I'm a little late getting my trip report written up (had
trailer repair/maintenance issues to deal with), so I hope my
memory now doesn't let me down too badly. I'll try to write up
a day or two each day. Here's the first.
Day 1 was driving west...
On Mon, 16 Jun 2025 17:00:47 -0000 (UTC),
Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> wrote:
I'm a little late getting my trip report written up (had
trailer repair/maintenance issues to deal with), so I hope my
memory now doesn't let me down too badly. I'll try to write up
a day or two each day. Here's the first.
Day 1 was driving west...
Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across the state to Nebraska
City. We stayed at Victorian Acres, it was a somewhat traditional
RV park, and pretty typical. Mrs. theise had her 50th high school
reunion that evening, but we drove all over town ahead of time and
I got to see places she had frequented as a youth.
Though I’d been there as a kid, I enjoyed seeing Arbor Lodge—lovely old mansion that was the home of J Sterling Morton,
the founder of Arbor Day. The reunion was nice enough. I knew
maybe three people there, and two of them only just.
I'm a little late getting my trip report written up (had trailer repair/maintenance issues to deal with), so I hope my memory now
doesn't let me down too badly. I'll try to write up a day or two
each day. Here's the first.
Day 1 was driving west, made it into the northeast corner of
Missouri. En route I kept noticing the Acadia reporting mileage
in the 15-16 mpg range, but finally realized there were pretty
good winds out of the east. Had not appreciated how much of a
difference it might make.
The commercial campground just outside of Kahoga, MO was pretty
new, the sites were topped with fresh gravel but were pretty soft
underneath. Just driving and backing the trailer on it made ruts.
No bath house, but otherwise an okay campground.
We had started relatively early in the day, so had some time to
look around after arriving. We settled on a side trip to the
Battle of Athens State Historic Site...
https://mostateparks.com/park/battle-athens-state-historic-site
It was not a big park, but had very interesting interpretive
signs. Apparently this was the “northernmost battle fought west
of the Mississippi” in the Civil War and “about 500 Union soldiers repelled nearly four times their number of pro-Southern State
Guardsmen.” Interesting to see illustrations of the divisions
across small areas-—and even within families.
Ted Heise wrote:
On Mon, 16 Jun 2025 17:00:47 -0000 (UTC),
Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> wrote:
I'm a little late getting my trip report written up (had
trailer repair/maintenance issues to deal with), so I hope my
memory now doesn't let me down too badly. I'll try to write up
a day or two each day. Here's the first.
Day 1 was driving west...
Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across the state to Nebraska
City. We stayed at Victorian Acres, it was a somewhat traditional
RV park, and pretty typical. Mrs. theise had her 50th high school
reunion that evening, but we drove all over town ahead of time and
I got to see places she had frequented as a youth.
Though I’d been there as a kid, I enjoyed seeing Arbor Lodge—lovely old mansion that was the home of J Sterling Morton,
the founder of Arbor Day. The reunion was nice enough. I knew
maybe three people there, and two of them only just.
Know any more now?
On Mon, 16 Jun 2025 17:00:47 -0000 (UTC),
Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> wrote:
I'm a little late getting my trip report written up (had
trailer repair/maintenance issues to deal with), so I hope my
memory now doesn't let me down too badly. I'll try to write up
a day or two each day. Here's the first.
Day 1 was driving west...
Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across the state to Nebraska
On Wed, 18 Jun 2025 01:23:19 -0000 (UTC),
Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> wrote:
On Mon, 16 Jun 2025 17:00:47 -0000 (UTC),
Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> wrote:
I'm a little late getting my trip report written up (had
trailer repair/maintenance issues to deal with), so I hope my
memory now doesn't let me down too badly. I'll try to write up
a day or two each day. Here's the first.
Day 1 was driving west...
Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across the state to Nebraska
Day 3 we headed across Nebraska. We picked up Runzas in Grand
Island for lunch, yumm! This one seemed to have extra cabbage and
spices, maybe the best one I’ve ever had.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runza
Despite living much of my life in Nebraska (plus spending a fair
bit of time in the panhandle), I’d never been to Lake McConaughy before. The approach to and drive across the dam was most
impressive, very scenic.
We ended up at Prairie View RV Park on the north side of the lake.
The campground itself was pretty basic. No office, and when I
finally found a number to call (after driving around the
campground for a while) they said to just pick any site. We could
not see the lake from camp, which was disappointing.
On Wed, 18 Jun 2025 01:23:19 -0000 (UTC),
Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> wrote:
On Mon, 16 Jun 2025 17:00:47 -0000 (UTC),
Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> wrote:
I'm a little late getting my trip report written up (had
trailer repair/maintenance issues to deal with), so I hope my
memory now doesn't let me down too badly. I'll try to write up
a day or two each day. Here's the first.
Day 1 was driving west...
Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across the state to Nebraska
Day 3 we headed across Nebraska. We picked up Runzas in Grand
Island for lunch, yumm! This one seemed to have extra cabbage and
spices, maybe the best one I’ve ever had.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runza
Despite living much of my life in Nebraska (plus spending a fair
bit of time in the panhandle), I’d never been to Lake McConaughy
before. The approach to and drive across the dam was most
impressive, very scenic.
We ended up at Prairie View RV Park on the north side of the lake.
The campground itself was pretty basic. No office, and when I
finally found a number to call (after driving around the
campground for a while) they said to just pick any site. We could
not see the lake from camp, which was disappointing.
On Mon, 16 Jun 2025 17:00:47 -0000 (UTC),
Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> wrote:
I'm a little late getting my trip report written up (had
trailer repair/maintenance issues to deal with), so I hope my
memory now doesn't let me down too badly. I'll try to write up
a day or two each day. Here's the first.
Day 1 was driving west...
Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across the state to Nebraska
City. We stayed at Victorian Acres, it was a somewhat traditional
RV park, and pretty typical. Mrs. theise had her 50th high school
reunion that evening, but we drove all over town ahead of time and
I got to see places she had frequented as a youth.
Though I’d been there as a kid, I enjoyed seeing Arbor
Lodge—lovely old mansion that was the home of J Sterling Morton,
the founder of Arbor Day. The reunion was nice enough. I knew
maybe three people there, and two of them only just.
On Wed, 18 Jun 2025 01:23:19 -0000 (UTC),
Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> wrote:
On Mon, 16 Jun 2025 17:00:47 -0000 (UTC),
Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> wrote:
I'm a little late getting my trip report written up (had
trailer repair/maintenance issues to deal with), so I hope my
memory now doesn't let me down too badly. I'll try to write up
a day or two each day. Here's the first.
Day 1 was driving west...
Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across the state to Nebraska
Day 3 we headed across Nebraska. We picked up Runzas in Grand
Island for lunch, yumm! This one seemed to have extra cabbage and
spices, maybe the best one I’ve ever had.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runza
On 6/18/2025 7:49 PM, Ted Heise wrote:
Day 3 we headed across Nebraska. We picked up Runzas in Grand
Island for lunch, yumm! This one seemed to have extra cabbage
and spices, maybe the best one I’ve ever had.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runza
Despite living much of my life in Nebraska (plus spending a
fair bit of time in the panhandle), I’d never been to Lake
McConaughy before. The approach to and drive across the dam
was most impressive, very scenic.
Nice looking area. Beautiful sandy beaches on that Lake. You
do any fishing?
We ended up at Prairie View RV Park on the north side of the
lake. The campground itself was pretty basic. No office, and
when I finally found a number to call (after driving around
the campground for a while) they said to just pick any site.
