Port Clinton, Ohio

Though the temperature is only 76 degrees, the humidity is 67 and the dew point is 66. So to us, this feels hot and humid. We've been playing it slow, staying pretty much in and around the coach since we arrived here on Tuesday. Port Clinton is on Lake Erie and a couple of miles from the RV Park on Portage River. We are real close to a nuclear power plant. Couldn't believe seeing this on our way into the place as it is located so close to the highway.

Picture of nuclear power plant taken 

out of the window with cell phone.

We are staying at the Erie Island Resort & Marina on the Portage River which runs into Lake Erie. It is a large place with its own hotel, marina, three separate RV parking site areas, and lots and lots of grass to cut.

Erie Islands Resort & Marina Entrance

When we arrive at a new RV park, Jerry always asks the person at the check-in place, "so what's there to see in this area?" Sometimes we are even given brochures and fliers of the events going on at the time and the sites to visit. This time, the guy responded to Jerry, "well, we have a Walmart." He even gave Jerry a flier on directions how to get to the Walmart. We laughed, but he was right. There is really nothing special to see here. But, because we are members of Resorts of Distinction, our stay at this park is free.

We went  to Dianne's Restaurant for breakfast one day because we saw signs along the way advertising their homemade breads and pastries. Had chocolate cake for breakfast.

Chocolate Oriel Cookie Cake (ate some of it

before remembering to take this picture

with my cell phone)

In case you are wondering, I am still vegan. I just make exceptions for chocolate and pies on occasion.

Erie Islands Resort & Marina 

There are paved roads all around this place and we've biked a couple of miles within the park a few times. All of my pictures this time are taken with my cell phone as it is just to muggy to go out shooting with my Nikon.

Lots of sea gulls in the empty slots in the marina.

There are also tons of geese walking all over the place. But, they are staying away from the actual RV sites.

We leave on Tuesday and continue on our way to Lavern and Bob's place in PA. Expect to arrive there on Thursday. It is 400 miles from here, but we don't like to drive that far in one day. So we will take a couple of days to get there.

Enjoy your week ahead, everyone.

Elgin, Illinois

This is for all you RVers out there. We've been staying at the Burnridge Forrest Preserve (Paul Wolff Campground) here in Elgin, Illinois. Elgin is about 40 miles from downtown Chicago. This is one of the nicest places we have ever stayed. All sites and roads are paved and well spaced. For example, there is 60 feet on one side and 150 feet on the other side of us to the adjoining sites. We have 50 amp and water. There are two dump sites as you leave the Preserve.

Look at all the space around us.

And then there are the miles and miles of walking and biking trails. We've taken a couple of bike rides around the park and traveled about 4 miles while still in the Preserve.

One of the walking and biking trails in the Preserve.

And, the weather has been in the 70s the whole time.

Love this park!

One of the main reasons we wanted to hit Chicago was to see my really close girl friend of 42 years. And today we did just that. We drove into Chicago and met her near her condo. She provided a great lunch and then we walked across Shoreline Drive to Lake Michigan just a few blocks from her condo.

Mary and Mary with downtown Chicago in the background

Jerry, Chanti and Mary with Lake Michigan in the background

Isn't this cute? Even dogs get their own water fountain.

Apparently this statute was just added to the park 

area and there was no description with it. 

Tomorrow will be one of those loooong travel days, again. We hope to cover 330 miles and end up in Ohio near Lake Erie by late afternoon.

Have a great week, everyone!

Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Dells is the midwest's Disneyland. It is the fun place to go for children and adults alike. The town has about 9,000 people -- but the place is filled with thousands more as people come from all over to enjoy all the different attractions.

We are staying at the Christmas Mountain Village. We stayed here last in 2007.

Road into Christmas Mountain Village 

Parked in spot 300.

With all these trees, we have not been able to get DirecTv and have had to resort to the Village's cable system. Also, every cell call that we've received or tried to make was dropped. Even if we go up to the clubhouse to make our calls, they still get dropped. This is unusual for us with Verizon.

Just to give you an idea of some of the attractions of the Wisconsin Dells, here are a couple of pictures:

The upside down White House

Miles of roller coasters all over the town

Just one of the many water parks in town

Lots of ways to get wet

And, of course, the dells itself

And here is a little something extra -- a slide show of pictures taken at Sean and Rochelle's wedding on the farm in Fargo, ND on July 21, 2012. For the record, the vocalist is Samantha Elizondo, our 12-year granddaughter, who performed at the wedding and dedicated the song in the video to the happy couple during her performance. Enjoy!

