A Day at General RV

Good morning. I hope everyone had a nice holiday weekend. The weather was very cooperative and for the most part kept the rain at bay. The hot temperatures made for an enjoyable time at the beach. We grilled chicken, hamburgers and hot dogs. All in all, it was a great start to our summer.

Tuesday was moving day. We left Brighton Recreation Area and headed over to General RV in Wixom to spend the night. We had scheduled an appointment to have work done on our motorhome the following day. The RV dealership has a few spots with 50/30 amp outlets to accommodate RV’ers like ourselves. This is their busiest time of the year and the parking lot was crowded. We sat and waited a long time watching all types of RV’s coming and going and being moved around. It took them a while but they were finally able to open up an area for us to spend the night.

We weren’t the only unit spending the night. There were a couple of RV’ers (one was a 5th wheel toy hauler and the other was a motorhome) who had purchased new units and were in the midst of moving their belongings from the old unit to the new one who spent the night too. The couple in the 5th wheel toy hauler told me they had their old unit 20 years. They were leaving for home (Las Vegas) in the morning. We call them “happy campers”.

Our spot opened onto a nice grassy area, so we were able to open both the bedroom and dinette slide out. We could have opened the full slide out too, but we didn’t find it necessary for just the night.

In the morning we went in and talked to our service writer, Jennifer who was happy to see us. We discussed all the issues we were having and wanted to have checked out. Living in a motorhome full-time does put a lot of wear and tear on the unit. We had no major issues, just a good number of smaller things that needed to be looked at and taken care of. We knew we would have an all day wait.

We left our home in their capable hands and went to go do laundry. We were having such a good time over the weekend with the grandkids, we didn’t have time to get any clothes washed. Lets see . . . work or play? Yep, we decided correctly. The grandkids come first.

With laundry done, we went back to General RV to check on the progress on our motorhome and wait for the work to be finished. I had a good book to read while I waited. Clyde and Patty Pepper watched TV and people watched. We couldn’t believe how good Patty Pepper was. She only had a couple of episodes of barking when she saw another dog with their owners. For the most part she laid at Clyde’s feet and slept.

It was after 5pm when we were given back the keys to our motorhome. A couple of the items on our to-do list need new parts that were being ordered. We will have to go back to have that work completed. But, for now we were finished and on our way to Proud Lake State Park, which is only 5 miles from the RV dealership.

When we pulled into the campground they were just finishing up cutting the grass on our site. Nice. With all the rain we have been having the grass was quite long. Clyde was even able to get the piles of grass raked up. Now the site looks great.

Our grandson Tristan had just gotten off of work and stopped by to see us. He helped us finish setting up and of course I fed him dinner before he had to head home. It is nice that he lives so close to the campground. We will get to see him often.

Loving our lifestyle. Have a great day.

Until next time,

Kathryn

 

 

 

 

 

 

Memorial Day Weekend

Good morning. Our warm weather has arrived. It was a warm one yesterday and I was a bit concerned about how warm it would be for sleeping. We have air-conditioning in Winnie, but with only 30 amps here, in this state park, we cannot use it as we continually blow circuits.  No worries. It cooled down and we enjoyed a comfortable nights sleep.

I mentioned the 30 amps in this state park, Brighton Recreation Area. We like this state park, despite the lack of 50 amps, for few reasons. The park itself is close to family, healthcare providers and shopping. But, it is also a nice park to kick back and relax in and it has a good sandy beach that is in walking distance from all of the park sites for the kids to enjoy.

The other campground that we use during our stay here in Michigan, is in Wixom. It is also a state park, Proud Lake Recreation Area. That campground has a few 50 amp sites for us with larger units and it is just as nice for relaxing. Proud Lake is known for having many trails for hiking and biking. It is also known for being a great place to go canoeing. The park even has a canoe rental area set up in the park. On the down side, it is not a good park for the kids to go swimming. The beach area (if that is what you want to call it) is all mud and no sand.

