Campgrounds – Page 2 – Live Laugh RV

In Love with Bryce

May 11, 2016May 11, 2016by Ingrid85 Comments

With the weather being fickle, we decided to pay for two nights at a RV Park giving us the flexibility to rearrange our plans on a whim. When the weather improved, our two-night stop to visit Bryce Canyon Country quickly turned into six nights. And oh my gosh…. amazing!

I assure you, six nights was not enough to savor this breathtaking scenery. If it hadn’t been for our workamp obligation in Idaho, we would’ve stayed another week. For some reason, I just couldn’t get enough of those perplexing hoodoos or the layers of texture and colors. Simply mesmerizing!

Where to camp?
With snow and freezing overnight temps in the forecast, we knew we wanted a site with hook-ups and chose the Red Canyon Village RV Park. It was an ok place to stay and even offers cabins as well as campsites. (restroom shown in the photo below)

The park is located along highway 12 just east of highway 89 and road noise can be expected. We paid $31 a night for a full hook-up site which included cable TV. The property is owned and managed by the same company that runs the Bryce Canyon Lodge, Forever Resorts. The location worked fine for us. It took a little less than thirty minutes to drive to the Bryce Canyon National Park visitor center and about 10 minutes to get to the town of Panguitch, Utah. Just a couple of minutes away was Red Canyon with some lovely hiking trails that shouldn’t be missed.

Red Canyon is also home to a national forest campground: Red Canyon Campground. It’s basic dry camping in a wooded setting. Although some of the sites would accommodate our size RV, we’re not fans of trees and low-lying branches, and thus this campground is not an option we personally would consider.

As we continue along highway 12 toward Bryce Canyon NP, you’ll find the Bryce Canyon Pines RV Park. We didn’t stop in, but drove by several times. From a distance the park looked ok nestled in the pines with dirt/gravel roads and sites. We noticed RV’s of all sizes parked there.

Ruby’s RV Park seems to be the most popular spot with its close proximity to the hoodoos, but definitely the most expensive. This RV park is located just outside the national park boundaries which means it offers location, full amenities, and is big rig friendly.

Want to camp even closer to the hoodoos? Bryce Canyon National Park offers two campgrounds, both with no hook-ups, dry camping only. The majority of the sites look sloped and mounded. There were one or two sites at the Northern Campground we liked that we would consider if available. Sunset and Northern Campgrounds appear to be best for tents, small Class C motorhomes, pop-ups, and small travel trailers. Bryce Canyon

Boondocking – There are a bunch of places off highway 12 east of highway 63 to boondock (boondocking means dry camping on public lands – no campground or facilities). The land is located within the Grand Staircase – Escalante National Monument and a free permit is required for any overnight stay. Along highway 12 from Red Canyon to the town of Torrey, there are six visitor centers to assist you, provide permits, maps, and answer any questions.

There is also a fair amount of national forest land in the area with boondocking options and no permit needed. Here’s a helpful post on dispersed camping. Bryce Canyon National Park During those times when Al and I do boondock, after about a week we like to refresh and find a RV park with full hook-ups. From a budgetary point of view the Paradise RV Park might be the perfect place to refresh. This somewhat basic and rustic park offers full hook-ups for $15 a night. It’s located a few miles north of the town of Panguitch and about 30 miles from the Bryce Canyon Visitor center, We actually did our laundry there since the Red Canyon RV Park offered one staked washer/dryer on the outside of a building. Not ideal, especially in 32 degree weather.

Groceries?
Since we were staying in the Red Canyon area, the town of Panguitch was an easy ten minute drive away. Joe’s Market in Panguitch, Utah, is a great place to resupply. We were impressed with the quality of fresh meats, veggies, and eggs that were reasonably priced. Other items were a tad pricy though.

sour dough bread Across the street from Joe’s Market is a Chevron Gas Station with a fast food place inside. We don’t eat deep-fried fast food so I can’t help you there, but with the oven availability, the owners of the gas station bake fresh bread and rolls daily.

Our first stop at the Chevron was late one afternoon. We filled up with gas and when we stepped inside, we noticed the hand written sign on the window noting fresh-baked sour dough bread. When we asked about the bread, we were informed they were all sold out, but the gal behind the counter was quick to suggest placing our name on a loaf of sour dough bread for the next morning. Yes! It was still warm when we picked it up and perfect for our picnic lunch. I wouldn’t normally recommend buying bread at a gas station, but this is small town America and it’s similar to enjoying a loaf of bread your mom made.

bakery Another place we tried was a bakery on highway 12 just east of highway 63. The groceries and baked goods seemed a little pricy in my opinion, but we still ended up buying some fresh-baked baguettes for our sandwiches which were delicious. And of course, hubby had to sample a blueberry turnover which received a two thumbs up as well.

One of our favorite little stops after hiking amongst the hoodoos, was stopping in at the General Store located within the national park just around the corner from the Bryce Canyon Lodge (btw – the restaurant in the lodge had a menu that was tempting, but our sandwiches made with fresh-baked bread won out). This General Store along with a lovely picnic area is within walking distance to the Sunrise overlook and trailhead to the Queens Stewart's Garden Trail. After a somewhat steep hike back out of the canyon, we managed to work up a thirst.

We try to keep our soft drink intact to a minimum, but when we discovered the General Store stocks Stewart’s….. well…. there was no resisting the cream soda and orange cream.

We enjoyed this little splurge so much that when we received an impromptu email from some fellow full-time RVer’s letting us know they were in the area, I knew exactly where to meet up. We hadn’t seen this couple in nearly two years and certainly had plenty to talk about.

Enjoying a picnic with friends at the general store was perfect. It was awesome reconnecting, catching up, and sharing some of our favorite Bryce Canyon sites with this delightful couple.

me and Al enjoying our sodas while our friends prefer to stay behind the camera ;-) — me and Al enjoying our sodas while our friends prefer to stay behind the camera 😉

Cheers to friendships, breath-taking scenery, amazing hikes, and cold beverages. It’s official, I’m in love with Bryce Canyon National Park and am already scheming my next visit.

