Prior to our trip to the Maldives, I thought any other scuba diving trip would never measure up to what we experienced during the Raja Ampat trip in January 2025. I was wrong. The Maldives trip is now the "gold standard" of all the diving trips we have experienced. Over the years, we have had many wonderful adventures, but the overall experience we just had checked all the boxes and then some. We thank God for this wonderful experience! In hindsight, 12 days may have been too long. Ten days might be ideal for me. That said I could see us returning with our larger dive group in the future. Even twenty hours of flying and 12 time zones isn't enough to keep me from trying it again! Here's a post script of images I didn't include in the prior blog post. They include one shy Blouch porcupine fish. When threatened, it inflates its body into a spiky ball by swallowing water, which forces its sharp visible spines outward to deter predators. The black-blotched porcupinefish is a fascinating and charismatic reef dweller commonly found in the waters of the Maldives (Diodon liturosus), Believe it or not this next one is one of my favorites, maybe because you need to be patient enough to catch these little bottom dwelling fish. Most of the time they retreat to their burrow in the sandy bottom but this one worked with me. I was hoping to capture an image or two of some Gobies, blennies, or sand perches. They are very allusive and shy. I found this one and waited on the bottom for the best angle and distance. The Maldivian grubfish (Parapercis signata), also known as the blackflag sandperch, is a small, elongated marine fish species belonging to the sandperch family, There are at least four genera and more than sixty species of sand perches (grubfish), four of which are found in the Maldives. Grubfishes are diurnal (active during the day) and dig into the sand for shelter and to sleep. They eat small animals and zooplankton. Found on rubble bottoms near the reef. Grows to a maximum length of about 5 inches. The first rays of its dorsal fin are ridge-shaped and distinctly black, earning it the name blackflag sandperch. With all the "big stuff" in the water, some of the nuance in the environment gets missed. Listed as a species of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), though rarely encountered by divers due to its deep-dwelling habits. Wednesday morning, September 2nd was our last dive of the trip outside the harbor in Malé. Following that dive we rinsed down all our equipment and returned everything to the "mother ship" for drying. By evening most of our gear was dry enough to pack up. Thursday morning we had our last breakfast onboard the Carpe Diem before saying goodbye to everyone. Mathias was leaving the same day and got a taxi ride to the airport. Karen and I didn't fly out until Friday morning, so we took a hotel room for the night. Bill hung out with us until his flight left later in the day. That evening, Karen and I met up with John, Joy and Tori down the street from our hotel for one last "hurrah" before leaving the next day. We went out to dinner and exchanged contact information so we can stay in touch. They are fun, lovely people and we were blessed to get to know them. On Friday morning we took our bags to the airport for an 11AM flight from Malé to London Heathrow. The long journey back to California was broken up into two legs, each about ten to eleven hours long. The good news: we had a hotel booked in London for the night before our next flight to San Francisco. The bad news: I had developed a possible serious right ear problem. The family get together in El Dorado Hills. From left to right: Olivia w/Audrey the dog, Chris, Melina, Sarah, Kim, Karen, John, Grace, Morgan, Fabiola, Nick Two days of travel on airplanes, a wedding to attend on Saturday, September 5th and a visit with family in El Dorado Hills over the long Labor Day weekend delayed my getting any medical attention for my ear issue. My original thought was, like in the past, this will naturally clear up on it's own once I was back on the ground. Unfortunately it got worse, so much so that I lost most of the hearing in my right ear and was suffering from terrible middle ear pain. By Tuesday I couldn't stand it any longer so Karen took me to the Sutter Hospital Emergency Room where I finally got some medical attention to address the problem. Their concensus was a middle ear infection. They prescribed Amoxicillin, an antibiotic medication belonging to the aminopenicillin class of the penicillin family. Hopefully I'll get my hearing back after the 7 day supply runs out. I'm taking over the counter Ibuprofen for pain management. After three days of treatment I still can't hear well out of the right ear because it feels stuffed with something, but the pain is much less. The doctor also prescribed Flonase decongestant spray to help mitigate the issue. I'm finally now caught up with blog posting. On Saturday, September 12 we will depart Healdsburg, CA with our 17 foot long storage trailer containing the remaining personal property that has been residing in the state since we sold our house in 2021. We will take it back to Texas via Colorado to have closer proximity for any future housing plans. No permanent plans to live in Texas just yet, but since our domicile is there and we have a free place for the trailer in the RVICS Village in Smithville, it's time to move it out of California and close this chapter of our lives.

Dilemma | dəˈlemə, dīˈlemə |noun: a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives. Before entering the water on every dive I find it challenging on what will get my attention. There is so much to see and experience. Hence, over five hundred images are on my computer from the 12 days we spent in the Maldives. Each dive presents multiple opportunities to find something new and unusual. Because of the limitations of field of view due to your mask or even a few feet of distance between you and the other divers in your group, they may see something that you'll miss entirely. The challenge for me is to find the balance between not wanting to miss anything and reconciling the fact that I will.. The Maldives, as a marine environment, are in good shape. Current reef health by region is mixed. The Northern Atolls (Baa & Lhaviyani) show the strongest health, with 30% to 50% coral cover with active UNESCO protection in areas like Hanifaru Bay. Central Atolls (North and South Malé) display variable and patchy recovery ranging from 15% to 40% cover due to heavy tourism and repeated thermal stress. You can see the cloudiness of the water (visability aka viz) which is due to the amount of micro-biologics that are the food sources for the Reef manta rays and Whale sharks. Limited viz means more food for the reef. Karen on the other side of this Tubastraea micranthus, commonly known as the Black sun coral. In and around these reef structures is home to many of the smaller varieties of reef fish. Black sun coral have a dark green color and they grow and branch out in bush/tree like colonies. The diver behind is Mathias. The region is known for the Whale Shark and Reef Manta Ray activity, but the variety of marine life was extremely diverse. The waters of the Maldives host over 2,000 species of fish, creating one of the richest marine ecosystems on Earth. It is easy to get distracted by all the large pelagic creatures in the blue. So many impressive large fish will visit us while on the reef, but some of the most unique creatures are almost invisible. A corkscrew black coral is a type of unbranched wire or whip coral (commonly Cirrhipathes spiralis) that grows in a distinct, tight helical twist resembling a corkscrew. Hiden in these beautiful reef structures are some of the smallest creatures imaginable and you really need to look carefully or they get missed. Included in this group are Nudibranch. A nudibranch is a soft-bodied marine mollusk that sheds its shell after the larval stage, commonly known as a sea slug. The name comes from Latin and Greek words meaning "naked gills," referring to the exposed breathing structures on their backs. They are famous for bright, striking colors and diverse shapes. I found this Nudibranch, Goniobranchus Gleniei, and was able capture it with the microscope mode on my TG-4 camera. This close-up shot was taken by our dive group guide. This little guy is about the size of your little fingernail. Photo credit to Wathey. Another unique creature of the reef is the Christmas tree worm (Spirobranchus giganteus), a colorful, tube-building marine worm commonly found thriving in the coral reefs of the Maldives. The bright, spiral "trees" you see are actually twin crowns of tentacles called radioles, used for breathing and catching drifting plankton. If Christmas tree worms sense a shadow, vibration, or passing predator, they retract into their tubes in a fraction of a second and seal the door with a trapdoor structure called an operculum. How about the The banded coral shrimp (Stenopus hispidus)? It is a striking, shrimp-like decapod crustacean recognized by its vibrant red-and-white bands and large, boxer-like front claws. They feature bright red and white stripes across their body and claws, spiny outer shells, stalked eyes, and very long white antennae. Adults usually grow between 2 to 3 inches. These Banded coral shrimp act