From Kentuckiana to New York - 4/15 - 5/14

After leaving the GMCMI motorhome convention in Dothan, we drove to Northeast Georgia to spend a night in the yard of Martha’s sister and brother-in-law, Beth and Greg Hearn, in Franklin Springs. The next day we left for a short trip to Gaffney, NC for our service appointment at Freightliner Custom Chassis. While in Gaffney we drove to Spartanburg for dinner with some of Martha’s classmates from Emmanuel College.

While our motorhome was being serviced, we took a tour of the Freightliner factory. The Gaffney plan is home to several chassis assembly lines. For instance, they build walk-in van and front engine bus chassis, rear engine bus chassis, motorhome chassis (which accommodates single and tandem rear axle designs), and cab. By the way, they refer to the rear engine bus and motorhome section as “RV and Bus Ladder Assembly.” The reason is that the chassis ladder is assembled before mating the rear axles, engines/transmissions, and steering axles. During the process of doing all of this miles of cables that make up the wiring harnesses are put in place. We found that it was an amazing process. Also amazing is that Freightliner has now achieved a “zero landfill” rating.

A glimpse of one of the assembly lines at Freightliner Custom Chassis

in Gaffney, South Carolina.

From Gaffney we drove on to Eastern Tennessee where we stayed at the Rivers Edge RV Campground on the Nolichucky River. We had stayed there last year and did again this year. While there we got to spend time with Byron’s brother and sister-in-law, Lewis and Marcia. On Saturday we celebrated Byron’s 69th birthday.

We traveled on Sunday afternoon to Renfro Valley near London, Kentucky. After one night there we had an easy drive through Louisville to Clarksville and Add-More RV Park where we have decided to stay when in our home area. The campground is five miles north of the Ohio River across from downtown Louisvlle.

We were in time to enjoy Derby Festival time in Kentuckiana. This includes Thunder Over Louisville which is touted as the largest fireworks display in the country. This year was special in that the Louisville Orchestra had recorded a soundtrack used for synchronizing the fireworks display. By the way, the display makes use of what we call the Second Street Bridge as well as three barges up river from the bridge and three barges down river.

To assemble a show the size of Thunder, Zambelli Internationale utilizes eight tractor trailers filled with nearly 60 tons of fireworks shells. The physical setup includes 250 tons of launching tubes in addition to the “waterfall” strings set up on the bridge. Almost 700 miles of wire cable connecting 20 firing boards are tied to the command post for synchronization to the music. As mentioned, this is the largest show the Zambellis perform each year, and Zambelli is the largest fireworks group in the world. The whole production takes 30 minutes from beginning to end. For viewing, hundreds of thousands of people line the Indiana and Kentucky sides of the Ohio River.

No photo can do it justice; Thunder Over Louisville.

While in the area we worshipped at St. Matthews Baptist Church on two Sundays and Highlands Baptist Church on another Sunday. St. Matthews is where we attended while living in sticks and bricks (what motorhomers call a house) and Highlands has always drawn our attention. The problem was, and still is, that we can only be in one at a time. (For those of you that don’t know or need a reminder, the pastor at Highlands, Joe Phelps, performed our wedding ceremony 12 years ago.

April 9, 2004 - Highland Baptist Church with Joe Phelps, officiating.

During our seasonal visits at “home” we take care of appointments with doctors, see to some needs with regards to Candice, get the dogs to the veterinarian, spend some time with Jeremy and Jody, vista a few friends, and take care of other issues. One big issue was getting new tires on the motorhome, which requires planning with respect to both budget and time. As to visits with friends we spent time with Roger and Cheryl Basham as well as Hilario and Sandra Solis and their four children – Mimi, Ana, Miguel, and Antonio. Byron helped Ana with school work one year and we cared for new-born Antonio when Sandra was hospitalized and recuperating.

Sandra likes to cook outside. We don’t mind, especially

when we get to enjoy it. By the way, the boys were

running around somewhere else when this was made.