Bryce loves me back. Can you see the rock heart in the center of the photo?

Campgrounds, New Mexico

It’s a rock thing

February 17, 2016February 15, 2016by Ingrid99 Comments

When we hit the road in the RV full-time almost three years ago, we weren’t sure what to expect or if we’d have any regrets. Considering we sold the house and moved into the RV on a whim and all within ninety days of deciding to do so, one can’t help but wonder, “Whatever were we thinking?

But it’s those hidden gems, those unexpected discoveries that have Al and me wanting to keep those wheels on the RV rolling. The first time we pulled into City of Rocks State Park, I was giddy with delight. This time was no different. There’s something surreal and unworldly about this place. It’s all about the rocks… it’s a rock thing.

While hiking around City of Rocks State Park, voices swirled in my head, “Danger, Will Robinson, danger!” I know, I’m dating myself, but I couldn’t help thinking what a fabulous location this would make for a Lost in Space episode.

It really did feel like I had stepped onto another planet. Around every corner was another fascinating rock formation, another cluster of interesting shapes accompanied by a multitude of color and light.

I’m afraid I could wear out the use of the word unique around here. How about dazzling, splendid, delightful, superb, appealing, awe-inspiring …… ?

We are in site #1, first RV on the right. It's the shortest electric site. — We are in site #1, first RV on the right. It’s the shortest electric site.

Since we didn’t have a reservation….. as a matter of fact, we made the decision to overnight at City of Rocks State Park while driving through Las Cruces, New Mexico, only an hour away. Remember in my last post when I talked about flexibility? When Al and I are transitioning between locations or reservations, we have a tendency to wing it and find ourselves changing our minds numerous times. The original plan was to do a quick overnight at a RV Park in Deming, New Mexico, but how boring is that?

Visitor center at City of Rocks State Park

City of Rocks So at the last minute, we decided to go someplace fun and maybe stay a couple of days, considering we were running ahead of our loosely planned schedule anyway.

But we needed to ask ourselves, what if all the electric sites were taken? After all, we were driving thirty miles out of our way – 60 miles round trip back to interstate 10 and the town of Deming, NM. We always have a backup plan and sometimes a backup to the backup. One of the backup plans was to pick out an awesome dry camping site – and they are one-of-a-kind, unique, and awesome – but with freezing overnight temperatures predicted, dry camping was our last choice regardless of how distinct and amazing the dry campsites are. I wanted to run that RV furnace to my heart’s content without worrying about the RV batteries or running the generator like crazy.

The electric loop is in a meadow setting while dry camping sites are dispersed amongst the rocks

One of the dry camping sites. Works well for either tents or RV's — One of the dry camping sites. Works well for either tents or RV’s

We pulled into the loop that offers electric and water hook-ups around 1:00 in the afternoon and snagged the last electric site available. Site #1 is rather short and required us to unhook the truck from the 5th wheel. We didn’t mind and were thrilled we procured an electric site. Although the intention was to stay a couple of nights, I paid for one just in case we changed our minds, a gals prerogative ya know! And remember, state parks don’t give refunds.

a sweet spot to call home... for a bit, anyway. — a sweet spot to call home… for a bit, anyway.

I absolutely love City of Rocks State Park, and it’s these kinds of discoveries that have me living in the RV full-time with NO regrets. However, this was February, aka winter, and with daytime temperatures barely reaching 50 degrees Fahrenheit and in the 20’s overnight, we decided to hook up and move on the next morning in search of warmer weather. Hmm, have we turned into winter wimps?

love this place - my RV is front, left — love this place – my RV is front, left

The state of New Mexico never ceases to amaze me with all its splendid landscapes. There’s so much untapped raw beauty to explore around here, but let’s keep that a secret between us. After all, we don’t want to share this amazing solitude and gorgeous scenery with hoards of tourists. So mums, the word 😉

Brought to you by the letter 'd' — Brought to you by the letter ‘d’

By the way…. White Sand Dunes National Park is another unique New Mexico site not to be missed. However, for those looking for an experience a little less remote, Santa Fe and Taos are definitely worthy of a little exploration.

Clarks Women’s Mission Parker Chelsea Boot,Brown,9.5 M US

Campgrounds, Texas

A Fresh Start

January 2, 2016January 3, 2016by Ingrid107 Comments

I love watching the sunrise, and just like the beginning of a new day there’s something refreshing about flipping the calendar to a new year. It’s like being given a fresh start. As one year comes to an end a new year begins. I’ve been known to make a New Year’s resolution or two in the past, and although I haven’t made any official resolutions this go around, I do have high hopes and plans for the New Year … I’m sure there’s something in there about diet and exercise as well – me along with millions of other American’s, huh 😉 sunrise

We hit the road three days after Christmas…. two days later than we originally planned. Bad weather in southern New Mexico and western Texas necessitated an adjustment to our schedule, considering parts of Interstate 10 were temporarily closed due to ice and snow. While hubby and I kept an eye on news reports pertaining to the Whooping cranes latest happenings including airport closures and flight cancellations, we agreed we sure don’t miss those years of air travel. The flexibility associated with RV travel has really spoiled us and we can’t imagine traveling any other way. Well, yes we can imagine it, we just don’t ever want to do it again.

That said, our drive from Phoenix, Arizona to Rockport, Texas went well with the exception of having to deal with unwelcome cold weather. We spent the first night in Deming, New Mexico, at the Dream Catcher RV Park (an Escapees park), and although we had a full hook-up site, we kept the water hose and sewer pipe stowed choosing to hook up to electric only due to the below freezing temps.

Night two was spent at a regular stopping point for us; the Hilltop RV Park in Fort Stockton, Texas. We thought about overnighting at the Walmart but once again with the extreme cold, we opted for hook-ups. I will say it was interesting as we passed the Walmart the next morning, the parking lot looked like an RV Park. I don’t ever recall seeing so many RV’s overnighting at a Walmart. Turns out, not only was the Hilltop RV Park full that night, but so was the Walmart. I think the inclement weather affected a lot of people and their travels causing Fort Stockton to be overflowing with RV’s.