as marine "cleaners," using their long antennae to signal fish and eating parasites, bacteria, and dead tissue off reef fish. Red Mesh Starfish, Baa Atoll, Maldives (Fromia monilis) was another unique bottom dweller about the size of a silver dollar. Okay enough about the tiny stuff. Let move on to the larger inhabitants of the reef. Here are some creatures that use various means to disguise themselves from possible predators or use their camouflage as a means to a passive hunting approach. One of these marine species I got good at spotting is the Bearded Scorpion Fish. It acts as a stationary ambush predator, waiting motionless for small fish and crustaceans to pass before using fast suction to snap them up. The bearded scorpionfish (Scorpaenopsis barbata) is a bottom-dwelling marine fish known for the fleshy, beard-like skin flaps hanging from its chin. Normally the dorsal fins lay down on the back, but I got close enough for it to fight off a potential predator. Possesses venom glands at the base of its fin spines used for defense against threats. Blends exceptionally well into coral reefs, algae-covered rocks, and sandy patches. Other members of the reef hide and spend daytime hours tucked safely inside coral crevices, overhangs, and wreckage. like the Moray eels. The Maldives is home to around 40 species of moray eels, which thrive in its healthy coral reefs, thilas (submerged reefs), and channel entrances. The giant moray eel (Gymnothorax javanicus) is the largest species of moray eel found in the waters of the Maldives. Can grow up to nearly 10 feet long and weigh up to 60 lbs. Despite its intimidating appearance, the Yellowmargin Moray is generally shy and plays an important role in maintaining the balance of reef ecosystems The Yellowmargin Moray is one of the largest moray eels found on coral reefs across the Indo-Pacific, including the Andaman Islands. Recognizable by its dark body covered in golden-yellow speckles, this nocturnal predator spends its days hidden within reef crevices and emerges at night to hunt fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods. The Snowflake moray eel (Echidna nebulosa) is a common, beautifully patterned reef resident found across the Indo-Pacific, including the coral reefs and house reefs of the Maldives. On many of the dives we encountered Green sea turtles either sleeping or eating on the reef.. Green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) are among the most frequently spotted marine species in the Maldives, Adults are strictly herbivorous, using their strong jaws to graze on seagrass meadows, which helps keep the underwater ecosystem healthy. The Maldivian government enacted a nationwide harvest ban on marine turtles in 1995, followed by strict bans on trade, consumption, and egg collection. This Green sea turtle didn't mind me approaching close enough during feeding to get good illumination with my electronic strobe. A typical dive profile usually involved exploring the walls and overhangs of a reef or pinnacle feature. This is the transition area between the deep blue where the "big stuff" lives and the smaller reef life. As I swam a wall I would periodically gaze out into the open ocean for Mantas rays or sharks quietly passing by. Turning to the wall and reef I would often look for mollusk species. Five common examples of mollusks are snails, clams, octopuses, squids, and oysters. On these reef walls and overhangs live Thorny oysters and Wing oysters, a fascinating marine bivalve found thriving in the tropical coral reefs of the Maldives Despite their name, Thorny oysters are not true oysters; they are closer relatives to scallops and clams. They have multiple tiny, bright eyes along the edge of their mantle and can even produce rare pearls. They feature thick, heavy, spiny shells covered in thorny projections and are often completely camouflaged by encrusting corals or sponges on the reef. How about Octopus? Well they're there but rather reclusive by nature during the daytime. However, we did see some and invfact Mathias won the titile of "Octopus Whisperer". He looked for them on every dive and often found multiple creatures on multiple dives. This is one of the few images I was able to capture. Most of the time the octopus would retreat further into a crevice in the reef. The most commonly seen giant clam species in the Maldives is the Maxima clam (Tridacna maxima), locally known as Gaahaka, which grows up to 35 centimeters long and features brilliant blue or green mantles. Like corals, the giant clam lives in partnership with tiny plant-like algae (called zooxanthellae) that reside inside the clams’ tissues. And as with corals, the arrangement helps both creatures. The algae gain protection from grazing animals; the clam grows large with the benefit of food produced by the algae. At home on reefs in the Maldives, the giant clam lives on shallow reef flats down to depths of around 66 feet (20 m). Below that, the algae they depend on to survive wouldn’t have enough sunlight to grow. The relationship between the giant clam and algae is considered a symbiotic, mutualistic relationship. After 28 dives over 12 days it is easy to see much of the variety of life in and around the reef. With each dive I often reflect on the fact that this is one of the Creator's "Magical Kingdoms". Under the sea, in a world most people never see or experience, I have the pleasure and privilege to get up close and personal with its inhabitants. It's a place of serenity and joy with only the sound of bubbles.

Our itinerary for this trip was originally going to be 7 days long. But when we found out the trip would end at a different island than our staring point and we would have to fly back to Male, we reconsidered the cost and decided to staying on the boat for the return to Malé five days later. This would make the entire cruise a total of 12 days. This is the longest diving live-aboard we have ever done to date. On the first seven day leg up to the Baa Atoll we had a total of 17 guest divers but the yacht is designed for 20 so we had plenty of room. The crew divided us up into three dive groups during that week. Our group of five included a gentleman from Hong Kong named Phil. He was a great fit for the four of us from the states. Before each dive we would do a dance called the "Whale shark dance" designed by Phil to increase our chances of seeing one on a dive. And believe it or not... it worked! Here's a frame grab from a video shot by Mathias of a Whale shark close- encounter. And that's Phil, the Whale shark dance choreographer in our group. I was below them when this happened, Meals were served at the rear of the bridge deck in a covered but open area. We would share our group experiences during each meal. One of the highlight meals during each week long cruise is a beach barbecue. The first week the BBQ was on the small island of Dhangethi in the South Ari Atoll. The crew put together an amazing variety of food for us to enjoy. The second week, the BBQ was on a small uninhabited island. This venue even included a sand sculpture of a Whale shark. Dhangethi is a local inhabited island in the South Ari Atoll of the Maldives and is roughly 61 acres in size. Look at this amazing spread of food! The crew of Carpe Diem created this Whale shark for our barbecue. The energy of each group was wonderful. During our brief breaks between dives we would look up the names of the unique creatures in provided reference books and journal in our dive logs. Sometimes there was even time to nap. Throughout the day we dove a minimum of three dives with meals in between to help keep our energy up. On that first leg of the journey Karen, Bill and Mathias did all 18 dives. I had to skip the second night dive after experiencing an ear problem that caused some vertigo for me underwater. I knew my body was giving me a clue and decided to exercise some caution rather then have the same problem repeat itself in the dark. On Saturday, August 29th we all went ashore so 13 of the group could depart to return home from the primary commercial airport located on Dharavandhoo Island in Baa Atoll. Karen and I spent four hours exploring this island waiting for the next guests to arrive for the dive trip back to Malé. The second leg of the trip was a 5 day long return back to where we started with only seven divers onboard. Our original four was joined by John and Joy DiMuzio with their adult daughter Tori. They are Americans living and working in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). There were more crew than guests on this leg of the trip. John and Joy have only been diving about three years. Tori just got her PADI Open water certification and is a very enthusiastic new diver. I still like doing a family portrait now and then but it needs to be underwater. From left to right is Tori, John and Joy from our boat. Because of the extra room on Carpe Diem, Munkko upgraded our cabin to the deluxe "Sun" cabin, the largest cabin onboard. By the end of the trip Karen had done all 30 dives and I did only 28. Not bad for a 73 year old. The next blog post will include photos of many of the underwater images I have on my computer from the trip. This dive trip was one of the best ever for us! We are grateful and blessed to be able to enjoy and marvel at the beautiful underwater world designed by Creator God.

