Cathy

Fall Camping Anyone?

Fall is a great time to go camping! Since this year’s Camping Season started during the “Sheltering at Home” phase, a lot of campgrounds were closed. Once they reopened, part of the Camping Season was already over! Most of us have not been able to camp as much as we would in a “normal” year. That’s what makes camping this Fall especially appealing!

Some of us have tried to camp in our own backyards, with tents and campfires. That can be fun, but there’s nothing like hitting the road with your camper in tow!

Depending on what state you live in, the camping season can last into October or even later. A lot of KOA campgrounds are open year-round! I live in North Carolina, and for me, camping in July and August is too hot! We are forced to stay inside our air-conditioned camper, which isn’t much fun. We are not able to do the things that make camping so enjoyable!

In the Fall, you can get outside and do some of these fun things;

Campfires on a crisp Fall evening
A walk through the woods with the leaves turning colors
Campground Fall events
Watching football on an outside TV
Apple Picking
Hay Rides
Halloween parties/trick or treat

Camping in October

If you enjoy Autumn, it can be a great time for a getaway before winter sets in. Years ago, when I first started camping, we had a small 4-person tent. After many years of camping in rainy & cold weather, and waking up to a wet sleeping bag, we bought our first used travel trailer. I have never gone back to tent camping, but I can see why some people would prefer it. The cost of camping is lower, and you don’t have to get a special vehicle(truck) to pull your camper. It’s much easier to be spontaneous when tent camping.

Recently, we purchased a new Conquest Travel trailer that we tow with our Ram truck.

When searching for a campground in Fall, you may find a limited number of campgrounds that are open after October 1st, especially in the Northern states. Please check ahead before heading to the campground. Here is a list of 5 different states and a variety of campgrounds open into October and later;

NOTE: With COVID still around, some of these campgrounds may not have Fall/Halloween events this year – Please check the campground website for further information

Five States for Great Fall Camping

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9 Lighthouses in Florida

4 Comments / Places to see / Cathy

Lighthouse Series – Florida’s Atlantic Coast

Florida Lighthouses

There are 29 lighthouses that line the coast of Florida, from the Amelia Island Lighthouse in the North down the Atlantic Coast to Key West at the Southern Tip of Florida and up the Gulf Coast to Pensacola. Of the 29 lighthouses in Florida, only 6 are open to the public. Florida has many historic lighthouses. The first lighthouse built was at Key West in 1825. The oldest existing lighthouse in Florida is Amelia Island Lighthouse it was built in 1839.

Florida lighthouse History

When the United States took possession of Florida in 1821, no lighthouses existed. Florida had become the nation’s busiest highway for commerce. The Appalachian Mountains made it impossible for produce from the Nation’s farmland to reach the cities on the East Coast. The produce had to be shipped by sea. Timber, grain, and livestock were floated down the western rivers(including the mighty Mississippi) in flatboats to New Orleans. From there, the products were loaded onto sailing vessels bound for the Atlantic coast or to Europe. The voyage took ships around the southern tip of Florida, which was very treacherous, many ships, cargoes, and lives were lost.

Clearly, something had to be done to warn ships away from Florida’s dangerous shoals and headlands. The first lighthouse built was to mark the Florida Keys. In 1825 a 65-foot brick lighthouse was built at Key West. By 1826, four other lighthouses were built at; Garden Key, Sand Key, Cape Florida, and the Dry Tortugas. In the next few decades, lighthouses were built at the mouth of the St. Johns River. Amelia Island, Cape Canaveral, and Jupiter Inlet. The new lighthouses made navigation safer and reduced the number of shipwrecks.

NOTE: There may be some evidence that the Spanish may have built the first lighthouse in Florida. Shortly after the U.S. acquired Florida in 1821, they sent a team of inspectors to examine an old and mysterious tower near St. Augustine. The inspectors believed that the Spanish may have used the three-story structure as a lighthouse. Since St. Augustine was a leading port, Congress wanted a navigational light established there. Using the old Spanish tower, the officials ordered a lantern be placed atop the third story as a temporary light for mariners. But, after further inspection, they declared the structure unstable and decided it must have been a watchtower and not a lighthouse.

Sand Key Lighthouse, Florida Memory / Public domain

Lighthouses of Florida’s Atlantic Coast

Amelia Island Light
St Johns River Light
St Johns Light
St Augustine Light
Ponce de Leon Inlet Light
Cape Canaveral Light
Jupiter Inlet Light
Hillsboro Inlet Light
Cape Florida Light

Amelia Island Light

In 1820, a 50-foot tower was built on Georgia’s Cumberland Island. It marked the mouth of the St. Mary’s River, which forms a natural border between Georgia and Florida. Following the annexation of Florida as a US territory, the officials decided the lighthouse would provide better service on the south bank of the river. It was dismantled and moved to Amelia Island. The height was increased by 14 ft. to become the 64-foot lighthouse seen today. The 68 step staircase is unusual, it was made of granite which was shipped from New England. The lighthouse has been renovated twice. It stands 2 miles from the north end of the island and 1 mile from the town of Fernandina. It is still in use today!

Access: The lighthouse is located in a residential section of town and is closed to the public. You will find an excellent view of the lighthouse from Atlantic Avenue!

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Finding the Perfect RV

2 Comments / Camping / Cathy

Purchasing an RV(Recreational Vehicle) is a major decision. The newer models can cost more than a new car, and if you decide to purchase a used RV, the repairs could cost you even more! There are many things that you need to consider when making your decision. You need to decide which type of RV is right for you and your family. It’s equally important to know your budget and how much you are willing to pay for your new RV. Will you pay cash or purchase on credit with monthly payments? You will find that each dealership has access to its own financing so interest rates can vary. There is a wide range of sizes, styles, and prices to choose from.

