Aug 12, 2012 - "Coast Guard City USA"

From Hidden Ridge Resort – Hopkins, MI A two and one half mile boardwalk, a set of range lights and a city distinguished as “Coast Guard City USA” put Grand Haven on our short list of places to visit during our week long stay. So with blue skies and temps in the mid 70s we decided to keep our day going and headed out to enjoy the afternoon in this city on the shores of Lake Michigan. When we reached the boardwalk located downtown along the Grand River our first sighting was the declaration that this in fact was “Coast Guard City USA”....

Aug 1, 2012 - Grand Haven, MI

The state parks on the west side of Michigan Lake are very busy. We were told to be sure and visit Holland, Michigan so we made that our next stop. Most state parks were full. We were in the mood to just relax and cut back on some of the site seeing. We got the 'last' site at P.J. Hoffmaster State Park. Not sure how their reservation system works as the site next to us was empty. We could only get a site for 2 nights. The news stations were reporting that the state parks are bringing in big revenue money for Michigan this year. This park...

May 27, 2012 - Getting Close

One week from today we should be camping in Tomah, Wisconsin. Time is getting short and the to-do list is getting longer. Excitement is building for Jean and Pam, but Oscar and Rudy don't seem to care (until they get loaded in the motor home). We plan to blog daily, or when we can get an Internet connection. Hope to be able to upload photos and figure out how to use the interactive map so you all can travel with us vicariously. Plan to be on the road by 8:00 a.m. next Sunday. In actuality we may make it by 10:00 a.m.

Sep 29, 2011 - Seeing a Good Friend in Her Neighborhood, and More

Finally it’s Wednesday and we met our friend Carol for dinner in Saugatuck! Carol and I go waaaaaay back to the mid to late 80s when we met on a ski trip, became pals when we were on the Ski Club Council in Heidelberg and LOVED skiing together – heck, she guided me down my first black-run mogul field! None of us were sure when we saw each other last, but knew it had to easily be over a decade! She left Germany in 1993, returned to Grand Rapids, had a few business trips back to Germany, and one time I flew up to visit her from D.C. when I...

Sep 26, 2009 - Our Shakedown

So, we finally got the motor home filled to the brim with food, clothes, dog and accessories, laptop, and everything else we thought we might need for our first camping trip. It was a three day, two night adventure in the new-to-us house on wheels and we were excited and anxious. Would it make it? Would there be a break down? Would the dog handle the trip? Well, yes, we made it. There were no break downs. No, the dog did not do very well at all. We chose to visit a KOA in Grand Haven where our neighbors stay for the season. The park was...

Aug 26, 2009 - Grand Haven

After getting my bicycle (Penelope, if you remember what I named her) back in running order at a bike shop in town, I checked out the historic district and found myself in the park along the Grand River. I found out (via a letterbox first) that the city and the Coast Guard put on a nightly fountain show complete with different music every night! Tomorrow night, there will be a free concert at 7 PM, so you know where I will be tomorrow evening! This town is no different from many others - there is a State Park and a light house with the same...

Jun 18, 2009 - Saugatuck, Douglas and Holland MI

We spent a wonderful day touring the small, quaint towns along the East side of Lake Michigan. We rode bicycles through the streets and local parks, enjoying the unique homes and unique little shops. It felt like we were walking through a Norman Rockwell picture of the 60's. Saugatuck is advertised as having "surroundings reminiscent of vintage, small-town America, whose hallmarks are scenic beauty and a unique collection of shops, restaurants and art galleries". We especially enjoyed the yard art in front of some of the homes and general...

Jun 17, 2009 - Grand Haven, MI

Today we drove from South Bend, Indiana to Gran Haven, Michigan. We are staying in a beautiful state park, parked right next to a large beach. As we move farther North, It is beginning to get cooler even though it's late June. It feels like a September day, somewhere around 65 degrees. We pulled out the sweatshirts from our "Montana" clothing bags for the even chillier evening. People have fires going in their firepits. The smell of wood burning and food on the grills is yummy. Since we are at the very edge of the Eastern time zone, it is...

Jun 17, 2009 - Plan B if we run out of $$$$

Maybe we could live at WalMart ??? Man living in RV at a Wal-Mart parking lot 11:43 PM CDT on Wednesday, June 3, 2009 By Brad Woodard / 11 News HOUSTON -- At the Wal-Mart Super Center on Dunvale and Westheimer, there are always low prices, but rent has been apparently free for a man who parked his recreational vehicle in the store's lot. The owner of the RV is 46-year-old David Inman Jones. Even he has trouble deciding how long he's been living in the Wal-Mart lot. His answer varies from three months to three years. “Three years. It’s...

Aug 11, 2007 - Postings in segments.... Grand Haven Thursday Aug 9

Thursday August 9 Our campsite was next to the interstate and it was so noisy. I couldn't sleep, and about the time I would get to sleep, some truck would "engine brake" and I would wake up. Well when we were eating breakfast it seemed like the trucks were even louder; I pulled up the shade and the windows was opened about 2"....who would have thought? The weather looked yucky and I wanted to sleep, so we didn't go on the Ferry. Maybe another time. Plus, I thought with the weather, looking like it was going to storm, I didn't want to be...

Jul 16, 2006 - Grand Haven, Michigan

We had just arrived at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park in Grand Haven, Michigan. Abby and I were enjoying a late afternoon swim, when she stopped splashing and turned to me. Her face became very serious and she glanced over each shoulder and surveyed the area. "Wait a minute," she whispered as though uncovering a great conspiracy, "Is this a different place?" I'm sure some of you are wondering how we are all getting along as a band of gypsies. Apart from a few very funny moments of confusion (like the one described above), Abby is adapting very...