Our first full day of diving in the Maldives started on Sunday morning with a 6AM a briefing in the main floor lounge area of the yacht. Munkko, the Diving Director for Carpe Diem, did the initial briefing with a detailed diagram of the site we would visit. The description of the underwater topography with depths, features and typical current conditions was covered. The type of marine life we might see was discussed with the caveat that is a variable outside of their control, so we hope for the best and take what we get. We entered the water at our first dive site about 7AM from the dive dhoni (boat) that is fully equipped with an extensive array of top-notch dive equipment, including a Nitrox compressor. Karen and I both decided to breath a Nitrox O2 blend of 31 to 32%. I initially wore my 4/3 mm wetsuit on the first two dives but later decided to skip the wet suit in the 84ºF water and just go with a rash guard. Karen used her wetsuit to keep warm. She doesn't have as much natural insulation as her husband. I brought two different camera set-ups on this trip. My standard go to Olympus TG-4 with my Ikelite housing, bracket for two different light sources (one Sea & Sea electronic strobe, one Sealife Sea Dragon 5000 lumen flood light), all the miscellaneous articulating arms and NiCad batteries to power everything. This has been my underwater camera kit for years but I decided to add another set-up to my equipment. I purchased a DiveVolk underwater housing for my Apple iPhjone 13 after our last trip to Raja Ampat in Indonesia. Several in our group there had this new phone underwater case and just raved about it. The first dive I did here was with the iPhone DiveVolk combination. This allowed me a few attempts to get acclimated with minimal equipment and the Indian Ocean's water salinity and get weighted properly. Once I got all the bugs worked out I started bringing a more complex camera set-up on almost every dive. The variety of marine life here is simply amazing. Our first dive we observed a school of feeding stingrays followed by a school of sharks. Before the dive ended I spotted a Great hammerhead shark cruising below me as I spent 3 minutes at 15 feet doing my safety stop. A Hammerhead shark spotted on our first dive site of the trip. It only got better and better with each dive. A school of Manta rays were spotted on the second morning dive after breakfast. Nurse sharks resting on the bottom at the third dive site in the late afternoon. We gently approached them and rested on the bottom with them for a while. Only eleven more days of this beautiful underwater world! We had a group photo taken with our Nurse shark friends resting on the bottom. From left to right is our group: John, Karen, Mathias and Bill. Nurse sharks are generally not aggressive and are considered docile animals that pose little threat to humans unless provoked. Our last dive of the first day end at 6:11 pM. And after three dives I look wiped out waiting to get picked up. For six more days we traveled up the Maldives to our northern most destination in the Baa Atoll. Every day we dove three dives generally starting with a wake call at 6 AM and in the water by 7 AM. Following our first dive of the day we would have a full breakfast and wait about an hour and a half before doing dive number two. Lunch was served around noon followed by another break before our third dive of the day. After the third dive we would enjoy some snacks in the lounge, take a nap in our air conditioned room or up on the sun deck. Dinner was always at 7 PM. The food on board was well prepared and plentiful. Fresh fruit and salad, different pasta dishes, a variety of meat (beef, chicken and fish), rolls and desserts. I found myself usually eating a big breakfast and tried to do a lighter lunch and dinner. Despite my intentions, I still ate more than I would have liked. Our cabin had a queen bed and plenty of room but the bed was placed against the bulkhead under the windows and made it difficult to get in and out of during the night to use the bathroom. We were able to exchange our cabin with the young, single gal from the Netherlands. She was one deck lower in a cabin with two single beds which we thought would work our bettter. She loved the idea of switching to the bigger bed. Now more about the scuba diving. First and formost the Maldives are known as a great location for Manta ray and Whale shark activity. This is one of the reasons we chose to make the journey here and we weren't disappointed. We had multiple encounters with Mantas. In the open water we observed them feeding in a school. They would spin around each other creating a "Manta Cyclone" as they fed on the micro-organisms. We also got some great opportunities to view Mantas at "cleaning stations" periodically located on some of the pinnacle structures around the atolls. This where I got some amazing still images and videos of a Reef Manta circling the cleaning station. It got so close to me at one point I had to duck under the animal as it passed overhead. This not an AI image, it really got that close to me. I was able to maintain my location at the cleaning station using a reef hook and tether. I had the best spot to watch the show. Notice all the small fish under the Manta doing the cleaning. The Mantas were plentiful along with many other large pelagic species including Reef sharks, Eagle rays and other variety of rays, tuna and a large Wrasse known as the Humphead Wrasse or Napoleon wrasse. Males can grow up to 6.5 feet long and weigh up to 400 pounds while females are generally smaller, reaching up to 3 feet. The Humphead Wrasse frequently approach scuba divers and have even earned nicknames like the "puppy dogs of the sea" due to their sociable demeanor. In addition to the different fish life we also encountered a number of Green sea turtles feeding on the reef. .The reefs in the Maldives appeared healthy. The quanitity and variety of reef fish life was impressive. Both soft and hard corals exist in these waters, including Indian Ocean sea fans, a colonial soft coral belonging to the order Gorgonacea, characterized by flexible, fan-like branching networks that grow perpendicular to prevailing currents to filter plankton. These reefs are home to multiple Anenomefish species. We found Lionfish, Triggerfish and many Scorpion fish the more dives we did exploring the reef structures. Clark's Anemonefish also known as the yellowtail clownfish. This clownfish, the Maldive anenomefish, is characterized by its rusty orange color with a single white stripe running vertically just behind the eye. It has black pelvic and anal fins (hence the common name) and a variable area on its belly can be more or less black. This well disguised bottom dweller is the Breaded scorpionfish. Scorpionfish are among the most venomous fish in the ocean, delivering a moderate-to-severe and intensely painful envenomation through their sharp, spine-covered fins. These are just a few images from the over 500 I have on my computer taken over the entire trip. My challenge is editing down selections from this large image data base. This first blog posting of the diving covers some of the earliest highlights. The trip got progressively better and better as the boat moved north. There's more to come. We are thankful and blessed to be able to experience this beautiful underwater world designed by creator God! Now that the diving is over I have the time to write some future episodes. So stand by for more in the upcoming postings.

