We Love Rock & Roll, and Amusement Parks!

Our next destination in Ohio was Lighthouse Point Campground at Cedar Point, located in Sandusky, Ohio.  This campground is a part of the Cedar Point Amusement Park which is adjacent to Lake Erie.  The website advertises it as “camping with the coasters” and they aren’t kidding.  We could literally see (and hear the screams) from the roller coasters nearby, including one that was most visible from our RV site called Steel Vengeance with a 200-foot drop at a 90-degree angle.  The audible “click, click, click” of the roller coaster climbing to the top of the first drop, followed by the screams as it dropped, constantly repeated during the three days we were there.

Cedar Point Amusement Park opened in 1870 and is the second oldest still operating amusement park in the U.S.  It has 18 roller coasters, second in number only to Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California.  It is the only amusement park in the world with five roller coasters that exceed 200 feet in height.  Cedar Point has many options for places to stay, including hotels and the Lighthouse Point Campground.

Our RV site at the Lighthouse Point Campground was a concrete pull-through site.  It had a picnic table and grill, but no fire pit.  Our site faced Sandusky Bay, and Lake Erie was just a short walk away.  Our water pressure was a little lacking at our RV site, so we chose to shower in the nearby shower facility.   After arriving in the early afternoon and hooking up, it began to rain; but when it subsided, Tim did some laundry while Pat searched for a mobile repair person to fix our issue with the windshield blind mechanism.  

On our first full day at Lighthouse Point Campground, it rained off and on.  During the off times, Pat did some laundry and Tim took a walk around the RV park and the nearby hotel on the beach.  That evening, we watched LSU WIN the College Baseball World Series.  Tim said it was the most baseball he has watched over the course of a couple of weeks ever!  

On our second full day at Lighthouse Point Campground, we took advantage of the early entry tickets that Cedar Point provides for campers to visit the amusement park.  We were at the park for most of the day, except for a brief midday break (nap for Pat) which is an old Disney strategy of ours for avoiding the highest temps and the largest crowds in the middle of the day.  We are limited in what we can ride together at amusement parks (Pat doesn’t like heights, Tim doesn’t like going upside down or in circles), but we rode several roller coasters, including the Iron Dragon (a suspended roller coaster with no tracks on the bottom, with each individual car swinging side to side through various curves including one that does a complete 365 loop at the end); Gemini (built so that two roller coasters could race each other side by side, with a 125-foot drop and double helices at the end); and Cedar Creek Mine Ride (one of the oldest roller coasters there as it opened in 1969).  We also rode two water rides before returning to the RV in the afternoon: Snake River Falls (a boat ride that ends with a 50-degree drop at 40 m.p.h. down the “falls” and into the river below for a big splash) and Thunder Canyon (think white water rafting that ends with a guaranteed soaking).  Another perk of our afternoon break was that it allowed us to change into dry clothes!  We also rode other rides at the amusement park that weren’t roller coasters (bumper cars, river ride, carousel, etc.). 

At the end of the evening, we enjoyed the show called “Summerbration,” which was very professionally done and included singers, dancers, acrobats, a light show, and fireworks.  All in all, a great last night at Lighthouse Point Campground. 

The next morning, we started our drive eastward with a stop at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in downtown Cleveland, Ohio.  We parked a few blocks away in the parking lot for First Energy Stadium where the Cleveland Browns play.  The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame opened in 1995 to honor the history of rock & roll and the music that has evolved from that history.  We spent a few hours at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but we could have gone there every day for a week and still not seen and enjoyed everything on display.  In addition to thousands of items of clothing, instruments, pictures, etc., the exhibits also feature films, video, interactive kiosks, reading materials, and music you can listen to at listening stations.  You could spend an entire day (or more) just listening to all of the music they have available.  We really enjoyed our short visit and wished that we had more time there; oh, and we voted for Cher to be inducted into the Hall of Fame next (can you believe she isn’t there yet?)   

