Camping and Retirement Blog - Page 5 of 17

Wyoming, a New State on Our Long Summer Trip

Wyoming

We had was an incredible experience visiting Wyoming. It is the least populated state in the U.S. and dominated by wide-open spaces. The population is sparse because most of the state is either mountain or desert. A significant amount of the land has been preserved and Wyoming is home to two major National Parks, Yellowstone and Grand Tetons. We visited both parks and so much more.

Fireside Resort

Fireside Resort was our home base for Grand Tetons National Park. While not in the city of Jackson, it is considered a Jackson Hole establishment. We wanted hookups and a good location. It met the criteria, but was expensive at almost $160 a night with taxes. I was expecting something elegant and that was not what we got. The campground had no pool, dog park, recreation room, nor fancy landscaping. However, there was a bathhouse and laundry, plus cute rental cabins. We understand that everything in Jackson Hole is expensive, so perhaps it was to be expected.

But, we had a nice, long, full hookup site with lots of shade. There was also a creek behind it where moose are sometimes seen. All things considered, I was happy with what we had, especially the shade.

Fireside Resort in Wilson Wyoming — Site # 93

Yellowstone National Park

Old Faithful Geyser is Yellowstone’s most well-known feature. Crowds were heavy while we were at the park, but I am happy to say we had an opportunity to see the geyser spew. We were there around five pm and were able to get a seat for the show. Old Faithful performs about twenty times a day, so eruptions are a little more than an hour apart.

I was not expecting to be so awed by the incredible beauty of Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon. It is between 800 and 1,200 feet deep and between 1,500 and 4,000 feet wide and 24 miles long.

The park also has plenty of buffalo. In addition to buffalo, we saw horses, deer, geese, and prairie dogs.

Lastly, there is the beautiful Yellowstone River and an enormous lake. I have seen only a few National Parks, but Yellowstone is my current favorite.

Grand Tetons National Park

The Grand Tetons Park is significantly smaller than Yellowstone, but it is very beautiful. We drove the loop with our puppy and made lots of stops along the way.

Four elk antler arches at each of the corners of the park in Jackson are popular for photos. Unfortunately, Jackson was extremely crowded when we were there and we had our puppy with us. So, we just drove through and snapped a picture.

Casper Wyoming

Casper is the second largest city in Wyoming. It was a one-night stop for us on this long trip, but we saw more of the city than planned. My husband’s new phone was having SIM card issues and we didn’t want to be without a phone while so far from home.

We found an open Verizon store and they took care of our issue. The parts of the city that we saw driving there were very impressive. Beautiful scenery, lots of useful commerce, and nice neighborhoods. All the conveniences of home and a gorgeous backdrop.

Fort Casper Campground

The gravel sites were very close at this campground, but the view was amazing. The campground had a dog park, laundry, and very nice bathhouse. So, the $42 a night price for full hookups seemed fair.

Fort Casper Museum

Nearby Fort Casper Museum was so worth the time to see. It is a reconstructed 1865 military post and the location was linked to the river crossing related to Oregon, California, Pony Express, and transcontinental trails. We were fortunate to have a tour provided by the curator. The history of the fort was fascinating and the way the fort was furnished made it easy to envision those frontier times.

A reconstruction of the Mormon Ferry is below. Crossing the river was a major obstacle in the push westward and viable methods to cross did much to fuel the tremendous migration west.

A man named Guinard constructed a bridge. The photo below is a replica of a portion the bridge that was built in 1859. It was 810 feet long and they estimated the cost to be approximately $40,000. The toll to cross the river was from $1.00 to $6.00 based on the height of the river.

A replica of a portion of the Guinard Bridge

Sundance Wyoming

Sundance is a very small town that dates back to 1875. We wanted to get breakfast before heading out to Devil’s Tower, but were surprised that nothing was open. It is definitely not a big tourism town. But, we had a delicious steak that afternoon at the Longhorn Saloon, which was populated mostly by locals.

Mountain View Campground

Mountain View Campground was my favorite on this trip. It is surrounded by lovely mountains, but its greatest asset is its owners who take exceptional care of it and its guests.

Our hosts provided fresh baked cookies at check in. The sites were nice with many trees. A very nice pool and dog park greatly enhanced our stay. The bathhouse was immaculate and the laundry was the nicest I have ever seen. All this for $44 a night!

The heat was the only negative for our stay because it hovered around 100 degrees.

Devil’s Tower

Devil’s Tower was about an hour away and is impressive. It was our country’s first National Monument. I made the 1.3 mile hike around the monument and took a photo of the three people actively working to climb it.

Downtown Sundance

Sundance has a really nice museum with artifacts from its past.

Crook County Museum in Wyoming — Crook County Museum

The park has a life-sized Sundance Kid to honor the famous outlaw who served some time in the local jail. So, I paid him a visit.

