COE Park – Wandering Dawgs

Wandering Around America One State at a Time – Wisconsin

October 2, 2017October 1, 2017Posted in COE Park, Lighthouse, RVing, Tourist Attractions, Wandering around America, WisconsinTagged America the Beautiful, Door County, Good Old Potosi Beer, Green Bay, Lambeau Field, Mississippi River, snow15 Comments

State 44:

Welcome to the next post in my series highlighting states we have visited throughout the years. I hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride!

I will be featuring the states alphabetically. The next state in my series is

Wisconsin

Wisconsin became the 30th state on May 29, 1848. The Capital is Madison.

On one of our trips through Wisconsin we had truck trouble on Saturday of Easter Weekend. It was too early in the season for the Madison KOA to be officially open but they let us have a site for the weekend while we waited until we could get the truck serviced on Monday morning. The campground was next to a cheese shop that had a little more money in their till after I got finished stocking up on wonderful Wisconsin cheese!

On Easter Sunday our server at the Cracker Barrel was from Georgia and I learned they serve grits even as far north as Wisconsin. After our Easter breakfast we drove around downtown Madison for a look at the state capital. On Monday morning the truck repairs were done early enough to hitch up the fifth wheel and continue north to our next destination.

20070408Madison-(2) — State Capital in Madison, Wisconsin

As we traveled north from Madison the snow started coming down. We arrived at Apple Creek Campground in DePere and set up camp in the snow. They weren’t officially open yet but the owners were great and let us have a site for a couple of nights. Seeing Lambeau Field and the Door County Peninsula were on our Wisconsin bucket list and the campground was close to both.

20070409Snow-in-WI-(13) — We set up our RV in the snow in DePere

Jutting out into Lake Michigan is the Door County Peninsula. Our visit was during the off season and as we drove around the peninsula very few places were open. There was beautiful farmland and several lighthouses to visit.

2070410-2Door-County-(2) — Door County Peninsula

20070410-1Sherwood-Point-(1) — Sherwood Point Lighthouse, Door County Peninsula

20070410-3Eagle-Bluff — Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, Door County Peninsula

20070410-5Cana-Island-Light-(8) — Cana Island

20070410-5Cana-Island-Light-(5) — Cana Island Light

20070410-6Baileys-Harbor-Lower-Range-Light-(3) — Baileys Harbor Lower Range Light is no longer in use

20070410-4lunch — Blondie got to put her feet in Lake Michigan

On the way back to the campground we stopped in Green Bay to see Lambau Field, the home field of the NFL Green Bay Packers.

20070410-7Lambau-Field-(1) — The fans love their Green Bay Packers

20070410-7Lambau-Field-(9) — Inside the Lambeau Field Atrium

On another of our trips we camped beside the Mississippi River at Grant River Corps of Engineers in Potosi, Wisconsin, population 711 in 2009. While we were enjoying lunch in the outdoor beer garden at the Potosi Brewery we watched as the town was preparing for their first annual Brewfest. The National Brewer’s Museum is located at the brewery. Also nearby was an interesting Grotto in Dickyville.

20090820Grant-River-COE-(5) — We looked across at Iowa from the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi River

20090820Grant-River-COE-(25) — Grant River COE on the Mississippi River

20090820Grant-River-COE-(19) — Sunset over the Mississippi River at Grant River COE

20090820Grant-River-COE-(23) — Our campsite was very close to the train tracks

20090822Potosi-(16) — Good Old Potosi Beer

20090822Potosi-(7) — Springs at the Potosi Brewery

20090821Field-of-Dreams-(55) — Grotto in Dickeyville, Wisconsin

20090821Field-of-Dreams-(34) — Grotto in Dickeyville, Wisconsin

While camping at Viking Village RV Park near Stoughton we bought more wonderful Wisconsin cheese. I counted nine little Thirteen Lined Ground Squirrels running around behind our RV. There were also some Sandhill Cranes running across a field but they were too far away for a picture.

20100619Ground-Squirrels-(3) — Thirteen lined ground squirrel – mama with baby

20100619Ground-Squirrels-(10) — Thirteen lined ground squirrels

20100619Ground-Squirrels-(18) — Thirteen lined ground squirrel

To read previous posts about the states featured in this series just click on the state name: Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Washington West Virginia

Sunsets, Geocaching, and Exploring around Eastbank Campground

March 4, 2016November 14, 2018Posted in COE Park, Georgia, RVing, Sunset, WildlifeTagged Alligator, Chattahoochee, geocaching, Jim Woodruff Dam, Lake Seminole, snowbirding18 Comments

Our latest RV journey took us past many pecan orchards in south Georgia before we arrived at our first destination, Eastbank Campground on the banks of Lake Seminole. Although located in Georgia, the closest town is Chattahoochee, Florida. From our campsite we were treated to a beautiful sunset our first night.