On Monday, May 9, we took off for our summer in Newburgh, New York and seasonal work at the KOA. To get there we traveled on I-64 to Catlettsburg, KY where we spent the night in the RV area of a Flying J. (The big difference between a Flying J and a Pilot is the RV parking area that’s away from the truck parking). On Tuesday we continued through West Virginia. We had planned to stop near Hagerstown, Maryland and park for the night amid the trucks Pilot. Since we got up earlier than normal, we decided to make the whole trip to Hershey, Pennsylvania. This would allow us to have an additional night in the area giving us two, full days to explore. (Normally we consider 250 miles or less a full day unless we have to be in a hurry).

In the Hershey area we stayed at a Thousand Trails campground. It was one of the nicer ones for this chain in that the facilities and sites were very nice. The large lake on the property provided a relaxing feel. Of course, it was still in Pennsylvania Dutch territory which meant lots of barns, silos, and herds of milk cows.

Because of the cold spring, the geese were late in having their young.

This lake was on the property of the Thousand Trails RV resort.

While in Hershey we drove to Lancaster for a self-guided driving tour of the county which still has several covered bridges in use. The roads wind around the hills and creeks between the many dairy farms. At one point we saw Amish farmers working to take up hay. Mules and horses were used to pull the machinery though some had a motor to drive the mechanisms. Though most Amish shun electricity for daily living purposes, we did see some generators near the barns for “productivity” purposes. Apparently some modern ways are best. By the way, “Amish” is being used in a generic sense to designate the ancestral heritage.

A typical barn in the eastern Pennsylvania. Approximately one-third

are built with native stone. All have the cantilevered overhang

to provide protection from winter weather as well as access

for throwing down hay to feed the stock.

Perhaps the most elaborately constructed barn seen on our driving

tour of Lancaster County was this which was made with limestone,

brick (with the inlaid pattern), and wood siding. It sits across

from a shopping area the entrance of which copies the brick

pattern for the fence and entrance sign.

Pictured is one of the many covered bridges still in use on main thoroughfares

throughout Lancaster County. This one, in particular, has been raised

two times to get the floor above flood stage.

Of course, no day in Hershey would be complete without a visit to the factory and related facilities in a and around the community Hershey. While visiting here we learned that a “new” factory was built nearly twelve years ago with all production being moved away from the center of town. Gone is the aroma of chocolate in the air. Still, visitors are treated to a “factory tour” which is near the amusement park in the Visitor Center. The ride takes you through the experience of creating milk chocolate, molding the chocolate, making the kisses, and packaging the product for shipment. By the way, the Hershey plant keeps 50,000 cows busy producing milk to meet the daily quota.

We were quite impressed to learn how Milton Hershey definitely believed that when the water level is raised, all the ships rise with it. Not only did he provide employment for the area while creating a supply-line business for milk production, but he also saw to it that employees could buy houses for a modest price, enjoy the benefits of culture at a large center that housed an indoor pool, bowling lanes, exercise rooms, two movie theaters, and a performance hall. Not to be outdone, Hershey was also responsible for the building of an amusement park that is still open to the public.

Hershey and his wife, who died after less than 20 years of marriage, also began a K-12 school. In fact, Mr. Hershey gave practically all of his wealth to the school making it the majority stockholder in the corporation. The Milton Hershey School, a cost-free, private, co-residential school and home for children from lower income families located, still operates in Hershey today providing opportunity to more than 2,000 students from across the USA.

In addition, Hershey encouraged employees to submit ideas for products or method to improve production. One such suggestion came from a man named Reese who had many children. When Milton was presented with their idea of putting peanut butter inside a chocolate piece, he responded by encouraging Reese to start his own company since Hershey wanted to focus strictly on chocolate. Hence, Harry Reese started making the peanut butter cup. It would be much later, after the retirement of Reese, that Hershey would buy the company and continue with distribution of the innovative product.

What follows are a few photos taken around Hershey. The only thing not directly developed under the guidance of Milton Hershey is the Museum of the Antique Automobile Club of America.

The museum building where the Hershey Story is retold with

pictures, displays, and descriptions of the man, the factory,

and the community that surrounds the benevolent empire.

The Hershey Mansion was built nearly 100 years ago at a cost

of $80,000. The couple furnished it with locally-made furniture

and items ordered from catalogs of the day - Montgomer Ward

and Sears Roebuck and Company - a modest and practical approach.

