Michael J Kacmarcik: Blog https://www.kaz.photography/blog en-us (C)Michael J. Kacmarcik [email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) Thu, 05 Dec 2024 17:08:00 GMT Thu, 05 Dec 2024 17:08:00 GMT https://www.kaz.photography/img/s/v-12/u357885142-o828966335-50.jpg Michael J Kacmarcik: Blog https://www.kaz.photography/blog 120 68 October 1 – Harpers Ferry, West Virginia https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/12/october-1-harpers-ferry-west-virginia  

Welp……since summer we knew we’d be coming off the road full time.  It was a bittersweet day for us.  

We winterized The Sandman while at the KOA and this morning, we backed him into our driveway.  Yes – you read that correctly – our driveway!!

 

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Long story short – we bought a house with 5 acres (and a pool) a few years back.  We rented it out while on the road.  The renters bought a house in July, so we needed to make another life changing decision.  Do we rent the house out again or come off the road full time???  Because we spent SO many years in California, away from our kids, and now our grands, it was not a hard decision to make.  Well – sort of – hard to explain.  We LOVED our time on the road, but we missed our family so very much.

And so, another chapter begins.  Amazon has been very busy delivering things along with Wayfair.  We’ve hit just about every store in the area for our needs and we’ve started all over again…. because – don’t forget!!  We sold, gave away, or threw away everything we owned (with the exception of a few things our daughter stored in her basement for us). Thanks Tiffany.  Oh, but it has been fun!!

 

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We’ve not planned our next adventure, but it’s lurking out there.

We would not change one thing we did.  We loved every minute of our adventures on the road for the past 2 years.  We saw and experienced things we could have never imagined.  The memories are something that can’t be taken away and soon we’ll have photographs on our walls, to remind us of what a special time we had…. going back and forth across the US twice……all the friends we saw, all the new friends we made, and now y’all better come visit us in good ole Harpers Ferry, West Virginia!!  It is a beautiful historic town so plan your vacation to come see us….

Quite often we are asked where our favorite place to visit was……SO many beautiful places we went to but………..Glacier National Park gets our vote for No. 1……..

Cheers for now!!

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/12/october-1-harpers-ferry-west-virginia Thu, 05 Dec 2024 12:08:40 GMT
September 29 – October 1 Harpers Ferry, West Virginia https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/12/september-29-october-1-harpers-ferry-west-virginia Harpers Ferry KOA

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Yep – we’ve been here before.  Nice place, set in the woods (for the most part).  It took us a bit to get settled after moving 4 times – Ugggg!!  Some of the electrical pedestals just weren’t having The Sandman as a resident – LOL!!!

 

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The drive was nice and smooth.  Seeing those familiar road signs warmed our hearts.

 

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We hadn’t seen our kids and grands for many months and had planned to meet them at our favorite BBQ place in the area.  It figures we had site issues – dang it – we were an hour late but hey – better late than never….. It was SO great to see them all and get those big hugs we’ve missed so much!

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/12/september-29-october-1-harpers-ferry-west-virginia Thu, 05 Dec 2024 11:53:26 GMT
September 26 - 29 Natural Bridge Station, Virginia https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/12/september-26---29-natural-bridge-station-virginia Jellystone Park 

If we hadn’t planned on leaving when we did, to go further north, we would have anyway.  Hurricane Helene was beginning to wreak havoc on the skies and on the ground.   The little creek near our campground was filling up quickly and there is nothing quite like breaking camp in the pouring rain – Not!!!  The news was nothing good – the rain bands prior to the Hurricane were already here……

 

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The drive to Natural Bridge was not fun…..it poured…..and poured…..then a bit of a break….and poured some more.  

 

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When we spotted caravan after caravan of Electric Company trucks heading south, we knew things were going to get worse, south of us.  Do we continue heading to West Virginia (long drive) or take a chance that we had missed the brunt of the storm and continue to our stay in Natural Bridge?  We checked the weather carefully and decided that Natural Bridge was far enough north and we’d be okay. 

 

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We settled into our site (in the rain) and called it a day – LOL!!!  Let’s look at the weather again tomorrow and see what is ahead.

The sun is shining!!  Thank you sky Gods!  We both feel like drowned rats as we’ve been in the rain for over a week and we…are….done….with it!!

 

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We ventured out to a local place for lunch, The Pink Cadillac Diner. Good ole fashioned home cooking is just what we needed…….and it was Yummmmmyyyy……

The Natural Bridge Visitors Center was one of THE nicest Visitors Centers we’ve ever seen.  Tickets to the trail down to the bridge were worth every penny.  What a gorgeous hidden gem.  The park was dedicated in 2016.  At the center of the park, the 200-foot tall Natural Bridge sits in a limestone gorge carved out by Cedar Creek.  The arch (bridge) is also a National Historical Landmark.  How cool is that????

The park is more than just the Bridge; lush forests and rolling meadows showcase the area’s karst terrain and vistas of surrounding mountains, and the James River valley competes with the Bridge itself.  There are more than 10 miles of hiking trails, including Cedar Creek Trail, which leads from the Visitor Center under the bridge to Lace Falls with its 50-foot cascade.  Just beautiful!!

 

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The Ranger mentioned that once a month, on the last Saturday, they illuminate the Bridge at night, and we should plan to come back.  The next evening, we bundled up (yep, it’s starting to get chilly) and enjoyed the spectacular sight.

 

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The entire area of southern Virginia is simply gorgeous.  Fall as the leaves are turning, is the perfect time to explore.  


 

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/12/september-26---29-natural-bridge-station-virginia Thu, 05 Dec 2024 11:53:00 GMT
September 23 - 26 Marion, Virginia https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/september-23---26-marion-virginia Hungry Mother State Park

Really? Another Buc-ee’s?? When you get on the Interstate, you just HAVE to stop if you see one – LOL!! This one we had been to last year when we visited Gatlinburg, TN. Well, geez – it’s right there before you get on I40 so how can you NOT stop?????

 

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And here we are, back in VA – the state we lived in for so many years – got married here – raised our kids here – and then the rest is history (we moved to CA in 2003 to help take care of Donna’s parents).

 

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This state park was recommended by many, so we put it on our travel path. It didn’t disappoint. There are 3 campgrounds within the park, nestled in the woods. They rent the usual water craft items and have a great beach area. The park is one of the six original CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) parks that opened in June of 1936. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.

 

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The quaint town of Marion is just that – a few shops and restaurants – including one of our favorite VA chains – Macado’s.

 

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We kept seeing road signs for “Back of the Dragon”???? Never heard of it. We took off to find an overlook to view the beautiful mountains and realized we were ON the Back of the Dragon – LOL!!

 

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The overlook had a map and low and behold – well –yeah!!!! It began at the State Park and went 32 miles, with 438 curves, at 3500’, to the small town of Tazewell.

 

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We took another gorgeous drive through the mountains in Virginia – with the leaves turning. Something we don’t see except in the east is the vines that take over the brush and trees.

 

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Kinda creepy!!

We’ve lucked out thus far with no rain…..until we wanted to go for a hike. Nope – it rained all night and more came, so we decided we didn’t want to trench through the mud…..now we are on Hurricane Helene watch as we head northeast!!!

We just LOVE this part of the country! Fall is the perfect time to be here……

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/september-23---26-marion-virginia Wed, 25 Sep 2024 20:33:06 GMT
September 20 - 23 Vonore, Tennessee https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/september-20---23-vonore-tennessee Notchy Creek Campground

Where in the world are we going?????

It was after our stop at……. Buc-ee’s – LOL!! Haven’t seen a Buc-ee’s in a LONG time cause we haven’t been on an Interstate in a LONG time. What the heck is the draw to this place? Haven’t figured it out yet except it’s a shopping mega for all kinds of things – food, drink, stuff……..and they are always – always – always crowded!!!!!

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What is up with this darn traffic? We’ve gotten so used to being on small highways and back roads! Bear jam on I40 – wow! The most unexpected place to see a big ole black bear – having a swim in the nice warm water below the bridge – neato!!!

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Really nice country campground nestled in the woods by Lake Tennessee. Super quiet but too hot and humid to sleep with the windows open.

 

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We were excited to get to this particular area as we have friends that live nearby. But……Covid struck again and they were both very sick – damn it!! So, we drove into their driveway and waved/blew kisses. We were SO bummed about not getting to hang out with Scotty and Maxine Drapo for the weekend. Mike and Scotty were in the Navy together – so they’ve known each other a long, long time……

All was not lost for something to do however!!! We were only about 45 minutes away from……the famous Tail of the Dragon – US 129 – oh yeah baby – here we come! This road has 318 curves in 11 miles – America’s favorite motorcycle and sports car road, bordered by the Great Smoky Mountains and the Cherokee National Forest, with no intersecting roads or driveways. Guaranteed to be the ride of your life!!!!!

 

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We were first introduced to Tail of the Dragon after we bought our first MINI Cooper in 2002. It was an instant love affair and MINI’s on the Dragon was formed. 100’s of MINI’s came every year the first week of May for many days of fun! We moved to CA in 2003 but managed to drive from CA in 2012 for a 10 year “reunion” of MINI’s on the Dragon.

 

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Unforgettable memories……………We had a great lunch at the Fontana Lodge which overlooks the mountains and the Fontana Village, reminiscing about old times gone by!!

 

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On our way back “home”, we drove through the Foothills Parkway of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This whole area is so breathtakingly beautiful – especially at this time of the year. The leaves are changing and starting to fall – wow – so, so pretty!

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/september-20---23-vonore-tennessee Wed, 25 Sep 2024 17:29:26 GMT
September 18 – 20 Nashville, Tennessee https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/september-18-20-nashville-tennessee Two Rivers RV Park

These old bridges are just SO cool…….

 

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The most exciting part of our drive to Nashville was seeing another Airstream along the way

– Hiya to whomever you are!! So much fun to see another one in the wild!!!

 

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The RV Park wasn’t anything special. It sure was packed though!!!

 

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Being within 15 minutes of downtown Nashville, it made for a quick trip to find EXPENSIVE parking near the famous Broadway district. We had been in this area a couple of years ago, so we didn’t do much touristy stuff except to walk the several blocks of bars and restaurants. It was super crowded. We suppose Nashville is kinda like New Orleans – people visiting year-round.

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As we drifted from bar to bar (not drinking) listening to the various bands, blasting their music enticing people to visit, one bar in particular caught our ears. They were from Season 7 of American’s Got Talent – way cool….and…..they played Donna’s favorite song by John Denver – “Take Me Home, Country Roads”. A fun afternoon!!

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/september-18-20-nashville-tennessee Wed, 25 Sep 2024 02:58:26 GMT
September 17 – 18 Gilbertsville, Kentucky https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/september-17-18-gilbertsville-kentucky Kentucky Dam Village State Park

We said Goodbye to Missouri……………skirted Illinois and landed in Kentucky.

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It was a beautiful sunny day for a drive – crossing many of those old bridges along our way. It was neato to see the barges below in the Mississippi River – wondering how in the heck do those things manage to get down that river, that has almost no water!!

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Wait – what? We’re going to Waffle House??? We haven’t seen or been to one in months….our favorite quick stop place on the road – LOL!!!

 

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Kentucky has some gorgeous back roads – smooth rolling curves and GREEN tall trees. The state park was beautiful and we had it almost to ourselves – excellent!! We had a lovely overnight stay with the windows open, listening to the night creatures’ talk.

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Mother Nature continues to be an amazing thing. We had clear skies and got a bird’s eye view of the partial eclipse – Nice!!!

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/september-17-18-gilbertsville-kentucky Wed, 25 Sep 2024 02:05:12 GMT
September 16 - 17 Doniphan, Missouri https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/september-16---17-doniphan-missouri Rocky River Resort RV Park

Cloudy skies with rain looming in the distance….

We love old bridges like trains out in the wild. Missouri has some REALLY neat old bridges.

 

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Some a bit narrower than we would have liked…but…..slow and steady over these things!!!

 

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The smooth rolling roads out of the Ozarks, through the back country of Missouri, always gives us an appreciation of what we have…we saw a lot of this…..and that…..We get a bit sad when we are so fortunate, and others are not. Life is life and we can’t change the world…

 

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Water levels are SO low everywhere we’ve been. Sad to see when we know water is such an important part of life, especially in many of the HUGE recreation areas we’ve been through or stayed at. Everyone has told us about the drought in their area and it’s pretty obvious.

 

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Mother Nature sure didn’t give us a break for most of the day – what started off as a light rain, quickly turned into pouring – but hey – these areas have been begging for rain and they got it ---------- So………we pull into our site and it’s just yuck – mush, squish, uggggg!!! We quickly change into our “camp shoes” to get set up. Talking with the camp manager, they had 3 straight days of rain before we arrived…..well…..yeah….we could tell – LOL!!

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This “not so much of a resort” was fine as a one night stop. A planned stop specifically in this little tiny town of Doniphan, was special to us. Donna’s Dad, RAdm. Doniphan Shelton, grew up in Springfield, MO – before he was honored enough to be accepted to the Naval Academy. Cheers to you Dad!!!

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/september-16---17-doniphan-missouri Wed, 25 Sep 2024 00:49:04 GMT
September 12 - 16 Hollister (Branson), Missouri https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/september-12---16-hollister-branson-missouri Turkey Creek Escapees Park

Oh, those beautiful Ozarks!! After a non-exciting drive (knock on wood), the closer we got to Branson, that beautiful mountain range surrounded us in all its glory….

 

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We had been to this area in April last year (2023). We stayed at two different campgrounds, both of which were nestled in the Ozarks. This time around, we decided to stay close to the historic district of Branson, since we were only there for four days.

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As members of the Escapees RV club, one of the perks is staying in one of their campgrounds at a pretty fair price. There just happened to be one in this area – Yayyy!

Not as pretty or fancy as some other places we’ve stayed, but it was perfect for our needs.

We poked around the small town of Hollister – some neat restaurants and shops. Historic Branson although touristy, is also a fun place to spend some $$ if you chose – LOL!!! “The Strip” as the locals call it, is NOTHING like Vegas – although they would swear it is…….

