described as dirty or "nasty." We had always wanted to visit the community of Ozark which is about 20 miles north towards Springfield. So we opted to spend the night in a highly recommended hotel, Comfort Inn, in Ozark. The room was problem free, breakfast was included and we saved about $50 by driving there. Ozark itself, however, was a disappointment. Signs on the freeway tout "historic downtown Ozark." What the signage doesn't say is that downtown Ozark is a city square with a courthouse and county buildings, a plethora of attorney and bail bond offices and a couple of antique stores and one small cafe. It wasn't worth the detour from the highway.
So we are now back "home" and have a propane fired furnace and stove as well as use of a kitchen sink that drains where it's supposed to drain. Ah, home at last.
The propane issue being the most urgent and significant caused immediate reaction. We have a fixed 70 pound tank welded to the frame of the trailer--like a motorhome's. This is an unusual setup for a trailer. The tank is controlled by an electronic switch to allow propane service to be on or off. When off, no leak was detected. When on, a very significant leak occurred. After a little research, we determined that the regulator needed to be changed. It is the original 8 year old regulator and they are known to develop leaks. Since I am not comfortable with gas, I called a mobile RV repair person to come and (1) determine cause of leak and (2) repair it. After a few days, the technician showed up and believed that it was indeed a regulator problem. He said he would return tomorrow with a regulator. Well tomorrow came and went several times. Temperatures fell below freezing on several of these "tomorrows" so we were without a furnace. Fortunately, we have two 1500 watt ceramic electric heaters which work quite well though they do not heat the underbelly of the trailer (and the water tank and pipes) like the furnace does. Finally he appeared with his daughter in tow (perhaps 20 years old). He began explaining to her how to remove the regulator and how to install the new one. It was quite obvious that she had never done so before. He explained that she needed to do it for him as he had a medical condition and could not use his arms while laying on his back. I told him that she was not a certified tech and, therefore, would not be doing the work on our trailer. He left understanding my concerns.
I then called another mobile tech--recommended by the manager of the campground. He said he would be at our door by 10:00 AM tomorrow. He showed on time with an assistant. He too believed the problem was the regulator and installed a new one. However, the leak persisted. He felt that the second leak was somewhere in the enclosed underbelly of the trailer. However, he couldn't get to it as the trailer rides low and needed to be jacked up at least a foot to remove the protective underbelly in order to work under the trailer. He said they could not do that on site. He recommended a nearby repair shop. He also stated that our kitchen sink was draining onto the underbelly fabric and not into the 30 gallon holding tank. He stated that this occurs periodically and was sure the holding tank had become dislodged from the trailer frame. He spoke with the repair shop, Allen's RV, and told them what the problems were and made arrangements for us to get the repairs done. All in all, these mobile techs were in and around our trailer for about an hour. He charged us only $25 for the part and apologized for not being able to fix the problem himself. We were grateful for his help and would highly recommend them, Branson RV, to anyone needing service in the area.
So we took our trailer to Allen's RV for the repair. Upon dropping it off, we were told that they couldn't guarantee that we would get the trailer back the same day as they wouldn't know how significant the problem was until they actually saw the damage. We were told if the holding tank was damaged, it could not be fixed in one day. But hopefully, no damage was done to the tank. He also said that the propane leak would be fairly easy to find and fix. By late afternoon, there was hope we would have the trailer back but we did plan for a stay in a hotel in case of the worst. Unfortunately, we soon learned that we did indeed need a hotel for the night. We were told that the holding tank was not damaged though a feeder pipe (plastic) to it was broke when the tank fell from the frame. They strapped the tank and replaced the pipe. That was accomplished by late afternoon. The propane issue was problematic. A flair at the end of a copper propane pipe had cracked and either the pipe needed to be replace or reworked to provide enough slack to reconnect the fitting. The repair would require more time than anticipated. So we were hotel bound for the night. By early the following afternoon, the repairs were complete and we had our house on wheels back. They were able to slice about a 1/8 inch from the copper pipe and rework it without needed to replace the pipe. The owner was very apologetic about needing our trailer overnight and fully explained the problems encountered. Again, we were please with the work and were pleasantly surprised at the cost of the repairs. He had two technicians working on the trailer for a day and a half and charged us $550. In our home area, hourly labor rates run at minimum $100 an hour. Again, we wouldn't hesitate to recommend Allen's RV in Hollister to anyone needing service on their RV.