Our latest international adventure began on August 18th with a departure from San Francisco International Airport on British Airways at 7:30 in the evening to London Heathrow arriving the next day 08/19 at 1:55pm their time. This ten hour flight was the first leg in our journey to the Maldives for a 12 day scuba diving expedition. The Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, and historically known as the Maldive Islands, is an archipelagic country in South Asia, located in the Indian Ocean, near the southeastern boundary of the Arabian Sea. The Maldives is located southwest of India and Sri Lanka, about 750 kilometres (470 miles; 400 nautical miles) from the Asian continent's mainland. The Maldives' chain of 26 atolls stretches across the equator. The Maldives is the smallest country in Asia. Its land area is only 115 square miles, but this is spread over roughly 35,000 square miles of the sea, making it one of the world's most spatially dispersed sovereign states. With a population of 515,132 in the 2022 census, it is the second least populous country in Asia and the ninth-smallest country by area, but also one of the most densely populated countries. The Maldives has an average ground-level elevation of around 4 feet 11 inches above sea level, and a highest natural point of only 7 feet 10 inches) making it the world's lowest-lying country. Some sources state the highest point, Mount Villingili, as 17 feet. Waiting to check-in our AirBnB at the airport coffee cafe. Normally we only travel with a rolling carry-on and backpack, but we need the two red rolling checked luggage for all our diving gear. We are meeting our friends Bill Bullard and Mathias Bonse from our scuba diving traveling group. Mathias was the instigator of this idea because he just couldn't wait until January 2027 for our scheduled trip to the Philippines. He floated the idea to book a liveaboard in the Maldives during the middle of August and we jumped on board (pun intended). Our second leg of the trip departed London 6:20 PM on August 19th via British Airways to Male, Maldives arriving Friday, August 20th at 08:55 AM. Another ten hours in the air to get to our ultimate destination. Karen and I were the first in our group to arrive in country. We waited at a coffee cafe until 2:o0 PM to check into our AirBnB. Bill arrived later in the afternoon and Mathias the next day. You can cross the island Hulhumalé in 20 minute along this canal. Friday evening we walked to the other side of the island of Hulhumalé for dinner at a local restaurant. On Saturday, August 21st we explored the area around the AirBnB and found places to eat. In the process we discovered we were walking distance to the anchorage of our live=aboard, "Carpe Diem". Once Mathias arrived we made arrangements to have the crew pick us up at the jetty dock on Saturday when we were boarding in the afternoon. The Hulhumalé anchorage was filled with multiple scuba diving liveaboard yachts. Saturday afternoon we are picked up at the jetty dock and delivered to the Carpe Diem. Carpe Diem is a 35-meter-long motor safari yacht that can accommodate up to 20 passengers. It offers various itineraries, including diving and surfing cruises, allowing guests to explore the stunning underwater world of the Maldives. The yacht is equipped with modern amenities, spacious cabins, a restaurant, a bar, a sundeck, and a dive deck to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable experience. Carpe Diem provides a dive dhoni (boat) that is fully equipped with an extensive array of top-notch dive equipment, including a Nitrox compressor. The crew of the Carpe Diem awaiting our arrival. We were assigned one of the 2 High Standard / Double Cabins: Located on the main deck featuring double beds and en-suite facilities. We had the "Sea" cabin on the starboard side of the yacht. This would be our home for the next 12 days. Saturday afternoon we met the rest of the guests that made up this first 7 day cruise. We had quite an international entourage which included two from China, one from Spain, two from France, one from the Netherlands, two more from Germany a couple from Malta, one Brit from Hong Kong and two Americans living in the UK, a total guest compliment of 17. Day one included the vessel safety briefing, signing liability releases, introduction of the crew and our first dive briefing. We would do our first check dive in the late afternoon outside the main harbor to determine the size of tank we would use, the appropriate amount of buoyancy weight required and evaluate our equipment, For those unfamiliar with the term, Carpe diem (ˌkɑːr.peɪˈdi.əm) is a Latin aphorism (a concise, terse, laconic, or memorable expression), usually translated 'seize the day', taken from book 1 of the Roman poet Horace's work Odes (23 BC). Horace's most famous odes include iconic poems on mortality, the fleeting nature of time, and Roman patriotism.. Odes 1.11 ("Carpe Diem"): Famous for introducing the phrase "carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero" ("seize the day, trusting as little as possible in the next"). We are ready to "seize the day", each day of this journey and experience the fullness of diving the Maldives!

We did decide to see the San Francisco Giants play the Texas Rangers on Wednesday, August 5th in Arlington, Texas. The drive from the campground took us about 45 minutes and we were able to find a local church within walking distance of the ballpark that was selling parking for $20 in their lot as a fund raiser. I was able to purchase tickets at the stadium for $30 each. Globe Life Field is a beautiful baseball park with a retractable roof that was closed for today's game. The temperature inside was in the 70's and very comfortable, in fact Karen needed a light jacket while we were inside. The outside temperature that particular day ended up a blistering 101º F. Once we enter the ballpark our plan is to walk around the stadium checking out all the views and eateries. Before the first pitch we took advantage of "Dollar Dog Wednesday" and picked up five before finding our seats on the second level along the first base side of the playing field. This game was my 22nd MLB ballpark on my quest to visit them all. We enjoyed our seats up to the 7th inning and then decided to see if we could get seats behind the third base line at field level. We found some unoccupied seats at about row 22 between home plate and third with some nice cushions that we moved to for the remainer of the game. The Giants lost 6-0 to the Rangers, so the locals were very happy about the outcome. I felt sorry for all my Giants friends back in California. It's has been a rough year for them. After the top of the ninth inning we started our departure out of the stadium and back to our truck. Nice ballpark and I'd like to come here again to see the Dodgers play if we are in the area next season. We departed our campsite on Thursday, August 6th on our 31th wedding anniversary to drive back to Smithville, Texas. We arrived back to our lot in the village and hooked everything back up. Because we spent the day on the road and were tired we chose to wait to celebrate. On Saturday, August 8th we went out to dinner at Robert's Steak House in Flatonia, TX. We knew a number of villager's who recommended it to us and we thought it was a good place to celebrate. Dinner was delicious. I had a 12 ounce ribeye, baked potato and salad. Karen got the filet mignon. Everything was great! The steaks were perfect. Service was super fast and our server did a great job taking care of us. Since the next week was scheduled to be busy, we decided to lay back over the remainder of the weekend relaxing, enjoying church on Sunday and having lunch with our village friends, Cat and Tom. On Monday we started earnest preparations for our trip to California without the RV and then on to our scuba diving adventure in the Maldives. We decided to leave the rig back in Texas because we plan to return with our cargo trailer that has been in California for the past four plus years. We can store the trailer in the village once we get back to Texas. This is the last vestige of our physical lives still in California. Once the trailer leaves, we are officially California FREE. We brought the diving gear out of the storage shed; it needed to be checked over, sorted and packed into our checked luggage then weighed, All our clothing for the trip had to be sorted and packed into either carry-on luggage for the trip to and from the Maldives or duffel bags for the three day trip to and from California. This had to systematically be done between all the doctor appointments we had scheduled through Wednesday. If all our plans were executed flawlessly we would leave the Austin VA clinic on Wednesday afternoon and head for California. The route was expected to take three long days of driving. Leg one was Austin to Fort Stockton, Texas in about a five hour drive. We stayed at a Spark by Hilton. Spark by Hilton is Hilton's first dedicated economy and "premium economy" brand, targeting a lower price point than Hampton, Tru, or DoubleTree. Instead of building new properties from scratch, Spark grows entirely by converting and renovating older, existing budget hotels, offering a simple, clean, and standardized stay with bright, colorful styling. Leg two was Fort Stockton to Green Valley, Arizona and was an ambitious 11 to 12 hours. We stayed with our friend Mary Johnson at her home that Thursday night. Leg three was from Green Valley to Bakersfield, California on Friday; another 11 to 12 hour drive. We liked the Spark by Hilton enough to stay at another one here. The final leg of the journey was to Healdsburg, California on Saturday and was expected to take about five hours. Without the RV we made exceptional distance over the time we drove. Our range was double what it is with a fifth-wheel attached, but the fuel cost was probably more than an airline ticket would be from Austin to San Francisco. The overall trip was surprisingly easy with the shared driving and multiple stops along the way. We arrived at our Airbnb in Healdsburg owned by our friends, Greg and Lorri Herrick where we would stay until Tuesday, August 18th. While in Sonoma County for a brief 3 days, we enjoyed visiting some dear friends we hadn't seen for a while.