 

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All in all, we had a nice relaxing time….

Truck stops fuel fill had found us parked next to the 3 little pigs.

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/september-12---16-hollister-branson-missouri Tue, 24 Sep 2024 23:39:09 GMT
September 11 - 12 Carthage, Missouri https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/september-11---12-carthage-missouri Camp Mi Casa/Rt. 66 RV Park

As we said goodbye to Dorothy and Toto, we headed into Missouri for yet – wait for it – another one-night stay – LOL!!

 

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It was fun to see an old Airstream along our travels. She owns a company out of Colorado called Wild Lily. She uses her Airstream as a traveling boutique – kinda cool!!!!!

 

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And that my friends, was our exciting drive for the day and our non-exciting stay in Carthage

– LOL!

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/september-11---12-carthage-missouri Sun, 15 Sep 2024 04:15:44 GMT
September 8 -11 Cheney, Kansas https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/september-8--11-cheney-kansas Cheney State Park

Kansas terrain – at least the route we took, was miles and miles of agriculture once again. We had no idea that so much is grown in this state, along with hundreds of cow farms for producing milk.

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We recognized the huge corn fields but had to Google the other huge crop we kept seeing. They grow sorghum! Huh…. who knew????? Sorghum (a type of grain) is used in making gluten free food and syrup….

 

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And…………. the wind in this state is no joke!! We fought it our entire drive. No wonder they have so many wind turbine fields – flat and windy most of the time. The trees along the way were shaped almost sideways because of the wind!!!

 

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Speaking of wind – in the tiny little town of Mullinville located on Hwy 154 (US Route 400) –we came across hundreds of bizarre and abstract metal sculptures squeaking and twirling in the Kansas wind. All were made by M.T. Liggett, a native of the area. Made from road signs, car parts, farm equipment, and a multitude of other objects welded together.

 

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The most eye-catching works are of a political nature, bashing local, national, and international politicians across the political spectrum. Other works are more personal to Liggett, including sculptures of his dogs, each of his six ex-wives, and one of a three- breasted French prostitute that he once “went to bed with.”

We had a super nice, cozy site nestled in the trees – by the lake. Very quiet and dark – dark skies.

 

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Quiet until we heard a knock on the screen door one evening! Hum…...” who or what is that?” With flashlight in hand, we venture carefully out the door……and what do we see??? 3 HUGE raccoons eating nuts from the tree at our site. Okay – no problem – but keep your dirty paws off the door – LOL!!!! They all scattered but we managed to get a picture of one before it took off…….

 

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The Kansas state flower – the Sunflower – fun to see on some of their road signs! But it was the wrong time of year to see them anywhere in the fields or alongside the roads.

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/september-8--11-cheney-kansas Sun, 15 Sep 2024 03:49:29 GMT
September 7 - 8 Dodge City, Kansas https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/september-7---8-dodge-city-kansas Gunsmoke RV Park

We spent another one nighter to break up mileage as we continue our travels. The campground was set up like an old western town – kinda cute!

 

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The highlight was we saw another Airstream in the park….and…. the neighbor’s property behind the campground had all kinds of animals, including some really friendly goats – LOL!!!

 

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Many miles of agriculture along our route today and lots of farmers out on the roads, tending to their many acres of crops…..BIG grain silos like we’ve never seen before!!!

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/september-7---8-dodge-city-kansas Sun, 15 Sep 2024 03:01:11 GMT
September 6 - 7 Hasty, Colorado https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/september-6---7-hasty-colorado September 6 - 7 Hasty, Colorado

Lake Hasty John Martin Reservoir State Park

When we think of Colorado, we think of – well – mountains. That might be true for a lot of the state but our drive today? Not so much. Once we left the Estes Park area the other day, the terrain changed drastically. The skies were blue but the drive was as if we were back in the Dakotas – flat and brown – LOL!!

This was a quick overnight stay to break up mileage as we continue east. Nice campground right by the John Martin Dam. Very quiet and dark skies……..

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/september-6---7-hasty-colorado Sun, 15 Sep 2024 02:30:49 GMT
September 3 - 6 Aurora, Colorado https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/september-3---6-aurora-colorado Cherry Creek State Park

Here we are again, back into the land of traffic – Yuck! Not being used to freeways for a while, we made our way out of the mountains to just outside the Denver area.

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What a hidden gem of a campground! We pulled in and wow, what a pretty area. The sites were huge and wide, with plenty of open space all around. We loved it….

We chilled for a few days and did some paperwork.

 

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In the spirit of helping, a neighbor camper needed help moving his trailer after his truck engine blew up. The camp host helped him find another unoccupied site. Mike helped him move his trailer to another site.

 

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The highlight of our stay here was getting to see the daughter of a very good friend of ours, Grace Ellinghaus and her boyfriend Dylan. Her family lived next to us when we lived in Northern Virginia. We hadn’t seen her since we left in 2003, and it was great to catch up over some yummy Mexican food. We’ve known her since she was born. In fact, Mike drove her mom Lacey to the hospital in the midst of a snowstorm to deliver her!!!

 

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We met another friend from Donna’s time in the Philippines. Kim Sargeant with her hubby Jody, took us to dinner at a yummy Italian place. Although Donna’s family and Kim’s family were in Subic Bay at the same time, Kim’s family moved back to the states in 1974, a year after Donna arrived. Donna was several years ahead of her in school so they only met each other through school reunions here in the US. We saw her when we were in Vegas last month and here we are again, enjoying some real catch-up time!!!

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/september-3---6-aurora-colorado Sun, 15 Sep 2024 02:16:07 GMT
August 30 – September 3 – Estes Park, Colorado (near Rocky Mountain National Park) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/august-30-september-3-estes-park-colorado-near-rocky-mountain-national-park Jellystone Estes Park

When you see the first tunnel about nine miles from where you’re leaving from, you KNOW It’s going to be…………well…………. a white-knuckle drive and…….it was!Wowzer………. these Colorado mountains are no joke!!!!!!!

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We were VERY happy to arrive at our campsite. The camp hosts were super and even helped in getting The Sandman backed into our site. Although we were pretty close to the main highway, no problem – it was level and we didn’t have to maneuver up the narrow lane uphill to the rest of the campground – Yayyy!!! It was a bit gnarly for a large rig like ours.

 

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Several years back, Mike was on a road trip with our besties Jon and Becky Harry (Donna didn’t get to go because WORK wouldn’t let her have vacation at that particular time). They have talked to this day about THE BEST pie shop ever! So yes…..off we went to have some pie. Mike had Cherry and Donna had Peach…………..and boy oh boy – our plates were empty in no time – LOL!!! Waiting in line was not a problem – our mouths were watering the whole time!!

 

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Rocky Mountain National Park is REALLY something! When Donna was young and their family was moving from West to East and vice versa, her dad brought them to the area several times. Her memories of driving through the park are vivid. Trail Ridge Road is designated as a national All-American Road. It covers 48 miles between Estes Park (east side) and Grand Lake (west side). Eleven miles of the highway travel above the tree line at an elevation near 11,500’!! The evergreen forests come to a halt. As it winds across the tundra’s vastness to its high point of 12,183’, it offers thrilling views and wildlife sightings.

 

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Guardrails? Where are they? Nowhere on this very narrow road with hardly any room to pass…………….Yikes! Don’t dare take your hands off that steering wheel……………Wow!!

 

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Estes Park – what a cute town – wandering in and out of shops was a quintessential mountain town experience. And when there is a river involved? Even better……and……what made it even more special for us was seeing a Momma Elk with her babies in the river!! And…. seeing another one walking down main street, munching from the flowerpots along the sidewalk – LOL!!

 

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Mike’s favorite Author – Stephen King! Remember the movie “The Shining?” Part of it was filmed at the famous landmark Stanley Hotel in Estes Park. As soon as we walked in, we both commented that it reminded us of the famous Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego. It was oozing with old world charm and modern amenities. We moseyed through the gift shop (big mistake) and came out with a bag full – “Redrum” ………A poster in the lobby advertised a special Bourbon downstairs in their tasting room. Oh boy – here we go!!

 

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Wow!! The tasting room was the most gorgeous thing we’ve ever seen!!!!

 

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Elk “rut” season was in full swing. As we traversed through the roads, our necks getting sore from looking side to side, and up and down. The meadow we suddenly came upon was what we’ve been waiting for – a HUGE herd of Elk and several males with very large racks!! We quickly found a place to park and spent hours watching the show. Big Daddy was on the hunt for “his” female but none of the females wanted anything to do with him – LOL!!! Big Daddy and another had a “friendly” exchange with their antlers while dancing around the females.

 

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Although the altitude was still an issue for us (thin air makes it harder to breath), we managed to do a hike around Bear Lake. What a beautiful place! On the way, we saw a Momma Moose with her baby crossing the road. Not great pictures as they went pretty quick across the road into the woods.

 

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It was a busy time both in the town and in the park as we were there over Labor Day weekend. But all in all, we had a fantastic time!!! Another bucket list item – checked off…

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/august-30-september-3-estes-park-colorado-near-rocky-mountain-national-park Tue, 10 Sep 2024 03:06:09 GMT
August 26 - 30 Breckenridge, Colorado (Breck as the locals call it) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/august-26---30-breckenridge-colorado-breck-as-the-locals-call-it Tiger Run RV Resort

 

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As the terrain in the valley began to change to those gigantic rock mountains, we began to see velvet green soaring peeks, rugged and awesomely beautiful, stretching into the horizon.

 

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We passed an occasional train. Why is it we act like kids when we see one???? “Look – there’s a train”! And…. the tunnels just keep on coming – they are an amazing!

 

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The Eisenhower tunnel is the longest mountain tunnel on the Interstate Highway system. It’s an engineering marvel…

 

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Here, we are at almost 12,000’ – and we’re feeling it. Man oh man – we are definitely not used to being this high up in the sky. 5000’– 7000’ no problem. The higher up we’ve gotten, we hate to admit it, but these old farts have to take it much slower. Not much hiking – a few short ones – and that was it, unfortunately.

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One of Colorado’s most popular art installations, the Breckenridge Troll is a 15-foot wooden sculpture built by Danish artist Thomas Dambo. Sitting happily in the forest less than a mile from the road, this gentle giant is easy to access and a must-see on any trip to Breckenridge.

 

 

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The nearby towns of Frisco and Breckenridge were very touristy, but neat. We walked the streets, poked in and out of stores and admired the local artistry. Being as this is a huge ski resort area; we enjoyed viewing the gondolas and slopes from afar – LOL!! Nope – Donna is not going up that steep gondola to view the area from the top!!!!

This leg of our trip was special as we got to see some longtime friends. In our past lives in Northern Virginia (Leesburg), they were our neighbors twice – yep twice!! First - when we owned our first single family home, they moved in next to us. Several years after that, we found some land, custom built a house, and they bought a lot two doors down from us and moved in. We had great times with Darrell and Susan Burkey. They moved to Silverthorne – just outside of Breckenridge in 2020. They built a beautiful home on a mountainside with views that are simply breathtaking (forgot to get pictures).

Darrell is an avid hunter and makes trips to northern Alaska every year for weeks at a time. Susan has gotten involved with training dogs for the Blind. Such great and loving peeps!!

We spent many hours at several breweries eating, drinking, laughing, and getting caught up on stuff. We’ve stayed in touch since we moved from VA in 2003.

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/august-26---30-breckenridge-colorado-breck-as-the-locals-call-it Tue, 10 Sep 2024 01:10:00 GMT
August 23 - 26 Grand Junction, Colorado https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/august-23---26-grand-junction-colorado Canyon View RV Resort

The Colorado mountains are calling…………………….

 

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There’s that word again – “resort”. We will admit, this place is probably the nicest we’ve stayed in. Nice sites, plenty of room between neighbors, great bath houses, and beautiful mountain views!!

 

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We hadn’t planned a thing to do while here except rest up and get caught up on some paperwork and phone calls. Not a bad thing sometimes…….We enjoyed grilling outside until-----------here come the winds and monsoon rains!! It’s THAT season so Mother Nature put on quite a nightly show. BIG Boomers!!! We enjoyed seeing two double rainbows on the same afternoon – pretty neato……….

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/august-23---26-grand-junction-colorado Wed, 04 Sep 2024 19:50:57 GMT
August 19 - 23 Moab, Utah (near Arches National Park) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/august-19---23-moab-utah-near-arches-national-park Portal RV Resort

Super nice campground! We normally don’t stay in the “resort” campgrounds however, in the middle of nowhere, there isn’t much choice. It was a nice change for us – and the views weren’t too bad either!!

 

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With the winding road and mountains up ahead, we knew we were in for a bit of a thrilling drive. The Mediterranean blue skies and white puffy clouds provided a stunning backdrop.

 

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Soon the shades of brown and red presented themselves off in the distance. We knew we were getting close – it wouldn’t be long before we saw that wonderland of natural beauty with over 2000 arches, and hundreds of other towering spires.

After getting all situated at our site, we took off for Arches National Park. We had been here several years ago with our besties Jon and Becky Harry, but just traveling through the area in our MINI Coopers.

 

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Mother Nature is simply just…...something…. else! The “WOW” factor is off the scale in Arches…...Since it was late in the day/evening, we stopped for a few pictures of the moonlight on the mountain formations, the stars started to twinkle…. then off to get some needed sleep – LOL!!

 

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Dead Horse Point State Park was an easy drive from Moab, so we decided to poke around 2000 feet above the Colorado River. Legend has it that cowboys once corralled wild mustangs on a narrow point here, giving the park its unique name. Stunning State Park!!! Dramatic views of the river and the scenery below…...

 

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Arches is another National Park that requires a timed vehicle entry. We managed to snag several so we spent two days and evenings trekking the many miles of breathtaking landscape and hiking to many of the natural arches. Wowzer………………

We were hoping to see some big furry four-legged creatures, but sadly, we only saw ravens and lizards.

 

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Being as we visited during the “monsoon” season, every evening the storms rolled in and out, giving us the most fantastic lightning shows we’ve seen in a LONG time!!!