Moving on – We planned on spending night three in San Antonio at the Elks Lodge. I was looking forward to revisiting the Shops at La Cantera , located within walking distance from the lodge. From an architectural and aesthetic point of view, this outdoor mall is absolutely beautiful and it was my hope to see it decorated for the holidays with lots of Christmas glow. However, as we approached the Elks Lodge we encountered a sea of RV’s. I’m not sure how they all managed to squeeze into such a small parcel of land, but every nook and cranny seemed to be wedged with various RV’s. An RV chili cook off festival at the lodge had us moving on down the road in search of plan B. A holiday visit to the Shops at La Cantera will need to be saved for another time.

We enjoy a great site at Choke Canyon State Park, Texas

Driving thru El Paso, I glance across the border. Juarez, Mexico

Driving thru Las Cruces, New Mexico

About an hour south of San Antonio off Interstate 37 is the Choke Canyon State Park. We scored a great site – #133. We enjoyed the campground and would definitely stay here again.

On day four with twelve hundred miles behind us, we arrived at our destination just before noon. While I helped hubby position the RV into our new spot for the month of January, I’m greeted by a familiar sound in the distance; the sound of whooping cranes. As Al steps out of the truck to assess his handy work, I assault him with a child like exuberance that has him rolling his eyes.

He quickly remarks with a chuckle, “Can we please finish setting up and have lunch before you run off to see your birds?” With a hesitant nod, I slowly respond, “But of course! After all, I have the next thirty days to commune with my feathered friends.”

So folks as you might have guessed, we’re back in Rockport, Texas, in the very same park and site we were in 365 days ago. Seems as though we’ve come full circle and returned to a familiar starting point to kick off the New Year. We’re once again rendezvousing with the birds along with friends from our old sticks and bricks neighborhood in southern Colorado. What started out three years ago as a sojourn whooping cranes strictly for hubby to get together with a buddy to engage in sporting activities has since turned into my opportunity to commune with birds. I don’t consider myself a birder, but merely someone who has a passion for cranes …. and maybe spoonbills, egrets and herons, but who’s counting 😉

This has obviously turned into an unexpected passion for me, and I can see myself returning to this area time and again. You can click here to read more about how my passion for cranes developed.

endangered whooping cranes — Last winter, it was quite exhilarating to have these two whooping cranes fly right over me. I could literally hear the rush of wind as they flapped their wings. A rare treat considering there’s less than 500 of these magnificent birds left in the world. Photo taken at 160mm zoom.

Although the weather this first week in January is expected to have less than stellar conditions for gallivanting about with the camera, I’m still excited to be back along the Texas Gulf Coast. Cranes are considered to be a symbol of luck. I’m hoping by starting off the New Year hanging around these intriguing creatures of luck, that 2016 is a great year.

One of my most memorable places in 2015 was camped amongst 20,000 plus sandhill cranes. You can read about that visit here.

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year filled with lots of good wishes AND good luck!

Good luck y'all and Happy New Year! — “No lady, you can’t rub my head for good luck!”

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Campgrounds, South Dakota

Our Boomerang Trip – Badlands

September 15, 2015September 14, 2015by Ingrid68 Comments

From Mitchell, South Dakota, we continued our westerly trek. I couldn’t wait to get to Badlands National Park.

South Dakota’s Badlands holds a special place in my heart. I was a mere 14 years old the first time this gal from Illinois laid eyes on this incredible land.

It was the first family excursion in my dad’s new pride and joy; a brand new motorhome.

South Dakota Badlands — Badlands, South Dakota

That was an exciting adventure for our family of five, because this was a trip that didn’t entail fishing in Wisconsin, my dad’s favorite pastime. Family vacations ALWAYS centered around camping near fishing action. No fishing involved during this trip!

My brother was eighteen at the time and getting ready to head off to college. Dad put him in charge of navigating, which was a much better choice than my mother, who could get turned around in the blink of an eye; directionally challenged one might say. While the guys were up front driving and navigating my little sister, mom, and myself sat at the dinette table taking in the sights out of the motorhome’s big windows.

The barren, rugged land made mom quite uncomfortable. While the rest of us were oohing and aahing, she sat in silence. You see, mom and dad grew up in Germany, even my brother was born in Germany and this kind of vast desolation doesn’t exist in her homeland. This was like nothing she’d ever seen before and it made her feel uneasy.

We stopped at various pull-outs and scenic overlooks before it was time to decide where to camp for the night. Dad was definitely feeling adventurous during this trip and decided to take the twelve mile rutted and rough gravel-dirt road to the primitive campground. It wasn’t a campground, but merely a designated parcel of land allowing overnight camping. I don’t even remember there being a pit toilet, just raw open land. Ah yes, this is what us RVer’s now refer to as boondocking.This was definitely not mom’s idea of a relaxing vacation and I remember her freaking out as my brother and I took off exploring.

I wanted to see buffalo and maybe even a rattlesnake. I saw neither during that trip but wasn’t disappointed because the adorable Prairie Dogs captivated my attention.

So here I am, umpteen years later and oohing and aahing every bit as much, if not more, as I did years ago. I really wanted to camp at that same primitive campground from the family trip, but with temperatures in the 90 degree plus range, we opted to stay at the Cedar Pass Campground with electric hook-up so we could run our air-conditioning during the heat of the day.

Loved my view! Cedar Pass Campground – Badlands National Park

However, a trip to the primitive Sage Creek Campground was in order. I had to refresh my memory. Unlike my last visit, this time I saw plenty of buffalo aka bison.

camping in the Badlands — We pass herds of bison on the way to the Sage Creek Campground

We turned off the main paved road onto a well maintained gravel road. The road was in much better condition than all those years ago. We continued the twelve miles down the road passing herds of buffalo in the distance. The sky was hazy with smoke drifting down from the Pacific Northwest wildfires.

