Albuquerque, NM – April 2014

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Michigan Traveler

Kirkland AFB MapFrom Texas we drove to DSCN0440Albuquerque, NM. It seemed to be the right distance for our next stop. We asked ourselves, “What can we do in Albuquerque?” Our answer was, “They do hot air ballooning there, they even have some kind of festival about it.” Not only does Albuquerque do hot air ballooning, they are the home of the International Balloon Museum and the International Balloon Fiesta.

DSCN0309We arrived on Friday, April 11th and stayed at the RV park at Kirkland Air Force Base. This gave us a nice, central location for activities DSCN0319in the area. We heard about some kind of festival in Albuquerque’s Old Town on Saturday. One of our neighbors told us it was to celebrate the birth of Albuquerque as a city, one of the oldest cities in the United States. We spent an afternoon at the festival, enjoying traditional Mexican dancers, listening to local musical groups, visiting various shops, and lunch at a local (authentic) Mexican restaurant. It was a great introduction to the American Southwest.

DSCN0327Sunday, after church at the Base Chapel, we grabbed a quick lunch and went to the International Balloon Museum. I was surprised to discover that ballooning actual started in Paris, France. DSCN0334The museum covers the early days of ballooning, military uses of balloons, use of balloons in the exploration of space, and record setting balloons that crossed the Atlantic and circumnavigated the world. It was interesting to see the range of sophistication in the record setting balloon gondolas from very basic to very technical and refined. In the section on military uses we discovered that the Japanese sent 9,000 to 10,000 hot air balloons with anti-personnel bombs and incendiary flares via the jet stream to the US in WW II. The vast majority of these balloons never made it to the US, but a couple of hundred did, and one was recorded to have landed as far east as Michigan.

It seems everywhere we go there are wineries. I never knew wine making was as wide spread as it seems to be. Wine making has been a part of New Mexico history since the first vines were planted in 1629 as a part of the Spanish missions to make communion wine. There are at least twelve wineries in the Albuquerque area. We sampled wines at the Corrales Winery and were treated to a description of wine making in the area as well as some very nice wines.

DSCN0352The Petroglyph National DSCN0354Monument is a very unique place to visit. Petroglyphs are carvings in the cliffs by American Indians, dating back to 1300 A.D. They chipped away the thin outer varnish-like coating to reveal the lighter grey beneath leaving markings that have lasted for centuries. The exact meaning of the images is unknown, but descendants of the Ancestral Pueblo Indians have helped archeologists to interpret the meanings of these carvings.

DSCN0366We decided that we couldn’t go to the hot-air balloon capital of the world without taking a balloon ride. On Wednesday, we were up before sunrise to take a flight with Rainbow Ryders. We may have been passengers, DSCN0380but we had the opportunity to be part of the crew in preparing the balloon for the flight. It was remarkable to see how they inflated and walked inside the balloon to inspect it. I had always thought that they flew the balloon from point A to point B on a relatively direct course, but the winds often shift direction at different altitudes. We flew east over the Rio Grande River and our pilot, Troy, lowered the balloon until we were almost touching the water, then added more heat to climb to a higher altitude. We flew north along the river. The sky was clear and we could see for miles in all directions. Although the early morning air was still cool, the flame from the propane burners warmed us as well as the air in the balloon. DSCN0423We were amazed just how much control Troy had over our direction as he flew the balloon towards the International Balloon Museum. As we approached he pointed out a balloon that had landed on the north lawn of the Museum and told us that it was being flown by his fourteen year old daughter as a part of a membership drive for the Museum. We touched down about fifty feet from hisDSCN0435 intended target and we helped the crew to deflate and pack up the balloon for its next trip. Once we were done with this, we gathered together and had a champagne toast to our successful flight. Troy told us the history behind the toast. When French balloonists would land in some farmer’s field and the farmer would greet them with a pitchfork or shotgun, they would placate him by offering him champagne and the tradition continues today.

DSCN0439We continued our adventure by kayaking down the Rio Grande River. We got advice on where to put our kayaks in the river and take them out from Michael Hayes, the owner of Quiet Waters Paddling Adventures. Michael was originally from Michigan and started running kayak tours on the Rio Grande in 2010. Considering the drought conditions throughout the Southwest, you would expect the water level to be too low for paddling. However, we found the river to be running fine and only ran into any significant low water conditions when we got close to our take out point near Alameda Boulevard. It was interesting to have a feeling of wilderness so close to a metropolitan area like Albuquerque. This is a result of the river being bordered by what the locals call “Bosque,” a gallery forest or oasis-like ribbon of vegetation and forest along the river.

Our last day in Albuquerque was spent in IMAG0040housekeeping activities and getting some work done on the trailer at a local RV dealer. I also searched out some geocaches and had real challenges in finding some of them. The cachers that hid these were quite creative in how they hid them. One had drilled a hole in the bottom of a rock and stuck a 35mm film container in the hole to hold the cache log.

DSCN0444That night we treated ourselves to a dinner at a local restaurant that offered an outstanding view of the valley. The view changed and improved after nightfall as the valley was lit with the lights of the homes and businesses. A great way to end our visit.

On Saturday, April 19th we were on our way to Mesa Verde, CO.

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Palo Duro Canyon State Park, TX – April 2014

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Michigan Traveler

Palo Duro MapPalo Duro Canyon was our next stop between DSCN0306Texas and Utah. When Pat told me we should stay at Palo Duro Canyon State Park, I asked if she chose that site because she knew I had been there before. When I was 14 years old my dad attended a course at the Boy Scouts Volunteer Training Center at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. On our trip to Philmont we spent a couple of nights at Palo Duro Canyon and I always thought it would be nice to return there.

DSCN0216One of the fascinating things about Palo Duro Canyon is that as you are driving across flat prairie, suddenly this huge hole in the ground opens up in front of you! The canyon was settled in the 1800’s and has now been taken over by the State of Texas as a State Park. Even driving into the park is an adventure as you descend a 10% grade about 500 feet to the canyon floor. For those of you who have not driven in the mountains, descending a 10% grade with eight tons of trailer behind you is an exciting, white-knuckle experience. Fortunately it lasts only about a mile.

