Parks – Page 19 – Wandering Dawgs

Good Friends, Full Moon and the Mississippi River

October 12, 2014May 25, 2015Posted in Missouri, State Parks, Sunrise, SunsetTagged Cape Giradeau, Mississippi River, Trail of Tears14 Comments

Our journey continued on I-24 West through Nashville, Kentucky, and Illinois before we crossed the Mississippi River into Cape Giradeau, Missouri. Our home for the next 2 nights was about 15 miles north of Cape Giradeau in Trail of Tears State Park in Jackson, Missouri and our campsite was right on the Mississippi River.

The state park is a certified site on the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail and commemorates the tragic relocation of five Native American tribes from the southeastern United States to Oklahoma. The visitor’s center in the park features exhibits that interpret the forced relocation.

We enjoyed watching barges going up and down the river and the trains which passed by on the tracks along the river.

Crossing the Mississippi River into Missouri at Cape Giradeau

Monarch Butterfly

Blondie and the Butterfly

We enjoyed watching the barges going down the Mississippi River

Sunset over the Mississippi River from at Trail of Tears State Park in Jackson, Missouri

Moon rising over the Mississippi River

The state park is part of the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail

Trains went by behind our campsite all day and night

Sunrise over the Mississippi River

Sunrise over the Mississippi River at Trail of Tears State Park in Jackson, MO

The highlight of our stay was visiting with one of my best friends from elementary school. She and her husband drove down from St. Louis to spend the day. We had a lot of catching up to do – the last time we saw each other was in the 6th grade about 50 years ago! She looks just like she did back then! We drove down to Cape Giradeau for lunch at Port Cape Giradeau and a little sight seeing along the river. After lunch we enjoyed the murals on the flood wall beside the river.

With Jean in Cape Giradeau

Mississippi River high water marks at Cape Giradeau

There are 24 different Mississippi River Tales Murals on the floodwall in Cape Giradeau

With my friend Jean beside the Mississippi River

After emotional good byes my friend and her husband returned home and we returned to the campground. We enjoyed watching the trains and barges and had front row seats for the Blood Moon rising over the river.

Blood Moon over the Mississippi River

Blood Moon

A Few of our Favorite State Park Campgrounds

September 16, 2014January 1, 2015Posted in Florida, Georgia, South Dakota, State Parks, Sunset, Washington, WildlifeTagged Cape Disappointment, Custer State Park, Floridas Forgotten Coast, Iron Mountain Road, lighthouses, Needles Highway, Okenefokee Swamp, St. Joseph Peninsula, Stephen C. Foster State Park12 Comments

We love camping in state parks. Most state parks we have found have big sites, beautiful surroundings, and wildlife.

We didn’t discover state park camping until the only place we could find to stay in Arkansas on our way home on our first RV trip was Lake Dardanelle State Park in Russellville, Arkansas. Our site was big, we weren’t lined up like sardines next to our neighbors, and we had a nice lake near our site. From that night on, we have looked for state parks whenever we travel.

Here are just a few state parks we love.

Custer State Park, Custer, South Dakota – the Black Hills, scenic drives and wildlife.

Mama bison with baby on Custer State Park Wildlife Loop Road in June, 2011

Custer State Park Game Lodge Campground Site 12

Mount Rushmore as seen from Iron Mountain Road in Custer State Park

Along the Needle Highway in Custer State Park

Needle’s Eye on Needles Highway in Custer State Park

Cape Disappointment State Park, Ilwaco, Washington – 2 lighthouses, a path to the beach behind our full hook up campsite, a dog friendly beach on the Pacific Ocean, and a Lewis and Clark museum. What’s not to love?

Cape Disappointment Lighthouse, WA

North Head Lighthouse seen from beach at Cape Disappointment State Park, Washington

Blondie enjoyed the beach at Cape Disappointment

A path to the beach was behind our site at Cape Disappointment State Park

Henry enjoying a beautiful sunset at Cape Disappointment

St. Joseph Peninsula, Port St. Joe, Florida in Florida’s Forgotten Coast – beautiful uncrowded white sandy beaches, nature trails, and sunsets.

Enjoying a January day at St. Joseph Peninsula

We could hear the waves from our campsite

We had the beach almost to ourselve

Deer at St. Joseph Peninsula State Park

We watched the sunset every night

Stephen C. Foster State Park, Fargo, Georgia – Huge sites in the middle of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.

Boat ride through the Okefenokee Swamp

Big Pull through site at Stephen C. Foster State Park, Georgia

Alligator in the Okefenokee Swamp

Other state parks that stand out are Itasca State Park in Minnesota, Claytor Lake State Park in Virginia, Beverly Beach and Humbug Mountain State Parks in Oregon, Kentucky Horse Park in Kentucky, and Cattail Cove State Park in Arizona. We’ve also camped in many Florida and Georgia state parks and love them all.

If you are an RV’er or tent camper and never stayed in a state park, give one a try on your next trip. And if you don’t camp, many state parks have cabins for rent and a few even have lodges.

