Welcome to Herb & Kathy’s Travel Blog

FeaturedWelcome to Herb & Kathy’s Travel Blog

Welcome to our blog.  I started writing posts and publishing to this blog as we departed on our maiden voyage in our (new to us) Airstream motor home.

As we traveled west and subsequently back east during the month of April 2016, I tried to take lots of pictures and post almost daily.  The only time it may have been a few days between posts was due to the inability to get free and reliable internet WiFi connection.

All the posts in this blog are in chronological order with the most recent being at the top of the list.  With the exception of THIS post.  This post is called a “sticky” post because it stays at the top of the list all the time as a welcome and to explain some things.

So, whenever you come here, you’ll always see THIS Welcome post first, but then the next post will be the most recent that was written.

  • When you see GREEN text, that is a LINK.  If you click on that link, you’ll be taken to another page (in a new window) to tell you a little more about what I was referencing in the post.
  • You can always click on any of the pictures to open them up in a larger viewer to see them more clearly
  • You can scroll down (and look at the left side) to see an area where you can “follow” our blog.  Then you won’t have to keep coming back to see if there’s anything new, instead you’ll get an email when there’s something new posted.
  • We’d love it if you add your comments at the bottom of any of the posts.  Don’t be afraid, if there’s something you’d like to say, just write it in the box and click on “post comment”.

That’s it for now, we hope you enjoy visiting the blog and catching up on our travels.

We’d really appreciate it if you would do us the favor of helping us continue to publish this RV / Travel / Workamping blog. Do you purchase any products from Amazon? If you do, it would be great if you’d use the link in the sidebar or one of the links below to get to Amazon … after that you can change your search. By making your Amazon purchases from our site, we will receive from Amazon a small percentage of your purchase and it doesn’t cost you any more. We’d really appreciate your help. Thank you, Herb & Kathy

RC Jets – So COOL!

Each year, on the first Friday and Saturday in June, the Lake County Modelers and Flyers Association holds their annual RC Jet Rally at the Baldwin Municipal Airport.

This event is free and open to the public for all to come and see what it’s all about.  Kathy and I took a drive over on Friday to see what this was all about.  So COOL!

Although I never owned one, when I was younger some of my buddies had RC airplanes or RC boats, but JETS?  Really?  JETS?

These guys and gals have a club and, like most clubs, I’m sure they meet periodically and share ideas and talk about the art of building these beautiful birds and of course, learning to fly these things at fantastic speeds without crashing.

Although we didn’t talk to any of the participants, no questions asked, still we enjoyed see how beautiful (and fast) these guys are.  Some of them are up to about 6 feet long!

I hope you enjoy seeing these pix in the slide show below and check out the video I shot too that shows just how fast these guys shoot across the sky.

Although I’d like to play with these (like to have one of my own), I’m sure the average RC Jet hobbyist has thousands invested (too rich for my blood) and further, we’d have a hard time transporting one of these guys in the motor home.

Enjoy …

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Here’s a video I put together with some samples of the wild flying these guys are doing, I’d love to be in their shoes!

We’d really appreciate it if you would do us the favor of helping us continue to publish this RV / Travel / Workamping blog. Do you purchase any products from Amazon? If you do, it would be great if you’d use the link in the sidebar or one of the links below to get to Amazon … after that you can change your search. By making your Amazon purchases from our site, we will receive from Amazon a small percentage of your purchase and it doesn’t cost you any more. We’d really appreciate your help. Thank you, Herb & Kathy

Honoring Our Veterans at The Park

This post is late … we’ve been having too much fun here outside and have not been up to date on posting pictures to the blog.

I wanted to share with you how we were all able to honor our Veterans here at the park a few weeks ago on the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

Last year, the association bought a new aluminum flagpole and it was installed last fall.  This spring flowers were planted at the base of the pole and on Saturday May 27th, we all gathered around, dedicated the new American Flag and honored residents (and visitors) of the park who have served protecting our freedoms.

The Veteran’s names were called out along with their branch of service, their rank and years served.  There were about 40 names called off and those who were present stood and were applauded for their service.  After the service, the Veterans gathered in the clubhouse for refreshments and a time to talk with others that served.

We are all blessed to have had these men and women risk, and in some cases give their lives to protect our freedoms.  This ceremony is just one small way we can give back and let them know their sacrifice has not gone unnoticed or unappreciated.