 

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One of Mike’s bucket list items was to drive an off-road vehicle (Razar). We booked a guided tour with one of the local places for an evening sunset drive. Okay…. let’s just say that on flat ground, Donna was fine. Once we started UP and DOWN the STEEP terrain, not so much! It scared the crap out of both of us…. We stopped on a crest to see the beautiful sunset. Shortly after, the monsoon rains blew in and we got soaked – LOL!! Mike had a great time, however, Donna did not………...We can say we did it, but not sure Mike would do it again either!!

 

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Look at the center of this picture is a dinosaur footprint fossil.  

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If you’ve not been to Arches, it should be on your bucket list……….

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/august-19---23-moab-utah-near-arches-national-park Wed, 04 Sep 2024 01:56:58 GMT
August 18 - 19 Beaver, Utah https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/august-18---19-beaver-utah Beaver Camperland

The most exciting part of this one-night stay was the pleasure of driving back through the Virgin River Gorge. Up and down once again – white knuckles by the time we reached the other side – luckily with no wind!! It was a quick overnight stay to break up mileage as we head to our next awesome adventure.

 

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Rain, rain – go away………….

 

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The campground was nothing to write home about, but it was a place to rest our very tired bodies after a non-stop 9 days in Vegas – LOL!!

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/august-18---19-beaver-utah Mon, 02 Sep 2024 18:55:51 GMT
August 9 – 18 Las Vegas, Nevada https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/august-9-18-las-vegas-nevada Las Vegas RV Resort

As we made our way through the HOT desert once again (are we crazy or what?), we had to traverse the mountains one more time. The Virgin River Gorge is no joke, especially when towing our 30 ft. trailer – wowzer!!! Slow and steady is the name of the game. Our ears began to clog once more! It wouldn’t be long before we got to the other side, and we’d be able to hear each other again– LOL!!!

 

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Vegas – here we come….

It bears repeating that this desert heat is no joke…. setting up after arriving in 108-degree heat was NO FUN…..but………being here is just what the doctor ordered….Our besties Jon and Becky Harry, along with Dino in tow, made their way from Huntington Beach, CA to spend a weekend with us!!!!! Can’t tell you how happy we were to see them….. We spent the weekend eating, drinking, laughing, chatting, and staying cool inside – LOL!!!

 

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Other friends from SoCal, Joe and Donna, passing through Sin City met us for a very enjoyable dinner. 

 

 

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This leg of our adventures brought us to Vegas for Donna’s High School reunion. She graduated from a DOD school in Subic Bay, Philippines. Her father RAdm. Shelton was the CO of the base and Commander of US Naval Force Philippines during their 3-year time there. Every so often, someone decides to have an all-school reunion (classes were very small) and this year it happened to be in AUGUST – in VEGAS – where it’s HOTTER than hell…. What happens in Vegas – stays in Vegas – a good time was had by all for sure!!!

 

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It was SO awesome to see so many old friends and make some new ones.

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Part of the reunion was a double decker bus tour, through the streets of Vegas and the famous Fremont Street. We had an absolute blast!! We all felt like we were back in high school – whooping and hollering at people walking on the streets. A trip to Vegas is never complete unless you visit Fremont Street. Because we didn’t get to spend much time the night before while on the bus tour, we just HAD to go back and experience it firsthand. It’s a crazy place with things you may or may not want to see

 

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LOL!!! Some things you can’t “unsee”!!!!

 

 

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After all the trips we made to Vegas or through Vegas in the past, we never visited the Hoover Dam. Although it was another brutally HOT day, we made the trek to see the amazing Dam!!!

 

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While we were at the dam Mike, wearing his USS Oak Ridge hat met another sailor Brian, he was on the ship a few years after. They exchanged sea stories of drydocking submarines from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean and took a picture.

 

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“Hotter than Hells Pepper Patch”……………………………………………………………………………………………

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/august-9-18-las-vegas-nevada Mon, 02 Sep 2024 18:08:31 GMT
August 5 – 9 Cedar City, Utah https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/august-5-9-cedar-city-utah Cedar Breaks RV Park

One thing’s for sure…..a lot of Utah landscapes really do look the same. With barely a change in the monotonous drive, hey – we recognize that sign! We’ve been through here before – 9 years ago on an epic road trip with our good friends, Jon & Becky Harry, along with Emily Stemmerich in our MINI Coopers…..

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Still some miles away from our landing place for several nights, familiar red rocks start popping up here and there. Our bucket list is getting shorter – LOL!!! The elevation change – up and down – really screwed with our ears!!!

 

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We pull into our campground and its only 104 degrees…..we’re hot – the tires are hot – the Sandman is hot and we’re ready to get set up and relax a bit. Unfortunately, it takes a while to cool things down so patience….while we sweat off 5 pounds--------

 

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Excitement is in the air as we have the chance to visit 2 sets of friends that moved to the area from California. Joanie/Craig Berkwitz and Rich Gallup/Carolyne Vincent.

We met Rich and Carolyne near St. George (45 minutes away) for lunch. It was great catching up with them! She has family in the area and California was just too far away so she and Rich up and moved back to the area, earlier this year. When we were all in CA, we would meet them for dinner on Friday nights at the local American Legion which was where Donna’s Dad liked to go. Always a fun time chatting the night away…..

 

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We met Joanie and Craig many years ago through owning our beloved MINI Coopers. We are all avid British car lovers and both owned MINI’s and Morris Minors to putts around in.

 

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They graciously played tour guide as we visited Cedar Breaks National Monument, Bryce Canyon, and Zion. All on our bucket list – Yayyy!!! All three parks are beautiful in their own way.

 

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As it is August, it was quite HOT. However, afternoon thunderstorms seemed to roll in daily to cool things off a bit……

 

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After a long day touring the red rock formations, we went to Milt’s for dinner – a popular place in the middle of nowhere, for Steak and Prime Rib – oh so yummy!!!

They are quite happy in their new neighborhood and have completed moving in – after many trips from Utah and CA and back to get their stuff. It was great to see them and get somewhat caught up on life in general…..

Utah – the Beehive state – neat highway signs…..

 

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Moving on to more exciting things!!!

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/9/august-5-9-cedar-city-utah Mon, 02 Sep 2024 01:57:41 GMT
August 3 - 5 North Salt Lake City, Utah https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/8/august-3---5-north-salt-lake-city-utah Sun Outdoors

SO many more fires burning in the state and states we just went through! The smoke from northern regions is being pushed south so the skies along our travels have been muted in color……

 

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From Idaho to Utah there isn’t much….the occasional dust storm (which thank goodness we weren’t a part of), and many Deer Migration areas (haven’t seen a one yet).

 

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No thanks! I think we’ll “pass” on this road – LOL!!

 

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We arrived late in the day to set things up. It was a long drive in the blazing heat….wow it’s hot here!!!! Not our favorite of places we’ve stayed. They assign your site and ours just happened to be VERY tight with very little room to maneuver.

Only for 2 nights so we didn’t make a big deal about it with management.

 

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Since we had been through this area several times in the past, we elected to forgo driving to the Bonneville Salt Flats and the Great Salt Lake. Instead, we decided to spend a bit of time in downtown Salt Lake City. It was a quick drive, and a quick visit because the heat was just too much. We came upon “South Temple” street where the metal Falcon frames the state Capital from afar. How cool is that?????

 

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We got very few pictures of Temple Square as it was all under construction – not so pretty at the moment. Construction started in 2019 and expected to be completed in 2026. Looks like quite a bit of $$$$ is being sunk into the updates…..

 

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Pretty cool art work along the streets…………….

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/8/august-3---5-north-salt-lake-city-utah Wed, 14 Aug 2024 17:56:31 GMT
August 1 - 3 Idaho (near Twin Falls) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/8/august-1---3-filer-idaho-near-twin-falls Twin Falls 93 RV Park

The only exciting part about getting here was at a Rest Stop in the middle of nowhere –

LOL!! Another Airstream pulled up alongside of us and we spotted another one across the highway going in the opposite direction.

 

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More high desert in Idaho than we ever imagined! We felt like we were back in parts of So Cal driving through The Grapevine…...agriculture, brush, dead grass, and an occasional train!!

 

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We traversed this part of the country several years back with our besties Jon and Becky Harry. We took our MINI Coopers from So Cal to Twin Falls and back – with many stops along the way. It was an epic road trip.

It was fun to be back at Shoshone Falls, Dierkes Lake, and the Perrine Bridge (the underneath is currently under construction). Many a brave sole have Base Jumped from this 486-foot-high truss arch bridge to the landing spot below. It’s the 8th highest bridge in the US. The breathtaking Snake River curves its way through the deep canyon below. The area is great for hiking…………...when it’s not 104 degrees outside!!

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/8/august-1---3-filer-idaho-near-twin-falls Sat, 10 Aug 2024 20:21:02 GMT
July 28 – August 1 Caldwell, Idaho https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/8/july-28-august-1-caldwell-idaho Boise of Airstream Adventures

The air was filled with smoke. The 1000’s of acres burned were visible along our route and many types of fire equipment passed us to wherever they were needed next. We saw power lines downed and pure devastation of the area. It was so sad to see…...

 

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As we traversed through more mountain passes, one called Deadman Pass – kinda scary – we made it safely to the other side.

 

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Ever wondered what a wind turbine blade looks like up close and personal? Well…. here ya go – LOL!!

 

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Don’t care to know how much snow they get in this area, but they are prepared – plenty of warning signs and metal snow fences along the way.

 

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A quick pit stop – we look pretty good in between those big rigs, right????

 

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And here we are at Boise of Airstream Adventure. The Sandman needed some warranty work done and a few minor things tweaked, so we took full advantage of their FREE full hook up area at the dealership!! Super nice they provide this for their customers. We will admit though, it’s very strange camping out in the middle of an industrial park. But hey, we’ll take free any day – LOL!!!

We scheduled this appointment months ago (January) we knew we would be traveling this direction. Sadly, even after 2 follow up calls to ensure they had the parts we needed, they in fact, DID NOT!!

Not Happy Campers at the moment…...

We had a few other small items fixed since we were already there. But now what do we do about getting the REAL issues fixed???? One part (a broken roman shade) is nowhere to be found – ugggg – the other part(s) – more important, shower door enclosure parts that had leaked because the door wasn’t installed properly to begin with. The part was due to arrive AFTER we left…but they did rehang and caulk the door, so fingers crossed, it won’t leak again. We’ll figure out getting the cosmetic stuff fixed down the road…………...

 

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Journey – at 40K miles, needed some new shoes. Since we’ve not really been in any metropolitan cities lately or any coming up, we took advantage of a Discount Tire only a mile away – Yayyyy! Damn - tires are expensive!!! Wowzer……

 

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The air quality has been terrible from the fires blazing all around us. We could tell it was sunny under all that smoke, but it sure made for eerie looking skies!! But beautiful sunsets!

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/8/july-28-august-1-caldwell-idaho Sat, 10 Aug 2024 17:31:55 GMT
July 27 - 28 Stanfield, Oregon https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/8/july-27---28-stanfield-oregon Pilot RV Campground

So much agriculture – everywhere!! 1000’s of empty crates just waiting to be loaded up and delivered to your grocery store.

Ever wondered where the brand “Darigold” plant is? Well, here it is in the middle of Oregon – LOL!!

 

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After checking with the campground manager and with our next destination regarding the fires and road closures, the major fire was under control and I84 was open. We made the decision to trudge forward. We discovered that one of the roads we had planned on taking on this leg of our adventures, was in fact closed. That forced us on a bit of a longer way around – which took us partially through the Mt Rainier area. Oh boy! It was a bit scary towing on the very narrow National Park roads and then continuing on through the mountains outside of the park. It was a LONG driving day!

 

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It was a quick overnight stay. Not too bad a place other than it was located right behind a Pilot Truck stop so we had the pleasure of listening to several 18 wheelers “idle” all night long. We had the A/C on all night as it was HOT, so that helped drown out most of the noise. Nice clean place though…..

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/8/july-27---28-stanfield-oregon Mon, 05 Aug 2024 03:19:54 GMT
July 23 - 27 Randle, Washington (Near Mt St Helens and Mt Rainier) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/8/july-23---27-randle-washington-near-mt-st-helens-and-mt-rainier Cowlitz Falls Recreation Area Campground

The anticipation grew and grew as we got closer to our next bucket list location(s)…..

It took us a while to get there….we’ve not driven in real traffic for many months. We hit the Seattle area and wow – felt like we were back in California again. Yuck!!!

 

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Mt Rainier and Mt St Helens – here we come – yayyyy!!! But not before we drove another white-knuckle mountain road! Man, these mountains are something else…..Mike is a pro though. No problem he says.

The campground was beaaaauuutiful…..beautiful trees and lush ground cover. We had a perfect spot – paved pull through with full hook ups……….sweet! Our first view of Mt. Rainier was just a few miles down the road. Wow!!!!

 

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The day after we arrived, we took off for Mt St Helens. (Notice the state of Washington uses his head on their road signs.) It was a beautiful clear day, so the views were spectacular………..the drive up through the Gifford Pinchot National Forest - part of the Cascade Mountains, to view what blew it’s top in 1980, and is still active today, was jaw dropping!!! We marveled at thick trees, waterfalls, and wildflowers in full bloom.

 

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As we got farther up Windy Ridge, the landscape changed from lush green to partially mountain covered trees and what was left after the massive eruption. Trees strewn into the mountainsides like toothpicks, still very visible today. A 1972 Grand Prix that was driven by the Parker family, is a stark reminder of that day – the “Miners Car”..

 

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On Sunday morning, May 18th,1980, she erupted, shaken by a 5.1 earthquake, the north face of this tall mountain collapsed in a massive rock avalanche. In seconds this slab of rock and ice slammed into Spirit Lake, crossed a 1300-foot-high ridge, and roared 14 miles down the Toutle River. The blast was lateral, not vertical. Looking into the crater you can see twin lava domes, is she getting ready for another blast?

 

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To this day, Spirit Lake is filled with the thousands of trees that were stripped from the mountainsides, floating around from that disastrous day. On a positive note, the Forest Service is helping to regenerate the area with new trees.