Not only was the road very well maintained, the campground turned out to be a little more developed than all those years ago. There were picnic tables and pit toilets…. no water. The campground is used predominantly by tents, but is also accessible to RV’s.

Bison routinely meander through this campground causing a need to watch where you step…. fresh Bison droppings wouldn’t be fun to step in.

Buffalo in the Badlands — The cars give perspective showing how large Bison are.

I assure you, on our next visit to the Badlands National Park we WILL definitely be staying at this campground. I’ll admit though, I did have an uneasy moment with one Buffalo.

I was sitting in the truck taking his photograph when he started to approach me; heading straight toward me and the driver’s side door. As his pace quickened in my direction, I dropped my camera and put the truck in drive, not waiting around to see what his intentions, if any, were. Perhaps we made eye contact a little longer than he liked or perhaps he just wanted me to scratch behind his ~~ears~~ horns. Didn’t matter, I was outta there!

Bison have been known to attack, so ample distance, a wide berth, and good judgment should always be heeded.

Badlands National Park — Check out the wounds on this guy!

After my fun moment of reminiscing and communing with buffalo, we continued on the scenic drive to the town of Wall, located near the Badlands National Park western entrance. This is definitely a tourist attraction complete with plenty of souvenir and T-shirt shops.

Wall Drug is the focus of this tourist draw and although Al and I usually shy away from such venues, we found ourselves entertained. The story of the Hustead family is one of tenacity and the pioneer spirit. You can read their fascinating story here. We were also surprised to find a place where you can still get a cup of coffee for 5¢. Granted, we’re not talking designer coffee (aka Starbucks), but for a nickel it was a tasty cup of Joe.

Three T-shirts later (yeah, I have a thing for T-shirts), we headed back to camp. I spent the next couple of days close to camp observing natures beauty.

Badlands South Dakota — Beauty near and far!

Upon first glance, the buttes, spires, and pinnacles of this steeply eroded land may look desolate. But if one looks closely, diverse and beautiful signs of life can be discovered.

There’s an abundance of rich and varied vegetation, including one of the largest mixed-grass prairies in the country.

And then there’s the bountiful wildlife. A watchful eye and a silent slow pace will reward onlookers.

This land of extremes, evokes a sense of mystery. While living in my RV surrounded by the Badlands, I immersed myself in this surreal landscape.

The weather can be extreme but when approached with a preparedness, the Badlands can offer an endless supply of pleasure and fascination.

Due to the smoke-filled, hazy skies and extreme heat during our visit, our explorations at Badlands National Park may have been minimal, but the visit was equally as memorable and special as my childhood experience.

I’m so glad we changed up the trip and added this stop to the itinerary. I know….. I’ll be back! (she said in a heavy Austrian accent)

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Campgrounds, Illinois, Minnesota, South Dakota, Wisconsin

Our Boomerang Trip – Part I

September 13, 2015by Ingrid49 Comments

I can’t believe it’s September already. It seems like just yesterday when I was in the planning stages for our Midwestern excursion. And here we are, it’s the middle of September and I’m back in Colorado where we started six weeks ago. It was pretty much an out and back trip…. Kind of like mimicking a boomerang one might say.

Let’s do a quick recap of the first part of our trip….. We pulled out of Cherry Creek State Park (Denver) at the end of July and after a quick overnight in a Cabela’s parking lot in Omaha, Nebraska, (forgot to add this stop on the above map – oops) we arrived at Starved Rock State Park. We took in a couple of days exploring this interesting Illinois State Park before driving up to the Paul Wolff Campground. I loved the location of this county park. It was an easy 20 minute drive to my dad’s place which allowed us to visit with him often, and if we had wanted to take the train into Chicago, the train station was only 5 minutes away.

From our Elgin location, we moved over to Rockton, Illinois, where we stayed at Al’s sister’s place for a wonderful ten-day visit. After Rockton, our next destination was Baraboo, Wisconsin. I was thrilled with the hiking at Devil’s Lake State Park, but the highlight of this stop was my visit to the International Crane Foundation.

After communing with cranes it was time to commune with friends in Marshfield, Wisconsin, where I was challenged to wear a Packers Jersey.

After my momentary lapse, we moved over to Algoma, Wisconsin, along the shores of Lake Michigan. This is where I discovered Door County and its magnetic personality. Quite frankly, I fell in love with the area and could’ve stayed a month. I can imagine the fall colors around here to be stunning and worth sticking around for.

As much as we considered hanging around Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for a little leaf peeping, we decided to turn the RV around and head back west to assist our daughter with a project.

Foggy morning — Early morning fog as we drive through Wisconsin

So with Plan B in mind…. It was time to say good-bye to the Midwest and mosey in a westerly direction. The morning of August 27th started off foggy as we began our journey west. We put in an eight-hour travel day (360 miles – 574 km) that first day, crossing the entire state of Wisconsin and part of Minnesota.

We stopped frequently and even enjoyed a road side picnic near Necedah, Wisconsin.

By dinner time that first day, we checked into a campsite at Myre-Big Island State Park, near Albert Lea, Minnesota. This is a heavily wooded state park and even though they market the White Fox Campground loop as the prairie loop, it is in no way situated in a prairie.

Albert Lea Lake — After an eight-hour day in the truck, it felt good to stretch the legs and check out the trails

We originally intended to relax and spend two nights at this state park, but it was raining when we set up. It continued to rain all night and was expected to not let up for another day. So we hit the road early the next morning, wearing rain gear as we broke camp, and drove through the rest of Minnesota in a consistent and steady stream of rain.

A few miles into South Dakota, the rain stopped. We encountered sunny skies with a hint of haze caused by the wildfires in the Pacific Northwest. Just in time for a late lunch, we set up camp in the Cabela’s parking lot in Mitchell, South Dakota.

Cabela’s had a HUGE area for RV’s. The semi-trucks seemed to be parked off in another lot and there was even a separate area for equestrians complete with horse corrals. This turned out to be a great place to overnight, complete with pond.