Looking Back on our First RV Trip

August 15, 2014July 1, 2015Posted in National Parks, Road Trip, RVing, Tourist Attractions, WildlifeTagged Arches National Park, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Columbia Icefields, Devil's Tower, Glacier National Park, Grand Canyon North Rim, Grand Teton, Mount Rushmore, Nature, Titanium Fifth Wheel, Yellowstone17 Comments

Has it really been eight years since we bought our RV and took off on our first adventure across our beautiful country?

We purchased our Titanium fifth wheel on June 29, 2006 and spent a couple of nights in the dealer’s lot to get familiar with our new home on wheels. After returning home to Georgia it took about two weeks to pack and get ready for our maiden voyage. With no reservations and no set itinerary we set out on our two month adventure across America and into the Canadian Rockies.

Here are a few highlights of that first amazing journey:

Grand Canyon North Rim - Vista Encantada — Grand Canyon North Rim – Vista Encantada (Arizona)

Bryce Canyon Hoodoos (Utah)

Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)

Canyonlands National Park (Utah)

Arches National Park – Delicate Arch (Utah)

Elk in Yellowstone National Park (Woming)

Old Faithful (Wyoming)

Lower Yellowstone Falls in Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming)

Bison in Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming)

Columbia Icefields, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

Devil's Tower National Monument, Wyoming — Devil’s Tower National Monument (Wyoming)

Mount Rushmore National Monument in the Black Hills of South Dakota

We were hooked! We knew this was the first of many amazing trips to come.

Exactly one year ago: Welcome to Alaska!

June 15, 2014June 8, 2018Posted in Alaska, Road Trip, RV Parks, RVingTagged Klondike Highway, Skagway, Teslin, Yukon18 Comments

Exactly one year ago today we arrived in Skagway, Alaska on the 31st day of our journey from Georgia! We had a wonderful time as we traveled across the U.S. and through Alberta, British Columbia and Yukon but after 31 days we were ready to see Alaska. Here is my original post from Skagway after we finally arrived.

Day 31: Saturday, June 15, 2013. Watson Lake, Yukon to Skagway, Alaska. Pullen Creek RV Park Site 45 overlooking the Skagway Harbor and surrounded by mountains. 320 miles traveled.

I was talking to a fellow traveler at the RV park in Watson Lake before we left there this morning and I commented that this was our 31st day on the road and we still weren’t in Alaska! Our plan for the day was to continue on the Alaska Highway to Whitehorse, Yukon and enter Alaska northwest of there in several days.

It was another beautiful drive on the Alaska Highway with some nice places to stop along the way.

We crossed the Continental Divide

These purple wildflowers were growing all along the highway

Yukon wildflowers

We crossed the Nitsutlin Bay Bridge to the town of Teslin on the other side

These carvings at the Teslin Tlingit Heritage Centre represent the Wolf, Eagle, Frog, Beaver and Raven clans

We stopped for lunch at a rest stop. While I was fixing lunch Henry walked over to read an interpretive sign. On the sign was a large map of the area. As we were eating he commented that we weren’t very far from Skagway. We talked about it for a few minutes and he was just as anxious to get to Alaska as I was. We had to make a decision as the turnoff to go to Skagway was in about six miles. I entered Skagway into the GPS and it was 59 miles to Whitehorse and about 102 miles to Skagway. It was a no brainer. We were going to Skagway.

We left the Alaska Highway and off we went. We were about halfway to Skagway when I realized it was Saturday of Father’s Day weekend. What if all the rv parks were full? There was no cell service and no way to find out until we got there. I read ahead in the Milepost and saw in red letters warning of an 11 mile descent with 11% grade going into Skagway. I told Henry “There’s something coming up you’re not going to like.” There was no turning back.

The drive on the Klondike Highway was spectacular. Snow covered mountains, deep blue ice covered lakes. There were even two bears along the highway. We couldn’t stop to look at anything.

I kept checking my phone for cell service. We had to get AT&T when we got to Skagway, didn’t we?

Finally, we stopped for pictures at the Welcome to Alaska sign! We were really here!

We cleared customs with no problem and headed straight for the Pullen Creek RV Park hoping for one of the waterfront sites on the harbor. We asked for 2 nights, maybe 3. He said no problem, go pick one and come back and tell me where you are. After setting up, we were happy to just sit outside and enjoy the view.

An old mine on the way to Skagway

On the South Klondike Highway on the way to Skagway

There is still ice on the lake

Over 70 degrees and there is still snow

Back in the U.S.A.!!!!!

Our campsite is in the parking lot at the Skagway Harbor

View from our campsite

Henry says I looked like I was going to cry when I saw AT&T with full bars and 3G come up on my phone. We called our kids and enjoyed the rest of the night.

Rainy days in South Carolina

April 21, 2014June 17, 2015Posted in Rainy Days, Road Trip, RVing, South Carolina, State ParksTagged Lake Wateree State Park4 Comments

On our way back to Georgia we ventured down 10 miles of country roads to Lake Wateree State Park near Winnsboro, South Carolina. Despite being rained on most of the time we enjoyed our stay. The campground was almost full with many families and boaters. All of the campsites had large paved pads and many of the campsites were large enough for an RV, vehicle, and boat. A nice place to kick back and relax before returning home.