Rogers KOA, MN 7/01/07

Pics: 1) Tyler with the outside statue at the Owatonna, MN, Cabela's; 2) mount of two moose fighting the the Owatonna Cabela's

7/01/07 – Sunday – 69862 – 120 – Rogers KOA, MN – sunny and very hot – low +69 - high +87

Saw 3 deer and many fireflies

We left Rogers and continued onto Owatonna, MN, where we visited another Cabela's store (a much bigger one) and enjoyed more mounts as well as special July 4th-related sales. We proceeded on and stayed at another KOA ,off Interstate 90, for the night

Oakdale KOA, WI 6/30/07

Pics: 1) Tyler and Mike at the Roger's Cabela's; 2) a four foot plus or minus northern pike on display at the Roger's Cabela's

6/30/07 – Saturday – 69645 – 217 – Oakdale KOA, WI – sunny and hot – low +59 - high +90

Saw 1 deer and many red-winged blackbirds and butterflies

We drove the rest of the way through Wisconsin and into Minnesota, through Minneapolis and St. Paul (state capital), over the Mississippi River (flood control embankments blocked our views) and to Camping World and Cabela’s in Rogers, MN. As always, these two stores were fun to visit and find new and different items (both for sale items and and animal mounts). We overnighted in Rogers and will continue south tomorrow.

Fond du Lac KOA, WI 6/29/07

Pics: 1) red-winged black bird; 2) working in America's farm land; 3) Russell Moccasin Co; 4) crane

6/29/07 – Friday – 69512 – 133 – Fond du Lac KOA, WI – sunny and warm – low +50 - high +93

Saw 22 sand hill cranes, 10 turkeys, 6 deer, yellow finch and many red-winged black birds

We didn't realize our camping spot was further south than where we wanted to visit today (the Russell Moccasin Co in Berlin, WI) so we went past the Oshkosh field again. This is where the EAA - experimental aircraft association fly-in is held every year. We have been by here twice and it was never during the fly-in time yet.

The Russell Moccasin Co is a few miles west of the Oshkosh exit, in Berlin, WI. This little workshop in a small town is the producer of excellent handmade boots and shoes since 1898. Many people have different sized feet (1/2 to one full size difference sometimes) or medical reasons that require custom fitting, and they can design and build footwear for all these people.

After this visit, touring the Russell workshop, we continued quite awhile on county roads until before returning to Interstate 90 for the faster drive across the northern states. These roads turned out to be a wealth of wildlife opportunities, especially with the turkeys and cranes in the numerous farmers' fields.

Round Lake, MI 6/28/07

Pics: 1) crossing the 45th parallel; 2) Tyler catching air on the KOA's jumping pillow; 3) sunset

6/28/07 – Thursday – 69291 – 221 – Round Lake, MI – sunny and warm – low +55 - high +74

Saw woodpecker, partridge, 2 eagles, yellow finch and many red-winged black birds

We left Don and Janie’s this morning and continued along the Western edge of Lake Michigan, down past Green Bay, stopped at the 45th parallel marker (half way between the equator and the North pole), past Oshkosh and to our camping area for the evening. We enjoyed a number of different types of birds and a wonderful sunset. Tyler enjoyed playing on their jumping pillow - the only campground to have one (so far).

Round Lake, MI 6/27/07

Pic: a day at the lake

6/27/07 – Wednesday – 69291 – 000 – Round Lake, MI – sunny and warm – low +66 - high +87

Saw eagle, loon, woodpecker, chipmunks and squirrels

We spent the day catching up on some office-type duties: we scanned some of Don's Vietnam pictures, loaded some of our pictures and wrote some of the entries for publishing when we had internet access again.

Round Lake, MI 6/26/07

Pics: 1) fish in and springs churning the mud on the bottom of Big Springs (40 feet below the surface); 2) Fayette Historical Town Park; 3) the smelting complex at Fayette; 4) the Dolomite Cliffs at Fayette (used in the smelting process); 5) playing in Round Lake

6/26/07 – Tuesday – 69291 – 000 – Round Lake, MI – sunny and HOT – low +68 - high +96

Saw 1 deer, 1 hummingbird, chipmunks, red squirrels, woodpeckers, partridge hen and 2 chicks and one of the robin chicks fell out of his nest (he eventually left with momma Robin)

Don and Janie, with their grandsons, Christian and Aedan, took Roxanne, Tyler and I to Big Springs today. It is a clear natural spring, about 40 feet to the bottom, that produces 10,000 gallons per minute, supports a healthy trout population and flows into Indian Lake. We were able to go out over the springs in a large, cable / pulley-driven raft and had a large viewing area in the middle of the raft.

Afterwards, we went to the Fayette Historical Town Park. This was the site of a large smelting operation, with nearly 500 residents that opened after the Civil War on the north side of Lake Michigan. Today many buildings, and site indentations, are still found along with items used during this time. A history of the community, building uses and surrounding materials for the operation are on display. Also you can see broken drill bits in the stone of the quarry. For many years, this bay was the site of the blessing of the fleet for all boatman/fisherman who sailed Lake Michigan. This is also the area where Don’s mother was born and lived as a child. They later moved to Gladstone where Don and Janie lived until they retired to their lake house a few miles north.

When we came back to Don and Janie’s house. Janie, Christian, Aedan and Tyler went swimming in the lake.

Round Lake, MI 6/25/07

Pics: 1) Janie and Don at Pictured Rocks National Park; 2) Miner's Point in Pictured Rocks National Park, on Lake Superior; 3) the Dogpatch RV; 4) doe (the fawn had already ran into the brush); 5) robin mama and 4 chicks in the nest at Don and Janie's house; 6) Don and grandson, Aedan, on the pontoon boat; 7) Janie loves swimming in Round Lake; 8) loon on Round Lake; 9) Don and Janie's grandson, Christian, and Tyler fishing; 10) Christian, Tyler, Michael and Don going squirrel and chipmunk hunting

6/25/07 – Monday – 69291 – 000 – Round Lake, MI – sunny and HOT – low +66 - high +95

Saw chipmunks, red squirrels, 1 loon, 1 merganser, a doe and fawn

Don and Janie took us north to Lake Superior and the Pictured Rocks National Park. The rock formations and layers are beautiful and multi-colored; the water in the lake below is green and is shallow enough that you can see the bottom. We then headed west to Munising for lunch at the Dogpatch Restaurant, complete with an old-fashioned RV. We also toured many back roads and explored a number of lakes in the surrounding area.

When we returned, Don and Janie’s son, Jon, and his sons, Christian (7) and Aedan (2), had arrived. The kids are staying over with Don and Janie and the three of us, for most of the week. Jon had to go back into town to work. We all had a great time touring the lake in the pontoon boat, Janie and Aedan went swimming. The kids went biking, fishing, hunting for squirrels and target practicing with the pellet rifles. Although no one caught a fish or bagged a squirrel today, we all had a great time with all the activity.