Because Brighton has the nice beach for the kids, we prefer to be here on warm days so the kids can enjoy their time with us. It is also a few dollars cheaper than Proud Lake. This weekend is going to be a hot one! Our highs are upper 80’s to 90º. The kids should have a great time. Now just to keep the rain and mosquitos at bay for the entire weekend.

This morning we will joining many others in the grocery store to stock up with goodies. We will be doing some grilling for sure. I also have a few books in at the library to pick up. I don’t know how come I have never read any of Sue Grafton’s books, but I’m glad I found a series to start on. I am almost finished with “A” is for Alibi.

This is Memorial Day weekend. It is a time to remember those who died while serving in the military fighting for our freedom. We decided to decorate the outside of Winnie a little to show our appreciation for those who served and those who are now serving in our country’s armed forces. Thank you.

Loving our lifestyle. Have a great weekend and safe travels.

Until next time,

Kathryn

 

 

1st Campfire of the Season

Good morning. It looks like cooler weather for the next few days and no sunshine. At least there is no rain in the forecast. I think we have all had enough of that for a while. The rain sure brought the mosquitos out in full force. And, that is during the daytime. I can’t remember when I’ve had so many bites on me and bad ones too. We did go to the store and bought a ton of bug spray; both for our bodies and to spray around the campsite. Hopefully it will help.

When we were coming back from shopping the head park ranger for this campground was sitting on a large mower right in front of our campsite. I stopped to say hi, as I had gotten to know her last year when we camped here. She remembered me right away and asked how I was doing. I asked her if she could mow our campsite as it was getting long and the mosquitoes were awful. She reiterated what the camp hosts had told Clyde, that the staff was told not to mow occupied sites do to the liability issue. But, she was happy to do it for me. I’m a happy camper. The area looks a lot better and hopefully the mosquitoes will find another area to haunt.

 

Brighton Recreation Area – Zachary, Kevin, Brooklynn, Xavier and Clyde

We enjoyed our first of many campfires of the season. It was time for pie iron pizzas and s’mores. Yum. Our grandson Tristan also joined us after he got off of work.

Enjoying our lifestyle. Have a good day.

Until next time,

Kathryn

 

 

 

It’s Good to be Back

Good morning. It looks like another beautiful day outside. I’m hoping it continues through the weekend, but according to the forecast, rain is predicted for Saturday. I think a campfire is in order if we can hold off the rain. We haven’t had one since last fall. Again, the weather just hasn’t cooperated with us.

The ground crew came around while we were out yesterday and mowed all around us but didn’t mow our site. When Clyde talked to the camp hosts about it they said the park doesn’t mow occupied sites. Ugh. The grass is long and the mosquitos are bad. I hate to complain, but they could have mowed part of the area around us. I can see not wanting to go to close, but we didn’t even have a car on the site. We are here for two weeks. Does that mean no lawn mowing the entire time? Not cool. They need to rethink their mowing policy.

It sure is nice to be back in our old stomping grounds. We went to our local library the other day and the librarian recognized us immediately. She asked how our winter was, if we enjoyed Texas, how was I feeling, and how were the triplets. Wasn’t that nice of her. We don’t even really know her and the library has many patrons. She said it was nice to see regulars coming back. I guess that’s me. I do like a good book.

Loving our lifestyle. Have a nice day.

Until next time,

Kathryn

 

 

Setting Up the Patio Area

Good morning. It looks like the rain has finally stopped for the next few days. With temperatures in the 70’s all week, we will be able to sit outside and enjoy some perfect weather.

We moved yesterday from Proud Lake State Park in Wixom, Michigan to the Brighton Recreation Area, Bishop Lake Campground. It is another Michigan State Park that is close to family, doctors and is in the area of our old home. Both campgrounds are convenient and only about 25 miles apart. With a 15 day limit we will be going back and forth between the two campgrounds for a while.

As I mentioned before this is our home base where our doctors (and we do have a few), dentist, ophthalmologist and vet are all located.  Appointments have been made. So in-between sitting outside enjoying the beautiful weather we will be doing what old people do – visit the doctors.

