Oconto, WI
An unremarkable day: up late, pulled out quickly, down MI-77, west on US-2, and south on US-41. Bobbi rented lot #B-13 in the Holtwood Campground, a county facility bounded on three sides by the Oconto River. The setting was beautiful, with the river and much shade from the many trees. Though it was a county facility, the majority of the sites were taken up by monthly, seasonal, or eternal campers. Nevertheless, there were plenty of sites available for the transients who wandered in.

The only negative was the "bathhouse", which actually consisted of three structures. The first held the toilets, a concrete block structure vintage 1940's -- and it appeared that campers rarely used it. Behind this was an old mobile home labelled "Laundry", which was neat and clean inside and contained 3 washers and driers. Behind this was another mobile home labelled "Showers", with male and female sides. This too was relatively clean. However, in no way did these facilities compare with those we had left behind in Michigan.

Germfask, MI
We're back at the CCC camp again.

This morning we got up late, as usual. We ran through the usual chores: Lew walked the dogs, Bobbi set out breakfast and cleaned the dishes while Lew hitched. Once more it was up I-75 and s-l-o-w-l-y over the Mackinaw bridge (to admire the beauty again) and turn left on US-2. Bobbi bought a pasty for our lunch, then we continued to MI-77 where we went up to Big Cedar Campground again. Since nothing has changed in the intervening week, no comment necessary.

This was a short day, so we arrived in the middle of the afternoon. Lew gave the dogs long walks, then sat down to puzzle out where we might stay the next two nights. Problem is, Michigan has lots of nice (albeit expensive) campgrounds, while Wisconsin seems to have leftovers. Bobbi wanted to stop at the city campground in Menominee MI the next night -- but then we would have either a very long day following, or would have to find a campground in a region seemingly devoid of civilized facilities.

Roscommon, MI
Ber-Wa-Ga-Na turned out to be the campground from hell -- or what Hunter Hampton labelled the campground from "Deliverance".

Monday (23rd) we waited around the campground for Scott and his family to show up. In the morning we amused ourselves by watching the extended family group next to us pack to leave. The family occupied four lots -- the two on our road side, and the two directly behind them. The grandparents (2 lots over) had a travel trailer with a Hensley hitch, and two of the children's families (behind) were in pop-ups. However, the third son's family (right next to us) were in a tent with the most extensive collection of paraphenalia we ever had seen on one campsite: coolers, grills, even an illuminated inflatable Homer Simpson Santa Claus (in July!), and numberless others.

On this morning we watched this last son pack every piece of tacky paraphenalia into the back of an SUV and a little wooden trailer. He packed by tossing items in willy-nilly, without discernable organization. When he was finished, the pile sat fully three feet above the sideboards of the woefully inadequate little trailer. This last son then proceeded to cover the pile with first a plastic tarp, second a cargo net, thirdly several bright yellow trucker's tie-downs, and finally an assortment of bungee cords. There was still a foldup chair and some other items on the ground -- these he put on the hood of the SUV. While all this packing was taking place, the two pubescent daughters (very aware of the attractiveness of their bodies) did nothing but run over to the pond, then sit in the SUV while their father did all the work. Mother also moved only a couple of items. Eventually the family did pile into some remaining space inside the SUV and the father slowly drove out of the park -- guiding himself by braille apparantly, since it is hard to imagine how he could see over the pile on the hood. Bobbi and Lew visualized the various elastic cords pulling the trailer's tailgate out of its two loose sockets and the entire contents being strewn on some not-too-distant road.

When this family all had departed, we had lunch and waited for Scott to bring the grandchildren out to play on the equipment. However, they did not arrive until nearly 5, complaining vigorously about the campground management forcing them to pay $3 each (including the grandchildren) to get into the park merely to pick up Bobbi and Lew. They were barely in time to make a couple of coordinating phone calls and get everyone into the vans to go to Fritz's in Richville for supper.