Sundance Kid monument in Wyoming — Hanging out in Jail with the Sundance Kid

Lastly, we stopped at Vore Buffalo Jump in Beulah, a natural sinkhole used by ancient tribes to obtain buffalo for the winter. They discovered Buffalo remains dating to 1500 AD in the 1970s when the interstate was being built. Archaeologists estimate that over 20,000 buffalo were stampeded over the banks.

Vore Buffalo Jump in Wyoming — Vore Buffalo Jump

In Conclusion

Wyoming was the most beautiful state on our trip. It has abundant mountains, rivers, and wildlife. I am so glad we got to see it! Check out posts for other states at States Visited, a Campsite Resource.

Happy Camping!

Montana, a New State on our Long Summer Trip

Montana

Montana is so beautiful! It is called Big Sky County for good reason. The sky seems so big because it is very sparsely populated and absent of tall buildings. We were fortunate to be able to camp in three different areas in the southern portion of the state and loved the big sky views.

Traveling in Montana

Driving through Montana certainly was lovely. The area we traversed was very mountainous. We drove through Bozeman, but didn’t stop. However, it was very nice and seemed like a great city in which to live.

The roads in Montana surprised us though. We took a Google maps shortcut on Fly Creek Road. It looked curvy, but it would save eight minutes. About four miles in, it became a gravel road. We had twelve miles to go and hoped the gravel was temporary. It was not! We traveled at 5-10 miles an hour because it was shaking our car and trailer so much. We saw a few farms and some cows. The gavel road connected directly with the interstate at the end of our very long twelve-mile drive.

Garryowen

Our campground was in the tiny town of Garryowen. It is located just a few miles from Little Bighorn Battlefield. Also, Billings was roughly an hour away.

7th Ranch RV

We loved 7th Ranch RV! Our full hookup site was in the shade with actual green grass with the help of a sprinkler system. The shade was such a blessing because of the extreme heat in the area. We were also welcomed with free ice cream. The campground bathhouse and laundry were nice, but the views were spectacular.

Little Bighorn Monument

We listened to two very knowledgeable park rangers talk about the famous Little Bighorn battle and provide information about the monument area.

Markers indicate where soldiers were thought to have fallen in the battle.

The beautiful rolling hills look much like they looked during that famous battle. A cemetery that is an extension of Arlington is also located on the land now.

Little Bighorn Battlefield in Montana — View of the cemetery

Billings

Billings is the largest city in Montana. However, its 2020 population was only 109,868. We were there for one of our days in the area.

Moss Mansion

Moss Mansion was the home of one of the important founders of the city, Preston Boyd Moss. It was built in 1903 and was designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh, the designer of the original Waldorf Astoria and Plaza Hotels. The mansion was in two movies, Son of the Morning Star and Return to Lonesome Dove.

The dining room below shows some of the exquisite details in this elegant home.

Yellowstone Museum

We visited the Yellowstone Museum while in Billings. It is a small museum with a very friendly staff and several interesting works of art. It was a nice part of our day.

A Rover Sitter

We had a Rover sitter while we were in Billings. Eryn, the sitter, has a house in the foothills of the mountain. She took Sophie and some other dogs on a mountain hike. Sophie seemed to enjoy it and was one tired pup when we returned to the camper.

Doggie mountain hiking in Billings Montana — Sophie’s hike on the mountain

Livingston

Livingston was a one night stop for us. The campground was very nice with flowers, nice landscaping, and an amazing view. I especially appreciated the large dog park. Our puppy really needed to run and get rid of some energy.

West Yellowstone

West Yellowstone is an access point to Yellowstone National Park. It is a small town that is right at the entrance to the park. The bulk of Yellowstone National Park is in Wyoming, but the entrance from the west is the park’s busiest with many restaurants and shopping opportunities.

Rainbow Point Campground

I booked our Yellowstone camping site about four months earlier and all electric sites were already taken. So, I booked a non electric site and we brought a generator. Thankfully, when we arrived someone had cancelled which meant that we did not have to roast in the extreme heat. The site was very large (AND ELECTRIC), so we were happy.

Hebgen Lake was a short walk from our campsite and it was absolutely gorgeous! I waded in the water with our pup because she got very dirty playing with another dog. The water was a very comfortable temperature, but we did not go far because our pup has not learned to swim yet.

The Lake water was so amazingly clear.

We went to the Yellowstone Visitor’s Center the afternoon we arrived and the ranger said we should head to Old Faithful right away and then do the southern loop clockwise very early the next day. The park was very crowded, but this strategy worked well.

Montana Food

While traveling, we stopped in Miles City for an excellent lunch at Black Iron Grill Rotisserie. The food and service were stellar! It has very nice outdoor seating, so we could take our dog. Without an outdoor seating option, we have to eat in our car when traveling.

Chislic at Black Iron Grill Rotisserie in Miles City

In Billings, we had a fabulous meal at Jake’s Downtown. The restaurant is very nice and we were surprised to learn it was owned by a lady named Kathy from Alabama. She came out to chat with us and we enjoyed our conversation.