Next stop; South Dakota’s Badlands and Black Hills
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Campgrounds, Wisconsin

Devils Doorway

August 25, 2015August 23, 2015by Ingrid74 Comments

It didn’t take long before Illinois was in the rearview mirror and we were skirting around Madison, Wisconsin, heading north. After three weeks in Illinois, we were ready to hit the road and explore a new to us State Park.

As we approached the entrance to Devil’s Lake State Park, we were quickly reminded about how lush and dense the vegetation grows here in the Midwest. The trees created such a unique canopy that it blocked out any direct sunlight requiring the truck headlights be turned on.

Wisconsin State Parks — We’re in site #51 – the Quartzsite Loop

We proceeded slowly through the entrance following the signs directing us toward the camper check-in, ever hopeful that no tree branches would scrape our roof. I was confident we wouldn’t have any problems with vegetation once we arrived at our campsite that I had reserved, heeding the wonderful advice and recommendation from our good friends, MonaLiza and Steve.

They camped here last year and found the majority of campsites to be unacceptable for their big rig. They provided us with lots of helpful tidbits making our reservation decisions much easier. Thanks guys!

I’m not a fan of trees near my RV, so I was thrilled to find all the trees at a safe distance. Our site was also easy for us to level up. The majority of sites are sloped in some form, making leveling a challenge. There’s a handful of paved sites in the Quartzsite Campground and the rest are a gravel/grass combo like our site.

Devil's Lake — This is the road to the other campground loops.

On our first full day at the State Park, we set off on a hike in search of Balanced Rock and Devil’s Doorway. I don’t know about you, but I thought the entrance to the park might have been Devil’s Doorway. But alas, this unique rock formation is named Devil’s Doorway.

To get to this scenic site required a little climbing on our part….. step climbing that is. We had about a 500 foot ascend in front of us. Fortunately, we had a series of granite rock steps to aid us in the climb. When the trail info listed this hike as difficult, I kind of dismissed any concerns. After all this was Wisconsin, and I’m used to hiking in Colorado. Thus, I thought difficult here would probably be more like moderate in the mountains.

I must admit, the trail did rival some Rocky Mountain trails, but what made this hike somewhat easier was the extra oxygen found here in the Midwest.

When we’re in Colorado, it’s not uncommon for us to hike at elevations exceeding 9,000 feet and the air starts to get a little thin requiring me to stop and catch my breath from time to time.

hiking in Wisconsin — The trail starts out flat meandering through a dense forest,

Hubby and I were impressed with ourselves. Other than the occasional photo-op stop, no breathing stops were needed. We did take it slow though, not wanting to lose our balance on the granite stone.

Our day started out sunny, but windy. By the time we made it up to Balanced Rock, the winds had let up somewhat but storm clouds were brewing.

happy camper — Look who found a bench at the top of the bluff

We thought once we made it to Balanced Rock that the trail would level off…. wrong. There were more steps to climb. “We’re almost there, honey. Not much further and we’ll be at the top”, I said in a very encouraging and sweet tone. Hubby responded with a disbelieving chuckle, “Yeah, that’s what you said 20 minutes ago”.

Alas, we made it to the top of the bluff and the trail flattened out. Hubby even found a bench for us to sit while we hydrated.

With Balanced Rock checked off, I had one more quest that required a short detour off the main trail. Ladies first!

What’s in a name? The original Native American name for Devil’s Lake could have been translated as Spirit Lake, Holy Lake, Mystery Lake, or Sacred Lake. But the Winnebago name “Ta-wa-cun-chuk-dah” was translated into Devil’s Lake by locals and legends were manufactured to boost tourism to the area.

The view was worth the climb via the precarious rock steps. With photo-op quest number two accomplished, we worked our way back to the main trail and were met with a gentle sprinkle of soft raindrops followed by a steady flow. My camera was safely stowed in a Ziploc bag and tucked under my raincoat.Al and I quickened our pace on the flat trail. The rain stopped just in time for us to descend. However, the wet granite from the rain was now somewhat slippery. So we continued with extra caution on each rock step and made it to the trailhead without any harrowing tale to share on the blog. Just the way hubby likes it!

This was a wonderful 2 hour hike and probably our favorite Midwestern experience thus far. Next up, feathers…. and lots of them!

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Campgrounds, Illinois

From prairie to suburbia

August 11, 2015August 16, 2015by Ingrid54 Comments

After exploring waterfalls, cornfields, and indulging in root beer floats, it was time to leave the Illinois prairie and head into Chicago’s suburbs to visit family.We’re quickly reminded about the Illinois tollway. With the two additional axles on the Fifth Wheel (toll fee based on number of axels), our first toll was $7.50 and we only used this stretch of road for about 10 miles. (Thank you Hildi. Once again hubby listens to the GPS instead of the wife. Wife would’ve saved the money by rerouting) Oh well 🙂 Before leaving Colorado, I considered purchasing the Illinois I-Pass but didn’t think we’d use the tollway enough to make it cost effective, plus I had concerns there would be a mail delay and the darn thing would arrive at our daughters home after we hit the road.

Having the I-Pass makes it very convenient since there’s no stopping involved. You get to pass the toll plaza without slowing down as the little contraption is scanned through the windshield. Also the cost of the toll in most cases is half price with the I-Pass. And trust me, those tolls add up real quick.

Hildi has us exit Interstate 88 shortly after the toll plaza and takes us through some small towns. It’s a fun drive. Al nor I have driven through this part of Illinois in nearly twenty-five years. With the exception of a little growth, much has remained the same.

We pulled into the Paul Wolff Campground with low expectations considering we were rather disappointed with the Starved Rock State Park Campground. Wow, what a pleasant surprise. There’s 89 paved sites with 50 amp electric and 10 primitive walk-in tent sites. Water spigots are scattered precariously throughout the grounds. We snagged a large pull-thru site with a water spigot nearby to hook up to.