We could not see the lake from camp, which was disappointing.
That's interesting. Did you otherwise have good services like
water and electricity. Dump station?
Day 3 we headed across Nebraska.Day 1 was driving west...Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across it to Nebraska
On Thu, 19 Jun 2025 10:13:30 -0500,
sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:
On 6/18/2025 7:49 PM, Ted Heise wrote:
Day 3 we headed across Nebraska. We picked up Runzas in Grand
Island for lunch, yumm! This one seemed to have extra cabbage
and spices, maybe the best one I’ve ever had.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runza
Despite living much of my life in Nebraska (plus spending a
fair bit of time in the panhandle), I’d never been to Lake
McConaughy before. The approach to and drive across the dam
was most impressive, very scenic.
Nice looking area. Beautiful sandy beaches on that Lake. You
do any fishing?
Only a tiny bit back in the bad old days when I'd do all kinds of
crazy shit after the bars closed.
We ended up at Prairie View RV Park on the north side of the
lake. The campground itself was pretty basic. No office, and
when I finally found a number to call (after driving around
the campground for a while) they said to just pick any site.
We could not see the lake from camp, which was disappointing.
That's interesting. Did you otherwise have good services like
water and electricity. Dump station?
It was full hookups, and they all worked just fine. The place was
clean enough too.
On Thu, 19 Jun 2025 00:49:57 -0000 (UTC),
Day 3 we headed across Nebraska.Day 1 was driving west...Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across it to Nebraska
Day 4 we drove into Casper, WY. It was a lovely (to me) drive,
following the North Platte most of the way. I kept thinking back
to Niehardt’s book, The Splendid Wayfaring about the men
(especially Jedediah Smith) who were the first of European
ancestry to explore the region between the upper Missouri and the
South Platte. They found the South Pass as a key part of the
Oregon and Mormon Trails.
The campground was River’s Edge RV Park, and indeed we were at the bank of the North Platte. It was lovely, and carrying a boatload
of water to boot! In a tradition from hiking with my three boys
(when they were young), I threw sticks into the water. :)
https://panix.com/~theise/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20250525_195041.jpg
I liked this spot a lot.
Day 4 we drove into Casper, WY.Day 3 we headed across Nebraska.Day 1 was driving west...Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across it
Also, In case it matters, I've finished writing up the whole trip
and can post the rest in one go if that's a better presentation.
On Thu, 19 Jun 2025 00:49:57 -0000 (UTC),
Day 3 we headed across Nebraska.Day 1 was driving west...Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across it to Nebraska
Day 4 we drove into Casper, WY. It was a lovely (to me) drive,
following the North Platte most of the way. I kept thinking back
to Niehardt’s book, The Splendid Wayfaring about the men
(especially Jedediah Smith) who were the first of European
ancestry to explore the region between the upper Missouri and the
South Platte. They found the South Pass as a key part of the
Oregon and Mormon Trails.
The campground was River’s Edge RV Park, and indeed we were at the
bank of the North Platte. It was lovely, and carrying a boatload
of water to boot! In a tradition from hiking with my three boys
(when they were young), I threw sticks into the water. :)
https://panix.com/~theise/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20250525_195041.jpg
I liked this spot a lot.
On Thu, 19 Jun 2025 20:58:13 -0000 (UTC),
Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> wrote:
Day 4 we drove into Casper, WY.Day 3 we headed across Nebraska.Day 1 was driving west...Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across it
On day 5 we drove to Yellowstone, by way of Shoshoni and Cody.
I’d been told the drive to Shoshoni was not that interesting, and
indeed it was not my favorite part. On top of that, it drizzled
or rained most of the way. We were out of the rain from Shoshini
on, and the drive along Boysen State Park and especially up
through the Wind River Canyon to Thermopolis was just beautiful.
On this drive I saw a number of nice silhouette art works
depicting western scenes; discovered just now that they are part
of the 307 First initiative...
https://307first.com/highway-silhouettes/
When we arrived at the east entrance to Yellowstone, the ranger at
the window (knowing we were headed to Fishing Bridge) said with a
smile, “You’re almost there.” I responded with a laugh, “That’s not what Google Maps tells me!” She laughed too. The drive over
to the campground was of course spectacular, going over a pass and
then along Yellowstone Lake. We were struck by the evidence of
recently past forest fires along the way.
The campground was set up for efficient handling of lots of
traffic. Getting checked in was reasonably straightforward, and
the sites (on loop E for us) were nice—though somewhat closely
spaced.
I forgot to mention that on day 3 on the way to Big Mac, we
stopped at Front Street in Ogallala, a throwback to the 19th
century western town. Kathy had been a singer and dancer in the
revue program there the summer after her senior year of high
school, so she really enjoyed seeing it again. The museum was
pretty cool, and I would have enjoyed spending more time than we
had...
https://ogallalafrontstreet.com/
On day 5 we drove to YellowstoneDay 4 we drove into Casper, WY.Day 3 we headed across Nebraska.Day 1 was driving west...Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across it
day 6) ... drove north along the Yellowstone RiverOn day 5 we drove to YellowstoneDay 4 we drove into Casper, WY.Day 3 we headed across Nebraska.Day 1 was driving west...Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across it
On Sat, 21 Jun 2025 14:27:33 -0000 (UTC),
Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> wrote:
day 6) ... drove north along the Yellowstone RiverOn day 5 we drove to YellowstoneDay 4 we drove into Casper, WY.Day 3 we headed across Nebraska.Day 1 was driving west...Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across it
On day 7 we packed up the trailer and headed with it to Old
Faithful. We didn’t have a great distance to cover for our next
campground so I figured we could spend the morning seeing more
sights; also, that the geyser would have ample parking. We
arrived with about 15 minutes to the next eruption, so that timing
worked well.
After that we drove on toward Grand Prismatic Spring and I pulled
into the small parking loop. Boy, that was a mistake! Traffic
was backed up waiting for spaces, and it took 10-15 minutes to get
into the actual parking area. They had 2 or 3 spaces designated
for RVs, but of course they were full. So I dropped off Kathy and
asked her to get some pictures while I drove up and down the park
road that passes the site.
Once I picked her up, we drove on to Grand Teton NP. Jackson Lake
was just stunning, but our campground was in Dubois—another hour
or more east of the park. On top of that, we needed groceries.
Thinking Dubois didn’t have much, we drove on to Jackson, then to
Dubois. That ended up being several hours, time I had not planned
on, so it was rather late by the time we got to Dubois.
https://panix.com/~theise/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20250528_131709.jpg
On Sat, 21 Jun 2025 14:27:33 -0000 (UTC),
Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> wrote:
On day 7 we [saw geysers and headed to Tetonsday 6) ... drove north along the Yellowstone RiverOn day 5 we drove to YellowstoneDay 4 we drove into Casper, WY.Day 3 we headed across Nebraska.Day 1 was driving west...Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across it
On Sun, 22 Jun 2025 15:26:41 -0000 (UTC),
Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> wrote:
On Sat, 21 Jun 2025 14:27:33 -0000 (UTC),
Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> wrote:
On day 7 we [saw geysers and headed to Tetons
day 6) ... drove north along the Yellowstone RiverOn day 5 we drove to YellowstoneDay 4 we drove into Casper, WY.Day 3 we headed across Nebraska.Day 1 was driving west...Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across it
Day 8 we got up and had our usual coffee. Unfortunately,
something blew when I started up the grinder while the electric
kettle was heating. After lots of fooling around with the GFCI
and the shore power, the only way I could get things to work was
by running a 110 V extension cord from the site pedestal in
through the trailer window. Ugh.