If you like hiking, this is the place for you. DSCN0219There are multi-use trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding throughout the canyon. When we got into our campsite it didn’t take us long to discover we didn’t have any cellular coverage, so our first hike was to the visitor center to see if we could get a signal. It was about one and a half miles and an ascent of almost 500 feet to get there, but it wasn’t too hard of a hike. We hiked to the top, had a trail mix lunch, checked out the visitor center, and let family know we would be out of touch for awhile.

DSCN0244The weather was generally cool in the DSCN0251mornings but the forecast was for warmer temperatures later in the week, so we planned to get our hiking in early in the week while it was cool. The next morning we hiked the Lighthouse Trail. No, there is no lighthouse in the canyon, but there is a rock formation that looks like one. We hiked out on the Lighthouse Trail, had lunch at the Lighthouse rock formation, then returned along the Givens, Spicer, Lowry Trail. It was a round trip of about eight miles. The terrain, especially at the formation, was challenging but fun to climb.

DSCN0259Our next hike was the Rock Garden. DSCN0273This was a short, but quite steep hike of five miles but quite steep to the rim of the canyon, a rise of 600 vertical feet. It was the toughest hike we had all week, but the view from the canyon rim was truly outstanding. On our way down we met a biker, riding to the top. As hard as the hike was for us, we couldn’t imagine how much “fun” it would be to ride a bike to the top and how terrifying it would be to ride it back down to the canyon floor.

DSCN0302We did one more hike to the visitor center to check for voice mail and check our email, then spent a leisurely afternoon packing up.

Friday, April 11th, we headed down the road to Albuquerque, NM

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Dallas, TX – April 2014

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Michigan Traveler

Dallas MapThe National Scouting Museum in Irving, TX was our first stop in the Dallas area. The museum is a very interactive facility that would certainly appeal to Scouting age kids. A video featuring DSCN0191Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scouting movement, and PeeWee Harris, a character from Boy’s Life magazine showed examples of “Scouting in Action” and the impact Scouting has had on the lives of millions. The “Cub Scout Adventure World” lets you race a car on a Pinewood Derby track and demonstrate your DSCN0189marksmanship ability in a laser shooting gallery. “Campground Scoutcraft” lets you practice tying knots, identify animal tracks, and other outdoor skills. An animated Scoutmaster tells traditional Scout stories in “Storytelling Around the Campfire.” Displays about the Venturing Program, Order of the Arrow, and Eagle Scouting and other Scouting Awards complete the tour. DSCN0184One of the most interesting displays is “Norman Rockwell and the Art of Scouting.” The Scouting Museum has one of the world’s largest collection of Norman Rockwell originals. We were fortunate to have a volunteer docent describe the paintings. I would recommend a trip to this museum to everyone, but especially to anyone who was in Scouting.

DSCN0212From the museum we traveled to the Vineyards Campgrounds and Cabins, which is operated by the city of Grapevine, TX. We were surprised to discover that Texas is the fifth-largest wine producing state in the nation. Grapevine is one of the state’s top producers. Of course we had to sample the local wines. We rode our bikes into town, did some wine sampling and had dinner at Farina’s Winery and Cafe. It was a great introduction to the town.

Dallas is famous for many things, unfortunately one of those things is the assassination of President Kennedy. The Texas School Book Depository has been changed into a museum that celebrates IMAG0024President Kennedy and describes the events of November 22, 1963. Displays and audio presentations walk you through the sequence of events leading up to and following the assassination. On the sixth floor you can see a reconstruction of the sniper position used by Lee Harvey Oswald. From the seventh floor you can look down on Dealey Plaza to site of Kennedy’s motorcade when he was shot.

Pat has been involved with Mary Kay Cosmetics since 1990, so it was more than appropriate for us to visit the Mark Kay Museum at the Mary Kay headquarters in Dallas. It was both impressive and inspiring to see how Mary Kay Ash created a business to allow women to earn a living and develop their own careers as independent business owners. Today it is a multi-billion dollar business with more than 2.5 million independent business women and men worldwide. Her business is unique in how she empowered and recognized her team of Independent Beauty Consultants. Mary Kay once said, “I’ve often said that we are doing something far more important than just selling cosmetics; we are changing lives.”

DSCN0205Our primary reason for DSCN0207visiting the Dallas area was to visit the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. Located on the campus of Southern Methodist University, the Bush Library and Museum promotes a better understanding of the Presidency and there are more interactive displays than I have seen in other Presidential Libraries. While the public generally views the Bush Presidency as a response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the museum displays take you through the story of President Bush growing up, going into business in oil and professional baseball, his marriage to Laura, their children, his terms as Governor, and the campaign for President.

DSCN0195As the War on Terror was the primary focus of his Presidency, it is also the focus of the Museum. The “Responding to September 11,” “Defending Freedom,” and the “Decision Points Theater” gave me additional insight into the decision DSCN0196making in the White House. I found it interesting to learn more about the Bush domestic agenda, “No Child Left Behind,” the actions he took to combat aids in Africa, and life in the White House. In the replica of the Oval Office you can explore the office and even sit at the Resolute Desk.

This visit to Dallas left me with a feeling of awe. I can’t help but think if we, as a nation, could follow the example of the great men and women described in these museums we would be so much better than we are today.

  • What would it be like if we all did a “good turn daily” like the Boy Scout that guided William Boyce in the London Fog in 1910 that led to the creation of the Boy Scouts of America in 1911?
  • What would it be like if everyone followed the principles of the Scout Oath and the twelve points of the Scout Law?
  • What would it be like if we followed the challenge of John F. Kennedy to “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what can you do for your country.”?
  • What would it be like if we celebrated the success of our team members and supported each other unconditionally like Mary Kay Consultants?
  • What would it be like if we showed the compassion for others and the perseverance of George W. Bush?