Funny you should ask! Well after our adventure in Oshkosh we began our long journey back to Texas. We decided to leave Waupun on Saturday after commitments at the AirVenture event. This meant driving later in the day than we normally like to do but we wanted to get to Elgin, IL early enough to make church the next day. We were able to move our campsite over to site 54 for the entire time of our stay in the Paul Wolffe campground. This Paul Wolffe campground is a wonderful base for visiting Chicago. After church on Sunday we went to Rick and Anita Fugiel's home for barbecued ribs. We met them on our first visit to Calvary Chapel Cardunal on our way up to Oshkosh and they were kind enough to invite us to their home when we returned. We spent the afternoon by their pool getting to know one another and had a lovely time. It is such a blessing to meet brothers and sisters in the family of God wherever we go! We had entertained the idea of getting to Rate Field in Chicago to see the White Soxes play the Yankees but the weather on Monday was stormy with thunder, lightning and windy conditions. In fact, we found out later that tornadoes had touched down to the south of our location. So Monday and Tuesday we stuck around the campground and relaxed in our air conditioned RV. Illinois State Fairgrounds Route 66 Experience: An outdoor walk-through exhibit highlighting roadside signs and memorabilia located along Sangamon Avenue. Wednesday, July 29th we traveled to the Illinois State Fair Campgrounds in Springfield, IL about four hours south from Paul Wolffe campground. The camp host there was very friendly and drove us around the fairgrounds to show off the Illinois Route 66 exhibit on the property. He suggested we check it out after twilight to see it all lit up. We found out about the Abraham Lincoln home and museum too late to visit, so another trip to Springfield is going to have to happen at a later date. Thursday, July 30th was a long driving day from one Springfield to another. This time 322 miles and five plus hours to the Bass Pro parking lot in Springfield, Missouri. We decided to boondock despite the warm weather. It got into the high 80's in the rig but we opened all the windows and tried sleeping with just our small 12 volt fan in the bedroom to keep us cool. Would we do it again? No, but now we know our limits. Friday morning we departed Bass Pro's parking lot to drive to Flat Rock Creek Campground in Chouteau, Oklahoma. Three glorious day with 50A and water. Close enough to visit four different friends in the area. This campground is an Army Corps of Engineers facility (COE) and our site for three days was only $36 total! You get so much more for your money at any Army Corp of Engineers campground with the America the Beautiful Pass. We had a lovely site close to the lake with extra parking for visitors. On Saturday we drove over to Francisco and Kim Henningsen's new home in Coweta, Oklahoma to have a barbecue and fellowship with them and some of our other friends: Lori Gracey, her husband Dave Oldham and Dayna Murphy. We had wonderful fellowship by their pool with Kim's mother Francis joining all of us and followed by a gastronomical meal together with New York steaks, homemade potato salad, pasta salad and Caesar salad. We ended the evening with homemade ice cream on peach & berry cobbler. Now I know we stayed too late because when we got back to the campground the main gate was closed and locked! We forgot we had a curfew!! We had to resort to parking our truck outside the entrance of the campground and walking to our RV...but it was soooo worth it! Sunday, August 2nd we had Paul and Rhonda Harlin, friends from our old California days and RVICS drive up from their home in Arkansas to join us for lunch. They recently purchased a 100+ year old home on some acreage and they're fixing it up while Paul works his handyman business. They just returned from a mission trip to Uganda and shared some of the needs and experiences from the journey. They've had many changes in their lives since leaving the RVICS ministry and it was great to get caught up. We're back in Texas now. Monday, August 3rd we drove down to have lunch with my cousin Dina Hansen just outside of Dallas before checking into Bear Creek COE campground in Benbrook, TX. Bear Creek gives RVers spacious, level sites with a relaxing lakeside setting and scenic sunsets. RVers like the quiet atmosphere, decent privacy, and convenient access to both the lake and nearby towns. Shade and views add to the outdoor enjoyment, and it's easy to get out for shopping or dining in Benbrook or Fort Worth. We will stay here for the next three days. We have a great Bear Creek campsite and I wish we could enjoy it more, but the temperature outside is too hot as it approached 100ºF. We might venture into Arlington, TX to see the Texas Rangers play the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday. It's a day game so it might be toasty but fortunately Globe Field has a retractable roof and they'll close it on really hot days. Wednesday is dollar hot dog day so you know I will take advantage of that opportunity.

Imagine 700,000 people attending one event over a week. Some arrived by flying in with their personal aircraft from all over the country while others drive to camp in tents and RV's of every shape and size. This is what some aviators refer to as a "holy pilgrimage" to the "Mecca" in the aviation world. Airplane enthusiast or novice, young or old, there is something for everyone. Daily air shows with world-class performers, two night air shows that dazzle the sky, thousands of forums and workshops, special guest appearances and keynote speakers, and so much more are included with your admission. For one week a year in July, Oshkosh becomes home to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh — the World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration. Visitors from around the world descend on Wittman Regional Airport and Camp Scholler to experience The Spirit of Aviation. EAA AirVenture Oshkosh (formerly the EAA Annual Convention and Fly-In), or just Oshkosh, is an annual air show and gathering of aviation enthusiasts held each summer at the Wittman Regional Airport and adjacent Pioneer Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States. The southern part of the show grounds, as well as "Camp Scholler", are located in the town of Nekimi and a base for seaplanes is located on Lake Winnebago in the town of Black Wolf. The airshow is arranged by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), an international general aviation organization based in Oshkosh, and is the largest of its kind in the world. The show lasts a week, usually beginning on the Monday of the last full week in July. During the gathering, the airport's control tower, frequency 118.5, is the busiest in the world. Karen and I were attending as volunteers during the week. I was helping as a Public Affairs auxiliarist manning our US Coast Guard Auxiliary information booth in Hanger A promoting the different volunteer missions we provide including aviation. Karen was helping in the Mission Aviation Support Association (MASA) service tent in Camp Scholler with the serving of meals to the many aviation missionaries and volunteers helping from around the world. Every meal in the MASA tent was provided by a local Christian fellowship in the area. Attendees signed a "thank you message" to the churches before proceeding through the food line. Honestly, AirVenture 2026 was beyond description for us. The best example that comes to mind for scale might be the gathering in Quartzsite. According to Wikipedia, "the Quartzsite gathering in Arizona draws hundreds of thousands to over a million visitors, widely billed as the largest gathering of RVers in the world. During the peak winter show season every January, the small desert town's permanent population of about 2,400 swells with an estimated 150,000 to over 500,000 campers, vendors, and rock hounds spread across public Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands. This year over 50 different countries were represented at EAA and the event broke a new attendance record of 730, 0000 attendees! I worked either a morning or afternoon shift in the booth so I could explore some of the displays and vendors. The grounds are too large to walk everywhere so I took advantage of the trams and buses to get around. Karen worked the lunch and dinner shift in the MASA tent so I would join her there for lunch or dinner. The largest aircraft on site was the Military Airlift Command's C5M which we examined in the static display area. Every day at 2 PM they had an airshow that lasted three hours. The variety and quantity of aircraft was amazing. Warbirds of every type and branch of the military, aerobatics in military and civilian aircraft, modern military aircraft like the B-1 bomber, F18, F-22 and F-35 did exhibition sorties. They even had a night airshow on Wednesday and Saturday with fireworks, drone exhibits and aircraft flying at the same time all lit up. We took a day off on Wednesday, July 22nd and stayed in Waupun, where we were camping during the week. I was so happy we couldn't get into the campground at the event. The noise, traffic and the fact that there were no hook ups at the Oshkosh site, made the drive into Oshkosh a no brainer. We had 50A electric service, bathrooms with showers and a large quiet site for $29 a night. At Camp Scholler you got a patch of grass for $45 a night. I scheduled to only work the morning on Friday and Saturday until 1 PM. Karen scheduled to work the same days until 2 PM, so we could spend time together exploring. We took the bus out to the seaplane base on Friday and toured the bay where they parked. Of course we couldn't see everything. We didn't see the EAA Museum and I would have like to see more of the Warbirds that were on static display. But the time spent with our co-workers and the things we did see and experience made the week very fulfilling. The highlight for Karen was serving in the MASA tent and meeting so many Kingdom workers in mission aviation. She was blessed to hear their stories and experience so many agencies working together to fulfull God's mission. In addition, it was heart-warming to see so many locals opening their homes to host these missionaries and so many helping in big and small ways to provide hospitality all week long Everywhere we travel, we meet the family of God; it's such a privilege! We would love to come back maybe next year and do it again. Now that we've been here once we know how to schedule our work so we can see more next time.

