August 2018 - Big Guy Tiny Trailer

Indiana Camping, A Large City and Two State Parks

Indiana Camping

Our Indiana camping experience was excellent from start to finish. It was the last state we visited on our monthlong, four-state, camping trip. We loved Indiana and its natural beauty, plus all the wonderful things to do in the areas we visited. Below is link to the plan for our overall trip.

Summer Camping, Planning a Long Summer Trip

Indiana Dunes State Park

Our first Indiana camping was at Indiana Dunes for just one night, but we arrived early and had some time to enjoy the park. Our site was ideal—large, flat, shady, and just across from the bathhouse. The bathhouse was pretty new and also had a water source. Our site had electricity, but no water.

We took the walk to the beach. It was a good bit of walking for my husband’s bad knee, but we stopped and rested several times along the path. The walk was mostly shady and there was a boardwalk for much of the distance with places to sit, so it was not a bad walk.

Indiana Dunes Boardwalk — Indiana Dunes boardwalk

The Dunes were very nice with hundreds of people, many swimming in Lake Michigan. I only put my feet in the water. The lake was warmer than the dunes farther north in Michigan, but still a bit cold for me.

Indiana Dunes State Park — The Dunes and Lake Michigan

The park was established in 1925 and the State later built an enormous pavilion. At one time, it held a soft drink parlor, grill room, two stores, and dressing rooms for beach users. Long ago, the pavilion had a hotel beside it, but it was removed in 1970. Currently, the building is locked up and unused, but it is my understanding there are plans to restore it. It is a lovely building and it is sad to see it unused.

There were newer changing rooms and restrooms next to the pavilion—very functional, but not nearly as grand!

Indiana Dunes Pavilion — Pavilion at Indiana Dunes

We returned to our site just barely ahead of a fairly strong thunderstorm., which we enjoyed from the comfort of our tiny camper.

Indianapolis

Big city Indiana camping was nice as well. We enjoy visiting large cities during our travels and Indianapolis beckoned. While we normally like to stay in public campgrounds, they are not usually close to larger cities. Lake Haven Retreat is located two miles south of Indianapolis and is also very near shopping and lots of nice restaurants, so it was very convenient.

We had a gravel site with a little shade and full hookups. While at this park, our camper was a baby among giants, some for extended stays. The bathhouse and laundry were a bit of a hike, but were very nice and well-maintained. We were quite comfortable during our stay at Lake Haven, but it was pretty hot. The one full day we were there, we left early and did not return till late afternoon.

Benjamin Harrison Home

We enjoy visiting Presidential libraries and museums. Benjamin Harrison has the distinction of being the twenty-third President of the United States and the only one from Indiana. Today, his Indianapolis home is a museum with tours that provide information about his life and presidency.

Harrison was from a political family; his grandfather was the ninth United States president. He was also the great grandson of William Henry Harrison, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Harrison was president from 1889 to 1893, a time when the country was in the healing process after the Civil War.

Presidential Tour of Harrison — Presidential Tour in 1892

Harrison and family members took an unprecedented train trip cross country during his term. (Seephoto above.) They traveled 10,000 miles in 31 days covering 21 states and delivered 150 speeches. He even visited our home city of Birmingham!

Piano in Benjamin Harrison’s home — Piano in Library

The Harrison home has much of the original furnishings. That, plus the memorabilia and very informative tour guide made it very easy to get a sense of the life and times of this president. We were very glad that we had an opportunity to visit this presidential museum.

Museum of Art (Newfields)

Indianapolis is fortunate to have an amazing art museum. We arrived just in time for me to participate in a Gallery Tour, “Neoclassicism to Modernism”. My husband chilled with his tablet while I received a fabulous art lesson that included some of my favorite artists: Pissarro, Monet, Renoir, Seurat, Van Gogh, Cezannne, and O’Keefe. Heaven for me and relaxing for my husband. I will share some of the highlights of the tour.

The above painting is one of the later examples of Neoclassicism, which is characterized by idealistic forms, inspirational subjects, shallow space, Classical subject matter, and an utterly smooth surface without visible brushstrokes.

Millet’s Peasant with a Wheelbarrow — Millett’s Peasant with a Wheelbarrow

Realism (naturalism) came after Neoclassicism and the painting above shows how subject matter is represented truthfully without exotic or supernatural elements. The common man was often highlighted as in the above painting.

Impressionism was a major force in art and the museum has many of those works. Post-Impressionism followed and George-Pierre Seurat’s pointillism is one of my favorites. It is a very labor-intensive way of painting using individual dots instead of brush strokes, but the results are very interesting. I love the expressions on the sisters above, particularly the older one’s. I can just see the thought, “Why do I have to do this?”

The Newfields price of admission includes a tour of Oldfields, also known as the Lily House. It is the impressive home of J.K. Lily with eight historic furnished rooms depicting elegant country living in the 1930s. The home and it’s 26-acre grounds and gardens are a National Historic Landmark. Docent tours are sometimes available, but not at the time we were visiting.

City Sights

While in the city, we checked out some interesting architectural design. The first, Indiana State Soldiers and Sailors Monument. The 284-foot structure has been a landmark in Indianapolis since 1902. It was the first monument in the United States to be dedicated to the common soldier.

An affiliated body of Freemasonry owns the Scottish Rite Cathedral pictured below. It is such a large, impressive building that it does not fit in one shot. It was built between 1927 and 1929 and is one of the largest Masonic buildings. Guided tours are available daily, but we did get an opportunity to do anything beyond seeing the outside.

Indiana Camping at Clifty Falls State Park

Indiana camping ended for us at Clifty Falls. It is a beautiful state park with excellent, well-marked trails and abundant shade. Unfortunately, the abundant shade was everywhere except the campground. We, along with quite a few others, had a very sunny site for most of the day. The weather was very hot during our stay and our awning was essential!

The site had electricity, but no water or sewer. The Park staff did a good job of maintaining the bathhouse and it was relatively close to us.