In Conclusion

Montana was a fantastic time for us! But, photos and films do not do it justice. You just have to see it! Posts of other states we have visited can be seen on our page, States Visited, a Campsite Resource.

Happy Camping!

North Dakota, a New State on Our Summer Trip

North Dakota

North Dakota is a beautiful state with much to offer and we tried to hit the highlights. The two largest cities, Fargo and Bismarck, were stops on our journey. We also stopped in Medora to visit the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. I was hoping for some cool weather, but only Fargo gave us that. Bismarck and Medora had highs 90 and above. Not exactly what we expected.

Driving in North Dakota brought some challenges as well. For instance, the speed limit on highways was 80 mph. As we were towing a camper and it was windy, we kept our speed around 65. It felt as if the big trucks passing us on the road were moving us all over the place. Additionally, the wind as we traveled east to west was brutal.

Fargo

Downtown Fargo was nice. We had lunch in an area with many restaurants. There was some kind of festival occurring with vendors and music. However, our puppy was in our camper so we just had lunch and kept our time there short.

Lindenwood Campground

Lindenwood is a city park and its campground was our favorite in the state! We had two nights in a water and electric site that was right on the river for only $30 a night. Most importantly, there was shade on our site and a huge wooded park to walk or ride bikes.

The river is the Red River and we were camping in the Red River Valley. This dates me, but I remember a song from my childhood, “The Red River Valley.” I had always thought it was about an area in the southwest. Not so though! We saw many fishing while we we there and one person caught a really big fish.

A trip Across the River

The Red River separates North Dakota and Minnesota and the land just beyond the river from our campsite is Moorhead, Minnesota. A fellow camper at a previous campground suggested we check out the Hjemkomst Center there.

The center houses a vessel that is a full sized replica of an actual Viking boat which was constructed over many years by Robert Asp. Asp was a guidance counselor and Moorhead resident of Scandinavian descent. There is a large population of Scandinavians in Minnesota. He built the ship in an abandoned potato warehouse. His dream was to sail it to Norway.

Asp died before it could be sailed, but some of his family members pulled together a crew of twelve and made the dangerous 6,000 mile journey from Lake Superior to Norway. They were hailed as heros when they reached their destination. The ship is magnificent and the story fascinating.

There is also a reproduction of a an ancient Norwegian church and a tour that explained a lot about the actual church and how it was used in ancient times. It was so worth the time to visit this center.

Along the Road to Bismarck

I marked my map to be sure we visited the world’s largest buffalo, which was right along the path to Bismarck. It was worth the stop in Jamestown for the buffalo and especially for the Frontier Village. More photos are on our Big Guy Tiny Trailer Facebook page for anyone interested.

The North Dakota countryside traveling west was beautiful, but extremely windy.

Bismark

Bismark was a one-night stop. I love to see the architecture of capital buildings, so we checked it out before heading to our campground. It was the weekend and it was closed, but I walked the grounds. It is an impressive building and more modern looking than most. Tours are offered when it is open and I wish we could have taken one.

General Sibley Campground

General Sibley is a city park and it was great for our one night stay. We had a very large electric only site near a very nice bathhouse and it was only $25 a night. It was quite hot, but very windy in Bismarck.

Medora

Medora was the highlight of our trip to North Dakota. It is a teeny, tiny, town that appears to be exclusively dedicated to serving visitors to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. We loved the Fudge and Ice Cream Depot with its local ice cream flavors of Juneberry and Huckleberry. It has large patio seating so we could take our dog.

As the photo below from the hill by the amphitheater shows, Medora is very small.

The Medora Musical

A major highlight of our trip was the Medora Musical. Frankly, I was not expecting much, but it was excellent! We have seen several Broadway shows and this equaled them in talent and professionalism. An added plus was that it was outside on an evening that was beautiful and a comfortable temperature. It was magical!

Medora Musical in North Dakota — Medora Musical Stage

The guest performer that night was Markus Monroe, a very funny young man from New York. He would do a little of his comedy routine and then he would juggle. The juggling became progressively more difficult. It was an engaging routine.

Medora Campground

We had a little shade at the campground and overall it was nice, but the sites were very small and dusty.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Our campground was a five minute drive to the National Park gate, so it was very convenient. We visited late one afternoon and early the next day so we avoided the extreme heat and crowds.

We saw our first buffalo in the wild at this park. They were at several different areas of the park.

I finally have an understanding of the term, “badlands”. Before, I always thought it was an area that was dangerous because of the people there. I had no idea it was land that was so treacherous to cross.

Prairie dogs were in several areas of the park and they were interesting to watch.

We were in the park for an incredibly beautiful sunset!