We were mentally prepared to spend the night in a hotel if the repair was going to take longer than one day. We checked reviews and prices of area hotels and found many of them highly suspect. As this is a tourist area, many on the hotel beds do not cool off between guests. Therefore, they are well worn and many are described as dirty or "nasty." We had always wanted to visit the community of Ozark which is about 20 miles north towards Springfield. So we opted to spend the night in a highly recommended hotel, Comfort Inn, in Ozark. The room was problem free, breakfast was included and we saved about $50 by driving there. Ozark itself, however, was a disappointment. Signs on the freeway tout "historic downtown Ozark." What the signage doesn't say is that downtown Ozark is a city square with a courthouse and county buildings, a plethora of attorney and bail bond offices and a couple of antique stores and one small cafe. It wasn't worth the detour from the highway.
So we are now back "home" and have a propane fired furnace and stove as well as use of a kitchen sink that drains where it's supposed to drain. Ah, home at last.
Monday, November 5, 2012
On the Road South 2012
We left De Forest on Wednesday, October 31, for our winter destination: somewhere south. Late fall had settled into south-central Wisconsin with the thermometer dropping into the mid 20s at night and then rising into the 40s during the day. Some days were warmer, some cooler. That dose of weather reality and the fact that the campground was closing on November 01, led us to pack up and head for a south-bound highway.
We had planned to drive only until we made it through the St. Louis traffic mess. Of course, whenever we hit a major city, we time it just right to be there for the the rush hour snarl. It's a tradition with us. We drove only 430 miles on Wednesday and stopped for the night in Sullivan, Missouri--about 60 miles west of the Illinois border on I-44. We stayed the night at at a Flying J truck stop. This station has separate fuel lanes for RVs with dump stations, water, and propane available. It was a decent place to join many other south-bound RV travelers. It also had a decent Denny's restaurant in which we dined in the evening and morning.
In the morning we continued west on I-44 until we hit Springfield where we veered south onto US 65 toward Branson. US 65 was put through the frontier before the terms "flat" and "straight" were invented. It is a 4 lane road with very steep but picturesque grades. The closer to Branson we got, the more the road rose and dove through the Ozark mountains of southwest Missouri. I am sure we eked out a meager 1 mpg up the hills and got at least 180 mpg going down! We arrived at Turkey Creek RV Village in Hollister about 11:30 AM--less than a 200 mile morning drive.
Just eleven miles north of the Arkansas state line, Hollister lies directly across Turkey Creek from "historic" downtown Branson. Hollister boasts that it is home to the first iron bridge in Taney County (still standing). It also boasts of its first traffic light downtown which we were fortunate enough to be one of the first to stop at with other traffic.
So why are we here. Neither of us are fans of the local Country/Gospel music or Christmas shows ad nauseum. We are here because of convenience. If we go back home for Christmas, we will leave our home on wheels here and drive the 620 miles north to reality. This RV park is part of the Escapee system which offers reasonable rates for us and it lies in the general direction of our final destination in Texas. So we did not come for the tourist attractions, we came for a safe and reasonable place to park. And Donna wanted to see the new traffic light.
We expect to be here for at least a month if the weather cooperates. After that we expect to hit the road again and travel to the land of the Bushes--Texas. I am sure good ole George Jr. will greet us with wide open arms. I wonder if they have any new traffic signals down there in Texas?
We had planned to drive only until we made it through the St. Louis traffic mess. Of course, whenever we hit a major city, we time it just right to be there for the the rush hour snarl. It's a tradition with us. We drove only 430 miles on Wednesday and stopped for the night in Sullivan, Missouri--about 60 miles west of the Illinois border on I-44. We stayed the night at at a Flying J truck stop. This station has separate fuel lanes for RVs with dump stations, water, and propane available. It was a decent place to join many other south-bound RV travelers. It also had a decent Denny's restaurant in which we dined in the evening and morning.