On Friday, April 4th, we headed to west Texas and Palo Duro Canyon State Park near Amarillo.

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Key West, FL – 2014 (Part II)

Posted on April 14, 2014 by Michigan Traveler

Key West MapGreat news, we will move to a full hookup site! Friday morning was very busy – we had to move off of our current site by 10:00 and I had my first “Snorkeling 101” class at 10:00. We were up early to make the move. We got into our new site and I went to teach my class while Pat finished setting up. The wind was pretty strong and all of my students decided it was too rough, so the morning class didn’t happen. The winds had dropped a little for the 1:00 class, but only one student was willing to brave the choppy water.

Our friends, John and Terri, were leaving on Monday and we hosted a potluck dinner at our new site on Saturday night. As with most potlucks the food was delicious and fellowship enjoyable.DSCN0436

Pat and I had been discussing some improvements for the trailer and doing the research. Whenever we ran the air conditioner or the furnace we had to close the trailer door, causing us to lose some natural light. We decided to fabricate Lexan acrylic panes to insert in front of the screens. The result was very pleasant to have the natural light DSCN0001and cool air at the same time. Secondly, it seemed like our bicycles were always falling over in high winds and I wanted to build a bike rack to support them. Our new neighbors had one made from PVC pipe and we built our own, modeled on their design.

My dive buddy, Tony and his wife, Pam wanted to make a SCUBA dive at Big Pine Key in the Looe Key Marine Sanctuary and invited us to join them. Diving on a reef was a big change from diving on the Vandenberg. The reef has several fingers we could swim Intova Digital Cameraalong, the fish were unafraid of people, and plentiful. My big thrill was spotting a four-foot long nurse shark. The shallow water allowed us to stay underwater for close to an hour on each dive. As usual Tony and I were the first divers into the water and the last ones out. Tony has been a great guy to dive with, we work well together and compliment each other’s skills. Pat snorkeled above with the other snorkelers from the boat and saw many of the same fish.

DSCN0421Our last week in the full hookup site was filled with biking around town, an evening in Mallory Square and dinner at Kelly’s, playing pickup softball, and more snorkeling. I attended a lecture with my friend, Paul, at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum. During the presentation they described how they excavated old sailing ships from the ocean bottom and determined which ship it was and how it met it’s fate. The process often takes 15 to 25 years to complete, and I found it fascinating.

DSCN0035Ernest Hemingway made his home in Key West in his early writing career and made his mark on the island in more ways than one. The home is now open to visitors and after four trips to Key West we finally visited it. DSCN0028Docents provide guided tours, explaining the home and Hemingway’s history. You can continue to wander through the house and grounds after the tour. An interesting fact is that a sailor once gave Hemingway a six-toed cat and that cat gave birth to more six-toed cats. Over sixty cats wander through the house and grounds, many of them with six toes.

With our two weeks in full hookups over, we had to move back to dry camp. The good news was our new site was right on the water. While the winds were strong, it was nice to enjoy my morning coffee with a beautiful view.

IMAG0017Sunday, Michigan State played the University of Michigan in the Big Ten Playoffs. Pat and I were able to have our own little sports bar at the Key West VFW. We had a table back in the corner with the TV tuned into the game. What a great way to enjoy a Michigan State victory!

Monday, March 17th, we were on our way. Next stop, Big Cypress Preserve, northwest of the Everglades National Park.

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Big Cypress, Tampa, and Gulfport – March 2014

Posted on April 11, 2014 by Michigan Traveler

Big Cypress MapWe enjoyed our time in January at Everglades National Park, but there is another part of the Everglades that isn’t visited as much. Shark Valley of Everglades DSCN0069National Park and the Big Cypress Preserve are on the northern end of the Everglades. This part of the Everglades is still inhabited by Native Americans and gives you a much different perspective of the area. One of the things we did was to take an air boat ride. It was the first thing we did in the morning and the timing was fortunate as we had a private tour. We rode with Buffalo Tiger Airboat Tours. Buffalo Tiger is the name of a former tribal elder of the Miccosukee Tribe and his grandson, Eric, DSCN0066was our boat driver and guide. It was a cool morning and most of the alligators were underwater, but Eric would actually call to them with a weird sounding call. He knew where they nested and had named many of them. It was obvious this was more than a job to him. Part of our tour was a visit to one of the hardwood hammock islands where the tribe had lived. Most of the tribe has relocated along Route 41, but they have recreated a typical village home on one of their islands. It was a remarkable tour.

At the Shark Valley Visitor Center we DSCN0099rode our bikes down the 15-mile Scenic Loop, an old railroad right of way. Along the way we saw many alligators sunning themselves along the side of the trail or swimming in borrow pits. We saw the terrain change as we rode past hardwood hammocks with solution holes formed by dissolving limestone and marl prairie wetlands. At the southern end of the trail we climbed the two-story observation tower for a beautiful view of the northern end of the Everglades. Many visitors wonder why the area was called Shark Valley. The Shark River is so named because there are sharks found where it terminates in the Florida Bay. It is a slough (pronounced “slew”) that flows from Lake Okeechobee to Florida Bay in the Florida Keys, and is bordered by higher ground creating the valley. Granted the high ground is only three feet or so higher than the surface of the river, but that is high in the Everglades.

MacDill MapWe made a short stop in Venice, FL to see some of Pat’s high school friends, Lynn and Kay. They have spent time on the Manasota Key during several winters and they showed us around. The next night we joined them to watch Michigan State University in the Big Ten Playoffs.

Our next stop was MacDill DSCN0125Air Force Base in Tampa. We DSCN0160 (2)planned this stop so we could see our niece, Robin and her family. One thing we didn’t plan on, but was a nice surprise, was that MacDill was hosting Airfest 2014, an air show that involved the whole base and was open to the public. We met Robin and her son, Jeremiah at the DSCN0165flight line and had a wonderful IMAG0020time wandering through the many aircraft, seeing the flyovers, and watching the Air Force demonstration team, the Thunderbirds. The next day we joined them at a local beach and had fun building sand castles, flying kites, and searching for geocaches.

