2016

October 4 thru 10th, 2016

Fall Vacation at Buckhorn SP, Wisconsin

For the fall vacation this year, headed up to Buckhorn SP in central Wisconsin.  Once there, I realized that Woodside Dude Ranch in Mauston was just a 20 minute drive away, so my first full day there, I had to go and revisit one of the best vacations I had growing up.  The girl in the lodge thought I was goofy when I said it was the best vacation and I told her that our dog (Nibbles) jumped out of the car window on the highway, he ran across the highway to go visit the horses, and killed garden snakes under the bed in the cabin when we first arrived.  Dang! Nibbles was a fun dog. Also, during one breakfast trail ride, the wagon, with Grandma Reno never showed up.  One of the wheels fell off lol, no breakfast that day.  Great vacation.  You could trail ride all day.  They don't do the fast ride anymore though, liability now, but most of the events they have are still the same.

The Lodge, which I was told the new owner is planning on tearing down and rebuilding.  Looked the exact same.

Zorro & Punkin visiting a little donkey.

Love goats!  They are so cute.

Zorro being a cattle dog loves horses (he has seen them before).  Punkin, not so much, when a horse snorted he took off running and didn't want to get too close anymore.

I think this is the same cabin we stayed in (almost 50 years ago ~ yikes!)

The barns across the street.

Eileen from the ladies RV forum and her husband Dave came also.  They just bought a beautiful new C Class, so they came up from Milwaukee for a few days.  First night there it was just me (and the dogs) and another couple in a different loop.  Boy was it dark the first  night, no street lights, campfires, or moon.  Once Eileen and Dave arrived, one day we rode down to the Wisconsin Dells and did a river cruise.

  

    

    

The Dells are sandstone, so the trees grow just about everywhere.

    

 

On the second stop, there was a German Shepherd trained to jump from one sandstone section to another.  It was only about 5 feet across, but they had a net under him (or for stupid people if they jumped). It's not the best picture, but you get the idea.

On other days, we took a ride to Devils Lake SP for a little hiking.

We made the mistake of going on Saturday, so the trail up to balanced rock was crowded.  Since we had to keep moving over for people coming down, and the trail was a large boulder field, we only went about 1/2 way up.

 We also went to a wildlife refuge.

Random pictures from the campground.  Buckhorn is located in a pine forest that was planted by the CCC, which is why the pine trees are planted in rows.

 May 21st thru 27th, 2016
Spring Vacation at Giant City SP, Illinois

Finally! A chance to get down to Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois.  I've been wanting to visit the forest for a long time, but it's too far of a drive for a day trip, but now that I have Colt . . .

This visit to Shawnee was on the southwest side of the forest near Makanda & Carbondale, IL. A few of the ladies from the RV forum came down (or up) also.  We did a few short hikes (1/3 of a mile for most loops) and 2 1/2 miles of the 12 mile loop, but the trail became so narrow and full of ticks that we returned back to the campground.

Pull through site 11 at Giant City SP and Punkin being happy he's out of the truck.

The Stonefort Trail (1/3 mile) believed to be a neutral gathering place for 3 tribes.

 

 Devil's Stand Table Nature Trail (1/3 mile)

Portion of the 12 mile trail with Roberta and Mitch

 

Giant City Nature Trail

Eileen & Roberta in the center picture.

A face in the sandstone.  Roberta thought it was carved.  I prefer to think it's natural erosion (or Indian god watching what you're doing on the trail).

Roberta & Eileen

View from the top of the tower at the Giant City Lodge

Memorial park that we found when Roberta wanted to get a picture of No Name street sign.  The park was built by parents of as 23 year old young man that died.

The Pomona Natural Bridge (1/3 mile trail)

Bald Knob cross of peace in Alto Pass, Illinois



 View of the Ozarks from the Bald Knob cross

April 15th thru 17th, 2016
A Trip of Firsts

First time for dewinterizing - check.
First time hitching this year by myself - check.
First time camping for Punkin - check.
First time backing into the storage lot and unhitching by myself - check.

Punkin's review of his first trip - had a blast! And exhausted from playing with the kids at the next site.

 Good old boy Zorro just watching the world go by.

Weather was great and better yet was sitting around and doing nothing except watching the traffic on the river.

Sunday, January 3, 2016
Seeing the Past And Looking to the Future

Like most folks at the start of a new year, we review the past and look to the future.  Remembering, reviewing and on to planning and hoping.

The Beginning Sadness

2015 did not start out on the happiest of notes with my sister passing away from the horrible disease of MS just 23 days short of what would have been her 60th birthday on Christmas in 2014 .  I like to hope that I helped her husband Ken thru the first few months, going thru belongings, paperwork and telling stories, and telling him to move forward and spend time with his son & daughter-in-law and grandkids.  He is doing well and is hoping for his own retirement in another year.

The Middle - Colt - The Rolling Home
Continuing with the dream of full-time RVing and seeing the country when I retire, I bought a small travel trailer in March and named it Colt.  The purchase of Colt, which will be hauled around by the truck (Mar-E) I brought used in 2014, will serve the purpose of learning the basic ins and out of camping (hooking up, dumping tanks and the big one driving and backing up (still practicing on that one) as well as determining if becoming a full-timer is what I really want to do (YES!) when the time comes. 

The added bonus until then, is I can now do some weekend getaways and vacations where the dogs (yes, plural again) can come along. Unfortunately, because of work and summer rains and heat, I was only able to take 2 long weekends, one with Ken for backing up lessons :-) , but I was able to go on 2 actual vacations. 

Spring sent me to Carlyle Lake in southern Illinois and in the Fall, to Rockville and Shipshewana Indiana, where I met some very nice ladies from the Women RV forum.  They are a nice group of ladies, some widowers, some who travel without husbands, some full-timers, some part-timers, but all are supportive in following my retirement dream. 

Most of the summer was practicing the backing up with Ken and my friends Kim's husband Mark.  A big Thank You! shout out to them.  Hoping 2016 will bring more camping and more GTGs (get togethers) with this wonderful group of ladies.

The Ending - An Addition to the Family
During a Halloween weekend camping trip to Lowden SP, I realized my little buddy Zorro is starting to show his age.  Yes, it's been a while since he went hiking with me, but a short walk of 1/3 of a mile down to the Rock River and back wore him out.  His eyes are clouding over too.  After the trip, the thoughts of another pooch in the house started to creep into my mind (oh oh) with the thought that Zorro can help teach another dog. 

After looking at rescue sites for a few months, seeing a couple of dogs, and putting in applications for them, 10-month Punkin joined the family.  He's a sweet little guy and very happy.  All 24#'s of him.  I think Molly is in there somewhere because of his continuously wagging tail and his love of getting the stuffing out of all the toys.

Five applications were received for him. At the rescue adoption event they saw that he and Zorro get along well. Plus I told them he was going to be a camping buddy for me, which I think swayed them in my favor.  He's a puppy, and needs some training (don't we all).  Welcome to the family little one.