Friday & Saturday Camping at Rock Valley City Park

It's raining again!!!!

Friday 10-16-17

It rained steadily all night and into morning, it didn't stop until around 1:00. We were so happy, we put on our shoes and went for a walk. We walked a little over an hour and had walked over three miles. We walked around the ponds by the river and the beach area. We brought the umbrella along just in case it started to rain.   

During the afternoon  a few more RV's showed up and by the end of the afternoon there were over twenty RVs in the park. It was nice to see families with kids having fun riding bikes, going fishing, riding skateboards, running and playing at the playgrounds.

After dinner we went for another walk, this time we walked a little further, we walked by the disc golf area and across the river. The river is flowing even faster today. They predicted that they were going to get about 2.5 inches of rain and it appears they may have gotten more. We were glad we went when we did considering the rain came back about 8:00. It's suppose to be gone by the time we get up in the morning.

Even though we had rain we still had a good day.

Gorgeous Sunny Day

Saturday 10-7-17

The rain started up around midnight and stayed around until 9:00 this morning. We had breakfast and when the rain stopped we went for a walk. We walked around the campground and across the river, when we got on the other side we walked the trail towards the highway. The trail took us to a golf driving range and part of it was under water. There was a big group of Canadian geese and they were making a lot of noise. I guess we stirred them up. We know geese can be mean but we didn't realize how mean they are to each other. We saw a few of them going at each other but it didn't last too long. At the end of trail we saw some horses then we turned around and headed back to the campground. We walked for an hour and a half. 

Canadian Geese enjoying the pond that was left from the rain

The bridge that goes over the river

In the afternoon we did another walk. We took the trail around the campground and towards town. As we walked we saw a lot of people out walking and other people riding bikes, they were all out enjoying the sun. We saw a grandpa and a couple grandsons playing with an electric boat on one of the ponds. We also was families fishing.

Camping at Rock Valley City Park

For the last two nights we have been at Rock Valley Park we have enjoyed watching families having fun and we had a great time. The park is outstanding and very well maintained. LIFE IS GOOD!!!!        

Thursday 10-5 Why am I excited?

I'm so excited!!!!

Three nights ago when we were relaxing, we heard this beep. Larry got up to see what it was about considering we have a lot of electrical items that beep when the batteries need to be changed. He looked around and couldn't find out what it was, it was driving him crazy. We finally figured out it was the microwave oven, it had a code on the screen. Larry got the manual out and it didn't tell him anything but by searching on the internet he found out it was caused by the circuit board that controls the microwave, he also found out that the board isn't made any more. I use the microwave a lot. He found one at Best Buy that would fit and it was on sale for only $35.00. The closest Best Buy was in Sioux Falls, which was about 100 miles away, he decided to order it. We weren't planning to be in Sioux Falls for a number of days but they said they would hold it until Saturday. We decided to go pick it up today considering it's suppose to rain for the next two days. We could have gotten a similar model at Target close to where we were staying but the reviews on theirs were not very good.

As we were going to Sioux Falls it started to sprinkle. By the time we got to Sioux Falls it was coming down pretty steady but when we got to Best Buy it had slowed down. We walked in and they had it waiting for us at Customer Service. When we got back to the Minnie Larry put it in the slot where the old one came out of, it is smaller but it will work perfectly. Before we left Best Buy we started the generator and tested it out, it works perfect. Now I can heat leftovers.

Our next destination was another state park that was 35 miles south east of Sioux Falls. When we got to the park the lady in the office said they had openings for tonight but the weekend was full. It is suppose to rain for a couple of days so we wanted a site for a couple of nights. She told Larry that they fill up every weekend. She recommended another state park but told Larry he should call since they also normally fill up on weekends, very strange, normally in the fall we find most parks are empty. Larry looked on the internet for other parks and found one 16 miles away in a Iowa city park.

As we were driving to the park we saw four wild turkeys two hens and two chicks. Most city run RV parks are pretty basic and seldom have paved roads but Rock Valley City RV Park is beautiful. The roads around the park are concrete and the sites are also concrete. There is a hiking trail at the campground, a couple of ponds, a river runs by the park, the bathrooms are very nice and have showers. We plan to stay for three nights. 

It started to rain while we were eating lunch so we waited for it to stop, then we went for a walk. The trail that goes around the park also goes to town. The trail is all concrete, easy to walk and you share it with bikes and joggers. It goes through a day area with a disc golf course and a lot of trees. As we walked around we walked by the river, it was flowing fast because of all the rain they have had. The trail took us over the river via an old railroad track that was converted to a paved trail for people. We walked all the way to town where there was a sign at the beginning on the trail saying they had a bike run to celebrate the opening of the trail in 2014. 

When we got to town we walked around the downtown. There were a couple of resale stores, a bakery, a couple of cafes and a few more businesses. It is a very cute town. After walking around we went back to the campground.

By the time we got back we had walked for two hours and over four miles. We met a couple of dogs while we walked. It was a very nice walk. We spent the rest of the day in the Minnie reading. We had a very good day.   