This supper was the first time Bobbi and Lew had seen Su's relatives (brother with older girlfriend, aunt, mother, and grandmother) in a number of years. The food was good (not great) but not heart-healthy, of course with an emphasis on (fried) freshwater fish. However, the fellowship was wonderful, and it took a full three hours for us to catch up on the news of the two families before we left the restaurant.

When Scott's family made it back at the campground with us, there was still enough light for the grandchildren to play, so they went over to the playground with Scott and Lew as chaperones (as required by the campground) and began using the equipment -- and Scott felt he was getting at least something for the $12 admission he had had to pay earlier. Then the boys announced that they wanted to use a couple of the boats provided for the pond, and insisted they had the $4 fees. So Scott sent them over to the office to pay the fees, while he disentangled two paddleboats from the retaining airplane cable. The boys returned to announce there was no one in the office, so Scott told them to go ahead with the boats and we could pay the next morning.

The boys paddled around the pond for a while until boredom set in, and were heading back to the boat rack. Suddenly someone on a golf cart across the pond bellowed out authoritatively "what do you think you are doing?". Scott explained briefly, but his explanation was not accepted, and the boys were ordered from the water. As we were walking back a few minutes later, a golf cart pulled up along side Scott and Lew. The authoritarian occupant proceeded to lecture us (authoritatively) about endangering the children and "his" liability. And without waiting for any response from us, he drove off. He never did identify himself, so we had no idea whether he was the owner, an employee, or just another one of the "seasonal" residents.

This morning (Tuesday, the 24th) we slept in until 9 AM, as usual. But then we moved to get out of the campground as quickly as possible -- walk the dogs, breakfast, clean up, and hitch up. Oh, oh, the first propane tank was empty. Ready before 11, we pulled out of the lot and headed towards the office. Bobbi paid the $8 rental for the boys' use of the paddleboats the previous evening, dropped the trash in the dumpster, and inquired their price for propane. That price being surprisingly low, we headed over to the dispensing stand. Unfortunately, two employees (admitting they were new) were unsuccessful. And being new to the area, they didn't know where any propane dealers were located.

Before leaving the campground Scott had phoned us when Brian discovered he had left a toy behind. So we had agreed to meet them at a crossroads a few miles west. When we got there, we delivered the toy and asked them about propane dealers. But neither they nor the two employees of the farm market where we stopped knew where the propane dealers were located. But Scott did suggest that we modify our route to pass through Reece.

We did so, and as we entered the town, saw Hills RV. Surely they would know where to get propane. And indeed they did -- they filled our tank on the spot.

Considerably relieved, we hurried down MI-84 to the I-75 interchange and turned north. After a relatively short ride Bobbi asked to stop at Meijer's in West Branch to resupply. We did so, then resumed our journey north while munching on chocolate-covered Donettes, our less-than-heart-healthy lunch, while the afternoon got hotter.

After another short ride we got off at Higgins Lake and headed for the campground we had just left a few days previously. Bobbi decided to stay 2 days so she could recover from Ber-Wa-Ga-Na (except for their gift of chigger bites) -- and do up all our laundry at once at the laundromat down the street. We pulled into the same campsite we had just vacated, artfully leveled and unhitched in the heat, and turned on the AC for a few hours. Exhausted, we recovered our sanity, our composure, and our breath at the Higgins Lake Family Campground. A late supper and showers in the immaculate bathhouse completed our recovery.

On Wednesday (the 25th) we slept in until 9 AM again, but then did as planned: in the morning Bobbi did about a week's accumulation of laundry at the nearby upscale laundromat and refueled. After lunch she washed her hair while Lew defrosted the refrigerator.

Vassar, MI
We packed up and left before 11, going down county roads 100 and 103 to the interchange at I-75. As we drove south the trees thinned out and the traffic increased uncomfortably. We experienced culture shock. We had been spoiled by northern Michigan, and once again appreciated all that the CCC had accomplished many years ago.

