Traverse City Wineries

We decided Thursday to go to some of the wineries further up the peninsula. So we drove through the city and on into the country. Actually you drive along the bay and then turn in on different roads to find the Winery you want. I happened to see this barn with horses first, so I had to stop and put them in my barn collection. We looked around and could not decide which winery to go to and finally decided on Black Star farms. What a great choice. This was a winery and a Bed and Breakfast, a restaurant and a Farm, but with class. We bought some wines and tasted some. Very good. I have included some pictures. Enjoy. JVP

Traverse City

We are at the top of Michigan by the big Lake Michigan. We are 7 miles out of town in a big campground with lots of those silverstream trailers. Found out this is a membership park for them and they own sites here along the lake. We had the dirty car washed and ate at Olive Garden. This is a big town with lots of restaurants and stores and fast foods that we have in LA. We are trying to get use to the 3 hour change from home or the hour ahead of where we were just a few days ago. We walked along the waterfront and I put my feet in Lake Michigan. The water is so blue, almost like Hawaii and not cold. We watched a dog swim out, get a rock bring it back to the beach and just roll in the sand and then go back out for another rock. The water is shallow very far out so people just anchor their boats close to the shore and play in the water. Wed= we went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast, got the dogs situated for the day and took off for Sleepy Bear Sand Dunes. Traverse City is cherry country and we bought some Bings at a local farm and tasted jelly and bought some great apple and cherry turn overs. John loved the farm buildings and took pictures of a beautiful colored rooster. The sand dunes are different than ours as they are coastal and been formed by glaciers. We went to visitor center first and loved the movie scenery and the animals and trees in the area. There are so many blue spruce in this area, a lot of corn fields too. We stopped at a viewing area where it is 484 ft to the bottom of the dune into Lake Michigan. A lot of people were going all the way down, cooling off in the water and then taking the LONG trip back up. Also went to the climbing dune where kids and others were busy climbing and rolling down the sand. BBQ'd dinner and had a fire. Nice Day and Weather has been in 80's with a nice breeze.

Our Days in Michigan

Had pancakes and took our time this morning we only have 150 miles to travel today. We gave Buddy a calming pill as roads through Chicago have been bad but they ended up being better this time.We are now on Central Time (3 hours ahead of LA). We are here at what we call our Blueberry Koa camp. It is surrounded by blueberries and we picked some and will have them along the way. They are so sweet and big. We are along the coast of Lake Michigan. Got some peaches and more tomotoes and did some wine tasting. Bought a couple of bottles. Max & Buddy have enjoyed our camp as we have lots of grass and space between sites. We went to the city of Douglas to see the SS Keewatin-one of last Great Lakes Passengerships. She was in the scrap yard and they saved it. It was fun seeing how people use to set sail on the Great Lakes and she is a beautifully restored ship. We walked around town and had lunch with another stop at Menards, a great midwest big hardware store and John looked around a tractor supply store. The flower pictures were by the boat and look like hibiscus but leaves are different.

Visiting

Since we decided to stay here in Norfolk another day and rest we went to our favorite hardware store Menard's and got alot of neat things and wished we had got others. Did some laundry and had dinner in. We saw our first fire flies tonight and listened to the sacadia's singing in the trees. We found out that they had a bad flood there by our park and were working on the road and the pond. We left early Friday morning as we have a good 400 mile drive today. It has been showering off and on all day. Got diesel and payed $2.84. Got to our park where we had stayed in the past, in Davenport, Iowa. We went to Iowa Tool Shed Rest. for dinner. Since it was Friday John had all you can eat cod and I had Iowa pork chops and mashed potatoes. We were so full when we left there we had left overs. We saw alot of wind towers in Iowa. Now it is Sat last day of July -seems as if time is going by fast. Today we are on our way to Joliet, Illinois to see my cousin and Aunt & Uncle. We parked in a new park next to a Casino. It was really nice with a lot of grass. It had rained pretty hard, as there were several puddles of water and mud. We had a good BLT in the motorhome with Dad"s tomatoes from Nebraska. He's a little disappointed with them but I think they are good. We checked out the casino and weren't impressed since we have a lot of them around our area. My Uncle who is 94 & Aunt Eddie 92 are doing great in their new assisted living home. They are busy with activities there and have good minds although their bodies are wearing out. Had a nice visit with them and my cousin Kathy. We went to Cracker Barrel for dinner and had a great country dinner and then went back to play Spinners (dominoe game) with them. Tomorrow we leave for Michigan and a short drive to our Blueberry Koa Campground.