Leaving Cleveland, we stopped to fill the gas tank on the way to our next destination: Sun Retreats Geneva on the Lake in Ohio.  Still on Lake Erie, this campground was a big change from Cedar Point.  Our RV site was gravel, with a picnic table and fire pit/grill in one (we wondered why more campgrounds don’t have those).  We didn’t have any shade to speak of at the RV site, but there was a lot of room between sites.  It was also very quiet.

That afternoon, Pat’s cousin, Hal (their mothers were sisters), drove nearly an hour from Eastlake, Ohio, to visit us and see the RV.  Pat and Hal had a great time catching up and reminiscing about their mothers and their childhoods.  It was a great visit and could only have been better if we had more time together.

Prior to our arrival at Sun Retreats, we had called ahead to see if they recommended any repair persons so we could finally get our windshield blind mechanism fixed; and they did have a recommendation.  So, the day after our arrival at Sun Retreats, we had an early morning appointment with Cyclone Mobile RV Repair.  Nathan and his wife were as nice as could be, and Nathan quickly went to work repairing the windshield blind mechanism while his wife was very excited to show us pictures of her handsome gay son!  The repair was all complete after about an hour and we hope that Nathan put enough screws in it this time to keep it in place as we travel on all of those bumpy roads.  

After the repairs were complete, Tim worked on some blog entries for you, bought some groceries at the onsite convenience store, and mailed a birthday card to his Mom.  Pat caught up on paying bills.  In the evening, we went to the onsite restaurant called The Loft Restaurant and Lounge; Tim had the teriyaki wings and Pat had the jalapeño burger.  

It was a short stay at Sun Retreats, but we accomplished a lot; finished a major repair, saw family, and found some time to relax.

Review of Lighthouse Point Campground at Cedar Point

Situated along the shores of Lake Erie, Lighthouse Point Campground features 145 RV campsites, along with 156 cottages and cabin rentals.  RV sites are full hook-ups with a picnic table; 50 of the sites have patios, with many fronting Lake Erie.  All sites are concrete.  

You are literally “camping with the coasters” as the campground is just a short walk to the amusement park, and you can see and hear the rides.  Campers also enjoy “early entry” to the amusement park one hour before the park opens.  In addition, the campground is just a short walk to Cedar Point Shores Waterpark and Cedar Point’s Lake Erie beach, with unlimited beach access for campers.  

Amenities for the campground include a swimming pool, hot tub, outdoor water play area, shuffleboard court, restroom/shower facilities, and laundry facilities.  In addition, there is a convenience store and gift shop. Campers can also parasail, and jet ski rentals are available.  

In addition to the campground, Cedar Point has a hotel on the beach with 669 guestrooms, most with waterfront views and balconies.  The hotel is also home to a variety of restaurants and cafes, including a Starbucks, TGI Fridays, and a Perkins Restaurant.  In addition, there is shuttle service throughout Cedar Point that can take you from the campground to the parks, hotels, restaurants, or the beach.  

Although it rained a lot while we were there so we couldn’t take advantage of the pool and we didn’t have great water pressure, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Lighthouse Point Campground.  We especially liked that the pool, restroom/shower facilities, and laundry facilities were nearby; and that it was a short walk to the beach at Lake Erie and the restaurants at the hotel.  We also liked that there was a convenience store nearby and shuttle service if we got tired of walking.  And of course, we enjoyed having the amusement park in our backyard and spending the day there.  It was a bit more expensive than our usual campground, but we would definitely consider staying at Lighthouse Point Campground again if we are in the area.

Review of Sun Retreats Geneva on the Lake

Sun Retreats Geneva on the Lake (formerly known as Indian Creek RV Camping Resort) is located on the southern shore of Lake Erie.  It is a true resort with most of the amenities you need located onsite or nearby.  The campground is huge, with approximately 421 RV sites (many of these sites seemed to be for permanent or seasonal campers though).  Tent camping is not permitted, but the campground has rentals available.  All RV sites have full hookups, a picnic table, and a combination fire pit/grill.  The RV sites are large enough to accommodate an RV and towed vehicle up to 75 feet.