North Dakota Food

We had several great meals, including pizza pictured below from Dempsey’s Brewery and Pub. It has nice outdoor seating, so it worked while traveling with our dog. Additionally, we had excellent meals with outdoor seating at Boots Bar and Grill and the Farmhouse Cafe in Medora. Sadly, we waited too long for reservations for Medora’s Pitchfork Steak Fondue. But, everyone we spoke to who tried it, loved it. So, if we are there in the future, we will be sure to try it.

Dempsey’s Brewery and Pub in North Dakota — Dempsey’s Brewery & Pub Sweet Sicilian Pizza

In conclusion

Lastly, North Dakota was a blast! Hopefully, we will make it back there sometime. If interested in posts for other states, check out States Visited, a Campsite Resource.

Happy trails!

Kansas, A New State on Our Long Summer Trip

Kansas Camping

Kansas is one of six new states for us in our 2021 summer trip. We spent three days in Topeka, early in our trip, and two days in Abilene on our way towards home. It is a beautiful state and the people we encountered were very warm and friendly.

Topeka

Our three nights in Topeka was over the Fourth of July weekend. Everything about our stay was great except it was quite hot. Temperatures reached 88- 90 degree highs while we were there. We had no shade except for our awning, so it was a lifesaver!

Deer Creek Valley Campground

Deer Creek Valley, near Topeka, is a wonderful campground and such a bargain! With an AARP discount, it was only $40 a night. The sites have full hookups and concrete pads. Also, the bathhouse and laundry were nice. The only downside was the absence of shade.

There is also a very large dog park, which has become important to us since we began traveling with a puppy. It was great because it gave her a great place to run and an opportunity to play with a cute little dog.

Deer Creek Valley dog park in Kansas — Nice dog park

We spent the 4th of July afternoon at the pool, so we’re able to get a reprieve from the heat. We met a very nice lady, Linda, who is a strong animal lover. She really connected with our puppy, Sophie.

The fireworks nearby were abundant and loud, but our puppy did not seem too bothered by them.

Pool in Kansas campground — Deer Creek Valley Pool

Truman Library and Museum

I really wanted to visit the Truman Library last year when we visited Missouri and were just a few miles away. But, it was closed for renovations and also likely closed because of Covid. I wasn’t sure it would be open while we were in Topeka, but discovered it was opening July 2nd while we were on our trip. It was so worth the hour-drive to Independence, Missouri. We left our puppy with a Rover sitter for the first time and it was a very good experience.

Topeka Sight Seeing

Topeka is the capital of Kansas and has a beautiful capital building. We would have loved to tour the inside, but it was the weekend and the building was closed.

So, we just checked out the local sites. For example, we saw a monument for Harry W. Colmery, a Topekan who was the author of the GI Bill. The GI Bill provides a magnitude of benefits to service members and veterans.

Arthur of GI Bill — Harry W. Colmery, Author of GI Bill

Topeka is also home to the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site.

Brown V Board of Education Monument — Brown v. Board of Education Historic Site

We were unable to enter the Visitor Center located in Moore Elementary School because it was also closed for the weekend.

Monroe Elementary School Topeka — Monroe Elementary School houses the Park Visitor Center

Kansas Food

We had some incredible meals while in Kansas. Lonnie Qs BBQ was very memorable for excellent barbecue, but also because of the kindness of its owner in serving us after closing and providing such generous portions. Lonnie’s is right outside Deer Creek Valley Campground and is a must have if you’re in the area.

We also stumbled upon a very popular downtown breakfast spot, The Pancake House. It was packed, but the wait was minimal. I loved my breakfast, but my husband was not fond of his spinach omelet.

Abilene

Abilene is a small town with links to some very famous and accomplished people. It was also important in the history of the old west.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight D. Eisenhower, our 35th president, grew up in Abilene. His Presidential Library is there along with his family home. He was an extraordinary president and I was eager to learn more about him.

We included Abilene in our trip primarily to visit the library. It was open when our trip began, but closed a couple of weeks before we arrived because of an increase of Covid cases. We did, however, walk the grounds and take some photos.

The family home normally allows tours, but it was closed as well. I would have loved to taken one of them.

A Successful Seller of Elixers

I was astounded to learn the history of the Seelye Mansion. The man who built the 25-room house in 1905 made his money selling an elixir which was mostly alcohol and ether. Evidently, he was an extraordinary salesman. The Georgian style home cost $55 thousand in 1905 and the furnishings cost more than the house. It was beautiful with all original furnishings.

The home hosted many famous people including Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, John Phillip Sousa, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Bob Dole. Unfortunately, Abilene’s most famous son, Dwight Eisenhower, was never a guest in the home.

The bowling alley in the basement was quite interesting. It came from the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis and is now one of only four in the world. Someone offered the owner of the mansion $1 million for it. I was amazed that they allowed tour members to bowl on it. I did three gutter balls.

Abilene’s Famous Marshal

The legendary Wild Bill Hickok became marshal in Abilene in 1871. We saw several images of him throughout the city. The town certainly embraces him and his colorful past.

