Gettysburg PA

We arrived in  Gettysburg PA yesterday.  The battle took three days, and we plan to tour for three days.It is sobering to watch the videos telling about the battle.  Then walking and driving through the battlefield, one can begin to imagine what  took place in this battle.    Bob is a huge history buff so he is totally enjoying the touring.  He is my personal guide to what happened and where.  As we drove through yesterday he was describing in detail what happened.  He knew which troops were advancing where and when.   I have been married to him for 40 years, and finally get to see what he learned as a History Major:)

Bob & Abe following our tour of the museum

Bob & Georgia at the Tennessee Memorial

Overnight Camping At Cabela's  

Cabela's Outdoor Store in Dundee Michigan

FREE Camping over night in Cabela's parking lot...who knew?  We found out about this from "Sadie's Mom" Crystal, while at Bay Harbor.   Now this is not a resort like Bay Harbor but  it was a perfect overnight stay.  It is dry camping ie no hookups for power, water or sewer.  Not a problem in a self contained motorhome:)

We shared the parking lot with two other campers,  one motorhome and one truck with a travel trailer.  The only requirement was to check in with the store and let them know we would be out there & clean up after ourselves.  We were even able to put out our slide and run the genrator, so it was home sweet home for one night. There was even a kennel area and dump station for RV's.   There was lots of beautiful green grass for Georgia to romp in.   This definitely beats Walmart  parking lot overnight .

There are several opportunities for free overnight campimg.   Some Vineyards and Farms allow it as well.  Of course it is  nice to shop and make purchase from these places when staying there overnight.  Hope to try it at Vineyard sometime and enjoy the wine tasting.   I rank this a 10 for a quick overnight stop!

Last Play Date at Bay Harbor

Sadie (L) & Georgia (R)

Tomorrow  we will be saying goodbye to Bay Harbor:(  The past three weeks have flown  by.

This has been a wonderful place especially for Georgia, she has made a dear friend with a Chocolate Lab from Texas named Sadie.   Sadie and her "Mom" Crystal have been delightful walking companions.  It seems we are making new friends each place we stop and it is hard to say good bye.

I took some pictures  of Georgia & Sadie this afternoon, while they played.  It really is fun to watch them play!  Hopefully we will see them in Arizona this winter while snowbirding, and next year we will try to revisit Bay Harbor and we can pick up where we left off:)

Begging for cookies:)

We will miss you !!

A Day at Mackinac Island Michigan

September 11, 2012

Arriving  at Mackinac Island by ferry

We arrived via Arnold Ferry Line .  Only foot traffic, bicycles or horse-drawn carriages are allowed on the Island.  It is like stepping back in time, the shops and all the beautiful homes are adorned with flower boxes and pristine lawns & picket fences.  We opted to rent bicycles and traveled the 8 mile trail around the Island to see the sights.   The views are spectacular, and I could  not stop  saying " oh how beautiful."  We stopped mid way during our ride to grab some lunch at the local "drive-in / walk up"  snack shop on the bike path.. "The Cannon Ball Drive - in".  The best thing to eat was the fried pickles. Service was slow, because one lone employee  was chief cook and bottle washer as well as attending the counter and cash register.  I really felt sorry for her.   Following our lunch break we completed our bike ride and turned in our bikes and  got ice cream cones to enjoy as we continued our walking tour. All deliveries come via horse drawn trailers including UPS:)   We loved our day trip over to the Island and will definetly do it again.  I hope you enjoy our pictures of Mackinac Island.

The Grand Hotel horse drawn  carriage "taxi" complete with a driver in a top hat

Light House

Bob  at the beginning of our bike ride

Val at the end of our 8 mile bike ride

Cannonball  Drive- in

Real Estate along the bike path

More Real Estate on Mackinac Island

Oldest Grocery Store in America

Light House

Typical down town street 

Breath taking views

An Afternoon At Mackinac City

Val, Bob &  Georgia
aka
Nana, PaPa & Georgie

We decided to take a drive over to Mackinac City to scout out the ferry transportation for a trip later in the week.

The bridge in the background behind us is the famous Mackinac Bridge.  The bridge is 5 miles long and host to a Labor Day foot traffic only, walk each year.      The little town is full of curio, T-shirt, & fudge shops.  The shore line are where we were in this picture has an old fort and a beautiful light house.   The town is primarily the last stop before  catching the ferry to Mackinac Island for tourists and residents of the Island.  

The Light House at Mackinac City

Downtown Mackinac City

Val and Marilynne coaxing Georgia to test the water...it didn't work:)

Week Four of the "Great Adventure"

We have now been living in our motor home for four weeks.  I am still loving it!  Every day  feels like vacation, how can that be bad?    It really doesn't seem like we have been doing this a month.   We are on our second week in Petoskey Michigan and still have sights to see.  We moved over to Hearthside Grove Motor Coach Resort for two days then returned to Bay Harbor this morning!  Hearthside was beautiful but we really like our place here at Bay Harbor, on the way back over this morning I felt like I was on my way home:)  As we arrived at check in one of our neighbors Crystal (Sadie the chocolate Lab's mom) was walking up and greeted us, saying they were glad we were back Sadie had missed Georgia!  It was in fact like coming home!  In one week we have made new friends I hope we will see again.  They will be here till the end of the month, so there are many more play dates for  Georgia and Sadie:)