Amenities include a pool, restroom/shower facilities, laundry facilities, fitness center, a giant “jumping pillow,” and a playground.  Campers can also play baseball, basketball, bocce ball, horseshoes, pickleball, mini golf, and volleyball.  Fishing is available nearby and campers can rent golf carts to more easily navigate this huge resort.  In addition, there is a convenience store, gas station, restaurant, and ice cream parlor.  Campers can also get propane.  Uniquely, there is a chapel and a taxi stand.  The website also boasts of a wine region nearby.

We really liked all that Sun Retreats had to offer, especially the large RV sites, pool, convenience store, and restaurant.  It was a bit of a walk to the convenience store and restaurant since the resort is so huge, but we could have rented golf carts to make the distance less taxing.  We didn’t stay at Sun Retreats for very long, so we missed out on taking advantage of the mini golf and pool; but we would certainly consider staying here again in the future if we find ourselves in this area.

Hayes and Gays

We had a few more overnight stops to make in the State of Ohio before arriving in New York.  On the way to our next destination in Ohio, we happily happened upon another Presidential Library that had not been on our list, the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museums.  This presidential library is run by a non-profit organization, not by the National Archives, which is why it was not on our radar; but as we drove through Fremont, Ohio, on our way to our next campground, we noticed signs advertising its presence nearby.  This became the fifth presidential library we have visited since we started full-time RV traveling. 

The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museums was the first presidential library, opening in 1916.  It is located on President Hayes’ 25-acre wooded estate, called Spiegel Grove.  Each entrance to the estate is marked with original White House gates, which were used at the White House during Hayes’ presidency and later purchased by the Hayes family to use at Spiegel Grove.  We toured the 31-room Victorian home of Rutherford and Lucy Hayes, and the museum.  President Hayes and his wife are also buried on the grounds.  Hayes was born in Delaware, Ohio, in 1822.  He fought in the civil war and was wounded.  In 1867, he was elected Governor of Ohio, and in 1876, he was elected president (after a controversy with the Electoral College, which led to the Electoral Count Act of 1887, which added to procedures set out in the Constitution of the United States for the counting of electoral votes following a presidential election and was scrutinized during the most recent election.  On December 29, 2022, President Biden signed into law the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act of 2022, which made changes to the procedures laid out in the Electoral Count Act, along with adding clarifications on the role of the vice president).  During his presidency, President Hayes worked tirelessly to heal the wounds of the civil war and help the newly freed slaves thrive, although pulling troops from the south to ease tensions ultimately backfired as southern governors went back on their promises to implement Hayes' reforms.  His accomplishments include improving relations with Native American Tribes; returning the U.S. to the gold standard; and implementing civil service reforms including prohibitions against politicking on the job in the executive branch. 

The Spiegel Grove tour was much more hands-on (than the museums run by the National Archives) as you can see in the above picture where Pat was able to hold the Hayes State Dinner Service (White House China). 

After visiting the presidential library, we stopped at a nearby Walmart to purchase groceries.  Then, we headed to our next destination: Freedom Valley Campground.  Freedom Valley is the fifth gay campground we have stayed in since we started full-time RV traveling.  Our RV site was gravel, with a picnic table and fire pit (no grill).  We had electric and water hookups, but no sewer hookup; so, we would have to use the bathroom facilities to shower, which were located near to our site.  As we finished setting up, it began to rain, so we relaxed in the RV from our journey.  After the rain ended, our neighbors staying across from us in the bunkhouse (Gary, Greg, and Warren) invited us over for a beer.