We arrived on a Saturday and the park was very crowded with mostly young families with children. By mid-morning the next day, the campers had vacated most of the sites.

Indiana camping at Clifty Falls State Park — Clifty Falls State Park, Site 81

We checked out the falls. There was not much water flowing, but the walk down to the them was very nice. The park information states that the falls are best from December through June.

A big public pool is inside the park, but we did not get an opportunity to use it because of its very limited hours. I actually complained and the pool attendant told me that they have a very hard time getting lifeguards after school starts. I later learned that there is a very nice public pool in nearby Madison with more accommodating hours. Sadly, we did not get a chance to visit the pool with its historic bathhouse, which was built in 1938.

The Public Pool in Clifty Falls State Park

I would love to visit this park again when my husband’s knee recovers from replacement surgery to hike the trails, but I would like one of the few shady spots.

Town of Madison

We really, really loved the little town of Madison! As small towns go, it may be my favorite. There is a historic section of the town, right on the river, with blocks and blocks of well-preserved historic homes. Madison was recognized as “The prettiest small town in the Midwest” by Ladies Home Journal and “Best Preserved Town in the Midwest” by the Chicago Tribune.

We took a guided tour of the Lanier Mansion, built in 1844 with a Greek arevival style. The home still has many original furnishings. There is a walking tour of 44 historic sites, but we did not have enough time.

Lanier Mansion Historic House — Lanier Mansion Historic Site

My favorite hour on this monthlong trip in four states was the Rockin Thunder Jet Boat Ride on the Ohio River.

https://rockinthunder.com/

We had a blast! We became quite wet as the boat did spins, slides, and fishtails. The people who operate the rides were great and Will, our captain, provided lots of interesting tales about the area. I felt absolutely safe during the ride, but loved getting wet and going fast on that very hot afternoon.

Rockin River Boat Tour — Rockin River Tour Boat

Our excursion into Madison ended with a delicious meal at Key West Shrimp House. It provided a view of the river, delicious food, and excellent service.

We plan to return to Madison and Indiana camping. There was so much more to do, plus Madison is an adorable town just across the river from Kentucky. As we make our way to other states to visit, I would gladly go out of my way to revisit.

Indiana camping was amazing and we loved our visit to this beautiful state.

Upper Peninsula: Summer Camping in Michigan

Upper Peninsula Camping

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula was high on our list for our summer camping trip. We were counting on cooler weather because it is so far north and had high expectations for beautiful sights.

Straits State Park

Most of our time in the Upper Peninsula was spent at Straits State Park in St. Ignace. It was a base as we traveled to surrounding areas and because it was on the Upper Peninsula side, we did not have to cross the bridge every day to reach our destinations.

We loved many things about Straits. It was very near places we wanted to visit and offered electricity and a nearby bathhouse. Also, the Straits of Mackinac were only about a thousand feet from our site with a killer view of Mackinac Bridge. The only downside was our site, which was small and not level, so it would have been a good trade off to have a level site farther from the bathhouse.

Upper Peninsula camping — Site # 110 at Straits State Park

The view of the Straits of Mackinac and Mackinac Bridge from the campground was amazing. Several of our fellow campers enjoyed getting in the water, but it was too cold for anything but toes for me.

Woman with feet in Straits of Mackinac — Testing the water

The nighttime view of the bridge and the water was mesmerizing. This was such a peaceful place.

We were very comfortable at Straits State Park in the evenings, but spent most of our days on short trips to surrounding areas.

Daytime Activities

St. Ignace

Our campground was in the small, but lovely town of St. Ignace and we had several meals there. My favorite was breakfast at Java Joe’s where I had some delicious crepes.

While in St. Ignace, we visited Castle Rock, a 200-foot ancient lookout of the Ojibway Indians, referred to as Pontiac’s lookout. It is also a spot related to the legendary Paul Bunyan and his Blue Ox, Babe. We took the climb and it was quite a view.

Top of Castle Rock — Great but cloudy view from the top

Another spot we liked was the lighthouse. St. Ignace has a relatively new one, Wawatam Lighthouse, built in 2006. Its beacon is visable for over 13 miles over Lake Huron.

It was overcast and/or raining for a couple of the days we were in the area, but it did not prevent us from seeing the sights. The temperatures were very comfortable though, with high seventies and low eighties in the daytime. Also, the days were very long and it was not dark until well after eight p.m.

Wawatam Lighthouse in St. Ignace — Wawatam Lighthouse, St. Ignace

St. Ignace is also a departure location for the ferry to Mackinac Island. We used Sheplers because they also take you under the Mackinac Bridge.

Mackinac Island

We loved the day we spent on the island; it’s a truly unique place. Accessible only by ferry, it is on Lake Huron near the Upper and Lower peninsulas. The island is only 3.8 square miles, yet still boasts the largest summer hotel in the world, The Grand Hotel, which opened in 1887. The Biddle House, dating back to 1780 is also on the island.

We had lunch at the hotel. It was pricey, but very, very good. It was interesting to see the inside of the hotel. You have to pay $10 each to even get close to it, but if you have the buffet, they credit you for that amount. I considered booking us a room for the night in the hotel until I discovered it would be $700. Too rich for our blood! We settled for lunch instead.

Perhaps the most unique aspect of the island is that cars are not allowed, except for emergency vehicles. Horses or bicycles are the modes of transportation. We took the carriage tour that covered downtown and the State Park.

Carriage on Mackinac Island — Carriages everywhere

Arch Rock was also part of the carriage tour.

Mackinac Island is a truly magical place! It is like stepping back to an earlier time. In fact, the movie, “Somewhere in Time” was filmed on the island. I will need to check on it.

I took lots of additional photos while there. If interested, you can find them on the Big Guy Tiny Trailer Facebook page.

