road trips

Loving Lately ?

Loving Lately: A Camper

I can leisure camp with the best of ’em. I’ve camped out through nights so cold that I slept with my shoes on and the only thing sticking out of my mummy bag was my frozen nose. I’ve lived the joys of camping in weather so hot that you can hardly breath- let alone sleep. I know what it’s like to have the rain dripping inside of the tent because you’ve managed to come into contact with the canvas. And I’ve experienced hardly being able to get the pop-up off of the lot because the torrential downpour turned your space into a mud pit. I remember having to call the trip short because the mosquitos were so relentless outdoor activity was not possible. And I don’t want to think about the dangerous levels of Deet I’ve sprayed on my skin. Call me crazy… but that’s the good stuff! (Once you’ve gotten home, bathed and slept.) Because it makes for a lifetime of memories and naturally makes you appreciate all of those perfect days with sunshine and gentle breezes.

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My niece: Bad mosquito year of 2009

We’ve been shopping for a camper (aka travel trailer) for the fam, and I’m so excited I can hardly sleep at night thinking of the possibilities. We’ve visited some RV lots and have been perusing the web for ideas. I think we’ve narrowed in on what is going to work for us. Of course we need a 6 sleeper, and I’m partial to something with a hard frame…

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Setting up Camp 2007

I’ve done the tenting thing. I appreciate the simplicity and the ruggedness of it. But we stopped with that after baby number two. I was pregnant with baby number three, sleeping on a blow up mattress, crammed in a space growing tighter by the minute, hoping the weather would hold off. I want a trailer we can tow, so that getting around town wherever we land is a cinch. And I’m not looking to “air out” a pop-up after having to pack it up wet due to rainy weather. I want something that can go at any minute, and is ready to sleep in as soon as we hit the brakes… no matter how late we roll into camp.

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Gotta have firewood (this picture makes me laugh out loud every time)

I’ve already been contemplating the pots and cast iron pans I can contribute from the house. I’m envisioning the acrylic plates and glasses I need to buy that will travel well in the cupboards. But most importantly, I’m thinking about the places we’re going to see and the experiences my kids are going to have on the open road. From the Liberty Bell in Pennsylvania to the Grand Canyon in Arizona, the Black Hills of South Dakota to Yosemite National Park in California… I’m ecstatic with anticipation. I want to take them down Highway 1 and across Route 66, I’m nostalgic that way. And I’m certainly not above tourist traps like the world’s biggest ball of yarn. Lookout road, here we come!

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Fireside 2015

Loving Lately ❤

Loving Lately: Road Trips

I love road trips. Some of my best memories growing up are from visiting new places with my family. Trying new foods from roadside restaurants and diners, taking in new scenery, and people watching (I can’t help it, I’m a studier of human nature). I still get excited about it today. I love taking my kids to see new places, getting to try new dishes and meeting new people.

View from our hotel room of the Grand Traverse Bay

View from our hotel room of the Grand Traverse Bay

It’s also no secret that I’m a huge fan of the state of Michigan. The vibrant seasonal changes, the great lakes and the produce, it’s all so good. This time my family and I headed up to the northwest shore of Michigan’s lower peninsula, one of my favorite places in the world.

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The Leelanau Peninsula, the world renown tunnel of trees, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park, and even a foodie destination gaining national recognition in Traverse City and Suttons Bay were a few of our stops. I’ve been here many times, but never in the fall at its peak color. Beautiful.

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Some of my favorite things included when it finally sunk in to the kids, that the journey was the destination. “Where are we going?”, they would ask. “This is it, look out your window at the trees.”

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We drove and took in the natural wonders until we needed to stretch our legs, or eat, or check out attractions too intriguing to pass by; such as road side stands and quaint general stores.

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Good Hart General Store

Have I mentioned my appreciation of a good cup of coffee? Thank you Traverse City for your selection of cafes, with even organic ingredients, and food trucks with home bases so I can get Korean tacos while your trucks aren’t out.

Organic Pumpkin Spice Latte

Organic Pumpkin Spice Latte

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And although there is no place like home… sometimes I feel the need to hit the open road and see what I can see.

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