A Mad Dash Across the Midwest

Corn fields…. endless corn fields.   Oh look! A soybean field. Yeah! Ok, maybe it wasn’t quite that bad, but there is a whole lot of “less than visually stimulating” territory to cover to get across the US.  We also decided to detour waaaaay around Chicago on some secondary roads instead of staying on the Interstate. The detour added some miles, plus we still had to make up for that extra day in Custer – so we adopted the “state a day” travel plan. 

We left the Badlands Saturday, 8/27, and drove about 300 miles to make it to Sioux Falls, S. Dakota.  We stayed one night. Sunday we pulled into Myre-Big Island State Park in Minnesota. We stayed one night. Monday we made it to Rocky Arbor State Park in Wisconsin. We stayed one night. Tuesday we stayed one night in Utica, Illinois. (Sensing a pattern yet?). Wednesday and Thursday (two nights, Woohoo!) we were at France Park in Logansport, Indiana.

Our plan for Friday was to find a place in western Ohio for one night and then pull into the Streetsboro/Cleveland KOA near Cuyahoga Valley National Park where we had reservations for four nights starting on Saturday, 9/3. What we failed to account for was that Friday was the beginning of the Labor Day Weekend. By the time we realized it, every public and private campground we contacted was booked solid. UGH. So it was either a Walmart parking lot or see if the KOA could squeeze us in a day early and do another 300-mile day.  They did and we did. :)  I realize that 300 miles doesn’t seem like a lot, but anyone who’s driven a motorhome will tell you that can be a loooong day – especially with the ever present side winds that seem our lot in life. Lol. 

Anyhow – since I spent a lot of time staring at cornfields during this week there isn’t much to blog about.  We did a few hikes but the temps were in the high 80’s and the humidity was in the high 90% range. After the air conditioned comfort of the RV, stepping outside felt like being bitch slapped with a wet blanket. Ugh.

We were also trailing behind recent heavy rains (Wisconsin had gotten 5 inches the previous week) so many of the trails were muddy and the mosquitoes were voracious. Hope you enjoy these shots – every time I tried to stop to take a picture, the mosquitoes descended and I paid with blood. In fact, I ended up tossing out half the pics because I was jumping around and swatting the dang bugs so much they were all blurry. You cannot say that I have not suffered for my art! Lol.

But things are looking up! We’ll be exploring Cuyahoga Valley National Park next – hiking and biking and sunny weather are in the forecast. And we’ll stay put for five whole days! Yeah!!

Myre-Big Island State Park, Minnesota

Minnesota Woodchucks - That has to be a High School sports team! Lol.

Hello Mr. Froggy.

Beautiful and BUGGY sunset.

Rocky Arbor State Park, Wisconsin

Rocky Arbor has a lot of rocks. :) 

More rocks. 

And giant bonsai.

France Park, Indiana

Waterfall right by the picnic area.

Weeds or Wildflowers?  Don't know, don't care - thought they were pretty. :)

Old Kenith Stone Quarry.
In 1943 workers struck a spring that filled the quarry overnight.
It's a popular dive spot since there is still some old equipment at the bottom. 

Zip line across the quarry, but it wasn't open while we were there.