This view from the Hershey Hotel overlooks the formal gardens.

The hotel, itself, sits on the highest hill in the area.

Our visit to Hershey Gardens happened just after the blooming

of many builds but in time to see the azaleas and rhododendrons

at their fullest. In the summer one is treated by thousands of

rose bushes representing hundreds of varieties as well

as many annuals and perennials displaying their best.

This photo is but of three of the nearly 100 cars and busses available

for display at the AACA Museum.

No display in Hershey would be complete without a tribute to

Milton Hershey. This mural is displayed behind a model of

the rail system built by Hershey to make it easier for

employees to get to and from work.

After leaving Hershey, we traveled across backroads and highways through New Jersey and into New York to make our five-months home in Plattekill, New York. While in Plattekill Martha and Byron will be working in the campstore and office of the NYC/Newburgh KOA. This will be our second year as work kampers for Kampgrounds of America. From our location in the Hudson River Valley it is about 70 mile to The Big Apple where, we are sure, we’ll make a view visits.

Past Due: Lo, the Winter Has Passed - 12/23 - 4/14

It has been a long time (four months) since the last post. There are reasons. The greatest reason was that we “never got a round to it.” That being said, some things were a repeat of last winter with one exception. This past winter Martha worked full-time at the Chick-fil-A in Celebration and that took some time and energy. In fact, more energy than time. Byron returned to his seasonal assignment in the Magic Kingdom. A change for him was taking on the task of teaching a Sunday School class in addition to conducting a Bible study at First United Methodist Church in Kissimmee.

Since Ashley and her family moved from Gulf Breeze to Weston, Florida, we were able to visit with the grandchildren more than last winter. Weston is about a four-hour drive from Kissimmee making Okeechobee a meeting point where we’d meet to either get a child or return it (one of the advantages of being a grandparent). While Candice was with us after Christmas, we all made the trip to Weston for a few days with Ashley, Michael, Jada, Chapel, Ben, and Luc (which is short for Luciano).

What follows are a series of photos showing some of the highlights of the previous four months. After we get to Newburgh, New York, where we’ll spend the summer, we’ll post another blog of our time in transit.

Ashley, Candice, and Martha pose in their Minnie Mouse shirts,

which were a Christmas gift.

Roger and Cheryl Basham, their son (Chris) and Chery’s sister (Lori)

came to the Tampa area for a Christmas visit. We met at Texas Roadhouse

near Kissimmee for lunch one day.

The leaders of our full-timers group within Newmar Kountry Klub

were in the area on the day we met other Newmar owners

we met in 2014 in Escanaba, MI.

We don’t always eat, but, it does provide a time to get together.

We drove to a restaurant south of Lake City for a luncheon

with other snowbirds that are members of

Tri-State Traveliers, our regional FMCA club

in the Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana area.

Last year we went to Plant City to enjoy the fresh and delicious

strawberries at Parkesdale Farms. This year we decided to make

it “annual trek number two.” Since it seems like a good

tradition to keep, we’ll shoot for another visit in 2017.

Martha got to play house and baby sitter. As a result

she got to enjoy time with Luc, the youngest grandchild.

We took Ben and Chapel for ice cream on a visit with them.

Not leaving anyone out, we had Jada for a few days

and enjoyed time with her at Epcot. This photo

was taken just prior to the evening’s sound,

light and fireworks extravaganza.

For our 12th anniversary we had a “character dining experience”

in the Ohana restaurant at the Polynesian Resort.

On Friday morning, April 1, we pulled out of our site, hooked up

the Honda Element, and headed northward.

After leaving Florida we spent nearly a week with

GMC Motorhome friends at a convention

in Dothan, AL where we enjoyed a 50’s night.

Fall Update: The Snowbirds Return - 10/25 - 12/22

Yes, folks, it has been nearly two months since our last post. Though the intention is to provide an update more frequently that goal has been missed this time around. So, here is what has been going on with us.

We arrived at the RV resort where we spent our time in Kissimmee last year, Great Oak RV Resort and Park, on October 31. While taking our dogs for a walk we commented to each other about some changes made since leaving in April. We also commented about what hasn’t and wondered when some friends would be returning. It takes a process of about six weeks for things to return to normal for the snowbirds that return here.

