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.

We arrived for our third RVICS project of this year and our second visit working at Cooperstown Bible Camp in North Dakota. Karen and I were here in 2025 from June 5 to June 26 as the only project volunteers working in the camp. It was memorable working together on constructing different items needed by the camp director Adam and we had some excitement experiencing a near miss tornado the last week of our stay in 2025. . With all our ducks in a row. This year we are praying for no tornadoes and we have some awesome RVICS team partners working with us. We got to the camp on Wednesday, June 3rd and found our RV spot to set up in advance of the rest of the team. Next to arrive on Thursday was Christina Beckwith in her 19 foot Jayco tow-behind trailer. We positioned her between a cargo trailer and our rig on the drivers side. She's single and traveling with her "fur baby" companion Gidget. On Friday, Bill and Sandy Martin arrived with their Montana fifth-wheel. They arrived just in time for the rain and we positioned them on the passenger side of our Alliance. leaving the site closest to "The Rock" for Ricky and Tresa Martin, who arrived with their Thor Omni "Super C" on Saturday, June 6th. The RVICS team on our first Sunday on the way to church from left to right: Tresa & Ricky Martin, Karen & John Teague, Sandy & Bill Martin, Christina Beckwith without Gidget. Prior to the first week of work Karen and I met with Director Adam to discuss our assignments. The project parameters for the men will entail removing all the old cedar siding from the camp director's temporary home and installing vinyl siding to renovate the structure. The women will be helping Adam in the kitchen of Ludvig Lodge with meal prep, taking inventory, organizing supplies and general cleaning. This season he is short of kitchen staff and really appreciates their help. The is the temporary home of the camp director, his wife and their two children. The old director's residence had to be torn down due to black mold and rodent infestation issues. This two-bedroom home will eventually be used for staff housing after the director's family moves into a new manufactured home when it arrives onto their prior home site. Monday, June 8th began in earnest and upon removing the siding we discovered some severe dry rot in the corner by the front door. By the end of the first week, we had pulled out the rotted wood members, rebuilt the area with OSB and 2x4's and wrapped the entire house with vapor barrier material. With the old cedar siding removed we wrapped the entire structure with a vapor barrier material. Prior to that process we removed and repaired sections of dry-rot, added spray expanding foam insulation and cleaned up around the foundation. The weather the first week was all over the map. Every day we had wind. The first two days the temperature was in the high eighties, and the wind was welcomed. We were doing everything possible to stay hydrated, but the heat was really slowing me down. The last two days we had even more wind accompanied with thunderstorms. You can only imagine trying to wrap the side of a house with vapor barrier sheeting in 15 to 20 mile per hour winds, but we got it done! By Thursday afternoon we were all physically spent and the next three days off were a welcomed respite. The ladies brigade in Ludvig Lodge worked in the morning helping with meal prep. The organizational skills with inventory control spreadsheet creation, removing old dishes no longer needed and general thorough cleaning was welcomed by Adam. On Saturday, June 13th we drove into Fargo to have dinner at Plaza Azteca with our group before attending a Red Hawks baseball game. The Fargo–Moorhead RedHawks are a professional minor-league baseball team based in Fargo, North Dakota. The RedHawks are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. The RedHawks have played their home games at Newman Outdoor Field since 1996, when the team started as members of the Northern League. It was a great evening and the home team won! The entire crew at Plaza Azteca plus Jacob & Kirsten Punt, Camp Program Director along with two additional fellow RVers Scott and Diane King. The second week began with installing the vinyl siding. Ricky Martin is the only one of us who has done vinyl siding in the past so it made sense to have him act as foreman during the process. The trick is to get the bottom row level and lined up to match the side around the corner. The vinyl siding panels interlock easily and are cut to size using sheetmetal shears. Special corners and J-channels are installed first, prior to snapping the siding up the walls. Cuts are made for various lengths of siding between corners, windows and door openings. We had to remove some of the decking to access the bottom of some walls near the foundation, but the work went smoothly after that was completed. Everything on the walls had to be removed prior to the siding installation. Martin and Martin hard at work just prior to the lunch break. The first actual week of summer camp began on Monday, June 15 with 4th through 6th graders. Adam put the women to work in the morning helping to serve breakfast followed with lunch and dinner food prep. We finished our second week with the north and east side of the house completed. I'm anticipating that our last week is looking good at this pace, but we'll need some cooperative weather and no surprises so we can finish siding the entire house. Our team is working hard and enjoying one another. We thank God for all we have accomplished!