 

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Currently one of the main roads into the North entrance is closed indefinitely due to a massive landslide. The South entrance we went in, is only open for 26 miles – closed the rest of the way for the same reason. From one of the overlooks stops, the views? Spectacular….you can see Mt St Helens, Mt Adams (which currently had a small fire burning – you can see smoke in the picture), and Mt Hood which is in Oregon.

 

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Mt. Rainer – being one of the most popular attractions on the west coast and one of the oldest National Parks, requires a timed entry. We were lucky enough to get one of the few tickets released at 7pm each evening. Off we went to explore the active volcano, glaciers, meadows, and forests……………Oh my goodness! Another amazing place!!! We felt like we were back in Glacier National Park. Every turn was a different view. We just couldn’t get enough!! Although it was a bit foggy most of the day, we enjoyed the scenic views we could see. Hoping that the fog would burn off as we were at around 10,000 feet, we stopped wherever we could to enjoy the many sights……

 

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Oh, those waterfalls!!! And the tunnels!!!!

 

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Ever stand on a rock polished by Glacial Ice?

 

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Most of the hikes within Mt Rainier are pretty difficult and way beyond what we wanted to do. However, there was a couple that we managed to do even though it wasn’t the nicest of days….Yayyy!!! We hiked in Mt Rainier – LOL!!

 

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Reflection Lakes area – one of THE most photographed and popular views….and we could see why……lovely!!!

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As the day was drawing to a close and we made our way back down the mountain, look!!!

The fog is clearing!! We can FINALLY get a clear picture of Mt Rainier summit!!! The day was a success………………..

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We’ve been keeping a close eye on fire conditions for the past several days. There are multiple HUGE wildfires burning in the direction that we are heading. Roads are closed and 1000’s of acres are up in flames….ugggg…..

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/8/july-23---27-randle-washington-near-mt-st-helens-and-mt-rainier Sun, 04 Aug 2024 23:12:10 GMT
July 18 – 23 Bothell, Washington https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/7/july-18-23-bothell-washington Lake Pleasant RV Park

Ever heard of the Snoqualmie Pass? Neither had we…..the “Passes” in this part of the country go in between HUGE mountains so here we go folks……..what goes up must come down! Another bit of white knuckle driving!

Acres and acres of corn fields, Gala apple tree orchards, cherries, grapes, and SO much more!! In between the “desert” areas, the agriculture fields were AMAZING!! The state of Washington ships over 10 Billion – yes 10 Billion apples a year. Wowzer!!! As we got closer to the big cities, we passed winery after winery but didn’t get a chance to stop at any – darn it!!!

 

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And look – another animal crossing! We just LOVE seeing those…..

 

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Nice RV Park but boy was it TIGHT!! This was one time we were very glad to have a pull through site……

 

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Did someone say wedding? Why yes….the whole reason we planned to be in this part of the country was Mike’s niece was getting married. It seems families these days – when they live miles and miles apart, only get together for weddings and funerals – LOL!!! Mike’s brother Steve flew in from California, our daughter and her family flew in from Virginia (missed the wedding because of the whole IT debacle and got stuck in VA for 2 days because flights were cancelled/delayed), and other cousins flew in from all over. It was a fantastic day at a beautiful outdoor venue.

We spent the next 2 days after the wedding getting together with the family for lots of food, drinking, laughing, and storytelling….tons of fun!!

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/7/july-18-23-bothell-washington Wed, 31 Jul 2024 03:11:56 GMT
July 14 - 18 Othello, Washington https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/7/july-14---18-othello-washington Potholes State Park

Where the heck are we? Dang this place is off the beaten path….

Before we left Idaho, The Sandman REALLY needed a bath. We had found a car wash that had an RV bay so off we went to get some of the yuck off….

 

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Look at those Canola fields!!! Yep – that Canola Oil you use to cook with comes from these beautiful yellow flowers…..

 

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You know how in your mind, you picture somewhere you’ve never been, but you have an idea of what you THINK it looks like? But then it’s not??? Well, that was how we felt about driving through this part of Washington State. We had always pictured thick forests, tall trees, you know, that kind of thing! Well…………..it was like being back in the desert again – no kidding!!! Dry grass, brush stuff, a few watering holes here and there, boulders, and just not much of anything……..at least in this part of the state…..

 

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But then……….as we got closer and passed by and over the Potholes Reservoir, we turn into the State Park road and WOW!!! The green oasis of a park in the middle of farm country was beautiful!!! Surprised?? Yes, we were…..and the neatest set up of a campground we’ve ever been. 6 round “pods” that look like flowers. You drive into your pod via the “stem”, then there’s a big circle in the middle, and the camp spots are all off the circle like pedals from the flower!! You pull into the middle and back into your sight – easy peasy!!!!

 

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Yayyyy!!! Easiest back in we’ve ever done…..we love that – LOL!!!! Each pod was encased in very tall trees….pretty cool….huge day use area with a boat launch and playground for the kiddos.

Potholes got its name after the water-carved geological features that were formed during the last ice age. Nestled on the northern border of Columbia National Wildlife Refuge, the park is between Spokane and Seattle, east of the Cascade Mountains.

 

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It was HOT – over 100 degrees each day while we were there so we didn’t do any hiking or bike riding. Better to stay inside and hydrate in the shade!

We saw so many apple orchards, turns out Washington state produces more Gala apples than any other state.

 

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The town of Lake Moses, about 30 minutes away, had all the amenities we needed – laundry, groceries, diesel, and a nice lunch on the lake. Another few down days (so to speak) was fine with us because we have a VERY busy week coming up…….stay tuned!!

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/7/july-14---18-othello-washington Wed, 31 Jul 2024 01:43:03 GMT
July 10 - 14 Coeur d’Alene, Idaho https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/7/july-10---14-coeur-d-alene-idaho Wolf Lodge Campground

After an EPIC 10 days at Glacier National Park, a bit of downtime was nice. Did we say that??? We are so used to being on the go, it was odd to not have ONE THING planned while here.

 

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As we made our way through the interesting and changing terrain of Montana into Idaho, BIG BLUE sky country was abundant. So dang pretty! But…we knew we would catch up with those mountains sooner or later……no problem….

 

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We arrived safe and sound at Wolf Lodge. As it became clearer that tourist season was in full swing, we could tell by the PACKED campground. Not one empty spot our entire stay. Nice place – nice people – food trucks and a band on Saturday night – what’s not to love about that??? We enjoyed rockin’ out!!!

 

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The downtown area of Coeur d’Alene was pretty cool.  We saw lots of great shops and restaurants. The city parks down by Lake Coeur d’Alene were beautiful and packed with peeps who were getting a swim in, as it was over 100 degrees the entire time we were there. There are tons of things to do at the lake including boat cruises and sea plane tours. It is also home to the longest floating boardwalk in the world at 3300 feet long!!! What a unique experience…..

 

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The Scenic Byway on one side of Lake Coeur d’Alene offered stunning views from the top. Yellowstone Trail Road on the other side also offered beautiful views along with some gorgeous homes!!!

Very pretty area…………..onward………

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/7/july-10---14-coeur-d-alene-idaho Sun, 28 Jul 2024 03:51:05 GMT
July 1 - 10 West Glacier, Montana https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/7/july-1---10-west-glacier-montana Moose Creek RV Park

As the day dawns, lucky we are to have the freedom to travel. Embrace the world and let the journey unfold.

 

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Making our way through the beautiful Montana countryside, the weather seems to change on a dime. Blue skies to threatening thunderstorms.

 

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What is that up ahead??? Oh….it’s an animal crossing bridge – how cool is that???

 

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Of all the places we’ve traveled, this amazing place is one we’ve never been to. We’re here!!!! Another bucket list for us. The excitement is hard to contain when you’ve got these

HUGE, gorgeous mountains staring at you……..OMG……………awesome……Glacier National Park…….

 

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The drive to the campground was pretty cool. After getting off the main highway, the 2 lane road followed the HUGE Flathead Lake. Man what scenery!! Plus a few horse crossings here and there.

 

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Glacier National Park requires a vehicle pass to enter at 3 of the main entrances between 6am – 3pm. They are available on line 120 days prior to the date you want. We were not successful getting advance passes. However, you CAN get in before 6 or after 3 without a pass. The day after we arrived we got our butts up at 4:45am to get ready and be in the park before 6am. Yayyy! We did it…….was it worth it??? You bet ya!! The other multiple days in the park we were successful getting passes each night at 7pm when about 1200 next day passes are released – excellent!!!!!

We entered thru the West Entrance…. The main road from west to east and vice versa is the famous Going to the Sun Road. Man oh man!!! Words simply cannot describe the pure beauty that Mother Nature has provided within this massive National Park. If you are squeamish about heights and no guard rails to speak of, this road is NOT for you – LOL!!!

 

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However you can take the “Red Bus” tour. We drove it at least 10 different times. Glacier – the Crown of the Continent - a showcase of melting glaciers, alpine meadows, carved valleys, THE most stunning waterfalls, and spectacular lakes!!

 

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The only animal we didn’t see was a Moose – but what we did see? Wow – we were like 2 little kids every time we spotted a furry four legged creature – LOL!!!

 

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And here we are along the Continental Divide again…….can’t keep count how many times we’ve crossed it…..

Oh – and don’t dare have 1 spec of a tire over the parking space line or you’ll get one of these!!!

 

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Glacier is a hiker’s paradise! Some hikes were WAY too difficult and long for us. We chose the somewhat less difficult ones this time around, mostly because Donna’s ankle was still not 100%. Our biggest accomplishment was the hike to Hidden Lake – up hill – thru the snow – around a couple of very steep curves. Yayyy – we did it!!!!

 

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Another hike called Trail of the Cedars was just a stunning trek thru the thick forest of 3 types of cedars. Along the way were beautiful moss covered rocks, waterfalls, and a variety of flowers and ferns. Wow!!! The prize at the end was Avalanche Lake – wowee!!!

 

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There are several lodges within the park, the most famous being the Many Glacier Hotel.

 

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Way on the northeast side of the park, what a beautiful setting on Many Glacier Lake. All of the lodges are Swiss in style and have no AC or TV’s. We had a nice “linner” and on our way out, we were treated to these cuties crossing a parking lot.

 

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What a fabulous place. If you’ve never been, it’s a must see………………

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/7/july-1---10-west-glacier-montana Thu, 18 Jul 2024 04:47:59 GMT
June 30 – July 1 Missoula, Montana https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/7/june-30-july-1-missoula-montana Jim and Mary’s RV Park

 This park came highly recommended by many other Airstream peeps; we pulled into this magical campground – after a smooth drive, even in the rain for just a bit.

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With more mountain driving, lots of up and down. It’s a good thing we’ve gotten some good practice with this type of towing. Mike is the bomb!! Handles it all like he’s been towing all his life – Yayyy!!!

We’ve now driven over the Continental Divide for about the 5th time – pretty cool….The Anaconda National Historic Landmark – hum – never heard of hit but here it is in Anaconda Montana. Standing tall since 1918, at slightly over 585 feet, it is the tallest free-standing masonry structure in the world. The Washington Monument could fit inside it. For decades the Big Stack belched lead and arsenic all over the town, but smelting operations ceased in 1980, and in 1983 it was condemned for demolition. Proud Anacondans banded together and saved the Stack. It’s now a Montana State Park – but it’s a park you can’t visit, because the dirt surrounding the Big Stack is still so toxic that you’re kept over a mile away!

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We understand that the weather in this area changes on a dime. We experienced that on our drive here. Sunny then rains then very cool fog clouds over the mountains. So pretty!! On to bigger things……stand by………….

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/7/june-30-july-1-missoula-montana Tue, 16 Jul 2024 00:59:57 GMT
June 28 - 30 Livingston, Montana https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/7/june-28---30-livingston-montana KOA Holiday

Two nights to recover from our time in the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone – LOL!!

As we meandered through Yellowstone from south to north, to exit and head into Montana, wowzer – what a white-knuckle drive towards the end!!! What goes up must come down – on the other side. Steep grades and many hairpin turns but slow and steady makes it to the bottom of the Mountain range. Whew!! A magically beautiful drive but two hands on that steering wheel!!!! One curve was SO sharp that we stopped to let another RV come up the opposite direction – so he would have room to make the turn. As it turns out, as we came down, another guy stopped to let us make the curve coming down. Now that’s how you do it!!!!

 

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The landscape here never gets old. We were however; glad to get to our campground – which by the way – had gorgeous views of the mountain range.

 

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2 days here allowed us to get some adulting done (laundry). We did drive through the neat town of Livingston and since we were close to Bozeman, which we’ve been to before back in 2015 with our good friends Jon and Becky Harry, we wanted to spend some time there again. Had a nice lunch outside in the glorious weather, poked around a few shops and that was that……

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/7/june-28---30-livingston-montana Sat, 13 Jul 2024 05:16:39 GMT
June 20 - 28 Moran, Wyoming https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/7/june-20---28-moran-wyoming Headwaters Campground – Flagg Ranch – Grand Teton National Park

Every new destination is a chance to create unforgettable memories. Travel isn’t just about seeing new places; it’s about feeling alive in every fiber of your being, passionately and joyfully.

 

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We’re finally here…….the drive to the Grand Teton area was breathtaking! Every curve, every turn, every everything on the road was just picture perfect…..the velvet mountains topped with whipped cream, the crystal clear skies…………just simply hard to describe in words!!! Mesmerizing…………Majestic……………Magical……………

 

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Our trip here was even more special as our son and his family decided to vacation in the area. They stayed in Jackson which is about an hour from our campground. We were up early and up late every day. We’ll need a vacation after all this – LOL!!!

Except for one day that they drove to our campground so we could all visit Yellowstone together, we drove to Jackson, and we all piled in their rental vehicle which fit all 6 of us.

 

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We did SO much! We walked around the very cool town of Jackson. Visited several Cowboy Saloons and had some adult beverages. Had lunch several times at some neato places – Mike and our daughter in-law Erin sported their new hats….