We learned, through the application process and talking with other WDW employees, that no seasonal people were being added this year. In fact, some employment policies have changed and the benefits granted to “recurring” employees were being modified. As a result of the changes, Martha didn’t get a job at Disney that we had planned. So, on the search she went landing a position at the Chick-fil-A franchise in Celebration. She generally works mornings but also can be assigned afternoons.

To coordinate our schedules, Byron set his availability for work at Magic Kingdom to afternoons from 3:30 to 10:30. Since Disney uses a 24-hour format, that’s 15:30 to 22:30. During November he worked at Tomorowland Terrace when it was opened providing a full menu as well as during the evenings when Magic Kingdom was hosting Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and TLT became a complimentary refreshment station.

One of the special “treats” for the Christmas Party is the seasonal

Electric Light Parade and the lighting of the Castle, which is a

grand production unto itself. Of course, there are specially-themed

fireworks held at 9:30 pm during Christmas Party.

Ashley, Michael and family came to WDW for several days in the early days of November so we got to spend some time with them as well as a niece and her family from Vero Beach. We didn’t pay extra for the Christmas Party but did enjoy a couple of character dining experiences.

Martha and the grandkids with Donald Duck at Chef Mickey’s 

in The Contemporary during breakfast.

We both started working at our respective jobs before Thanksgiving. Martha, as a new hire in a fast food (Disney calls it quick service) environment soon found that the pay isn’t in line with the responsibility and shear physical staring it puts on the body. Byron refrained from saying “I told you so.” (We both wonder if pay in the service industry would change if those at desk jobs spent two weeks in the food service industry.) At any rate, Martha is suddenly aware that her body isn’t as young as it used to be though she has always considered herself a hard worker. Byron had that certain “baptism by fire” experience last year. For sure, it keeps us fully aware of what is required to help make people happy and fed.

Speaking of eating, Martha was able to attend the Thanksgiving meal in the RV park. Byron, who was working at Tomorrowland Terrace, got to enjoy a take-home plate when he got off work. For Thanksgiving TLT changed the menu to a traditional turkey dinner with the trimmings. Oddly, several guests were upset that Angus burgers with cheese weren’t available.

With Chick-fil-A being closed for Sundays and Byron making himself not available on that day, we are both able to go to Kissimmee First United Methodist Church each week and enjoy participation in the Hugh Embry Sunday School Class. The regular teacher of the class has asked Byron to take over for a few months giving him a bit of a sabbatical. Byron also agreed to guide some Bible studies on Wednesdays at the invitation of the church’s pastor.

The image at the top of this blog is our greeting to you. It was created by Byron so it’s coming as a personal expression to each of you. By the way, if you’d like to see his posting of the history and commentary on some hymns for the Advent/Christmas season, go to the following URL –  http:songersmusic100.blogspot.com

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Transition: Wisconsin to Florida - 9/22 to 10/24

Since leaving our summer position at Wisconsin Dells KOA, we have have traveled over 1500 miles. Having worked 40 hours per week for 5 months, we took a few days to rest and relax at the KOA in Lena, Illinois. Our route to Lena took us through a small town we visited a few years ago, New Glarus, Wisconsin, where we had lunch at the New Glarus Hotel. New Glarus is a small town with a Swiss heritage. We enjoyed some good Swiss cooking before visiting a cheese shop with some of the best local cheeses. We also took our time at a local Swiss bakery.

Outside the New Glarus Hotel ready to eat lunch at their wonderful restaurant.

We ate here with a friend two years ago and it is worthy of a second visit.

Lena, Illinois is a small town in northwestern Illinois about 30 miles east of Galena, Illinois and the Mississippi River. We had read about Galena being one of the 18 best small towns in America to visit so we spent a few days traveling around the area and taking in some of the local history, a bulk of which involves U.S. Grant or the lead mines.

There were three or four routes into Galena from the KOA in Lena. One route was an old stagecoach trail from Chicago to the Mississippi River near the Quad Cities area. We enjoyed some beautiful scenery much of which included crops of corn and soybeans almost ready for harvest. We’ve always thought of fall as being a time for beautiful leaves, but fall in the midwest took on a new beauty for us.