Gay campgrounds often have themed weekends, and Freedom Valley was no exception.  We discovered that we had made our reservations for the country/western themed weekend.  We immediately regretted that we had left our boots and other country/western costume wear in the storage unit; these two boys who had lived in Texas could not “represent” at the campground.  Nevertheless, we went to the meet-and-greet that evening, which was well attended.  There were free shots and line dancing lessons, and we chatted with our new neighbors and a few others that we met at the meet-and-greet.  

The next day, the sun came out late in the morning, so we went to the pool to take advantage of it.  We stayed at the pool until midafternoon, where more shots were served and there were cowboy themed pool games with big prizes!  We returned to the RV to grill some steaks and bake potatoes for dinner (we also grilled some burgers, which we froze to eat at a later date).  We watched more of LSU in the College Baseball World Series, which went into extra innings and ended late, so we decided to skip the meet-and-greet that evening, which was our second and last night at Freedom Valley.

Review of Freedom Valley Campground

Freedom Valley Campground, located in New London, Ohio, is managed by some very nice guys named Jeff, David, Lee, and Michael.  The campground has approximately 50 sites for RVs, with electric and water hookups (no sewer); along with tents sites that have electric only or no hookups.  The campground also has cabins and a bunkhouse that sleeps eight.

Amenities include a camp store, pool, dance hall (with an outdoor large fire pit), laundry facilities, restroom/shower facilities, and a food trailer called Buckeye BBQ.  There is also a lake for fishing, canoeing, and paddleboats.  Additionally, there are hiking trails and volleyball courts.

We didn’t stay at Freedom Valley for very long, but we met some really nice people and had fun at the meet-and-greet and at the pool.  We really liked that the shower facilities and pool were located near to our RV site, and the dance hall wasn’t too far away either.  We would definitely consider staying at Freedom Valley again if we are in the area.

Museums and a Reunion with Friends

We stopped to fill the gas tank just outside of Chicago, then made our way east to Ohio.  Along the way, we stopped at the RV and Motorhome (MH) Hall of Fame in Elkhart, Indiana.  Elkhart is home to many RV manufacturers.  Part of the mission of the RV/MH Hall of Fame is to honor the leaders in the industry, archive the history of RVs and MHs, and display historical RVs and MHs.  The museum has RVs on display from over 100 years ago to the present, including a 1913 Earl Trailer with a Model T Ford (pictured above); Mae West’s 1931 Chevrolet Housecar; a 1935 Travel Trailer; 1954 Holiday Rambler; 1958 Airstream; and 1967 Winnebago.  We were awestruck by these old, classic RVs and really enjoyed the stroll through history.     

We had a great time at the RV and MH Hall of Fame, which was nice considering that we had another maintenance issue just before we arrived at the Hall of Fame.  As we pulled off the highway onto the ramp for the exit that took us to the RV and MH Hall of Fame, the wooden support that holds the windshield blind came crashing down onto the dashboard.  It blocked Tim’s view of the road, so we stopped in the middle of the exit ramp until we could clear it out of the way and safely proceed.  The cars behind us were not pleased that we had stopped on the exit ramp, but safety comes first.  This all took less than a minute, but now, we would have to find another repair person to fix this new issue.

We drove on to our next destination: Sauder Village Campground in Archbold, Ohio.  Erie Sauder started a woodworking business in Archbold, Ohio, in 1934.  Today, Sauder Woodworking is the largest maker of ready-to-assemble furniture in the United States.  As he grew closer to retirement, he worried that future generations wouldn’t understand the hard work and sacrifices that his pioneer ancestors made in coming to settle in this swampy area in northwest Ohio.  So, he built Sauder Village.  Now you can take a walk through time from 1803 through the 1920s to enjoy engaging stories, demonstrations, and fun activities while exploring historic homes, barns, gardens, and craft shops. 

Sauder Village includes a campground, which is where we stayed.  Our RV site had full hookups, and it was gravel with a picnic table and fire pit (no grill).  On our first night in the campground, we made a few calls and sent a few text messages trying to find a person to repair the windshield blind support to no avail.