 

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We took a scenic tour boat around the famous Jenny Lake. Then we drove to Teton Village for lunch and some fun for the kids. The next day, back to Jenny Lake and took the boat shuttle to the shore to hike to Inspiration Point and Hidden Falls. This place is just amazing!!

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We drove the famous 42-mile loop with hopes of seeing some 4-legged animals. We saw a few – Yayyy!! We stopped for lunch at Signal Mountain Lodge right on the lake. The views just can’t be described!!

 

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We did a long day trip to Yellowstone which is HUGE – the south entrance was just a few miles from our campground. Simply stunning…….Old Faithful never gets old. Up the road a bit was the Grand Prismatic Spring – wow – just wow!!!

 

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Snow King Mountain Resort in Jackson has fun for all – an Alpine Slide, Alpine Coaster, Mini Golf, Gondola to the top of the mountain (7808 feet) and a few other things. After everyone finished the slide and coaster, we all took the Gondola up to the top. Donna who doesn’t like these things, kept her eyes closed just about the entire trip up and down – LOL!!! We grabbed lunch to go and had it at the top of the mountain. The views????

WOW……….

 

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Rodeos and Chuck wagons are a huge deal in Jackson. We couldn’t get tickets for the rodeo, which is supposed to be fabulous, but did manage to get reservations for the Chuck Wagon ride and dinner. Way cool! You meet at the Ranch – they have your Covered

Wagon assigned and dinner table assigned. Off you go for a 2-mile trek out in the forest for a BBQ dinner, a western show, then back to the Ranch. What a great time we all had!!!

 

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Our kids and grands left the day before us. We had planned on a bike ride through part of the Teton Park but Donna had twisted her ankle a bit a few days prior to that was nixed.

Instead we drove back to Yellowstone to get one last look at Mother Nature’s glory…..

 

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Fabulous!!!!

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/7/june-20---28-moran-wyoming Fri, 12 Jul 2024 04:22:59 GMT
June 19 - 20 Riverton, Wyoming https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/7/june-19---20-riverton-wyoming Wind River RV Park

One more overnighter as we continue our way to another bucket list area……

 

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Something we don’t see very often – at least in the southern states, is a snow fence! They are all over these beautiful rolling hills. The wind whips that snow like no tomorrow, across the roads. Most of the roads up here in these parts get closed quite often.

 

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Along our trek through the roads of Wyoming, interesting metal signs by whom??? Cool….like a scavenger hunt – LOL!!!

 

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Just look at those snowcapped mountains!! Wow – every turn was another beautiful view – and those puffy clouds sticking out like cotton against that big blue sky……………..

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/7/june-19---20-riverton-wyoming Thu, 04 Jul 2024 04:03:28 GMT
June 18 - 19 Casper, Wyoming https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/7/june-18---19-casper-wyoming Casper East RV Park
After being in pollen country for weeks, our poor Sandman looked yellow instead of silver.
As we made our way out of Custer, we did a stop at the one and only car wash that also
included an RV self-wash.

 

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He’ll be clean for about 24 hours – LOL!!!

 

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A quick overnight as we continue making our way west. Nice place with a beautiful sunset
along the mountain range…..
Beautiful drive with puffy clouds. Amazing how the terrain changed along the way. We
went from Pine Trees in the Badlands, to rolling hills that look like velvet known as the
Grasslands, to Buttes and Mountains.

 

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It’s always fun to see a train in the middle of nowhere……

 

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As we got closer to Casper, we noticed several metal structures along the way. One a
Jackalope and the other a Dinosaur (?) being pulled by none other than Sasquatch – LOL!!!

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/7/june-18---19-casper-wyoming Thu, 04 Jul 2024 00:19:20 GMT
June 13 - 18 Custer, South Dakota https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/6/june-13---18-custer-south-dakota Fort Welikit Campground

Gosh the weather just couldn’t be better. It makes for such an enjoyable journey through the awesome roads of South Dakota. There’s nothing quite like the open road to remind us of the beauty in our journey. Our adventures bring us closer to nature and the simple joys of life. Every new destination is a chance to create unforgettable memories.

 

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What??? Another quirky side of the road thing – yep – an airplane high up on a metal pole – LOL!!

 

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We decided to take a slight detour on our way to Custer to visit Devils Tower National Monument not too far into Wyoming. Since we were semi in the area, why not? If you’re a movie buff, you’ll recognize this area as “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” did some filming here. To this day, it remains one of the most mysterious national parks, rising 1267 feet above the Belle Fourche River. It continues to hold many meanings for people including American Indians, local ranchers, rock climbers, and thousands of visitors every year.

 

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We were excited going on to another of our bucket list places. (clap clap clap) Here we are – finally – Mount Rushmore National Memorial. We couldn’t wait to get all set up at our campsite so we could take off and partake in the majestic evening lighting ceremony that starts promptly at 9:00pm during the summer.

 

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Surrounded by the beauty of the Black Hills of South Dakota, there they are – the carved figures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. You know? You see pictures in books, magazines, and elsewhere when you’re growing up, but we have to say, until you are standing right in front of this incredible sight, you have no idea how truly “grand” it is. OMG……it almost took our breath away.

 

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As it turned from daylight to dusk to dark, like little kids, we eagerly awaited the lighting ceremony that takes place nightly and tells about the contributions each President made during his years of service. It tells of the challenges the country was going through at the time and how their leadership helped overcome those trials. It’s a 45 minute program that includes a Ranger talk, a film, and the illumination of the sculpture. Then the audience participates in singing the National Anthem. At the end, they ask all Military Veterans – if they choose – to come down on stage and participate in retiring the flag for the evening.

Mike doesn’t usually like to participate in such things, but Donna STRONGLY encouraged him to do so, as this is a special event that shows respect to the American Armed Forces and gives a heartfelt tribute, and recognizes the bravery of active and retired military members.

It brought tears to our eyes…………..

 

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The Wildlife Loop in Custer State Park is rife with the potential to see Bison, Pronghorn, Burros, and more. And yep – we saw them all – OMG! So exciting…..

 

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The Pronghorn group of 3 was hysterical to watch. One would “play referee” while the other two did their standoff thing – shoving and pushing each other into a gully then hop out and start again.

 

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As we rounded another corner through the sweeping hills, there stood a group of Burros with not a care in the world. They weren’t moving anytime soon so we carefully maneuvered around them down the road – LOL!!!!

 

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The famous (at least around here) Needles Highway – a 14 mile stretch - is a winding, thrilling drive through the Black Hills that shows off some striking geological features that are difficult to imagine unless you see them in person. The Cathedral Spires shoot straight up and are simply incredible.

 

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The icing on the cake is the Needles Eye Tunnel. OMG – we watched a tour bus inch its way through the tunnel with barely a breath of air to spare. There were about 40 people standing around clapping as they made it by. Donna got out of Journey and photographed Mike as he drove through – turned around – and came back. Then we drove through it again and continued on down the VERY VERY VERY narrow Highway which in many cases, is not a two-way road. It was a breathtaking drive but wow!!!

 

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Marked by narrow tunnels and sharp turns, the road is a favorite for motorcycle and bicycle enthusiasts. The town of Custer is a neat western style town, similar to some of the other towns we’ve visited in the Dakota’s. It has lots of tourist shops and restaurants galore. At each corner, there are differently painted Bisson’s – so cool……The Custer Stampede Buffalo Art Auction was a public art project that was created to showcase original bison artwork by artists from around the country. It began in 2007, with the last one in 2016. Several of the herd survived the auction and that is what is seen scattered around downtown Custer. “Never Forget Your Dreams”……

 

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The Crazy Horse memorial dream began in 1939 and is still a work in progress. Carving a dream….it exists to honor all Indigenous people of North America.

American Indian history and cultures are shared through museums, cultural programs, and the Mountain Carving in progress. No federal money goes to the building of this beautiful sculpture. They rely strictly on private funds from citizens like you and me…..

 

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We drove through the beautiful countryside that took us through the cool towns of Keystone and Hill City. We saw typical tourist seasonal towns that were neat in their own way. Driving through more tunnels along the way was fun. Lots of local woodcarvers that do some beautiful work!!! Seems as though Sasquatch is everywhere – LOL!!!

 

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We had our own local wildlife to view from our campsite. Daily, wild turkeys came to visit along with the same three deer. We just happened to be next to one of the Camp Hosts who made sure there was plenty of food for them to eat……not supposed to feed the wildlife so Mum’s the word from us…..

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As we say farewell to the Dakota’s, we’re on to another bucket list…..stay tuned….in a few days!!!!

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/6/june-13---18-custer-south-dakota Sat, 29 Jun 2024 15:10:00 GMT
June 11 - 13 Sturgis, South Dakota https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/6/june-11---13-sturgis-south-dakota Days Inn Campground

A 2-night stay as we continue westward…..and jam packed with lots to see and do around these parts – LOL!! Nice campground with views of the Black Hills of South Dakota…and perfect weather – yayyy!!

 

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Sturgis – famous for being the “biker” town and that it is…..anything and everything biker related is right here for your pleasure……

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The countryside simply can’t be explained. The skies are clear – clear blue with beautiful puffy clouds and the rolling hills? You expect to see Julie Andrews singing “The Hills Are Alive” at any moment!! Along the way, as in other states, there are quirky roadside things to see. In Bowman, North Dakota, we saw just that….

 

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On the outskirts of Sturgis, the famous Full Throttle Saloon greets you with many roadside metal sculptures and inside more things hanging everywhere than you can shake a stick at – LOL!! It is THE biggest saloon we’ve ever been in and they are still expanding it. Gotta be able to accommodate those thousands of bikers during those annual Sturgis Motorcycle rallies every August!

 

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Bear Butte State Park is beautiful and spacious with a nice campground on a small lake. We saw a couple of Bison roaming around enjoying the sunny day.

 

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We celebrated our 41st. Wedding Anniversary at The Knuckle Saloon. Quite the place – LOL!! The bar on one side, casino on one side, pool tables on another, and a few tables scattered here and there. The food was good though – Cheers!!  Were on to more adventures (clap, clap, clap).

 

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A couple of really cute towns were nearby that we checked out – Spearfish and Deadwood.

Both are very popular in this neck of the woods and loved by the bikers. We drove on the Spearfish Canyon Byway from Spearfish to Deadwood. What a gorgeous road that will leave you awestruck. It reminded us (in a way) of the Blue Ridge Parkway – just more scenic rocks in this area. Nice sweeping curves – but those curves can also be deadly!! On all of the roads we’ve been on in both North and South Dakota, we’ve seen these signs – indicating where someone went to heaven because most likely, they were going too fast. It’s easy to do on these types of roads. When we owned our MINI’s, we lived for roads like this….

 

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Bridal Falls – a beautiful waterfall and a nice scenic stop along the Byway.

 

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On Wednesday evenings – in Sturgis, they have free concerts and all sorts of local food trucks. Well – we just happened to be there on a Wednesday night to partake in the festivities! First “concert” we’ve been to in………um…………..a long time – LOL!! The band was great – played our kind a music – beer was good – and we got a souvenir event cup – hehehehe….. 

 

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Onward friends – to another great adventure……………….
 

 

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/6/june-11---13-sturgis-south-dakota Tue, 18 Jun 2024 04:58:03 GMT
June 7 - 11 Medora, North Dakota –home to Theodore Roosevelt National Park https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/6/june-7---11-medora-north-dakota-home-to-theodore-roosevelt-national-park Red Trail Campground

As we traversed down and around the rolling hills and smooth highway, looking forward to this bucket list visit, interesting “road signs” kept us entertained…..

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Who knew there was oil in North Dakota??? Oil wells all over the place, along with the miles and miles and miles of farm land and blue skies….just gorgeous!!! The air is SO clear…..you can see forever.

 

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As we got closer and closer to the campground,

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we could see the landscape changing……..oh….we’re getting close………..and there is the first road sign……deep beautiful canyons and the Painted Canyon Visitors Center. What scenery!!!!!! The Badlands!!! After drooling over what we were seeing, we continued down the highway to the campground…..which just happened to be the same exit as the Theodore Roosevelt National Park! We’re here………………..(clap clap clap).....a beautiful view of some of the surrounding cliffs were within eye shot of where we stayed.

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We spent 3 days driving through the glorious landscape, stopping wherever we could. Our necks were sore from looking back and forth – scoping the land for 4 legged creatures LOL!! What did we see??? OMG……100’s of Bison, the most adorable Prairie Dogs at their “town”, Pronghorns, coyotes, deer, and wild horses! We’ll just let all these pictures show you what we saw…. because there are no words to describe the pure wonder of this truly underrated National Park………………...

 

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Those horses galloping thru the fields – OMG!!!!!!! And look – that is “Airy” on top of the cliff, feeling the breeze through his hair, and keeping those darn flies off!

 

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Not many towns between “here and there”. We went through a few that might have had a few people still living there. One in particular, had the most beautiful Catholic Church and probably the most interesting we’ve ever seen.

 

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The Enchanted Highway – what a trip! The 32-mile rolling road starts at Highway 94 exit 27. It houses a collection of the world’s largest scrap metal sculptures constructed by Gary Greff at intervals along the highway. When we reached the end at the quirky town of Regent, we discovered that Gary owns the Enchanted Highway Gift Shop. We spent a few minutes chatting and then on our way we went – to the end of the road where lies the Enchanted Castle Hotel. In front are the latest creations…. quite the funky place…..

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As we say “see ya later” to North Dakota, the memories will be forever etched in our minds!!

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/6/june-7---11-medora-north-dakota-home-to-theodore-roosevelt-national-park Sun, 16 Jun 2024 04:23:25 GMT
June 6 - 7 Jamestown, North Dakota https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/6/june-6---7-jamestown-north-dakota Jamestown Campground

Just a short overnight stay as we continue westward…….

 

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That wind!!!! OMG…..it was killer the entire drive. The grass alongside the road was waving and shimmering like waves on the ocean. Dust clouds – Ugg. They are nasty!!!

 

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But the countryside? Beautiful with miles and miles of farmland and grain silos at every turn. North Dakota is known for growing lots of things – wheat, soy, beans, flaxseed, and much more.