Traveling Along

We left Helena by 7 AM and here we are in Buffalo, Wyoming at Deer Park Campground where we have stayed before. We drove 400 miles today and the hills are so green and temp outside is 94 so guess we will start our heat now. We saw 2 wild turkeys while we were hooking up our rig for the night. Went into town for dinner and our favorite steak house is closed on Mondays. Darn! Found another one and had a good sirloin steak dinner. Tues-Left early again today and arrived here at Wall, South Dakota -another 300 mile drive today. Would have stopped earlier but not many campground around here. We tried a new campground-Sleepy Hollow and after dinner we walked into town and through the Wall Drug Block. John bought a John Deer wind mill (small) and thermometer. Watched TV and went to bed. We were awakened several times in wee hours of morning with trains blowing their whistles very close to us. So guess we will go back to the dumpy campground where it is quieter. Wed-another long day of driving through So Dakota and Nebraska to be here in Norfolk where my relatives grew up. We were ready to stop and enjoy our little city park. The akadids are singing in the trees (some type of bug) and about 85 today. We got our sweet corn and melon today and tomorrow will go back to get our tomatoes in the morning when the little stand opens up. Plan to take it easy in the morning. We have decided to spend another night here. John is getting tried but we are trying to get to Joliet, Ill. by the weekend to see my aunt and uncle. Went to the Little cemetery where the family is buried took some pictures. Got a picture of Ginny doing what she does best, shop. Hope to leave Joliet on Sunday for our blueberry campground in Michigan. Hopefully we will stay there for a few days. Here are a few traveling pictures to keep your interest. John & Virginia

Helena, Montana

July 21 Had a nice drive today. Crossed over the Clark Fork River about a dozen times, saw an eagles nest and then later an eagle flew over us. Today we lost an hour and now on Mountain Time. Arrived here at our friends shop around 4:30 and set up our home. Went out for pizza and short visit. John, Jim, Dick (friend of Jim's and Scott went gopher hunting 3 days and enjoyed it and helped the farmer keep his pasture free of holes. I got my nails done and some shopping at WalMart before Doreen arrived. Her & I did some shopping on the walking mall and had a great salad on the patio, Mary had to work since she was the only one left in the office. We played alot of games of golf (card game) in the evenings. Went to a restaurant Bar called Chubby's and had a huge prime rib dinner. We all split the dinner and still had some left over. Sat while the guys were hunting us girls had a tour of the capital building, victorian mansions and the Catholic Church, Saturday Market where I picked up a few really good tomatoes. We BBQ brauts for dinner one night, did some wine and played cards again. Sunday was a kick back day. Guys checked out some sporting good stores. We drove to a little town called York where we had huge good hamburgers at the Bar & Grill. All the good food here is usually in a bar & grill. Weather has been perfect here although Sun was in the 90's. Max & Buddy have enjoyed the grassy front yard in front of the shop and even got to play ball one evening. Filled up with diesel here and payed $2.89 so John was happy about that. We got a tour of Jim and Mary's house on the hill and I took a picture of their Bear, we all thought it looks like Max went you call his name and he looks up at you. JVP

Idaho Days

We have been busy so haven't had time to work on our blog. We left Scott & Doreen's early Monday Morning of the 19th and on the road by 7. Doreen left for Vancouver, Washington shortly after us to go and see her Mom who is in hospital. It was a long drive but made it to Blue lake Campground in North Idaho . They have new owners and really fixed it up and we got the last spot up on the top level. Nice to see the campground so full and not empty like in the past. Bob & Laurel came over to our place and we had a nice visit and then drove into town and had dinner at the Casino with view of the river. Tues Laurel fixed us one of her big breakfasts like we had in the past . Then we had a tour of all the houses on the property and got to see Ellen. She looks thin and is starting to forget things. She has her own apt off Gary & Renea's house. She told John that he looked a little pudgy and lost his hair since she saw him last and he worried over that for a while. Took Michael (the only one living with them now), Kenny, Bob & Laurel and us out to Gary & Renea's Island home. Took 2 trips in the little metal boat to get us out there. Jerimah came with his family a little later and we had a nice BBQ lunch of hot dogs and hamburgers. Later that evening we had a taco dinner at Laurel's. It was great to see everybody again and hear all the Idaho news.