At the first Bay City exit, we stopped to eat lunch and refuel. Then we resumed down I-75 to the east side of Saginaw, where we exited to MI-46 and went over 20 miles east to get to the Ber-Wa-Ga-Na campground.

This campground was a big step down from all the campgrounds we had gotten used to since leaving Toledo. Most of the lots (nearly all of the shaded ones) were taken by "seasonal campers" -- that is, the trailers were fixed in place, underskirted, and never moved. Indeed, some were mobile homes. The few lots available for transients like us were in the front, in the sun, and wired with 20 amp service only. But we were lucky someone was just pulling out of a lot under a tree and with 30 amp service as we arrived, so we were able replace them on the lot. A great many children were running around, taking advantage of the pond and the extensive playground equipment. The transient lots were far from the bathhouse, which was old and in need of both cleaning (goes with the multitude of kids) and repair.

After supper we did our telephoning. Son Scott's family was visiting with his mother-in-law in the town, so on impulse he decided to come out to the campground to visit with us. The adults talked until visitors had to leave the campground (11 PM), while the children amused themselves with the dogs and the playground equipment.

Roscommon, MI
Friday morning (the 20th) Bobbi and Lew got up late as usual, but nevertheless were on the road by 11. The routing was unexciting: down MI-77 to US-2, which we took east through the pines. Almost nothing relieved the constant vista of trees on the left with Lake Michigan on our right, until we approached the bridge. Suddenly a KOA, a few gas stations and assorted eateries appeared just before we took the ramp to I-75 south.

The bridge was its usual architectural beauty set in the fabulous natural beauty where the lakes meet. We went over a bit faster than we prefer because we could not find a truck to follow (the truck speed limit is 20 mph). Still, a gorgeous sight to behold and we took it in avidly.

After the bridge, I-75 passed through the minimal community at the tip of lower Michigan -- then off into the forests again. Occasional interchanges hinted of small communities beyond, but the first real "civilization" was at Gaylord, where we pulled off long enough to restock at "Wally World", lunch at Subway, and refuel.

The exit for the Higgins Lake Family Campground was only a few miles further. We pulled off, made a couple of turns, and found the campground without difficulty. It turned out to be a gem: a variety of campsites (concrete pads, gravel, grass, with electricity, some with water, some with sewer, some with telephone -- and perhaps some with other services that I missed) set within 30 acres of forest. The bathhouse was scrupulously clean -- which is the Bobbi's basis for judging a campground. Part of the 30 acres was undisturbed except for some pleasant short trails -- perfect for long walks with the dogs. The site was level enough we did not need to unhitch. After supper, we decided to act on the Verizon technician's promise that we would have data service along I-75. But we still couldn't get a data connection on Bobbi's phone. An hour of working with some more technicians finally disclosed that there was no data service in the northern half of the lower peninsula either, even along I-75. So we would have to wait another couple of days before we have internet.

Saturday (21st) morning Lew wanted to go to the CCC Museum nearby, remembering the reputation that organization had when he was a child, and having been struck by the campground at Germfask being built on the site of one of the CCC camps. A sign on the door announced that the museum would be unable to keep regular summer hours because of the state's budget crunch -- fortunately the door was open and Lew leisurely browsed the contents -- alone.

After visiting the museum, much to Bobbi's surprise when she opted to search for a place to eat lunch, we circumnavigated Higgins Lake and found ourselves back at the campground, where we whiled away the rest of the afternoon until supper: Lew took long walks with the dogs, while Bobbi read her chick-lit. Evening was more of the same, and so to bed.

Germfask, MI
Our travels have not gone well this year. Copper Harbor was cold when we arrived (lows around 50 and highs in the low 60's). Unfortunately, Bobbi had packed well for the heat, but had left all her cold weather gear in Columbus. And added to the cold, on the evening of the 14th rain blew in. More unfortunately, it was not an occasional thundershower or even a longer drenching rain; rather, it was something between a fine drizzle and a heavy mist -- bitterly cold and penetrating.