View from Mackinac Island — View from the island

The Island in the Winter

We learned something interesting about the island. In the winter, the ferrys shut down when the lake freezes and the only way to cross the lake is by snowmobile. In fact, they create a path where the ice is frozen and outline it with Christmas trees to make it easier to cross the lake. I would love to experience that!

Tahquamenon Falls

We took the scenic drive to the falls. There were few cars along the drive and the area was generally unpopulated with very little commerce. The Lower Falls are a series of cascades with rowboats available to rent that provide access to an island and hiking trails.

Sault Ste. Marie

Salut Ste. Marie is Michigan’s oldest city, incorporated in 1668 and is currently celebrating 350 years. Its major attraction is the famous Soo Locks, built over 150 years ago to enable ships to navigate the 21-foot drop between Lake Superior and the lower lakes. I never really understood locks before this visit, but now think of them as a bit like an escalator for ships.

The Corps of Engineers operate the Soo and there is a large viewing area for visitors to see ships passing through the locks. We watched two ships pass.

Canada and the United States both have locks along the Saint Mary’s River, which is the connecting waterway to Lakes Superior and Huron. The locks on the Canadian side are used exclusively for recreational vessels. In the photo below, the bridge on the left leads to Canada. We were very close, but did not cross the border because we did not have our passports. Also, we want to see much more when we eventually go to Canada.

Ship passing the locks — Ship passing the lock

The Soo Locks are attributed to enable $500.4 billion of iron ore to be shipped through each year. They are an important resource for this country and have a major impact on the economy. The Visitor Center had an abundance of information about the locks and the their history, including videos.

While in the city, we had a nice lunch at Karl’s Cuisine just down the street from the entrance to the locks. We had a killer bread pudding there.

Shipwreck Museum and Whitefish Point

Whitefish Point is located at a spot on Lake Superior where many shipwrecks have occurred, including the famous Edmund Fitzgerald that sank in 1975, burying 29 crewmen. Gordon Lightfoot tells its story by a song by the same name.

The bell was retrieved in a burial ceremony twenty years later and a replacement bell with the names of all the crew was installed on the sunken ship.

Edmund Fitzgerald bell — Edmund Fitzgerald Bell

The museum had many artifacts about the ships that have gone down in the nearby treacherous waters. There was also a film about the retrieval of the Fitzgerald bell.

Over 300 Recorded Accidents along this coast

For a small additional fee, you can climb the light station, which I did. It was a tight, steep climb, but the view from the top was nice and the tour guide had lots of good information about the area and its history.

That is Lake Superior below, the largest lake in the world based on surface area.

Munising

We chose the Munising area to also visit because we wanted to camp in a more remote area of the Upper Peninsula and we wanted to see Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

We visited Pictured Rocks on our way to Munising. Pictured Rocks are sandstone cliffs along Lake Superior that tower as high as 200 feet. There are many access points for boating and hiking. My husband’s bad leg and my bad shoulder would have made many of the cool spots difficult for us. However, one of the more spectators views, Miners Castle, has a lookout view that was easily accessible.

Miners Castle at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

The view was truly beautiful. We spent about an hour at the viewing area and then headed to our campground.

Widewaters Campground

Widewaters is part of the Hiawatha National Forest and is located between Irwin Lake and the Indian River. It was truly remote! There was no one to check in with when we arrived, but they had our site reserved with our name.

We had a lovely, large, partially-shaded lot. Also, temperatures were very comfortable during our stay, bugs were not an issue, and there were well-maintained vault toilets just across the street. We were aware that there were no electrical hookups and no showers. As we were only there for one night, we felt we could survive.

However, we were expecting access to water near our site, based on the map of the campground. We never found it and I searched twice. Despite the lack of any amenities beyond the vault toilets, we enjoyed our time there.

It was our first opportunity to try out our solar panels and we at least had a chance to become more familiar with them. We used them more extensively on our way home in Kentucky. I have written what we learned about them in a separate post. Solar Panels for Newbies, Access to New Places

We took a short walk to the Indian River, which is on one side of the campground. It was lovely with the shadow of the trees reflected on the water.

The cool temperatures and the lack of hookups meant that we could sleep in the peaceful quiet of the forest without the noise of a fan. I loved that part of our time there!

Regrets

We had a fabulous time in the Upper Peninsula and I don’t regret anything that we did. We tried to squeeze as much as we could during our time there. I do regret that we did not squeeze just a few more things into the trip.

We did not see the Upper Tahquamenon Falls. We were both a little tired when we got to the park and had been driving quite a bit. Also, we have seen quite a few waterfalls lately, so we just left after the Lower Falls. But, we were so close and now looking at the literature, I have major regrets.
I would have liked to have stayed a night near Marquette, the largest city in the Upper Peninsula. We saw the small city of St. Ignace with many nearby attractions and remote Munising, but not we did not see the city in which most Upper Peninsula residents live.
I think we would have enjoyed Shepler’s Lighthouse Cruise along the straits. There was just not enough time.
We did not get an opportunity to try a pastie, an Upper Peninsula traditional meat pie that is eaten by hand. When we were near a place that had them, we were not hungry and when we wanted one, there were none nearby.

So we will just have to return to the Upper Peninsula. Once was not enough!

Michigan Camping, the Lower Peninsula

Michigan Camping

Michigan camping was the third of our four-state summer trip and it was incredible. We camped in three different locations in the lower peninsula and loved them all. However, we needed to purchase a Michigan Annual Pass to avoid entrance fees of $9 per day to the state parks. The annual pass was $32 and was good for Sleepy Hollow and Straits campgrounds in the Upper Peninsula.

Sleepy Hollow State Park

Firstly, we visited Sleepy Hollow State Park in Laingsburg, which was a very nice campground. We had a large, level lot very near the well-maintained bathhouse. It was an electric site, but we did need our extension cord. It was the first time we have ever had to use it. There was a source of water nearby but no water hookup or sewer. Also, there is a beach, lake (Lake Ovid), fishing pier, and Disc Golf Course within walking distance. The site was very reasonable at $29 per night.