A photo just can’t do justice to the majesty and glory of the rolling hills

and valleys of the farmland in northwestern section of Illinois. But, it’s worth a try.

Northwestern Illinois is rather hilly but still in the heart of corn and soybean country. There were several times we would top a hill and, lying before us, come upon a view of a large valley with fields of brown corn shimmering in the sun and golden soybeans interspersed with swaths of dark green grass. Many corn fields have a swath of grass separating the different corn varieties being grown so there is no cross pollination in the test plots. Also interspersed amongst the crops were homes and grain silos/storage bins, all adding to the beauty of fall in the midwest.

A view down the main street that runs parallel to the northern edge of the Galena River.

Again, a photo doesn’t quite reveal the difference between the low and high lands

along the river in Galena. 

We drove into Galena, which is built along the Galena river and on the side of a hill, with small winding streets and many homes built in the Federal style of architecture. It was late in the day, so most of the shops were closed when we happened upon the Market House Restaurant started by three sisters in 1982. The Monday night special was chicken pot pie topped with a puff pastry, a salad, and a basket of liver pate and parmesan spread all for the great price of $10. We didn’t pass up this opportunity served on the second floor above Main Street or the main floor off Bench Street.

We spent the next few days enjoying the area which included a trip to Edwards Orchard for apple cider donuts and a stop in Fremont, Illinois where we visited the site of the Lincoln/Douglas debate.

Debate Square in Freeport marks the location of one of the Lincoln/Douglass debates.

On our third day ini the area we took a one-hour trolley tour of Galena where we learned that nine of the civil war generals called the town of Galena home. Four of the generals were held that military rank  during the Civil War and the other 5 were awarded the rank after the war. The most famous of these was General Ulysses S. Grant who also served as the 18th President of the United States. Grant was born in Ohio but moved to Galena to work with his brothers in a leather goods shop. He lived on the hill above town. His daily walk to and from work consisted of traversing a total of 400 steps up and down the hill, 200 steps each way. After the war, Grant returned to Galena and lived there until he was elected President. When he left the presidency, he was given a home in Galena but spent most of his remaining years in New York, near his children.

The U.S. Grant Historic Home is on the hillside district on the southern bank of the Galena River. The house was a gift from grateful citizens of Galena. It is now a state historic site for Illinois.

Leaving Galena we traveled to Kickapoo State Park for a few days where we visited with our good friends Larry and Peggy Stahl. We had a good time visiting them at their home in Ridgefarm just south of Danville, Illinois. On Sunday we attended church in Danville.

Leaving the Danville are we headed out for another jaunt of less than 200 miles into Southern Illinois to Rend Lake, an Army Corps of Engineers park. The lake, near Benton, Illinois was completed in the early 1970’s to help with flood control and drought for the region. One thing we like about state parks and COE campgrounds are the spacious sites. Rend Lake had full hookups and beautiful views of the sprawling Lake. COE and state parks typically don’t have full hookups (water and sewer connections) but that’s okay for a couple of days as they all have electricity at the camping sites and our holding tanks have adequate capacity for up to four days.

From Rend Lake we headed to Lone Oak, Kentucky to visit Byron’s brother Danny, sister-in-law Lynda, and nieces Martha and Amy. Fortunately they live on a large lot and there’s more than enough room for us and our 40-foot motorhome to park in their driveway for the duration of our visit.

After a couple of days we headed back into Illinois to Fairfield, Illinois and Byron’s 50th class reunion. Our home there was the campground at Sam Dale Lake State and Fish Wildlife Area in Wayne County. The campground overlooks the lake and, surprisingly, was almost full for the weekend. We must say this was the first time we have seen campers show up with a basketball goal on the back of a trailer that they set up so their kids could play basketball.

Byron had been a part of the committee planning for the class reunion and spent many hours using his technology skills to contact and inform class members about the weekend as well as collect up-to-date data and narratives from them. He enjoyed visiting with many of his classmates. The weekend included the class riding on a float in the homecoming parade, a reunion dinner on Friday night at which he and a friend sang a duet, and then an alumni dinner for all former high school graduates on Saturday night.