Once we were done with breakfast and coffee, I tried to fix the
power issue. The basic problem was the GFCI outlet had tripped,
and I’d been unable to reset it. I’d also disconnected and reconnected to the park power, but no joy. Thinking the outlet
itself may have been at fault, I bought a new one in town and
replaced the outlet. It would not work either, so I gave up for
the day.
At that point, we hauled the tandem over to Jenny Lake Visitor
Center. I’d found a roughly 40-mile route online that seemed
within our ability; unfortunately, the distance from Jenny Lake
was more than I expected, so we ended up doing almost 50 miles and
we were whupped when we got back…
https://ridewithgps.com/trips/288956429
FWIW, I was not that impressed by Jackson. It seemed crowded and
hectic, without the charm of places like Moab. The NP itself was
beautiful, though.
On Sun, 22 Jun 2025 15:26:41 -0000 (UTC),
Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> wrote:
On Sat, 21 Jun 2025 14:27:33 -0000 (UTC),
Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> wrote:
On day 7 we [saw geysers and headed to Tetons
day 6) ... drove north along the Yellowstone RiverOn day 5 we drove to YellowstoneDay 4 we drove into Casper, WY.Day 3 we headed across Nebraska.Day 1 was driving west...Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across it
Day 8 we got up and had our usual coffee. Unfortunately,
something blew when I started up the grinder while the electric
kettle was heating. After lots of fooling around with the GFCI
and the shore power, the only way I could get things to work was
by running a 110 V extension cord from the site pedestal in
through the trailer window. Ugh.
Once we were done with breakfast and coffee, I tried to fix the
power issue. The basic problem was the GFCI outlet had tripped,
and I’d been unable to reset it. I’d also disconnected and
reconnected to the park power, but no joy. Thinking the outlet
itself may have been at fault, I bought a new one in town and
replaced the outlet. It would not work either, so I gave up for
the day.
At that point, we hauled the tandem over to Jenny Lake Visitor
Center. I’d found a roughly 40-mile route online that seemed
within our ability; unfortunately, the distance from Jenny Lake
was more than I expected, so we ended up doing almost 50 miles and
we were whupped when we got back…
https://ridewithgps.com/trips/288956429
FWIW, I was not that impressed by Jackson. It seemed crowded and
hectic, without the charm of places like Moab. The NP itself was
beautiful, though.
At that point, we hauled the tandem over to Jenny Lake Visitor
Center. I’d found a roughly 40-mile route online that seemed
within our ability; unfortunately, the distance from Jenny Lake
was more than I expected, so we ended up doing almost 50 miles and
we were whupped when we got back…
https://ridewithgps.com/trips/288956429
damn. Was that whole thing on a bicycle? I get tired after an hour of
mowing grass.......on a riding mower. However comma in my defense, it's
not a tandem mower, so I have to do everything myself.
On day 7 we [saw geysers and headed to Tetonsday 6) ... drove north along the Yellowstone RiverOn day 5 we drove to YellowstoneDay 4 we drove into Casper, WY.Day 3 we headed across Nebraska.Day 1 was driving west...Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across it
Day 8 we got up and had our usual coffee. Unfortunately,
something blew when I started up the grinder while the
electric kettle was heating. After lots of fooling around
with the GFCI and the shore power, the only way I could get
things to work was by running a 110 V extension cord from the
site pedestal in through the trailer window. Ugh.
Once we were done with breakfast and coffee, I tried to fix
the power issue. The basic problem was the GFCI outlet had
tripped, and I’d been unable to reset it. I’d also
disconnected and reconnected to the park power, but no joy.
Thinking the outlet itself may have been at fault, I bought a
new one in town and replaced the outlet. It would not work
either, so I gave up for the day.
Did you find the problem eventually? There must be a
fuse/breaker bank somewhere. You'd think the GCFI would blow
before the breaker went, but if you've replaced the outlet you
must look further, assuming you did reset the new breaker too?
https://ridewithgps.com/trips/288956429
That's a nice day! Not flat either. You'll look back and be
glad you did it someday.
FWIW, I was not that impressed by Jackson. It seemed crowded
and hectic, without the charm of places like Moab. The NP
itself was beautiful, though.
Turning into a tourist trap from what I've heard...rich
tourists. Moab isn't like it was before either. We were there
about 5-6 years ago and stayed right in town. Had a great
time. When we went through there this fall it was crazy.
There was a jeep gathering going on, so maybe that had
something to do with it. I didn't want to stop there at all
this time. Too busy for me.
Day 8 we rode the tandemOn day 7 we [saw geysers and headed to Tetonsday 6) ... drove north along the Yellowstone RiverOn day 5 we drove to YellowstoneDay 4 we drove into Casper, WY.Day 3 we headed across Nebraska.Day 1 was driving west...Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across it
I recalled also that the power testing device I use each time on a
new campsite before plugging in the trailer had shown an error at
the suspect campsite (though it came up all green after I shut off
the 30 A and tried a second time).
My conclusion was that the camp power was the culprit, maybe
having a ground fault somewhere. And that the new outlet I bought
was either not quite right for the trailer or was somehow
defective. In any case, all worked fine the rest of the trip.
On 6/24/2025 10:20 AM, Ted Heise wrote:
I recalled also that the power testing device I use each time
on a new campsite before plugging in the trailer had shown an
error at the suspect campsite (though it came up all green
after I shut off the 30 A and tried a second time).
My conclusion was that the camp power was the culprit, maybe
having a ground fault somewhere. And that the new outlet I
bought was either not quite right for the trailer or was
somehow defective. In any case, all worked fine the rest of
the trip.
I'm curious about this "power testing device" you use. Do you
just test what is coming out of the box and then put it away,
or is it always on the line in case of surges or other faults?
FWIW, I use a Power Watchdog and it works nicely, though I did
have to cover up the one side as it had a ridiculous bright
light coming off of it.
On 6/24/2025 2:01 PM, Ted Heise wrote:
On Tue, 24 Jun 2025 11:20:33 -0500,
sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:
I recalled also that the power testing device I use each
time on a new campsite before plugging in the trailer had
shown an error at the suspect campsite (though it came up
all green after I shut off the 30 A and tried a second
time).
I'm curious about this "power testing device" you use. Do
you just test what is coming out of the box and then put it
away, or is it always on the line in case of surges or
other faults?
It was part of a kit I bought from the dealer when I picked up
the trailer, this has info on it...
https://tinyurl.com/msyjrs3s
And yes, after testing I put it away. I have no idea how
robust the surge protector is, I just use it.
OK. So you plug in the tester and if that is ok you put the
surge module in and plug into that. Then on, you are protected
from low/high voltage and power surges. That was what I was
interested in.
There has been a place or two (inluding the site with the
problematic power) where the plug in panel didn't have a
cover. Strikes me as suboptimal if it rains.
Also it's probably illegal almost everywhere. That's it can
kill you power.
FWIW, I use a Power Watchdog and it works nicely, though I
did have to cover up the one side as it had a ridiculous
bright light coming off of it.
Is this some device that goes inside the trailer? If it goes
on the plug in pedestal, it must be *really* bright to be a
bother.
It goes in at the pedestal. You plug it in and it can be
connected to from your phone. Gives a readout of current
voltages and how much you have used. As far as the light, it
was ridiculous that they would think it is OK for it to be as
bright as it was. Now I'm very wary of not intruding on other
people's enjoyment of things, and having this bright a light
seemed ridiculous...