The last stop in Wisconsin before crossing the Mississippi River into Minnesota was a U. S. Army Corps of Engineers campsite at Highland Ridge overlooking the sparkling Eau Galle Reservoir located in Spring Valley, in western Wisconsin. Highland Ridge has 46 campsites (35 with electric) including 8 walk-in tent sites. We booked a site in the Equestrian Loop with 10 electric campsites up on the hill with a clear view of the sky for our Starlink antenna. Our plan was to explore this area for two days. The Camp Host here gave us some recommendations of where to go and one of them included Burnett Dairy Cooperative, a farmer-owned cooperative based near Grantsburg, Wisconsin. The local store is called Cady Cheese Store. Founded in 1896, they are one of the few remaining full-service cooperatives producing cheese today. We had a great lunch at Peg's Pleasant View Cafe in Wilson. She was there by herself and made a salad for Karen and a bacon/cheeseburger for me. From there we drove east on Hwy 12 to Menomonie for some ice cream at a classic called C&J's Candy Store & Scoop Shoppe on Main Street. The shop had an extensive array of sweets located in multiple rooms and a delicious Madagascar Chocolate ice cream flavor we just had to try. Our last stop before leaving was to get some donuts at the Spring Valley Bakery. The camp host had told us that they had some of the best donuts he had ever had, so we just had to give them a try. Even Karen, the non-donut member of the family, liked them! On Thursday, May 28 it was back on the road again to Bunker Hills Campground in Coon Rapids, MN. Beautiful facilities with a golf course and waterpark nearby. Great bike trails throughout the park. The only down side for most will be the need to purchase a a daily park pass for $6 per day or $30 for an annual pass. It is not included in your campsite fee. When I told them I was a disabled veteran however, they provided me a complimentary annual pass for all their parks. Our primary reason for this destination was to visit our dear friends, George and Donna Snow. Minnesota's official main nickname is The North Star State. This moniker is derived from the state motto, "L'Etoile du Nord," which is French for "Star of the North". However, it is also widely known by a couple of other highly popular monikers, including Land of 10,000 Lakes and The Gopher State. This is their floor plan except reversed with the living room on the right. George and Donna have been our spiritual mentors for years. They are a wonderful Christian couple we knew back in California. They had recently moved to the Minneapolis/St. Paul area to an independent living community near their daughter's family. They are an amazing 90+ years young and we wanted to see them and their new home. We met them for brunch at Covenant Living of Golden Valley. and got to see their apartment on the sixth floor. There we visited and met their cat, "Sweetie". On Saturday, the next day, they visited us at our campsite for lunch before attending their great-granddaughter's softball game. It was so wonderful to see them again and reconnect. It's our hope to see them again on our return trip through Minneapolis after our RVICS camp project in North Dakota. Sunday, we departed the campground and drove to the Calvary Chapel Twin Cities to participate in fellowship. Pastor Mike Fernandez taught from Romans 8:29-31. We enjoyed the teaching and fellowship before driving on to Gull Lake Recreation Area in Brainerd, MN. Narrow driveways open into large graded campsite with plenty of privacy. This U.S. Army Corps of Engineers campground is part of the Mississippi River Headwaters - Gull Lake Recreation Area is situated on the Gull River at the outlet of Gull Lake. This recreation area is located 10 miles northwest of Brainerd, MN. The Gull Lake Dam is located on the Gull River about one-half mile below the outlet of Gull Lake. It was put into service in 1912, the last of the Headwaters reservoir dams constructed. Gull Lake Recreation Area draws RVers with its spacious, private sites surrounded by tall trees and a scenic, wooded atmosphere. Many comment on the clean, well-kept restrooms and showers, alongside consistently well-maintained grounds. The campground offers electric hookups, a dump station, and is a peaceful spot with solid fishing right by the water. RVers highlight how conveniently it sits near Baxter and Brainerd. Some mention mosquitoes, which we didn't have, and daytime construction noise on the east side, along with bright security lights in certain spots and tight interior roads, especially for larger rigs. Despite these points, the combination of natural beauty, friendly staff, and easy access to local amenities makes this spot a favorite in the area. We had camped here on June 2, 2025, on our way to Cooperstown Bible Camp last year, so we knew about the campground. No problem at $16 a night with the America the Beautiful Pass. We stayed here two days and explored about ten miles of the extensive trail system outside the campground on our E-bikes. On Tuesday, June 2nd we drove on to Fargo, North Dakota for one night. We had originaly booked the Harvest Host at the Fargo Air Museum but the set up there wasn't the best. We drove to a favorite Mexican restaurant called Plaza Azteca to get an early dinner and talk about other options. Karen had scheduled a dental appointment for the next morning on the opposite side of town, so she called the nearby Costco and asked if we could overnight in their large parking lot. Much to my surprise they gave us the okay. So after dinner we drove over to the Costco and found a perfect location in a far off corner of the parking lot for the night. Unfortunately I discovered a chip in one of my upper molars that I needed to have checked out, so we both saw the dentist. Karen got a dental cleaning that she was overdue for and I decided, after hearing the price of their treatment, to delay doing anything until we get back to Texas. We got on the road for Cooperstown Bible Camp by 2:30 PM.

