One year, Full Circle and a Two month break

Hard to believe it has been two full moths since my last post – so much has happened since then it feels as if it was ions away… Maybe this is the nature of summer, or maybe it is the many changes we have gone through. Either way – I am glad you are still here, with me. And if you are new to my blog – Welcome aboard! It was last July when we first started our journey right here in the mid-west. And it was this July when we are back here in the mid-west closing a full circle around the country, and around our life.

End of the Park Season

Monday, June 28th, 2010 – It seem so far away now, as if it was almost a year ago… Yellowstone area was the last of our Park season. The season had a grand start with the Grand Canyon, then the long journey on route 66, all of UT treasures – and finally – WY and ID area with Yellowstone and Grand Teton. That took us through the end of June. We would have continued to MT unless I got a call from a friend to help in a project in Europe, se we rushed out to WI area, were most of Patti’s family live, so she will not be alone while I am gone.
I think that this area of Yellowstone is simply amazing! those geysers and minerals with the colors and the steam coming up from the ground is creating such a unique experience that could not be compared or found anywhere else. I am not the best with superlatives – so it might be the best to let the camera talk…

Yellowstone

Grand Teton

Moving on East, to the (mid) West

Friday, July 2nd, 2010 – The Aspen Acres campground was not the greatest, at least if Internet and phone service are important to you. The owner is not the friendliest either (just try to drive 7 MPH instead of 5 and you will know what I mean)
Our goal is to get to WI area before independence day, so we can be around family for the holiday. Immediately after that – I suppose to fly to Europe for three weeks. On the way, we have decided to stop in SD and get our address and residence permanently switched.
Our first stop was a truck stop with a small RV park on their back yard. Not recommended. Period. Enough said :) If you have to stop – move on…
Our next stop had to be inside SD as it turns out you HAVE to sleep in SD one night to get the address and the license get changed. We looked for the closest DMV office on our way and found one in Aberdeen, SD. From 94, we took a sharp south on 83, crossed the border to SD and stopped at a small motel in Selby, SD that allowed RVs to park in his from yard on the gravel. Again – if nature is your preference, this is not the place for you, but for what we needed it was just fine. From there – things went smooth. We stopped  in the DMV office. no lines no problems. Got with new shiny driver license. Hey – I am south Dakotan now! I think after not more than couple hours we were heading East again, hitting the road and getting into Monticello, MN – the River Terrace campground, were we stayed for 2 nights as we were ahead of schedule now. This is a nice campground – if you can get a spot on the river it is pretty. Sites are not huge,but the setting is very nice and cozy. The owner is running this place for 1,500 years or so, still on paper – no computers, no Internet (What is it?) No CC… Old fashion!

Jumping between continents

Wednesday, July 28th, 2010 – It was July 2nd when we got to the campground where Patti stayed by herself in the next 3 weeks. A small town – Gordon, WI settled in the middle of forests, bears and deer – a place with newer facilities and hookup – very well maintained and the sites are pretty big to give you some space and privacy - it’s called Happy Ours and you can get more info from their website – just follow the link.
Truth is I didn’t get to spend too much time over there, as most of the time I was in Europe. Got to drink some real beer, and eat some real bread… I miss the European bread – so crispy outside and so soft inside. Just like a bread should be. The bread in the US is soft all around, gives me a feeling of soggy stale bread. Even what they call here “Italian’ bread or baguette – are nothing like their original French or Italian. And the coffee… mmm..  Chocolate Croissant with Lavazza espresso in the morning… or enjoying some real Italian ice cream in a hot summer day, or… OK enough – we have some good food here too, but being raised in Israel with Mediterranean cuisine those are flavors and tastes that I miss.

Met some old friends and had some good time. I helped as much as I could, and after 3 weeks – it was time for me to fly back. deja vu.
Déjà vu – one year ago – on July – I flew back from Europe – that was when we left our Normal House and moved to an RV. It was an old one, and temporary solution – so we thought, but it was the beginning of the story. There is a link on the side-bar of this blog to that story, if you want to read.

Slide out story

Saturday, July 31st, 2010 – Does this sound familiar? Well, our slide out is acting again! It was fixed in AZ back in May, and was used..mmm..let’s count – in UT twice, in MT once and then in WY it already starting to make those bang noises again. It was never fixed I don’t think. So while I was away Patti took the unit again for repair, this time in Camping World in Rogers, MN. They heard all the story and know it is the THIRD time – so hopefully hey will find the root cause this time.
When I landed, the RV was still in the shop, so we stayed one night in a hotel in Duluth, and drove the next day to take the RV. This is part of RVing – if the house brakes you take the house to the shop, and not the other way around. At least we have a fifth so we still got a car to drive, and we don’t need to take the house for an oil change…
We looked for a close by campground until we find a place to stay for a longer period of time. We promised our grand daughters Sadie and Jasmine to take them for 3 weeks to stay with us. We chose a campground on Fish Lake by Morah, MN. We stayed there before with our boat last summer, but this year they were full, and gave us a tiny parking spot by the dumpster without water or sewer, and charged $34 a night for that! What a waste! Last time for us there…

Great time on the Lake

We found a campground by Iron River that was close to Patti’s sister. Patti’s sisters owns a nice family restaurant downtown Barnes, WI – very close to Iron River. The place looked nice but was full. We were assigned a site in one of the back spots, again – by the dumpster. When we parked there, the smell was horrible. We knew we couldn’t stay there, and the girl that sent us there (an employee) probably know that too. The owner stopped by, and spotted our face. She realized what happened and told us about another campground down the road on a scenic road (that is actually the name of the road) off Delta Lake road – just couple miles away.

This is the best kept secret in WI!! They don’t have a website, and they are just on the lake with a nice swimming beach for the kids, perfect reception for the phone – haven! They do not have water or sewer hookup, but they do have long enough hoses that you can fill up without moving your camper. We also have this big waste water tank that we can haul and dump without moving – so it worked perfect.
There is great cell service for both AT&T and Sprint, actually sprint has 3G here, so we had pretty good internet too.It just worked out perfectly for us. A quiet isolated spot with a beach for the girls – and ground to play – could not ask for more. The manager – Brenda – is more than a manager – she actually is socializing and helping as much as she can.

So here we are

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010 – End of August is coming, and the end of another great summer, maybe the greatest summer we had for many many years. I think we found the life style that fits us the most, and after one year – I can say we  are very happy. Granted – we have a job that can support it, and we have no kids at home which makes it easier – but if the RV life is something that seem like a dream to you – it can become a reality. Just give it the right priority.
This month Jeffrey (Patti’s son) is getting married, and I am celebrating another year of getting old… and then, the fall is coming and we will find our way south again, for the second time around.