Our journey continued from Jackson, Michigan to Holland, Michigan for a three day hiatus. We visited friends but mainly relaxed. On Sunday we joined Jay and Elaine True to attend their church for service then had lunch at Bowerman's Blueberries Farm Market. Later that evening we entertained them at our campsite for great conversation with good friends and a barbecued pork chop dinner. Monday afternoon, July 13 we drove into Grand Rapids, Michigan to visit Steve Parlette, a fellow RVICS friend who was recovering from open-heart surgery in the hospital. We have served with Steve and Joyce on a couple of projects in the past and they are dear friends. So, it was a priority to try and get in a visit if possible. Steve was in good spirits and even was up and walking around while we were there. He and Joyce have a daughter in the area and they can stay in the RV location until middle of August. We pray Steve's recovery process goes smoothly and he gets back to his regular self again. He and Joyce need and have our prayers for the recovery process in the coming months. Later that same day we joined Gary and Mickey Vander Veen back in Holland for a porch visit and later dinner at their home. We first met on the road while traveling back from Alaska on Highway 37 Stewart-Cassiar Scenic Route. They also have a Alliance Avenue 32RLS and we like to compare our experiences with our RV units; good and bad. From the Ottawa County Fairgrounds in Holland we traveled south to visit Bontrager's Surplus in White Pigeon, Michigan. Bontrager’s Surplus, Inc. is a family owned and operated RV business. It began in 1972 as Bontrager’s Cabinet Shop. Henry Bontrager, a long time employee in the RV industry, set up shop in a shed behind his home with the idea of building cabinets. However, with his knowledge of the RV industry, he would hear of deals on surplus materials offered by the RV companies in nearby Elkhart, Indiana. Never one to turn down a bargain, he would purchase these items, and then set them outside his cabinet shop. Before long, the sideline surplus business had taken over the cabinet shop. This place was as big as a Home Depot but spread out with multiple buildings. We went looking for a replacement sink for our bathroom but didn't find anything we liked. It was truly a massive facility and looked like a great place to get replacement appliances, furniture and just about any thing you might need. Since we were close to Shipshewana, a town in Newbury Township, LaGrange County, Indiana we had to stop by for a visit. In the heart of Northern Indiana, Shipshewana is where visitors experience one of the largest Amish communities in the United States. LaGrange County is home to more than 28,000 Amish residents as of 2025 — the third-largest Amish population in America, following Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and Holmes County, Ohio. While the town of Shipshewana itself has fewer than 1,000 residents, it serves as the cultural and commercial hub of Indiana Amish Country. Surrounded by picturesque Amish farms and rolling countryside, Shipshewana is where Amish families come to work, shop, dine, and gather — creating an authentic experience visitors can truly feel the moment they arrive. Here, horse-drawn buggies share the roads, family-owned businesses welcome guests with handmade goods and traditional cooking, and a slower pace of life invites you to reconnect with what matters most. From Amish bakeries and quilt shops to scenic backroads and local markets, Shipshewana offers a genuine glimpse into Amish heritage and everyday life. After our brief stop in Shipshewana we continued on to our one night stay at the Elkhart Campground. The next morning we headed over to the Alliance RV facility to talk with Kyle Prater, Customer Experience Manager to discuss some warrenty repair and other items we want to update. Kyle was awesome and got us in touch with Brittanie Medlen, Service Advisor at Alliance RV so we can schedule a repair appointment when we return to the area in 2027. From Elkhart, Indiana we drove three hours and 152 miles to our next stop in Elgin, IL. The trafffic around Gary, Indiana was stop and go for about an hour and added some time to our trip. We eventually arrived at the Paul Wolffe Campground located within Burnidge Forest Preserve, one mile west of Randall Road on Big Timber Road. All this for $41 a night...a super deal this close to Chicago! Plenty of room for the RV and truck. The water was two hoses away but the 50A pedestal was close. Beautiful campground. Well maintained with very friendly hosts. Navigating through the park with our 35-ft RV was easy, and the sites were long enough for both our RV and truck. (We chose a back-in site; there are a few pull-thru's as well.) Plenty of space between sites. We went into Chicago a couple of days on the Metra train, the station is just a couple of miles from the campground. We had some horrible air quality on Thursday, July 16 due to fire smoke from Canada. We ventured into the city anyway and took the Hop ON Hop OFF bus tour to get a better idea of other sights to visit. We decided to return on Saturday to visit the Planetarium when the air quality improved; this Planetarium was not that impressive and a bit of a disapointment. We decided to take the Red Line L out to Rate Field (site of the old Comiskey Park was across the street) where the Chicago White Soxes play their home games. This was an information gathering trip to see how easy or difficult it is getting to the ballpark on a game day. This is the METRA train we traveled on into Union Station, downtown Chicago from Elgin Station. The train ride took about an hour and ten minutes. Union Station Chicago is the hub for all the METRA and AMTRAK trains. A short walk from Union Station over the Chicago River gets you to the #130 CTA bus stop out to the planetarium . The planetarium did provide a great view of the city. The Chicago Board of Trade building is a 44-story, 604-foot Art Deco skyscraper located in the Chicago Loop, standing at the foot of the LaSalle Street "canyon". On Sunday, July 19th we attended Calvary Chapel Cardunal in Algonquin, IL not far from our campsite. We met some wonderful brothers and sisters in the faith there and enjoyed the teaching from the Book of Philippians by Pastor Eric Bentz. After the service we returned to Paul Wolffe to hook up and head out to a return trip to Waupun County Park on 825 County Park Rd, Waupun, WI.