Elgin Illinois — Paul Wolff Campground, Elgin, Illinois

The more popular RV loop offers shaded sites amongst a grove of large trees. We chose the open meadow loop to optimize TV and internet reception. This is a Kane County run Forest Preserve and is maintained impeccably. It’s located on the far west side of the city of Elgin in northern Illinois.

I grew up east of Elgin, Illinois, and my dad still lives in the house where I was raised. Thus, the Paul Wolff Campground was a great find and the quick 15 mile drive to dad’s house made for lots of enjoyable visits.

gardening in Illinois — picking cucumbers and tomatoes with my dad in his garden

My dad’s house is within walking distance to the train station and usually we never pass up at least one sojourn into Chicago anytime we’re back in the area. The Metra train even has a stop near the campground; Big Timber Road. After serious consideration, we took a pass on the day in the city opting to focus on family visits, especially since our son, Logan, surprised everyone with a visit.

Illinois farm stand — Logan and I visit the local farm stand to pick up dinner

Logan had flown to Chicago from Phoenix earlier in the week for a business trip and ended up extending his stay so he could spent some time with his Illinois relatives. My dad was thrilled to see him, as were his aunts.

When it was time for Al and I to drop Logan off at O’Hare Airport, I did the driving. I was a little nervous driving the big truck through congested traffic, especially at Chicago’s O’Hare. When I lived in the area years ago, I always had little cars. I managed the big truck just fine, but was relieved to get that drive out of the way. We encountered stop and go traffic, insane road construction, heavy congestion, and mean pointing police officers at the airport, and of course tolls.

Al and I decided it was best I drive since this was my old stomping grounds and I know the roads better than he does. Hubby doesn’t like it when I give him directions (aka – tell him how to drive). Hildi (the GPS mistress) can tell him how to drive, Ingrid (the wife) cannot. Must be that marital thing!

Next up, we move over to Al’s sister’s place……

Gardening — 88 year old Dad says, “Oh no. What happened to my flowers?” In the foreground, you’ll notice the weight of the blooms toppled the limbs. With a little attention, they’ll be upright in no time.

Perennial Vegetables: From Artichokes to Zuiki Taro, A Gardener’s Guide to Over 100 Delicious and Easy to Grow Edibles

Campgrounds, Illinois

Upstairs, both ways

August 7, 2015by Ingrid83 Comments

As the sun was slowly rising, Al steps out of the RV to start the generator for the drip coffee maker. The two other RV’s that were camped across from us in the Cabela’s parking lot have already moved on. And we thought we were early risers.

With coffee mugs filled and a couple of scones pulled from the freezer, we hop in the truck and start rolling east on Interstate 80. Five minutes later, we cross into Iowa from Nebraska.

It’s a Sunday morning with slightly overcast skies and almost no traffic. A perfect travel day. By early afternoon, we cross the Mississippi River and enter the state of Illinois.

RVing in Illinois — Looks like Illinois to me! Filling up with gas.

Al and I both grew up in Illinois and when we moved away in the early nineties, we never looked back. If it weren’t for family, we probably would not return. During our long drive yesterday, we both decided to embrace this trip to Illinois with an open mind …. as newbies to the state, you might say. Let’s play tourist! Having said that, we still chuckle each time we see a little blue sign saying “tourist info”. Although Illinois does have some unique and interesting sights, I still wouldn’t put it on a tourist destination list.

Last night while we were camped in the Cabela’s parking lot in Omaha, Nebraska, Al and I each got out our laptops and started doing a little Googling. Family wasn’t expecting our arrival for a few days which allowed us a chance to slow down and explore a little.

Hmm! We came across these words; Voted # 1 attraction in the State of Illinois …. a world apart from anything else in Illinois ….. towering trees, amazing waterfalls. Al says, “I went there once on an elementary school field trip”. We quickly decide to veer 50 miles out of our way to visit Starved Rock State Park.

We arrived late on a Sunday afternoon and drove around the campground a couple of times looking for a suitable campsite. It’s obvious the area experienced a good dowsing of rain the day before. With the exception of the handicap sites which are concrete, all the other sites are grassy. The grassy ground appeared soft and many sites featured tire ruts. We had concerns of sinking in the soft ground and possibly getting stuck.

camping in Illinois — Typical campsite at Starved Rock State Park

After serious consideration, we pulled into one of the six available concrete handicap sites and paid for one night. When the host/ranger came around checking sites, Al was quick to tell him we can be moved within 15 minutes if the site was needed. We were assured since we weren’t staying on a busy Friday or Saturday night, that it wasn’t a problem considering there were plenty of other handicap sites available.

Illinois State Parks — Starved Rock State Park

We ended up booking another night so we could spend a day hiking and exploring the area. First up; we hit the trails in search of waterfalls.

LaSalle Canyon Waterfall — LaSalle Canyon, Starved Rock State Park

We visited Starved Rock State Park at the end of July and even though the area had experienced plenty of rain, so much rain that the road to the visit center was blocked off, it was still mid summer meaning the waterfalls would be few and far between…. snow melt had long been melted.

hiking in Illinois — Hiking at Starved Rock State Park amongst lush vegetation. We haven’t been around this much dense greenery in years.

The most popular trail and waterfall is French Canyon. There was no waterfall and only a trickling stream. We ventured on taking in the lush, green vegetation.

There’s definitely a beauty to this landscape. It was a rather warm and humid morning and while other hikers were sporting shorts and tank tops, Al and I stayed in our western hiking attire of being covered up. We actually managed to avoid using bug spray and didn’t think the mosquitos were terribly bad. We were also concerned about poison ivy and were vigilant about staying in the center of the trail, that is when we weren’t going up or down stairs.