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We’d really appreciate it if you would do us the favor of helping us continue to publish this RV / Travel / Workamping blog. Do you purchase any products from Amazon? If you do, it would be great if you’d use the link in the sidebar or one of the links below to get to Amazon … after that you can change your search. By making your Amazon purchases from our site, we will receive from Amazon a small percentage of your purchase and it doesn’t cost you any more. We’d really appreciate your help. Thank you, Herb & Kathy

How to get rid of the varmint

Struggling to get rid of that cute but pesky little varmint. Should I use a BB gun? Maybe a live trap? Maybe some rat poison? Should I worry about what is most humane? Watch the short video below.

Let me know your thought on this (below in comments) or if you have any other ideas on how I might get rid of this little fella.

We’d really appreciate it if you would do us the favor of helping us continue to publish this RV / Travel / Workamping blog. Do you purchase any products from Amazon? If you do, it would be great if you’d use the link in the sidebar or one of the links below to get to Amazon … after that you can change your search. By making your Amazon purchases from our site, we will receive from Amazon a small percentage of your purchase and it doesn’t cost you any more. We’d really appreciate your help. Thank you, Herb & Kathy

They Certainly Know How to Party!

This was our first experience at the Bloody Mary Party, but others in the park had been talking about the upcoming event for weeks.  Everyone looks forward to the annual gathering hosted by Bill & Lee.

We weren’t disappointed … lots of food, lots of drink (open bar / self serve), and LOTS of friendly talk and laughs.  This crowd knows how to party!

Fortunately, since the guests all live here in the park, there was no danger of DUI since we could all walk home.

Here’s a few snaps from the party … Thanks again go out to Bill and Lee for their gracious hospitality.

 

We’d really appreciate it if you would do us the favor of helping us continue to publish this RV / Travel / Workamping blog. Do you purchase any products from Amazon? If you do, it would be great if you’d use the link in the sidebar or one of the links below to get to Amazon … after that you can change your search. By making your Amazon purchases from our site, we will receive from Amazon a small percentage of your purchase and it doesn’t cost you any more. We’d really appreciate your help. Thank you, Herb & Kathy

Idlewild & The End of Segregation

Idlewild & The End of Segregation

We’re working at Pere Marquette Oaks RV Park just south of Baldwin, MI.  Just a few short miles east of Baldwin is the little Village of Idlewild.

From 1912 through the mid-60’s Idlewild was known as “The Black Eden” where scores of famous black entertainers from around the mid-west (and further) would come to entertain their fellow African-Americans in a classy resort community.  This became a very popular spot for the well-to-do where they could unwind and enjoy their idle time.  Folklore says the name may have originated from “Idle men and wild women”.

The Idlewild development was started in 1912 by four white land developers (2 from this area and 2 from Chicago) who marketed excursion trips from the African-American neighborhoods of Detroit, Chicago and other mid-west cities to this area.  They sold home sites to visitors looking for the peace and serenity that they didn’t have in the big city.

In it’s heyday, Idlewild’s summer population would grow to over 25,000 as folks came from far and wide to enjoy camping, swimming, boating, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, roller skating, and night-time entertainment.

Over the years, the area grew by leaps and bounds because of all the top-end entertainment that was featured at the Dance House and other watering holes that had opened.  This was a resort where black folks could come to where they felt welcome.

However, the end of an era came when the Civil Rights Act was enacted in 1964 and thereafter the folks who had traveled to Idlewild, could now enjoy leisure entertainment wherever they wished, often closer to home, due to the end of segregation.

Now Idlewild is a sleepy little village that still offers a lake, a post office, a bar/tavern but little else.  Many of the old cottages built in the 30’s and 40’s are now in disrepair although many folks still live here and thankfully there is an effort underway to revive Idlewild to attract new residents.

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I was only a boy of 10 when the Civil Rights Act was passed.  Growing up in Detroit, I really hadn’t a clue about segregation, integration had already begun.  Although I believe in equal rights for every human being, still, it’s a shame to see that the end of segregation, so good and right for everyone, put an end to what was once a thriving economy for those that had the opportunity to travel here.

I hope that their efforts to revitalize the area are successful.  To see a short video about the history of Idlewild and the efforts to bring it back to life, see the Detroit Free Press story (written in 2014) by following this link.