Wedneday 10-4 A Wonderful Day at Oakwood lakes Park

We had a wonderful day. We woke up to a cool 42 degree but no rain. We had blue skies all day with a little breeze.

In the morning we went on an hour and a half walk around the park. We took the trail that runs along the lake shore, it took us to the other campground and to the Horse Camp. The trail was mostly s gravel surface but we did have to walk through some grassy parts. When we got to the other campground we saw that a crew was working on the new bathroom. The trail took us to the entrance gate where we crossed  the road and took the horse camp trail. The Horse Camp was very nice with a small corral at each site and a few hitching posts. There was a arena for you to ride your horse in but you can't leave it in there over night. Then the trail took us down a grassy area through meadows and trees. Our shoes got a little wet from the dew on the grass so when we got back to the road we walked it back to the Minnie. We had walked over 3 miles. 

A horse corral at a site in the Horse Camp

 While we were eating lunch four vehicles with children showed up and parked next to the bathrooms. The parents had brought them out to play on the playscape right next to us. They were only there a short time. It was nice to hear the kids having a good time playing.

After lunch we went on another walk. This time we walked the road the whole time. We walked to the other campground and to the beach in the day area where there are: sand volleyball courts, picnic tables, grills and a very nice beach. The bathrooms didn't have running water but there were a couple of changing rooms. After resting we headed back. On the way back we saw a ferret walking towards us but when he saw us he went into the lake. He was too far away to get a good picture. When we got back to the site we had walked for another hour and a half and had gone over 3 miles.

A view of the lake and beach

In the evening we stayed inside and read. We had a great day.

   

Tuesday 10-3 Oakwood Lakes State PArk

The sun is back!!!

We spent three nights at Pelican Lake State Park and had a great time in between the rain showers. The rain came back at midnight, right on schedule and didn't leave until early in the morning. We took our time getting ready to leave so the roads could dry a little. On the way out of the park we stopped to dump the tanks and fill the fresh water tank. We didn't have to dump the tanks but we were almost out of fresh water. Once we finished we were back on the road. 

Our next destination was Oakwood Lakes State Park which was only 50 miles away. The drive to the park was on a beautifully maintained two lane highway.

When we arrived at the park we drove around to select a site, there are two campgrounds and we drove around both of them. We really like the older campground considering it had a lot more trees on the sites but they were working on building a new bathroom so we decided to stay in the other campground near the bathroom with running water. The sites in the campground are very nice. You can get one that looks over the lakes, one that has a lot of growth or one that has more sun. Since it is cool outside we decided on one that had more sun. After we found the site Larry called to make a reservation for two nights.

Oakwood Lakes State Park welcome sign

 After making the reservation I made soup for lunch. Next we went on a walk around the campground via a trail to the island that has a trail. In places the trail around the campground allows horses so we had to watch where we stepped. While walking the trail we went by a fishing pier, there was a bus there. As we walked by we saw that a group of people from a retirement home were on the pier fishing and in the ramada eating lunch, we thought this was great. Once we got to the island we walked the half mile Tetonkaha Nature Trail. There were 14 different places to stop to learn about the plants on the island. The trail was a little challenging and runs through trees and out in the open. After hiking the loop we walked to the day area where there were ramadas, disc golf course, a beach and picnic area. We didn't go to the beach but we rested in the picnic area. The day area was very nice. On the way back we spotted Ol' Spot Mortimer's Cabin. Spot built the cabin in 1870 after moving here from New York. He made a living here by being a trapper. When his wife died he moved away. When he remarried he moved back with his new wife and her children. The cabin was kept up very well. When we got back we had walked for an hour and a half for over 4 miles. 

Fishing on the pier

Ol' Spot Mortimer cabin built in 1870

A view of one of the lakes

After we had dinner I went for a fifteen minute walk to get my steps in for the day. While I was doing this Larry called his sister Louise. When I got back he was still on the phone so I filled the water bottles and did the dishes. The rest of the evening we stayed inside and read. We had a super day.  

Monday 10-2 Another Day at Pelican Lake Park

Mostly Cloudy Day

Rain came through in the early morning hours and when we woke up everything was still wet outside. The wind was down and every once in awhile the sun did make its appearance. 

After we had breakfast we went for an hour walk around the campground and half of the nature trail. As we were walking by the lake we saw some white pelicans. Last night we saw a few but this morning a lot more showed up. I wanted to get a picture of them so we walked a half mile of the nature trail to get closer. After taking pictures and watching them we headed back to the Minnie. 

Pelicans on the lake

In the afternoon we went for another walk, this time we decided to walk the archery course. There were 14 targets set up on a half mile loop trail. Each target were at different distances. Three of the targets were setup where you shot from four different distances. The target's distances ranged from 80 yards to 20 yards. There is also a stand where people can shot from. When you're on the stand you have to wear a safety rope. It was a very well maintained course. We had a very nice walk.