Sunset over Lake Seminole at Eastbank Campground

The campsites are large and many are waterfront. It was a great place to wind down from the hustle and bustle of being at home.

Foggy morning on Lake Seminole at Eastbank

We tried geocaching in nearby Chattahoochee, Florida. Our first two attempts were a bust but we enjoyed looking around the train car at the Heritage Park.

We ended the day watching another beautiful sunset.

Another beautiful sunset over Lake Seminole

Our second geocaching excursion took us to part of the Chattachoochee Nature Trail along the Apalachicola River.

No amount of looking over, under, and around the boardwalk helped us find the geocache but I found something better. A baby alligator was sunning himself beside the boardwalk.

Palmettos beside the boardwalk on the nature trail

We were determined to find the geocache at the train car so we returned there and Henry found it!

Later we drove to the Jim Woodruff Lock and Dam to take a look. The dam and locks were constructed for navigation, hydro- power and recreation purposes on the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, and Flint River systems.

Our last sunset over Lake Seminole.

Our first trip of 2016 is off to a great start!

My review of Eastbank Campground can be found on Campendium.

Best Campgrounds of the year – 2015

December 28, 2015January 21, 2016Posted in COE Park, Louisiana, Parks, RVing, State Parks, TexasTagged Inks Lake State Park, Lake Bistineau State Park, Palo Duro Canyon State Park20 Comments

Our 2015 wandering took us on a long a spring trip from Georgia to Texas and a short fall trip to South Carolina, Virginia, and North Carolina.

During our 2015 travels we camped in 7 states and stayed in a total of 21 different parks: 11 state parks, 6 private RV parks, 3 COE parks, and 1 county park. While we enjoyed them all, a few stand out.

So here it is, the second annual “Wandering Dawgs best campgrounds of the year” list.

Number 3: Lake Bistineau State Park, Doyline, Louisiana

Waterfront Camping at Lake Bistineau State Park, Doyline, Louisiana

Cypress Trees dripping with Spanish Moss at Lake Bistineau

We first discovered this beautiful state park when we were traveling west in 2011. The park ranger was one of the nicest and most helpful rangers I have ever met. I have such fond memories of sitting on our own private deck watching the lake that I had been trying to figure out when we would have an opportunity to return.

It was a no-brainer to stop here as we headed home toward Georgia on our return trip from Texas. The same great ranger was there and he is still one of the most friendly and most helpful rangers of any place we have been.

Lake Bistineau State Park is located a short drive south of I-20 near Doyline, Louisiana. The sites have paved parking pads with water and electric hook ups, a picnic table, and fire pit. We had a premium site with a wooden deck overlooking the lake.There are several fishing docks located in the campground and one was right in front of our site. The bath house was spotless and there is a small free laundry. The park also has a boat launch. WiFi is available at the office.

We camped at Lake Bistineau in April, 2015.

Number 2: Inks Lake State Park, Burnet, Texas

Relaxing behind our campsite at Inks Lake State Park, Burnet, Texas

We traveled through Texas in the spring when the Texas Bluebonnets were blooming. After researching where the best place to see them would be, the area in the Texas Hill Country around Inks Lake sounded perfect. When my friend Tim from Arlingon recommended it we knew we had to stay there.

We made reservations just a few days before our arrival and were fortunate to get a waterfront site the week before Easter. We had plenty of space behind our back in site to set up our chairs an enjoy the lake. We would have stayed longer but the park was full for Easter weekend and we had to leave on Good Friday.

Our site was a waterfront, back-in site with a beautiful view of the lake behind the campsite. We enjoyed beautiful sunsets every day.

Sunset at Ink's Lake — Sunset at Ink’s Lake

There are hiking trails, a fishing pier, boat launch, marina, and gift shop. Longhorn Caverns State Park is just down the road and there are many scenic drives through the Texas Hill Country.

We camped at Inks Lake State Park in April, 2015.

Number 1: Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Texas

Our own private picnic area behind our campsite

When we made a day trip to Palo Duro Canyon from Amarillo several years ago we talked about returning one day to camp in the canyon. Camping there was high on our must do list when we traveled around Texas in the spring.