On Tue, 24 Jun 2025 11:20:33 -0500,
sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:
On 6/24/2025 10:20 AM, Ted Heise wrote:
I recalled also that the power testing device I use each time
on a new campsite before plugging in the trailer had shown an
error at the suspect campsite (though it came up all green
after I shut off the 30 A and tried a second time).
My conclusion was that the camp power was the culprit, maybe
having a ground fault somewhere. And that the new outlet I
bought was either not quite right for the trailer or was
somehow defective. In any case, all worked fine the rest of
the trip.
I'm curious about this "power testing device" you use. Do you
just test what is coming out of the box and then put it away,
or is it always on the line in case of surges or other faults?
It was part of a kit I bought from the dealer when I picked up the
trailer, this has info on it...
https://www.camperid.com/progressive-industries/30a-straight-male-x-30a-straight-female-surge-protector-kit-mpn-psk-30.html?srsltid=AfmBOopcVW-a4eQzYMYZp_IGrUh67mzmMuHKhJnFsHJLZaCAO9DrImLM
https://tinyurl.com/msyjrs3s
And yes, after testing I put it away. I have no idea how robust
the surge protector is, I just use it.
There has been a place or two (inluding the site with the
problematic power) where the plug in panel didn't have a cover.
Strikes me as suboptimal if it rains.
FWIW, I use a Power Watchdog and it works nicely, though I did
have to cover up the one side as it had a ridiculous bright
light coming off of it.
Is this some device that goes inside the trailer? If it goes on
the plug in pedestal, it must be *really* bright to be a bother.
On Mon, 23 Jun 2025 17:14:18 -0000 (UTC),
Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> wrote:
Day 8 we rode the tandemOn day 7 we [saw geysers and headed to Tetonsday 6) ... drove north along the Yellowstone RiverOn day 5 we drove to YellowstoneDay 4 we drove into Casper, WY.Day 3 we headed across Nebraska.Day 1 was driving west...Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across it
On day 9 we got up, had breakfast and coffee, packed up the
trailer, and headed to Ranchester. This was a fairly long haul
across long stretches of Wyoming. The Wind River Range was
gorgeous and then we got to go through the Wind River Canyon
again. As we headed east I said goodbye to the mountains in my
rear view mirror...
https://panix.com/~theise/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20250531_122648.jpg
But it was premature. The approach and climb up into the Bighorns
on US 14 was pretty gnarly, at least it got my attention! Then we
had periodic cliffs and drop-offs on each side, concluded by a
decent that was at least as hairy as the climb. There were
multiple warning signs to truckers, with one switchback in
particular stated as having had multiple deaths.
The Lazy R CG was okay, but nothing to write home about. It had a
sewer hookup at the site, but it was under a board so I didn’t
mess with it.
A nice finding was that I was able to reset the
original GFCI outlet, yay! On reflection, I’d gotten an error
signal for a bit with my circuit tester when I first plugged it in
at the previous site, so I think something was wrong with its
setup. In any case, I had no more problems with the trailer
circuits.
On 6/24/2025 10:22 AM, Ted Heise wrote:
On Mon, 23 Jun 2025 17:14:18 -0000 (UTC),
Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> wrote:
Day 8 we rode the tandemOn day 7 we [saw geysers and headed to Tetonsday 6) ... drove north along the Yellowstone RiverOn day 5 we drove to YellowstoneDay 4 we drove into Casper, WY.Day 3 we headed across Nebraska.Day 1 was driving west...Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across it
On day 9 we got up, had breakfast and coffee, packed up the
trailer, and headed to Ranchester. This was a fairly long haul
across long stretches of Wyoming. The Wind River Range was
gorgeous and then we got to go through the Wind River Canyon
again. As we headed east I said goodbye to the mountains in my
rear view mirror...
https://panix.com/~theise/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20250531_122648.jpg
But it was premature. The approach and climb up into the Bighorns
on US 14 was pretty gnarly, at least it got my attention! Then we
had periodic cliffs and drop-offs on each side, concluded by a
decent that was at least as hairy as the climb. There were
multiple warning signs to truckers, with one switchback in
particular stated as having had multiple deaths.
did some street view on 14. Pretty cool road. Giving me the itch.
The Lazy R CG was okay, but nothing to write home about. It had a
sewer hookup at the site, but it was under a board so I didn’t
mess with it.
Well that's not good. They're supposed to be above ground so runoff
among other things, doesn't go in them. Probably had someone run over
the pipe and got tired of fixing them. That's why you notice lots of
places put rocks in front of them.
A nice finding was that I was able to reset the
original GFCI outlet, yay! On reflection, I’d gotten an error
signal for a bit with my circuit tester when I first plugged it in
at the previous site, so I think something was wrong with its
setup. In any case, I had no more problems with the trailer
circuits.
Good news.
Sometimes, shit unhappens.
On 6/24/2025 7:19 PM, bfh wrote:
Sometimes, shit unhappens.
Wish I could have unhailed my Bronco and Winnebago View!
On day 9 we headed to Ranchester...Day 8 we rode the tandemOn day 7 we [saw geysers and headed to Tetonsday 6) ... drove north along the Yellowstone RiverOn day 5 we drove to YellowstoneDay 4 we drove into Casper, WY.Day 3 we headed across Nebraska.Day 1 was driving west...Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across it
On Mon, 23 Jun 2025 19:00:39 -0500,
sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:
On day 7 we [saw geysers and headed to Tetonsday 6) ... drove north along the Yellowstone RiverOn day 5 we drove to YellowstoneDay 4 we drove into Casper, WY.Day 3 we headed across Nebraska.Day 1 was driving west...Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across it
Day 8 we got up and had our usual coffee. Unfortunately,
something blew when I started up the grinder while the
electric kettle was heating. After lots of fooling around
with the GFCI and the shore power, the only way I could get
things to work was by running a 110 V extension cord from the
site pedestal in through the trailer window. Ugh.
Once we were done with breakfast and coffee, I tried to fix
the power issue. The basic problem was the GFCI outlet had
tripped, and I’d been unable to reset it. I’d also
disconnected and reconnected to the park power, but no joy.
Thinking the outlet itself may have been at fault, I bought a
new one in town and replaced the outlet. It would not work
either, so I gave up for the day.
Did you find the problem eventually? There must be a
fuse/breaker bank somewhere. You'd think the GCFI would blow
before the breaker went, but if you've replaced the outlet you
must look further, assuming you did reset the new breaker too?
You're reading ahead. :)
Though I wrote more about this later (when I knew more), it's a
more than fair question. At the time I checked all the fuses and
breakers, none had blown. Once we got to the next campground, the
new GFCI outlet still woudn't reset, so I put the old one back in
and it reset and worked just fine.
I recalled also that the power testing device I use each time on a
new campsite before plugging in the trailer had shown an error at
the suspect campsite (though it came up all green after I shut off
the 30 A and tried a second time).
My conclusion was that the camp power was the culprit, maybe
having a ground fault somewhere. And that the new outlet I bought
was either not quite right for the trailer or was somehow
defective. In any case, all worked fine the rest of the trip.
https://ridewithgps.com/trips/288956429
That's a nice day! Not flat either. You'll look back and be
glad you did it someday.
LOL I'm glad already, just wasn't so much when we finished.
FWIW, I was not that impressed by Jackson. It seemed crowded
and hectic, without the charm of places like Moab. The NP
itself was beautiful, though.
