Fun on the Lake with Close Friends

We were extra excited to be on our way to our next destination because we would be seeing and staying with our very close friends from New York City, Brad and Tony.  Tim and Brad sang together in the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus for over 15 years.  Tim and Brad hit it off almost immediately after Brad joined the chorus and Tim moved to the Bass section of the chorus.  Tim and Brad made a point of sitting together at rehearsals; and to the dismay of the conductor, making jokes with each other and gossiping throughout rehearsal.  After Tim and Brad introduced Pat and Tony to each other, we all became fast friends.  Brad and Tony own an apartment in Manhattan, but also have a lake house on Great Sacandaga Lake in upstate New York.  When we lived in New York City, we traveled on a few occasions to Brad and Tony’s lake house to spend a long weekend.  This time, we would be parking the RV at Northampton Beach Campground, which is located on the same lake (it is actually reachable by boat from Brad and Tony’s lake house).  We would be splitting our visit with two nights in the RV and two nights at Brad and Tony’s lake house. 

Our drive from Jones Pond in western New York took us south to the Southern Tier Expressway, and briefly into Pennsylvania along I-86, before heading back north again toward I-88, and then north on NY State Highway 30 to Mayfield (we avoid toll roads when we drive).  It started raining about a third of the way into the trip from western New York to upstate New York.  We made stops at Walmart for groceries and at a gas station to fill up on gas.  

The drive was about 6 hours, with stops, but we finally arrived at our destination: Northampton Beach Campground.  Northampton Beach is the eighth state park we have stayed in since we started full-time RV traveling.  Our RV site was dirt/grass with a picnic table and a very nice brick firepit.  The RV site backed up to Great Sacandaga Lake and was nestled under and next to trees, so we couldn’t get a signal on our Starlink.  The RV site was large and there was plenty of distance between us and our neighbors on either side.  Northampton Beach RV sites have no hookups though, so we needed to run our generator to run air conditioning and to keep the battery charged.  We also needed to use our freshwater tank for basic water needs and the nearby shower facility for showers.  There was a dump station located at the campground to dump our tanks upon exiting.  

We spent our first evening at Northampton Beach in the RV.  We were only allowed to run the generator between the hours of 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 and 7:00 p.m.  By the time we arrived at Northampton Beach and leveled the RV it was about 6:30 p.m., so we only had a half hour to run the generator and the air conditioning that evening.  It was a little warm trying to sleep through the night, but we made it to the morning when we were able to start the generator at 9:00 a.m.  

Later that morning, on the 4th of July, Brad and Tony came to the campground to pick us up for an Independence Day party at the home of their friends, Bruce and Jay.  First, we gave Brad and Tony a tour of the RV and answered the many questions they had about RV life.  After the tour, we went to the home of Bruce and Jay for the party.  We had the traditional burgers and hot dogs and enjoyed the sunny (and hot) weather.  We met a lot of people at the party, but particularly hit it off with Amy and Patricia (she goes by Pat but for purposes of our blog we will call her Patricia so as not to confuse her with our Pat), who we planned to meet up with the following day.  

Later that afternoon, we went to Brad and Tony’s lake house because we would be staying there that evening.  First, we went by the RV to run the generator a bit and check on the status of the house batteries, which were low (it seems the batteries are not holding a charge as well as before we ran them down in Chicago).  Once at Brad and Tony’s, none of us were that hungry because of all we had to eat at the party; so, we had some cheese and crackers, fruit, and wine, and headed down to Brad and Tony’s boat on the lake to watch the evening fireworks.  One of Brad and Tony’s neighbors is trained in handling the biggest and brightest fireworks, so he puts on a show for the neighbors each 4th of July.  The firework show was spectacular!  Very professionally done, and LOUD, since we were very close. 

After the fireworks, we retreated to Brad and Tony’s home and chatted for hours about our parents, work, retirement, New York City, the chorus, people in the chorus, and many other subjects.  

The next morning, Tony had to work but Brad took us to check on the RV battery, which was running low again, so we ran the generator for a bit to charge up the battery.  We also set the Automatic Generator Start to come on in the afternoon to charge up the battery when we wouldn’t be around.  

Around noon, Brad took us out on the boat to a restaurant on the lake where we could have lunch.  Brad’s friends, Art and Kenny, came along with us and we enjoyed laughing and chatting with our new friends, who also knew people in the chorus.  We had lunch at Sports Island Pub on the lake; Pat had a French Dip sandwich and Tim had the Cardon Bleu sandwich, which were delicious.  After lunch, we rode the boat back to Brad and Tony’s. 