We also walked the beautiful shaded path to check out the beach. The beach can also be accessed via the road. It was a very relaxing afternoon.

Sleepy Hollow Beach Path — Path to the beach

Another reason we chose Sleepy Hollow was that it is only about 30 minutes from Lansing, the capital of Michigan. We liked this because there were two attractions we wanted to visit: the Michigan History Center and the R.E. Olds Museum.

Michigan History Center

The History Center is an impressive five-level museum depicting the history of Michigan from prehistoric times through to 1975. It was one of my favorite museums ever! There were tons of actual artifacts plus many dioramas illustrating life in various points in time. Helpful docents were also on every floor.

The museum reminds me somewhat of a Disney Epcot attraction that depicts the history of mankind and what each stage was like. It is a real bargain because admission to the museum was only four dollars.

R.E. Olds Museum

I liked this museum more than I expected. The old cars were beautiful and the story of the founder’s life was also quite interesting.

We finished our day trip to Lansing with a late lunch at the Soup Spoon Cafe, a walk through Old Town, and last but not least, a visit to a local laundromat.

Next, our Michigan camping trip took us to the Upper Peninsula, which is covered in a separate post. Below is a link. The next photo is a view of the Mackinac Bridge and Lake Huron from the Lower Peninsula. The bridge connects the upper and lower peninsulas.

Upper Peninsula: Summer Camping in Michigan

Lake Huron and Mackinac Bridge — Mackinaw City View of Lake Huron

On our way home, our next stop in the Lower Peninsula was at the Platte River Campground in Beulah.

Platte River Campground

Our second Michigan camping in the lower peninsula was at Platte River Campground, which is part of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. This was by far our favorite campground. The site was a huge electric site with an immaculate bathhouse just across the street. There was also a separate enclosed dishwashing room in the bathhouse. We attended an entertaining ranger-sponsored musical performance at the Amphitheater that night.

We only had the site for one night. Before leaving the next day, we drove down a gravel road to check out the dunes. It was fairly early and there was no one there. This was Peterson Road Beach and this area is not the major portion of Sleeping Bear Dunes. I suspect we have missed something by not seeing the major section of Sleeping Bear. Dunes, but there was no availability when we were booking our trip.

The campground and lake were beautiful, but there was not much to do in the nearby area. After spending a little time on the dunes, we headed to our next Michigan camping location in Kalamazoo.

Two Stops Along the Way

Gerald R. Ford Museum

We are trying to visit all the presidential libraries and this trip offered an opportunity to visit the Gerald R. Ford Museum in Grand Rapids. It was right along the way to Kalamazoo.

The library included films and artifacts from the Ford presidential years. It also had quite a bit about the First Lady, Betty Ford. Gerald Ford had the distinction of becoming president without ever running for the office of President or Vice-President. I was impressed by the information provided about his presidency. I think he was a very good man.

The Outdoor Discovery Center

The Outdoor Discovery Center was a detour for us, but it had great reviews and my husband loves animals and birds. It is a nature preserve in Holland, Michigan.

There are two large rooms with taxidermy displays that feature all sorts of animals, which look very lifelike. While we were impressed with the inside of the facility, the nature walk and the Birds of Prey exhibit was the most enjoyable.

The Center rescues Birds of Prey that have been injured and can no longer take care of themselves in the wild. Most had either wing or eye injuries. There were several varieties of owls, two bald eagles, and a falcon. There was also a couple of buzzards. It is not often that we are able to see birds like this up close. However, it was also sad to see these majestic birds in captivity.

It was a lovely walk to the Birds of Prey exhibit, most along a shady boardwalk. There were bird feeders and flowers along the way, which made the walk more interesting.

The Center was really worth the detour, especially considering that admission is free.

Kalamazoo

Our last Michigan camping experience was in Kalamazoo. It was also our first ever boondocking experience. As I understand it, boondocking is free camping. Perhaps this was moochdocking as we were staying on our friend’s property and using their electricity.

We arrived in time for a delicious outdoor meal they had prepared. It was wonderful to watch the sun begin to set over the water. We enjoyed the view and their company.

When our friends mentioned a nearby YMCA, we requested a trip to the gym the next morning. It was our only opportunity to use gym facilities during our trip and we we excited to be able to get some gym-related exercise .

After our workouts, we ate at Breakfast at Tiffany’s and it was awesome. In fact, my favorite breakfast on our entire trip was at Breakfast at Tiffany’s Restaurant in Kalamazoo. Korean BBQ and waffles was the special. It sounded a little weird, but I am so glad I tried it! The dish is fried chicken with Korean barbecue sauce topped with peanuts and diced green onions served over a malted waffle. So good!

Our friends took us sightseeing and we visited nearby Saugatuck that afternoon. It is a lovely area with parks and nice shops.

We returned that night to pouring rain, but our camper kept us very cozy on our friend’s property. The only downside was the very aggressive mosquitoes.

Sadly, our Michigan camping experience was ending. We had a delicious home-cooked breakfast prepared by our wonderful friends and said our goodbyes. So, we headed to Indiana, looking forward to the next adventure. So long lovely Michigan! However, we must return someday.

Solar Panels for Newbies, Access to New Places

Solar Panels for Dummies

We are brand new to solar panels and I must say, we do not have them totally figured out yet. I am an “instructions gal” and usually can make sense of things by reading the instructions. However, in the case of solar panels, much of it may as well be in a foreign language.

I would love to read a post entitled “Solar Panels for Dummies”, but have not yet seen one for camper batteries. So I am trying to learn enough to provide some basic language on the subject.

Why Solar Panels

It seems that most of the National Parks sites do not have electrical hookups. Also, I am aware there are great places out west to boondock. While we would love the camp in some of those places, we do like a few of the comforts that electricity provides.