Turning into a tourist trap from what I've heard...rich
tourists. Moab isn't like it was before either. We were there
about 5-6 years ago and stayed right in town. Had a great
time. When we went through there this fall it was crazy.
There was a jeep gathering going on, so maybe that had
something to do with it. I didn't want to stop there at all
this time. Too busy for me.
Yeah, we were in Moab last year in April, so ahead of peak season.
There were definitely a lot of visitors, but it still seemed to
have a bit of a laid back feel to it. My impression, anyway.
--
Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> West Lafayette, IN, USA
On day 10 we bopped over to MoorcroftOn day 9 we headed to Ranchester...Day 8 we rode the tandemOn day 7 we [saw geysers and headed to Tetonsday 6) ... drove north along the Yellowstone RiverOn day 5 we drove to YellowstoneDay 4 we drove into Casper, WY.Day 3 we headed across Nebraska.Day 1 was driving west...Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across it
Day 11 was our trip to Devils TowerOn day 10 we bopped over to MoorcroftOn day 9 we headed to Ranchester...Day 8 we rode the tandemOn day 7 we [saw geysers and headed to Tetonsday 6) ... drove north along the Yellowstone RiverOn day 5 we drove to YellowstoneDay 4 we drove into Casper, WY.Day 3 we headed across Nebraska.Day 1 was driving west...Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across it
On day 12 we took out the tandem again
On day 9 we headed to Ranchester...
On day 10 we bopped over to Moorcroft, it was a short drive so on
our way we made a stop at the Brinton Museum. Recommended by a
friend, it is a fabulous place with outstanding native American
artifacts and western art. They had an exhibit featuring
accomplished Wyoming women that was inspiring…
https://thebrintonmuseum.org/
https://panix.com/~theise/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20250531_095753.jpg
After finishing the drive we arrived at Timber Ridge CG which
turned out to be one of our favorite campsites. It had full
hookups and the place was very clean and well kept up. The
bathhouse was very nice and it was the first place that had let us
have a campfire…
https://panix.com/~theise/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20250531_205215.jpg
Because we got in at a reasonable time, we did laundry as well.
Day 13 was a drive from Wyoming to western Nebraska. By now I’d
realized that traffic on much of I-90 in Wyoming was reasonably
light and I didn’t feel that pulling the trailer at 60 mph was inconveniencing other drivers all that much. So we took that
route around the Black Hills and through Sturgis and Rapid City.
Neither of these towns were very attractive to me, though the
landscapes were.
From Rapid City we took 44 down through the Badlands, though it
seemed more appropriate that they should have been called the
Badroads. Ugh. Rough, narrow, and rough. Did I mention they
were rough? There was a nice stretch through pine ridges and it
got a little better once we entered Nebraska.
The state park at Merritt Reservoir was a bit rustic. The place
clearly catered mostly to fishermen, and it also seemed somewhat
trashy. It was fine for a night, though. And we had a nice
sunset...
https://panix.com/~theise/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20250603_213017.jpg
On day 10 we bopped over to Moorcroft
Two days today, because the first is short...
Day 11 was our trip to Devils Tower. I had not appreciated the
extent to which native americans have revered the place. Some of
their names for it are "Bear Lodge," "Bear's Tipi," and "Tree
Rock." The bear aspect includes some legends that the grooves
were carved by a climbing bear’s claws.
On day 12 we took out the tandem again—this time from the
campground toward Keyhole State Park and then around to Moorcroft.
The wind was stiff, so the 35 miles we rode was quite a challenge.
The end of the ride included a very steep grade that we just
couldn’t quite ride all the way up—had to walk the last 50 yards
or so. :(
https://panix.com/~theise/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20250602_131135.jpg
After all the exercise, we treated ourselves to a nice dinner at a
Mexican restaurant. It really hit the spot! That night I planned
the next day’s stop, which ended up being at Merritt Reservoir
near Valentine, NE.
On 6/28/2025 9:12 PM, Ted Heise wrote:
The state park at Merritt Reservoir was a bit rustic. The
place clearly catered mostly to fishermen, and it also seemed
somewhat trashy. It was fine for a night, though. And we had
a nice sunset...
https://panix.com/~theise/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20250603_213017.jpg
I see they claim to have "some of the darkest skies in the
world". Did you have a clear night and see the Milky Way?
Day 13 was a drive from Wyoming to western NebraskaDay 11 was our trip to Devils TowerOn day 10 we bopped over to MoorcroftOn day 9 we headed to Ranchester...Day 8 we rode the tandemOn day 7 we [saw geysers and headed to Tetonsday 6) ... drove north along the Yellowstone RiverOn day 5 we drove to YellowstoneDay 4 we drove into Casper, WY.Day 3 we headed across Nebraska.Day 1 was driving west...Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across it
On day 12 we took out the tandem again
On Mon, 30 Jun 2025 08:38:13 -0500,
sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:
On 6/28/2025 9:12 PM, Ted Heise wrote:
The state park at Merritt Reservoir was a bit rustic. The
place clearly catered mostly to fishermen, and it also seemed
somewhat trashy. It was fine for a night, though. And we had
a nice sunset...
https://panix.com/~theise/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20250603_213017.jpg
I see they claim to have "some of the darkest skies in the
world". Did you have a clear night and see the Milky Way?
Good question, I meant to mention that. I got out of bed about 2
am to pee, and decided to step out of the trailer to see the
stars. As it happened, the next door trailer had all their
exterior LED lights blazing, so I didn't see much.
Day 13 was a drive from Wyoming to western Nebraska
The next morning (day 14) we packed up and drove the rest of the
way across Nebraska, swinging back up to Valentine, taking scenic
highway 20 for some time, and landing near Onawa, IA. As we got
into eastern Nebraska and for a good part of western Iowa, we had
hill after steep hill to climb. These were at times a bit much
for the Acadia, and I would often end up driving less than 50 mph
so it wouldn’t be running at crazy rpms.
This campsite was at Lewis and Clark Lake State Park, along an old
ox bow of the Missouri River. No bath house, but it was
reasonably scenic and we had a nice campfire...
https://panix.com/~theise/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20250604_195534.jpg
Ted Heise wrote:
On Mon, 30 Jun 2025 08:38:13 -0500,IMO, cutesy LEDs are right up there with generators, radios, and
sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:
On 6/28/2025 9:12 PM, Ted Heise wrote:
The state park at Merritt Reservoir was a bit rustic. The
place clearly catered mostly to fishermen, and it also seemed
somewhat trashy. It was fine for a night, though. And we had
a nice sunset...
https://panix.com/~theise/wp-content/
uploads/2025/06/20250603_213017.jpg
I see they claim to have "some of the darkest skies in the
world". Did you have a clear night and see the Milky Way?
Good question, I meant to mention that. I got out of bed about 2
am to pee, and decided to step out of the trailer to see the
stars. As it happened, the next door trailer had all their
exterior LED lights blazing, so I didn't see much.
buttugly yapping dogs.
On 6/30/2025 3:36 PM, bfh wrote:
Ted Heise wrote:
On Mon, 30 Jun 2025 08:38:13 -0500,IMO, cutesy LEDs are right up there with generators, radios, and
  sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:
 On 6/28/2025 9:12 PM, Ted Heise wrote:
The state park at Merritt Reservoir was a bit rustic. The
place clearly catered mostly to fishermen, and it also seemed
somewhat trashy. It was fine for a night, though. And we had >>>>> a nice sunset...
https://panix.com/~theise/wp-content/
uploads/2025/06/20250603_213017.jpg
 I see they claim to have "some of the darkest skies in the
 world". Did you have a clear night and see the Milky Way?