We traveled about 200 miles from the "UP" and Sault Sainte Marie, MI across the Mackinaw Bridge into the "Mitten" of Michigan. Because of its recognizable shape, the Lower Peninsula is nicknamed The Mitten, with the eastern region identified as The Thumb. This has led to several folkloric creation myths for the area, one of which is that the handprint of Paul Bunyan, a giant lumberjack and popular European-American folk character, is in Michigan. On Sunday, July 5th we camped in the Harrisville State Park set along the sandy shores of Lake Huron. The park is home to a day-use area nestled in a stand of pine and cedar trees and a modern campground. We stayed here for two nights and explored the eastern shores of Michigan along Lake Huron. I wrote a review of our experience on the RV Life, Trip Wizard site titled, “Large site but tight roads”. We paid $88 for two nights ($40 per night plus $8 reservation fee) then another $24 at the entrance for the RP: Michigan Recreation Passport ($12 per day) which in the end was pricey for an electric site only. Our site #7 was a large pull-through not far from both the restrooms and an innovative fire wood dispenser ($7 for a bundle). The beach to Lake Huron is near the restroom building with outside and inside shower facilities. We observed many campers enjoying the waterfront on stand-up paddle boards and swimming but we chose to only dip our toes. Beautiful weather on the east side of Michigan. The beach wasn't wide but the water was calm and warm enough to enjoy. If you're going to spend a week or more in the Michigan State Parks, it would make sense to purchase the annual RP pass, which we will do the next time we're in Michigan for an extended time. From Harrisville we drove down the shoreline of eastern Michigan and eventually to the town of Frankenmuth. According to the welcome guide online, Frankenmuth is Michigan's Little Bavaria. It advertised that, "Summer in Michigan's Little Bavaria is alive with sunshine, festive fun, and unforgettable experiences. Flower-lined streets are in full bloom, outdoor activities invite you on an adventure, and Festival Season is in full swing." We stayed in St. Lorenz Churchgrove Park, started by members of the St. Lorenz Lutheran Church and School. One of the reviewers on the RV Life site stated, "St. Lorenz Churchgrove Park draws RVers with its peaceful, wooded setting, level grassy sites, and exceptional cleanliness—especially in the restrooms and showers. The pet-friendly environment, friendly camp hosts, and easy first-come, first-served system stand out in reviews. Many find value in the affordable rates, shaded spots, and proximity to downtown Frankenmuth, which is walkable or a quick bike ride away. Sites offer electric and water hookups, though 50-amp spots are limited, and most sit on grass rather than pavement. A prayer trail, playground, and group picnic area add extra charm. Overall, the quiet atmosphere, safe surroundings, and quick access to restaurants and shops make this a favorite spot for short visits and family getaways." We found the camp host, Gary very friendly and helpful in finding us a 50A site and answering all our questions. This massive store had everything you could ever want or need for Christmas. Our first stop in Frakenmuth was Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland with promotes itself as the "World's Largest Christmas Store". According to Wikipedia, designed with an Alpine architecture, the building is 7.35 acres with landscaped grounds covering 27 acres. Outside the entrance are three 17-foot-tall outdoor Santa Claus's and a 15-foot-tall snowman. Inside the store, there are approximately 800 animated figurines. Some 100,000 lights illuminate Bronner's one-half-mile-long Christmas Lane. Michigan designated Bronner's as an "Embassy for Michigan Tourism" in 1976. Bronner's employs over 500 people during the holiday season (between October and Christmas). After exploring Bronner's we decided to get a late lunch at the Bavaria Inn restaurant. There we enjoyed authentic Bavarian fare including a medley of favorites – Famous Frankenmuth® Chicken (white or dark meat), Schnitzel (breaded loin of pork) and Sauerbraten (marinated roast beef), Wiener Schnitzel (hand-breaded veal cutlet) along with sauerkraut and potato cheese puffs. We also added a side dish of Buttered Spätzle, small Bavarian dumplings. After our meal we walked to the covered bridge over the river by the Bavarian Inn for a photo opportunity. After visiting Frankenmuth, Michigan we continued on to our friends and fellow RVICS workers, Alan and Pat Willis' home in Jackson, Michigan for the last three days of our Great Lakes adventure with Silas. We parked our RV in front of their storage barn and hooked up to the 30A power to mooch-dock on their 2.6 acre property. We enjoyed meals together, played card games and did some local sightseeing which included a visit to MOO-ville. MOO-ville Creamery is family owned and operated. They milk 200 cows with robots in Nashville, Michigan and believe in producing high quality Milk and process it as little as possible. They bottle their own milk, make their own ice cream, cheese, and butter, all under the MOO-ville logo. They welcome everyone to visit them where you can see how their Holstein cows are treated. We of course enjoyed some of their delicious ice cream creations! Silas' last day with us was Friday July 10th. We had a great visit and adventure while he was with us but it was now time to send him back home to mom, dad and his brothers in California. Silas had variety of new experiences with "Grandpa John and Mimi" and we enjoyed celebrating the 250th birthday of the United States with him. We drove him to the Detroit International Airport that afternoon and Karen waited with him until he boarded and the plane left the gate. We sure hope he had fun while he was with us!

Our first destination in Wisconsin was Great Northern Bison Ranch. John and Melody Christian, with their two children, are the owners of this ranch that raises grass-fed bison. They have an interesting story that they shared with us. It started in 2021 when they sold their beautiful home in Colorado and said a lot of really hard "goodbyes" to hit the road in a massive RV traveling with their family full time. (Doesn't this sound familar?!) ​ They both owned their own businesses and felt called to prioritize their family life together; finding a more humble way to live—the dream of owning land and a farm one day somewhere in our beautiful country. ​ They eventually bought land in Ogema, Wisconsin and originally started homesteading there. "The Lord revealed to us that that piece of land was His way of integrating us into a kind and caring community, and ultimately leading us to meet the Holcombs and stay a night on their bison ranch." ​ One night turned into all summer and fall, and eventually they found themselves as full-time ranch hands, caring for their home, a bison herd, and bison meat business while the original owners were called to live out of state. ​ Fast forward to one year later, and the Lord blessed them in taking over the ranch and becoming owners. One family passed to another family, the same love and care for the herd, the same passion for an authentic business with quality products. We found out about the ranch through Harvest Host and booked a one-night stay for Monday June 29th on their full-hook up site for a mere $20. We had a wonderful visit with them and purchased some bison meat that included a 1.65 pound T-bone steak for dinner that night and some bison brats for our freezer. Tuesday, June 30th we traveled from Great Northern Bison Ranch in Rib Lake, WI about three hours east to just across the Menominee River into Michigan to stay at the River Park Campground, a hidden gem. Driving in to the park we passed the city water treatment plant, an industrial looking area, and found the park behind a commercial plaza. However, the park itself is very nice, with a lovely walk along the river. This unexpected gem takes only cash or check (no credit cards) and by phone or email reservation . A definite do-over just northeast of Green Bay, WI. Enroute to Menominee we had to stop at a Culver's Fast Food Restaurant for lunch to introduce Silas to Cheese Curds. I ordered the Cod sandwich with medium cheese curds for Silas to try. He ordered a Butterburger and strawberry milkshake. Karen had her usual and brought a salad from the RV. Silas liked the cheese curds and we rated them a 6 on a scale of ten. He definitely doesn't like the name and I have to agree. Look at this beautiful campsite at the River Park Campground. A paved pull-through with full hook-ups next to the river for $40 a night. The weather in this area has been unseasonably warm with intermittent heavy rain, thunder and lightning. So on Wednesday we got on the road by 10 AM to try and put the storm front behind us as we travel north to Munising in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan right on Lake Superior. We arrived at the campsite and lost an hour to the time change to the Eastern Time Zone. But our spot at site 4 and the weather was awesome! In late June, we booked a one-night only stopover at Munising City Tourist Campground. We arrived on a sunny, 85-degree day with clear skies, and our Water/Electric 50-amp site offered a great unobstructed view of Lake Superior. Best of all, there were few mosquitoes but some annoying biting black flies. It was a perfect Upper Peninsula Day, and we know we were fortunate with the weather. The campground's restrooms and showers were well kept. Many sites share water spigots, so extra hose lengths are helpful. We were able to add a day but had to change to site 60. 