We also got to visit with family, June Gray, Joyce and Gaylord Taylor, and Michael and Marjorie Simpson and their family.

Byron (on right) with relatives at “Middle of Nowhere”

Martha (center) and the “girls.” Claudia (on left) owns the cafe.

From Fairfield, we headed to Louisville where we set up camp at the Shepherdsville KOA about 20 miles south of Louisville. We enjoyed visiting with Jeremy and Jody and Candice, and Martha spent time taking care of things that needed to be done for Candice. We also spent some time with friends Roger and Cheryl Basham, and got to see our adopted Hispanic family, Hilario, Sandra, Naomi, Ana, Miguel, and Antonio. We enjoyed a visit from them at the campground where the kids had a good time roasting hotdogs and marshmallows over a campfire and devouring a pot of Martha's chili.

From Louisville, we drove to Henry Horton State Park, southwest of Nashville, where we spent time visiting with Byron's sister-in-law Jacque and niece Kim. Martha had the chance to spend the afternoon playing cards with Jacque, which is something she has missed from our time in Florida. Out trek south took us through a one night stop at the Cartersville/Cassville-White KOA in an effort to miss Atlanta traffic before traveling on to Victoria Bryant State Park in Royston, GA and a visit with Martha's siblings and aunt and uncle.

Martha and sister Beth watch over the ribs being smoked over a low fire.

Our large campsite at Victoria Bryant State Park.

We had two more one night stays, one at Martha's brother Jimmy's house in Maxeys, GA and one at Lake City RV Resort in Lake City, FL before arriving at Horseshoe Cove RV Resort in Bradenton, FL for an RV rally sponsored by the Living the RV Dream organization.

Attendees of the “Living the RV Dream Gathering”

Final Month in Wis Dells - 8/21 to 9/21

As the title of this post states, we have concluded our last month in Wisconsin Dells working at the KOA. We’ve enjoyed getting to meet a variety of people. Some were on their way to other places and were just stopping for the night while some were making Wisconsin Dells their destination. While most were from Wisconsin, Northern Illinois, or Minnesota others were from as far away as Nova Scotia, Oregon, and even Europe including Great Britain and Germany. We have also worked with some interesting individuals not the least of which were the three foreign students (two from China and one from Ecuador). Then, there has been the opportunity to travel around the area and experience new things including eating at a variety of fine restaurants.

The question that may be asked is if we plan to return. The answer we have supplied to others this summer is the same we’ll supply here on the blog: “No.” The reason is that we can’t see other parts of the US or Canada if we return to the same location. After all, one of the reason for being full-timers in a motorhome is to travel extensively in the comfort of our own home.

During the last month our daily trips have diminished. We’ve made a couple of trips to Madison, returned to some of our preferred restaurants, and conducted other business which is a typical part of living. We’ve also taken time to sit around a campfire a bit more because there’s something mesmerizing and relaxing about watching a wood fire. Besides, we get to listen to the nighttime sounds or listen to each other.

 

Martha enjoyed an evening around a campfire. Byron enjoyed

taking the photo. By the way, the object in a vertical position

is the handle to the fire poker. We stick it in the

ground when we’re not using it.

One of the main attractions in town is the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show. Connected to the venue is the Paul Bunyan Shanty Cookhouse. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all served “family style” in the cabin-like restaurant. Though the food is plentiful, it really is nothing to “write home about.” By the way, breakfasts start off with orange juice and cake doughnuts. It progresses on from there. While not particularly delicious (mass produced), it is a Wisconsin Dells experience as it draws in thousands of visitors per day during the summer months.

 

Breakfast includes scrambled eggs, biscuits and gravy,

hash browns, pancakes, ham, and link sausage at the
Paul Bunyan Shanty Cookhouse.