Later that afternoon, we, along with Brad and Tony, met Amy and Patricia for happy hour at the club they all belong to, called The Eccentric Club. 

The club was founded in 1882 and is strictly a social club.  The club has been housed in the same building in downtown Gloversville, New York, since 1908.  The club only started welcoming women about 20 years ago, and Patricia was one of the first female members.  Brad and Tony most recently joined when the club started outreach to recruit “younger” members.  We thoroughly enjoyed our happy hour drinks with Amy, Patricia, Brad, and Tony.  Then, we headed to dinner at a restaurant called Sam's Seafood and Steakhouse; Tim had the surf and turf (sirloin steak and crab legs) while Pat had the crab-stuffed halibut. 

We all had some really deep conversations about sexual identity and loved ones.  We don’t know how it was possible, but we liked Amy and Patricia even more after that dinner.  We hope to see them again sometime.  We spent the evening at Brad and Tony’s lake house.

The next day was our last full day at Northampton Beach.  Brad and Tony took us back to the RV, where we grilled burgers and had fries.  After dinner, they took us to their favorite place for ice cream, called Zippy’s Ice Cream.  Oh, so good.  Sadly, we had to say our goodbyes afterward, as we would be staying in the RV at the campground that evening since we were leaving early the next morning.  It was difficult to say goodbye, because we don’t know when we will see Brad and Tony again, but we made a vow to work on meeting up somewhere within the next year.  

Sleeping in the RV that evening was even warmer, and the house batteries were draining quickly.  Tim got up early in the morning and found the house batteries to be nearly dead, so he tried to start the RV engine to charge up the house batteries.  For some reason, the RV engine would not start at first (we think Tim accidentally flooded the engine), but we did get it started about 30 minutes later and left the engine running until we left the campground.  Onward to see more old friends in Massachusetts!

Review of Northampton Beach Campground

Northampton Beach Campground is in the state park run by New York State and is located on the northwest corner of Great Sacandaga Lake in Mayfield, New York.  The lake was created by impoundment during the 1920's.  The reservoir regulates the flow of the Hudson and Sacandaga Rivers, providing a conservation pool of water, minimizing floods, providing flow at drought stages, and affording recreational boating and fishing opportunities.  

The campground has 223 campsites available for RVs or tents.  Campsites include those that are completely secluded within tall white pines and northern hardwoods, and those that are on the open shoreline.  All campsites have a picnic table area and a very nice firepit.  The campsites do not have any hookups.  There are bathroom/shower facilities, but these tended to be a bit dirty during our stay, given that everyone must use these facilities for their shower (and maybe bathroom) needs.  

Additional amenities include a beach on the lake, a boat launch, and fishing; and rowboat, canoe, and kayak rentals are available.  There is also mini golf and an ice cream parlor about a 5-minute walk from the entrance to the campground.

On the plus side, the campsites are spacious and beautiful.  On the downside, there are no hookups, so campers must rely on generators (or solar panels) and use the restroom/shower facilities provided for showers, which tended to be a bit dirty but were located near to our campsite.  We feel like this campground could rival the best state parks we have visited with a few changes and upgrades but after the difficulties we had with our house battery, we vowed never to stay at a place again that did not at least allow more generator use time.  So, we would not likely return to Northampton Beach Campground.

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!

Nebraska: 2 State Parks and Another State Capitol

Our next two stops on our way east would be in the State of Nebraska, with the first stop being in Ogallala, Nebraska, at Lone Eagle Campground in the Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area.  This was the fifth state park we’ve stayed in since we began full-time RV travel.  Our RV site was concrete, with a picnic table and fire pit (no grill) and backed up not too far from Lake McConaughy beach.

We arrived late afternoon and had an issue with getting our water hooked up to city water; specifically, although water was running through our hose to the hookup spot on the exterior of the RV, there was no water coming into the RV.  As always, we googled what the problem might be, and discovered that there is a “check valve” in the water control system that controls whether water is coming from a city water connection or from the RV freshwater tank.  Sometimes this valve gets stuck and thinks you are going to use the freshwater tank and won’t allow water to enter from the city water connection outside.  Despite our troubleshooting, we couldn’t resolve the issue.  So, we filled up the freshwater tank and decided we would use it instead for the next two days.  On a brighter note, the weather was warmer in Nebraska, and we were able to put on shorts again.  