In the morning we continued west on I-44 until we hit Springfield where we veered south onto US 65 toward Branson. US 65 was put through the frontier before the terms "flat" and "straight" were invented. It is a 4 lane road with very steep but picturesque grades. The closer to Branson we got, the more the road rose and dove through the Ozark mountains of southwest Missouri. I am sure we eked out a meager 1 mpg up the hills and got at least 180 mpg going down! We arrived at Turkey Creek RV Village in Hollister about 11:30 AM--less than a 200 mile morning drive.
Just eleven miles north of the Arkansas state line, Hollister lies directly across Turkey Creek from "historic" downtown Branson. Hollister boasts that it is home to the first iron bridge in Taney County (still standing). It also boasts of its first traffic light downtown which we were fortunate enough to be one of the first to stop at with other traffic.
So why are we here. Neither of us are fans of the local Country/Gospel music or Christmas shows ad nauseum. We are here because of convenience. If we go back home for Christmas, we will leave our home on wheels here and drive the 620 miles north to reality. This RV park is part of the Escapee system which offers reasonable rates for us and it lies in the general direction of our final destination in Texas. So we did not come for the tourist attractions, we came for a safe and reasonable place to park. And Donna wanted to see the new traffic light.
We expect to be here for at least a month if the weather cooperates. After that we expect to hit the road again and travel to the land of the Bushes--Texas. I am sure good ole George Jr. will greet us with wide open arms. I wonder if they have any new traffic signals down there in Texas?
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
More Water
We found more water in several spots during our tour of northern Wisconsin. Though, with over 14000 lakes in Wisconsin, that effort is not difficult.
We found falling waters at Pattison State Park which lies south of Superior. Here is found Manitou Falls. At 165 feet, it is the highest waterfall in Wisconsin. The falls, though, can be easily hidden.
A better view:
To get a better sense of scale, Donna can be seen in the upper left standing on an observation platform here:
After a week in the Duluth/Superior area, we headed east on Highway 2 to Ashland. Here we stayed at a great city park, Kreher RV Park. The park is downtown directly on Lake Superior at the base of the ore dock. We've camped here a couple times before and looked forward to returning. We were fortunate to get a lake front site as they are the first to be taken.
And here we are with the old ore dock as background:
On Sunday when we arrived, the weather was absolutely beautiful. However, by Monday the wind picked up off the lake and the temperatures plummeted. We stayed for a very windy week. It must have rained everyday--on some days it rained several times. Temperatures fell at night into the mid 30s and rose barely to 50 for most of the week. We've had better experiences. Of course, when we left on the following Sunday, the weather turned beautiful once again.
While we were there, the ore dock was being torn down. It has not been used for decades. There is an effort by the city to take over the dock at the lower concrete level to make it into a fishing pier/tourist attraction. The upper metal portion of the dock should be down by the end of 2013.
While in Ashland, we decided to escape the cold Superior wind and travel inland to Mellen, the home of Copper Falls State Park. The park boasts a campground though smaller sites than at Pattison. The falls are accessible by a well defined path which begins and ends at the shelter/concession stand.
The path includes a handicapped access to view Copper Falls:
We left Ashland behind on Sunday and stopped at the Clear Lake Campground in the state forest southeast of Woodruf on Highway 47. This is a great campground though it has no electric nor water hook-ups. Most of the sites are large and can accommodate large RVs with slides. Generators are allowed to be run from 10 AM until 5 PM with a free permit from the Warden. Clear Lake is used for fishing and water sports. Our camp site sat just off the water.
Other than a camp host, we were the only campers in this large campground. We stayed two nights.
We found falling waters at Pattison State Park which lies south of Superior. Here is found Manitou Falls. At 165 feet, it is the highest waterfall in Wisconsin. The falls, though, can be easily hidden.
A better view:
To get a better sense of scale, Donna can be seen in the upper left standing on an observation platform here:
The park also boasts Little Manitou Falls:
After a week in the Duluth/Superior area, we headed east on Highway 2 to Ashland. Here we stayed at a great city park, Kreher RV Park. The park is downtown directly on Lake Superior at the base of the ore dock. We've camped here a couple times before and looked forward to returning. We were fortunate to get a lake front site as they are the first to be taken.