FORTY YEARS OF MARRIAGE

Yesterday was our 40th Wedding Anniversary...and some thought it wouldn't last:)  I am happy to say it has lasted, and  that we have managed to weather the good times & tough times and are happily together on our adventure this year. God has blessed our marriage and I  am with a man I love dearly, and is my very best friend.   Yesterday was wonderful, started the day with Brunch at the Stafford's Bay View Inn, and spent the afternoon at Mackinac City and Wine Tasting ( photos to follow)

Brunch at the Bay View Inn

Our view from our table

Rear Lawn of the Bay View Inn

The Mushroom Homes of Charlevoix Michigan

"Hobbitland … mushroom homes … elf space … gnome houses … the creations of Earl Young are known world-wide so they say.  And the only place you can see them is Charlevoix"

I have always loved looking at old homes, this beautiful little harbor town has a collection of "Mushroom Homes"  designed by Earl Young.  Some of them look like you have  stepped right into the pages of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."  We spent a delightful few hours on foot and driving through this interesting little town.  I was so excited  to meet a local while I was photographing a lighthouse, he said "Tourist?". I said" yes how could you tell?"  He laughed asked where we were from.  This nice man then proceeded to share directions to the Mushroom Houses, and suggestions for the best places to eat lunch.  
We then were on our way....Right onto Park and follow the road along the shore line.   We came upon the beautifully unique one of kind homes.  Of course I had to take a picture of each home we saw and want to share them with you.   I only hope my photos from the Samsung Galaxy Tablet will do them justice.   Each home had its own curb appeal and touch of whimsey....

Following our tour, we stopped at the Weathervane resaurant for lunch, and enjoyed delicious food, inside another one of the buildings designed by Earl Young. The building was topped with the whimsical mushroom cap style roof and beautiful stone fireplace made of enormous boulders.

Lunch in Charlevoix

Spent a beautiful day yesterday with our friends Marilynne & Howard Licht.  We met them at the Good Sam Rally in July in Louisville Ky.  They decide to come from Wisconsin and visit with us here.  We enjoyed touring Charlevoix MI, the famers market, and then a yummy lunch at the Weathervane.  Amazing food and an amazing view of the boats passing by.

Watching the ships pass through the draw bridge 

IT'S A DOGS LIFE

One thing we have learned since we began RV'ing, is most RV people love dogs!  ( my kind of people)  

Most travel with two, all shapes sizes and often times two of the same breed.  When strolling the walking paths and streets at the this Motorcaoch Resort, one would almost wonder if there might be an Ark and Noah close by....so many dogs . We have two Afghan hounds next door, two doors down two Shitzu's,   two Schnauzers, two Golden Retrievers,  two Pointers,  a couple of  yellow labs,  one Poodle, one Labradoodle, a couple of Black Labs, tow Airedales, a Scotty, a Doberman and a Corgie.  Then of course there is Georgia and Sadie the Chocolate Labs that make their own pair when out walking.     I doubt that Bob will ever agree to add another dog to our motorhome on a permanent basis.     That is okay because Georgia & I always have fun making friends at each place we stay.   

Georgia (right) & Sadie her new BFF

Georgia enjoying the view of the Lake

Bob happy in the drivers seat cruisin to Michigan

Beautiful landscape here at Bay Harbor Motor Coach Resort

View from our campsite Clubhouse

Georgia cuddling on my lap on the drive to Michigan

Week 2 of the "Great Adventure"

We left Huntsville on Wednesday and traveled to Dayton Ohio.  We stayed at Wright Patterson AFB military campground.  Adjacent to the flight line, it wasn't  bad.  Beautiful lake and dock with lovely sunrises.  It could be a very nice camp if the military had the funds to manicure it the way they do the golfcourse:)  We managed to meet several nice people a couple of them just arriving in from Michigan, so they shared information with us and even gave us brochures and maps of the area  where we were heading to.

We visited the National Air Force Museum at Wright Patterson.  This is a must see if you are in the area.  Admission is free.  We could have spent hours there.  I had visited there as a teen with my parents (many years ago)  funny how much more interesting it is to me now than to a teenage girl:)  We visited the Base Exchange and  I finally got a smart phone...just have to be smart enough to use it now:)   The Base is  beautiful, some of the prettiest military housing I have ever seen.  

Saturday morning we were on the road at 7:30 AM headed for Michigan.   We  are thankful we were blessed with perfect weather and very little traffic.   Arrived at our destination in Bay Harbor Michigan about 3:30 PM.   This RV Resort is amazing.  The landscape is beautiful and the amenities are wonderful.  Breakfast is served daily in the clubhouse.  There is a 9 hole putting green across from our site ( needless to say Bob was thrilled).  State of the art fitness room, locker rooms with saunas pool and jacuzzi.   Today they hosted a cookout with wonderful food and margaritas,  we are loving it.  Actually think we may stay  longer than two weeks.   

  Forgot to mention lots of dogs... in particular labs, and golden retrievers.  Georgia is making lots of friends.    This property is adjacent to a huge Equestrian Center,  with beautiful expensive horses.  Yesterday morning I was walking Georgia early and  we were passing by the Equestrian Center, one  of the horses came running over to the fence just begging for a nose rub... of course I had to comply.  Pretty soon two more horses came for their love pats:)  Georgia wasn't quite sure what to think of those really "Big Dogs"!  

We have driven around the area yesterday and today  and can't wait to start exploring the area.  Lots of harbor towns and little fishing villages. I will share more pictures of the area in my next post.

Till the next time,

Val & Bob   aka Nan and Pa