Later that evening, we experienced the Miller Moth Migration Invasion.  No, this is not a new cocktail or a rock band, and it’s not a beautiful sight to behold; rather, it’s close to a horror movie.  In May and June, miller moths emerge from their cutworm caterpillar stage in Nebraska to begin their migration west to Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana.  While these moths do not cause any damage to plants or anything inside a household, they are a menace.  During daylight hours, the moths seek shelter in cracks and crevices and emerge at dusk.  RVs have many cracks and crevices for the moths to get into, and when they emerge, they are attracted to light and start flying around inside of the RV.  We literally (no exaggeration) had dozens of these moths inside the RV in the evening.  On the first night, we used Raid flying insect spray to kill them, but the RV is a small space, and we were worried about spraying that much insect killer in a small space.  After googling about it, we found that many RVers have issues with the moths and some use their vacuums to scoop them up; so, on the second night, we tried that technique instead.  This seemed to work well and, to Pat’s surprise, didn’t actually kill the moths.  They looked dead in the vacuum dust cup but when he dumped them outside the next morning, they flew away into the wild.

On our only full day at Lake McConaughy, we had storms for a good portion of the day.  Once it cleared, we took a walk around the campground and looked at the beach.  That was the extent of what we were able to do on this only full day at the campground.

The next day, we drove to our next destination: Eugene T. Mahoney State Park in Ashland, Nebraska.  This was another long drive, approximately 4 hours and 15 minutes without stops.  But we made some stops along the way, including filling the gasoline tank and visiting the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln, Nebraska.  This was the third state capitol building we’ve visited since we began full-time RV traveling. The Nebraska State Capitol building reminded Tim of the Louisiana State Capitol building in Baton Rouge (although Tim will remind you that the Louisiana State Capitol building is the tallest state capitol building in the country).  The Nebraska State Capitol was built between 1922 and 1932, and the website states that it was the first state capitol building to depart from the style of the U.S. Capitol.  The capitol building is approximately 400 feet tall, making it the second tallest capitol building in the U.S. (after Louisiana), and has 15 floors in total.  The tower can be seen for up to 20 miles away and is a National Historic Landmark.  The names of the 93 counties in Nebraska are inscribed along the top of the lower base of the building.  A statue called “the Sower” sits atop of the building, representing Nebraska’s agricultural heritage.  We did not visit the interior of the capitol building but we walked around the exterior, which includes a monument to Lincoln that was unveiled in 1912, before the current state capitol building was constructed and prior to the construction of the Lincoln Monument in Washington, D.C.

We arrived at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park in the late afternoon.  This is the sixth state park we’ve stayed in since we began full-time RV traveling.  Our RV site was adjacent to the Philpot reservoir, near the Platte River.  We had a concrete site, with a picnic table and a fire pit (no grill).  There had been recent renovations to the RV park, so the site was very muddy and covered with dirt as they attempted to grow new grass.  We set up (using the freshwater tank again since the city water connection still didn’t work).  Our Miller Moth Invasion continued for a third but luckily, final night (we may have even brought those last few stowaways with us).  

The next day, we walked around the park, which was huge!  We walked to the marina, where there was a small convenience store that sold ice cream; and, to the water park and theatre.  That evening, we returned to the theatre to see a live performance of a local play called, “Pirates of the Platte” (the Platte being the river located near the state park).  The dialogue several times referenced Lake McConaughy and we were excited that we got the inside joke since we had just stayed there.  The play was geared toward the entire family, as the kids were encouraged to throw popcorn at the villain (and kids and adults were encouraged to throw dollar bills at all of the actors, who mostly stayed in character as they reached down to pick them up).  It was actually a lot of fun to watch, including watching the kids in the audience having a great time. 

 

It rained the next morning, so we once again had to disconnect electricity, water, and sewer in the rain.  We were continuing our drive eastward and to a new state.

Review of Lone Eagle Campground - Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area

At 30,000 surface acres, Lake McConaughy is Nebraska’s largest reservoir.  Lake McConaughy’s white sand beaches and clear waters are a favorite with campers, boaters, wind surfers, swimmers, water skiers, picnickers, scuba divers, hunters, anglers, and others seeking outdoor fun.  

The Visitor Center makes a great first stop upon arrival as it houses the park office, gift shop, and public restrooms; and it offers a beautiful view of the lake. Nebraska Park Entry Permits are required for camping (which is in addition to the campsite cost) and can be purchased at the Visitor Center.  The Center also houses two 1,000-gallon aquariums as well as interactive educational exhibits depicting the story of water in Nebraska and the history, hydrology, and geology of the North Platte River Valley and Lake McConaughy.  It is by far the best state park visitor center we have seen on our travels.