We had a number of Amazon packages shipped to Mike and Eric’s home in Chicago and picked them up while we were there, including something called an Ultrasonic Pest Repeller, since we discovered that our mouse friend had not yet left the RV.  It came in a pack of six plug-in devices, and we plugged them in various rooms of the RV on our first night at Sauder Village Campground.  It had an immediate effect as we watched not one, but two mice scramble out of the bathroom and run toward the cab of the RV (where we think they came in originally), but then run back to the bathroom when they saw us.  It took a few hours before they made it to the cab of the RV without worrying about whether we were in the room.  We haven’t heard or seen them (or any traces left of them) since.  Alleluia! 

The following day, we took a tour of Sauder Village.  We enjoyed the museum with the history of Erie Sauder and northwest Ohio.  We stopped in a few of the historic buildings and listened to the stories of the people who reenact history and demonstrate pioneer skills.

We spent several hours in Sauder Village, then headed back to the RV as we were expecting guests.  Specifically, our friends John and Jade drove down an hour and a half from Ypsilanti, Michigan, where they have a home, to meet us in Archbold, Ohio, for dinner and drinks.  They brought John’s twin brother, Jim, and Jim’s wife, Terry.  We had a good meal at the Sauder Village restaurant located just outside of the campground, called The Barn Restaurant.  Tim had fried chicken.  Pat chose the buffet and had a variety of delicious home cooking style food items.  After dinner, we all returned to the RV for drinks and to watch LSU in the College World Series on our outdoor TV (Jade was too nervous to watch).  We really appreciated John and Jade coming all the way to Archbold to visit us, and we had a great time catching up.

Only two nights at Sauder Village, so onward to our next destination.  

Review of Sauder Village Campground

Sauder Village is a great weekend getaway for the family.  In addition to the campground, Sauder Village has an Inn, the Historic Village, the Museum, a General Store, the Barn Restaurant, and the Doughbox Bakery (featuring pies, cookies, donuts, muffins, and more).  

The campground has 77 sites for RVs and 10 sites for tent camping; 55 of the RV sites have full hookups, 11 have electricity and water only, and 11 have only electricity.  Each site has a picnic table and fire pit (no grills).  The campground has bathroom/shower facilities and a laundry facility.  The campground is located near a railroad track and there is some train noise during sleeping hours.

Other amenities campers can enjoy include a splash and spray water park area, indoor pool, and a playground.  There is also a basketball court; gaga ball pit; and areas to play shuffleboard, volleyball, and horseshoes.  Additionally, there are walking trails, a lake for fishing and the Erie Express train which is a detailed miniature replica of the original 1863 C. P. Huntington train, a steam locomotive built in 1863 for the Central Pacific Railroad.

We enjoyed all that Sauder Village had to offer.  We particularly liked that there was a general store and a restaurant located on the property.  We didn’t get an opportunity to hike the trails at the campground, but we understand that these are scenic and fun.  We likely won’t be back in this area again, but if we are, we would consider staying at Sauder Village Campground again.

Great Friends in Chicago

Leaving Starved Rock State Park Campground, we were excited to get to our next destination because we would be staying with two great friends in Chicago: Mike and Eric.  Tim and Mike have known each other since Tim was in law school at LSU and Mike was working in Baton Rouge in the mid 80s, so almost 40 years!  Having known each other that long, Mike holds a special place in Tim’s heart.  Tim and Mike reconnected on Facebook more than 10 years ago and we have been lucky enough to spend time with Mike and Eric on many occasions since.  We even visited and stayed with Mike and Eric nine years before to the day when they lived in Nuremburg, Germany.

Since that trip, we have seen them in both New York City and Chicago.

On our way to Chicago, we stopped to pick up a few groceries knowing that the trip from Chicago to the next destination would be a long one and we wouldn’t have time to stop at a grocery store.  We also stopped to get the RV washed at a Blue Beacon just outside of Chicago.  