Our next planned state to visit this year was Wisconsin. For the next 13 days we will explore the 'Land of Cheese'. After departing the Great Lakes Naval Station we traveled north to a Fond Du Lac County Park on the east shore of Lake Winnebago. Winnebago is originally an Indigenous Siouan-speaking tribe native to Wisconsin and Nebraska. The name itself stems from an Algonkian/Fox term loosely translating to "people of the dirty water" (referring to the fish-clogged waters of the Fox River). Upon the first view of this massive lake we could understand the name. From a distance we thought we were looking at land, not water, and once we arrived at the 19-acre Columbia Park we were greeted by a seasonal pest and most unwelcome occupant; lake flies. Lake flies (chironomid midges) swarm around Lake Winnebago in massive hatches. While harmless—they do not bite or sting—they are considered an annoying nuisance because they coat homes, vehicles, and sidewalks. They typically last only for a few weeks starting around Mother's Day. When they emerge to create mating swarms, adults live for only 3 – 11 days. Since they do not have functional mouth parts, the adults do not bite or even eat! The location and size of swarms are highly dependent on the wind, and are often concentrated in areas that contrast with the background. We had no idea we booked this RV site during the annual swarm so we asked the RV Host if we could cancel and change to another county park in their system. They were very understanding and helped us arrange a change to Waupun County Park instead. Thank goodness they were able to accommodate us and arrange this other location. Waupun County Park is the second largest county park at 103 acres. The park contains a wooded public campground with 38 single sites as well as a group area. Campground amenities include electrical hookups at each site, campground restrooms and showers and a dump station. Other facilities include playground equipment, two open-air picnic shelters, one enclosed shelter, and a disc golf course. When we arrived on Wednesday, May 13 there were only four other campers in the park. We were located in a pull through site with 50Amp service in the back loop with privacy and quiet for the next 5 days AND NO LAKE FLIES! While in the area I contacted Great Lakes District - Western Region of the Coast Guard, Flotilla 47-01 in Fond Du Lac and met their Vice Flotilla Commander Bob Parish. We got together for coffee and talked about their unit and if I could help out while in their neighborhood. He told me that they had a vessel examination event on Saturday, May 16 to kick off National Safe Boating Week in Manitowoc and I could join them. While I was doing Coast Guard vessel exams at the marina Karen went swimming at the YMCA, checked out the farmers market and looked for thrift stores. I enjoyed our time in Waupun so much I booked another 7 days for later in July to return for the annual Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture event. EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026 runs from July 20 to 26, 2026, at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Located just about an hour's drive north of Beaver Dam, this massive, week-long convention features daily air shows, night air displays, aircraft exhibitions, and thousands of show planes. We are looking into volunteering during the event in Oshkosh. We had to get into the right cheese sampling mode and tried on the Cheesehead attire. On Tuesday, May 19 we packed up the rig and started a journey on to Sheboygan, WI. En route we stopped in the Cheese Capital of the World; Plymouth, WI to try some of their special cheeses. It’s true! More than 14% of the cheese consumed in the United States goes through Plymouth, Wisconsin in Sheboygan County. Cheese makers began popping up in and around the young city in the mid 19th century and in 1918 Plymouth was the location of the National Cheese Exchange, which set the commodity price of bulk cheese, a pretty big deal in the state known for its dairy products. Today it is home to some of the biggest cheese brands: Sargento, Sartori, Masters Gallery and Great Lakes Cheese. Our reservation was at Kohler-Andrae State Park in Sheboygan. The camping fee was expensive for non-residents and after paying for your campsite they tack on an additional "park pass". Our two nights here was $153 total for electric only. Kohler-Andrae State Park in Sheboygan is the home of majestic sand dunes, miles of golden beaches, shimmering blue Lake Michigan water, whispering pines, an abundance of wildlife and