By morning (15th) Bobbi was sneezing almost continually and her nose was running heavily as she ran through a box of tissues in short order. When she started coughing bronchitically, Lew became alarmed -- because Bobbi had had pneumonia in the past, and Copper Harbor is quite distant from even minimal medical services. So he persuaded her to let him hitch up and head farther south. By 11:30 am we were hitched up, disconnected, paraphenalia stowed, and pulled out. The park registrar, who already had been very helpful with several inquiries, was kind enough to refund our unused days without our even asking.

We headed back south on the very same highways in reverse order. As the van and the weather outside heated up, Bobbi's symptoms subsided rapidly, and about 3 pm she asked to pull into Van Ripper SP, another campground with which we had previous pleasant experience. Unlike sparsely populated Fort Wilkins, Van Ripper really was rather crowded, with few vacant sites even at 3 pm. We were lucky to get a paved pullthrough site near the bathhouse that was level enough we could just park without unhitching. A couple of minutes to plug in and install the ever-popular "Blue Boy", and we were back in business.

Bobbi turned on the heater, and within an hour an a half temperatures inside the a/s were in the 80's. While that made everyone uncomfortable, it served to dispel Bobbi symptoms completely before suppertime. We were back within cell phone territory, so after supper Bobbi made a number of contacts to explain we again were available, while Lew performed his usual chore of cleaning the dishes and his teeth. Then Bobbi and Lew watched another episode of "The Simple Life 2" TV season, and Lew walked the dogs again. Bobbi went back to reading her novels and never coughed again.

On the 16th (Monday) we did the closest thing to nothing that we could. We slept in. After walking the dogs and breakfast, Lew fell asleep again. After lunch Lew walked the dogs and did minor housework, then installed the software for internet by cell phone -- and discovered we would have no data coverage until we were near I-75 again. After supper it was walk the dogs again (quickly, before the mosquitos came out) and watch another old "Hopalong Cassidy" movie.

The 17th (Tuesday) was only slightly more ambitious. When Bobbi could not think of anything else she wanted to do in the UP, but didn't want to head into the heat of the lower peninsula, she paid for another night. After lunch and walking the dogs, Bobbi decided to resupply. This meant driving to the nearest supermarket -- 30 miles away. And again after supper Lew walked the dogs and read documents from Vatican II, while Bobbi continued to read her novels.

Wednesday and Thursday (18th and 19th) were only marginally more ambitious. We had been without an internet connection since we left Copper Harbor, and were getting concerned about our email. Bobbi found out that our host went about 12 miles to the east to the little town of Curtice between the two Manistique Lakes in order to use the library's WI-FI. So we dutifully trucked on over there both days and cleaned up our backlog. But on Thursday Bobbi bought Pizza and Jilbert's "Yooper Mudslide" and "Mackinaw Island Fudge" ice cream for a lunch. Only then did she go to the library.

On Thursday morning (19th) Lew persuaded Bobbi that she should make campground reservations, because she planned to be traveling over the weekend -- meaning the most desirable places were likely to be filled. And it was lucky he did so, because Bobbi quickly discovered that not only would her favorite campground (Hartwick Pines) be filled, but that indeed all the state parks in the northern half of the lower peninsula were going to be full. After studying her campground directories for a long time, she finally picked a private campground near Higgins Lake and secured a campsite there for two nights, then another at the campground near Vassar for the succeeding two nights. Lew hitched after supper to minimize the delay in getting out in the morning.

Ft. Wilkins SP, MI
Because we had not unhitched, on the 11th we were on the road early (for us) -- down MI-93 to I-75 which took us once again over the Straits of Mackinac bridge.