Gulfport Map-1Next we headed for Mississippi. We made a short stop in Pensacola to pick up a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) from Carpenter’s Campers, the RV dealer that worked on our trailer in December. The number of tire problems we have had caused me to evaluate our set up. In December we upgraded to a heavier duty 14 ply tire. Looking ahead to the trip we plan to take to Alaska this summer, we decided that it would be prudent to take the next step and install a TPMS. Once we got to Shields RV Park at the Naval Seabee Base in Gulfport, MS, I installed the system and it gives me a good feeling to know we are maintaining a proper tire pressure while driving down the road.DSCN0170

I officially became a senior citizen this month. We celebrated my 65th birthday by going to the Beau Rivage Casino in Gulfport for a little (very little) gambling and the buffet. It was a fun night although I ate so much I couldn’t even finish my second helping of ice cream 🙂

Chicot MapAs we continued our journey westward we stopped for a couple of days in Chicot State Park in Louisiana. There was no special reason for choosing this park other than it was the right distance and seemed like a nice place to spend a couple of days. The park is not exactly “big rig friendly.” Some of the sites were pretty tight with posts for signs and trash cans in the wrong place.

DSCN0177Once we were settled in we DSCN0176explored the Chicot Arboretum and hiked on some of the nature trails. The terrain was certainly a change of pace from Key West and the Everglades! The cypress swamps and lakes were dotted with bald cypress trees and cypress knees. The Arboretum had some interesting displays that helped us to better understand the local environment. I discovered there were several geocaches in the area and Pat and I searched out a couple of them.

We left earlier than normal the next morning. We IMAG0022planned for an overnight stop at a Wal-Mart and hoped to find a place where we could watch Michigan State University in the NCAA Play Offs. We listened to part of the game on internet radio in the truck and stopped at a Chili’s where we were disappointed to watch MSU’s hopes for a win disappear. After a short break we headed to Irving, TX to spend the night at a local Wal-Mart. The next morning we stopped at the National Scouting Museum before heading to the campground in Grapevine, TX.

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Key West, FL – 2014 Part I

Posted on March 26, 2014 by Michigan Traveler

Key West MapWe spent our first winter on the road in Key West in 2012 and we enjoyed it so much we had to return!  We are fortunate that I am a military retiree which allows us to stay in military campgrounds since the only campgrounds on the island of Key West DSCN0370are the property of Naval Air Station – Key West.  The nearest commercial campground is on Stock Island and is not as nice as the Naval campground on Sigsbee Island. When we checked into Sigsbee, the camp host showed us the few sites that were available and you can imagine our surprise when our site from two years ago was open.  It took us no time at all to tell him that was the site we wanted!

DSCN0371Sigsbee has almost 100 full hookup campsites with connections for water, sewer, and electric; however, they can handle as many as 500 camping units at a time with “dry” campsites.  By “dry” I mean you get a piece of ground and you are on your own to create your own electricity with generators and/or solar panels, and use your holding tanks for fresh and waste water.  See our page of Boondocking for more details.

Sigsbee has a “rotation” system for all campers.  As soon as you are registered in the campground you go on a list to rotate into one of the full hookup sites for two weeks of easy living until you rotate back out into dry camp.  It may seem like an odd way of doing business, but it allows everyone to enjoy the benefits of full service.  Consequently you see all kinds of creative ways to make camp life easier.  It’s amazing what you can do with PVC pipe and a little glue!  I have seen PVC clotheslines, bicycle racks, generator and solar panel stands, and satellite TV antenna supports just to name a few.

We soon settled into the rhythm of the campground and started making friends.  DSCN0383Making new friends seems easier than at other places we have camped.  There are potlucks, pick up softball games, pickle ball matches, karaoke and all kinds of activities that offer opportunities to get to know your fellow campers. There is always someone who needs your help or is willing to help you, someone who is interested in the way you set up your generators or solar panels, or is interested in snorkeling or some other hobby that you are into.  The neighborhood is constantly changing as families rotate into full hookup sites and back into dry camp. Many people are down here for the whole winter, some staying from October through April, while others may stay for two weeks to three months.  The fact that we are all active duty or military retirees automatically gives us some things in common.

The Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) office sponsors and advertises opportunities to get together, such as kayak trips, potlucks, etc.  A couple of guys who have been coming down here for years put on a class called “RV How to 101” to help out new RVers with the technical aspects.  I volunteered to teach a class called “Snorkeling 101” for folks interested in learning about this sport.

DSCN0426I also offered to volunteer as a docent on the US Coast Guard Cutter Ingham.  The Ingham was decommissioned in 1988 and is now a museum ship in the harbor of Key West.  All of this is a way to give back to the community and continue to serve others.

One of our new friends, John, is really into the sport of Geocaching.  Pat and I, with some other friends,  helped him to find a couple of geocaches that you could only reach by kayak near Geiger Key.  One was fairly easy to find and the other we couldn’t find at all.  DSCN0378A couple of days later John and I went out again and we were able to find it.  It was not where it had been advertised it was and John was thrilled to have been the “first to find” it.  I have to admit that I found it interesting and now I am searching for geocaches all over Key West.

Pat and I have been kayaking or snorkeling most days and biking around the island.  Because Key West is only two miles wide and four miles long you can bicycle to almost anywhere and it is a lot easier than driving our big pick up through the narrow streets.

DSC00006I posted notices around the campground that I was looking for a dive buddy to dive on the USAFS Vandenberg.  The Vandenberg was an Air Force ship that was used as a radar picket to track space missions.  It was sunk as an artificial reef on May 27, 2009, is the second-largest artificial reef in the world, after the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany.  One diver that responded had his own boat.  We went out early one morning and beat most of the other dive boats out to the Vandenberg.  It was like diving on a ghost ship as we didn’t see DSC00012another diver the whole time we were underwater.  After that we dove on a shallow reef where he hunted for lobster while I took lots of pictures.  Later in the week I teamed up with another diver and made two dives on the Vandenberg with a local dive shop, Captain’s Corner.  There is more ship down there than you could see in twenty dives, but I think I will have to be content with the three dives I made.