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We saw tons of lakes, small and large, along the way. This area is a known migration stopover for many birds and these lakes provide the much-needed food for their long flights.

 

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Who doesn’t love to see a train in the middle of nowhere?

 

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We made it safe and sound – didn’t unhitch….relaxed……………………………..and did laundry

LOL!!!

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/6/june-6---7-jamestown-north-dakota Thu, 06 Jun 2024 23:49:50 GMT
June 4 – 6 East Grand Forks, Minnesota https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/6/june-4-6-east-grand-forks-minnesota Red River State Recreation Area

Our drive through the countryside, admiring all of the grain silos.

 

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 About an hour from the campground, was suddenly interrupted by………….what?????? You’ve got to be kidding!!!

Tornado Warning!   

 

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We did notice the skies getting darker as we rolled down the road, but thought it was just a thunderstorm building off in the distance. Well crap!!! “Let’s pull over and look at all of our radar gadgets”. Hum. Not looking good. We’re in the middle of nowhere – no safe place to pull into or under. We decided the best and safest thing was to turn around and go back about 35 miles or so, to the Rest Stop we had just been to. At least it had a solid brick building if we needed to hunker down. We rode out the nasty storm in the parking lot – checked the radar again – the worst had past – off we went – whew!!!

Scary to say the least…..

 

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When we arrived at the campground – right downtown E. Grand Forks, we both said to each other “this is a really strange place to have a campground”. Not knowing the history of the place, I said it looked to have been a previous neighborhood. Sure enough, after reading the pamphlet at the registration office, that’s exactly what it was – previous to the flood in 1997. FEMA purchased 500 homes and other buildings along the Red and Red Lake Rivers. Now it’s a 1200 acre recreation area which includes the campground. This is a unique blend of natural and urban. Very interesting!!!

 

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East Grand Forks is in both Minnesota and North Dakota. Cute towns separated by the Red River. We did a bit of exploring but since we were only here 1 full day, errands took up most of our time. And besides that, the wind advisory for 60 miles an hour winds, isn’t fun to walk around in LOL!!!

Saying goodbye to Minnesota………………….

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/6/june-4-6-east-grand-forks-minnesota Thu, 06 Jun 2024 23:21:29 GMT
June 2 - 4 Grand Rapids, Minnesota https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/6/june-2---4-grand-rapids-minnesota Pokegama Dam Army Corp. of Engineers Recreation Area

We enjoyed seeing all of the dairy farms along our drive. Lot and lots – gotta have lots of milk to make that Wisconsin Cheese….

Yep – that was a quick trip through Wisconsin – LOL!! Here’s another quick 2 night stay.

Nice small campground with only 19 sites, but……it’s right on the Mississippi River!!

 

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We enjoyed another beautiful place to lay our heads. The Dam managed by the ACOE is not as big as some we’ve seen at other parks but still pretty cool to see!!!

 

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We explored the historic town of Grand Rapids, with its old brick buildings – most turned in to stores – pretty cool though.

The weather was scrumptious and FINALLY we were able to open all the windows….falling asleep to the sound of all those nighttime peepers….

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/6/june-2---4-grand-rapids-minnesota Thu, 06 Jun 2024 02:54:20 GMT
May 31 – June 2 Mellen, Wisconsin https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/6/may-31-june-2-mellen-wisconsin Copper Falls State Park

A short 2-night stay while we continue down the road. Saying goodbye to Michigan as we hit that Wisconsin border…..a beautiful drive through the rolling roads with nothing but trees and not a car on the road for miles and miles!!! As we neared the park, the rain started to fall….but…..it was a quick storm that rolled on by – Yayyy – thank you Mother Nature….

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The state park was super nice, lots of trees between neighbors, several lakes to explore, along with trails here and there. The storms rolled in again overnight and into the next day.

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Finally mid-afternoon we saw that beautiful orange glow in the sky. Off we went to explore one of the trails that took us to Copper and Brownstone waterfalls. Gorgeous! Man, we just can’t get enough of these breathtaking waterfalls!!! We didn’t get to see many when we lived in CA so we’re soaking them all in as we make our way through this beautiful countryside!!!

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/6/may-31-june-2-mellen-wisconsin Thu, 06 Jun 2024 02:26:45 GMT
May 20 - 31 Munising, Michigan https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/6/may-20---31-munising-michigan Munising Tourist Park

“On Golden Pond”………silence…….Then you hear the Loons……

 

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As we made our way a mere 90-mile drive to another more northern part of Lake Superior, the road was pretty lonely – not a bad thing! Listening to our favorites songs and bopping down the highway is how we like to roll. Sometimes not a care in the world and no other vehicles to be seen – LOL!!

 

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The forecast for rain came true as we neared our home for the next 10 days. Setting up camp is never fun when you’re trying to stay dry – LOL!! We got The Sandman backed in and took a deep breath as we swallowed up the view we had – steps from the beach and Lake Superior…..glorious!!!! Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore just a few miles away and Grand Island National Recreation Area (only access via a ferry) right outside our window –

Wow!!!!

 

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So much to see and do – waterfalls, hiking, towns to explore and who thought Christmas came only once a year??? Here, you can go to Christmas any time you want!!! In 1938 a local man started a factory making holiday gifts. The factory, gone long ago, the town of only 400 people has a casino, a beautiful view of the lake, waterfalls, and a Lighthouse. In the winter, the town comes alive with winter activities.

 

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We explored the charming fishing town of Munising, that has lots of amenities, breweries, shops, and amazing views of the Lake. Being this is very much a tourist town; the locals are very welcoming. The Munising Front Range Light shines a continuous red light, welcoming those sailing vessels of all types, back to shore. The Munising Rear Range Light, on the hillside across from the Front Range Light, was placed to work in conjunction with it. Both beautiful in their own way!!

 

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A visit to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Visitors Center brought us to the first waterfall – Munising Falls. 50’ feet of beautiful water, helping all those beautiful flowers bloom along the way!

 

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The best way to see the Pictured Rocks within the Lakeshore is to book a boat tour with the local National Park Concessionaire. There are multiple trails that are long and three dry campgrounds (no services) within the Lakeshore, but they don’t give you the views! And WOW – WOW – WOW – the sandstone cliffs, beaches, sand dunes, and waterfalls – spectacular!!! The power of Lake Superior shapes the coastal features and affects every ecosystem, creating a unique landscape to explore.

 

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Lake Superior over the years has claimed many ships and lives. Glass Bottom Shipwreck Tour explores two historical shipwrecks, along with cruising by Grand Island and its historical Lighthouse, and all the beautiful cliffs, caves, and beaches…..Wow…..just gorgeous!

 

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The Pictured Rocks National Seashore consists of many miles of……breathtaking beaches, hiking trails to those beaches, with gorgeous waterfalls along the way. We did as many hikes as we could – in between the rain days…..but that left us to hike in MUD to several locations – LOL!!! Was it worth it??? Hell yeah!!!! “You better not drive down that road or it will cost you $300 for me to tow you out. Okay, thanks! We’ll keep going down this road to the other trail marker”……. Each hike we took through the Hiawatha Forest was as if we were in an Enchanted Forest. So gorgeous at every turn with breathtaking plants, ferns, and flowers shooting up from the moist ground…after their winter sleep.

 

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Oh, those sand dunes!!!!! Wowzer……we’ve had NO problem getting our “steps” in!!!!

 

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A day trip in the opposite direction took us to the charming town of Marquette, located on Lake Superior (still) – Lake Superior is HUGE!!! Marquette is a major port, primarily known for shipping iron ore. We visited the Ore Dock – both the original not being used and the one currently in full operation. It’s amazing how these work!! (Google it for more information). We had a great lunch overlooking the Lake and the original dock. Like so many other Michigan towns, Marquette is home to a historic harbor Lighthouse. Another beautiful sight helping to guide those ships to port…..

 

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Grand Island Recreation Area – rustic and remote – just across the lake from our Campground, was fabulous to spend a day biking. The “paths” were a mix of gravel and mud pits that take you to the most spectacular views of the lake, Pictured Rocks, and pristine sandy beaches… There’s not much on the island with the exception of a few rental cabins and camping spots – very remote!! There are a few existing structures (cabins) owned by the Hershey family. We found a beautiful beach to sit, have lunch, and take in the breathtaking views of Lake Superior once again. Waterfall beach didn’t disappoint……after 15 miles on our bikes, we were ready to head back to the ferry. You miss the last one and guess what? You’re spending the night “somewhere” on the island

LOL!!!!

 

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When Cornish miners migrated to Michigan's Upper Peninsula in the 1800's, they brought with them their beloved national dish: the pasty. The Finnish miners that followed adopted these meat pies as their own (easily transportable for long subterranean days!), and the pasty became such a large part of the regional culture that there's an annual pasty festival in early July. In this recipe, beef, rutabaga, carrots, onions and potatoes are essentially steamed within the crimped, D-shaped dough pocket that's slit to allow just enough steam to escape. Of course we had to try one, and we did while waiting for the boat tour.

 

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Michigan… We will miss you in many ways…..those sunsets!!! Wow – Wow – Wow….. the Caribbean colors of the water…..hunting for special rocks……. Bugs.... and those Enchanted Forests.

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/6/may-20---31-munising-michigan Thu, 06 Jun 2024 02:08:39 GMT
May 14 - 20 Paradise, Michigan https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/5/may-14---20-paradise-michigan Tahquamenon Falls State Park (rhymes with Phenomenon)

The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down

Of the big lake they called gitche gumee

The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead

When the skies of November turn gloomy

With a load of iron ore twenty-six thousand tons more

Than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty

That good ship and crew was a bone to be chewed

When the gales of November came early

 

The ship was the pride of the American side

Coming back from some mill in Wisconsin

As the big freighters go, it was bigger than most

With a crew and good captain well seasoned

Concluding some terms with a couple of steel firms

When they left fully loaded for Cleveland

And later that night when the ship bell rang

Could it be the north wind they been feelin

 

The wind in the wires made a tattle-tale sound

And a wave broke over the railin’

And every man knew, as the captain did too,

Twas’ the  witch of November come stealin’

The dawn came late and the breakfast had to wait

When the gales of November came slashin’

When afternoon came it was freezing rain

In the face of a hurricane west wind

 

When suppertime came, the old cook came on deck sayin’,

“Fellas, it’s too rough to feed ya”

At seven pm a main hatchway caved in, he said,

 

“Fellas, it’s been good to know ya”

The captain wired in he had water comin’ in

And the good ship and crew was in peril

And later that night when his lights went out of sight

Came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

 

Does anyone know where the love of God goes

When the waves turn the minutes to hours?

The searches all say they’d have made Whitefish Bay

If they’d put fifteen more miles behind her

They might have split up or they might have capsized

They may have broke deep and took water

And all that remains is the faces and the names

Of the wives and the sons and the daughters

 

Lake Huron rolls, Superior sings

In the rooms of her ice-water mansion

Old Michigan steams like a young man’s dreams

The islands and bays are for sportsmen

And farther below Lake Ontario

Takes in what Lake Erie can send her

And the iron boats go as the mariners all know

With the gales of November remembered

 

In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed,

In the maritime sailors’ cathedral

The church bell chimed ‘till it rang twenty-nine times

For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald

The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down

Of the big lake they call ‘Gitche Gumee’

Superior, they said, never gives up her dead

When the gales of November come early…

Gordon Lightfoot

 

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Welcome to Paradise where waterfalls, shipwrecks, and blueberry festivals are big…bigger than life. We pulled into our campground with the excitement of two little kids – knowing we would be seeing/hiking the Lower and Upper Tahquamenon Falls – also known as The Root Beer Falls. The color of the water is created by the leaching of tannins from the cedar swamps which feed the river.

 

 

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We couldn’t check in to the campground until mid-afternoon – we arrived a bit early. Being as it was lunchtime, we decided to make our first stop to the Tahquamenon Falls Pub and Brewery. With The Sandman in tow, off we went 20 miles up the road to get our first experience of the area. Yum………..their own Blueberry Ale was outstanding!!! This state park is HUGE and covers 50 thousand acres.

 

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Yooper Perfume?? What you say??? Oh….bug deterrent!!! We are stocked – LOL!!

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The Falls – both Lower and Upper – breathtaking – there are no words for how mother nature has provided us with such awesomeness!!! We hiked all over and just couldn’t get enough!! The North Country Scenic Trail also runs through this area. Oh the glory of it all…….

 

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On the several hikes we did in the area, beautiful wildflowers were just starting to pop….

 

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The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum was a bucket list item for us. The beautiful Lighthouse was standing tall, watching over the waters that took so many lives, many years ago. On a clear day, Canada was just across the lake from Whitefish Bay. We watched a ship proudly make her way thru the small strait. The sunsets were spectacular from the beach. Beautiful driftwood laying half buried from many of the strong storms that occur in this area.

 

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There is no lack of wildlife in the U.P. We kept our eyes peeled for Moose, but sadly – we saw none. There were plenty of other critters to enjoy!!!

 

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We get a kick out of road signs up this way as many are unique to this region. Many were just funny.

 

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If you live in the area during the winter, and you want your mail delivered to the mailbox, what do you do??? You put it on top of a 10’ pole – LOL!!!!

 

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This was probably the 2nd most remote area we’ve ever been to while on our adventures.

We were happy we came well prepared as there were no grocery stores – just glorified convenience stores and one small gas station that did have diesel. There were a few local restaurants and shops that were a combination of a post office, building supplies, and hardware items. Closest area for shopping is about an hour away. “You’ll have to go to the Soo if you want anything else.” said everyone we asked.

 

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We've found most locals to be friendly. They seem to think all is "faaaantastic"!

This is what “Pure Michigan” (their state slogan) is all about…….
 

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/5/may-14---20-paradise-michigan Mon, 27 May 2024 20:35:08 GMT
May 5 - 14 St. Ignace, Michigan https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/5/may-5---14-st-ignace-michigan Tiki RV Park

One thing we’ve learned about being on the road is we’re out of our “comfort zone” almost on a daily basis.