And here we are with the old ore dock as background:
On Sunday when we arrived, the weather was absolutely beautiful. However, by Monday the wind picked up off the lake and the temperatures plummeted. We stayed for a very windy week. It must have rained everyday--on some days it rained several times. Temperatures fell at night into the mid 30s and rose barely to 50 for most of the week. We've had better experiences. Of course, when we left on the following Sunday, the weather turned beautiful once again.
While we were there, the ore dock was being torn down. It has not been used for decades. There is an effort by the city to take over the dock at the lower concrete level to make it into a fishing pier/tourist attraction. The upper metal portion of the dock should be down by the end of 2013.
While in Ashland, we decided to escape the cold Superior wind and travel inland to Mellen, the home of Copper Falls State Park. The park boasts a campground though smaller sites than at Pattison. The falls are accessible by a well defined path which begins and ends at the shelter/concession stand.
The path includes a handicapped access to view Copper Falls:
We left Ashland behind on Sunday and stopped at the Clear Lake Campground in the state forest southeast of Woodruf on Highway 47. This is a great campground though it has no electric nor water hook-ups. Most of the sites are large and can accommodate large RVs with slides. Generators are allowed to be run from 10 AM until 5 PM with a free permit from the Warden. Clear Lake is used for fishing and water sports. Our camp site sat just off the water.
Just beyond the clump of trees by the picnic table is an open beach area which borders the lake:
Other than a camp host, we were the only campers in this large campground. We stayed two nights.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Duluth/Superior
For the most part the weather has been terrific for this time of year in the northwoods. We've had sunny days and cool nights. The autumn colors have starter to peak out. It's a good time to be outside to enjoy the weather.
Next to our campground is what is classified a "multi-use" trail. It is a trail used by hikers, bikers, ATV-ers, snowmobilers, horses, and perhaps pack elephants. It is primarily a gravel road built upon an old railroad bed. In Superior it becomes a dual surface--blacktop for bikes and gravel for others. One afternoon we decided to explore the trail and so we donned our gear and head out for a wild adventure.
We ended our ride at Gronk's Bar and Grill in Superior.
We devoured one of those greasy hamburgers that one should eat only once a decade. It was worth it though. Great burger with fried onions and homemade french fries. Good beer also. We did not burn enough calories on our bike tour to compensate for the meal!
On Saturday, we stumbled upon a small stree festival on the east side of Superior. Food, rummage sales and a car show were running. Here Donna tried to get service from Elvis' car hop:
Earlier in the week we ventured across the border to Duluth. Downtown Duluth is well suited to gawkers from across the border. They have developed an area along the lake for strollers, eaters and shoppers--Canal Park. And the view of Lake Supeior is quite special:
And here is a solar powered trash container:
This aerial lift bridge was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1973. It is a vertical lift bridge and one of only two in the US. In the pictured configuration, the bridge is open for vehicle traffic. When a ship passes, the road deck is lifted vertically to the top of the span. Though not my photo, here is how it would look when up for ship traffic:
Cute. Most restrooms aren't so photogenic.
Next to our campground is what is classified a "multi-use" trail. It is a trail used by hikers, bikers, ATV-ers, snowmobilers, horses, and perhaps pack elephants. It is primarily a gravel road built upon an old railroad bed. In Superior it becomes a dual surface--blacktop for bikes and gravel for others. One afternoon we decided to explore the trail and so we donned our gear and head out for a wild adventure.
We ended our ride at Gronk's Bar and Grill in Superior.
We devoured one of those greasy hamburgers that one should eat only once a decade. It was worth it though. Great burger with fried onions and homemade french fries. Good beer also. We did not burn enough calories on our bike tour to compensate for the meal!
On Saturday, we stumbled upon a small stree festival on the east side of Superior. Food, rummage sales and a car show were running. Here Donna tried to get service from Elvis' car hop:
Earlier in the week we ventured across the border to Duluth. Downtown Duluth is well suited to gawkers from across the border. They have developed an area along the lake for strollers, eaters and shoppers--Canal Park. And the view of Lake Supeior is quite special:
The area is jam-packed with restaurants as well as some higher end shops. But it also has it curiosities. Here is a drinking fountain for person and their four legged pet. The stainless steel bowl is attached to the fountain.