Not far from Wisconsin Dells is the Mid-Continent Railway Museum which is a few miles west of Baraboo. Like other museums of this nature, they are attempting to obtain and restore cars and locomotives from the 1950s and earlier. In fact, the museum does have one steam engine that functions and another in the restoration process. However, for their daily rail trips (14 miles round trip) they use a small diesel-electric unit that was formerly used at a munitions depot. The diesel engine is Caterpillar and about the same displacement as ours. The model is a 3116 and ours is a later generation 3126. The museum has done a fine job of restoring several wooden cars. These cars were made before the move to steel or aluminum. They are displayed in a large building away from the harm of weather.

A refurbished but not operational locomotive sits outside the car barn

at Mid-Continent. Number 29 was originally built in 1907

by American Locomotive Company. It is considered as

a C2 Consolidation class since it is a 2-8-0 configuration.

Selfie time – aboard the train at Mid-Continent just before

leaving the station.

The day after Labor Day the time came for Sunny and Coco, the Chinese students, to leave for their journey back to China. We enjoyed their company and the opportunity to show them this part of the United States and talk about differences they see. Over the summer they had gotten acquainted with other students who also came to the Dells to work. We took them to Madison to catch the bus for Chicago. As we were getting ready to leave them Sunny gave us a card.

Sunny’s card: Two quotes. 1) I hope you two can continue your travel,

and bring more people kindness and courage. 2) Hope everyone can

live safe and sound, and appreciates the one moon together

even if we are far from each other.

Since we are officially registered as Work Kampers with Kampgrounds of America, we can take advantage of the opportunity to see openings for next summer. Though we have enjoyed Wisconsin Dells, we’d like to work in another part of the country next summer. We have our resumé posted and available for view to other owners and managers. The process of posting involves selecting some objective items such as states of interest as well as skills we possess and the levels of those skills. To date our resumé has been viewed by about a dozen campgrounds. We have also applied for about as many. We have had initial communication with about five or six but we’ve made no commitment and received no firm offers for next summer. We have, however, received a good offer from the KOA in Bar Harbor, Maine.

Finally, the time came for us to leave Wisconsin Dells since we had fulfilled our commitment at the KOA. September 19 was our last day. On the 20th we finished cleaning the exterior of the motorhome and completed the job of putting things into travel position (storage). On Monday morning we disconnected from the electric, water, cable, and sewer services and pulled away after our final visit in the office to say “good-bye.”

From here we’ll head to the northwestern corner of Illinois, and area in which neither of us has spent any time. We plan to visit Galena, the home of U.S. Grant, and the surrounding area. After a few days we’ll head to the east central part of Illinois for a visit with friends near Danville. Next will be some time with a brother near Paducah, KY before returning to Byron’s hometown for a 50th high school reunion. After ten or eleven days in Louisville we’ll go through northeast Georgia for some time with Martha’s family. After that we will go to a full-timers rally in Florida and then, finally, to the winter home in Kissimmee.

Now, to answer the question of “was it worth it.” To that we’ll say a definite “yes” as we have enjoyed the whole experience. We have been allowed to meet a lot of nice people and worked along some fine ones, too. The beautiful surroundings of the Dells area, the activities to enjoy, and the generally pleasant weather have also provided an enhancement to the opportunity. And, we were always able to be in worship each Sunday morning. We feel we have been blessed and happy we made the choice.

Late Summer in Wisconsin - 7/19 to 8/20

As the end of August approaches we are completing our third month in Wisconsin Dells. Though we’ve had a few days of highs in the 90s and humidity nearly as high, the weather has been pleasant for the most part. However, in the last month the locals would have been happier with a bit more rain. It has been rather dry especially here at the KOA.

We have continued to take the opportunity to engage in some activity or short trip on a weekly basis. Sometimes we go by ourselves and sometimes the workers from China go with us.

Things we’ve done

We went to the Riverside and Great Northern Railroad to visit the grounds and ride the 1/4 scale train pulled by a live steam engine. The entrance to the R&GN property is about a mile from the KOA. The seven-mile roundtrip trip was interesting in cars that seat eight people.

The 4-4-2 steam locomotive at R&GN in Wisconsin Dells

Coco and Byron road together on the outbound portion of the excursion.

Later that afternoon we had a late lunch. We at the River’s Edge which sits on the banks of the Wisconsin River in the Lower Dells area. At that point the river is wider than the Upper Dells and not as deep.