Immediately after crossing we once again took US-2 along the sandy north shore of Lake Michigan, then once again to MI-77 the few short miles to Big Cedar Campground, Kayak, and Canoe Rental at Germfask, which started as a CCC campground from 1935 to 1945. And we pulled out the digital camera that our youngest son Paul had so kindly loaned to us:






Next morning (the 12th) we were on the road even earlier, up MI-77 to MI-28 through Marquette, then US-41 through Baraga, Houghton, Hancock, Calumet, a series of depressed and progressively smaller little towns on the border of Keweenaw County, then progressively smaller abandoned little clusters of houses, and finally a multi-mile twisting arcade of trees, until we went up the last river valley and crossed a saddle over the mountains into the back of beyond -- Copper Harbor:



On the east side of the little village, Bobbi once again chose to overnight for the next five days in the east campground at Ft. Wilkins SP:






-- our favorite campground in July and August.

Today was a day of catchup -- we went into town to get on the internet, bought a pasty to share for lunch (and a little Jilbert's ice cream for dessert), took the dogs on really long walks. And we worked on our communications -- today Lew downloaded our email and found a FAX machine. Tomorrow we will have to drive to the top of Mt. Brockway to get a cell phone signal, and we will have to link with others by email. But tonight it is raining.

Copper Harbor is as we remembered it -- even better. Rather than becoming more commercialized, there actually were fewer tourists this year. Perhaps the gasoline prices did it. The best store in town was closed because it had gone bankrupt (we do feel badly for the proprietor who had tried to make it go -- and now supplies are harder to get than ever). So there is even more nothing here than in past years.

Here we sit, with water (Lake Superior) in front of us:


and water (Lake Fanny Hooe) behind us:


-- just us:


and the dogs:



and an occasional other tourist scattered among the rocks:


Part of the reason there are so few residents here is that the land cannot be farmed, due partly to the cold, and partly to the lack of soil over the rocks:


The only plants that can extract a precarious existence from the thin soil between the rocks are birches and pine trees:


-- and thimbleberries!


The only life form that actually flourishes here, whether on rocks or on living or dead wood, is lichens:


There simply is nothing else here. No cell phone service, even with our new phones (above). WI-FI is available (at least 3 hotspots) -- if you drive into town -- but Copper Harbor is way at the end of a long transmission line, so the provider is s-l-o-w.

But the bell on the harbor bouy (on the horizon below the red mark)


(telephoto shot:)


still tolls "bong-bong" all night, and all day, calling everyone to -- prayer? Meditation? Contemplation? At night there is a mandela of stars in a black sky to focus on.

As the monks of the Holy Transfiguration monastery discovered over 20 years ago, this place in itself is one gigantic retreat, the perfect place for these disciplines.

The retreat-like atmosphere is enhanced by the artefacts within the park. The bathhouses


like the restored fort itself, were constructed during the Great Depression by the WPA, from local ore-bearing rock and heavy timbers. Well-maintained over the intervening years, the result is deliciously attractive Adirondack-like interiors:




Fortunately, despite this picturesque antiquity, the plumbing has been updated and the showers are the most modern in Michigan's exemplary State Park system.

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Hartwick Pines SP, MI
Summer vacation had been scheduled with all our employers for the months of July and August. So following minimal delay for physicals for four-footed and two-footed travelers, we pulled out of Columbus on 4 July. Once again we snuck around the stop-and-go traffic on US-23 between I-270 and Delaware by going up the old Scioto Trail to US-42 and then picked up the US-23 bypass around Delaware. Then it was OH-15 and I-75 to where we picked up US-23 again at the mosque in Perrysburg. We took it up the west side of Toledo and 5 miles into Michigan, where we stopped at the Covered Wagon Camp Resort.

We had stayed at this camp a few years ago in the rain and experienced proof that it was built in an old swamp. However, this year it had not rained there for many days, so we figured we were safe. Not so. The elderly new owners clearly were not up to the task of sanitation. Most of the toilets were stopped up when we arrived, and despite employees unplugging them several times a day, continued to plug up throughout our stay. Clearly, the sewers were inadequate -- a conclusion reinforced by the odor from the leach bed. The bathrooms did not receive a badly needed general cleaning during our entire stay (remember, this was over the busy 4th of July week), paper towels ran out more than once, and one day someone removed the soap dispenser from the wall. Outside the bathhouse, the dumpster was overflowing when we arrived, and was not emptied until Monday (the 9th).