The campground has a small pub by the marina, the Sunset Lounge.  We went there a couple nights for karaoke, one of my favorite pastimes.  As much fun as I have singing it was especially fun to enjoy it with our new neighbors.

DSCN0447You can’t visit Key West without visiting Mallory Square for sunset.  It is quite a melting pot of different cultures with retirees, locals, and spring breakers all mixed together watching the street performers competing for your attention while waiting for sunset.  Happy hour at Kelly’s, the birthplace of Pan American Airlines, is also a favorite activity.

John and his wife, Terry, Pat and IMG_5990I signed up for parasailing one afternoon with Sunset Adventures.  We had a great time – it was Pat’s first time under a parachute, and even though we were tethered, this old paratrooper enjoyed it as well.  We were glad we paid for the picture package as none of us could have taken as good of pictures as their photographer did.

IMG_6055This may sound like we are going all the time, but we have plenty of time to practice the fine art of doing nothing, sitting around reading, playing games with neighbors, and just enjoying the warm weather.

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Advice From a Dog

Posted on March 2, 2014 by Michigan Traveler

IMG_2607

Advice from a Dog

Make new friends

Learn new tricks, no matter your age

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them

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Key Largo, FL – 2014

Posted on February 18, 2014 by Michigan Traveler

Key Largo MapWe wished to stay at John Pennekamp State Park ever since we started traveling to Florida.  The problem was that it seemed almost impossible to get reservations.  After calling the park, we discovered you can make a reservation online through www.reserveamerica.com eleven months prior to your desired date.  The park staff told us that reservations are taken at 8:00 in the morning and were usually gone within seconds.  We researched the campsites that were available during the timeframe we wanted and were successful in getting a reservation on our second attempt, literally seconds after 8:00.

As we did our research we became concerned about our ability to fit into the campsites at the park.  However, when we arrived at the park, we were pleased to discover the sites looked a lot larger on the ground than they did on the computer.  We had no problems backing into our site.  I think you can list John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park as “big rig friendly.”

John Pennekamp State Park is officially the “John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park” as most of the park is in the waters and reef that extend 12 miles into the Gulf of Mexico.  The land portion is actually quite small.  However, there is a lot to do packed into this small space.  They have a marina, an on-site SCUBA diving operation that runs daily dive charters, snorkel tours go out daily in the morning and afternoon, there are kayak rentals with maps of local kayak trails, beaches, picnic areas, of course the campground, an aquarium and visitor center.

Pat and I both signed up for the  4 1/2 hour Deluxe Snorkeling Tour offered by the state park on Monday.  The primary purpose for camping at Pennekamp was so I could SCUBA dive on the USS Spiegel Grove.  This is a WW II Landing Ship – Dock (LSD) that was sunk as an artificial reef and is reported to be the third largest artificial reef in the world.  I was able to make a reservation to dive on the Spiegel Grove on Tuesday.  We were now ready for a great week!

Intova Digital CameraThe “Deluxe Snorkel Tour” was wonderful.  The staff onboard made sure everyone was squared away, well briefed on each of the three sites, and provided instruction and coaching when needed.  The water was clear and the aquatic life plentiful.  We saw barracuda, turtles, grunts, jacks, and angelfish to name a few.  For me, the highlight of the trip was the second site where we visited the CHRIST-szazulyk-20060427-222359“Christ of the Abyss” statue. This is the third bronze statue from the original mold and was presented to the Underwater Society of America in New York in 1962. On August 25, 1965 it was placed in approximately 25 feet of water off the coast of Key Largo, Florida. It is located around Dry Rocks reef, about six miles east of Key Largo near the boundary of Pennekamp State Park. The statue is 8 1/2 feet tall (making the tip of it only 7 to 10 feet underwater, depending on high or low tide), it weighs around 4,000 pounds and the concrete base to which it is attached weighs about 9 tons.

The next day I had the opportunity to SCUBA dive on the USS Spiegel Grove and another wreck, the Benwood.  The dive charter was run through Ocean Divers of Key Largo and I heartily recommend this dive shop to anyone wanting to dive in Key Largo.  From the standpoint of efficiency and safety, I was very impressed with their operation.

USS Spiegel GroveAs a solo diver I need to buddy with Intova Digital Camerawhomever is on the boat.  This time I had great luck teaming up with two other divers, Jim and Petra, who had their act together.  We bonded quickly, made a plan and actually followed it as a team!  This may sound like it should always be this way, but my experience has often been otherwise.  My dive buddies helped make this a wonderful morning.

Intova Digital CameraIntova Digital CameraThe Spiegel Grove is in great shape and is set up for a wonderful diving experience.  We descended down the port side to the “well deck” and bottomed out at 117 feet, swam to the starboard side to explore the forward deck and superstructure.  The hatchways have been opened and it is possible to safely swim through portions of the interior of the ship – what a rush that is!  Our 32 minutes underwater went by way too fast and we had to ascend back to the dive boat.

After accounting for all divers, we headed to the Intova Digital CameraBenwood.  Unlike the Spiegel Grove, which was sunk on purpose, the Benwood was damaged in a storm and run aground to prevent her from sinking in deep water so her cargo could be salvaged.  She sits in about 30 feet of water, making it a much easier dive than the Spiegel Grove.  Jim had brought along a device that looked like a small window fan to propel a diver through the water and he let us give it a try – lots of fun!  As we Intova Digital Cameraswam around the wreck we saw schools of barracuda, angelfish, grunts, squirrel fish, filefish,  and a family of spotted horn fish living under the bow of the ship.  There was a green moray eel hiding on the Intova Digital Camerastarboard side that looked like something had taken a bite out of his back.  We spent just over an hour underwater circling the ship several times.  The visibility was unlimited and the sea was a calm as a bathtub.  You just couldn’t ask for better weather!  If I get a chance to dive these wrecks again, Intova Digital CameraI’m sure I will be disappointed, after the ideal conditions on this trip.