We finally arrived at the location where we would be parking the RV for the next two nights: McCormick Place RV and Motorcoach Parking.  This is basically a parking lot behind the convention center where RVs and 18-wheelers can park overnight.  It has no hookups.  This is the only place to park an RV in or near to Chicago, but we wanted to visit Mike and Eric as we drove through Chicago, so we were willing to park here for a couple of evenings.  Mike and Eric graciously invited us to stay in their home while we were in Chicago, so we didn’t have to boondock in the parking lot (we had packed a suitcase the night before).  This meant that we wouldn’t be hooked up to electricity or running the generator, so we needed to come to the lot daily to run the generator for a little while so the house batteries wouldn’t die on us.  When we arrived at McCormick Place, we had some difficulty trying to figure out how to get into the area we had reserved for parking (bad signage).  It took us about 30 to 45 minutes, but we finally figured it out and parked the RV.  We also had a little difficulty getting an Uber to take us to Mike and Eric’s home, because the first Uber driver said he couldn’t locate us (try this new thing called GPS)!

We finally arrived at Mike and Eric’s home, and they had martinis and snacks waiting for us!  We met their new doggie addition to their family, Yumi, who has her own Instagram page: @yumigubert.

We ranted about our difficulties finding the entrance to the parking lot and our trouble with Uber, but our woes slowly eased away courtesy of the martinis.   

Mike and Eric ordered pizza for us for dinner, and we later went to the rooftop to chat and share stories about what we had been doing since we last saw each other.  They had also encouraged us to bring our dirty laundry to wash, so Pat started some laundry.  Additionally, they had kindly allowed us to send our mail from our mail service in Texas, to their home, along with Father’s Day gifts for Pat from the kids; so, we sorted through those as well.  Mike and Eric settle into bed a little earlier than we do, so we stayed up watching some tv downstairs.

The next day, we took an Uber to McCormick Place so Mike could tour the RV (Eric had work), which also gave us an opportunity to start the generator to charge the house batteries a bit.  All of our Uber or Lyft trips back and forth between McCormick Place and Mike and Eric’s home took about 20 minutes and cost about $25.  Other than the initial trip from McCormick Place, we didn’t wait too long for the Uber/Lyft; approximately 10 minutes.  When we arrived at McCormick Place, the house batteries were lower than we anticipated, but we started the generator and recharged the batteries.  Mike enjoyed the tour of the RV but declared that he could never do it.  

When we got back to Mike and Eric’s home, we had sandwiches for lunch.  Tim walked to the Apple Store, which was only a few blocks away, to get the lint cleaned from the charging area of his phone (he had been having trouble getting the charge cord to fit tight enough inside to get a charge).  Then, we went with Mike to his hair stylist, named Jeremiah, to get haircuts (after reading of our fiascos with haircuts on the road, Mike had made the reservations for all three of us at Jeremiah’s salon, Ulibarris Salon).  Jeremiah did a great job with our hair and was fun to chat with.  

After our haircuts, while Mike was getting his haircut, Pat and Tim went to three different places trying to get a passport picture for Tim, because he needs to update his passport; we had no luck.  Instead, we decided to go to a bar called Sidetrack for frozen drinks.

Afterward, we met Mike and Eric at a restaurant called Wood.  Tim had Korean fried chicken (which was spicy) and Pat had duck.  Mike and Eric’s friend, Jennifer, joined us for a drink (and fries) and we all had a great time!  After dinner, we returned to Mike and Eric’s home for nightcaps.  

The next morning, we had some breakfast then headed back to the rooftop to chat before we had to say our goodbyes.  We always have a great time with Mike and Eric, and this visit was no exception.  We hope to see each other again at least within the next year.

When we returned to the RV the house batteries were even more drained than they had been the evening before, but we were able to charge the house batteries by starting the RV (the batteries were too low to give the generator the spark it needed to start).  We have since been told by our friend John that the batteries can survive being low but could be damaged if the charge gets too low.  We will need to remember this for the future.