And here is a solar powered trash container:
Why solar powered? It has a 12 volt battery which is solar charged. When the receptacle needs emptying, it sends a message to the parks department: "Come Empty Me." I wonder if it really saves anybody any time.
We also came across this unusual ice cream stand:
Unfortunately, it was closed.
And here is structure which is part of a war memorial. Perfect timing by the photographer, don't you think?
One of the best known and largest landmarks of Duluth is this interesting bridge.
This aerial lift bridge was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1973. It is a vertical lift bridge and one of only two in the US. In the pictured configuration, the bridge is open for vehicle traffic. When a ship passes, the road deck is lifted vertically to the top of the span. Though not my photo, here is how it would look when up for ship traffic:
In an Italian restaurant in downtown Superior Donna found the women's room highly decorated:
Cute. Most restrooms aren't so photogenic.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Superior and Amnicon Falls
On Sunday we headed up Highway 53 from Trego to Superior. After much prior research we decided to stay at the Northland Camping and RV Park just northeast of the intersection of 53 with Highway 13. Our intent is to explore the Duluth/Superior area but we found few campgrounds in the area. This one was located just at the south edge of town and should provide us easy access to the area.
Most sites are pull throughs and are level. Our cost for full hookups for a week is $186. Nightly camping is $31 (we saved $5 per night by opting for the weekly rate). The campground is about 2 miles south of Superior and is on a gravelled multi-use trail (ATV/snowmobile/bicycle/hike/etc). The trail is on an old rail bed.
On Monday we took a 4 mile trip south to Amnicon Falls State Park. It was a spectacular day with clear skies and temperatures in the low 70s. The park is named for the Amnicon (derived from the Ojibway word for "where fish spawn") River which falls 180 feet in less than 2 miles within the park. The river flows into Lake Superior from its origins to the south in Douglas County. Inside the park the river splits into 3 streams and descends over 3 waterfalls.
Once the last glaciers melted forming Lake Superior, Mastodons were hunted here by native peoples over 9000 years ago. Old Copper Culture Native Americans walked this area from 5000 BC to 500 AD. Woodland Native Americans followed. When the Europeans explored the area, the Ojibway made their homes here. Civilization "Up North" has gone downhill ever since.
For you budding rock hounds, the park has a very interesting geology. A short walk through the park reveals a billion years of geologic activity. About a half billion years ago a great earthquake struck here resulting in what is known as the much studied Douglas Fault. Basalt from ancient lava flows is evident as well as Lake Superior sandstone. Millions of years ago great oceans covered Wisconsin including this area. Now we have billboards and tourist traps.
Also of interest in the park is the Horton Bridge.
The covered bridge is 55 feet long and spans the Amnicon at the Lower Falls. It is an historically significant bow-string bridge which uses arched beams secured with hooks and clips rather than the traditional rivets and bolts. Only 5 other such Horton bridges (named after the designer, Charles Horton) exit. The bridge was moved from a local road to the park in 1930 and a roof was added in 1939 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The bridge was once lit and used for dances. Today the bridge is still popular for weddings.
The park includes a 36 unit primitive campground. A few of the sites can handle large RVs. Electricity is not available at any site.
There will be a written test to follow!
Most sites are pull throughs and are level. Our cost for full hookups for a week is $186. Nightly camping is $31 (we saved $5 per night by opting for the weekly rate). The campground is about 2 miles south of Superior and is on a gravelled multi-use trail (ATV/snowmobile/bicycle/hike/etc). The trail is on an old rail bed.
On Monday we took a 4 mile trip south to Amnicon Falls State Park. It was a spectacular day with clear skies and temperatures in the low 70s. The park is named for the Amnicon (derived from the Ojibway word for "where fish spawn") River which falls 180 feet in less than 2 miles within the park. The river flows into Lake Superior from its origins to the south in Douglas County. Inside the park the river splits into 3 streams and descends over 3 waterfalls.
Once the last glaciers melted forming Lake Superior, Mastodons were hunted here by native peoples over 9000 years ago. Old Copper Culture Native Americans walked this area from 5000 BC to 500 AD. Woodland Native Americans followed. When the Europeans explored the area, the Ojibway made their homes here. Civilization "Up North" has gone downhill ever since.
