Indian Point Campground, Duluth, MN

Today's Photo - Site 20, Indian Point Campground, Duluth, MN















Another day of no photographs other than a campground picture. I'm in site 20 at the Indian Point Campground just outside of Duluth, MN. Electric only, but plenty of shade, a picnic table, and fairly level. I did unhook because I wanted to make a stop at Walmart & see how difficult the drive to AAA was. I'm glad I did - many of the entrances & exits on I 35 are closed, and my GPS wants me to take all of them! I did find both, but a 5 mile trip turned into a 15 mile one. I think I'll go to AAA in the morning without the trailer. I need a MN map (although I'll probably be leaving the US tomorrow), a Duluth map so I can find a way to get to MN 61, and both maps & campground books for Ontario Canada.

I have a new camera. I have been a bit nervous about taking my D700 or even the older D200 out in my kayak. Although I do have dry bags, trying to dig out the camera, hang on to the paddle, and put things away after a shot seemed a bit much. So, I've been looking at "Waterproof" cameras. I like the Olympus 810 which happened to be on sale at Best Buy. Kind of interesting that my highest resolution camera is now a point & shoot at 14MB, but the miniature sensor in the Olympus is not anywhere up to the ability of the full frame Nikon D700. Still, it is good for a depth of 25' which is deeper than I expect to swim, and a lot deeper than I'd ever want to see one of my Nikons!

Until Tomorrow...

St Cloud, MN

Today's Photo - A Dragonfly
















While sitting in the shade behind the trailer yesterday I noticed a dragonfly that really liked the tip of my cell antenna. I got a picture - not as good as some from my garden, but it is a South Dakota dragonfly! I also took a photo of a dandelion next to the trailer. By the way, the Pelican Lake Recreation Area is a nice place to stay, either overnight of for awhile. Many of the sites are on the lake, all have electricity, and a few also have water. Clean restrooms, and good hot showers.

I got a bunch of things done over the morning. First I washed the trailer, including the chains - it no longer smells like a skunk, then got an empty propane tank filled. Since they charged by the gallon and couldn't figure out how to add 1/2 a gallon, the fill only cost $9.00.

I continued east on 212, switched to MN 23 at Clara City, and stopped at the AAA office in St Cloud. Unfortunately, they are not open on Saturdays. Since it was a hot, clear weekend, I decided to call ahead to my planned stop, the Grand Casino Hinckley RV Resort & Chalets in Hinckley, MN to make sure they had space. A good idea - they are closed due to wind storm damage. So, checking the AAA book, about all that was in reasonable driving distance was the St Cloud Campground & RV Park. They were also full, but managed to find space in their overflow area. I even have electricity (20 amps) and water at a tent site price.

Until Tomorrow!

Pelican Lake Recreation Area, Watertown, SD

Today's Photo - A Rainbow at Bob's Restort, Gettysburg, SD

Last night it started to rain a little before sunset. Not as hard as yesterday, and just as the sun was setting it broke through under the clouds. Made a very nice rainbow. Photo doesn't do it justice - it is one of the few I've seen that is visible from end to end.

I didn't do any records for distance today, just 165 miles. Today I broke 17K miles for the trip. I stopped at Pelican Lake Recreation Area a little southwest of Watertown, SD for the night. An electric only site for $18.00 plus a $4.00 fee for entering the park. A nice, large site not too far from the bathrooms which, by the way, include showers. Last night's "Resort" didn't actually have bathrooms. The building I thought was a bathroom was just storage. The only one available was the one in the gas station at the entrance to the complex.

I "ran into" an interesting problem on US 212 - a dead skunk was in the middle of the road (one of my favorite "tune up a sound system" songs by Loudon Wainwright III) and although both the RAV4 & trailer passed over it, unfortunately, the safety chains didn't. Can you say STINK? And, did you ever try to wash chains, particularly at a site without water? I hope I can find a car wash tomorrow that is large enough for the trailer.

The rest of today will be spent doing nothing. Seems I do a lot of that lately! Sooner or later I'll be getting back to the Oswego routine. If I get back soon enough I might be able to postpone "routine" since Spiedie Fest in Binghamton starts on August 4th. It's a great place to take photographs!

Until Tomorrow!

Gettysburg, SD

Today's Photo - Site 42, Bob's Resort, Gettysburg, SD
















Last night it started to pour around 5:30, the time the campground restaurant opened, so I ended up eating in the trailer. I guess I'll never know how good the BLT Salad was!

I got an early start heading east on US 212. Interestingly, I drove 212.3 miles on US 212, crossing the Missouri River (which is still quite flooded) & stopping for the day at Site 42 in Bob's Resort just west of Gettysburg, SD. I'm not sure why it is a resort - the hookups are in the right place, I have a picnic table, and the price is only $21.00. A level pull through with full hookups & a bit of shade. They do have Bob's Steakhouse next door - maybe I won't be cooking for dinner. The only minor problem is I'm about as far from the bathrooms as I've been anywhere on the trip.

Until tomorrow!

Spearfish, SD

Today's Photo - Roughlock Falls, Savoy, SD















Not a lot of photos today. I drove to Roughlock Falls which is on SD 222, a well graded dirt road off US 14A near Spearfish. It is a pretty falls, although the time of day & the vegetation and decking around it all get in the way of a good photograph. 


I looked for campgrounds a bit further east on US 212, and didn't find any, so I'm in the Spearfish KOA. By now I have paid for my card. It is a nice, open, level pull through site (#31) with a welcome shade tree over the trailer. It isn't quite as hot as it has been over the last couple of days; more like the Oswego summer temperatures I'm used to - it's 83°F by the thermometer under the propane tank cover.



Not sure what is for dinner tonight - they have a restaurant at the campground which is tempting!

Until tomorrow!