What’s so unique about the trail system at Starved Rock is the series of planked trail and stairs. You’ll find stairs AND more stairs. So many stairs, we climbed up stairs both ways.

state parks in Illinois — Note the little plaque on the right post saying “RETURN”. That means the trail leads toward the Visitor Center

Al and I counted 227 steps on one stairway alone. During our two-hour hike, we have no idea how many stairs we climbed or descended overall.Even with all the stairs, we found the hiking to be very easy. It was also extremely easy to navigate. I love maps and rarely hit the trails without one, but here a map is not necessary. They’ve dumbie proofed the trail system by using little color coded plagues.Yellow “AWAY” means you are hiking away from the Visitor Center.White “RETURN” means you are returning to the Visitor Center. Pretty easy peezie. Now if only we could dumbie proof some of the visitors to this lovely Illinois State Park. We hiked on an early Monday morning after a very busy and crowded weekend. Al and I were disappointed and disgusted with the amount of trash left behind on the trails. We’re talking piles of plastic water bottles and empty snack and condiment packaging. Gross!

We’ve never seen anything like it and I can only assume these are the same ignorant people who approach wild animals for photo ops. Who do they think is going pick up THEIR trash? Fortunately, there are volunteers willing to step up and tackle the task. On July 30th just 3 days after our hike, the Walkers Club and Lodge Staff picked up over 5 huge bags of garbage.

The above photo is from the Starved Rock State Park Facebook page. I did my best not to show any trash in my photos, wanting to share only the beauty of this park.

Rant over! No wait. Did you know the Illinois State Parks are FREE to use? Yep, that’s right, no day use fee…. nada, no dinero. So the Bozo’s that left their trash behind, got to hike here totally free of charge. And by the way, the trails may have been littered with trash, but the campground was spotless and well maintained.

waterfalls in Illinois — a ten second timer was not long enough for me to scurry behind the falls to join Al, without falling on my a*s!

How did the park get its name? You can click here by learning more about the local Indians and the history surrounding Starved Rock State Park. We enjoyed our 2 night, 3 day stay very much and would return in a heartbeat to tackle more stairs.

Dual Hydration Waist Pack Moss By Everest
Manfrotto MKCOMPACTLT-BK Compact Tripod (Black)

Campgrounds, Colorado

A visit to an adult store?

July 24, 2015July 24, 2015by Ingrid59 Comments

I don’t know about you, but I can’t believe it’s almost the end of July. This summer is whizzing by. Although we haven’t had any eventful excursions while hanging around the Denver, Colorado area this year, we have enjoyed our stay immensely.

Denver camping — Cherry Creek State Park – we’re in site #38

We found ourselves staying at three different and equally beautiful campgrounds this summer. Our first stop was Chatfield State Park which I wrote about in my last post. We then moved a little north to Bear Creek Lake Park. I discovered this park last summer when my daughter took me stand up paddle boarding for my birthday. You can read about the SUP experience along with a few other places we explored in and around Denver by clicking here.

camping in Denver — Bear Creek Lake Park Campground in Lakewood, Colorado

The campground at Bear Creek Lake Park is small, sits in an open meadow, and offers electric only hook-ups.

camping near Denver — Bear Creek Lake Park campground. We’re in site #47

This campground is the perfect place to stay while taking in a concert at the fabulous Red Rocks Amphitheater. Don’t have concert tickets? That’s ok because Red Rocks is an awesome place to hike and get in a serious workout. It’s always open and free to the public, that is when a concert isn’t in session. We never pass up an opportunity to hike at Red Rocks or get together with fellow bloggers’s. Thanks ML for your photo contributions.

Red Rocks Amphitheater west of Denver

Burn baby, burn!

Ten more???

I’m suppose to run these???

Two svelte chicks!!!

Bear Creek Lake Park has three small lakes to enjoy. Bear Creek Lake itself is perfect for kayaking, canoeing, and fishing. Soda Lake offers a beach along with the ability to rent stand up paddle boards and kayaks. There’s a third small ~~pond~~ lake for rental water skiing. The hiking/biking trails throughout the park are wonderful and there’s also an equestrian center offering trail rides. Bear Creek Lake Park was a great spot to call ‘home’ for a week.

Now before we move onto our third campground, allow me to share a fun little stop. Between our stay at Chatfield State Park and Bear Creek Lake Park, hubby and I found ourselves traveling SH-470 routinely (a highway on the far southwest suburbs of Denver). As we’d pass this architecturally interesting and large building with huge neon lettering saying Tipsy’s, I knew we had to stop and check it out. And check it out we did.

Upon entertaining this ‘adult store’ (seriously, did you think I meant some other kind of adult store?), hubby and I immediately went in different directions. I went to the champagne aisle while Al checked out all the beer. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a liquor store that had a piano, a chess set, putting green, and huge fireplace.

A little strolling around Tipsy’s Liquor World and a few purchases later, our liquor cabinet in the RV has been restocked…. and then some. With that accomplished it was time to move camp.

Our next stop was Cherry Creek State Park. This park is a favorite with many and I can see why. The reservoir is a serious draw for both boaters and anglers along with a marina for watercraft rentals. Then there’s the extensive trail system, a wetlands area for birding, a model plan airfield, and a clay target shooting range. And finally, a great location convenient to everything including downtown Denver and the airport.

Cherry Creek Reservoir

boat rentals at Cherry Creek State Park

Great RV sites

Shaded sites

The campground is large and offers full hook-ups for RV’s as well as non hook-ups for tents. Most of the campsites are shaded with large, mature trees and the grounds are beautifully maintained.

Denver wildlife — wild turkey’s at Cherry Creek State Park

Of course, my favorite is always the wildlife. We had deer, turkey’s, and geese stroll through the campground regularly. Near the marina, I spotted cormorants, egrets, pelicans and sea gulls. On the opposite side of the lake is the swim beach where I stumbled upon some napping geese.

wild turkey — Miss Turkey decided to run for cover from the crazy lady with the camera.