Osseo, Wisconsin

Left Grand Marais on Sunday and decided to drive as far as we felt like it for the day. When we came close to Osseo, Wisconsin (a 6-hour drive), we stopped to call ahead to make sure the only RV park in Osseo would have a space for us. Here is Jerry's conversation with the person who answered the phone at the Stoney Creek RV Resort:

Jerry: "Yes, we are about two hours away from you. Do you have room for a 40 foot motorhome?"
Person: "We do. We have room for the night."
Jerry: "Good. We will be there in a couple of hours. But, we would want to stay there four nights."
Person: "Oh. Let me check if we have any spaces available for that."
(Jerry is put on hold while she checks this out.)
Person: (Coming back on the line.) "I think we can accommodate you for four days."
Jerry: "My name is Shea. We will be there in a couple of hours."

We were happy, figuring that we must have been given the last spot in the park. However, she didn't ask for a credit card deposit over the phone. We found out why when we arrived. Accommodate us for four days! Heck, they could have accommodate a whole caravan for four days.

This is how the resort looked after we parked at the far end of this row. This whole row is empty (except for one other RV located across and to the left of us.) In fact, the resort, which has 122 sites, is only about 15% filled.

We are parked at the end of this row.

Stoney Creek is a beautiful park with paved 

rows with lots of trees and greenery.

The primary reason we wanted to stop here in Osseo is to go to the Norske Nook Bakery & Restaurant. Ann and Mike told us about this place and we can confirm that this place has some of the best pies. 

Norske Nook Bakery & Restaurant in Osseo, WI

We've been to the place yesterday and again today. This is why.

Pies, pies and more pies!

Whole pies in case.

Single pie pieces in case.

The weather here is great. Temperature is in the 70s though rain is predicted for the next couple of days. 

We leave here on Thursday and head for the Wisconsin Dells.

THE MEANING OF LIFE IS TO ENJOY LIFE! 

(Saw this on a car bumper sticker.)

Grand Marais, Minnesota

Grand Marais is in northern Minnesota, about 40 miles from the Canadian border. We came here specifically to catch up with our neighbor in Cambria, JanAnn, who lives right across the street from our house in Cambria. She has a small summer cabin in an isolated area near this small town of 5,168 residents located right on Lake Superior. We didn't know it at the time, but this weekend is the town's annual Fisherman's Picnic celebration (comparable to Cambria's Pinedorado celebration). Consequently, there were no openings in any of the RV parks around this area for us. JanAnn's daughter and son-in-law were gracious enough to let us park on their property located near a lake.

We had an enjoyable first night meeting with JanAnn's family and friends. The next day, we walked the booth areas in town and also along Lake Superior.

Some of the people at the celebration

Grand Marais is located right on Lake Superior

Last night we drove out to JanAnn's place. Her little cottage is literally right on Lake Superior.

Taken from her porch

Also taken from JanAnn's porch. Imagine hearing the wonderful sounds

of these waves crashing right under you all day and night.

JanAnn

Then, today we had a pleasant surprise. Her son-in-law, Dan, offered to take us up in his 1973 modified sea plane to get an overview of the whole area. He gives tours in the area and gave us a tour in which he explained much of the history of this place.

Dan's 1973 modified sea plane

The bay at Grand Marais

The coastline of Lake Superior

A dairy farm in the middle of the forest

As we are coming in for a landing on the water,

you can see where our motorhome is parked.

Dan, our pilot

This is such a beautiful area.  Too bad that it is located in Minnesota where the harsh winters change everything for those of us who don't want to live in the snow.

We leave here tomorrow and head for somewhere in Wisconsin.

Enjoy the week ahead, everyone.

Minneapolis and Duluth, Minnesota

The great part of living this full-time rving life-style is that we get to travel across the country and stay in touch with friends that have passed through our life at some point in the past. This time it was my turn. I was able to reconnect with four of my fellow nursing graduates from the 60s. First, Mary Ann and Judy from the Minneapolis area were able to join me at Starbucks this week for a fun few hours together.

 Mary Ann, Judy and Me

Alice, who also lives in the area could not meet with us that day, but since Jerry and I were traveling through St. Paul and going right past her area, we stopped the next day for my visit with Alice. We ate lunch at Panera's. Afterwards, we ran over to her townhouse so I could see her beautiful garden.

With Alice at Panera's

Part of Alice's backyard garden with a pond behind it.

After leaving Alice, we traveled 160 miles to Duluth, Minnesota where we settled in at an RV park on the water. In luck, again, I was able to reconnect with Jean, also in our nursing class. She and her husband, Jerry, were gracious enough to invite us to their place for dinner tonight where we met with some of their friends. What a fun evening we had. And, the food was delicious. I never had nectarine pie before. Now I'm on a quest to find a recipe for one as good as we had tonight.

Christine and Audrey (in front), and Rita, Jean, Jerry, and Amy in the back.

Full moon over the water in Duluth, Minnesota (taken last night)

Lift bridge lit up at night.

We leave here tomorrow and head further north about 100 miles to Grand Marais, Minnesota.

Live the life you love!