Lake Billings Camping Trip 6/1/12 - 6/3/2012

The office

Live bait and tackle machine. Also has candy bars and chips in it.

Lake Billings

Picnic area

Play area

This is our 3rd camping trip of the year. We set this up about a month ago of course not knowing what the weather was going to be like of course it is going to be a rainy and chilly weekend. We knew it was suppose to rain so I called the campground Thursday night and they let us set up early with no charge. We got out of work on Friday and sure enough still cold and rainy.  We got to the campground around 7 pm. We sat around and watched alittle tv and had some snacks. We went to bed around 10 pm. We both woke up in the middle of the night and had a snack cake and glass of milk. Hey what can I say when you want a sweet you have a sweet! We went back to bed and I got up around 7am. We sat around and had some coffee. We had some visitors so I threw them some bread. Then realized there was a sign that said don't feed the birds. Whoops!

The lady next to us was feeding the big ones by hand. The babies would come right up but the mom and dad would follow and would hiss at me. It was funny. After they left we had a few more visitors that were just as cute. They would not come close.

Mama, Daddy and babies

Daddy

                                                             

After watching the critters we put up the canopy in case it started to rain again we could still have a cook out later. Then I came in and made breakfast. We had scrambled eggs, bacon, toast and milk. The bacon was just awful. It had no flavor and did not have any salt. Never will buy that brand again. John Morel in case anyone wants to know. After breakfast I did dishes and swept the floor. We got dressed and went up to Cadillac to pick up a few things. On our way back we stopped at Long Lake State Forest in between Cadillac and Manton. Looks like we will have to camp there some weekend. It is nice and quiet back in there.

Long Lake

Long Lake

We came and it was get extremely windy. It felt like it was going to rip the canopy off the rv so we decided to put it down. Oh my goodness what a big mistake it was out of control windy. We wound up get it down but rolled up our strap to the darn thing. So now when we get home we have to figure out how to get it out. Lol. So we came in and Dan decided to try and get a nap. He was almost asleep and my step mom called and it woke him up. It started to rain again so we sat on our computers and listened to the radio. Looks like we will be cooking dinner inside. Hamburgers and corn on the cob. The corn is not in season but I got some last week and it was really sweet. We sat around for awhile and I was tired so we decided to try to take a nap, but this time with the phones off. I laid there for 45 minutes but didn't sleep. We got up and Dan went to take a shower at the shower house. They are nice. I thought I would take one here, but Dan told me how nice they were so I took mine there too. I came back and we decided we were getting hungry, but neither of us wanted hamburgers or hot dogs and so we had corn on the cob and burritos. Dan had a rib sandwich also. We had quit the combination going. After we ate Dan played around on computer and I watched tv. Then we played some Yahtzee. Dan was getting double Yahtzee's. Gerrrrr! He won two out of three games. It got to be about 10:30 pm and Dan went to bed and I stayed up to read a great Amish book on my kindle that I borrowed from the library. I went to bed about 11:00 pm. I watched the news up until the weather and then out went the lights. See you all in the morning!



Well we had a great nights sleep and woke up to a beautiful sun shiny day. We sure did need the rain, I wish it would have held out for the weekday though. We got up around 7:30 am and I fixed us ome coffee. Then went in to do my hair for the day. When I was done I went out and took these pictures.

Our camper and truck

Lake Billings

Lake Billings

Lake Billings Campground

Lake Billings

More of lake

Swans

Mama, Daddy and Babies

Duck

Lakeside Dr. We camped off of this street.

We had our coffee and some toast and sat around on our computers for awhile and decided to lay down for a little while. We woke up and it was 10:55 am. We got back up and got ready to go. We loaded everything up and stopped at the dump station. We talked with the office lady Ruth for awhile then went and tossed out the trash and headed for home. We got home and set the camper back up and unpacked everything. Boy were the bugs bad after that rain. We unrolled the canopy by hand and got our strap out  and left it down for a few minutes to dry out from our two days of rain. We had a relaxing weekend. We couldn't have a bonfire or be outdoors but we had a relaxing weekend. See you all soon and thanks for reading. 

End of Vacation 3/24/2012

Well we started out on our long journey home at 5:21AM. This is going to be a long ride home. The weather was still warm and I did not want to leave. It is suppose to be cooler back home. It figures now that we are going back! I did take pictures on the way home but because we were moving, the bug splatters on the windshield and the fog only one of them turned out and that was when we got into Michigan.

We arrived in Michigan at 1:45 PM

 We made many stops due to a long drive to stretch, bathroom breaks, gas and to eat. We arrived home at 6:30PM. My dog was very happy to see me. We started to unpack and Mom and Kevin came over. It was so nice to see them again. I really missed them. Even my chickens! Lol. We finished unpacking the car and sat to relax and visit for a bit. I had to get on the computer out and share the pictures with Mom and give her and Kev the things we picked up for them. After they left we finished unpacking and putting away our things. Boy do I have the work cut out for me tommorrow. We took our showers and kicked back in our recliners and both started to get heavy eyed. So this is the end of our Vacation. Thanks to all of the people have followed along and look for our travels in the spring and summer when will be out camping. See you all soon!