Review of McCormick Place RV and Motorcoach Parking

McCormick Place RV and Motorcoach Parking is the only place you can park an RV overnight in or near Chicago.  It is literally the parking lot behind the convention center.  There were at least two other RVs parked there when we were there, and there were hundreds of trucks (or their trailers) parked there also.  

The reviews of McCormick Place on-line were good and stated that it was a safe place to park overnight.  We saw a security guard in his car while we were there at one point, and we didn’t have any trouble while we were parked there.  Since it is a parking lot, there are no hookups.  You could stay in your RV overnight and run the generator, which we didn’t need to do.  Not ideal, but if we want to park our RV in Chicago again, we feel we could do it at McCormick Place safely.

Another State Capitol, Another State Park

Leaving Diana and Tom’s home in Mineral Point, Wisconsin, we stopped about an hour east to pick up orders we had sent to an Amazon Locker location in Madison, Wisconsin.  While we were there, Pat also picked up some prescriptions from Walgreens; Tim did some grocery shopping while Pat was picking up his prescriptions.  

Then we drove into downtown Madison, Wisconsin, to visit the Wisconsin State Capitol Building.  This was the fifth State Capitol Building we’ve visited since we started full-time RV traveling.  The Wisconsin State Capitol Building was completed in 1917.  It comprises a dome in the center and four wings at the ground level protruding from the dome in the shape of an X.  Accordingly, it has eight entrances: four to the buildings at the ground level and one between each of the buildings.  The dome is the largest in volume in the U.S. and has three observation decks.  On top of the great granite dome stands the gilded bronze statue "Wisconsin," which symbolizes the state motto "Forward. Wisconsin." In her left hand, "Wisconsin" holds a globe with an eagle perched on it and on top of her helmet is the state animal - the badger.  We did not view the interior of the capitol building but we walked completely around the exterior, which is surrounded on the other side of the streets by shops and restaurants.  Statues on the exterior of the capitol building include one of Hans Christian Heg, who was a Union soldier and outspoken abolitionist. 

We had been to this capitol a few times before and it is sentimental to us since our youngest son, Kevin, was a member of the Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps in 2007 and 2008.  The Scouts take their corps picture each year on these same capitol steps!

We left downtown Madison and drove to the campground where we would be staying for the evening: the Milton KOA Holiday in Milton, Wisconsin.  Our RV site was gravel/dirt, with a picnic table and fire pit (no grill).  It had gotten a bit chilly, so we hunkered down in the warm RV for the evening.  We only stayed one night at the Milton KOA and departed early so we could get to our next campground by early afternoon for exploring.  

Our next stop was Starved Rock State Park in Oglesby, Illinois.  This was the seventh state park that we’ve stayed in since we started full-time RV travel.  We wanted to arrive early enough for a hike before sunset.  We stopped at the Visitor’s Center, where we bought some souvenirs and got some information about the trails at the state park. 

There was only one trail open that still had an active waterfall: the LaSalle Canyon Trail (the other waterfalls had dried up in May we were told).  We hiked approximately 4.4 total miles to and from LaSalle Canyon and were rewarded with a beautiful waterfall that we could actually walk behind (to see the backside of water – sorry, Disney Jungle Cruise reference).

Along the way, we stopped on top of Starved Rock to see the view; we also went to the Lover’s Leap observation point; Eagle Cliff Overlook; Lonetree Canyon; and Wildcat Canyon.

After the hike, we drove to our campsite in Starved Rock State Park Campground.  Our RV site was made of dirt/gravel, with a picnic table and fire pit (no grill).  Our RV site was surrounded by trees, which was beautiful and serene; however, it meant we had no Starlink service (so no Wi-Fi for phones, tv, or laptop).  Luckily, Tim had some cell reception on his phone, and we were able to use his hotspot for Wi-Fi.  This campground also only had electrical hookups (no water or sewer), so we would need to use our freshwater tank, shower in the campground facilities, and dump sewer when leaving the campground.  The restroom/shower facilities were about a ten-minute walk from the RV.  There were only two showers available in the facilities, and you got about 15 seconds of water for each push on the button that controlled water output.  