We considered a generator, but they are not allowed at some campgrounds and the idea of hauling one around plus the fuel was not very appealing. They can also be noisy. We may eventually purchase a generator, but I want to fully understand solar first to see if it can meet our needs.

Our Equipment

A little background first: we have a T@G MAX XL teardrop with the Norcold cooler. (From reading posts on Facebook groups, I learned that the cooler really draws the amps.) We knew that the Norcold could be an issue, but wanted to see firsthand how it would work. So, we treated this first use as a learning experiment.

Some Basic Information

Amp Hour (Ah)

An Ampere (Amp) is a measure of the amount of energy stored in a battery.

A battery with a capacity of one amp could supply a current of one amp for one hour or two amps for 1/2 hour or 1/3 amp for three hours before becoming fully discharged.

A battery with 100 Ah would produce 5 amps over 20 hours, but if discharged at a high rate like 50 amps in an hour, it would only last one hour because of the high rate of discharge.

Converting Watts to Amps/Amps to Watts

Watts = Amps x Voltage (12 If a 12 Volt Battery)

Amps = Watts / Voltage (12 If a 12 volt battery)

The Solar Panels

We purchased Zamp 80P solar panels and used them for the first time on a recent trip that ended in a National Park in Kentucky. Zamp was chosen because the camper was already wired for it, they appear to be of high quality, and are 100% waterproof.

The photo below shows what the inside looks like when opened. Inside is the controller, cord, and fold-out adjustable legs. It also comes with an adapter to hook directly to a 12 volt battery, but we did not need it.

The Charging Environment

We had a one night stay in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and hooked up the panels, but we arrived late and left early the next day. It was cooler there and the Norcold cooler did not have to run as much. It was too short a time to really make an assessment.

The last two days of our trip was in Kentucky at Mammoth Cave Campground with no electricity. We had a shaded site, but there was quite a bit of sun on the asphalt pull through. We did not have an extension cord, but I can see the valve of having one in the future. However, by moving the panels as the sun moved, we were able to get as high as 4.0 amps for part of the day.

It was Kentucky in the late summer, so it was predictably hot—low nineties in the day and low seventies at night. The heat worsened the issues we had with the solar panels and the Norcold. Cooler weather might have made a big difference.

Preserving the Battery

The 12 volt battery can be destroyed if allowed to go too low. So, it is not a bad idea to have a voltage meter to monitor activity. This link is for an inexpensive one that can be ordered from Walmart. It plugs directly into the 12 volt receptacle on the inside and also the back of our T@G. The solar panel controller also monitors battery voltage.

The table below shows the voltage and related state of charge for a 12 volt battery. The battery should stay in the green zone to provide the longest life. The Zamp controller will show the battery in a warning state if it dips below 12.5 volts.

Set-Up

The Zamp instructions stated that you must have the correct battery type indicated on the controller or you could damage your battery. My husband tells me that ours is a wet battery and AGM is the default, so I had to change it. The lower black button on the right on the controller changes the battery type. Once you change the type, it retains the information.

Setting up the panels is very easy. First, open the panels and pull out the legs. Next, position the panels so they are directly facing the sun. Then, plug the cord directly into the external receptacle on the driver’s side of the case that holds the battery and propane. You must press it in firmly. (See photo below). You are now ready to go. As soon as the cord is plugged into the receptacle during daylight, the panels will begin working and the controller will begin displaying data.

Solar panels plugged into camper — Cord plugged into camper receptacle

The Data

The controller has three lights that provide information about the charging status and three lights that reflect the condition of the battery.

In the photo below, charging is occurring (red light) and is providing a charge to the battery (blue light), and the battery voltage is above 12.5 volts (green light). This is how the controller looked most of the time we were using the solar panels.

Below is a table from the manual that explains how to interpret what the lights mean that are on the controller.

Red Charging Status: When receiving sunlight, the light is always red, however the light will flash when the solar panel is weak. It is unlit if it is dark and there is no charging occurring.

Blue Charging Indicator: This light is on when the battery is being charged.

Green Float Charge Indicator: This light indicates that float charging is occurring. It would mean that battery is fully charged and is being maintained at a safe level. A wet battery is fully charged at 13.6 volts. This light did not come on while we were using the panels.

Battery Condition Green: Battery is above 12.5 Volts (+-0.2V). For most of the time we were using our solar panels, this light was on.

Battery Condition Yellow: Battery is below 12.5 Volts and above 11.5 Volts (+-0.02V). We saw the yellow light several times when the Norcold cooler was running.

Battery Condition Red: Battery is below 11.5 Volts (+-0.02V). Thankfully, we did not see this light on during our usage of the panels.

Amp/Volt Button: Pressing this button toggles between displaying the current battery voltage, the charging current, and charged capacity (Amp-hour).

Results on this Trip

On our first night, we only had a few hours of limited sunlight. When the sunlight was greatly reduced and the Norcold was running, the yellow light came on. We feared we would damage our battery if we ran the cooler or used the fan, so we turned off the power from the battery.

The next day, we had many hours of sunlight and were obtaining as much as 4 amps and I was hopeful we could run the fan that night. We ran the Norcold all day, charged our electronics, and played music on the DVD using Bluetooth and music on my phone. A couple of times in the hotter part of the day, the yellow battery light came on, but when the Norcold stopped running, the battery light would eventually move to green.

However, when the sun was down, the battery light stayed yellow and there was no charge occurring. Also, an (E) light was showing on the Norcold. This appears to be a safety measure. We felt our only choice was to turn off the power so we endured another hot night without the fan.

Load Analysis

As we clearly have issues trying to run the items we planned, a reader suggested that a load analysis would be helpful. Below are the 12 Volt items in our camper and the amount of energy each uses in an hour. There is also a column estimating the number of hours in a day they would be used and a projected daily total.

Because there are some solar options like solar power generators, I added a chart for items that we use when camping that run on 110. We are a long way from such a solution, but I like knowing how much energy the items draw.

