Torch Lake
We left Plymouth on June 24 and spent two nights with friends who are like family at the Torch Grove Campground in Rapid City, MI. I realized as I started typing this that I didn’t take one picture with our friends while we were there. What a bummer! We went to dinner with Star and Diane Craighead at the Blue Water Bistro. If you’re ever near Torch Lake, I highly recommend it! Star told me their walleye dish was the best he’s ever had and he was right! I’m still thinking about it. It was SO good! The next morning Anita Weldon took Diane and I into Alden to do some shopping and drop off some more of my pottery at the Torch Lake Conservation Center Artisan Market. I just love that place. Such a cool little shop!
Hames Family Reunion
We spent Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning at Greg’s family reunion at his cousin Ken’s house in Brutus, Mi. His yard was pretty full with tent campers, our RV and a 5th wheel full of Hames folk. It’s always so nice getting to see everyone and catch up. Of course, we ate way too much food too but isn’t that the point of the reunion? Food is what brings everyone together. The reunion was full of laughs and a few tears. We said “see you soon” to his Uncle Ken, cousin Penny and cousin Nathan this year. Three amazing people who had a major impact on the world. Heaven sure gained some incredible souls with them this year.
Another Reunion With an Old Friend
Sunday we drove from Brutus to Bergland, MI in the UP to visit an old high school friend of mine, Diane and her husband Jim. Diane invited us to stop for the night at her beautiful home on Lake Gogebic. She cooked a wonderful dinner and dessert for us and we spent the night telling stories that made us laugh until our sides hurt. It’s always so nice to catch up with old friends and pick up right where we left off. Diane and I ran track together in high school. It was a blast talking about some of the track meets and high school pranks some of which are so good, they can’t be shared publicly. Let’s just say we had a really good time!
Bergland, MI to Fargo, ND
Our first official leg of our trip was from Diane’s house in Bergland, MI to Fargo, ND. We covered 4 states on this leg, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota. I don’t have a lot of pictures from this leg because most of it was spent driving in pouring rain. When the rain finally stopped in Minnesota, we took a small break to let the dogs outside and found an additional occupant on our RV. An unfortunate bird must have had a suicide mission during the storm and embedded itself in our front grill. Greg dug it out and disposed of it in a roadside park. Poor little bird. Since I didn’t take any pictures during the storm, I’ll share one I took of us on Sunday afternoon. of We stopped for lunch on the shore of Lake Superior on the way to Diane’s house. It was a beautiful day to walk the dogs near the water and take in the view.
Fargo, ND to Billings, MT
We left Fargo around 8:30 AM, hoping to get in a relatively long day on the road. We covered 626 miles today and spent most of the day battling pretty strong winds. Greg and I took turns wrestling with the RV to keep it on the road. Those North Dakota and Montana winds are no joke. I’m so thankful this RV is smaller than our last one. I don’t think I could have handled those winds in it! One thing we both have been keeping an eye on is the price of fuel (diesel). It is over $1 per gallon higher in Michigan than it has been in all the other states we’ve gone through so far. I know a significant part of the difference is from taxes in Michigan (to “fix the roads”) but all the other states we’ve been also have better roads. Go figure..
The first place we bought gas today was a BP just off the interstate. Apparently it doubles as a John Deere dealership. Only in North Dakota 😂
The RV met three more suicidal birds today. It’s one thing when a bird flies into your windshield but and entirely different story when it’s driven into a moving vehicle by 50mph winds. Poor birds never stood a chance. Fortunately the windshield is fine.
We are at a Loves Travel Center in Billings, MT now, getting some rest for the night. With any luck, we will cross into Alberta, Canada tomorrow. More later.
