Reflections on an Unforgettable Summer Road Trip After months on the road in our camper, we’re finally back home in Florida. Actually, we’ve been back for a little while now, but the days have been a blur—settling back in, preparing for two hurricanes, and cleaning up the aftermath. It’s been nonstop, but we’re thankful to … Continue reading Home Again, Home Again
After enduring over a week of stifling heat at Grammi’s family farm, we found ourselves yearning for cooler weather. The kind of invigorating weather that makes you feel refreshed, not like you’re trapped in a slow cooker. So, naturally, we asked ourselves, “What better place to cool down than the Smoky Mountains?” But true to … Continue reading Our Journey to an Epic Smoky Mountain Adventure
Every family has a place where memories are etched into time—a place where stories are born and passed down, weaving generations together. For Grammi, that place is the family farm. It’s where her father and his siblings grew up, where she spent her childhood playing hide-and-seek in the cornfields, climbing through a maze of hay … Continue reading The Family Farm
Imagine stumbling upon a hidden gem where history and community spirit embrace you at every turn, a place that radiates friendliness and a welcoming vibe. That’s exactly what we discovered when we rolled into Darlington, Wisconsin. Nestled within the rolling hills of Lafayette County, this quaint town of just over 2,500 residents might seem like … Continue reading Adventures on the Trail in Southern Wisconsin
It was a night we won’t soon forget. The kind of night that sneaks up on you when you least expect it, catching you off guard and leaving you with a story to tell for years. We had just left Itasca State Park, the headwaters of the mighty Mississippi, and were continuing our journey south, … Continue reading From Stormy Nights to the Wisconsin Dells
As we hit the road, leaving behind the beauty of Voyageurs National Park, a sense of melancholy mixed with excitement washed over us. Wouldn’t you know it? The sky finally cleared, blessing us with a sunny farewell. We had reached the northernmost point of our summer journey, and now it was time to start our … Continue reading Itasca State Park
Whenever we plan a trip to a new destination, we often form a mental picture of what we expect to find. Yet, despite our detailed research and meticulous planning, we never seem to get it quite right. This can be either a good thing or a bad thing. Our travels are often a mixed bag … Continue reading Voyageurs National Park
With a couple of free days on our hands, we found ourselves deliberating our next move. Eventually, we heard the call from Minnesota’s North Shore. Scenic Highway 61, renowned for its hidden gems and breathtaking landscapes, hugs the shore of Lake Superior. This route, stretching for 145 miles from Duluth to Grand Portage, promises everything … Continue reading Discovering Minnesota’s North Shore
“New territory.” I’ve heard those words countless times. Whenever we venture onto a road we’ve never traveled, heading toward places we’ve never been, Grammi almost always declares, “New territory.” She does this, I think, to remind us both that our travel goals are to seek out new places, find new adventures and new experiences, and … Continue reading Discovering New Territory: A Journey Through Bayfield, Wisconsin
Imagine a place where rugged landscapes meet the vast expanse of a great lake, where the air feels crisp and invigorating and the skies seem bluer than anywhere else. Picture a wilderness, both timeless and enchanting, where the sights and sounds of nature join in harmony. This is where Michigan’s Upper Peninsula comes face-to-face with … Continue reading Exploring Michigan’s Lake Superior Coast
Is a detour to DeTour Village on your itinerary? According to the Oxford Dictionary, a detour is a roundabout route taken to avoid something or to visit somewhere along the way. In our case, we are taking a road less traveled to visit someone along the way. Maybe it’s not truly a detour. As I’ll … Continue reading Detour to DeTour Village
As I approached the Mackinac Bridge for the first time, I felt a sense of awe. There stood “The Mighty Mac,” a beacon of human ingenuity, rising majestically against the horizon. Stretching five miles across the Straits of Mackinac, this stunning engineering masterpiece connects Michigan’s Lower and Upper Peninsulas. Two towering 552-foot-high pillars support an … Continue reading Our Visit to Mackinac Island
We have one of those maps stuck to the side of our camper. I’m sure you’ve seen them before. The kind where we add a sticker for every state we’ve visited. After five years of crisscrossing the continuous United States and gradually filling in our map, a gap remains: three prominent states at the top … Continue reading Our First Trip to Michigan
Travel Day While making the trek from Silver Springs Campground in Stow, Ohio, to Potato Creek State Park in north central Indiana, our tire pressure monitoring system’s alarm started blaring like a baby wanting a bottle. One of the trailer tires was deflating faster than I could shout, “Oh $@&t!” I pulled into the first … Continue reading Adventures in North Indiana
Ever feel like you’ve hit a brick wall? After the past few days, that’s exactly how Grammi and I felt about the five or six-hour drive to our next destination. Emotionally spent and facing the daunting task of towing our travel trailer with an untested repair, we lingered until noon before coming up with a … Continue reading Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Our journey to the Ark Encounter took an unexpected turn when we first arrived at Big Bone Lick State Park in Kentucky. On our way to the campground, something alarming happened. It was a serious thing, threatening to end our journey and send us home. We learned that we may have narrowly avoided what could … Continue reading The Ark Encounter
Grammi, our youngest daughter, her family, and I continued our fun-loving caravan to Bardstown, Kentucky. This leg of the trip was dedicated to exploring and experiencing the rich history and unique flavors of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Known as the ‘Bourbon Capital of the World’, Bardstown and its surrounding areas of Lexington and Louisville proved … Continue reading The Bourbon Trail
After bidding farewell to F.D. Roosevelt State Park, we set our sights on our third stop in Georgia, the renowned Cloudland Canyon State Park. Nestled on the western edge of Lookout Mountain, this park promised beautiful landscapes and abundant hiking. It is one of the largest and most scenic parks in the state, with thousand-foot-deep … Continue reading Cloudland Canyon State Park
Now that we’re home, we are getting back to a normal routine, albeit I must confess I’m not sure what normal is anymore. We’ve been busy. There is always much to do after being away for so long. We’ve barely had time to reflect on this year’s adventure. We’ve talked to some friends and neighbors … Continue reading A Recap of Grammi and Grampa 2.0
The Adventures of Grammi and Grampa 