It is clear from reviewing the 12 volt list that the Norcold is a major energy hog, claiming an estimated 43% of the total daily energy. Converter amps would also be significantly lower without the Norcol, saving perhaps 8 amps. If we use an ice chest instead of the Norcol, our estimated daily amps goes down to approximately 37. This is a much more reasonable number, considering our current equipment.

Increasing Energy Capacity

There are several ways to increase energy capacity if not happy with amount of power the solar panels provide.

Increase battery capacity. Our battery only provides only 65 amps, but the same brand produces a similar battery with 105 amps. This would be a significant improvement over the current battery. (The battery does weigh a little more than the current one.)
Change battery configuration to two 6 V batteries. This works much better than 12 V for dry camping. The 6 V’s have 600-700 life cycles as compared to the 12 V’s 100-150. Amps would be ample at 180 or up to 220 amp hours per battery. However, they are they are more expensive and it is likely modifications would be needed to make the two batteries fit in an existing camper. They are taller than 12 V batteries, but have a similar footprint. (A reader of this post stated they had great results using two 6 V batteries.)
Purchase higher solar panel wattage. Our panels are 80 watts and can produce a max of 4.6 amps per hour. This is not a lot of capacity if sunshine is limited.
Purchase a portable solar power generator. This is a pricey option, but it enables the use of 110 items and also it would be a good item to have at home during power outages. They are cleaner and safer than a generator. (I think I want one!). Two brands appear to be dominant in the market, the Inergy Kodiak and the Gold Zero Lithium Yeti System. Each can charge with solar panels or a wall outlet. A good comparison of the two systems can be found on YouTube.

Lessons Learned

While the solar panels did not provide adequate charging for our needs on this trip, I feel we can take what we have learned and make some changes for future success. We will make the following changes next time we are dry camping.

Substitute a high-quality cooler for the Norcold. We were fighting a losing battle trying to use the Norcold in ninety-degree weather. The Norcold might work with the panels in a much cooler environment, but we will not be expecting to use it when dry camping in the future.
Purchase an extension cord for the panels. It is clear that it would be handy in some situations.
(Perhaps) purchase a portable solar power generator.

I look forward to another opportunity to use the solar panels and will update this post on our resources page with any new information.

Happy Camping!

Kentucky Camping, Start and Finish of 2018 Summer Trip

Our Kentucky camping was part of a larger, monthlong trip that began with a plan for the NuCamp Rally in Ohio. NuCamp is the company that produces our T@G camper and also a larger model we are considering. We chose a path to Ohio and beyond to see previously unseen states. The link to the plan for our overall trip is below.

Summer Camping, Planning a Long Summer Trip

This was our first time to camp, or really spend any sort of time, in Kentucky. We had three quite different stops. First, we stayed at Holly Bay, a National Forest campground with full amenities. Next, we parked our camper in Versailles and spent a couple of nights in our cousin’s home. Lastly, on our way back home, we visited Mammoth Cave National Park, where we camped without electricity. There was definitely a wide range of amenities.

Kentucky Camping, Holly Bay Campground

Holly Bay was our first experience with Kentucky Camping and our first time to camp in a National Forest. Our site, D03, was extremely large and well-shaded. I was concerned that we would roast considering it was July and still very much the South. Thankfully, the immense shade provided by the forest greatly reduced the heat. We did not bother with our side tent as our site was not very hot and the restroom was close.

Kentucky camping at Holly Bay — Site D03

Laurel River Lake surrounds the campground. We spoke to several campers from nearby areas who were there with their boats. The water is very clear. We took the small hike to the waterside, but did not go swimming. It was so pleasant in the campground that we spent a good bit of time just hanging out there and talking with our camping neighbors.

Cumberland Falls

However, we did leave camp the next day to visit nearby Cumberland Falls State Park. We were there for lunch at the Riverview Restaurant and particularly to visit the Falls.

We have not yet visited Niagara Falls, which I am sure is very grand. But, frankly, the waterfalls we have seen on our past travels have been sadly lacking in the water part of the description. Not so, however, for Cumberland Waterfall! It is 68’ high and has been called the Niagara of the South. It is the only place in the Western Hemisphere to have a regularly visible moonbow. There is a schedule for when the moonbow occurs, but unfortunately, it was not visible during our stay.

We viewed the waterfall from several lookouts and it was incredible! I particularly liked the lower lookout. You could clearly see the the mist rising from the falls and feel it on your face. Invigorating, to say the least!

Cumberland Falls Downstream — Downstream of the Falls

The Wilderness Restaurant within the park served a dish we have never encountered, Kentucky Hot Brown, which was quite good.

Visiting Family

Stop number two was not Kentucky Camping at all. We stayed a couple of nights in Versailles, Kentucky, to visit cousins.

The countryside around Versailles is beautiful! Green rolling hills with spectacular-looking horses and stately homes nestled behind immaculate fences are abundant in the area. Justifify, the winner of the 2018 Triple Crown, hailed from one of the horse farms in the area.

Kentucky countryside — Beautiful countryside

While visiting, we parked our camper in our cousins (Jamie and Ellen’s) driveway. We enjoyed their hospitality and guest room during our stay.

Camper Considerations

Our Norcold cooler was packed with food, so we hooked up to their 110 using an adapter. It is important to remember when parking a camper with a cooler that is on for an extended period of time to hook it to a power source. This is because the Norcold will eventually drain the battery. It is my understanding that it is very damaging for batteries to be fully drained. Also, it is important to remove the 7-pin adapter from the tow vehicle so it will not drain its battery.

Family Time

Our time spent with family was great—we loved hanging out with our cousins and seeing their home and the area in which they live.

They provided us with a couple of home-cooked meals during our stay, which was very nice. Also, I had a delicious lunch at Glitz, a local restaurant, with Ellen. It is located in a store/antique shop that was fun to browse as well.

