South Dakota - Travel - 2016

We left Michigan on Thursday (8.18) and decided we were driving straight to Badlands. All I really knew about Badlands at the time was that it looked like where they could have possible filmed the moon landing (assuming that was a thing that was actually filmed) and that it was like 13 "google hours" away (meaning it was actually more like 20 hours away).

Aaron had a sprained ankle the size of my head and we were on a mission to GTFO of Michigan. On August 20th, at around 8:30pm (MT), the mission had been accomplished and I snapped the photo below. The landscape had started to change into rolling hills and things were getting interesting, we had finally made it into South Dakota! Well... things were getting as interesting as they could possible be. The sun was going down and we, yet again, had nowhere to sleep. 

"our first glimpse at the changing landscape"

08.20.2016
Scenic Overlook - Kadoka, South Dakota

It was dark, our backs hurt, Kalie was at the point where she refused to get back into the truck after being released for any reason... things seemed bleak. It was finally decided that we would forgo our individual rooms and stay together in the fantasy suite... no no that's not right. Um...we decided to skip the rest stops that allowed kinda, sorta, overnight stays and went to a scenic overlook instead, that sounds more accurate.

We pulled directly passed the "NO OVERNIGHT CAMPING" sign and parked in the darkness. We didn't really know where we were, but it was quiet and we needed the sleep. A few semis parked with us throughout the night which made us feel a little more at ease and everything turned out fine. The view we woke up to was definitely worth the risk.

"the view from our scenic overlook"

08.21 - 08.24.2016
Nomad View - Wall, South Dakota

Arriving at Nomad View was a strange experience. Most of the time Aaron knows where we are headed and I am just along for the ride, probably not the best way to live ones life, but here we are. Picture it, we're driving along, fields of grassland on both sides, me looking out my window: I'm just as unaware as a newborn baby when it comes to what our campsite is supposed to look like. Aaron opens a barbwire (what campendium users called) "gate" and we proceed down our new driveway. Seriously though, I don't know the brain capacity of the animals behind this "gate," but I don't see how anything is being contained.

"our driveway"

 
Back to the story, we are driving along (all of this happens over seven minutes probably, but feels like forever because Kalie hates being "off road"), Aaron parks, we get out to see if we want to call this particular place on the side of the road home, and then BAM: vast nothingness and Badlands National Park right off the edge of our camp. Just try and tell me that doesn't look like another planet. So frickin' weird.

"our new home on the edge of Badlands National Park"

Not only was our new home beautiful and free, we also had some wildlife visitors the first day. This was before they realized that Kalie was around. After the brief interaction, they never came back... I tried telling her that she comes on too strong but she never listens. We actually ended up closer to the Bighorn Sheep at our site then we did while visiting the national park, but only on that very first morning.

"sunrise came and we noticed a new friend had come to hangout"

"unfortunately, our new friend and Kalie didn't really mesh so we had to give him the boot"

I would definitely recommend camping at Nomad View, but I don't think you really need to spend an entire week there. I can't imagine having enough to do to fill the time if you aren't working a 9-5. There just isn't all that much to do besides Wall Drug and the national park (I'll be sharing those photos in another post). The temperatures got well into the 90s and it was a little unpleasant at times, but overall it was a beautiful spot.

"our first sunset at Buffalo Gap"

"the sunsets continued to be beautiful the entire time we were at Nomad View"

South Dakota Travel Overview:
August 20th - August 25th

5 nights free camping

Michigan - Travel - 2016

"officially, official. we are back on the road!"

07.30.2016

We said our goodbyes, we gave our hugs, after months of speculation, we finally pulled out of the driveway and were on our way to Northern Michigan. Some of us were ready to go and some of us were a little drunk. I will leave it to you to determine who was who. Although, it should be noted that I don't really know how to tow the trailer and Aaron usually drives.

"it's moving day!"

"Kalie is hiding and Aaron looks pumped as usual..."

"forcing Brother to smile when he clearly feels like crying over us leaving."

"adios Lower Peninsula & decent Verizon coverage!"

08.05.2016

After a 5 day transition period from full hook-ups (driveway life) to boondocking with our new solar, we decided we were ready. Ready to actually, 100%, really, for real, leave on the second leg of this... I still don't know what to call it. Trip? Life? I have no idea...we left our moms.