We enjoyed our stay at Cherry Creek State Park so much that we already booked a two-week stay here in September. Tonight we’ll join our daughter for dinner and in the morning we hit the road. Where to next? Here’s a clue about where we’re heading……

Evecase Large Canvas Messenger DSLR Digital Camera Bag with Rain cover and Removal laptop and camera insert – Brown
Havana Golf Sun Hat (Medium (21-23″ circumference head))

Campgrounds, Colorado

Top 5 Colorado towns continued

June 26, 2015June 26, 2015by Ingrid47 Comments

We’ve enjoyed our stay at the Chatfield State Park despite Mother Nature’s wrath. Colorado’s front range received a ton of spring rain and now with the runoff from mountain snows melting, the Chatfield Reservoir is at record high levels. The flooding is so severe that the west side of the park is closed as are all the boat ramps. To top things off, ALL sewer services within the park have been shut off. That means, no RV sewer connections, no dump station, no restroom flush toilets, and no showers anywhere in the park. Restroom buildings have been locked and lovely construction porta-potties placed onsite in lieu. And I won’t begin to mention the power outages.

Chatfield Reservoir — Site B-74 at Chatfield State Park near Denver, Colorado

If there’s anything this RV life has taught us, it’s to expect the unexpected and learn to roll with the flow and adjust accordingly. And of course, a good sense of humor always helps. So although we endured a few inconveniences during our Chatfield State Park visit, we still enjoyed our stay immensely.

One afternoon during one of those power outages, fellow campers were out and about checking with one another…. “Do you have power?” During such an exchange, we ended up meeting some folks from Illinois.

As former Illinoisans, the conversation flowed freely. The young couple, camping in a small travel trailer, were on a two-week vacation and wanted to see and experience Colorado’s finest.

Al and I did our best to answer their list of questions. We offered recommendations on roads to avoid while pulling the trailer, keeping in mind this was their first visit to the Rocky Mountains. Roads that Al and I are comfortable pulling aren’t necessarily roads we’d recommend for those less seasoned when it comes to mountain driving.

One particular question that had hubby and I torn – “What is your all time favorite, must see, Colorado town?” (ah, a blog post(s) was born) Al and I agreed it was a toss-up between Crested Butte and Grand Lake. Both towns are beautiful in their own right and are very different from one another. They both share plenty of charm, character, and beautiful scenery.

Crested Butte Colorado — the back country north of Crested Butte, Colorado

When we moved to Colorado in the mid-nineties, Crested Butte was the first mountain town our family of four (plus doggie) visited. I think Crested Butte will always hold a special place in my heart due to the special family moments experienced here.

One memorable trip occurred three years ago when I had a crazy idea to go tent camping at Lake Irwin. I wanted to take the little truck (Tacoma) and explore some of the 4×4 back country roads north of Crested Butte. Thus, we left the comforts of the RV behind and packed up the camping gear.

Lake Irwin is located west of the town of Crested Butte near Kebler Pass and sits at an elevation of 10,000 feet. Somehow that elevation thing didn’t register properly in my mind when I set up this excursion.

Since this was in the middle of summer, I knew the temperatures would still drop substantially during the night, but I never imagined they would drop below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Thank goodness, hubby brought an extra sleeping bag to throw over us. Even poor Bear was shivering during the night until I covered him with my sweatshirt.

It was mid July and the Wildflower Festival was in full swing. No coincidence there. The trip was planned with the wildflowers in mind.

Crested Butte relishes the title of “Wildflower Capital of Colorado”. Although according to locals, the drought conditions of 2012 lead to a dismal display of wildflowers. No matter who we talked to (merchant, waitress, gas station attendant) everyone apologized for the pure showing of wildflowers and asked us to please come back next year. Regardless, the countryside was and is stunningly beautiful. The town of Crested Butte is filled with charm and character. Mount Crested Butte is a little further up the road and this is where the ski slopes are located. Even though the 1980’s architecture at Mt. Crested Butte is lacking in style and character when compared to downtown Crested Butte, it’s still worth a stroll around and there’s new updates yearly.

The back country north of Crested Butte is not to be missed, but strolling the town of Crested Butte can also be pleasurable. Of course, there was a little T-shirt shopping involved during our visit (a habit of mine). Not wanting to leave Bear in the vehicle, Bear shopped with us and was welcome in most stores.

wildflowers in Colorado — back country road north of Crested Butte – Slate River Road

To read more about Crested Butte, visit our 2012 excursion – click here and here. We revisited again in 2013 and I share a little more info here. I wonder, with all the moisture Colorado has received this year, if the wildflowers won’t be in abundance and offer a stunning show for this year’s wildflower festival. Who’s willing to check it out for me? I’d go, but I already have commitments 😦

Camping? With a tent, truck camper, or small trailer there’s a bunch of options to choose: from the Blue Mesa Reservoir to Crested Butte to National Forest back country. With a bigger RV the list quickly dwindles. With our modest 31 feet, we could fit into a few sites at Lake Irwin providing one such site was available.

There does seem to be some free boondocking off-road 730 (Ohio Pass) just south of road 12 (Kebler Pass) which we would consider, but it does require traveling gravel roads to get there. Washington Gulch Road also has some spots.

When we returned to the area in 2013 with the 5th wheel, we stayed at an RV Park off Highway 50 near the Blue Mesa Reservoir (west of the town of Gunnison). During that visit, we spent some time checking out more campgrounds. You can read about those camping options here.

For any first time Crested Butte RV visitor, I would highly recommend staying in a park off Highway 50 and exploring the Crested Butte area WITHOUT the RV first. We all develop our own level of comfort when it comes to roads and parking conditions. Al and I find the camping accommodations around Crested Butte to be a little more challenging than we’d like with the RV, but that’s not to say it wouldn’t work for you.

The stunning scenery in this part of Colorado should not be missed. Crested Butte is definitely at the top of the list when it comes to “must see” places in Colorado….. it’s a favorite. Up next, we’ll visit Grand Lake.

The Next Exit 2015: The Most Complete Interstate Hwy Guide

Weber 50060001 Q 1000 Liquid Propane Grill

Category: Campgrounds

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Our Boomerang Trip – Part I

Devils Doorway

From prairie to suburbia

Upstairs, both ways

A visit to an adult store?

Top 5 Colorado towns continued

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