We finally got to set up our outdoor patio area to make it homey. It is the first time since we left here last fall that we have been able to do so. The weather just hadn’t cooperated with us anywhere. We even grilled out (hamburgers) and ate at the picnic table. Our son, Kevin stopped by on his way home from work to see us and enjoy our first cookout of the season.

 

Bishop Lake Campground – site #4

In the picture above we hadn’t moved the picnic table yet. The beautiful flowers were a Mother’s Day gift from my grandson Tristan. He also gave us the patio rug last fall. This is the first time we have been able to put it out.

With all the rain we have been getting, the grass is a bit long and the mosquitos and gnats were bad yesterday. Hopefully they will be able to mow soon.

Today is our 47th wedding anniversary. It is hard to believe 2 years ago we took our first adventure in Winnie. Now look at us. We are retired full-time RV’ers. It has been 8 months now of living in our motorhome. I do not miss having a S&B home at all. Some may find that odd. This is our way to see our loved ones and friends more often and also see more of our beautiful country. Yep. Loving the lifestyle. Have a great day.

Until next time,

Kathryn

 

 

 

 

Together Again

Good morning. What a night. It started raining yesterday. The non-stop, steady, all day type rain. It has continued raining all through the night and at times it came down extremely hard with the occasional thunder and lightning. It is still raining now.  The forecast says it will all end by lunchtime. I sure hope so.

Melissa followed us up from Ohio to spend Mother’s Day weekend with all of us. Thursday evening our grandson Tristan had us over to his new apartment which he has made into a comfortable home. It is so nice to see your grandchildren grow up to be responsible mature adults.

The rain may have slowed us down yesterday but it didn’t stop us from having a good day and evening together. After spending the majority of the day getting errands done, we were all able to settle back and spend a fun evening at our son Kevin’s.

It was so good to see Kevin and the little ones again. The triplets are now 5 and at a fun age. They love to play games; Hungry Hungry Hippo, Don’t Spill the Beans, Don’t Break the Ice, and children’s Yahtzee were all played with lots of laughter and smiles. It was so nice to have us all together once again.

We will all get to spend one more day together, then Melissa will have to head back to Ohio.

Loving our lifestyle. Have a good day.

Until next time,

Kathryn

 

Circle Complete

Good morning. A chilly one too. It looks like it isn’t supposed to warm up much either, as our high today is only 50º. To make it even gloomier, the forecast is calling for rain starting late this afternoon and all day tomorrow. What a way to start our summer in Michigan.

Day 172. This was our final day of our first adventure in Winnie as full-timers. We traveled from the Lebanon/Cincinnati NE KOA in Ohio to the Proud Lake Recreation Area, a Michigan State Park in Wixom, Michigan without incident. This is where it all began last November when we left Michigan to become “snowbirds”. The circle is complete.

We left the cold Michigan winter to find warm sunshine in the south. That was a laugh. Everywhere we went people said “this is the coldest winter we’ve had in years”. Many said we brought the cold weather with us. Just kidding I hope. Even though the temperatures were colder than normal down south, it was still warmer than what our family was getting back home in the north.

We were able to visit family and friends, see places we had never been before and experience life in a new way. We had a few glitches along the way, but nothing major. Even those were far and few between. I would call them learning experiences. Next week we start the summer out with doctor visits. Not much fun, but necessary.

We have been full-time RV’ers, with no other home than our Winnebago Itasca Suncruiser, for 238 days. Next week it will be 8 months of living in a very small home on wheels. No regrets. I love our lifestyle.

Until next time,

Kathryn

 

Camping Season is Beginning

Good morning. You can tell camping season is beginning and that more of us “snowbirds” are making our way north. Instead of us being the only campers in the campgrounds as we venture north, or sharing it with one or two others, we now see a steady flow of campers coming in and out. Most RV’ers stay only one night and continue on their way. Over the weekend this campground filled with families taking time to enjoy a couple of days of family time together. There was even a tent camper in the tent area of the campground. By Sunday evening the campground was back to about a half-dozen RV’ers.