Woodford Distillery

We all took a tour of nearby Woodford Distillery, which produces the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby. The tour was quite interesting and featured a tasting of two bourbons and a bourbon chocolate candy at the end of the tour. Yum! I bought a bottle of a special production of their double oaked Rye to take to the rally in Ohio.

We headed to Ohio next and then Michigan and Indiana. However, our last site on the way home was also Kentucky camping.

Kentucky Camping, Mammoth Cave Campground

Our last opportunity for Kentucky camping was at Mommoth Cave National Park. We had booked Site # 11 at Mammoth Cave Campground. This was our first time to actually camp inside one of the National Parks. Our site was only $10 a night with the Senior Pass. However, the showers are provided by a vendor and there is a $1.50 additional charge for them.

The sites do not have electricity and we were there for two nights (Yikes!), so it was a real test of our new solar panels. There is a separate post that includes what we learned on this trip about using solar panels. It was not a rousing success!

Site #11 was large with an asphalt pull through, which was perfect for us. It had a lot of shade, but also some sunlight for the solar panels. Another plus, it was right across the street from the air-conditioned restroom, which appears new and is immaculately maintained. Truly, this was the nicest and cleanest restroom of all the sites on our trip!

We were concerned that we would be miserable camping this far south in August. However, it was reasonably comfortable sitting in the shade. Sleeping was more difficult because we are accustomed to sleeping in a cool environment. When camping, we usually have the fan or air conditioner running. It took some time to get to sleep, but it was nice to be sleeping with just the sound of the crickets. I feel this is the closest we have been to real camping since we began. My big guy did not love it though.

The Cave Tour

We had the 8:30 Frozen Niagara tour the next day. It lasted about 90 minutes and was quite nice. It includes some of the more spectacular parts of the caverns, but is considered a relatively easy hike.

We learned that Mammoth is over 400 miles long and is the longest cave in the world. It is about twice as long as the second longest.

It was distressing to learn that Mammoth has lost approximately 80% of its bat population to a fungus called white nose syndrome that is present in caves in the eastern United States and Canada. The disease has been associated with the death of 5.5 million bats and there is currently no known cure. This is very disturbing as bats devour insects that are harmful to agriculture. After all tours, everyone must walk through sudsy biosecurity mats to remove spores and dirt from their shoes to prevent spreading the fungus to other caves.

Currently, the Cave has bats, crickets that do not chirp, and unique blind creatures far below that have no eyes. We only saw crickets on our tour.

National Park Land

The land for the park was purchased from farmers in the 1930s and the Civilian Corps planted miles and miles of trees and laid out the road for the park. Prior to that, the park was not forested at all.

Many of the people on the land lived and died on what is now park property. A church and graveyard still exists with headstones that indicate people who were born in the early 1800s, along with some much later dates.

Couple buried on park property, each almost 100 years old

Exploring the Park

We also took a scenic drive through the park and saw a cool place, Dennison’s Ferry, where rental canoes are put into the water. A young couple was leaving for an overnight trip in which they would camp on an island on the river. Very daring and cool!

We never left the National Park during our stay and had meals the full day that we were there at the Lodge. It was not the greatest, but it was okay and very convenient. We were enjoying the park and also babysitting our solar panels.

Our evening ended with a ranger presentation at the Amphitheater. It was a presentation about the land above the caves and the abundance of wildlife. The morning that we left to return home, we saw a doe and her fawn on the road about twenty feet away. They allowed me to get fairly close. It was a great way to end our time in the park.

We survived two days without electrical hookups. I’m proud of us!

One Last Stop

Bowling Green was on our path home, so we stopped at the Corvette Museum. My big guy really enjoyed it and is posing below with his favorite car.

We thoroughly enjoyed Kentucky camping! It is a beautiful state with friendly people. We hope to return someday.

Ohio Camping: Rally, Big City, and State Park Campsites

Ohio Camping

This visit included a couple of firsts for us: first Ohio camping and first visit to the state. We had three stops in Ohio and all were quite different. Our visit was in mid-July and it was hotter than we would have liked. Our Ohio camping visits began at Heuston Woods State Park.

Hueston Woods

First, we had a one night stopover at Hueston Woods State Park located in College Corner. On the way, we stopped for a late lunch at nearby Patterson’s in Oxford. It was very good, but the highlight for me was the freshly squeezed orange juice. Delicious! There were some leftovers, so we did not have to worry about cooking that night.

Our site, B25, had electricity. It also had some shade and was very near the bathhouse and a laundry room. A water source was nearly, but was not on each site.

We had some downtime, so it was a good opportunity to do laundry. The park has a lake and horseback riding, but we did not utilize them. In fact, we did not even unhook. We just hung out at our site and planned for an early morning departure for the rally at Sugarcreek.

Ohio Camping Hueston Woods Site — Hueston Woods Site B25

We drove to the Lodge for breakfast before heading out. It was a decent breakfast. Lodge and cabin guests also have access to an indoor and an outdoor pool. I inquired about access for campers and our server informed me that campers can purchase a pass.

Hueston Woods Lodge — The Trailblazer Dining Room in the Lodge

Acton Lake at Hueston Woods State Park — Acton Lake

After breakfast, we headed east to Sugarcreek. We enjoyed staying at Hueston Woods, but it was a bit too hot. We needed the air conditioner on on all night to be comfortable.

üCamp 18

Our next opportunity for Ohio camping was at a rally near the nüCamp factory in Sugarcreek. Since our T@G Max XL was produced at this factory, we were excited to see it. In fact, the rally was the initial destination for this trip and there is a separate post for it.

Winklepleck Grove in Sugarcreek was the campground for the rally, which is in the heart of Amish country. Our site was right by the road and we saw many Amish carriages go by each day.

Teardrop camper at Winklepeck Grove Campground — Site 1B, Winklepeck Grove Campground

Amish carriage in Sugarcreek — Amish carriage

The town of Sugarcreek was fun to visit. It boasts the world’s largest cuckoo clock, which took twelve years to build at a cost of $50,000 in 1975. The clock has an elaborate display on the hour with music.