recreational activities. It was fun to explore the bike trails throughout the park. Another stunning view of Lake Michigan. We drove in to explore the city of Sheboygan and found the Blue Harbor Resort located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Sheboygan River on the C. Reiss Coal Peninsula. The peninsula had formerly been used for coal storage. The property was razed and was developed into the South Pier District. This beautiful resort was built by Madison-based Great Wolf Resorts and the 182-room resort opened in 2004. We ended up walking across the street to the Eb' n' Flo coffee house along the marina. We found an excellent latte and scone! We strolled into the main lobby to check it out. Sheboygan, Wisconsin, is a vibrant industrial and recreational hub located on the shores of Lake Michigan, roughly 50 miles north of Milwaukee. Known as the "Malibu of the Midwest" for its freshwater surfing and the "Bratwurst Capital of the World," the city combines scenic beaches with a rich manufacturing and immigrant heritage. Two recommendation on the RV LIFE Trip Wizard suggested we patronize the Parkside Restaurant nearby the campground. We did and had incredibly friendly service, reasonably priced and tasty fresh food. We also checked out Miesfeld Meat Market. Miesfeld’s Triangle Market is a family-owned and operated meat market located in Sheboygan, Wisconsin since 1941. It's the home of Award-Winning Bratwurst with over 25 unique flavors, including their award-winning Grand Champion bratwurst. We purchased some, of course, along with other unique meat products including Braunschweiger with horseradish. Braunschweiger is a type of smoked, spreadable liver sausage originating from Braunschweig, Germany, made from pork liver, pork trim, and seasonings, often with a smooth, pâté-like texture. In the U.S., it's a popular deli meat, commonly served sliced on sandwiches with mustard and pickles, spread on crackers, or used in dips and pâtés, and is a good source of iron, vitamin A, and protein. After 2 days in Sheboygan we journeyed south of Milwaukee to Cliffside County Park in Racine. This lovely campground was a bargain at $87 for the two night stay. It is conveniently located between Milwaukee and Chicago. Access to Lake Michigan is less than 20 minutes away. This area had an extensive bike trail parallel to the railroad line all the way into Racine so riding our bikes became the way to get around. Racine, Wisconsin is primarily known as the Kringle capital of the world, a major industrial manufacturing hub, and the home of stunning Lake Michigan beaches. Located just 30 miles south of Milwaukee, it boasts a rich history of famous inventions and architectural landmarks. Kringle is a rich, flaky, Danish pastry made from 36 layers of buttery dough, filled with fruit or nuts, and often shaped into an oval or ring and topped with icing. Originating in Northern Europe, it became a Wisconsin tradition after Danish immigrants settled in Racine, which is now known as the "Kringle Capital" and officially designated it as the state pastry. Popular fillings include almond, raspberry, pecan, and cream cheese. On Friday, May 22 we returned north to the Wisconsin State Fair RV Park in Milwaukee for a three day stay. After arriving and setting up we once again took our bikes off and rode the Hank Aaron bike trail all the way into Milwaukee. We rode by American Family Field, a retractable-roof stadium where the Milwaukee Brewers play their home games. From there we continued on to the Harley-Davidson Museum near the downtown. The entire trip was about 14 miles total by the time we returned to the RV. We walked across the street from the State Fairgrounds to eat at Liquid Johnnys and find out about their shuttle service to the ballpark. Just buy a meal and a drink and they give you a wrist band to take the shuttle to the game. So after lunch and a nap we returned for the 5 o'clock shuttle to see the Dodger/Brewers game with our tickets from Vet Tix. For those who don't know, Vet Tix provides tickets to events which reduce stress, strengthen family bonds, build life-long memories and encourage service members and veterans to stay engaged with local communities and American life. They support our troops by honoring their service and providing positive family and life experiences, during and after their years of service to our country. The shuttle from Liquid Johnnys dropped us off by the home plate gate. Vet Tix provides tickets to all branches of currently-serving Military and Veterans, including immediate family of troops KIA. Vet Tix secures