For you budding rock hounds, the park has a very interesting geology. A short walk through the park reveals a billion years of geologic activity. About a half billion years ago a great earthquake struck here resulting in what is known as the much studied Douglas Fault. Basalt from ancient lava flows is evident as well as Lake Superior sandstone. Millions of years ago great oceans covered Wisconsin including this area. Now we have billboards and tourist traps.
Also of interest in the park is the Horton Bridge.
The covered bridge is 55 feet long and spans the Amnicon at the Lower Falls. It is an historically significant bow-string bridge which uses arched beams secured with hooks and clips rather than the traditional rivets and bolts. Only 5 other such Horton bridges (named after the designer, Charles Horton) exit. The bridge was moved from a local road to the park in 1930 and a roof was added in 1939 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The bridge was once lit and used for dances. Today the bridge is still popular for weddings.
The park includes a 36 unit primitive campground. A few of the sites can handle large RVs. Electricity is not available at any site.
There will be a written test to follow!
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Trego Wisconsin
Trego lies about halfway between Eau Claire and Duluth/Superior on Highway 53. Highway 53 is a very good 4-lane road which connects Eau Claire to Superior.
Old timers categorized anything north of Highway 29 as the "north woods." Being 80 miles north of 29, Trego lies in the north woods along the Namekagon River and within the 252 mile river corridor of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. A century ago this area of north-western Wisconsin was dotted with logging camps and the river was used to convey logs south to saw mills. Now the area is again wooded and a water sport haven for canoes, inner tubes and kayaks. Nearby trails offer biking, hiking, ATV and snowmobile sports.
.
This municipal park has 50 sites for both tents and RVs. Most sites have water and electric hookups. Sites are fairly roomy with level parking on grass. Each site has a table, fire ring and 30/50 amp service.
The park has a dump station, flush toilets and showers, several park shelters and a boat landing. The rest room building is dated, but we found it to be remarkably clean. Hot showers cost 50 cents for 6 minutes. Most of the occupied sites were taken by seasonal campers.
We found the park to be a bit expensive at $25 plus $5 for electricity per night. We stayed three nights. But our time there was marred by several rain events day and night. Once the rain broke we hiked to the boat dock:
The park is conveniently located near Spooner and Hayward. We would stay here again.
Old timers categorized anything north of Highway 29 as the "north woods." Being 80 miles north of 29, Trego lies in the north woods along the Namekagon River and within the 252 mile river corridor of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. A century ago this area of north-western Wisconsin was dotted with logging camps and the river was used to convey logs south to saw mills. Now the area is again wooded and a water sport haven for canoes, inner tubes and kayaks. Nearby trails offer biking, hiking, ATV and snowmobile sports.
.
This municipal park has 50 sites for both tents and RVs. Most sites have water and electric hookups. Sites are fairly roomy with level parking on grass. Each site has a table, fire ring and 30/50 amp service.
The park has a dump station, flush toilets and showers, several park shelters and a boat landing. The rest room building is dated, but we found it to be remarkably clean. Hot showers cost 50 cents for 6 minutes. Most of the occupied sites were taken by seasonal campers.
We found the park to be a bit expensive at $25 plus $5 for electricity per night. We stayed three nights. But our time there was marred by several rain events day and night. Once the rain broke we hiked to the boat dock:
The park is conveniently located near Spooner and Hayward. We would stay here again.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Green Bay and a Packer Game
Like most areas of the Midwest, this summer has been dry and hot. Consequently, we didn't do as much as we anticipated. We primarily stayed put at the KOA with one a one week "vacation" to the Wisconsin Dells with family. Mirror Lake State Park was great and we all had a good time.
Our son, Erik, got us some tickets at the last minute to see the Packer's last preseason game at Lambeau. It was to be our first game though we had been to Lambeau Field before. We stole packer jerseys from Erik and Becky and hit the road.
We decided to stay in a hotel even though rooms were scarce. We did find a room at a Quality (in name only) downtown Green Bay. It was just across the street from the Fox River and a 13+ river walkway through the city.