Old Town Abilene

Abilene was significant in the old west because it was the end of the Chisholm Trail, which was used to drive cattle north. An estimated 10 million longhorns were taken to Abilene’s Railhead between 1867 and 1871.

Several buildings from Abilene’s frontier times are preserved in Old Town. Gunfighters and saloon hall dancers perform on weekends. So, we hung out with some of the performers in the saloon for awhile with our puppy.

Old Town Abilene Kansas — Old Town Abilene

Covered Wagon Campground

We certainly welcomed the shade and cooler temperatures that Covered Wagon Campground offered. It was a very pleasant two nights there. The pool also provided some relief from the summer heat.

In Conclusion

Kansas was a great time for us. Look for posts regarding other states we have visited on our page, States Visited, a Campsite Resource.

Happy Camping!

Nebraska, a New State on Our Long Summer Trip

Nebraska

Nebraska was an entirely new state for us. We visited the eastern portion and the cities, Omaha and Lincoln, early in our trip out west. Later, we traveled through the western and southern sides of the state as we traveled home.

Omaha/ Lincoln

So, we spent two nights at the West Omaha KOA. Our site was nicely shaded and there was a pool and laundry. We took advantage of the opportunity to utilize both.

Nebraska State Capital Building

We made the relatively short drive into Lincoln and checked out the Capital Building. Fortunately, there was a tour starting while we were there. So, we learned a lot about that beautiful building. The $10 million building was constructed from 1922-1932 and was totally debt free upon completion.

Visitors can take an elevator to the top of the 437’ base to the 14th floor and are awarded with an amazing view of the city.

The Foyer’s theme is the “Life of Man” and has beautiful mosaics and ornate arches.

The Lincoln Monument at the front of the building was commissioned in 1909 and predates the building.

Anniversary Lunch

We were in Lincoln for our thirty-fifth wedding anniversary. Incidentally, I am one lucky woman to be married to my guy!

After touring the capital, we had a delicious lunch at The Green Gateau to celebrate. Gateau means cake and we did have some cake, but carrot cake, not their specialty which does have some green decorations. However, everything was wonderful and if ever again in the area, I would definitely seek the Green Gateau.

The Dunham Museum

The Dunham Museum dedicated to Omaha Union Station, was also a stop for us. The Union Station is now a very cool museum with such a rich history. Omaha was the beginning of the central route of the transcontinental railroad and Sacramento, California was the end.

The railroad made cross-country travel much easier and cheaper. Before the railroad, a trip from New York to California required six grueling months and cost $1,000. After the railroad, it took only a week and cost $70. It was a major game changer of its time.

Union Station Omaha Nebraska — Omaha Train Station

The station has multiple life-sized bronze statues depicting travelers and train personnel during the station’s heyday. I sat in on one of their conversations.

The photo below is a restored Pullman Sleeper built in 1956 and is a throwback to a time when the train was the most luxurious way to travel. It certainly made me feel like I was on one of those trains from old movies. Visitors can also walk through sleeper cars, bathrooms, and dining areas.

Best Rover Sitter Ever

Rover is a bit like Uber, except it links pet owners to potential dog services. Our puppy, Sophie, stayed with a Rover sitter in Lincoln while we were seeing the sights in the area. Dode and her husband, Dallen, were amazing! She took our puppy shopping for toys and would not let us reimburse. Dode clearly loves dogs! She sent us photos and videos of Sophie shopping and playing in their beautiful fenced yard. Moreover, Sophie got such a royal treatment we were a little worried she might not want to come back home to us.

Heading Home Through Western Nebraska

Our southward drive through western Nebraska was long and incredibly hot. Highs were over 100 degrees and stayed that way until early evening. Our route was not very populated, but the countryside was lovely.

We made a stop in the town of Gothenburg to see an original Pony Express Station. It is located in a beautiful park with lots of big trees. We were grateful for the shade and enjoyed the museum.

Gothenburg Nebraska — An original Pony Express Building

Meadow Park RV

We stopped for one night at Bridgeport. It was so hot in our camper that it took quite awhile to get cool. Our air conditioner usually freezes us out quickly, but not in the current heat wave. It was too hot to do anything outside, so we just tried to cool off in the camper.

Laurie, who owns the campground gave us some fresh peaches upon arrival. They were delicious!

Bridgeport Nebraska campground — A stop headed home

Kearney

Our last stop in Nebraska was at Kearney Campground. It was a nice concrete sight by the river, but it was still blazing hot.

The thermostat was showing 104 degrees in the camper when we plugged in the electricity. We knew it would take awhile to cool the camper because it was in full sun. So, we sat beside the river under some shade.

Our puppy was really hot, so we waded in the water for a bit. She really liked it.

In Conclusion

We enjoyed our time in Nebraska and the very nice people we met! Everything was great except for the extreme heat. Posts of visits to other states can be accessed on our page, States Visited, a Campsite Resource.

Happy Camping!