Vacation to Myrtle Beach 3/23/2012 Day #14

Well this is the last day of our vacation. We slept in a little this morning. We had our coffee and got ready to begin our day. We decided to go have breakfast and go to the flea market in Gatlinburg, Tn. We went across the street to Mel's Diner and had breakfast and then it was off to the flea market.

Mountain View this morning

Another pic of Mountains

This is a pic of pigeon river

More Mountains

Wonder works upside down house

www.wonderworksonline.com

http://www.hatfieldmccoydinnerfeud.com/

These pics were taken on our way back though going to Gatlinburg

We stopped to the side of the road and took these pic on our way to Gatlinburg

We went to the flea market and I found a few more beads for my braclet and Dan got a muscle car book. After the flea market we wound up go downtown to the shops and where all the entertainment was. We took the sky tram 1/2 way up the mountain where they have shops, food and other things to do.

http://www.attractions-gatlinburg.com/aerial_tramway.html

This was taken out the tram window

Once we got to the top we decided we wanted to go all the way to the top of the mountain, so we took the chair lift up. The view was just breath taking. I took as many pics as I could while I was up there.

After we took pics we went back down the on the chair lift.

I took a picture but it didn't turn out.

This was going back down the mountain

After we got down the mountain we decided we were going to the Ole smokey moonshine distillery. You can watch the moonshine being made and you can taste test it. I tried pink lemonaid, cherry, strawberry and apple. I was all hooched up!! Lol

This is The Ole Smokey Moonshine Distillery

The sell quart jars of all of the flavors for $25.00

and the Cherry and the original is $30.00

www.olesmokeymoonshine.com

After the Moonshine Distillery we head back towards the hotel. We stopped at Long  John Silvers. The new thicker cut cod is delicious. We then headed back to the room and packed up and then went across the street to Mel's Diner and got a sundae. Then came back and sat around and relaxed. We took our showers and watched tv. We are heading out early for home. I will update the blog when I get home. End of Day #14 Last day to follow.

Vacation to Myrtle Beach 3/22/2012 Day #13

Today is the day we have to leave. I am surely going to miss the ocean, the pool, the hot tub and Myrtle Beach. We got up early and was out of the room and on the road at 6:21 AM. It was a bit on the foggy side this morning for  awhile. Then the sun came through and took care of it. This trip most of the pics are going to be of the mountains.

On our way to Tennessee

We stopped and got breakfast at McD's. Mmm love the sausage biscuits here in the south. They are made from scratch. Back home there hard and stale.

We got into North Carolina at 11:03 AM

Bye bye palm tree's hello mountains

This was at one of the rest stops. I think its a dogwood tree.

We are starting to see more and more mountains. It is very beautiful. Very hard take pictures while the car is moving and other cars and trucks get in your way. Grrrr very frustrating. Dan just thought it was so funny. I was trying to get some good pics and I was just getting mad.

Finally in Tennesee

We still have a little ways to go with more mountain views. I can't explain how beautiful some of the pictures I didn't get to take were. Like I said it was either cars and trucks or it just was something that was there and gone before I could capture the pic.

This was a rest stop that we went to. I have never seen anything like it. There was a security guard sitting on the porch just rocking away. You could go out there and sit for a bit.

This is the factory where they make Bush beans

They give out free samples here

We finally stopped for lunch about 1:30 PM for lunch. We both have been hungry for

A & W and we found one when we got into Pigeon Forge, TN. That was a great lunch. We were only about 15 minutes away from the room. Yay!! My butt was getting numb.

We got to the hotel and checked in. We were on the ground floor or so I thought. We started to unload and I got one suitcase in and noticed that the room did not have a jacuzzi. We were suppose to have a king bed with jucuzzi and mt. view. So we loaded back up and I went in and got it straightened out. But we were on the fourth floor. I sure am glad they had a elevator. We got in and unpacked. It is a very nice room. It had the king bed, jacuzzi, microwave, fridge, flat screen tv and fire place.

A couple shots of our room.

After we unpacked Dan took a catnap and I relaxed and watched a little tv. When he woke up we went to a little amish store. Not everything was made by the amish. The wood work and dolls without the faces were and the food items. We left there and went and got gas and ice for the cooler. After that we went to get something to eat at Mel's Diner a 50's themed restraunt. Prices were fair and food was great.

This is a pic off of our balcony.

Mountain view from our balcony

After we ate we came back to the room and took a shower and got in the jacuzzi. Then just relaxed the rest of the night. It was a long day today. Tomorrow is the last day of our vacation and I know it will be a long day also. End of day #13 Day #14 to follow.