17 – 24 October 2023
Looking back, I realize now that we never blogged our way back to Michigan. Understandable when I consider all that has happened in the last 365 days. We had an interesting time at MacDill last winter and will be spending our winter there this year as well. In the past year, we lost our Piper, and gained Miss Iris. We are now a cat family – a completely new experience and set of challenges with our lifestyle.
We traveled a great deal last winter – two trips to Michigan, three trips to Fort Rucker, a trip to College Station, and a final trip back to Michigan for the summer. We were excited and delighted to be able to go to the EAA Fly-in in Oshkosh this summer.
Bill did a considerable amount of flying and instruction this summer for Civil Air Patrol, and we all dealt with some health maintenance issues. Busy, busy summer!
We left Wellston, Michigan on 17 October and traveled to Monroe, MI. Our stay there was two nights. We have learned that it is good to build in an extra night on the first travel leg. It is a much-needed time to catch our breath, make sure our packing was appropriate, and just generally gather our thoughts and shift gears to the travel mindset.
Sterling State Park was our first stop – such a lovely setting! It was fun to drive around and see our old house (sad to see the changes and lack of upkeep) and some favorite places. Any Monroe stop requires a stop at Vince’s West Elm Hot Dog Stand for a coney dog and homemade root beer. Detroit Beach Pizzeria is something of an institution and provided a tasty supper.
While walking through the state park, we checked out the lotus beds – all very tired and ready for a winter rest. Judging by the appearance, the beds must have been stunning this year. We saw rabbit, white-tailed deer (very close), a variety of birds including swans, and lovely colors in the trees.
Our next stop was in Racine Ohio at the Kountry Kampground – definitely not going to return here! It appears to be a very family-friendly place, but their definition of “big-rig friendly” and ours are very different!
We left the next morning for Fort Chiswell, VA and landed at the Fort Chiswell RV Park. Very utilitarian – and just what we were looking for. This isn’t a destination, but a wonderful place to pull in and get off the road. The scenery was lovely – gently rolling hills with cows dotting the landscape. Dinner was a treat at Happy Cinco de Mayo – about a quarter mile walk from the campground.
From Fort Chiswell, it was a short day to arrive at Smith Lake Army Recreation Area and Campground. It is located right outside of the gate to Fort Liberty (Fort Bragg). We are enjoying our stay here so very much. When we left Michigan, we had been having grey, rainy, windy, cold days – in excess. Since arriving here on the 21st, we haven’t seen any hint of clouds! Nights are cool – in the 40’s (perfect for sleeping), and the days are in the very comfortable 70’s.
We have been able to visit with our son and daughter-in-law and spend time exploring the new area. Our current plan is to leave here on Friday or Saturday and start the journey to Tampa. It will be a meandering type of travel, as we are not due in there until the 1st of November.
Total miles traveled – 933. Through flatlands, and through mountains (Blue Ridge, Allegheny), through wind and rain to find the sunshine!
On The Road Again with the dumonts 