How to Dewinterize the T@B 400

Ready to Dewinterize the T@B 400

So, you winterized your 400 and allowed it to rest during the cold weather. Perhaps, you read my post, Winterized our Camper Water System. Now, you are ready to get out there and go camping again. Fortunately, it is quite easy to dewinterize the T@B 400. For the water system, you basically just flush out the antifreeze.

Adding Water to the System

The 400 was thoroughly drained to winterize, but now is the time to add water back to the system. First, ensure the drain to the fresh water tank is closed. (It is located under the camper, near the wheel on the driver’s side.) Fill the fresh water tank about half full. The tank holds 30 gallons, so half filled is approximately 15 gallons. Do not leave the camper unattended while adding the water as damage can occur if it is overfilled.

It is best to flush the antifreeze using the water holding tank and pump because it enables the identification of leaks in the system. If the pump continues to run while faucets are closed, there is a leak somewhere.

Flushing the Antifreeze

Next, turn on the pump. Then, one at a time, turn on each water source and let it run till you can no longer see any pink antifreeze. Start with the cold water faucets in the kitchen and bathroom sinks, shower, and outside shower. Then flush the toilet until pink antifreeze is no longer visible. Lastly, turn on the hot water in kitchen sink, then bathroom sink, shower, and outside shower.

Once clear water flows through all water sources, you have flushed the antifreeze from your fresh water system. The antifreeze is now in the black and grey holding tanks and is ready to be dumped into a sewer or dump station. Do not allow it to drain into your lawn as it will kill plants.

Adjust the Bypass valve

The last step for the fresh water system is to adjust the bypass valve. It kept the antifreeze away from the hot water heater on Bypass. It needs to be set to normal to fill the hot water heater. Move the lever on the Bypass Valve from “Bypass” to “Normal”.

Other Steps to Prepare for Camping

The detailed steps above merely addresses preparing the water system for camping. Owners should also check tires, battery, propane tank, condition of safety chains, tightness of the hitch, proper seating of windows and doors, and condition of the camper exterior.

Additionally, wheel bearings should be lubricated once every year or at least every 10,000 miles. See our post, Wheel Bearing Maintenance-A Safety Necessity.

Lastly, NüCamp recommends owners to sanitize the fresh water system annually. A good time to do this is during dewinterization. A link to the nüCamp manual follows, T@B 400 Manual. The section on sanitation of the water system is on page 23.

We have Dewinterized the T@B 400

You are now ready to get out there camping in your T@B! Enjoy!

Artichokes and Hearts of Palm Pasta Salad

Artichokes

I selected artichokes as the focus of this week’s Good Friends Good Food salad. We like them at our house, but I don’t serve them very often. I had thought that it might be an opportunity for fresh artichokes, something I have never prepared. However, this was not a good week at our house for extra effort. The canned ones worked very well though.

Artichokes in a Pasta Salad

I often make a pasta salad where I throw together a variety of vegetables. It is usually quite good, but I don’t have a specific recipe. For this salad, artichokes was a given and I thought hearts of palm would be another good addition. If you look at the photo of ingredients below, you might want to call it everything but the kitchen sink pasta. Though there are quite a few ingredients, it is really easy to make. While the pasta is cooking, the dressing can be made and the vegetables can be chopped. This makes a really big bowl of pasta salad.

Recipe

Ingredients

Dressing:

1/2 c. Olive Oil
2 teaspoons Dried Oregano
2 teaspoons Garlic , minced
3 Tablespoons Wine Vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Rotini Pasta, 14.5 oz

Vegetables:

Artichokes, 14 oz, well-drained and roughly chopped
Hearts of Palm, 14 oz, well-drained and sliced
1 cup Grape Tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup Red Onion, chopped
1/2 cup Kalamata Olives, sliced
1 medium Red Bell Pepper, chopped
3 Large Radishes

Add When Serving:

Lemon Juice
Worcestershire Sauce
Mozzarella Cheese, Shredded

Directions

Combine ingredients for dressing and allow flavors to blend while preparing other ingredients.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted water per instructions on box. While pasta is cooking, chop vegetables and put in a very large bowl. Drain pasta and rinse in cook water. Add pasta to vegetables and then add the dressing. Stir well.

Serve in individual bowls and add as much cheese as you like. Sprinkle with Worcestershire and squeeze lemon juice over individual salads and stir to combine flavors.

In Conclusion

In short, it was a good pasta salad. Perhaps not my best ever, but quite tasty. I was shooting for some of the taste of the 1905 Salad at Columbia Restaurant. It wasn’t the same, but I liked the addition of the lemon and Worcestershire. My husband had two generous servings, so it must have been pretty good.

Artichokes and Hearts of Palm Pasta Salad

Good Friends Good Food

Check out other Good Friends Good Food dishes with the links below. Lastly, my page, Vegetables with Good Friends, Good Food, has links to other vegetables we have previously prepared.