The platform you shot the target from

The targets at the archery area

The wind was down so for dinner Larry barbecued a hatch chili turkey burger for himself and a tilapia burger for me. We spent the evening relaxing and reading. We had a great day.    

Sunday 10-1 First Day of October

Welcome to October

The wind came up real strong last night and was strong all day. Along with the wind there was rain. It rained through the night and into the morning. When we woke up everything was wet. We hung around the Minnie until after lunch. The wind was drying up the roads so we decided to go for a walk. We walked some of the campground roads and part of the horse trail, took us about an hour and a half to walk almost 3 miles. The horse trail is out in the open through a field. It was a bit of a challenge due to hills, ruts and thick grass.

When we got back to the Minnie Larry decided to see if our television would work. The last time we used it was when we were in the Rio Grande Valley back in January. Since then we have gone down so many rough roads getting bounced around we weren't  sure if it would work. He got it working and watched the last half of a football game. I started a new book on the Kindle. I have been using the tablet but the book I wanted to read next could only be read off the Kindle. Larry loaded the book he has been reading on the tablet so he could read it at the same time as I was reading. These devices are great when you travel considering you don't have to bring the actual books. We have a small RV so it makes a big difference.

A few days ago when we were walking around New Rockford Larry saw a beautiful apple tree loaded with apples so he picked a couple of them. A little while later he came across a cherry tree so he picked one. When we got back I put them in the refrigerator. Yesterday when we were walking around after dinner we came across another fruit tree, it looked like a cherry tree so Larry picked a couple of them. When we got home we tried one of the pieces and we were surprised to find that it wasn't a cherry at all, it was a miniature plum. Then I tried the cherry from the other day, it wasn't ripe so it didn't taste very good, I ended up throwing it away. The plum tasted a little tart but wasn't too bad. We ate one of the apples and it was pretty good. Usually when we find wild apple trees the apples are very tart but these were not.

The two apples and cherry we picked 

The small plums

After dinner we went for a walk around the campground. We walked for 40 minutes. We're the only ones camping in the park today. Yesterday, there were people in the sites that were by the lake but by the afternoon they were all gone. We had a very windy day but the rain had stopped. It's suppose to come back later tonight.

Saturday 9-30 Pelican Lake State Park

We're in South Dakota

We spent last night in the parking lot of the Dakota Magic Casino in North Dakota. We did not have power so it was a little chilly when we woke up. Larry started the furnace to take the chill off, it didn't take long. While the Minnie was heating up I made oatmeal for breakfast. After breakfast we got ready to go.

The South Dakota state line was just across the highway from where we stayed, how cool was that. Our next destination was 90 miles away at a state park near Watertown South Dakota, we had been to Watertown last spring. While we were driving it started to sprinkle. We were going to visit the Bramble Park Zoo and revisit the Redlin Art Gallery but it's suppose to rain on and off all day so we decided not to do either one. Instead we stopped at Walmart and picked up a couple of items that the Walmart in Fargo did not have. While shopping we saw some hooded sweatshirts that zipped up instead of pulling over your head. Larry has been talking about getting a new sweatshirt to replace his old one. These sweatshirts were exactly what he wanted. We picked one up for each of us. There was a Dollar Tree in the same parking lot so we walked over and bought the Lance's cookies we like, we had run out a couple of weeks ago.

In South Dakota when you visit their state parks you need a reservation and a day use pass. When we were here in the spring we bought a year pass so we didn't have to worry about the day pass. We drove around the campground and found a site. You can go either online and make a reservation or you can call them. We called considering it's a little cheaper and faster. It's suppose to rain for the next few days so Larry made the reservation for three nights. After setting up the Minnie I made soup for lunch.

To have access to the internet we have a hotspot device for AT&T called a Mobley, the Mobley does not work in Canada so Larry had reactivated a phone on Cricket. It worked really well all over Canada. He decided to keep the Cricket phone working for another month but since the Mobley is now working he called Cricket and chose a less expensive plan. 

After having lunch we went on a hour walk around the campground. We walked about 2.5 miles. We hiked a nature trail that took us through trees and by the lake. The trail was 2 miles round trip. The trail was setup with flowers so bees, butterflies and birds could pollinate. We saw a few flowers and butterflies. The trail was easy to walk. There were a few places to stop along the trail and enjoy the lake and the surrounding area. There was an observation tower so you can get a better look of the lake. While walking back to the Minnie we met a friendly three legged Cocker Spaniel. It was a very nice walk.

Pelican Lake State Park entrance sign

Flowers we saw during our hike

The hiking trail

A little section of Pelican Lake

For dinner I used the leftover chicken and made enchiladas. After dinner we went on another walk, we walked for a half hour to the gate area where there was an archery range. It was very nice. It had a platform where you stand on and try to get the targets. There were other targets all round the area. As we were walking back to the Minnie it started to rain. By the time we got back we were soaked. 

Even though it rained on and off all day we still had a great day.