We spent the rest of the week kayaking, biking in the area, and browsing in local dive shops.  The Visitor Center had a program on clouds that was very educational, and the aquarium, while small, is one of the best laid out exhibits I have seen.

We really enjoyed John Pennekamp State Park, I recommend it to anyone who loves the water.  However, all good things must come to an end and we departed on Saturday, February 1st for Key West and the RV park on Sigsbee Island.

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Tampa and the Everglades – 2014

Posted on February 9, 2014 by Michigan Traveler

MacDill MapOur stay in the Tampa area was one of connecting with family and friends.  Our niece, Robin, and her kids Destiny and Jeremiah, live in Tampa.  Pat’s sister, Mary Lee, was flying in to visit Robin while we were there and I have some National Guard buddies in the area.

We had so much fun with DSCN0126Robin’s family.  They joined us at our campsite and we all enjoyed walking through the campground, especially walking the beach and chasing the seagulls!

DSCN0144Mary Lee joined us and was thankful to flee from a terrible winter in Wisconsin.  We had dinner at our campsite, played on the beach making sand castles and, again, chased seagulls.

We spent a Saturday at Crystal River kayaking to see the manatees at Three Sisters Spring.  Robin and Destiny used our kayaks and we rented two more, Pat and Mary Lee in one, and Jeremiah and I in the other.  It was fun watching Robin and Destiny struggle through their learning curve with the kayak, but it wasn’t long before they were paddling like they were experienced kayakers.  The recent cold temperatures had driven the manatees to the warmer waters of the springs in the Crystal River area in large numbers.  As a result there were a corresponding number of manatee watchers!  The canals and the springs were filled with kayakers and snorkelers watching these gentle beasts resting and eating.  This was Mary Lee’s first opportunity to see manatees and we all enjoyed the experience.  Afterwards Robin rewarded us with a home-cooked meal at their place, she is certainly a great cook.

DSCN0165Tampa hosts what is considered to be the largest RV Show in the U.S. and Mary Lee, Pat and I went to check it out.  I don’t know if it is the largest, but it was certainly the largest RV show that I had ever attended.  I think every manufacturer was represented there, from small trailers and pop-ups, large and small fifth wheel trailers to Class A motor homes.  We wandered through the exhibits and spent a lot of time going through the suppliers booths DSCN0163that sell support equipment and almost anything else.  We even ran into a booth for Huron County Parks in Michigan, and we knew some of the people manning it.  What a small world!  We walked out with the X-hose (which I call the “incredible shrinking hose”), and a side sun shade for our awning.  It’s hard to go to these shows and not spend money!  Time will tell if these were good purchases, but the early experiences are good.

DSCN0181We hosted the group at our place a lot and what better place to fly kites than the beach!  It was perfect weather for kite flying and young and old had a good time.  Back at the trailer it was game night and we can’t have a Wangen game night without playing dominoes.

Robin, her kids, Pat and DSCN0189Mary Lee went to the Gasparilla Kid’s Parade while I visited with some of my Guard friends that I hadn’t seen in a long time.  It was a great finale for our visit and with an early start on Sunday, January 19th, we were on our way to Everglades National Park.

Everglades MapOur plans were to stay at the Long Pine Key Campground, which is first-come, first-served.  We didn’t think aboutDSCN0279 the fact that we were arriving on Saturday of a three-day weekend, but fortunately there were sites available that would hold a rig of our size.  Long Pine Key has no utility hook ups so we were dependent on battery power and generators, but we were prepared for that and had no problems.

DSCN0268There is plenty to do in the DSCN0271Everglades and Ranger-led activities every day.  We did the “Anhinga Amble,” an exploration of the alligators and wading birds in the Taylor Slough (pronounced “slew”).  The anhinga is one of the bird species in the area, along with ibis, blue heron, and vultures.  Alligators were all over the area, including one that was sunning himself right next to the trail!  DSCN0306In the “Gator Lounge” there was about a dozen laying across each other warming in the sun.

While the Everglades is known for nature activities, there is a little known piece of military history within the park.  During the Cuban Missile Crisis, Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery, a Nike Hercules missile battery was stationed in the Everglades.  This is one of the only two such facilities that had actual enemy aircraft DSCN0291appear on their radar screens.  The Cuban Missile threat was a real thing to the soldiers that served here.  For years the site lay untouched until a local Floridian who served in Battery A suggested the park do something with the site.  Over the years Park Rangers and local volunteers have started to restore the facility and give daily tours.  In addition to the buildings, the park has acquired two actual Nike Hercules missiles that are displayed in the facility.

DSCN0280Another daily Ranger-led activity is a bike hike through the pineland forest and marl prairies.  This is a great way to see the diversity of nature within the park.  One, if the not the most interesting aspects of this area, is the removal of the Peruvian Peppercorn plants that took over much of the land that had been farmed before it was acquired by the National Parks.  The only way to eliminate the invasive species is by literally scraping the land to the limestone base to remove all trace of the Peppercorn.  The area where this is going on is referred to as the “hole of the donut” because, when viewed from the air this area looks like a donut hole in the landscape.

In addition to Ranger evening presentations in each of DSCN0320the campgrounds, there is the “Gator Spy,” an evening walk along the Anhinga Trail to see alligators at night.  It is quite interesting to shine your flashlight into the Taylor Slough and see the reflections of the eyeballs of many alligators looking back at you.  It is a big difference from what you see during the day!

DSCN0340We kayaked with a Ranger-led canoe trip in the mangrove swamps near Florida Bay and paddled in a canal off West Lake in the afternoon.  The winds were very high and it was quite a battle getting back.

On Saturday, January 25th, we had a leisurely start for our short (only 40 miles) drive to John Pennekamp State Park on Key Largo, FL.