Good question, I meant to mention that. I got out of bed about 2
am to pee, and decided to step out of the trailer to see the
stars. As it happened, the next door trailer had all their
exterior LED lights blazing, so I didn't see much.
buttugly yapping dogs.
I know, what the hell. I can understand needing a little light to see around your site in the dark, but some people seem to be proud of
their special lighting and just want to show off. It's bad enough
when they do this when they're sitting outside, but why in the hell
would you leave them on when you go inside. They're either too stupid
to understand that others might not like all the light, or they just
don't care and do it anyway.
Same with radios. What in the hell makes someone think that other
people camping want to hear their radio blaring away? Stupid or just rude. Assholes!
sticks wrote:
On 6/30/2025 3:36 PM, bfh wrote:
IMO, cutesy LEDs are right up there with generators, radios, and
buttugly yapping dogs.
I know, what the hell. I can understand needing a little light to see
around your site in the dark, but some people seem to be proud of
their special lighting and just want to show off. It's bad enough
when they do this when they're sitting outside, but why in the hell
would you leave them on when you go inside. They're either too stupid
to understand that others might not like all the light, or they just
don't care and do it anyway.
Same with radios. What in the hell makes someone think that other
people camping want to hear their radio blaring away? Stupid or just
rude. Assholes!
I hope that rant made you feel better. I mean, damn - it even made me
feel better just reading it.
On 6/30/2025 12:40 PM, Ted Heise wrote:
...As we got into eastern Nebraska and for a good part of
western Iowa, we had hill after steep hill to climb. These
were at times a bit much for the Acadia, and I would often end
up driving less than 50 mph so it wouldn’t be running at crazy
rpms.
You gotta get used to speeding up on the downhills so you have
enough momentum to do the climbing. I did my best to do it
pulling our TOAD and it sure helps, but I have a diesel and
don't mind it chugging along if necessary.
I love the hilly parts of Iowa. On the eastern side along the
Mississippi, it's just gorgeous. Rode the motorcycle 450 miles
on Saturday up through Wisconsin on hwy 33 into La Crescent,
Minnesota, then took the Great River Road down through Iowa and
into Dubuque. Turned into Illinois and went thru Galena and
headed home. Beautiful day to be out riding. Upper 80's until
we got to La Crosse, then it jumped up into the low 90's for a
short period, but it was manageable.
This campsite was at Lewis and Clark Lake State Park, along an
old ox bow of the Missouri River. No bath house, but it was
reasonably scenic and we had a nice campfire...
https://panix.com/~theise/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20250604_195534.jpg
Cool, you got another spot right on the water. Peaceful. How
were the bugs out there?
(day 14) we drove across Nebraska...Day 13 was a drive from Wyoming to western NebraskaDay 11 was our trip to Devils TowerOn day 10 we bopped over to MoorcroftOn day 9 we headed to Ranchester...Day 8 we rode the tandemOn day 7 we [saw geysers and headed to Tetonsday 6) ... drove north along the Yellowstone RiverOn day 5 we drove to YellowstoneDay 4 we drove into Casper, WY.Day 3 we headed across Nebraska.Day 1 was driving west...Day 2 we swung up into Iowa...
On day 12 we took out the tandem again
On 6/30/2025 4:39 PM, bfh wrote:
sticks wrote:
On 6/30/2025 3:36 PM, bfh wrote:
IMO, cutesy LEDs are right up there with generators, radios,
and buttugly yapping dogs.
I know, what the hell. I can understand needing a little
light to see around your site in the dark, but some people
seem to be proud of their special lighting and just want to
show off. It's bad enough when they do this when they're
sitting outside, but why in the hell would you leave them on
when you go inside. They're either too stupid to understand
that others might not like all the light, or they just don't
care and do it anyway. Same with radios. What in the hell
makes someone think that other people camping want to hear
their radio blaring away? Stupid or just rude. Assholes!
I hope that rant made you feel better. I mean, damn - it even
made me feel better just reading it.
I didn't even get into dogs. Now I love the hell out of dogs.
But I expect the owner to have taught them some manners. I
don't get mad at dogs, but I do get mad at the owners.
When we were down in Utah a guy and his wife get the spot next
to us and they have a good sized dog. He's letting it roam
around without a leash, which just about everywhere is not
good. I walk up to the campground store and when I get back
I'll be damned there's a pile of shit on my site. I was making
a bunch of noise about how in the hell I could have dog shit on
my grass when I don't have a dog as I picked it up. Then I
gave the owner the evil eye. He kept it on a leash after that,
at least when we were there and I didn't pick up any more dog
crap. Other than that, we had lots of dogs around and almost
all of them were very quiet and well behaved. Some people just
think they're "special" I guess.
Final installment.
On day 15 we crossed Iowa, ending up at Fairport State Recreation
Area right on the Mississippi just west of Davenport. It was a
nice final campsite, it had a bath house and we could see the
river from our trailer.
https://panix.com/~theise/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20250605_195422.jpg
Day 16 brought us home. All in all it was a great trip. We saw
more amazing countryside, and I got more familiar with the camper.
In the end I liked state parks as much if not more than the
commercial places. Though they usually had only electric, that
was okay and I could dump and fill tanks when needed. As a plus,
they were generally not full, so I felt as if I could wing it a
bit more (i.e., not have all the stops planned out ahead of time).
On 7/1/2025 8:01 AM, Ted Heise wrote:
Final installment.
On day 15 we crossed Iowa, ending up at Fairport State Recreation
Area right on the Mississippi just west of Davenport. It was a
nice final campsite, it had a bath house and we could see the
river from our trailer.
You'd think you planned this trip with fishing in my looking at where
you always ended up. ;-) That's a nice area. Brother of mine went
to Augustana College just up the road in Rock Island. I got throwed
out of a bar there one night.
https://panix.com/~theise/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20250605_195422.jpg
Day 16 brought us home. All in all it was a great trip. We saw
more amazing countryside, and I got more familiar with the camper.
In the end I liked state parks as much if not more than the
commercial places. Though they usually had only electric, that
was okay and I could dump and fill tanks when needed. As a plus,
they were generally not full, so I felt as if I could wing it a
bit more (i.e., not have all the stops planned out ahead of time).
Could just be wishful thinking, but the state parks seem to have just
a little bit bigger sites, too. I agree with you on only having
electric, too. That also probably helps keep them less crowded
because some people just have to be hooked up.
Anyway, appreciate you posting about your journey. I enjoyed reading
them and it kept me in the RVing mood while mine was in the shop.
On 7/1/2025 8:01 AM, Ted Heise wrote:
Final installment.
On day 15 we crossed Iowa, ending up at Fairport State
Recreation Area right on the Mississippi just west of
Davenport. It was a nice final campsite, it had a bath house
and we could see the river from our trailer.
You'd think you planned this trip with fishing in my looking at
where you always ended up. ;-)
...That's a nice area. Brother of mine went to
Augustana College just up the road in Rock Island.
...I got throwed out of a bar there one night.
In the end I liked state parks as much if not more than the
commercial places. Though they usually had only electric,
that was okay and I could dump and fill tanks when needed.
As a plus, they were generally not full, so I felt as if I
could wing it a bit more (i.e., not have all the stops planned
out ahead of time).
Could just be wishful thinking, but the state parks seem to
have just a little bit bigger sites, too. I agree with you on
only having electric, too. That also probably helps keep them
less crowded because some people just have to be hooked up.