Evidence shows that people are at their best, physically harder, and mentally tougher, after experiencing some of the same discomforts our early ancestors were exposed to every day. But the more miles we’ve put under our wheels, the easier it’s gotten to live on the road…. We realize that we ARE living the American Dream!

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A beautiful blue-sky day, with no wind - a perfect driving day…………. perfect because????

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Here we go – over the famous Mighty Mac – The Mackinac Bridge!!! Whoo Hoo…. well, that was fun – not!! Construction (no big surprise) had one lane closed. Squeeze!!!!! Those grates??? Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle... Slow and steady with a great party line of trucks and cars behind us LOL…..we made it to the other side safe and sound – Whew! That was some white knuckling for Mike. We both needed an adult beverage after this anxiety building drive!!!

 

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We’ve now arrived in “Yooper” land – the Upper Peninsula (U.P.) of Michigan – The Yoop! Michiganders’’ that live below the Mackinac Bridge are known as “Trolls”. Tourists are known as “Fudgies”. There is plenty of fudge, t-shirts, and adventure to be had…

 

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Happy Cinco de Mayo! Wonder if there any good Mexican restaurants where we’re headed????? Yep…. we found one – Cheers!!

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The Tiki RV Park was another great place with a small view of Lake Huron from our site.

Only a couple other RV’s here – again it’s not quite camping season up here as most things open in mid-May or Memorial Weekend.

 

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Looking at the weather outlook for the next week or so, we decided to take off for Mackinac Island the day after we arrived. Our first trip there last week with our friend Gretchan – well – we froze our asses off – LOL!! It was cloudy, windy, foggy, and just not fun…. We had the perfect weather this 2nd time around and spent most of the day having “Mansion envy” - drooling over the houses once again and admiring The Grand Hotel.

 

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Did you know that the movie “Somewhere in Time” was produced on the Island? It was originally supposed to be filmed at the Hotel Del Coronado, in San Diego but the Del wasn’t available.

 

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Expensive is the key word as mentioned in our previous entry. Oh yeah – the Hotel CHARGES $12 just to walk in – what???? We didn’t pay when we were there last week only because they had just opened that weekend. But come on! Pay $12 to mill about and then spend an ungodly amount on food and drinks???? Hum……all in all we loved it and would not discourage others from visiting as it is truly a magical experience!

 

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Being as we were only about 50 miles from Sault (pronounced SOO) Ste Marie – both a US and Canadian city, we took off to visit the US side first because………………. that’s where the SOO locks are and that was a bucket list item for us. What a fascinating site to see!! We were lucky enough (without having a schedule) to see 4 ships go through. They have been referred to as one of the great wonders of the world and are still the largest and one of the busiest waterway traffic systems on earth! Wowzer!!! The locks consist of two canals and four locks that allow vessels to safely traverse the 21-foot drop in elevation of the St. Mary’s River between Lake Superior and Lakes Michigan and Huron.

 

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So many lighthouses in this state! We had to pick and choose which ones to visit as some were pretty far away…. Point Iroquois didn’t disappoint. It was “sort of” on our way back to St. Ignace. Unfortunately, it wasn’t open inside yet for visitors – still early in their season darn it!! But it did give us an interesting tour of some Indian Tribal communities along the way. We had no idea that the state of Michigan was so enriched in Indian culture, many of which are federally recognized.

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Oh Canada – here we come!! Another bucket list as neither of us had ever been there.

 

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Passports? Check. Security questions passed, Check!! We bypassed visiting the SOO locks as the Canadian side is only used for recreational and tour boats.    First stop was the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre (museum). Pretty neat place filled with over 30 vintage back country firefighting planes……

 

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Not wanting to wander TOO far into Canada (very unfamiliar territory and mostly scenic terrain for miles and miles), we decided to drive up the coast a way via the Trans Canada Hwy. Our stop for the day before turning around brought us to Harmony Beach Ontario with stunning views of Whitefish Bay along our route! And…. some very interesting road signs.

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We thought gas was expensive in the US????

 

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We heard there’s going to be an awesome sky event??? Could it be?? Check off another thing on our bucket list? The Northern Lights!!!! We scoped out a dark place near the McGulpin Point Lighthouse – another cool Lighthouse – we haven’t seen one yet that isn’t awesome!

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Another neato place in the same area was the Headlands International Dark Sky Park but decided it’s better for star gazing than Northern Lights viewing. At McGulpin Point, we waited and waited and waited……but the clouds and bugs kept rolling in. Damn it………. nothing – nada – uggggg…. We’ll try again as this super-duper event is supposed to last for 3 nights.

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Like waiting for the 4th of July fireworks….boom….boom….boom…..we headed out for yet another chance of viewing the Northern Lights. The sunset was breathtaking as we watched a ship go by. The sky grew darker and then………. the magic started to happen!!!

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OMG!!! Is this really happening??? We jumped for joy like two little kids…. everywhere we looked, more colors exploded in the sky. Truly a moment we’ll never forget. After hours in the cold, the sky cleared and back home we went.

 

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But wait??? Are there more???

OMG…. the sky exploded again. It was a cold night, but we couldn’t tear ourselves away from that unreal scene happening all around us – WOW!!!! Like ghosts moving in the wind, it just got better and better….

 

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The town of St. Ignace is home to the world-famous Castle Rock. It rises 200 feet above lake level. It was an ancient lookout of the Ojibway Indians. Oh boy – Donna doesn’t like open heights!!!  But we climbed those 170 steep steps anyway and voila – beautiful views of Mackinac Island, Lake Huron, and miles of other scenic views!

 

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The North Country Scenic Trail is 4800 miles and travels through 8 states. Part of it is in St. Ignace very near where our campground was. Off we went to explore the beautiful forests of Michigan….

 

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If you love the outdoors, water, blue skies, and Caribbean style waters, then Michigan is a trip you should plan. You won’t be disappointed!! Except for those damn midges that hatched while we were here….and they are EVERYWHERE….they don’t bite but they sure are annoying. Mate already….then go away – LOL!!

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/5/may-5---14-st-ignace-michigan Wed, 22 May 2024 17:35:23 GMT
May 1 - 5 Indian River, Michigan https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/5/may-1---5-indian-river-michigan Indian River RV Park

Before heading out from Traverse City, The Sandman needed some attention.  He decided that his electrical system was going to whack out a bit.  So off to Airstream of Northern Michigan which just happened to be not too far away….oh thank you!!!!!!  After 3 hours of replacing a few fuses, testing this and that, resetting this and that, all systems were GO and we were on our way – Yayyyyy!!!!!

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Have you ever felt like you’re all alone in a strange place?  That maybe the road less traveled is for a reason? We get that!!  Very nice RV park…large sites, great staff, and…..we were the only ones camping all week until the night before we left – LOL!!  But that’s okay.  It’s early in the season up here in Michigan so not everything has opened up yet.

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We planned our stay here as we have some friends that moved from CA to the area 3 years ago…literally the street behind the campground.  Meet Gretchan….remember when Donna wore her hair in a short spike for many years?  Gretchan was the person that worked that magic and they’ve stayed in touch.  Originally from this area, their family is back again, along with her Mom and sister.

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Gretchan played tour guide with us for 3 days and took us all over the place, including a nice home cooked meal one evening……….Yes!!

Life here is about drinking in the atmosphere, seeing the night sky with stars so clear and bright, you can see them forever.  The beauty of the trails, homes, miles of coastal shoreline, and breathtakingly clear water is magical. 

 

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And…..we’re off to Kitchiitikipi Big Spring – in the Upper Peninsula. Michigan’s largest natural freshwater spring and probably the most unusual thing we’ve seen in a long time.  Located within Palms Book State Park and the water is crystal clear – CRYSTAL CLEAR – Are those trout??  Yep – they sure are!  It’s a consistent 45 degrees (burrrrr), 40 feet deep and 10000 gallons of water per minute rise up through the cracks. It was fascinating to watch the water bubbling up under the fish. We hoped aboard the hand operated raft that propels the raft along a guided line – oh what fun that was!!!  The raft has a roof so you can see the fish without the glare from the sun.

 

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Did someone say lunch?  In these parts which are RURAL and small little fishing towns, there’s not much to choose from.  Off to the town of Manistique – oh so charming!!  We found a cute little bar that served – well – not much – but we managed.  Bonus – they had a pool table at .25 a game!  What?????  Then it was off to the Manistique East Breakwater Lighthouse.  Perfect timing as there were several families of Geese with their new babies…awwww….adorable!!

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Since we were somewhat in the area, off to the Ocqueoc Falls – gorgeous, beautiful, cascading waterfalls!! It is known as the biggest waterfall in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan.  During spawning season, you can see salmon swimming upriver.  How cool would that be????

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Okay – what the hell is THAT in front of us?  Looks like smoke.  Nope, not smoke.  OMG – those are swarms of midges (tiny flies)!  When they hatch, there are millions of them.  They mate and then die.  Okay…..that’s after they cover you when you get out of the car.  Then you look at your car and it’s covered with millions of them – ewwwwww!!!!

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We couldn’t end another day without seeing yet another lighthouse.  Off to 40 Mile Point Lighthouse in the very small city of Rogers on the western shore of Lake Huron.  Beautiful!!!!  On the beach lies the remnants of the Joseph S. Fay – a wooden steamer built in 1871.  It met its demise in 1905. 

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We saved the best for last……Mackinac Island.  OMG!!!  What a magical place!!!  There really are no words to describe this island other than you’ve just stepped back in time.  It’s a car-free zone (including electric bikes unless you live or work there).  Horse drawn carriages and bikes are the modes of transportation.  There are several Ferry companies to transport you back and forth, and several places to rent bikes on the island.

Let’s just get this out here – it’s not cheap getting to the island and once there, NOTHING is cheap – LOL!!  It was on our bucket list so off we went.  The island itself is only 4.35 square miles.  It’s a whole 8 miles to ride your bike all the way around.  When we stepped off the ferry, we both looked at each other and said “this reminds me of Catalina Island!”  (off the coast of southern CA).   The short main street is loaded with….what else…..shops, bars, restaurants, and several places to buy their famous fudge – LOL!!

As we walked along Main Street, on a very foggy and cool (cold) day, every house was more grand and beautiful than the next – wow – wow – wow!!  Then boom!!!!  What the heck was that???  Oh yeah, Fort Mackinac sounding their cannons.  Scared the crap out of us – LOL!!  And then – there is was in all its glory – the famous Grand Hotel.  My oh my…….it reminded us a bit of the Hotel Del Coronado.  Not the architecture, but the “grandness” of it all.  As we stepped inside, you could smell the $$$$ just floating around.  And everything was GRAND – meaning expensive.  But what the heck, you only live once.  We all had drinks – Cheers to a $25 drink – LOL!!  We savored every……single……sip…….and enjoyed taking in all the views – from the people, to what we saw on the grounds and out the windows.  Simply awesome…..

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/5/may-1---5-indian-river-michigan Wed, 08 May 2024 02:57:39 GMT
April 27 – May 1 Traverse City, Michigan https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/5/april-27-may-1-traverse-city-michigan Traverse City State Park

After unplugging shore power where we came from, we discovered we’ve got “something going on” as in nothing going on….uggg….we’ll deal with it on Monday!!! Rut Row….

 

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The wind up this way is no joke!! We fought the wind all the way which wasn’t fun. But….it was 75 degrees – Yayyy! But how quickly the weather in Michigan changes. It dropped 35 degrees overnight and now here comes the thunderstorms – again………shore power is our friend at the moment since our batteries don’t seem to be charging. Everything is fine…..until it’s not.

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What is that? Oh – it’s a snow mobile!! Snow mobile crossing sign LOL!! We’ve not been this far north before. The campground is nice – plenty of space with trees and…..it’s right across the street from Grand Traverse Bay which empties into Lake Michigan. Traverse City is known as the “Cherry Capital of the World” as the surrounding areas are a hot spot for cherry production. Who knew???? We saw acres and acres of cherry trees, grapes for wine, apple trees, and so much more. Vineyards’ and wineries everywhere…

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Speaking of cherries – Mike is a lover of all things cherry.  Traverse City has its own local Whiskey made with the local yummies. Not to worry honey, we’ll find a place for it – LOL!! A DANGEROUS store we found called Cherry Country Gift Shop has ALL things cherry. We’ve never spent SO much time in a gift shop – ever!!! Still trying to find places to stash our stash!!! Traverse City is a great town with tons of shops, restaurants, breweries, and the best views – I mean – who doesn’t love looking at a gorgeous huge lake that is SO big, it looks like an ocean? We took off to explore the Mission Point Lighthouse – yep – another one – we just love the scavenger hunt for them – LOL!! The road taking is there was FILLED with one gorgeous home after the other. Gosh – we just can’t get over how these northern coastal areas have homes that will knock your socks off…..beautiful!!!! The Lighthouse sits on the 45 th Parallel or half way between the North Pole & the Equator – now THAT is awesome, and we were there!!! It was deactivated in 1933.

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More rain....but it gives us a chance to do some “adulting” – phone calls, paperwork, etc. With cloudy skies still hanging around – and that chilly wind – and maybe a chance of rain (again), we took off for Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Absolutely breathtaking scenery!!! We did two hikes within the National Lakeshore. The first was Pyramid Point which took us to the most gorgeous view of South and North Manitou Islands within Lake Michigan. The water - OMG………it looks like the Caribbean!!! The flowers along the way were just beginning to bloom – so pretty!

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The second hike was on our bucket list – Sleeping Bear Dunes. There are several areas you can hike and climb to the top with stunning views. Oh and the beach areas are beautiful too – lots of rocks, fossils, agates, granite, and so much more!! It’s a rock hounding paradise!!

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Black squirrels? Everywhere……..we’ve only seen them one other time. They’re pretty cute!! The Chipmunks are pretty cute too….

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/5/april-27-may-1-traverse-city-michigan Fri, 03 May 2024 03:19:05 GMT
April 23 – 27 Holland, Michigan https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/4/april-23-27-holland-michigan Holland State Park – Lake Macatawa

Many months ago, as we planned out our trip north, Michigan was a bucket list for us. With all the traveling we’ve both done, we’ve never been to Michigan. Being as it is still April, we were just a tad bit concerned (in the back of our minds), that there might still be snow.