tickets to sporting events, concerts, performing arts, educational and family activities across the nation. VetTixers sign up online and their service is verified. VetTixers request tickets to events that interest them, then pay a small delivery fee to receive their free tickets. Our tickets for the game cost us $18 for the third party fee. The Dodgers won the game 11-3. Our last day at the fairgrounds was Sunday and we spent the morning attending Calvary Chapel in Milwaukee before enjoying brunch in a downtown neighborhood restaurant. The rest of the day was spent driving the shoreline to see the Veteran Day flag exhibit in the local park, getting more fuel for the truck and grocery shopping at Aldi's before returning to the RV to chill. Monday morning we loaded up the rig and started northwest toward Wisconsin Dells. Wisconsin Dells is globally famous as the "Waterpark Capital of the World", boasting the highest concentration of indoor and outdoor waterparks anywhere. Beyond the mega-resorts and 200+ waterslides, it is uniquely celebrated for its ancient, glacier-carved sandstone gorges and rich Midwestern resort history. We were only there for one day so we opted to just check out the area for a future trip then stayed overnight at a Harvest Host. Fawn Creek Winery is nestled just north of the Dells in the peaceful forests of Dell Prairie, We booked our stay and spent the afternoon upon our arrival unwinding, sipping, and savoring their selection of wines. We have found many beautiful places in Wisconsin!

We used our Tuesday, May 4 one day stay at Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park as a waypoint to get our pass and ID credentials for Naval Station Great Lakes access. We moved on Wednesday, May 6 to the Great Lakes Naval Base RV campground. This RV venue offers small, electric-only sites with impressive lake views and quick access to walking trails and the Metra train, making visits to Chicago a breeze. RV reviewers of this Naval Base campground frequently mention issues with site upkeep, muddy spots after rain, and a campground that's impacted by many long-term, active duty residents. While the waterfront scenery draws positive remarks, some RVers express that the park could benefit from improved maintenance and attention for transient guests like ourselves. We found this to be the case but our strategy was to stay at this location for the convenience to Chicago and the security of a military base not necessarily the amenities in the RV park. Thursday, May 6 was our first trip into Chicago. We boarded the Metra train at the Great Lakes station and took it from zone 4 into zone 2 for a mere $3.75 each! After exiting the train we walked to the RED line elevated subway station to catch the "L" to the Addison station for the Wrigley Field stop. We had Cub's tickets for the afternoon game against the Cincinnati Reds. We arrived at the field early enough to have lunch across the street at Swift Tavern. We had a delicious trademark Chicago Italian roast beef sandwich and roasted Brussel Sprouts with a balsamic vinegar glaze. This was a wonderful meal close to the action and a definite do-over when we come back to Wrigley Field. After lunch we walked around "Wrigleyville" to get the local flavor before entering the ballpark. After seeing this historic baseball venue firsthand, I now understand why it is so venerated and beloved. It is indeed a magical place, like Fenway is in Boston, but I honestly liked Wrigley Field better. The facilities are spotless and best of all our $19 seats in section 327 row 3 were amazing. I can't believe how close to the field we were on the second deck. Since the Dodgers were not playing it only made sense to cheer on the home team. So we were Cubbies for the day and it must have contributed to their fortunes that afternoon because they won! It was a great experience overall and I have a new favorite ballpark after this game. I would love to come back and see the Dodgers play here next. Our trip back to Great Lakes from Wrigley was a public transportation adventure. Turns out that around 2:30 that afternoon the Metra train hit a flatbed semi-truck at a crossing and all the northbound and southbound trains were canceled. So after the game we took the RED line to Howard where we connected to the PURPLE line to the Davis Station located in downtown Evanston; this is a major transit hub (serving both the CTA and Metra Union Pacific North Line) and is a quick 15-minute walk to the Weber Arch and central campus of Northwestern University. We had time to kill and it was the dinner hour, so