There are several campgrounds at Lake McConaughy; we stayed at the Lone Eagle Campground.  There are 84 RV sites located in the Lone Eagle Campground, all with full hookups and a picnic table; some have a fire pit and/or a grill.  There is also a bathroom/shower facility, but no laundry facilities.

We didn’t get an opportunity to take advantage of any of the amenities or activities offered at Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area, but there wasn’t much to offer at Lone Eagle Campground and the park was not walking friendly.  If we had bikes or a car, we might have ventured out to see more.  We don’t think we would find ourselves in this area again, but if we do, the Lone Eagle Campground would be okay for another short stay.

Review of Lakeside Campground - Eugene T. Mahoney State Park

Eugene T. Mahoney State Park, located near the Platte River in Ashland, Nebraska, has 148 sites in two campgrounds that can be used by RVs or tent campers.  We stayed in the Lakeside Campground, which has 48 sites and is located close to Bright Lake and Owen Marina.  All of the sites in the Lakeside Campground have full hook ups, a picnic table, and a fire pit (no grill).  There are also bathroom/shower facilities.  There are laundry facilities at the Little Creek Campground, but not at the Lakeside Campground.  The park also has a lodge that offers 40 rooms.  In addition, there are 60 cabins available.

The park is very large but easy to navigate on foot with walkways leading to most of the features, which include a water park, indoor playground, treetop ropes course, observation tower, indoor rock climbing, arts and crafts center, and a theater.  The park also has other amenities like hiking and biking trails, golf courses, frisbee golf, miniature golf, tennis courts, trail rides, and an ice-skating pavilion in the winter.  At the marina, campers can fish, rent paddleboats, and buy some basic food items.  The marina also lets campers borrow soccer balls, footballs, basketballs, volleyballs, bocce balls, horseshoes, softballs, bats, bases, tennis balls, rackets, and fishing rods and reels.

This was another huge state park in Nebraska, but this park was easier to navigate on foot than Lake McConaughy because there were many pedestrian walkways leading to the various facilities and activities.  Although the campsite was muddy because of the renovations, we liked the fact that we were in walking distance to many different activities.  We do not think we would be in this area again, but if we were we would consider staying at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park again.

The Book of Mormon

After leaving Bryce Canyon, we had a four-hour drive to our next destination: Salt Lake City KOA Holiday.  Adding to our travel time, we had to stop to fill up our propane and gasoline tanks; we also stopped for lunch.  The drive was beautiful, as we passed through various mountain ranges on our way to our next destination, including the Salt Creek Peak (the highest peak in the San Pitch Mountain range); Mt. Nebo (the southernmost and highest mountain in the Wasatch Range); and Provo Peak.

We arrived at the KOA by late afternoon and set up.  Our site was asphalt, but a bit unlevel, so we had to use a leveling block under the front, driver’s side wheel (Pat had purchased this leveling block at the RV Show in Tampa).  Our RV site had a picnic table, but no grill or fire pit.

After setting up, we did some laundry and Tim ordered Chinese (Wonton Soup and Cashew Chicken) on Uber Eats from a restaurant called New Golden Dragon, which Tim thought was decent but not as good as New York City Chinese food.

We were finally in warmer weather in Salt Lake City, which allowed us to wear shorts again.  The RV sites at KOA were covered by trees that shed catkins (we aren’t totally sure what type of tree it was).  In addition to being messy, the catkin's pollen wreaked havoc with our allergies.

The day after we arrived in Salt Lake City, we took the TRAX (Salt Lake City light rail) downtown to see the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints complex, Temple Square.  There was a TRAX stop almost directly in front of the KOA campground, and the day pass cost $5 each.  We waited about 15 minutes for the train and the ride downtown took approximately 23 minutes on the Green Line.  

We exited the train at the Temple Square Station and walked approximately 6 minutes to the Mormon Tabernacle, which didn’t look as big or as beautiful inside as it does on television (in our opinion).  We couldn’t see the Temple because it was undergoing refurbishing and was completely covered in scaffolding, so that was a bit disappointing; however, we were able to visit the Church History Museum, which had a written history (and film) describing Joseph Smith’s supposed visions and his founding of the Mormon church.  After leaving the Museum, we walked about 12 minutes (uphill) to a memorial park with the graves of Brigham Young, three of his 55 wives (Lucy Ann Decker, Emmeline Free, and Eliza Snow) and two of his 56 children (Joseph and Alice).