We crossed over the Mackinac Bridge and called it good for the night. I appreciated having another night of free camping at the St. Ignace Welcome Center, and it was also nice that we didn't spend too much time in the car. Some of us had a relatively stressful day saying goodbye to their favorite sibling.

"doesn't she look artsy for a tin can?"

"most comfortable seat in the place."

"mom asked, "have you been to the beach yet?" sure have mother."

"Woodland Park Campground - Day One"

"Leigh doesn't do anything half way. rye flight, because why not?"

"no, mother. I haven't seen a bear, but I went to another beach."

08.06 - 08.09.2016
Woodland Park Campground - Grand Marais, Michigan

Leaving home this time was a lot different from the first time around. I'm not sure if it was because we are "experienced" at leaving and coming back now, or if it's because we were headed directly to meet up with road friends we had met the first time out. Either way, we were both glad that I was crying a lot less.

Camping in Michigan is something that neither of us had ever really done before, and it is nothing like in The West. We had a pretty difficult time finding anywhere we actually wanted to pay to stay and an even harder time finding somewhere free.

"vegan lo mein, because Leigh is my hero."

"sometimes Kalie likes YouTube even more than I do."

"Brian & Aaron - the happiest campers in Northern Michigan"

"I was wrong about not liking quinoa..."

"sometimes Kalie models."

"Leigh wrote a blog post about us. click the photo to read it!"

08.10 - 08.11.2016
Fox River Campground - Seney, Michigan

08.12.2016
Seney Township Campground - Seney, Michigan

Spending time with friends is always fun. Spending time with friends that feed you is BETTER. I loved Leigh and Brian before, but I'm literally like a stray cat. Once you start feeding me and being nice to me, I'm in your life forever. It was really nice to have fellow full-timers and Airstreamers to complain about Michigan with. Seriously, what is with the black flies?! And what kind of grocery store has no oranges??

"the birthday boy turned 29 today."

"I'm really enjoying the parking lot camping experience."

"touring Marquette was a first for all of us."

"trying to take a family photo is always a struggle."

"I guess this is acceptable. aka I guess this is as good as it gets."

"we were kind of a big deal at the restaurant that night."

 
08.13 - 08.15.2016
Ojibwa Casino - Marquette, Michigan

Aaron's birthday was on the 13th which was mostly a driving day from Seney to Marquette. Poor guy... Nothing at all exciting happened until he almost had to fight an old man at the gas station. Many inappropriate words were exchanged, the mans wife seemed to want to see her husband die. I was highly entertained. To be fair, he wasn't even that old, and it probably would have been a fair fight considering Aaron's back.

Marquette wasn't the worst time ever. We got to camp for free in the casino parking lot and I won $26 playing my favorite slot machine (Howling Wolf) with money that they also gave us for free. We went out to dinner a couple of times but I wasn't really impressed with anything that I had. Could have been better, could have been worse.

"nicest looking Walmart that I think we've ever been to."

08.16.2016
Walmart - Houghton, Michigan

We ended up in Houghton without a clue where we were going and it was pretty late in the evening on Tuesday night. Typical Earles family planning. So, we figured we would sleep at Walmart and then find an open campground on Wednesday morning. Seemed like a decent parking lot with lots of space so we weren't too worried about staying... but it actually wasn't all that quiet and we were excited to leave by the time morning came.

"Houghton Hancock Lift Bridge"

"casual Kalie, being casually annoyed."

"trees on trees on trees"

"love."

08.17 - 08.18.2016
Hancock Recreation Area Campground - Hancock, Michigan

What a rare treat staying at this campground was! We managed to find two open nights with full hook-ups. We ran the air conditioning, we watched Netflix, we used the microwave. It was a whole thing. Then our good luck ran out, obviously, because that's just the kind of people we are.

The night before we were supposed to hitch up and head west Aaron decided that since we had air conditioning, he was feeling fancy and that he should take me out for a night on the (small) town. We both wore pants and actual nice shirts without holes. We parked quickly and the night was really looking promising.
 
Then my lovely husband sprained his ankle and rolled down the parking deck ramp. He was bleeding on my clean jeans and his freshly showered body was tainted. He pressed on, hobbling his way to our dinner location. Aaron was determined not to let this day be ruined. However, the restaurant nor the food got the memo. It was dreadful. Again, the poor guy, he tried so hard. 

At least we knew, we were finished with Michigan. It was definitely time to go!!

Michigan Travel Overview:
August 5th - August 18th

9 nights paid camping totaling $182

5 nights free camping