DocOwens.net

I arrived in Detroit on Saturday to visit family and friends as well as celebrate Mom’s 70th birthday!!!

Parked the rig in the drive and immediately began to experience issues with the tranny disconnect on the Durango. Fiddled with it for about an hour and finally gave up. Called AAA for a tow and went to work on getting the RV setup. This is not good.

Dined with my baby sister at Elias Brothers Big Boy. If you have not visited Michigan, this is a good old standby from the days of the drive-in hamburger stand. Not the greatest burger in the world, but I have to have at least one each time I visit. I still remember growing up the time I got to order a Big Boy Combination with fries and a salad, AND a second Big Boy sandwich. I really thought I was hot stuff.

Spent a couple of days visiting with Mom and Dad, then Tamara flew up so we could act like tourists and buzz around town seeing the sites on the weekend. Took her to all of the highlights like the cider mill, Bates Burgers, etc. Took a day out to go visit Greenfield Village. It was cold but absolutely gorgeous outside. We closed the place down.

The Durango cost me another $500 to get it back on the road and this is not Michael’s happy face. The dealer that installed the equipment did not install it properly so that is why I have been having so many issues with it. It took this guy three tries to finally get it fixed so it worked right. I will send the dealer a nice little love letter but I will bet I won’t ever see a penny from them.

Made the run to Michigan over a four day period, following the western border of Wisconsin following the St Croix down to the Mississippi River into Illinois, then east towards Chicago, around Lake Michigan and then up into Michigan.

My first day on the road I stayed on SR-35 from Superior WI south. Mostly rolling hills covered in very colorful forests of maples and oaks along with the occasional stand of pines, some open meadowland and a little cattail covered lowlands. Flights of Canada Geese gathering for their own trip south and small flights of ducks forming up for the same purpose.

Managed about 200 miles today, stopping for lunch by crossing over into Minnesota and eating in Red Wing. On the way back, I spotted a little island below the bridge with a campground and marina so found my way down to camp for the night. Had a nice little campsite right on the big water, directly beneath the bridge and across the river from a major granery and a very busy rail line. Spent a noisy but enjoyable night watching north and southbound freight as well as the occasional barge tug.

Day 2 was more of the same as I continued south toward Illinois. Again managed around 200 miles and arrived in Prairie Du Chien WI needing fuel, dinner and a place to stay the night.

Day 3 was a big mileage day for me as I managed over 300 miles this day. Crossed over into Illinois early morning and drove through Galena IL, home of one US Grant just before the start of the civil war. I had been here years ago and toured the town as it is very quaint and picturesque. As I recall, Grant’s father owned a market or was a butcher here and the son was not very successful as a merchant. Nonetheless, the town embraces him as their own due to his accomplishments in the south in the mid 1860’s.

Routed myself south out of Rockford to avoid the numerous tolls and toll booths as my rig is a total of eight axles and I was concerned about the expense. Got on I-80 despite my pledge earlier to never utilize this road again. It is a bit unavoidable as I-80, I-90 and I-94 all converge south of Chicago and pass east through NW Indiana. I also expected some traffic in this zone and was not at all disappointed. Made it as far as Michigan City IN for the night.

Final approach into Michigan was easily made and completed by early afternoon, including a stop for fuel and to purge the tanks in Lansing. Made camp in the drive of Mom and Dad, but had considerable trouble getting the drive train on the Durango engaged. So a call to AAA and a short wait for the tow truck and off she goes to the tranny shop.

Aerial Bridge   

Channel Lights on the Duluth Canal

   Coast Guard Cutter, Canal Street and Mariner’s Memorial

Two Engines and Two Harbors Station

Look closely and count them (there are five), Maple Leaf fully lit, Gooseberry River and Birch Stand

  Gooseberry River, Lower, Middle and Upper Falls

The big lake they call GitcheGumee

I move out early today as there is some weather chasing me across the west that I would prefer to avoid.  Hoping that the weather pattern will peter out, but I don’t see that happening.  I did some research on ND last night, but it does not appear that there is a lot of things to do or see in the east part of the state.  It is looking to be high mileage day.

As I move north out of Pierre a thunderstorm is moving in behind me.  I find an even cheaper breakfast today at a little bar north of here.  Less than $5 including about a 50% tip.  I love rural America.

North Dakota becomes state number 21 on this trip, and number 45 lifetime.  I catch up to I-94 and turn east again.  The headwind is back.  Harassing the RV and making the drive a challenge to stay in my lane and avoid contact with passing motorists.

Although I don’t really find activities for today, it becomes memorable none the less.  As I move eastward and admire the massive fields of corn and grain, along with the occasional roadside pond full of geese and ducks, I spot something skyward over my left shoulder.  I think I know what it is but take a second look to confirm that it was a large bird, with brown body and wings, and the signature white head.  A Bald Eagle!!!  My first on this trip, despite spending time camping and hiking in so many National Parks which are supposed to have fair populations of eagles along with many other birds of prey.

I moved on into Minnesota, made a quick stop at the visitor’s center and move east.  I decide to stop in Detroit Lakes as I am out of gas, it’s getting late, and I need to get some dinner.  I find a fuel station and fill up the RV, then go inside to ask the clerk if she knows any campgrounds that might still be open this late in the season.  She calls over her shoulder to a gentleman making coffee and he peaks around the corner and find a city police officer.  He, the clerk and a customer all debate the merits of each local campground and the possibility that they might still be open.  After a few minutes of this, the policeman looks at me and says, “Here is the guy you should be asking”.  I turn around a find myself face with a county deputy sheriff.

I ask the deputy if he knows of any campgrounds, and the debate renews with the deputy, customer, store clerk and policeman.  The general consensus is that the American Legion Hall may not be officially open, but that I should be able to park there.  So, the deputy calls dispatch and has her contact the legion hall.  She finds that they are open, so the deputy then calls and gets the information for me.  After providing me the directions, off I go.

I pull into the parking lot; the manager is already waiting for me in the parking lot.  She directs me to a site and invites me inside for dinner.  So, after setting up camp I head inside.   Unfortunately, all they have is Pizza.  So, I go for the peperoni (the only choice available) and a couple of beers.  After visiting a bit, I go to pay my bill.

Two beers, a peperoni pizza and an overnight campsite with electric . . . .$10.

Pretty much beats the breakfast deals I have gotten the last three days.