And we even found one of these relics of the 1960s on the now closed Northland Hotel building:
Our hotel offered the standard fare free breakfast each morning. We opted to be a little less boring and walked three blocks to Al's Hamburger Shop for breakfast.
In operation since 1934, it was closed last year due to a fire which gutted the place. Now reopened, it has a modern interior (a counter and 3 booths) and has kept the same exterior. Al Was the current owners father. George is now the man behind the counter. Though they serve hamburgers all day, I opted for the corned beef hash which George says he makes fresh daily. It was by far the best such hash I have ever eaten.
The city of Green Bay bus company offers free shuttle service to and from Lambeau Field on game day. The pick up point was across the street from our hotel so we opted to ride it in lieu of the parking hassles and expense at the stadium. Our hotel was about 3 miles as the crow flies from the stadium.
We arrived at the stadium early enough (3.5 hours prior to game time) to have lunch and watch practice. Lunch of bratwurst and a fully dressed hamburger was at Curly's Pub on the second level of the stadium. Remarkably, it was very good and reasonably priced. Even the Curly's ale was right on. The Miller beer in the stands, however, were a little pricey at $8 for an aluminum bottle.
We had a good time anyway watching the 3rd and 4th string players beat up on the chiefs:
Our son, Erik, got us some tickets at the last minute to see the Packer's last preseason game at Lambeau. It was to be our first game though we had been to Lambeau Field before. We stole packer jerseys from Erik and Becky and hit the road.
We decided to stay in a hotel even though rooms were scarce. We did find a room at a Quality (in name only) downtown Green Bay. It was just across the street from the Fox River and a 13+ river walkway through the city.
The river is a major water way linking the city to Green Bay and then out to Lake Michigan. Here the 630 foot long bulk carrier Manitowoc passes us by:
A stroll through downtown revealed many "Lombardi slept here" moments. The coach and Curly Lambeau are everywhere in Green Bay.
Our hotel offered the standard fare free breakfast each morning. We opted to be a little less boring and walked three blocks to Al's Hamburger Shop for breakfast.
In operation since 1934, it was closed last year due to a fire which gutted the place. Now reopened, it has a modern interior (a counter and 3 booths) and has kept the same exterior. Al Was the current owners father. George is now the man behind the counter. Though they serve hamburgers all day, I opted for the corned beef hash which George says he makes fresh daily. It was by far the best such hash I have ever eaten.
The city of Green Bay bus company offers free shuttle service to and from Lambeau Field on game day. The pick up point was across the street from our hotel so we opted to ride it in lieu of the parking hassles and expense at the stadium. Our hotel was about 3 miles as the crow flies from the stadium.
We arrived at the stadium early enough (3.5 hours prior to game time) to have lunch and watch practice. Lunch of bratwurst and a fully dressed hamburger was at Curly's Pub on the second level of the stadium. Remarkably, it was very good and reasonably priced. Even the Curly's ale was right on. The Miller beer in the stands, however, were a little pricey at $8 for an aluminum bottle.
We had a good time anyway watching the 3rd and 4th string players beat up on the chiefs:
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Geezerhood
Still hanging out near Madison, Wisconsin. The last month has been warm and very dry. Very unusual for June. Now for the news:
I have entered that part of life which some refer to as "geezer-hood." Advancement to this status includes but is not limited to:
Oh, and Donna, being married to a geezer, is now affectionately referred to as a "geezelle" and/or a "geezette."
I wonder if there is monthly gazette for geezers.
I have entered that part of life which some refer to as "geezer-hood." Advancement to this status includes but is not limited to:
- being of that certain age where the Social Security Administration is viewed as a positive,
- being able to purchase a lifetime Senior Pass (for all of $10) for reduced entry and camping fees at National Parks, Corps of Engineering Campgrounds, etc., and
- having six 2's line up on the odometer of my truck (no decimals).
Oh, and Donna, being married to a geezer, is now affectionately referred to as a "geezelle" and/or a "geezette."
I wonder if there is monthly gazette for geezers.