we walked to Lou Malnati's Pizzeria, a famous location known for their Chicago-style deep dish pizza. This type of pizza takes 30 to 40 minutes to cook and we definitely had the time, so we decided to give it a try. We ordered a medium (too big) and only could eat three slices. I enjoyed it but Karen was not as crazy about it. After dinner we boxed up the leftovers and started walking to the Metra station to see if the trains were running again. We were able to gift our leftover pizza to a lady on the street who was hungry. Unfortunately no trains yet, so we resorted to taking the CTA bus as far north as we could go which was Highland Park. We drove by the train/truck accident site and were eventually able to catch the Metra train back to Great Lakes station. The experience we gained using the Metra and CTA services made us confident in using the public transportation services available in Chicago. We were impressed with the cleanliness, efficiency and economy of their system. We purchased an all-day CTA pass for the L and buses for only $5 per person. This made coming into Chicago easy and inexpensive. Friday we had to drop off Karen's E-bike for some much needed repairs. We found Carlos, an independent bike shop owner in Johnsburg, IL. This was a bit of a drive from Great Lakes but he could repair her tire, replace the brake pads and install a new gear shift controller. Our next trip into the city was on May 9th; we missed the 9:37 AM Metra train and drove into Evanston to take the northern most PURPLE line/RED line combination into the city this time to the Grand Street station. From there we walked to Yolk's restaurant for breakfast then to the Navy Pier on Lake Michigan to see the skyline. We took a bus back into downtown to see the Chicago river and the many drawbridges that cross it. The architecture along the river is stunning so walked along the river-walk on the south bank to get another perspective before returning to the train for our return trip to the Linden station at the end of the PURPLE line. The view looking toward the downtown from Navy Pier. One of the many tourist boats on the Chicago River. We decided to come back on Monday and take a water taxi to Chicago's Chinatown. We left early because we had made dinner plans with my cousin Lisa Scarpelli and her husband Ray at their home in Libertyville. Lisa and I have been trying to get together since we arrived in the area and tonight we were finally able to make it happen! I have been praying for an opportunity to spend time with this side of my family and we were able to be joined by their son, Ray and his wife Gabby who came over later for dessert. We talked until almost 11 PM telling family stories. It was a joy to finally get together and make this heart connection. I hope it happens again soon. A wonderful event years in the making... dinner with the Scarpelli Clan! On Sunday we found a local Christian fellowship to attend and rested up from the extensive days of walking. On Monday we once again ventured into Chicago on the Metra Train and RED line to Grand Street but his time walked south to the Trump Tower on the river to catch the water taxi to Chinatown. I think we traveled under a dozen bridges before we arrived at the Chinatown dock. From there walked to one of the local Ramen noodle restaurant. The weather has been on the chilly side, so soup was the perfect meal for the afternoon. This was the Chinatown dockside structure where the water taxi dropped off all the passengers.. In the Chinese zodiac, the Snake is the sixth sign, symbolizing wisdom, intuition, and transformation. People born under this sign are known for their sharp intellect, strategic thinking, and calm, composed nature. Tuesday was the day we picked up Karen's E-bike and Carlos did a great job getting her back in the saddle again. On the way back to Great Lakes we stopped by Ray Chevrolet/RAM dealership to see both Ray Scarpellis; father and son. The younger Ray gave us a tour of their dealership and we eventually hooked up with his dad. They have a very impressive operation in Fox Lake, IL and they are both very proud of the their business reputation. It was great to see them both and get in a quick visit. It was back to the naval station for the rest of the afternoon to begin the process of getting ready for our Wednesday morning, May 13th departure for Wisconsin. The week went by much too quickly and I'm hoping we return to the area one more time before we head south. Chicago is a wonderful place to visit and I still need to see a White Sox game on my journey to visit all 30 ballparks.