The evening we arrived there was only time for upkeep: supper, showers, put locks on the Airstream.

The next morning (5th of July) Lew phoned the first people he wanted to see: cousins Sylvia and Darlene, + Roger Rummell, an old classmate who went clear back to the first grade and Marian Wood's piano classes. Roger was out on the golf links, but we were able to leave a message with his wife Margie. Afterwards we again went in to the Ottawa Hills Memorial Park to see the graves of Lew's old neighbors, Mary Carole Spence and her parents. When Lew had finished, they went on to the Franklin Park Mall to eat lunch at Panera's and use their WI-FI. While we were there, Sylvia was the first to respond, and accepted our invitation for supper that afternoon. We had a good time visiting again with her and her husband Earl, and took them to their choice of restaurants (Bob Evans) for supper.

Friday 6 July we again went in to Panera's to use their WI-Fi and get lunch. Initially Lew had to spend a great deal of time closing out an unused credit card account whose number somone had picked up. Lew got a phone response from cousin Darlene, and they arranged to meet at the Elephant Bar Restaurant the next evening for supper. Then Lew got an email response from Roger. It seems his wife had given him our phone number with one erroneous digit, so he fell back on email. Lew phoned him back, and after considering the possibilities, he decided to come over to meet us at Panera's. We had a long and pleasant visit with him, reminiscing and updating one another for as long as Roger dared.

After Roger left, we drove over to the Toledo Memorial Park, where Lew checked out his parents' graves as well as the graves of Charlie and Lizzie Dean (1898-2002!)... and the surprising vacant spot next to them. Afterwards we went on to Woodlawn Cemetery to look up the Lindner plot, but found the office closed, and returned to the campground.

On 7 July (Saturday) Lew took Bobbi in to Woodlawn Cemetery to see his ancestral Lindners, and then went on to Forest Cemetery. But the office at the latter was closed -- open only during banker's hours. So it was back to Panera's again for WI-FI, then back to the campground for lunch. That evening, we met with cousin Darlene and her husband for a really wonderful get-aquainted meeting -- never having met before! Back at the campground, Bobbi proposed that they stay an extra day so Lew could look for his relatives in Forest Cemetery.

8 July (Sunday) was spent in the campground, except for the obligatory trip to Panera's for WI-FI and supper, followed by a re-stocking at the Sylvania Kroger.

On 9 July (Monday) Bobbi and Lew went in early to Forest Cemetery. Lew readily found his grandparents'graves, but the heat precluded any real search for any more relatives. They went on to lunch at the Franklin Park IHOP -- and Panera's again.

It was late -- almost 9 am -- when Bobbi and Lew rolled out of bed on 10 July. Lew made the bed, walked the dogs, and removed the locks from the a/s while Bobbi set out breakfast. After cleaning up, securing the loose items in the Airstream, hitching, disconnecting from the power grid, stowing the "Blue Boy", and letting the dogs into the van, we were on the road again by 11 am. The entrance ramp to US-23 was right outside the campground, and we pottered along at our usual steady 55, joining with I-75 at Flint. Civilization quit suddenly when we exited Bay City, so Bobbi didn't find a place for lunch until she told Lew to get off at West Branch and stop at a Wendy's. Refueling at the same stop, we slipped back onto the freeway.

Bobbi chose Hartwick Pines SP again for our overnight, because she had been impressed with the facilities when we stayed there past years. So shortly after 4 we pulled into the campground. We were fortunate that the site was flat enough we did not need to unhitch, so we quickly plugged in and were at home with the A/C on.

Although definately still warm and humid, even at 4 pm Hartwick Pines was not nearly so uncomfortable as Toledo was when we left it that morning. Dark clouds flitted irregularly across the evening sky, and a couple of time dumped a little water on the park while we ate supper, walked the dogs some more, and showered.