The next day, we tried to walk about two miles from our campground to another trail for a hike, but there were no pedestrian walkways on the road and there were fast cars moving through the curves of the road, so we didn’t feel safe walking (there were no shoulders in some places).  So, after walking about 1.5 miles, we turned around and went back to the RV; not a “rewarding” hike.  

It was cloudy the following day, but our day was brightened by calls from the kids to wish us a Happy Father’s Day!  Even though we couldn’t take a hike, Tim took a long walk around both campground loops that afternoon.  That evening, we packed a suitcase because we would be staying at the home of our friends Mike and Eric at our next destination, instead of staying in the RV.

Review of Milton KOA Holiday

We only stayed at Milton KOA Holiday in Milton, Wisconsin, for one evening.  So, we can’t say much about our experience there, but we can give some basic information about the campground.  The website describes the campground as being tucked into the rolling hills of southern Wisconsin, and the campground was spread out with beautiful trees and lots of space.  It is not located near a city, the closest is Madison, which is about a 45-minute drive away.

The campground has approximately 232 sites for RVs; 65 of those sites have full hookups, 37 have only water and electricity, 18 are listed as monthly sites, and 102 are listed as seasonal sites (the other sites were not clearly marked on the map).  In addition, the campground has 6 cabins and 11 tent sites.  Our site had a picnic table and fire pit (no grill), but it isn’t clear if all sites have the same.

Amenities include restroom/shower facilities, a laundry room, heated pool, hot tub, snack bar, playground, clubhouse with a tv room and game room, and hiking/biking trails.  Additionally, campers can rent bikes and golf carts.  Campers can also play basketball, gaga ball, shuffleboard, sand volleyball, frisbee golf, horseshoes, baseball, and softball.

We can say that the campground looked very nice and serene, but since we didn’t get a full day to explore, we can’t say much more about it.  We liked it enough to consider returning if we are in the area.

Review of Starved Rock State Park Campground

Starved Rock State Park Campground in Oglesby, Illinois has 133 sites for RVs or tents.  The sites are located in two loops; one loop has more trees thus more shade but also has open space areas, the other loop has fewer trees and less shade but no open space areas.  We stayed in the loop with more trees; indeed, our site was surrounded by trees.  Each campsite has an electrical hookup, but no water or sewer hookups.  Each site has a gravel parking area with a picnic table and fire pit or grill.

One bathroom/shower facility is available for each loop and is located just outside the entrance to the loop; this makes for a very long walk if you aren’t camping near the entrance to the loop, and since there are no water or sewer hookups, it is very likely that campers will need to shower in the facility.  Sadly, there are only two showers in each facility, and the water only runs for approximately 15 seconds each time you push the button.

There is a camp store located near the park entrance; however, we rarely found the camp store open at the hours it was supposed to be open.  There is also a small playground area, but no other amenities.  The campground gate locks at 10:00 p.m. and does not reopen until 8:30 a.m., so if campers find themselves outside of the gate in their cars after 10:00 p.m., they will have to wait until 8:30 a.m. the next morning to get into the campground in the car.

Maybe the worst thing about the campground is that there is no access to hiking trail heads from within the campground and no pedestrian paths to the hiking trail heads located at least two miles from the campground.  Why use the state park name if there is no connection to the park facilities?  The only way to access hiking trails from the campground is to drive a car to trail heads, which seems counter-intuitive to having a campground at a state park that is all about hiking.  This is a real missed opportunity to make this one of the best state park campgrounds in the country if only they would build a “trail to the trails” for those of us without cars.

Because of all of the drawbacks to Starved Rock State Park Campground, we would not consider staying at this campground again.

Only the second snake we have seen as full-time RVers!