After arrival at our campsite at Indian Point on Monday we had to make a quick turnaround and drive into Springfield, Missouri. I had an audiology appointment at 3:45 PM to be evaluated for service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus. The VA was able to set it up while we were on the road. Following that appointment we had dinner with our son-in-laws parents, Tim and Diana Edgington who live in nearby Nixa, MO. On Tuesday we had lunch at the The Keeter Center, where they offer a unique farm-to-table dining experience at Dobyns Dining Room. For over 100 years, work and agriculture, as well as education, have been important at College of the Ozarks®. From its humble farm beginnings and early canning operations to today's student-run farms and Student-Made Products, "Hard Work U"®, as the College is known, continues to serve the Ozarks in many ways. From there we enjoyed another Sight and Sound production at their theater. Two years ago we experienced the musical production of ESTHER and this year we had tickets for DAVID. With original music inspired by the Psalms, DAVID is a state-of-the-art theatrical experience for the whole family. We witnessed one of the most legendary Bible stories as it came to life with spectacular special effects, massive sets, and live animals in this original stage production. This was our third Sight and Sound live production and we were not disappointed. It was simply amazing and inspirational! For our last day in Branson we decided to embark on an unforgettable journey aboard the Showboat Branson Belle for an afternoon cruise and experienced a day filled with excitement, entertainment, relaxation, and delicious dining. We set sail on the open, pristine waters of Table Rock Lake and immersed ourselves in a world of live music, dancing, comedy, magic, and a scrumptious 3-course meal! Thursday, April 30 was our departure day so we got on the road and traveled 284 miles to Triangle H Farm in Edwardsville, Illinois. This Havest Host venue is a horse farm and riding facility just across the border from St. Loius, Missouri where we planned on using it as our base for the next two nights. We had booked tickets for a baseball game at Busch Stadium on Friday, May 1st to see the Dodgers play the Cardinals on my birthday. Prior to the game we went to lunch in the city section of St.Louis known at "The Hill" This is the Italian neighborhood in the city and is famous for their restaurants. We had to try the Toasted Ravioli that you dip in marinara sauce. They were okay but not a do over. Busch Stadium was my 19th Major League ballpark as I journey to visit all 30. We thought about going back into St. Louis on Saturday but I have been concerned about one of the tires on the RV for the last couple of hundred miles. The front passenger side tire has been wearing very unevenly for some time now. So much so that the outside thread was nearly gone. We have been buying all our tires at the Discount Tire chain the entire time we have been on the road and have always purchased their tire warranty with each purchase in the past. We were hoping the warranty might apply to this situation. So instead of heading back into St. Louis, I found a Discount Tire dealer farther north on our route in Springfield, Illinois that could accommodate us that day. It took all day to get the tire replaced but it was covered by the dealership. We just had to cover the cost of the warranty on our new replacement tire. With the tire issue solved we called a church in Bloomington, IL, about an hour up the road on our route, to get some information about church services on Sunday. Our plan was to stay in the Cracker Barrel restaurant parking lot in Bloomington on Saturday night and attend the church service in the morning. Turns out the pastor offered us the convenience of parking at the church overnight. So we drove to New Life Fellowship instead of the Cracker Barrel for the night. That was a blessing! Sunday morning we fellowshipped with the folks at New Life, shared about the RVICS ministry we are part of and made some new friends. From the church we continued a mere 42 miles on to Pontiac, Illinois, home of the Route 66 Museum. We were staying at the City of Pontiac Golf Course for the night and rode our bikes into the town for dinner at Bob and Ringo's Tavern. Karen walking out of the restaurant with leftover ribs and coleslaw for later. We left late Monday morning on May 4 for Naperville, IL, just west of Chicago and stayed overnight at the Cracker Barrel restaurant. My plan was to avoid downtown Chicago and stay west of the city. On Tuesday morning we left after breakfast traveling through two different waypoints. First was the Walmart Supercenter in Streamwood, IL then on to the Costco in Lake Zurich before eventually arriving at Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park in Zion, IL. We had the paved 50 Amp section to ourselves just a short walk to Lake Michigan. Illinois Beach State Park—stretching 6.5 miles along the sandy shore of Lake Michigan in northern Illinois—offers a full range of recreation opportunities at one of the most unique and beautiful natural settings in America. Illinois Beach is the only remaining beach ridge shoreline left in the state, with dunes and swales, sprawling marshes, forests of oak, and vast arrays of animal life and vegetation.