Posted in Florida, Fulltime RV, Michigan Traveler, Military RV Parks, National Guard, National Parks | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hawaiian Cruise – 2013

Posted on January 21, 2014 by Michigan Traveler

When we decided to take the entire family on a cruise to Hawaii to celebrate our fortieth wedding anniversary, we didn’t realize just how much fun it would be.  We did so much I’m not sure how to tell the story, but here goes. . . . .

IMG_6288After months of planning (we began to plan for this in April), Pat and I arrived in Honolulu on Nov 21st, and our daughter, Elisabeth arrived later that same afternoon.  We stayed at the Hale Koa Hotel near Waikiki.  The next morning we were up IMG_6292early (Our bodies were still on Eastern Time) and headed to Diamond Head.  We were surprised by the size of the crowd, the last time we were in Hawaii there were only a dozen or so people at Diamond Head.  This time there was a solid line of people all the way to the summit.  We climbed to the top to watch the sunrise.  It was quite a climb, but the view was worth every step.  From IMG_6322there we drove to Hanauma Bay where Elisabeth and I dove while Pat snorkeled above us.  It was Elisabeth’s first Intova Digital Cameradive in the ocean and she loved every minute of it.  That evening we picked up our son, Dave and our oldest son, Scott, his wife, Sandra, their daughters, Katrina, and twins, Clarissa, and Sierra.  We were relieved that no one had problems with their flight arrangements.

IMG_6327The next morning was another early one as we drove to Pearl Harbor to visit the USS Arizona Memorial.  The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center is the primary portal for visitors coming to Pearl Harbor, and has the WWII Valor in the Pacific display.  IMG_6354The display tracks America’s lead up and entry into the war.  We took the ferry to the USS Arizona Memorial.  The memorial was erected over the sunken battleship and you can see the ship from the surface.  The memorial is like the headstone of the tomb for the 1,177 sailors and marines that died on Dec 7, 1941.  Visitors are cautioned to act accordingly and we were IMG_6334proud of the respect our granddaughters showed while on the memorial.  The Number Three Turret ring is the only part of the ship above the surface of the harbor.  Survivors of the Arizona have the opportunity to have their remains interned in the Number Three Turret so they can rejoin their comrades.  The oil still that seeps from the fuel bunkers of the Arizona is said to be the ship crying for her lost crewmen.

That afternoon we shopped at the Swap Meet at the Aloha IMG_6367Stadium.  Since 1979, the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet has become Hawaii’s premier outdoor market, featuring over 400 vendors, crafters,  artists from all over the world, a true melting pot of Aloha. It was a unique experience resulting in purchases of leis and aloha shirts.  The girls loved it!

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Now on to the cruise!  We boarded our ship, the Pride of America in Honolulu and our first port of call was IMG_6382Maui.  First item on the agenda was SCUBA Intova Digital Cameradiving and snorkeling at Makena Landing on the west shore of the island.  We stopped at a dive shop on our way there to rent tanks and equipment, and get a briefing on the dive location.  The diving was great and we saw all kinds of fish as soon as we were underwater, and turtles soon after that.  The reef offered some walls and underwater caves to explore.  We had a great time!  Dave and Pat snorkeled with the girls while the Intova Digital Camerarest of us were underwater and when IMG_6397they weren’t in the water, they were playing in the sand and the rocks.  After a lunch on the beach, Scott, Sandra, and I did a second dive.  The highlight of that dive was when a turtle descended right in front of us and just sat there.  It was so close we could have reached out and touched it (but that is a big “No-No!”).

IMG_6424The next morning we went to Haleakala Crater, its rim is the highest point on the island, more than 9,000 feet above sea level.  Even though we were IMG_6427in Hawaii, it was cold.  We lucked out on the clouds.  When Pat and I were here years ago, the clouds surrounded the summit and all you could see were clouds.  On this day we could see almost the entire island.  We had fun pointing out the cruise ship, Makena Lansing, and other spots.  The girls had picked up their Junior Ranger booklets at the Visitor Center and were energetically working their way through them.  We descended from Haleakala and took IMG_6436the back roads to the Iao Valley.  This IMG_6444state park is the site of battles that took place in 1795 when King Kamehameha invaded to conquer Maui and the other islands to create a unified Kingdom of Hawaii.  The Iao Valley is the most lush place we saw on Maui.  It is covered in dense rainforest, most of which consists of introduced vegetation on the valley floor. The Puʻu Kukui summit area at the valley’s head receives an average 386 inches of rainfall per year.

That night Elisabeth, Pat and I attended a performance of “Oh What a Night,” a tribute to Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons.  The performers stayed true to the original recordings without trying to mimic or impersonate the group.  Their interpretation of these classic hits are so true to the original recordings that it is pointed out that the cast is singing live and not lip-syncing. It was a great show!

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IMG_6453Hilo, on the big island of IMG_6460Hawaii, was our next port of call and we drove to visit Volcanoes National Park.  At the Kīlauea Visitor Center we looked at displays, viewed videos, and picked up Junior Ranger booklets.  Due to airborne ash from the volcano it was not possible to drive around the volcano’s caldera, but it was still possible to get to the Thomas A. Jaggar Museum.  The Jaggar IMG_6463Museum is built on the edge of Kīlauea Caldera and we had spectacular views of the caldera and the main crater Halema’uma’u IMG_6457from this view point. Nearby we were able to see steam vents where the water that has seeped down through cracks in the earth is turned into steam by the superhot lava and is exhausted back to the surface.

