Kettle Moraine Forrest May 29th 2021

 Kettle Moraine Forrest Memorial Day Weekend 2021

This weekend we stayed at what we like to call a “bags spot” - meaning everyone at the campground came here to play bags or cornhole, or whatever you’d like to call it.  Our spot #71 was at the end of a road that Mike had to back up into all the way down.  Luckily the neighbors were nice enough to move their bag games long enough for us to get through.  

The site itself was actually pretty nice, a small cul de sec in the woods.  It was private as well and instead of looking at neighbors we were able to look at the woods.  

I’m the photo above you can see some of the bags being played or ready for their next game in the background.  Well enough about that.

This was also our first trip with the tent on top of our camper. Parents up too and girls in the camper.  Made for some nice sleeping for sure.  Might need a mattress topper up top.

Kids had a fun time.  There was some swimming pool action which is always a winner.

 

Our dinners were Wisconsin favorite Brats and dogs on the fire.  They were a ton of fun and finished nicely with a s’more or s’moreo.  

Sarah was able to get some mountain biking in on the nearby Kettle trails.  Overall a good opening day of camping for 2021.  

Pictures Rocks National Lakeshore

Knock knock, who’s there?

Covid

Covid -who???

Planned a last minute trip to Munising, Michigan in the UP, which in COVID world means we planned it a month in advance, but almost all the sites were sold out already. I don't think there were any sites left in the actual park, but I don't think I knew at the time that there was actually camping in there!

This trip was the last trip with the kids before school started. We we're lucky enough to have an A/B schedule where the kids didn't start until Tuesday, so we got to do a Saturday through Monday trip!

On Friday morning I got an email that our Sunset cruise along the shoreline was canceled due to weather conditions. Little did we know we would be arriving to set up a couple of tents and a camper in the middle of a Gale warning!  That's 40 mph winds for those of you not familiar with nautical phenomena. 

We arrived on Saturday evening during the windstorm. Mike and I are adventurers so we figured, What the Hey?  And proceeded to set up the tents anyway. No joke another couple in the site next to us was struggling so much that they left the campground entirely. 

It was pretty WILD!

Starved Rock State Park, Utica, IL
May 3-4, 2014

Normal people go to dinner and a movie on date night.  Mike and I went to... camp for one night at a state park.

Falling asleep on the way to our cousin's house.  Corie was ready for action with this glove on.

Setting up a campsite without kids around is one of the most silent and efficient things I have ever been a part of.  And I've assisted with vascular surgeries...

A helfie...  Just checkin' the braid since camping= no mirrors.

Staring at Mike across the fire.  We have already run out of things to talk about.  And that is good.

Bet you can't tell that's a selfie - Rats!  I just gave it away!

We're so...

...in love.

Really colorful eroded sandstone with all sorts of gorgeous pigments.  This looked to us like clay deposited by the creek bed.  But we aren't geologists.  Although I think Mike might have majored in Geology for a semester... or was that Geography?  Oh well, same difference.

Just enjoying the silence...

Thinking about Nutty Bars...

And Geography...

Another view of this little creek

Dam.

Anyone who is wondering if they will have cellular coverage at the "Eagle Cliff Overlook:" There is your answer.

Avoid site 27 LIKE THE PLAGUE!!!*  

*Unless you like thinking that you'll have power and then realizing that you won't.  If that's the way you roll - site 27 has your name all over it.  Oh, and a picnic table.  If you expect to have a picnic table, you may want to consider other sites.  But if you like sitting in a chair and eating food with your fingers as you drip all over your jeans - this site is the yin to your yang!

Prophetstown State Park, West Lafayette, IN
April 25-27, 2014

Our season opener for 2014.  Prophetstown State Park is one of only a few state parks in Indiana with full hook-ups (at some sites, only).  The park was modern, well kept, and the bathrooms were nice.  We visited the battleground, the museum, the Indian Village, and the Farm.  All were much enjoyed by the kids.  I particularly liked the museum and thought it was worth every penny of the admission fee (which was - we think - $6 for adults and $3 for kids over 3).

Unfortunately we didn't get many pictures from the places outside of the campground that we visited, mostly because we were chasing children, cleaning up their pee, or wrangling them in some other way.  Good times were had by all.  Sarah (I) did an 8 mile run within the park's extensive network of trails, though trails 3 and 4 were only recently added and therefore mainly consisted of a swath of mowed tallgrass prairie.  When the grassy areas gave way to muddy riverbanks (where the Wabash and Tippecanoe rivers converge) ...I just followed the dog paw prints.  At the time that we visited, trails 3 and 4 were marked by vinyl signs, and didn't yet have wooden trail markers set.  Luckily I had GPS and a map.  So I only got lost twice.  Okay, fine, three times.

Our site - complete with frolicking children.

The kids, just settling in to plot out their havoc wreaking schedule.

"We were told there would be cake...?"

Mike was smart enough to shield his cake's candles from the wind.  I was...not so smart.

Candles relit and ready for blowing out.

The visitor's center

Ada auditions for the part of "Max" in How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

We even flew a kite!  The central area of the electric loop made for good kite flying grounds.

A zoomed out view to prove that we flew the kite...

Present opening

No birthday party would be complete without a big bag o' batteries.

Walking back from the playground.  That was a top-notch playground.

Versailles State Park, IN

Versailles State Park, Versailles, IN
September 27-29, 2013

Our last camping trip of the season was at Versailles State Park.  The campground was very nice, but we were in the area for a wedding, so we didn't really get out there to see what the park had to offer.

The younger set - enjoying some freedom before being shoved into dresses.

"You aren't putting this photo in the blog, are you?"

A grim-faced man wearing a loom band bracelet.

Josephine and Anna cut a rug - early enough in the evening that they had not yet been joined by drunk adults.

"Uh, does anyone have anything I can spit this Tootsie Roll into - I just lost my appetite..."

The "How Can God Bless America When We Are Killing Our Unborn" float.  That's right, it's a pro-Life parade float complete with fetus photos.

Josephine and Anna standing in front of somebody's beautifully golden-tanned arm.

"I was told there would be cake at this event...?"

Covert KOA / Gus Macker South Haven, MI

The 2013 Silk on Butter Gusmacker Reunion Tour

South Haven, MI

July 26-28, 2013

The team, before the first game, I believe?  They don't look demoralized yet, anyway...

Yep didn't actually have a basketball, there.  Just for fun.

A romantic walk down the pier

This look is called "Lighthouse sexy"

Taking a long walk down a long pier is infinitely more dry than taking a long walk off a ... well, you know.

Nothing that I love more after a nice run on the beach than picking blueberries with which I can stuff my face at breakfast the following day.  Actually, these fresh blueberries made some KILLER blueberry pancakes that only Brian and I would eat...

The original JUDGEMENT FIRE (TM) at which you will be JUDGED*

Look at those sopping wet fools.

Only Brian manages to look demoralized in this photo.

Tweet, tweet, tweet, little birds.  Tweet out all your feelings...

Besides, the true spirit of camping is doing what you want to do while you are relaxing and not working, right?  Not "getting away from technology."  That's just a silly notion, especially when AT&T has the best nationwide coverage of any cellular carrier...

The JUDGEMENT FIRE(TM) blazes on...

*In the form of malicious tweets.