There are several campgrounds in Palo Duro Canyon State Park with backpacking, equestrian sites, tent sites, and RV sites with water and electricity. Our site in the Sagebrush Campground had large private sitting area with a covered shelter over the picnic table and a fire ring. There are hiking, biking and equestrian trails. There are also several day use picnic areas, cabins, stables with guided horseback rides, an interpretive center, and the Trading Post Restaurant and Park store.

Leigh over at Campendium asked me to submit a post for my favorite State Park Campground for their May, 2015 Campendium Blog post featuring Best State Park Campgrounds. To read my contribution to the post click here.

We camped at Palo Duro Canyon in April, 2015.

Honorable Mention:

Cranes Mill Park COE, Canyon Lake, Texas
Goose Island State Park, Rockport, Texas
Poche’s Fish N Camp, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana
Claytor Lake State Park, Dublin, Virginia (2nd year on our list)

Where do you think we will wander next year? Stay tuned…

Happy New Year!!

A stop beside the Alabama River

May 7, 2015Posted in Alabama, COE Park, Road Trip, RVing, Sunset, WildflowersTagged Alabama River, Lownesboro Alabama, Mississippi River, Prairie Creek Campground9 Comments

As we traveled east from Louisiana to Alabama on I-20 we crossed the Mississippi River into Vicksburg and stopped at the Welcome Center to take a break. It was drizzling rain but we were still able to have a beautiful view of the mighty Mississippi.

The mighty Mississippi River in Vicksburg, Mississippi

Cannon display at the Mississippi Welcome Center in Vicksburg

Barge in the rain on the Mississippi River

After our short stop we continued on our journey. Our destination was Prairie Creek Campground near Lownesboro, Alabama, the first Corps of Engineers park we ever stayed in. Were we pleasantly surprised back in 2007 to find big sites, paved pads and a well maintained park. Ever since that first stay in a COE campground we look for them whenever we are traveling.

Our second visit to the campground did not disappoint. When we weren’t enjoying the view of the Alabama River from our site we took a drive to explore the dam.

Robert F. Henry Lock and Dam

Walking down to the river

Alabama Wildflowers

Alabama River

The sunsets were gorgeous right from our site.

What a great ending to our spring road trip!

Bonjour Ya’ll!

May 1, 2015Posted in COE Park, Road Trip, RVing, Texas, Tourist AttractionsTagged Chisum Days, Chuck Wagon Race, Eiffel Tower with red cowboy hat, Paris Texas14 Comments

Bonjour ya'll from Paris, Texas! — Bonjour ya’ll from Paris, Texas!

Paris, Texas was our last stop in Texas. Of course we couldn’t miss the Eiffel Tower with a red cowboy hat. It is located between the civic center and a very impressive Veteran’s Memorial. The replica of the Eiffel Tower was originally dedicated in 1993 and was 65 feet tall. In 1998 the red cowboy hat was added to make it a few feet taller.

We walked around the town square and stopped by the Chamber of Commerce to pick up some postcards and find out more about the area. The Chamber shares space with an art gallery and we enjoyed talking with one of the artists who grew up in the Atlanta area but now lives in Paris.

While at the Chamber I spied a brochure for Chisum Days with Chuck Wagon races on Sunday. I didn’t know what to expect at a chuck wagon race but it sounded like something we didn’t want to miss. I love it when we happen to be in the area when a fun event like this is taking place. Usually I see a poster for something I’d like to do and it was last week or next month.

The event was a fund raiser for the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars and was held at Lake Crook Park just north of Paris. We attended the event on Sunday, the last day. Rain had left the grounds pretty muddy. There were horse trailers, RV’s and trucks parked all around a large field where the races would take place. We arrived about an hour before the races began and enjoyed watching all the activity as people went about preparing for the races.

Showing of the Colors and the National Anthem to open the event

The races were really fun to watch. If not for a great announcer we wouldn’t have known what was going on. Each team consisted of a driver, a cook, and an outrider. Two teams competed at a time. At the start of the race each outrider had to load the wagon with a bedroll and cook box before mounting their horse. Each team rounded a barrel before racing around through the woods to the finish line. To win the race the outrider had to cross the finish line before the wagon and the wagon had to have both the bedroll and cook box. All this happened in less than two minutes!

A muddy day — An outrider racing through the mud

What a great ending to our Texas adventure!

We camped at Pat Mayes West Corps of Engineers Park north of Paris in Powderly, Texas. It was an older park with most of the other campers there for the boating and fishing.