IMG_6465What is a visit to Volcanoes National Park without driving out to the lava flows?  We drove along Chain of Craters Road and looked down into IMG_6472the Kīlauea Iki crater. A little further on we came to the Devastation Trail.  This trail is a paved path through a forested area that was devastated by falling cinder from the spectacular lava fountains of the 1959 Kīlauea lki eruption.  It was interesting to note the vegetation that was returning to the area, growing through the volcanic ash.  IMG_6478A lava tube is a natural conduit formed by flowing lava which moves beneath the hardened surface of a lava flow. Tubes can be actively draining lava from a volcano during an eruption, or can IMG_6488be extinct, meaning the lava flow has ceased and the rock has cooled and left a long, cave-like channel. The Thurston Lava Tube, along Chain of Craters Road is an example of this.  The contrast of the lava tube with the rain forest overhead was striking.  We drove as far as we could in the time we IMG_6486had left down Chain of Craters Road through the East Riff Zone.  We stopped to climb over the remains of earlier lava flows, some smooth and some jagged, and had a late lunch at a site overlooking where the lava flows went all the way to the shore.  Back at the Visitor Center the girls turned in their booklets and were given their Junior Ranger badges.

IMG_6513One of Elisabeth’s requests was to visit the Macadamia Nut Factory in Hilo.  We were able to make that our final stop on the way back to the ship.  I love a place that gives you free samples to taste before you decide to buy!

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The next morning we were anchored in the harbor of Kona.  Kona was originally a small fishing village and was never developed into a large port.  Consequently it does not have the facilities for large cruise ships to dock at a pier.  We “tendered” ashore using small boats from the ship to ferry us from the ship to the dock and back again.

Intova Digital CameraKona was planned as a Intova Digital Camerarelaxing stop (compared to our other stops) and we just snorkeled at a beach next to the dock.  It was a nice beach to play and relax.  The snorkeling was terrific.  We were able to snorkel quite a distance from the beach and the crowds, yet still be safe from boat traffic.  The water was tap water clear and the fish were colorful and abundant.  All of us enjoyed it.

IMG_6527The next morning we docked in our final port of call, the garden island of Kauai.  We had originally planned to dive and snorkel on our first day in port, but had forgotten that that day was Thanksgiving!  Instead we drove IMG_6537up to Waimea Canyon, the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.  What great views we had!  We stopped several times along the way at overlooks to see the canyon floor and take pictures.  When we got to Wai’Ale’Ale, the highest point on the canyon at 5,148 feet, we could see all the way to the Na Pali coast!

DSC05131We celebrated Thanksgiving in the Skyline Dining Room onboard ship.  It was nice to be together for dinner with everyone as we toasted our fortieth wedding anniversary.  The girls (ages 6 and 9) were very proper and it was fun to watch them order their own meals. I think they really enjoyed dining as adults with waiters delivering their meals.  I hope this trip hasn’t spoiled them for when they return home to Salt Lake.

Intova Digital CameraThe next day was a short one, as we Intova Digital Camerahad to be back onboard ship for a two o’clock departure.  We drove to Seasport Divers, a dive shop in Koloa Town.  There we rented SCUBA equipment and got an orientation on the dive site we had selected.  This site wasn’t very good for snorkeling and we got directions to a nearby beach for the snorkelers.  Intova Digital CameraKoloa Landing is a very popular dive location with many instructional classes diving that morning, making it quite crowded.  However, once we were in the water, it didn’t feel crowded at all.  The surf was stronger than we had experienced on earlier dives, but Scott, Sandra, and Elisabeth handled it well.  The underwater rock and coral formations were terrific and abundant fish to see as well as a Green Sea turtle that had had an accident with a propeller.

DSC05143Our last stop on Kauai was the Spouting Horn blowhole.  This is one of the most photographed spots on Kauai. This natural wonder occurs when water rushes under a lava shelf and bursts through a small opening at the surface. Every wave produces another spray. Spouting Horn frequently spurts salt water 50 feet into the air.

We departed the port of Nawiliwili and the Intova Digital Cameraship’s route took us along the Na Pali Coast. The pali, or cliffs, are a rugged landscape of deep, narrow valleys ending abruptly at the sea. Waterfalls and swift flowing streams continue to cut these narrow valleys while the sea carves cliffs at their mouths. Intova Digital CameraExtensive stone walled terraces can still be found on the valley bottoms where Hawaiians once lived and cultivated taro.  The Na Pali Coast is only accessible on foot or from the sea and this route allowed us to view this spectacular coastline.

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After dinner that night we attended the final show on board.  It was great with traditional Polynesian music and dance, as well as samples of earlier performances, including “Oh What a Night!”  We thought the warrior dances from Hawaii, New Zealand, and Samoa were especially great.

Intova Digital CameraUnfortunately all good things must come to an end as we retired to our cabins to pack up for our departure the next morning. The hallways of the ship were already lined with luggage set outside to be transferred ashore when we arrived in Honolulu.  The next morning we took our time disembarking, and Elisabeth, Pat and I had a last breakfast in the Skyline Dining Room with Katrina.  We are all so spoiled with this carefree lifestyle!

DSCN0460-1Our last night in Hawaii was spent at Germaine’s Luau. Upon arrival, we were welcomed with a Hawaiian Shell Lei. The sounding of the conch shell DSCN0478announced the beginning of the evening’s festivities!  The imu (underground oven) with Kalua Pua’a (roasted pig) – the main course of the evening was uncovered in ceremonial fashion.  The night was filled with beauty, color, and excitement as Germaine’s multi-talented kane (men) and wahine (women) took us on a non-stop journey throughout the Islands of Tahiti, Samoa, New Zealand as well as the romantic hula of Hawaii.  The girls enjoyed the chance to join the dancers on stage to participate in the hula.  We all had a great time and it was a great way to conclude our trip to Hawaii.

IMAG0292Our last day on Oahu was our only rainy day in the entire trip, talk about having good luck with the weather!  We had a final lunch together at Buppa Gump’s Shrimp Company, then headed for the airport.  Pat and I traveled on the same flight Intova Digital Camerawith Scott’s family while Elisabeth and Dave traveled on their own.  We took advantage of the Delta Sky Club in Los Angeles to rest while waiting for our connections.  Sierra didn’t seem to need as much rest as the rest of her family!

All in all, it was a great trip, one we will all remember for a long time – Aloha!

Posted in Fulltime RV, Hawaii | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments