September

9/01/2018 I went to the National Museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base that was 30 miles from my campsite. I was there for about 5 hours which was not enough time for this very large and very interesting museum. There are four huge hangers with each one designated by one or more eras. I started in the first hanger that contains Early Military Flight, World War I, and World War II. I began by reviewing the WWII gallery of Hanger 1 in which I spent the most time. After rapidly touring the Early Flight / WWI gallery I preceded to the Korea and Southeast Asia hanger. After that I had to hurry through the Cold War and current USAF Operations hanger as closing time was fast approaching.

This museum has a lot of nuclear bombs plus almost every type plane developed, tested, and/or produced in the United States with some planes from the USSR. Unfortunately, I was unable to review the Missile gallery or the newest fourth hanger that encompasses the Presidential, Global Reach, Space, Research and Development elements. It was the best five hours I spent all day and well worth that time. 

9/02/2018 Today’s adventure took me to the Capital of Ohio, Columbus. Having found a Greek Festival online I headed to Columbus’ Short North neighborhood  where the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral was the event sponsor. I walked around the festival and listened to the Greek music and watched the Greek dancers before heading out for lunch at the nearby Happy Greek restaurant. After lunch, I walked down the Short North main boulevard inspecting the eclectic businesses until returning to the truck.

I then drove to the Ohio State House which I circumnavigated on foot then entered the structure for my personal inspection. After leaving the Capital Building I drove past the Country Club at Muirfield Village where Jack Nickolas convenes the Memorial Tournament every year. I then returned to my campsite to ready the trailer for tomorrow’s departure from Ohio.  

9/03/2018 Leaving my Rei Lakes campsite early, I just could not leave Ohio until I completed my inspection of the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Arriving at the museum I headed straight for Hanger 4 that encompasses the Presidential, Global Reach, Space, Research and Development detachments.  Between Hanger 3 and 4 is the Missile Gallery with multiple generations and types of missiles, satellites,  and  engines plus a simulated ballistic missile silo control room. Entering Hanger 4 the first plane that grabbed my attention was the enormous North American XB-70 Valkyrie experimental aircraft. I might mention that about 90% of the aircraft in the Museum are original artifacts; the XB-70 in the museum was tested at Edwards AFB and after test completion was then flown to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base for inclusion into the Museum. One of the actual North American X-15 High-Speed Research Aircraft that held several flight records is positioned in front and below the XB-70.

Spending several more hours at this prodigious aviation history shrine I woefully headed north to Michigan. The 230 mile drive to the Portage Lakes campground was interrupted by lunch at the Skyline Chili restaurant in Troy, Ohio and slowed by rain that began before the Michigan border and lasted all night.

9/04/2018 I traveled 300 miles in roughly 4 hours today to the Michigan Upper Peninsula or as the locals call it the "U P". After crossing a very long, windy Mackinac Bridge at the required 20 mph for travel trailers I drove to the Brevoort Lake campground just west of St. Ignace, Michigan off Lake Michigan. The 8 mile Mackinac Bridge crosses over the awesomely beautiful Straits of Mackinac linking the Upper Peninsula and Lower Michigan with the water below flowing from Lake Michigan into Lake Huron. At the Brevoort Lake campground I located and camped in a large level site directly on the Brevoort Lake shore. 

9/05/2018 And on the fifth day of this month there was laundry. My short drive from my campsite allowed me to arrive in St. Ignace, Michigan in time for an early lunch. After I located the laundromat I returned to and then walked along the main street that parallels the waterfront. The main street is lined with tourist shops selling any and all Mackinac Island and Mackinac Bridge associated clothing and related paraphernalia. After I completed my venturing through the various shops I returned to the laundromat and completed this day’s objective. During my return trip to the campground I stopped at the Famous Loehto’s Pasty shop. For some reason there are numerous pasty shops in the St Ignace area and I picked the best Yelp and local shopkeeper rated pasty kitchen for my purchase. I must have picked a good pasty store because I thoroughly enjoyed my purchase back at the camp trailer. 

9/06/2018 How could I not complete my visit to the UP without a trip to Mackinac Island? I planned my trip early enough to procure a ride on the ferry that included in its Mackinac Island crossing a view under the Mackinac Bridge. My very pleasant water transport was completed in a very nice old village with modern amenities of motels, restaurants and souvenir shops. Since no motor vehicles are allowed on the Island there are numerous bicycle rentals along the waterfront street. Additionally, there are horse drawn carriages available to take sightseers on guided tours around Mackinac Island. 

I began my visit by walking through town, then up past Fort Mackinac and then 1 mile to the Arch Rock, a more popular Island attraction. I was able to capture a very nice viewpoint of the Arch, an ice age formation, which I found interesting. Leaving the Arch Rock, I found a footpath that took me into the forested outer area of the Island where few visitors journeyed. My walk along this pathway was cool and quiet with my walk interrupted infrequently by the rare bicyclists. My 6 mile walk took me past the 1887 built very impressive, majestic and renowned Grand Hotel. It was a brief walk from the Grand Hotel to the dock where I was soon boarding the ferry back to St Ignace. Returning to the Brevoort Lake campground I prepared dinner then the camper for tomorrow’s departure. 