Here are some questions you need to ask yourself;

How much do you want to pay?
How do you intend to use it?
Used or New?
Length?
Weight?
Slide outs or no slide outs?
How many people will it sleep?
Bathroom with shower or tub, or not at all?
Full kitchen?
Separate bedroom?

Comparing 3 types of RVs

Travel Trailer, Fifth Wheel, or Motorhome

Our first RV was over 20 years old. We were not sure if camping was right for us, so we didn’t want to spend too much money on a travel trailer. These are the things we were looking for; shelter, a bed, stove, toilet, and a working air conditioner. We found this RV through an ad on craigslist, locally. After camping for a few years, we decided that we really enjoyed it! We decided to upgrade our RV to a newer model with more bells and whistles! I will tell you more about our new RV later in this post.

Travel Trailer

A Travel Trailer is towed behind your vehicle. You need a vehicle that can tow it and know how much weight your vehicle can tow.

PROS: Many sizes and options to choose from, the least expensive RV, can be easily towed with a pick-up or SUV. While at the campground you can detach it from your vehicle.

CONS: Requires a vehicle capable of towing it, you will use more gas while towing, it can be challenging to tow.

Fifth Wheel

A Fifth Wheel camper is attached to the bed of your Truck. You need a truck that can hold the added weight. Some of these are quite large and are set up more like a house.

PROS: you will have more room inside than a Travel Trailer, can be easier to tow, have less pull on your vehicle, can be detached from your vehicle at the campground.

CONS: Requires a vehicle that can hold the additional weight, a more expensive option

Motorhome

A Motorhome is a great option for some people. It allows you to take your home with you as you head down the road. You may need to tow a car behind the camper. We had a used motorhome for a short time. It didn’t have air conditioning or heat, but the main reason we didn’t keep it was because gas prices were over $3/gal at that time. Motorhomes don’t get good gas mileage!

PROS: You can just start heading down the road, your vehicle and home are both in one.

CONS: This is the most expensive option, can not detach the camper part of the vehicle, and you may need to tow a vehicle behind.

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10 Unique Places in Wisconsin

10 Comments / Travel / Cathy

I was born and raised in Wisconsin, it’s my happy place and I always feel like I’m back home when I cross the state line. I could name a thousand great places to visit, but I’ll limit it to the top 10. Wisconsin is a beautiful state in the Midwest. Bordered by two Great Lakes, Lake Michigan, and Lake Superior, with over 15,000 inland lakes. The state is a fisherman’s dream! I have fished many of the lakes for northern pike, bluegills, crappy, perch, walleye, and bass. You will find miles and miles of rolling hills and farmland. There are big cities like Madison and Milwaukee, and smaller towns like Baraboo and Eau Claire. The Milwaukee zoo is well known but there are also 10 other Wisconsin zoos worth visiting. It’s a state for every season, in the summer you can fish, hike and camp. The fall has an awesome display of colors with many fall festivals from Apple Fest to Pumpkin Fest. In the winter, you can cross-country ski, ice fish, and snowmobile. The spring is when the lilacs are in bloom and the state comes back to life after the long winter. Springtime is one of the most welcomed seasons since the winters can be long in Wisconsin.

List of 10 Unique Places

Devil’s Lake State Park
Baraboo, Wisc., Circus World Museum
The National Mustard Museum(formerly Mt. Horeb Mustard Museum)
N.E.W. Zoo
Horicon Marsh
Door County
Ephraim
Washington Island
Minocqua, Wisc.
Boulder Junction, Wisc.

1. Devil’s Lake State Park

Devil’s Lake is located in Baraboo, Wisc. It got its name because of a misunderstanding or mistranslation, the Ho-Chunk Indian tribe’s name for the lake was “Tawacunchukdah”, which meant “Spirit” lake. When the Trappers and Settlers arrived, they translated the word into “Devil’s” lake. Later, when the park became popular with tourists, the local business and hotel owners took another look at the name and decided the name would attract more tourists! I remember going here often, yearly school field trips, and later, taking my children here. It’s a great family location to spend the day! When I was a kid, the rumor was that they had never found the bottom of this lake! Thanks to the internet, I can look it up, and it’s only 47 feet deep! Not quite bottomless!

There are tons of things to do at Devil’s Lake!

2 Beaches for Swimming
Hiking and Rock Climbing
Biking
Boating, Canoeing, & Kayaking
Bird watching
Fishing & Hunting
Scuba Diving
Skiing, Snowshoeing, & Sledding

2. Baraboo – Circus World Museum

The Circus World Museum is in Baraboo, Wisc. I have been going to the Circus World Museum ever since I was in Elementary school. It was always an annual school field trip. It’s a really cool place, especially if you love the circus. I have to admit that I miss the real circus. I understand why it ended, but in my family and my husband’s family, it was an annual event! The museum has struggled financially through the years but has remained open. I was able to share this wonderful place with my husband a few years ago, and my Dad was also able to join us. The Ringling Brothers used this property as their winter quarters from 1884-1918. The museum tells the story of the Ringling family and how the Brothers started their circus. The museum property includes 7 original buildings and much more;

260+ authentic circus wagons
Circus Exhibits
Vast information and photos of the Ringling brothers
Original circus posters
The Big Top has live circus performances in the summer
Live circus animals

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