Happy Cooking Everyone!

Edisto Beach with SE T@Bs, T@Gs, and Friends

Edisto Beach

Edisto Beach is a small island town on the South Carolina coast. There was a large gathering of members of Southeastern T@Bs, T@Gs, and Friends (SETTF) at Edisto Beach State Park and we were happy to be among them. The group met there last year as well, but we missed that one. We were blessed with great weather and a wonderful group of people to enjoy the time there.

Camping with Sophie

Sophie is our five-month old goldendoodle and she is a big part of our camping these days. This was her third camping trip and she is getting pretty comfortable with the whole thing. She is a great little traveler in the car, which is very fortunate because Edisto is 443 miles from our home.

A Stopover in Georgia

Firstly, we stopped halfway on our journey at A.H. Stephen’s State Park in Georgia to break up the trip. It is right off the Interstate and has nice shaded lots. I took a long walk around the campground and, unfortunately, injured my knee. It remained slightly swollen and sore for the rest of the trip.

Edisto Beach Campground

Above all, the Edisto trip was about being with all our friends who were camping with us. There were more than a dozen T@Bs and T@Gs at the campground. It was great to see all the like-minded campers. We had a big campsite across from the bathhouse and the only negative was a very weak cell signal.

This trip, we spent more time at the campground than usual. It is harder to get away for an extended time with the puppy and my knee was also limiting activity a bit.

Botany Bay

Botany Bay is just a few miles down the road from the campground. It is a wildlife preserve located on the site of two old plantations.

The beach at Botany Bay is a boneyard beach, much like the one on Hunting Island. It is an area where the sea has reclaimed a portion of the forest.

Sadly, we did not get to fully explore the preserve. Dogs are not allowed, so our time was limited. There is a driving tour and some historic buildings . We plan to be there again next year, so I want to explore it more fully.

Edisto Beach

The campground has a lovely stretch of beach and we visited it a couple of times. It was April and the water was cold. However, it was nice to feel the sea air and walk along the beach.

The beach is dog-friendly, so our pup was able to experience it too.

Man with dog at Edisto Beach — Sophie is allowed on the beach

Sophie seemed unsure about the incoming waves, but must have liked the overall time there because she didn’t want to get in the car when it was time to go.

Puppy enjoying Edisto Beach — Testing the water

Hanging with the Group

The wonderful group of SETTF campers was the best part of this trip. We have camped with several of them many times and consider them good friends. Also, we always meet new people who are fun to get to know.

Mexican Train was fun with Lois, Gary, Joyce, and David. We played it at one of our earlier gatherings and it is becoming a bit of a tradition.

Nightly gatherings around an expertly-built fire are also a tradition. In this Covid-19 era, potlucks have gone away, but everyone brings their drink of choice. So, it is a no-pressure, relaxing experience. With the isolation that Covid has brought, it has been so great to have this relatively safe social interaction.

This was a great trip and we were happy to see all our fellow NüCamp owners. There are other group gatherings coming up that we will have to miss, but we will camp with the group again in September.

Edisto has two campgrounds, and we were in the Live Oak Campground this trip. We have also stayed in the beach campground on our T@B 400’s maiden voyage, South Carolina Camping, First T@B 400 Trip.

Happy camping!

Street Corn in the Air Fryer, Spicy and Decadent

Street Corn

Street Corn is my offering for this week’s Good Friends Good Food cooking group. Peggy selected corn for this week and I immediately thought of Street Corn. It’s been a favorite since the first time I tasted it at a local Mexican restaurant. However, I was surprised to learn the secret ingredient was mayonnaise.

Corn is a vegetable that most people will eat, including children. However, I am afraid that my grandchildren would not appreciate what I did to it. It’s pretty spicy, but doesn’t have to be if you omit the cayenne. The cool thing about making this dish is that the ingredients are commonly on hand. Feta or Cotija cheese can be substituted and different spices can be used.

I planned to use fresh corn, but to my surprise they were totally out of it in the two grocery stores I visited. So, frozen had to do. I had to improvise cooking time, but it worked out okay.

Street Corn Ingredients

3 Ears of Corn , shucked (fresh or frozen and thawed)
Olive Oil (sprayed or brushed on corn)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Topping:

1/3 c. Mayonnaise
1/4 c. Parmesan Cheese
1 Tbsp Lemon or Lime Juice
1 tsp Lemon or Lime Zest
1/3 tsp Chili Powder
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/4 tsp Penzy’s Northwoods Seasoning
Cilantro for garnish

Directions

Because fresh corn was not available, I used frozen corn that had been thawed.

Firstly, set the air fryer at 380 degrees for 15 minutes, arrange the corn in the fryer, and brush with olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste and begin cooking.

Meanwhile, mix the sauce ingredients together. When three minutes are remaining on cooking time, check the corn. It should be beginning to brown a little and look similar to the photo below. However, if it is not beginning to brown, further cooking is needed before adding the topping.