Anyway, appreciate you posting about your journey. I enjoyed
reading them and it kept me in the RVing mood while mine was in
the shop.
On Thu, 26 Jun 2025 12:23:55 -0000 (UTC),
Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> wrote:
Day 11 was our trip to Devils TowerOn day 10 we bopped over to MoorcroftOn day 9 we headed to Ranchester...Day 8 we rode the tandemOn day 7 we [saw geysers and headed to Tetonsday 6) ... drove north along the Yellowstone RiverOn day 5 we drove to YellowstoneDay 4 we drove into Casper, WY.Day 3 we headed across Nebraska.Day 1 was driving west...Day 2 we swung up into Iowa and drove across it
On day 12 we took out the tandem again
Day 13 was a drive from Wyoming to western Nebraska. By now I’d
realized that traffic on much of I-90 in Wyoming was reasonably
light and I didn’t feel that pulling the trailer at 60 mph was inconveniencing other drivers all that much. So we took that
route around the Black Hills and through Sturgis and Rapid City.
Neither of these towns were very attractive to me, though the
landscapes were.
From Rapid City we took 44 down through the Badlands, though it
seemed more appropriate that they should have been called the
Badroads. Ugh. Rough, narrow, and rough. Did I mention they
were rough? There was a nice stretch through pine ridges and it
got a little better once we entered Nebraska.
The state park at Merritt Reservoir was a bit rustic. The place
clearly catered mostly to fishermen, and it also seemed somewhat
trashy. It was fine for a night, though. And we had a nice
sunset...
https://panix.com/~theise/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20250603_213017.jpg
On 6/30/2025 3:36 PM, bfh wrote:
Ted Heise wrote:
On Mon, 30 Jun 2025 08:38:13 -0500,IMO, cutesy LEDs are right up there with generators, radios, and
sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:
On 6/28/2025 9:12 PM, Ted Heise wrote:
The state park at Merritt Reservoir was a bit rustic. The
place clearly catered mostly to fishermen, and it also seemed
somewhat trashy. It was fine for a night, though. And we had
a nice sunset...
https://panix.com/~theise/wp-content/
uploads/2025/06/20250603_213017.jpg
I see they claim to have "some of the darkest skies in the
world". Did you have a clear night and see the Milky Way?
Good question, I meant to mention that. I got out of bed about 2
am to pee, and decided to step out of the trailer to see the
stars. As it happened, the next door trailer had all their
exterior LED lights blazing, so I didn't see much.
buttugly yapping dogs.
I know, what the hell. I can understand needing a little light to see
around your site in the dark, but some people seem to be proud of their special lighting and just want to show off. It's bad enough when they
do this when they're sitting outside, but why in the hell would you
leave them on when you go inside. They're either too stupid to
understand that others might not like all the light, or they just don't
care and do it anyway.
Same with radios. What in the hell makes someone think that other
people camping want to hear their radio blaring away? Stupid or just
rude. Assholes!
sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:
On 6/30/2025 3:36 PM, bfh wrote:
Ted Heise wrote:
On Mon, 30 Jun 2025 08:38:13 -0500,IMO, cutesy LEDs are right up there with generators, radios, and
sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:
On 6/28/2025 9:12 PM, Ted Heise wrote:
The state park at Merritt Reservoir was a bit rustic. The
place clearly catered mostly to fishermen, and it also seemed
somewhat trashy. It was fine for a night, though. And we had
a nice sunset...
https://panix.com/~theise/wp-content/
uploads/2025/06/20250603_213017.jpg
I see they claim to have "some of the darkest skies in the
world". Did you have a clear night and see the Milky Way?
Good question, I meant to mention that. I got out of bed about 2
am to pee, and decided to step out of the trailer to see the
stars. As it happened, the next door trailer had all their
exterior LED lights blazing, so I didn't see much.
buttugly yapping dogs.
I know, what the hell. I can understand needing a little light to see
around your site in the dark, but some people seem to be proud of their
special lighting and just want to show off. It's bad enough when they
do this when they're sitting outside, but why in the hell would you
leave them on when you go inside. They're either too stupid to
understand that others might not like all the light, or they just don't
care and do it anyway.
Same with radios. What in the hell makes someone think that other
people camping want to hear their radio blaring away? Stupid or just
rude. Assholes!
Democrats!
On Wed, 2 Jul 2025 15:31:09 -0500,
sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:
You'd think you planned this trip with fishing in my looking at
where you always ended up. ;-)
LOL no For whatever reason, it just doesn't interest me that
much. Though I do like seeing the water.
Speaking of drives to Nebraska, my wife and I decided just last
week to move back to Nebraska (we lived there until 1997 when we
moved to Indiana for my career). Now that I'm retired, we're
going home. As a plus, it'll be a shorter drive to the Rockies
and the Southwest. :)
...I got throwed out of a bar there one night.
Okay, that's more we have in common. Though my bad old days of
alcoholic drinking are behind me, thankfully.
We are on our way to Seattle (ugh). Beautiful area, lunatic people.
not much to say on the way up. We are on a time crunch. I may try to post a little on the trip back home. We have covered this route so many times we
are almost oblivious to the sights. I do have plans to try a new route home this time so I may have something to report.
On 7/4/2025 7:58 AM, Ted Heise wrote:
On Wed, 2 Jul 2025 15:31:09 -0500,
sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:
You'd think you planned this trip with fishing in my
looking at where you always ended up. ;-)
LOL no For whatever reason, it just doesn't interest me that
much. Though I do like seeing the water.
I used to fish a lot more than I do now. Just always seems
like there is something else I should do. Doesn't help that
the wife doesn't fish, but she at least used to go sit along
the shore and read. We haven't done that in two years for some
reason. I also do love to eat fish while camping. Stayed up
at Lake Koshkenong in Wisconsin and we'd get lots of catfish,
walleye, and largemouth. I really do enjoy fried catfish, some
fried potatoes, and beans.
week to move back to Nebraska (we lived there until 1997 when
we moved to Indiana for my career). Now that I'm retired,
we're going home. As a plus, it'll be a shorter drive to the
Rockies and the Southwest. :)
Wow, that's big. Congratulations. Indiana is not a bad place
to live, but Nebraska is better, and cuts off a whole day
getting west. That is one of the big problems with where we
live in Illinois. Takes at least two days, usually 3, to get
to where we want to be.
...I got throwed out of a bar there one night.
Okay, that's more we have in common. Though my bad old days
of alcoholic drinking are behind me, thankfully.
Mine pretty much are, too. Not by my choice, but my wife just
goes crazy. I'm starting to resent that and am probably going
to take that power away from her. Not that I want to drink all
the time, but if I want one I don't want to fight a war over
it.
On Mon, 7 Jul 2025 15:07:38 -0500,
sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:
On 7/4/2025 7:58 AM, Ted Heise wrote:
On Wed, 2 Jul 2025 15:31:09 -0500,
sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:
You'd think you planned this trip with fishing in my
looking at where you always ended up. ;-)
LOL no For whatever reason, it just doesn't interest me that
much. Though I do like seeing the water.
I used to fish a lot more than I do now. Just always seems
like there is something else I should do. Doesn't help that
the wife doesn't fish, but she at least used to go sit along
the shore and read. We haven't done that in two years for some
reason. I also do love to eat fish while camping. Stayed up
at Lake Koshkenong in Wisconsin and we'd get lots of catfish,
walleye, and largemouth. I really do enjoy fried catfish, some
fried potatoes, and beans.