50 Amp service and water are available by the lakefront. The shoreline sites are larger because they don't have sewer hook-ups. Silas venturing into Lake Superior! On Thursday, July 2nd we drove into Munising to Glass Bottom Shipwreck Tours. This two-hour tour covers a distance of about 9 miles and features sights both above and below the water. The tour heads toward Grand Island containing 13,000 acres of pristine wilderness. Most of this island remains as it was during the fur-trading days of the Hudson Bay Company with a small band of Chippewa Native Americans who lived there. The first stop was the two-masted BERMUDA, a typical canal schooner, designed to trade through the confining dimensions of the old Welland Canal between Lakes Ontario and Erie. Launched at Oswego, New York in April 1860, she was 136 feet in length, 26 feet in beam and 11 feet, 9 inches in depth. Her early years were spent in the grain trade between Lakes Michigan and Ontario. When the demand for iron ore increased, she shifted to carrying ore down from Marquette, MI. On September 21, 1870 she left the lower lakes for Marquette with a cargo of general supplies, arriving without incident. After loading 488 tons of ore she departed on October 14, but was overtaken by a gale off Grand Marais. The pounding of the waves caused her to start leaking and her captain brought her to shelter in Munising Bay where she reportedly filled and sank. When she left the docks in Marquette, it was said that she already had two feet of water in her hold. This would certainly cast doubt on the wisdom of her departure. The large rectangular opening near the stern marks the location of the BERMUDA’s trunk cabin, which contained the galley and quarters for some of her crew. The tour was a two-hour, fully narrated, historical excursion of two shipwrecks, Bermuda (1860-1870) and Herman H. Hettler (1890-1926). We also enjoyed a close-up view of the East Channel Lighthouse, built in 1867, colorful rock cliffs and beaches of Grand Island. Wednesday, July 3rd we departed the Munising campground and continued on to Sault St. Marie for the 4th of July weekend celebration. At the last minute we were able to move from our original dry site at Sherman Park campground to a waterfront site at Aune-Osborn Campground with water and electrical hook-ups. Aune-Osborn Campground sits right on the St. Marys River, with level gravel sites, clean and well-kept facilities, and the incredible experience of watching huge Great Lakes freighters pass by. The park is noted for its friendly staff and good value, with easy access to restrooms, showers, laundry, and a convenient dump station. Downtown attractions, shopping, and local restaurants are just a quick trip away. We journeyed into town to see the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Soo Locks complex, visit the Information center and stop for ice cream at Zak & Mac's Chocolate Haus across the street. We celebrated the 4th of July taking a fascinating cruise through the Soo Lock Complex on the Original Soo Lock Boat Cruise Company. In the MacArthur Lock being raised 21 feet to the level of Lake Superior. The Canadian iron ore carrier Algoma Equinox preparing to enter the Poe Lock from Lake Superior. This is a very friendly and informative tour of the Soo Locks, as the tour takes passengers from Lake Huron level, through the MacArthur Lock up to Lake Superior level and then makes its way over to the Canadian side to ride their Lock back down to Huron level. Highlights are a closeup view of the still-operating low-head hydroelectric plant on the US side and at the upper end you get to see the gigantic steel mill on the Canadian side. We viewed the third largest steel mill in Canada just before we entered the Canadian Lock on our way back to the St. Mary river which flows into Lake Huron. After our cruise we enjoyed a meal at Antler's Restaurant where I ordered a Bleu Cheese burger and Poutine. If you're unfamiliar, Poutine is a famous Canadian dish of French fries and cheese curds topped with a hot brown beef and chicken stock gravy. It emerged in the Centre-du-Québec region of Quebec in 1959, though its exact origins are uncertain, and there are several competing claims regarding its origin. After our late lunch ,we then drove downtown with our folding chairs to wait for the 4th of July parade. We watched the parade from 7:30 pm for about an hour before watching the fireworks show that night from the campground, And so ended our celebration of 250 years of independence!

June 22nd, the first work day of our third week in camp, was a busy one. The plan was to finish the south gable side of the house on Monday. While Team Martin works that location I am disassembling the scaffolding on the north side of the house and returning it to the flatbed trailer. After the scaffold is broken down and stored I began removing the lower deck boards on the west side so we can complete the northwest corner. This is where we worked on Thursday and almost completed this side of the east wall. Here's an aerial view with my drone of the east exposure with its new face lift at the beginning of the final week of camp. The Martin Team working on the south side gable wall. We saved the most difficult side, the west side, of the house for the end. This where the air conditioners and their associated plumbing, wifi and split level rear deck is located. To start the mounting rail for the first course of vinyl siding, it appeared to require removing the deckboards where they attached to the house near the foundation. Well, fortunately Ricky did some research on the internet and found a work around that was much easier. The trick on this side of the house was keeping all the rows level and lined up at the corners. Wednesday afternoon the vinyl siding was completed with half a day to spare. We loaded up all the scaffolding assembly on the rental trailer for return and cleaned up around the job site. On Thursday Ricky and Bill spent the morning in the maintenance shop tuning up the camp's chain saws and I learned how to operate the camp's front load tractor. I used it to do some road regrading behind the RV area and eliminated some drainage low spots from the heavy rain. Chef Adam and his "bevy of RVICS beauties" in the camp kitchen! Three wonderful and productive weeks at Cooperstown Bible Camp were wrapped up on Thursday, June 25th. Our RVICS team was awesome and we loved working with this crew. Karen and I are so thankful for the great support this team provided during the entire project and would do it again anytime! As usual, Thursday afternoon we started the process of packing up for our scheduled departure on Friday morning. First to depart were Bill and Sandy Martin on Thursday after lunch. They're on the way to Billings, Montana to do another project with Ricky and Tresa Martin who planned on leaving Monday. Christina Beckwith, bless her heart, is sticking around CBC until August 3rd to help Adam out in the kitchen through the summer. Friday morning after breakfast we said our good-byes to the staff and drove out the gravel road back to the main highway en route to the Alexandria Shooting Park and RV Campground in Alexandria, MN. Their expansive 162-acre property offers a range of shooting activities and a 146 campground facility. The clay shooting range is on the other side of the RV. According to the office they had just completed the Minnesota high school state shooting championships attended by about 2000 the weekend prior to our arrival. When we arrived, I considered doing some clay shooting but opted to pass this time around. You would think that a shooting range would be noisy; but even with shooters, it's close proximity to the highway and train track it was remarkably quiet. We departed Alexandria on Saturday morning for Rice Creek Campground in Centerville just outside of Minneapolis/St.Paul. Before arriving in camp we stopped to resupply at Costco. Our campsite was a large back-in site near to the horseshoe pits. We would be here for two nights to pick up a special package. Sunday we attended Calvary Chapel Twin Cities with George and Donna Snow followed with lunch at Covenant Living, their independent living facility before driving to the MSP airport to pick up Silas Schneider. Silas is the son of our good friends Richard and Portia Scheider; we traveled with their family to Turkey back in October last year. They are like family to us and the kids like grandkids. Since Silas was turning 13 we offered to have him join us for a couple of weeks during the summer months on the road. So his parents put him on a plane from California and sent him out to Minneapolis to spent time exploring the Great Lakes region of the country with "Grandpa John and Mimi". Our first stop was the Mall of America to see it and get Silas something to eat and buy Grandpa some new Skechers. Mall of America has a gross leasable area (GLA) of 5,600,000 square feet or 129 acres, and 2,869,000 square feet of retail space. The mall is located across the Interstate from the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport. It opened in August 1992 on the former site of the Metropolitan Stadium; it's the largest mall in the United States, the largest in the Western Hemisphere, and the 12th largest shopping mall in the world. More than 520 stores are arranged along three levels of pedestrian walkways on the sides of the rectangle, with a fourth level on the south and east sides. Four anchor department stores are located at the corners. Many have described Mall of America as a "city within a city." Despite Minnesota's cold winters, only the mall's entrances and some below ground areas are heated. Heat is allowed in through skylights above the central amusement park area. The majority of the heat is produced by lighting fixtures, other electric devices and people in the mall. With Silas a part of our travels, it is now time to head into Wisconsin and eventually the Upper Peninsula of Michegan, the UP.