Martha and Sunny walked along the beech. Sunny was

excited to put her feet in the river; a first for her.

One evening we had dinner and enjoyed a show at the Wisconsin Opry. There the owners serve as hosts for the meal and also do the entertaining. In addition to the meal and show, guests travel to and from the venue (a barn) on a hay wagon pulled by a tractor driven by “grandpa,” the patriarch of the family.

The Wisconsin Opry typically features two sisters and their

parents playing and singing a combination of Country & Western

music as well as some Gospel tunes.

We visited Devil’s Lake State Park south of Baraboo to go for a hike. What we thought would be a stress-free trek up to Balanced Rock turned out to be more of a challenge than we anticipated. The problem wasn’t getting to the peak of the climb, the issue was coming down through the boulder field. The large, natural lake is interesting in that there’s a beach at the north and south ends of the lake with a bolder field on either side. The boulder field rises around 250 above the lake surface.

The view of the north beech of Devil’s Lake from atop the

boulder field on the east side of the lake.

One Tuesday we took “the girls” for a horseback ride north of The Dells near Mauston at The Woodside Ranch and Resort. The trail ride was through the forest on the property so what could have been a day in the sun turned out to be a day in the shade. There was a threat of rain but we only received a sprinkle. Coco and Sunny had a good time. It was their first horseback riding experience.

Woodside Ranch states it is where the West begins. The dude ranch

has a conference center and restaurant on the property in addition

to the cabins and stables; not expected in Wisconsin.

We also did a Wisconsin Dells “must do” by going to a performance of the Paul Bunyan Northwoods Lumberjack Show. We say “must do” because Wisconsin Dells was near the center of the lumbering industry since it sits on the Wisconsin River where a dam was built. And, as a matter of fact, lumberjack sports are still popular today just like rodeo sports. Just because it’s regional doesn’t mean it isn’t popular.

The Lumberjack Show features events such as the standing block chop, axe throwing, pole climbing, two-man log sawing, log rolling, and others by championship lumberjacks that have appeared on ESPN’s Stihl Timbersports Series and Great Outdoor Games.

Guys in the Lumberjack Show actually engage in competition

pitting representing the red team and the blue team. The teams

are composed of two men who are in great physical condition.

Last year we visited with former GMC motorhome owners at their home in Mequon, Wisconsin. Since we are less than 130 miles from them, we decided to visit again this summer. The difference this time was taking Sunny and Coco with us. They both enjoyed the ride in the motorhome (we took it so our dogs could also go along and to exercise the coach). We all enjoyed the ride on the Milwaukee River on Marlys and Jim’s pontoon boat. While on the cruise we stopped at a Farmer’s Market. We also took Sunny and Coco to Cedarburg to see the historic settlement and the covered bridge.

Of course, Marlys had prepared a wonderful dinner for us. Our Chinese guests enjoyed the American cuisine featuring grilled chicken (which Jim did to perfection), corn on-the-cob, sliced tomatoes, potato salad, deviled eggs (explain that one to a foreigner), baked beans, and seasonal fruit. Since they ate everything the put on their plates (and had more), it was easy to tell they’d eat it again if given the opportunity.

Just before leaving Mequon after visiting with Marlys

and Jim Garman, friends who formerly lived near

Smiths Grove, Kentucky.

In addition to the short trips and activities, we also hosted a rally of the Diesel RV Club at the nearby Country Road RV and Motor Home Park in Lake Delton. Byron serves as an officer of the club which is affiliated with FMCA (Family Motor Coach Association).

While here our television habits have changed as well as our sleeping habits. Since we work from 1 pm to 10 pm we don’t watch prime time programming. We turn on the 10 o’clock news when we get home. We generally watch WISC in Madison over the cable feed from the kampground. At 10:30 we flip over to the local MeTV affiliate which is only available over-the-air to watch Perry Mason, the reruns from the late 1950s. To keep the dogs settled during the day the TV is tuned to TNT or CNN, which we get via the park’s cable.

We’re heading into our last month of work kamping here at Wisconsin Dells KOA. The trips and opportunities of eating in some very nice restaurants have certainly added to our experience and lightened the work opportunity.