Oh don't get me wrong, I love me some fish--great eating! I just
don't care to take the trouble to coax them out of the water.
week to move back to Nebraska (we lived there until 1997 when
we moved to Indiana for my career). Now that I'm retired,
we're going home. As a plus, it'll be a shorter drive to the
Rockies and the Southwest. :)
Wow, that's big. Congratulations. Indiana is not a bad place
to live, but Nebraska is better, and cuts off a whole day
getting west. That is one of the big problems with where we
live in Illinois. Takes at least two days, usually 3, to get
to where we want to be.
Thanks! And for me, it cuts off two days, given my 60 mph upper
towing limit and slightly greater distance.
We're excited about getting back there. One gripe: until we get
the cars licensed there we would have to pay out of state fees for
a state parks pass. So that's one to do item that'll have to
wait.
...I got throwed out of a bar there one night.
Okay, that's more we have in common. Though my bad old days
of alcoholic drinking are behind me, thankfully.
Mine pretty much are, too. Not by my choice, but my wife just
goes crazy. I'm starting to resent that and am probably going
to take that power away from her. Not that I want to drink all
the time, but if I want one I don't want to fight a war over
it.
Yeah, I can see how that would suck. I still think a cold beer on
a hot day is one of the best things ever. Only problem is that
for me it would never be just one. The old AA saying has it
right, "One is too many, and a thousand is never enough."
On 7/8/2025 10:30 AM, Ted Heise wrote:
On Mon, 7 Jul 2025 15:07:38 -0500,
sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:
On 7/4/2025 7:58 AM, Ted Heise wrote:
On Wed, 2 Jul 2025 15:31:09 -0500,
sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:
You'd think you planned this trip with fishing in my
looking at where you always ended up. ;-)
LOL no For whatever reason, it just doesn't interest me that
much. Though I do like seeing the water.
I used to fish a lot more than I do now. Just always seems
like there is something else I should do. Doesn't help that
the wife doesn't fish, but she at least used to go sit along
the shore and read. We haven't done that in two years for some
reason. I also do love to eat fish while camping. Stayed up
at Lake Koshkenong in Wisconsin and we'd get lots of catfish,
walleye, and largemouth. I really do enjoy fried catfish, some
fried potatoes, and beans.
Oh don't get me wrong, I love me some fish--great eating! I just
don't care to take the trouble to coax them out of the water.
It's always better if you actually catch something, too.
I got a feeling with that until I get the knee worked on I'll be doing a little more fishing in the future. I don't know how that works out with
the wife wanting to hike, and I'm not keen on her going off in the
wilderness by herself. Probably get a new knee late this fall and try
to be back in the game by next year.
week to move back to Nebraska (we lived there until 1997 when
we moved to Indiana for my career). Now that I'm retired,
we're going home. As a plus, it'll be a shorter drive to the
Rockies and the Southwest. :)
Wow, that's big. Congratulations. Indiana is not a bad place
to live, but Nebraska is better, and cuts off a whole day
getting west. That is one of the big problems with where we
live in Illinois. Takes at least two days, usually 3, to get
to where we want to be.
Thanks! And for me, it cuts off two days, given my 60 mph upper
towing limit and slightly greater distance.
We're excited about getting back there. One gripe: until we get
the cars licensed there we would have to pay out of state fees for
a state parks pass. So that's one to do item that'll have to
wait.
I just bought two passes for Wisconsin. One for the pickup and one for
the RV. $38 for the first and $20 for the second. Like fishing
licenses, I don't mind paying for these as the money goes to good
things. If I use them fine, if not, no biggie.
...I got throwed out of a bar there one night.
Okay, that's more we have in common. Though my bad old days
of alcoholic drinking are behind me, thankfully.
Mine pretty much are, too. Not by my choice, but my wife just
goes crazy. I'm starting to resent that and am probably going
to take that power away from her. Not that I want to drink all
the time, but if I want one I don't want to fight a war over
it.
Yeah, I can see how that would suck. I still think a cold beer on
a hot day is one of the best things ever. Only problem is that
for me it would never be just one. The old AA saying has it
right, "One is too many, and a thousand is never enough."
Out in Utah that feeling of resentment bothered me. After several miles
and the knee starting to swell up and become painful walking, it seemed
all I could think of was how good it would be to finish up, get back and
be able to sit and have about 2 beers and feel the pain lessen. That's
when I decided I was going to take back my rights to choose how I live.
I totally understand I am a person who likes it perhaps more than
"normal" people, but things have certainly changed. I simply have no
desire to party like I used to. I actually prefer to drink by myself,
to be honest. 2-3 beers is just about right. 20 years ago, that was
not the case.
sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:
On 7/8/2025 10:30 AM, Ted Heise wrote:
Oh don't get me wrong, I love me some fish--great eating! I
just don't care to take the trouble to coax them out of the
water.
It's always better if you actually catch something, too. I got
a feeling with that until I get the knee worked on I'll be
doing a little more fishing in the future. I don't know how
that works out with the wife wanting to hike, and I'm not keen
on her going off in the wilderness by herself. Probably get a
new knee late this fall and try to be back in the game by next
year.
Out in Utah that feeling of resentment bothered me. After
several miles and the knee starting to swell up and become
painful walking, it seemed all I could think of was how good
it would be to finish up, get back and be able to sit and have
about 2 beers and feel the pain lessen. That's when I decided
I was going to take back my rights to choose how I live. I
totally understand I am a person who likes it perhaps more
than "normal" people, but things have certainly changed. I
simply have no desire to party like I used to. I actually
prefer to drink by myself, to be honest. 2-3 beers is just
about right. 20 years ago, that was not the case.
A twelve pack a year is about my maximum beer consumption rate
and that’s just one beer at a sitting. I do have a shot or two
of bourbon a few times a year. I remember too vividly what
hangovers feel like and I am completely over that.
On Wed, 9 Jul 2025 16:37:47 -0000 (UTC),
George.Anthony <ganthony@gmail.net> wrote:
sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:
On 7/8/2025 10:30 AM, Ted Heise wrote:
Oh don't get me wrong, I love me some fish--great eating! I
just don't care to take the trouble to coax them out of the
water.
It's always better if you actually catch something, too. I got
a feeling with that until I get the knee worked on I'll be
doing a little more fishing in the future. I don't know how
that works out with the wife wanting to hike, and I'm not keen
on her going off in the wilderness by herself. Probably get a
new knee late this fall and try to be back in the game by next
year.
Hope it works out as well as possible!
Out in Utah that feeling of resentment bothered me. After
several miles and the knee starting to swell up and become
painful walking, it seemed all I could think of was how good
it would be to finish up, get back and be able to sit and have
about 2 beers and feel the pain lessen. That's when I decided
I was going to take back my rights to choose how I live. I
totally understand I am a person who likes it perhaps more
than "normal" people, but things have certainly changed. I
simply have no desire to party like I used to. I actually
prefer to drink by myself, to be honest. 2-3 beers is just
about right. 20 years ago, that was not the case.
A twelve pack a year is about my maximum beer consumption rate
and that’s just one beer at a sitting. I do have a shot or two
of bourbon a few times a year. I remember too vividly what
hangovers feel like and I am completely over that.
Sounds pretty healthy, in both cases.
Probably get a
new knee late this fall and try to be back in the game by next
year.
Hope it works out as well as possible!
Check the label before they put you under. Make sure it's not a Mercedes knee.
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