This is our last day in Ohio. Tomorrow is a travel day. We will be ending our winter adventure and be back where we started. Time sure has flown by quickly. It is hard to believe we have been full-time RV’ers for 236 days.

Loving our lifestyle. Have a great day.

Until next time,

Kathryn

 

 

Lebanon/Cincinnati NE KOA

Good morning. It looks like today is going to be a perfect sunny day with a high in the low 70’s. I plan on being outside as much as possible.

Day 168. I’ve been trying very hard to get back in shape. Or should I say back into condition, as there is nothing wrong with my shape. My daughter Melissa bought me a Fitbit which helps me keep track of my steps and my heart rate.

This day we decided to get our steps in walking around the campground. Melissa came over early and we walked while Clyde cooked breakfast. Although the trail we walked the day before was relaxing and pleasant, I got a more vigorous workout walking around the campground. We had more inclines to go up and down. We also walked a brisker pace. It feels good to get your heart rate up and feel your muscles tighten a bit.

While walking around the campground we were able to checkout the different sites and amenities the campground has to offer. We walked by a small enclosed dog park area with a double gate which is always nice. Two small dogs were enjoying the area.

In the back of the campground is an area where you can get your motorhome filled with propane. It didn’t appear to have an area that you could pull through easily. It looked more like you had to pull in and back out. I could be wrong though. I will have to take a closer look at that area.

The campground also has a nice grassy electric only area for tents. Smaller campers would also fit, but I believe they have designated the area for tents only. The park has a small pool and a nice playground area.

The restrooms, showers and laundry area are all in the same building as the office and camp store. We did not check those areas out yet, sorry.

As for the campground itself, you can see they are working hard making improvements to the sites. The pads are gravel with a gravel patio. Each site has a new picnic table and a fire pit. Grass has been seeded and is trying to grow. Cable TV and free Wi-Fi are also included.

Now for the not-so-good. When we checked in we were told they only had only one premium site available. That means 50 amp and full hook-ups. Which is great. But, with us being at Melissa’s most of the time it isn’t necessary and why pay extra for something you don’t need. Melissa was busy checking online to see what was available and found that wasn’t true. After some hassle, we were able to obtain a 30 amp electric and water only site. We were told that was the only one available for that long of a time period. We can see that isn’t so either after being here a while.

The prices are ridiculous. We are paying $45 a night and that is with their KOA discount card that cost us $30 for the year. The pool isn’t open yet and they have no activities going on at this time. You would hope they would have an off-season rate, but they apparently don’t.

We have never paid this much before, even when we were on the ocean and had full hookups. But, as they are the only campground around and can get away with it, they do. Unfortunately we do not have a choice. On the plus side, we are less than a mile from our daughter.

Loving our lifestyle. Have a great day.

Until next time,

Kathryn

Scenic Trail

Good morning. It looks like today will be another overcast day with a good chance of rain this afternoon. That’s ok, we will just plan our day around it.

Days 166 & 167. Friday went as planned. Melissa went to work, Clyde watched the Star Wars movie marathon on TBS for as much of the day as he could and I beaded. I made 3 ankle bracelets and one wrist bracelet to go with the ankle bracelets. The main bead color is Flamingo. I used #8 Miyuki beads. This is the first bracelet I’ve made from the Northern Star pattern. I am sure I will be making more. I find many of my beading patterns and inspirational ideas from Linda’s Crafty Inspirations blog.

Northern Star Bracelet

Saturday we walked along the Little Miami Scenic State Park trail. The scenic trail covers over 50 miles from Cincinnati to Greene County, Ohio. The trail is a pleasant walk that is paved and wide enough for those walking, jogging or biking. Clyde’s only wish was for a bench or two for him to sit and rest.

Little Miami State Park Trail

When we finished our walk we had lunch at the Little River Café where we had parked our car.

1955-1957 Chevy Bel Air Camper

In the parking lot was this unique camper. Clyde talked to the owner who told him there were only 5 made just like it. What a conversation piece.

Loving our lifestyle. Have a great day.

Until next time,

Kathryn