9/07/2018 Undecided, I randomly picked the Whitefish Point Lighthouse as my next destination as it was a close 1.5 hour drive and sounded interesting. After locating and quickly setting up in the Andrus Lake Campground, I drove to the nearby Whitefish Lighthouse. The Whitefish Point is the southern promontory that, along with the northern Whiskey Point in Canada, creates Whitefish Bay completing the downstream end of Lake Superior.

I walked along the log strewn beach and occasionally into the water so to truly experience all I could of this legendary landmark. Not much more to experience in the area so I returned to the trailer for dinner and a cool evening. 

9/08/2018 I left the Andrus Lake Campground today with my travel completed in the Marinette, Wisconsin city park campground. Marinette is the Wisconsin side of the two state border on the Lake Michigan shoreline the other town is Menominee, Michigan. I spent the night and played golf here on my 2015 drive around Lake Superior. Along my way to Marinette, and before leaving Michigan, I explored Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore that is on the south shore of Lake Superior. 

9/09/2018 With an interest in exploring Green Bay and Sheboygan, Wisconsin I relocated in-between these two cities at the Point Beach Wisconsin State Forest campground on Lake Michigan. The two hour drive from Marinette, Wisconsin was completed in a heavily treed, very shaded campsite just a short walk from the lake. After organizing the campsite I ventured the short distance on the campground motorway to the cool windy shoreline for my review of the Lake Michigan beach and a concession stand. My lakeside review complete I returned to the trailer to prepare dinner. It was a slow quiet night without cellular service or a television signal so bedtime came early. 

9/10/2018 I chose to venture to Sheboygan, Wisconsin in an effort to find the bratwurst capital of the world. As I approached Sheboygan this decision was altered with the thought that being so close to Milwaukee, Wisconsin that I should extend today’s travel for its review. My evaluation of Milwaukee included a drive along the Lake Michigan shoreline then through the city center streets lined with tall buildings then into the pub district. That district looked so appealing that had I been located closer to Milwaukee I would have more closely studied it with a pub crawl. Satisfied with my examination of Milwaukee I headed back to Sheboygan for dinner at the highly rated Al & Al’s Steinhaus restaurant; though upon my arrival in Sheboygan I found this restaurant closes early on Monday. My assessment of Sheboygan complete I headed back to camp for an early dinner and an early evening. 

9/11/2018 To satisfy my curiosity in the Green Bay area; I drove up to the very northern tip of the Green Bay peninsula. This area is a mixture of farmland, fishing ports and tourist villages. As the farmland diminished it was replaced by thick forest as I approached the top of the peninsula. With the road bouncing between both sides of this peninsula I had an oscillating view of Lake Michigan and Green Bay. Several of the villages on my route were fairly congested with fellow visitors on this very picturesque Wisconsin isthmus. I then drove down to the city of Green Bay where I drove around Lambeau Field the Home of the Green Bay Packers. I also located a bicycle on Craigslist in Green Bay that I purchased then found the Lorelei Inn a German restaurant on Yelp where I had dinner.

9/12/2018 I moved to Highland Ridge, a Wisconsin campground that is on the US Army Corps of Engineers, Eau Galle Reservoir. 

9/13/2018 Just for something to do, I went to Menomonee, Wisconsin to check out the Fleet Farm, a Midwest farm oriented general merchandise chain. 

9/14-18/2018 It was about an hour drive from my campsite in Wisconsin to niece Kristen’s home in Richfield, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. It was very relaxing there where I helped around her house. I also bought a bike rack listed on Craigslist and several bike parts from local bicycle shops to convert my newly purchased mountain bike to a cruiser bike. 

9/19-23/2018 I relocated about 30 miles to my other niece, Carrie (Hansen) Kowalski in Cochran, Minnesota. The Kowalski home is located on the edge of corn fields in the country northwest of Minneapolis. The Kowalski’s have two great children, Hazel and Jude, that were fun and entertaining.  

9/24/2018 My cousin, Marty in Orlando, talks about about Carthage, South Dakota, the town in which his father grew up, so I decided to continue my travels west there. After the 4 hour drive, I settled at the Lake Carthage campground that is City owned and operated. After setting up camp I drove the short distance to the Prairie Inn that is the only location to eat in Carthage. After ordering and consuming a great cheeseburger, I stayed, too late, to watch Monday Night Football and talk with several of the tavern habitués. 

9/25/2018 I slowly started this day with coffee and a sudden visit by Sam Schlim, the tenant farmer for cousin Marty’s property. Sam and I drove 3 miles out from my campsite to Marty’s property where we surveyed the property and discussed hunting and politics. Afterwards, I returned to my camp where I managed the affliction contracted last evening then later prepared dinner.