After that, spread the topping evenly over the corn. During the final three minutes in the air fryer, cook with the topping on the corn.

Lastly, remove from fryer and garnish corn with cilantro.

Good Friends Good Food

Most importantly, look to see what others in the group are doing with corn.

In conclusion, please check out other vegetables we have prepared on my page, Vegetables with Good Friends, Good Food.

Hunting Island with SE T@Bs, T@Gs, and Friends

Hunting Island

Hunting Island State Park is a beautiful park with so much to offer. Some highlights are gorgeous beaches, a historic lighthouse, incredible marshlands, and a comfortable campground. We were there for four nights with our Southeastern T@Bs, T@Gs, and Friends group. There was a very large turnout and we really enjoy the people in this group. Consequently, we had a great time!

Getting There Via Harvest Hosts

The campground was a seven hour drive for us, per Google Maps. So, it was realistically at least nine hours with stops along the way. Therefore, we planned a one-night stopover with our first Harvest Host, Lane Orchards near Macon, Georgia. It was a good experience, overall because the store was unique and our lunch was good. Lane Orchards is on a beautiful piece of property. The only negative was a substantial amount of highway noise.

Hunting Island Campground

This was our first trip to Hunting Island. We had a nice, large spot in the campground near several of our friends from the SE group. Sites are equipped with electric and water. The biggest negative was virtually no garbage cans anywhere in the park except for dumpsters at the exit. This was also the case at the Florida campgrounds we visited last month. It was very inconvenient, but a sign of the times.

A little bird visited the campsites and seemed to have no fear of humans. He would get very close. He was a brave, little cutie!

This was the second camping trip for our puppy, Sophie. She is adapting well to the campground environment. Her trainer has us walking with her using cheese as an incentive. It was working great, but not all the time. She is very excitable.

Raccoon Invasion

After time around a campfire with our friends, we were walking back to our site when I noticed movement near our car. Suspecting raccoons, I walked to the other side and shone my flashlight around. To my shock, a raccoon was inside our car! Inexplicably, I released a blood-curdling scream that was heard back where the group was assembled. A couple of our friends came to check on us. (It’s so good to know there are people who will look out you.)

We opened the car doors and the raccoon emerged. He was able to get into the car because my husband had left the windows cracked because of a seafood smell that was in the car earlier. The raccoon left footprints all over our interior and had unzipped a bag with some dog food. He urinated on the seat and there was a wild animal smell.

It was very fortunate that we discovered the raccoon before we went to bed. A park ranger told my husband that a raccoon got into a car through a sunroof the prior year and could not get out. It completely tore up the seats of the vehicle and the headliner.

Hunting Island Attractions

There is so much to do on the island! Trails abound for hiking and biking. Several of our friends biked the island trails. It has the only South Carolina lighthouse that visitors can climb. I climbed it and was rewarded by spectacular views. Though there are about 170 steps, many platforms with information about the lighthouse break up the effort.

The Lighthouse

The Atlantic Ocean

It was just a short walk to the beach and it is a really great beach for two reasons. Firstly, it was not at all crowded. The area is a bit remote and I believe that part of the beach is just for the campground. Secondly, a portion of the beach allows dogs. So, it was a special treat for our pup.

Marshland

The island has an abundance of marshland, which has its on special beauty. The boardwalk was a really nice trail and we saw several birds.

Boneyard Beach

Because Hunting is a barrier island, its landscape is subject to many changes. Boneyard beach is an area of forest that has been reclaimed by the sea. It is a very haunting reminder of what a force of nature the sea can be.

Hunting Island Boneyard Beach — A walk among the “bones”

Creekfire RV Resort

South Carolina was a fairly long drive for us, so we tacked on a stop in nearby Savannah on our way home. We camped at Creekfire RV Resort for three nights. It is a very nice campground! One thing that was especially nice was the concrete pad—no rocks for our pup to put in her mouth and no digging.

The resort has some awesome amenities. For instance, it has a heated pool, hot tub, store, gym, and sauna. There is also a lazy River. However, it was not currently operating. We spent an afternoon at the pool and sauna and ended it with ice cream from the store. So relaxing for a warm, sunny day in early March!

Creekfire RV Resort Pool — Enjoying the pool

Savannah was just a short drive away. So, on one afternoon, we took our pup and had lunch with outdoor seating at Vic’s on the Waterfront. It was another beautiful, sunny day. Vic’s was amazing—delicious food and great service. They were also very sweet to our pup. On the way back to the campground, we purchased macaroons from a downtown store. It was a very good day!

In Conclusion

This trip had so many wonderful things. The campgrounds were stellar and we had the opportunity to spend time with friends. Our pup was still a handful, but is adapting well to camping. We are so fortunate to have experienced this trip! Lastly, if you would like to read another post about South Carolina camping, check out South Carolina Camping, First T@B 400 Trip.

Happy Camping!