To learn more about Idlewild, follow this link to the Wikipedia page

We’d really appreciate it if you would do us the favor of helping us continue to publish this RV / Travel / Workamping blog. Do you purchase any products from Amazon? If you do, it would be great if you’d use the link in the sidebar or one of the links below to get to Amazon … after that you can change your search. By making your Amazon purchases from our site, we will receive from Amazon a small percentage of your purchase and it doesn’t cost you any more. We’d really appreciate your help. Thank you, Herb & Kathy

Down to The Little Bitely Tavern

Our first night out of the park, we decided to run down the road a few miles to The Bitely Tavern where, on Thursdays, they offer their $2.00 hamburger.

THIS is where you’ll find Bitely

Bitely is a small village that currently boasts a gas station/convenience store, township hall, the “Bitely Boys” Motorcycle Club, a post office, and it’s most popular inhabitant …. The Bitely Tavern.  It used to be a station on the Chicago and Michigan Lake Shore Railroad in 1889.

The place was PACKED with folks that obviously knew each other … those that live nearby and those that come “up north” on the weekends.

Even though it was packed, we were served quickly and enjoyed our burgers AND liquid refreshment as well.  One of the fellas at the bar put money in the juke box and it blared country tunes of Johnny Cash and Jim Reeves.  The little 94 year old lady at the table next to us (right under the juke box) was there with her daughter and son-in-law.  Although she was sitting right UNDER the speakers, the bar maid had to keep turning UP THE VOLUME so she could hear!

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The service was great, the food was good enough to come back again and try something else on the menu (what the hell does that mean?) and everyone there was having a good time.  We’ll go back and try the pizza next time.

In our next post, we’ll share with you the “suburb” of Baldwin that was famous for top black entertainers from back in the 20’s to the mid-60’s.  Stay tuned …

We’d really appreciate it if you would do us the favor of helping us continue to publish this RV / Travel / Workamping blog. Do you purchase any products from Amazon? If you do, it would be great if you’d use the link in the sidebar or one of the links below to get to Amazon … after that you can change your search. By making your Amazon purchases from our site, we will receive from Amazon a small percentage of your purchase and it doesn’t cost you any more. We’d really appreciate your help. Thank you, Herb & Kathy

Our First “official” Week On The Job

It’s been a few days since I’ve written … we’ve been keeping busy here at the park.  Our new workamper partners, Russ & Mary arrived on Sunday the 14th and our first official day of work was the 15th.  The first few days of that week we all worked together to get the place “open” for the season.

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Pere Marquette Oaks RV Park is a beautiful park.  There are about 115 RV sites here.  All the lots are individually owned and each property owner is responsible for all the upkeep of their lot with the exception of the grass mowing and trimming which is paid for by the association from the annual association fees.  They hire the crew from the golf course across the street to take care of the turf and those guys come over every Tuesday morning to mow and trim and blow off all the edges.

This first full week the guys pressure washed all the concrete surfaces around the pool deck, the sidewalks, and the picnic pavilion.  We used a pretty slick tool that I wasn’t familiar with called a “PowerFit Surface Cleaner“.  This attaches to the gas powered pressure washer and helps to easily clean the concrete surfaces.

The ladies did the initial “deep cleaning” of the bathrooms to make them spic ‘n span for the season.  We brought out all the tables, chairs, and umbrellas to arrange around the pool … washing everything down as we set them up.  We installed the sand volleyball and badminton nets.  We worked to stabilize the pool and hot tub chemicals so that the water would be clean, balanced, and safe for everyone to use this Memorial Day weekend.

Our site here at the park is close to the main entrance so Kathy and I get to see everyone as they come and go.  Part of our responsibilities include “cruising” the park 3 or 4 times daily in the golf cart and just being aware of anything looking out of the ordinary on residents sites.

Although there are 15-20 folks that are here all summer, many of the sites are unoccupied during the week while their owners are downstate working and then they come “up north” on the weekend, so our weekends are often going to be “full house”, especially on holiday weekends like this Memorial Day weekend.

Kathy and I will be taking some day trips around northern Michigan and we’ll share some of that with you as time goes on.  Thanks for stopping by and we’d love it if you’d leave a note with your thoughts …

We’d really appreciate it if you would do us the favor of helping us continue to publish this RV / Travel / Workamping blog. Do you purchase any products from Amazon? If you do, it would be great if you’d use the link in the sidebar or one of the links below to get to Amazon … after that you can change your search. By making your Amazon purchases from our site, we will receive from Amazon a small percentage of your purchase and it doesn’t cost you any more. We’d really appreciate your help. Thank you, Herb & Kathy
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