Midwest Trip – Part 1

This is the trip we took that made us decide that it was time to sell the van. Our beloved Althea, the 88 Volkswagon Westfalia. It was partly me being pregnant, there being 100 degree weather and no AC, and the fact that there was a loose wire to the starter and we didn’t get around to really tightening it up until the last gas fill up on our way back to Colorado. Either way, we’re ready for an AC and more room with our little Arya on the way.

Here’s a map of part 1 of our trip to check out somewhere we’ve never been and to finally visit my brother and his wife in Portage, MI.

Southerland Reservoir - Nebraska

Our first stop was going to be McConaughy Lake but we didn’t like the prices of the campsites so we found this free camping beside this reservoir. It was quiet and no one bothered us but we were sort of annoyed by the big RVs camped right on shore hogging the beaches when the signs clearly said to park at least 50 feet from the shoreline. It was hot but we felt too awkward to swim right in front of the RVs camped there.

Somewhere along the Missouri River

We had about had it, like Trill Dog here. It was so hot and muggy and we were finally through Nebraska which is a just dead awful state to drive through, especially with no AC in the summer. The Missouri was pretty dirty looking but we didn’t care, we got wet just to cool ourselves down. And ate lunch while we pondered where to camp. We also found our first tick… so gross.

Stone State Park- Iowa

We, like Trill here, were much happier when we found this site in Stone State Park in Iowa. Being in the trees was much cooler and sometimes knowing you paid for a spot and won’t be bothered is calming in itself. But maybe we’re boondocking snobs.

We about died when we watched this family's idea of camping unfold. An older couple with a little girl showed up at about 9:30 with a bunch of brand new camping gear and set up their tent loudly beside us. Their lights on and engine roaring the entire time. Then they left. At around 11 we were woken up again by these people looking to be in their 20s showing up with the same little girl and unloading their car with the engine running and lights on for a good 30 minutes. I just about went out and said something.

Then we started putting things together the next morning when they got up around 9. From what we took of the situation, the older people were one of the groups parents and wanted these 20 somethings to take the little girl camping and so they bought the gear from Walmart, set it up, and then sent the kids to “spend the night in the woods”. They never had a campfire. They didn’t even cook breakfast. They never left the site to go on a walk. As soon as they woke up in the morning they turned on the car, played on their phones, ran their AC, and rolled up the tent and bags into a mess that will never again be put back together or find all of its poles or stakes and will be discarded after one freaking use. My blood boiled… can you tell. And that poor little girl will think that’s what camping is.

That’s their red tent behind the van…

Then there’s the other type of campers across the road from us. They showed up around 9pm in their brand new cars that the dealership obviously still owns, carried their stuff into the rental cabin and then left the next morning at around 9am too. Yes they were quiet but they also drove a Porsche SUV… and If you don’t follow me on that then maybe you don’t get all my drivel about watching the insanity of humans at campsites.

It was a nice spot… but I guess we’re loners and prefer to camp alone in the woods, away from people.

Pikes Peak State Park – Iowa
The next spot was full of huge RVs too but once you left the campsite, no one was using the trails so we did some light hiking, I was still in my first trimester and not feeling like long hikes were going to help my nausea any…

Certainly saw some stuff we don’t see in Colorado…

High Cliff State Park – Wisconson
This is where I saw my first Trillium Flower! And since my pups name is Trillium and she’s 11 years old now , that’s saying something…

It was nice because it was mid week and there weren’t many people. But there were sure a lot of mosquitos!


It was also my birthday and Rob got me the most beautiful matching bracelet and ring!

Dalrymple Park and Campground on Lake Superior

Didn’t take many pictures here but it was awesome and there was just about nobody there. We had a great spot overlooking Lake Superior!

The next morning it was rather rainy so we stopped into a coffee shop for breakfast. It’s fun to visit some of the local shops and support the cool people there ( :
Then we were off through the thick woods to …

Munising, Michigan

There was a lot of fog in Munising and it was a really tiny town. We camped for free in what looked like a park for fisherman there were a ton of little boxes with skies on the bottom which we guessed were for ice fishing when the lake freezes. The only ones who came to bug us were the geese.
We pulled over when we saw this snapping turtle on the side of the road!

Tahquamenon Falls State Park Rivermouth Campgrounds

Another great peaceful and quiet spot. Reminded us a lot of our Alaska trip. In fact the upper peninsula has a lot of Alaskan qualities to it.

Trillium got to do a lot of swimming after sticks in the river and we got to build a fire, since we had a decent pit and it was finally a cool night where you felt like you needed one!

For some reason I didn’t take many pictures after this but we ended up in Charlevoix, MI the next day looking for Petoskey stones. It’s a cute little town too along Lake Michigan! So we finally got to see Lake Michigan too!

Part 2 of our Trip was getting to my brothers place in Portage and then heading back to home sweet home.
More new places visited… and we’re still glad we call Colorado home.