Next, we took a bus to the Utah State Capitol Building.  One of the things we wanted to do during our full-time RV traveling was to visit state capitol buildings.  Although we have visited many state capitol buildings together and separately, this was the first one we have visited since we started full-time RV travel.  The bus trip was free as our $5 daily pass also covered buses.  The bus trip up the hill to the Utah State Capitol Building took approximately 15 minutes and we exited the bus at the Visitor’s Entrance to the capitol.  Once inside, we were allowed to walk freely through the building.  We visited an exhibit on the Capitol Building and viewed the chambers of the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the Supreme Court.  Afterward, we wandered the grounds outside of the Capitol Building, then took a bus to the TRAX station and rode the TRAX train back to the KOA Campground. 

Pat had picked up a rental car earlier in the day for errands and airport transportation (where are the Bla-Mos flying??) while we were in Salt Lake City.  So, when we returned to the KOA Campground from downtown Salt Lake City, Pat drove Tim to the salon at which he had made a haircut appointment: The Salt Lake Barber Company Westside.  Tim enjoyed chatting with his barber, whose name was Drew, and thought Drew did a decent job with his haircut.  After Tim’s haircut, Tim dropped Pat off at Sports Clips so Pat could get a haircut (Pat thinks he doesn’t need a fancy barber for his hair), and Tim drove to Walmart for some grocery shopping.  When we arrived home, we packed for our trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, to celebrate Tim’s 60th birthday!  

The next morning, we drove the RV to Echo State Park in Coalville, Utah, where we would be leaving the RV plugged into electrical while we were in Puerto Vallarta.  We weren’t at Echo State Park very long, but we had a lasting memory from the swarms of giant flies that were in the park, many of which found their way into the RV (and when we returned after our trip to Puerto Vallarta, we found dozens of dead giant flies IN the RV).

After getting the RV plugged into electrical, we drove back to Salt Lake City in the rental car, which we dropped off near the airport.  We stayed overnight in a hotel near the airport with a shuttle because our flight to Puerto Vallarta was leaving at 8:00 a.m. the next morning.  

We will not write about our trip to Puerto Vallarta in the blog since the blog is reserved for our RV travels.  To see pictures from our fantastic stay in Puerto Vallarta for Tim’s 60th birthday, please visit our Facebook pages.

Review of Salt Lake City KOA Holiday

The Salt Lake City KOA Holiday has approximately 214 RV sites, with full hookups, that accommodate different size RVs and campers.  The KOA also has tent sites and cabins.  All RV sites have a picnic table and fire pit (no grills); some come with a separate patio.

Other amenities at the Salt Lake City KOA include a general store with grocery basics and RV supplies; pool; hot tub; and very nice laundry/restroom facilities.  Additionally, the KOA offers an arcade and a playground for the kids; basketball court; and media center.  Campers can also buy propane at the campground.  Uniquely, this KOA has a car/RV wash.  There is also a small restaurant called “Nico’s Mexican American Café” located nearby.

One of the great things about the Salt Lake City KOA is that the city’s light rail system (Trax) has a stop conveniently located a block from the KOA and the campground is located approximately 14 blocks from downtown.  This makes it convenient and easy to get around town.

Despite our allergy issues from the catkins, we really loved the amenities and the convenience of the Trax station located nearby.  We would definitely consider staying at the Salt Lake City KOA Holiday if we were ever in the area again, although we have probably seen all that we want to see in Salt Lake City.

Review of Echo State Park in Coalville, Utah

We did not stay overnight in our RV at Echo State Park in Coalville, Utah, so we cannot provide a review about our stay; however, we can provide some basic information about the campground.  Echo State Park is located about 48 miles east of Salt Lake City, off of I-80.  The campground has approximately 18 sites for RVs or tents, with electrical and water hookups only (no sewer).  The website indicates that there are 6 RV sites with full hookups located at the Red Rock Marina Campground; we were at the Dry Hollow Campground.

The RV sites are large enough to also accommodate a car and are cement with a covered picnic area that includes a fire pit (no grill).  The campground also has 5 cabins (they call them cottages) for rent.  The campground is located adjacent to the lake (Echo Reservoir) at which you can swim, boat (ramps available), or fish.  The campground also has bathroom/shower facilities and a large picnic area.  Additionally, there is an area available for bike riding or hiking.

The campground was apparently very popular on the weekends, although there weren’t many other campers around when we were there to drop off and pick up the RV on weekdays.  The campground was rather isolated; so, it is great if you want to take advantage of the swimming, boating, or fishing at the campground but not so great for other activities unless you have a car to travel.  We likely would not stay at Echo State Park again due to the limited amenities (even if we had a car) AND THE FLIES.