Monday, May 7, 2012
April Showers and KOA
We decided to head back to Wisconsin early since weather reports in March were almost balmy. Of course, as soon as we arrived on March 31, the weather turned cold, wet and nasty. We brought below freezing temperatures and oodles of rain. But no snow. April actually was colder than March was here in the Madison area. We unpacked our electric heaters--the ones we so neatly packed away for next season. And we became reacquainted with our winter coats. I think we have seen the sun almost three days in a row sometime this last month. Gray and wet has been the norm. Thankfully, severe weather did not tag along with us.
Here at the KOA we are in training as work campers. We were recruited last fall by the owners and decided to give it a try. We each toil for 12 hours a week. It's hard to get back to a schedule. But so far so good. Donna has been up to her eyebrows with registration/reservations/walk-ins and store sales. She is learning the campground computer program and has come a long way. I started out spraying dandelions ("pretty flowers") and weed whacking. I didn't break too many things (there's a story or two which will forever remain hidden from public view). We both graduated to learning to clean bathrooms/showers. We passed. Recently I have been learning the ins and outs of filling propane tanks/cylinders, escorting vehicles to their sites and delivering fire wood. We haven't been asked to leave the premises yet, so we must be doing OK. Or, maybe they're short of help?? Time will tell.
Oh, by the way, it's still raining and the thermometer says 56.
Here at the KOA we are in training as work campers. We were recruited last fall by the owners and decided to give it a try. We each toil for 12 hours a week. It's hard to get back to a schedule. But so far so good. Donna has been up to her eyebrows with registration/reservations/walk-ins and store sales. She is learning the campground computer program and has come a long way. I started out spraying dandelions ("pretty flowers") and weed whacking. I didn't break too many things (there's a story or two which will forever remain hidden from public view). We both graduated to learning to clean bathrooms/showers. We passed. Recently I have been learning the ins and outs of filling propane tanks/cylinders, escorting vehicles to their sites and delivering fire wood. We haven't been asked to leave the premises yet, so we must be doing OK. Or, maybe they're short of help?? Time will tell.
Oh, by the way, it's still raining and the thermometer says 56.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Graceland
Our campground at Hernando Point was only about 20 miles from Graceland, so we succumbed. Graceland is on the south side of Memphis. It is easily reached going north of our campground up highway 51. Very little traffic existed on this route. The campground is really perfectly situated for a Graceland visit.
Of course Graceland is there for a profit. We handed over $10 for parking and $54 for a self-guided audio tour of the mansion. If one wanted to visit the airplane and auto museum, more cash was needed. Of course, you could hand over wads more cash to purchase Elvis's likeness and name on everything imaginable.
A shuttle takes you from the parking/ticketing area across the street to the house. Audio devices are issued so that you can hear a description of what you are seeing at your own pace. Video recording and flash photography is not allowed. Most of the house is sufficiently lit to allow flash-less picture taking.
And now some flash-less photos. First the front door:
Here is the formal living area viewed directly upon entering the house.
The billiard room with its pleated fabric walls.
The "monkey" room:
The backyard.
A photo-op with the King:
A garage building full of gold records and other memorabilia. The room has two aisles filled with his trophies.
More gold/platinum records in the racquetball court:
A favorite movie poster:
The "Memory Gardens" burial plot:
And a parting shot of the front yard:
The crowd was light during our morning visit.
Of course Graceland is there for a profit. We handed over $10 for parking and $54 for a self-guided audio tour of the mansion. If one wanted to visit the airplane and auto museum, more cash was needed. Of course, you could hand over wads more cash to purchase Elvis's likeness and name on everything imaginable.
A shuttle takes you from the parking/ticketing area across the street to the house. Audio devices are issued so that you can hear a description of what you are seeing at your own pace. Video recording and flash photography is not allowed. Most of the house is sufficiently lit to allow flash-less picture taking.
And now some flash-less photos. First the front door:
Here is the formal living area viewed directly upon entering the house.
The billiard room with its pleated fabric walls.
The "monkey" room:
The backyard.
A photo-op with the King:
A garage building full of gold records and other memorabilia. The room has two aisles filled with his trophies.
More gold/platinum records in the racquetball court:
A favorite movie poster:
The "Memory Gardens" burial plot:
And a parting shot of the front yard:
The crowd was light during our morning visit.
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