World’s largest cuckoo clock in Sugarcreek, Ohio — World’s largest cuckoo clock

While in Sugarcreek, we also purchased a nice quilt in one of the shops to use for future camping trips.

The Amish countryside was beautiful. We saw many farms and narrow rural roads.

We also took a tour of Yoder’s Amish Farm. The tour included very interesting information about the Amish and their lifestyle. Two homes that depicted their beliefs and customs were included in the tour. A barn and schoolhouse were also on the tour. The tour was reasonably priced and very interesting.

Ohio camping at Winklepleck Grove was the highlight of our entire trip because of the wonderful experience meeting other nüCamp trailer owners and our wonderful interactions with the factory.

Cleveland Camping

Next, we camped for two nights at American Wilderness campground, which is about thirty miles southwest of Cleveland. Our site was very nice and had electricity and water. However, it was raining a good bit of the time. The roads were made of gravel and had some large potholes. The bathhouse and laundry facilities were quite far from our site. Vault toilets were nearer to us, but were not nice, so I made the hike in the rain one night to the bathhouse.

The campground had a swimming area, but it was cold and raining and was not being used while we were there. Our site was nice, except for the long hike to the bathhouse.

Swimming area at American Wilderness Campground — Swimming area at American Wilderness

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

We wanted to see the Cleveland and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was the main attraction for us. There is ample parking nearby, but they were having a run in the city when we arrived. The city had closed several blocks near the museum. It was very frustrating trying to find parking! We ultimately had to walk about five blocks which was not good for my husband’s bad knee.

Once there, however, we enjoyed the museum.

Couple seated outside the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — Outside the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

The museum featured films, personal items, musical instruments, and photos of rock and roll legends.

Beatles Exhibit Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — Beatles Exhibit

Young Rolling Stones — Very young Rolling Stones

It took about four hours to see the museum. This is something not to be missed in Cleveland.

Christmas Story House

My favorite Christmas movie is Christmas Story and the house that was used in the movie is an attraction in Cleveland. We took the tour and it was fun.

Christmas Story bathroom — Lifebuey soap & Little Orphan Annie decoder ring

It was great to see so many details from this sweet movie, which reminds me of the time when I was a child! It is also a relatively inexpensive tour that I recommend if you are a fan. For my husband who is not a fan, it was not so great. However, he was a good sport.

Favorites

Campground: Hueston Woods had the nicest facilities.

Camping experience: üCamp 18 was the most fun we had at an Ohio stop.

Nearby attractions: American Wilderness was best for its close proximity to Cleveland.

Food: Our best meals in Ohio were actually breakfast. The breakfast prepared by nüCamps president and his wife was amazing. Rebekah’s Bistro in Walnut Creek was also very good. For lunch, Patterson’s in Oxford was the best.

Regrets

We were within blocks of Lake Erie in Cleveland, but did not see it. The weater was bad and I wanted to get to The Christmas Story House before it closed. We will have to return to Cleveland because I am sure there is more to see besides Lake Erie.

In conclusion, Ohio camping was a great time for us! Michigan is our next state to visit.

üCamp 18, Rally of the Tinys in Sugarcreek

üCamp 18

The second üCamp rally was held in July 2018 in Sugarcreek, Ohio, at Winklepleck Grove Campground. Approximately 160 sites were filled with tiny trailers from all over the United States and Canada. The largest number of campers represented was the T@B 320, but there were also at least twenty each T@B 400s and T@Gs. We own a T@G MAX XL and were excited to see so many other tiny campers.

Winklepeck Grove Campground

Winklepeck is a primitive campground in a large shady grove. It is beautiful, but does not have flush toilets or showers. However, nüCamp brought in two shower trailers and a large number of VIP portable toilets. The portable toilets were okay until the last day before they pumped them. So we were going into town and using the public restrooms near the fire station on that day.

The campground split the electricity among two campers for each site and it split the water as well. However, we had all that we needed, including running the air conditioner and microwave.

Rally Activities

There were many fun things to do during the rally, but it seemed that everyone’s favorite was to walk the campground and meet fellow nüCamp trailer owners. Also, it was cool to talk with those who had the same size camper and see their modifications and how they were using theirs. Lastly, it was nice to see the larger models and maybe even consider an upgrade.

Several meals were provided, plus great entertainment the last night featuring two local sisters called Kodachrome Babies. They were very good and sang some amazing oldies.

Tent with people — Some meals and events under the big tent

Factory Tour

The highlight of the trip was the tour of the factory so we could see how these tiny trailers are made.

The factory is in the heart of Amish country and many of the employees are Amish. The quality of the work is evident and well-recognized within the industry.

Amish Buggies at the last night’s dinner

nüCamp Assembly Line — Assembly line for T@Gs

nüCamp Completed Trailers — Ready for Delivery

We were on the second tour. Scott Hubble, the CEO, gave a presentation at the beginning of the tour about the history of the company and its current initiatives. He then answered questions. After his presentation, he turned everyone loose to explore the facility. Our friends told us that Joe Mullet, the founder and President of the company, gave the first tour. They said he shared about his personal struggles at the beginning of the company.

The factory was immaculate and seemed very well organized. We left with an even stronger impression that this organization really cares about its customers and making a quality product.

Conclusion

In my opinion, üCamp 18 was a huge success. It was a well-organized and a thoroughly enjoyable event. We were sad to leave this wonderful gathering of tiny camper owners. Many had commented to us that this trip was the highlight of their year and I would have to agree.

Sunset over Winklepeck — Sunset at Winklepeck

Mandy Lea is a well-known photographer who has lived in several nüCamp trailers and has produced YouTube videos about them. She presented the large panoramic picture below to the Company’s leadership on the last night and had some beautiful things to say about them.

So we loved üCamp 18 and hope to be there again next year! If you would like to follow us, here is a link.