Tuesday, June 16 These little guys seem to enjoy the camping routine – new sights and smells and lots of additional walks. They settled down in the back seat of the truck and are excellent travelers. Continuing across Iowa on I-80, it was another short day (265 miles/5 hours) of blue skies and temperatures in the mid 80’s. We always look forward to a quick stop at the largest truck stop in the world -- and I even masked up and went in for a quick purchase. Our campground at the Iowa State Fairgrounds (remember the movie and the song?) was a nice surprise. . . choose whatever spot you want – out of the over-2000 spots! It was lots of green grass, shade trees and smallish hills, and maybe a dozen other campers spread out all over 12 large areas. It was like camping at the National Cemetery -- without toombstones! We enjoyed a few hours letting the dogs run free in the immense grassy area around our camper and then headed into town to see the Golden-domed State Capital Building. (Fact: the 23-karat gold leaf covering the dome is so thin that 250,000 sheets pressed together would measure only 1” thick.) The city streets were bare of pedestrians and cars, and we are supposing that is due to the Pandemic. We never thought the Capital Building would be open – the many parking lots were almost empty – but we found that it was indeed open, even for visitors. We masked-up, had temperature taken and a security scan, and were handed a map for a self-guided tour. We were warned that the doors to offices were locked, and our walk-thru was limited to the main hallways, the rotunda and the grand staircase leading upstairs. It was stunning with many murals and mosaics, a magnificent rotunda, and the beautiful crowning of the inside of the dome. We probably saw less than 8 people, inside, and guessed again that that was due to Covid. Downtown, on the way back to the Fairgrounds, we noticed some establishments that were boarded up. We wondered if there had been a threat of rioting due to the nationwide upheaval; at 4:00 in the afternoon there was nobody around!
Last night we ate out at the Starved Rock Lodge, so tonight we had our first camping meal: homemade potato salad, and Cornish hens – all cooked (heated up) and eaten in the Silvermine.
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I’ll begin this blog with a campfire picture Tom took of the Silvermine that I forgot to post on my last blog! Tom spent a good part of the winter planning this trip – all the way to California via Colorado and back home through the Southwest National Parks. His final blueprint was nine weeks of complete routes and sightseeing highlights, and scheduling of many reservations. Next came the Pandemic and the Quarantine, and the anxious waiting to see if travel would open up. Finally, less than one week till lift-off, Tom sat down with a heavy heart to cancel reservations and redo the complete itinerary for a shorter 4-week trip. This trip has a far-west destination and one-week stay at Rocky Mountains National Park, a week in the Black Hills of South Dakota, and a swing around Michigan’s Upper Peninsula on the way home. This called for all new route-planning and last-minute reservations; luck was with Tom as he made all the plans and reservations for a vacation bypassing some of the lingering Covid hot spots around the nation. Monday, June 15, 2020 Out of the driveway at 7:45 with only 260 miles to Starved Rock . . . vacation has officially begun! This should have been a six-Airstream/three-day caravan that left from our house traveling to the International Airstream Rally in Loveland, Colorado. That rally, and therefore the caravan, was canceled! I am very much missing John and Suzie, Terry and Sue, Randy and Carol, Gary and Tom, and Mark and Sharlene – who were planning to join us. FYI for those that couldn’t come: the sky was blue, the traffic light, and the temperature around 74 degrees! We gained an hour during the drive, and by 1:00 we were set up in the campground, and headed right out to explore. Several years ago we had booked two nights at the Lodge over New Years Eve/Day and we always remember the beautiful setting of the large open lodge sitting room with massive fireplace, the formal dining room, the cozy bar, and our very charming, rustic room. We were glad to see the lodge open for business, requesting masks, although all meals were being served on the outdoor patio. We walked the area around the lodge, and then headed for the lower parking lot where a trail walked out to overlook Starved Rock. Some of the trail was a mild incline, and some of it was boardwalk stair-steps with look-out viewpoints along the way. It was surprisingly crowded, prompting us to don the masks – as did quite a few people. Tom made the decision that supper would be at the lodge on the open-air terrace. It was not overly busy, and we found a nice table and settled in. We both had the Walleye and it was absolutely the best fish either of us had ever eaten. Two whale-sized fillets each with an incredible crispy breading – each of us brought home a fillet for sandwiches later.
Already, in our minds, we are planning a winter return trip to Starved Rock! This tiny rally started at home in the driveway . . . with only us and good friends John and Suzie. It was barely planned 48 hours before it began . . . proving that the best plans are sometimes thrown together at the last minute. John and Suzie settled in our driveway Saturday afternoon in time for supper and a nice evening reunion; it had been over 8 months since we had last camped together, and there was a lot of catching up to do. Late Sunday morning we headed for Harrison Lake State Park (61 miles north on route 127), stopping for a pizza lunch at an outdoor patio in Bryan. We pulled into our campsites at 2:00 and settled in for a two-night stay. Our sites were on a circle-end of a long row of campsites with plenty of open grassy areas shaded by tall trees. The temperature was a perfect 83 degrees! Nothing was on the agenda for two days but sitting, walking the dogs, cooking, campfire, and talk, talk, talking! Monday morning we did a quick trip into Bryan to stroll the county courthouse square (no sightseeing allowed in the courthouse!) and we had a quick lunch at the outdoor Dairy Queen patio. Otherwise we stayed at our lovely campsites. Here are some pictures! Tuesday we all had obligations to take care of at home– off by 9:00. Tom’s appointment turned out to be great news, allowing us to proceed with a vacation plan. However, due to the pandemic, we are in the process of altering our plans to not go as far . . . or be gone as long. Stay tuned to find out what’s up!
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October 2021
We don’t go camping any more . . . we go ‘streamin’ ! The “SIlvermine and His” is our 2018 25' Airstream Serenity with Salsa interior and front twin beds., and ‘streamin’ is the name we use to describe our adventures. Stream along as we document everything from weekend trips to longer summer excursions and full-blown vacations. You know what they say: if you’re not in an Airstream – you’re just camping!
Tom & Ella Brown |