Loving the U.P.

We stopped for fuel and I spotted this little guy hitching a ride, and when we arrived at Camp Grayling he was still hanging on until I started washing the bugs off.

He or she, was hanging on to the front of the motor home. Interesting little creature I thought.

Here is a shot of Camp Grayling, a military RV Park near Grayling MI.

The "locals" have really spent some time and $$ on their sites fixing them up pretty neat. They have the entire back row, but then it costs only $900 for a site from May 13th through September 18th. (the dates may be off a few days ) and then for $200 extra you can leave you rig there all year. Pretty good deal if you want to hang around MI all the time.

It is a neat CG even though the sites are a bit on the small side, and the restrooms and showers really needed some attention, and some fresh paint, but for $15 you got all the water you needed and 30 amp electric service and sewer.

Down a path about 1/4 of a mile from the CG was the lake and a fairly nice beach area.

Marcia saw this unique squirrel wandering around.

                                                    I almost got him all in an action shot.

Black squirrels are common up here, but down south they are only talked about and a lot of people will actually laugh at you if you try to tell them about a black squirrel. (but you can see them for yourselves)

Since Marcia got her jeep, and I am having to deal with riding around town in it on a daily basis, I too am taking advantage of situation by taking in on some of the less traveled roads. We are getting to see a lot more of places than most people will ever see by driving the jeep down these dirt roads.

Can you imagine trying to drive a motor home through this? I guess jeeps are good for something.

While we were in KY I talked to a guy about making some graphics to put on the jeep, but with it being close to elections and us not hanging around long he never got around to making them. On our last trip through Middlesboro I bought some of the stuff and decided I would make them myself. I played with some pictures on the PC and got a decent pattern to oversize and print off. I then took the 10 pages and taped them together so I could cut out the graphics almost as they are on the Kountry Star. This is what I finished with.

I had contacted an online company to do it, they would take my pictures and copy the graphics, cut them and mail them to me to put on, all for only $550. Mine cost me $20 and a couple hours of my time.

You can tell the jeep and the Kountry Star belong together even though the graphics don't match 100%.

We crossed the bridge into the U.P.

 These are really some large boats that Marcia was able to get pictures of while we were on the bridge.

 We parked the rig at the first casino we came to. We thought we would park the rig there for a day or two until we searched out a decent CG. The lady at the visitors center told us about a couple that she likes and uses, but you can never really tell how one will be until you go there.

 After checking with the security office in the casino we were pleasantly surprised when they told us there was no charge for hooking up to the electric and that we could stay for several days if we chose to. So since we had a full tank of fresh water, and had just dumped our black and grey tanks, why would we want to spend money to park in a CG. After all we are here to see the UP, not really to camp out.
 With a safe and secure place to leave the rig we are free to see the sights of the U.P. and on our first trip out we spotted this machine.

         I really hope I NEVER see the need for one of these things, unless it is on the TV or computer.

                                           I am very pleased to be able to see sights like this one.

Did I mention that I am enjoying driving the jeep on all these nice dirt roads? The U.P. has plenty of these roads to explore, and today Marcia spotted this little guy.

Shortly after Marcia spotted Bambi I spotted the grand daddy of bucks. I even had to turn the jeep around and go back just so Marcia could also see this monster.

We had a good day driving the back roads of this area today. Forest service roads are gr8 roads to ride.

Later on Janice and Dean stopped by the rig, they just arrived in St Ignace today, so we showed them around the casino after talking and catching up a while. Inside the casino we continued the conversation over a meal. They had all you can eat crab legs tonight, but I was a good boy and got the all you can eat soup, salad, and DESERT bar.

 After we ate we played in the casino for a while. Janice and Dean got 2 rolls of tokens for signing up, (we got it the other night) and Janice and Marcia got a roll because it is ladies night. Janice turned her rolls into $29 before she donated it all back to the casino. I was able to walk out of the casino tonight with a few more dollars in my pocket than I walked in with, so it was a gr8 day.

 We have yet to decide what adventure will arise tomorrow, but I do know we will make every attempt possible to have FUN.............................