 

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Nope……so here we are!!!!

And…..it’s sneezin season – LOL!! And April showers bring April flowers…of course it’s raining!!!!

 

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The town of Holland, founded in 1847, is simply……charming…..with its vast Dutch heritage and culture, what’s not to love? The coastal town does not lack the gorgeous homes either!

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We had NO idea the town was getting ready for its famous Tulip Festival, where tens of thousands of people transcend upon the area!! As we maneuvered Journey and The Sandman through the narrow streets of Holland to the state park, we were greeted with thousands of tulips, tulip trees, and daffodils everywhere. OMG!! Every color of the rainbow – in front of every building, corner square, and most homes. Simply breathtaking!!!

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Just down the street from the campground – which faces Lake Macatawa, is “Big Red” – the Holland Harbor Lighthouse. It sits at the entrance channel from Lake Michigan, sitting tall for almost 100 years. Across Lake Michigan, we could see a massive thunderstorm building, so our visit was cut just a bit short – just in time – the heavens opened – the lightning strikes, and the thunder rolled under our feet. The surfers and wind surfers made double time heading to their vehicles!!!

 

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Windmill Island Gardens - home to rows and rows and rows of gorgeous tulips. It is also home to the only authentic working Dutch Windmill in the US. The De Zwaan (Graceful Bird or The Swan) – what a beauty! Never in our lives did we think we would ever tour a REAL working Windmill. Damn was that cool…..it was brought to the US in 1964. The Gardens are also home to an antique Dutch carousel, and organ. Saugatuck – a nearby small charming coastal town, offers up some cute shops and restaurants – and some GORGEOUS homes!

 

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In this part of the world, there are some of the most stunning homes we’ve ever seen. We used to think California had some McMansions, but these homes here??? One right after the other is unbelievably jaw dropping……

 

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We can see what the draw is for people to live here but……………….burrrrr – it’s been a bit chilly – and that wind!! That wind has a real BITE to it – LOL!! Right off Lake Michigan.

We’ll take the wind over snow though……

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/4/april-23-27-holland-michigan Sun, 28 Apr 2024 23:14:52 GMT
April 22 – 23 North Liberty, Indiana https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/4/april-22-23-north-liberty-indiana April 22 – 23 North Liberty, Indiana

Potato Creek State Park

Enjoying the scenery along the roads – when we were kids, we couldn’t wait to get OUT of the car – are we there yet???  Funny how things change when you get a bit older and have the opportunity to do what we’re doing. 

 

 

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This was another one night stay to break up mileage as we continue north.  Very nice – large park – simple sites – easy in and out.  The park houses one of two large Osprey nests in the state.  As we left, we were lucky enough to catch site of one, hovering over the nest.  Better stop!!!!

See ya Indiana --------

 

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/4/april-22-23-north-liberty-indiana Sat, 27 Apr 2024 00:20:56 GMT
April 19 – April 22 Nashville, Indiana https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/4/april-19-april-22-nashville-indiana Brown County State Park

Another long - uneventful drive as we make our way north. Arriving at the park, we were amazed – really amazed – at how HUGE this place is!! 16,000 acres…………it’s Indiana’s largest state park. We had a perfect site nestled in the woods and the place was full to the brim with excited campers…..

 

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The park is nicknamed the “Little Smokies”, boasting stunning views of rolling hills. Looking out over the tree tops, we both said it looked like the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Dogwood trees are just starting to bloom and man are they beautiful!!!!

The nearby town of Nashville is the cutest!! It has neat little shops and restaurants to visit, up and down the main street. Good thing we have NO ROOM to buy anything – LOL!!!

This was our 2nd visit to this area. We had friends to visit that we knew in Northern Virginia many years ago – Mark/Lenny Turney, and a retired Navy friend – Roger Seeley, that we met through our days with the MINI Cooper club and he happened to be stationed in San Diego when we lived there. They live within 40 minutes of our campground so we enjoyed good food, some adult beverages, storytelling, and lots of laughs…..

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/4/april-19-april-22-nashville-indiana Fri, 26 Apr 2024 23:57:43 GMT
April 18 – 19 Goreville, Illinois https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/4/april-18-19-goreville-illinois Ferne Clyffe State Park

This was a quick overnight stay on our way to the next destination so not much to write about. It was another beautiful park with lots to do if we ever get back this way. Lots of trails and waterfalls…………….just what we love!!!

 

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A long drive day with some nasty thunderstorms all around us. But alas they didn’t last too long until……………we tried to get some sleep. Wowzer – here we go again!! We kept the TV on the weather and the warnings never stopped. The storms were building…..tornadoes spotted very near…….damnit!!! They were just south of us….but it poured and rumbled thunder most of the night. Have you ever felt thunder under your feet???? Uggggg……..

The morning came too damn early but the front blew thru, the sun came out, and it was substantially colder – burrrr!!!! On the road again.

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/4/april-18-19-goreville-illinois Fri, 26 Apr 2024 02:31:43 GMT
April 15 – 18 Powhatan, Arkansas https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/4/april-15-18-powhatan-arkansas Lake Charles State Park

Ya know – it gets better and better. These state parks are just beautiful. We picked another great site with a bit of a lake view. After a smooth sailing drive day, we enjoyed a cold one outside on our patio…we had a wonderful, relaxing stay.

 

 

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We had no idea Arkansas had so many hundreds of miles of farm land. We saw a crop duster which we haven’t seen in forever……interesting how the terrain changes too. Mountains, lakes, rivers, and lots of wildlife. The cardinals are in abundance, and they LOVE to look at themselves in our TRUCK MIRRORS and peck at the windows Urrgggg….

 

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Another storm rolled through while we were here so what do you do on a rainy day? Laundry……which in these VERY rural areas isn’t easy to find. You gotta do what you gotta do….drive 20 miles to the nearest laundry mat – LOL!!

When the weather cleared up, we took a nice pleasant 4 mile walk around the campground. Enjoyed seeing all the turtles sunning themselves on the logs floating in the lake.

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But………..while doing laundry in the small town of Walnut Ridge, we stumbled upon Abbey Lane! Yep – that’s right – THAT Abbey Lane. Seems as though on 9/18/64, The Beatles finished a concert in Dallas. They made a brief stop in Walnut Ridge. The airport provided an ideal spot for the group to change planes before heading to Missouri – avoiding the crush of screaming fans because of the small town. Just after midnight, 3 local boys noticed the odd timing of a plane landing and raced to the airport to identify the unexpected visitors. To their surprise, the Beatles departed the plane and quickly boarded a small aircraft heading for Missouri. There were many false alarms that morning. Teenagers mobbed a local crop-duster mistaken for the Beatles’ plane. Little did they know that McCartney and Harrison had arrived at the airport an hour early and watched the spectacle from an old truck parked across the runway!

Suddenly, a small commuter plane with Lennon and Starr landed and taxied up the runway. The two left the plane, walking through a gauntlet of excited spectators. At the same time Lennon and Starr ascended the steps to the larger plane, the old truck that held Harrison

and McCartney pulled up next to it. All four Beatles quickly boarded and left for their last US concert of the year.

On 9/18/2011, Walnut Ridge unveiled a monument dedicating this event. Now each September the town hosts a “Beatles at the Ridge Festival”. Who knew??????

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/4/april-15-18-powhatan-arkansas Fri, 26 Apr 2024 01:55:03 GMT
April 11 – 15 Little Rock, Arkansas https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/4/april-11-15-little-rock-arkansas Maumelle COE (Army Corp of Engineers) Park

Sometimes on driving days, we like to stop for brunch, especially if it’s a long driving day through small towns and not many places to pull off once we get off main roads. Waffle House is our go to and we found one that had a pull through driveway – Yayyy!! It’s the little things ya know????

 

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Thank you Arkansas for all the beautiful flowers – rain must have been good to you and provided us with an abundance of gorgeous colors along our way!!

 

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This park was beautiful – we picked the perfect site right on the Arkansas River with unobstructed views of the river. We enjoyed watching the barges go by and the people from the local yacht club tootle by in their beautiful boats!

 

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Waking up to beautiful sunrises was also a plus….along with the MANY geese squawking away at each other – LOL!!

 

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Last year we were in a different area of Arkansas camping and took a drive to the waterfront part of Little Rock. It was COLD so we didn’t stay very long – LOL!! This time however, the weather was scrumptious and we headed out for Little Rock again, to explore a little more.

We had lunch at a local Mexican place near the water. It’s still a little town that is trying to rebuild itself and keep going.

 

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Pinnacle Mountain State Park was just minutes from us. After visiting the new Visitors Center to get information on hiking the mountain (West or East side), we ventured back the next day, armed with what we needed to make it to the top and back. Wowzer!!! It was a BEAST, but we made it – Yayyy!!! Sitting on top of the mountain with views forever – what could be better than that???? Then we had our PB & and J swammiches – LOL!!! We needed fuel to get back down this bad boy…

 

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The area is filled with gorgeous homes – one after the other. We commented to each other that some of them looked as if they should be in Colorado (the style). A great place…….

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/4/april-11-15-little-rock-arkansas Fri, 26 Apr 2024 00:46:57 GMT
March 29 – April 11 Texarkana, Texas https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/4/march-29-april-11-texarkana-texas Rocky Point ACOE (Army Corp. of Engineers) Campground on Wright Patman Lake 

Don’t mess with Texas Y’all…

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As we say goodbye to the Lone Star State! Journey has been waiting almost a month to get his front end fixed. You may remember from our earlier blog post at Martin Dies Jr. State Park – someone hit us in a parking lot. Off to the Dodge dealer in Texarkana he went. A week later we got him back – good as new! Yayyy!!! ….in the meantime, we had a rental car….which raised a lot of eyebrows and questions from other campers driving/walking by. Hum!!! Do you REALLY tow with THAT???

 

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The weather here is very unpredictable. A beautiful sunny day can turn into massive thunderstorms on a dime. We had a couple nice sunny days which we took full advantage of. The park and the adjacent park (Piney Point) were perfect for getting some good exercise on our bikes – about 7 miles every ride.

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Wind…….geez………it was crazy for a few days. Being right on the lake has its negatives – LOL!! Locals call it breezy. We call it a stiff wind~~~~~~

Texarkana gets its name from --- you guessed it - being in Texas and in Arkansas. We took a little drive to the historic district. Sadly, most of the town is shuttered with the exception of the post office, a few restaurants, and small businesses. It saddens us as we maneuver through some of these urban areas, to see things just falling apart and abandoned. To add some cheer to the town, there were many beautiful murals painted by locals.

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Then……….it was THE day we planned our leg of the trip for…. April 8 th – the FULL SOLAR ECLIPSE!!! Okay clouds – you can go away any time now…..all we could do was keep our fingers crossed that the sky gods would come through for us…………….and they did………it was THE most remarkable, magical event we’ve ever seen in our lifetime.....

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All morning as we walked the campground looking once again for the best viewing spot (there were several), the excitement was building. People were setting up chairs, testing their special eclipse glasses, and talking about where they came from to view this once in a lifetime event. Mike had bought a special lens filter and of course we had bought special eclipse shirts! We just couldn’t imagine missing out if the weather wasn’t going to cooperate. All week on the news, the weather report was iffy…predicting cloud cover. Fortunately for us, the clouds parted during the main event. We heard whooping, hollering and cheering all over the campgrounds.

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Several hours after the eclipse ended, the storms arrived. All night the thunder boomed, and lighting struck all around the lake. We had a long sleepless night with our trailer rumbling with every crack of thunder.

Can’t beat those gorgeous sunsets and sitting around a campfire!!

 

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[email protected] (Michael J Kacmarcik) https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/4/march-29-april-11-texarkana-texas Mon, 22 Apr 2024 02:13:15 GMT
March 17 – 29 Karnack, Texas https://www.kaz.photography/blog/2024/4/march-17-29-karnack-texas Caddo Lake State Park

 

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Nestled in the woods next to the 8500-acre Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge, a small but beautiful place to enjoy nature. It rests on the banks of the Big Cypress Bayou. Little did we know that Karnack was the childhood home of Lady Bird Johnson!! Her father, T.J. Taylor, was one of several wealthy donors who gave private land for the park.

 

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President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1933 to provide jobs and job skills for young men to work on conservation projects. During the hot, humid summer of 1934, CCC Company 889 builds the first structures, trails and firebreaks in the new park. Company 857 continued working from October 1934 to March 1937, building the park’s permanent structures. They converted 16 U.S. Army barracks and an Army mess hall in the nine rustic log cabins and group recreation hall used today. On one of our hikes through the park, we came across one of the pavilions built in the 1930’s!! SO cool to see….

 

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The flowers are starting to pop here…..so darn pretty!!!

 

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The HUGE bald Cypress Trees draped with Spanish Moss create a ghostly scene – calming and beautiful….with kayakers intertwined moseying along the calm river banks. The “knees” of the trees are above ground extensions of their root systems.

 

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Another Airstream pulled in just a couple of sites down from us. We met up and went kayaking on the Caddo Lake water trail. Oh my gosh!! It was THE most peaceful and sur- real thing!!! We hadn’t been kayaking in ……. years – LOL!!! What a fun day!!!!

 

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A short drive took us to the historical town of Jefferson. A bit eclectic in its own way – we walked up and down the several blocks of streets – popping in and out of the stores, taking in all the town had to offer. Cute little shops, lots of antique stores, and several pretty neat looking restaurants. Being the simple peeps that we are, we had lunch at the local family owned Port Jefferson Outpost, followed up by Texas Blue Bell Ice Cream cones……OH SO GOOD!!!!! We always try to support the local economy in some way when we’re out and about…..

 

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Texas is an interesting state. When you get out of the big cities, it is rural – I MEAN RURAL and Bayou country!!! Some areas have big, beautiful homes like you see on TV, and then other areas, well; we weren’t sure if the home was abandoned or if someone was actually living there….

 

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