Camping Champs

"Bobby" Grilling

2011-06-16T15:24:00.001-07:00

People say my hubby looks like Bobby Flay, and in these pictures, it's easy to see why. My dad suggested Phil try wood pellets for grilling. We picked some up at Gander Mountain this past weekend. This is the mesquite variety adding some smoke flavor to a flank steak.

Fall Camp Out

2010-10-17T12:27:00.000-07:00

We just returned from a beautiful fall camping trip to our favorite place...Hocking Hills (SE Ohio)! We stayed at the Hocking Hills KOA...the most wonderful campground we have found yet! This picture is from the Rim Trail at Conkle's Hollow - beautiful!

A Weekend Away

2010-07-12T12:13:00.000-07:00

Phil and I enjoyed a wonderful weekend away at the Shelby/Mansfield KOA in northern Ohio. It was our "hotel" while we attended the wedding of some friends. We had a great premium site!

A great get-away

2010-03-01T09:59:00.001-08:00

Old Man's Cave area in winter. Spectacular!

Another wonderful view!

Our cottage - inside.

Our cottage - outside.

We just returned from a wonderful one night get-away in Hocking Hills...our favorite place to get-away to!

A Beautiful November Day

2009-11-28T12:43:00.000-08:00

We were blessed with a beautiful sunny day today, so we enjoyed a hike at Clifton Gorge.

Hocking Hills in the Summer

2009-07-05T12:52:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed a week in Hocking Hills this past week. This is a nice shot of Cedar Falls. It is somewhat reduced due to dry conditions but still a wonderful display of God's handiwork.

Lake Erie State Park and Cedar Point

2009-06-24T15:12:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed a few days away at Lake Erie State Park. Hope you enjoy seeing a little of the fun we had!

Our campsite...on an end so nice and private.

The view from the Giant Wheel at Cedar Point.

The first hill of the Millennium Force roller coaster...Phil loves it!

Back at the campsite...a visitor.

A nice place to watch birds near the beach.

The light keeper's house at Marblehead Lighthouse...mid 1800's.

Marblehead Lighthouse on Lake Erie...1822.

Little House in the Big Woods...

2009-05-31T11:58:00.001-07:00

We enjoyed a wonderful weekend of camping at Deer Creek State Park this past weekend!

Spring Wild Flowers in Ohio

2009-05-10T13:28:00.001-07:00

Wild Geranium

Looks like a great place for a patient person to find

wildlife photo opportunities.

The last of the Trillium...quite a grouping here.

Nice example of the Trillium.

Wild Flower paparazzi.

Hispid Buttercup

Dwarf Larkspur

We took a nice hike today to Ceasar Creek Gorge, Waynesville, OH. Hope you've enjoyed a sampling of the beautiful wild flowers we saw!

By Request...

2008-10-19T11:56:00.000-07:00

We had a request for a post of Ohio in fall, so we traveled to Hocking Hills in SE Ohio to get the best photo opportunity. We enjoyed a wonderful weekend of camping and hiking!

Seeing Double

2008-09-18T05:27:00.000-07:00

No you are not seeing double...we had the chance to camp this past weekend with friends who also own an Aliner. It was difficult to get a good angle on both campers since we were located on a curve in the road, but it was fun to watch people walk or drive by and look twice at our campers.

Rolling

2008-08-10T15:01:00.001-07:00

The bikes, the cornfields, and the hills were rolling today! We enjoyed a delightful ride on the Little Miami Scenic Bike Path. Beautiful weather. A great day to enjoy God's creation.

Most Recent Camping Trip

2008-08-10T14:55:00.000-07:00

I found some photos on the camera that Phil took from our last camping trip. Our camper is like our baby...we can't show enough pictures of it!

Little Rascals

2008-06-06T18:39:00.001-07:00

We met this friendly family at the state park near home. The first time we saw them, we thought there were only 3, but on the next visit, we spotted 5. They appear to live between the woods and a drain pipe in this area. They get quite close to the car and stand up on their hind legs to get a look in. Phil promptly closes all window when they get too close! They appear to have no fear of people - hopefully all are healthy!

A week in the Hills...

2008-05-31T12:38:00.000-07:00

Hocking Hills (SE Ohio), that is! God blessed us with a great week long vacation this past week. Here are some highlights. Hocking Hills has the best hiking in the state!

Base Camp at Scenic View Campground. Great place! Quiet and clean.

Hiking at Rock House

Hiking at Rock House.

Hiking at Old Man's Cave. This natural wonder is called "Devils Bathtub."

Old Man's Cave. A lot of neat history with this area. This cave served as a shelter for Native Americans, outlaws, etc.

Pretty Peonies

2008-05-25T17:11:00.000-07:00

Our home came complete with a beautiful collection of peony bushes. Each Spring, we are blessed with a wide variety of beautiful peonies - pinks, deep red, and white flowers in several styles. These are photos of my first bloom as well as buds in varying stages of bloom. Wish I could post the wonderful smell as well!

Happy Campers!

2008-05-18T12:56:00.000-07:00

We had our first weekend trip of the official camping season this past weekend. This is a great state park 15 minutes from home. We really enjoyed camping in the Aliner!

Nice big site on a corner "lot."

So easy to set up, what do I do now?

The vents and fan on top are great!

It's a perfect "home on wheels"!

Enjoying the water!

First Trip Out!

2008-03-30T13:06:00.000-07:00

We took our first trip out with the Aliner this weekend. We still have a lot to learn, but we really enjoyed it!

Blizzard 2008 Part 2

2008-03-08T15:12:00.000-08:00

More photo ops during clean up (first attempt) this afternoon. We are now under a level 3 snow emergency which means we are house bound until further notice. The pictures don't really do it justice!

Blizzard 2008

2008-03-08T06:14:00.001-08:00

Here are some pictures taken this morning during Blizzard 2008! Up to 15 inches with high winds expected. As you can see in the last photo, most people (and cats) prefer the view from the inside out!

Upgrading...

2007-11-23T13:45:00.001-08:00

We are excited to share with you a blessing God has allowed in our lives. As our family and friends know, we have really enjoyed tent camping over the last couple years. We've had dreams of "upgrading," and we have been looking at Aliner travel trailers, described as "hard sided pop-ups", for about a year. The Aliner has several advantages for us, easy set up, light weight, and just enough room for two! Recently, one became available at an RV dealer located minutes away from our home. So, the rest is history. We brought her home today, and we look forward to planning some great trips!

Fall Fun

2007-10-31T15:19:00.000-07:00

We've been out of the blogosphere for some time due to camera problems. Thankfully, the problems seem to have worked themselves out! We thank God for the blessing of this time of year. We have been enjoying some delightful sights, including this one seen on my route to work.

Mush...On a Bicycle!

2007-08-26T15:44:00.001-07:00

Phil and I came upon this interesting site today on a bike ride. We had stopped at a rest area, and met this man and his four dogs. He told us the dogs are all rescue dogs that he has taken for training. The four are on a harness and pull him on a bicycle. The bicycle has a place for him to stand and does not have pedals. The pictures near the blue tent are part of a "dog day" they were having in the town we stopped in. The dogs were getting a treat under the blue tent. Unfortunately the picture in motion is blurry, but it gives you an idea of what the outfit looks like in action.

A good reason to keep the camera in the car...

2007-07-29T09:20:00.000-07:00

Phil spotted this trio first on our way home from church. We were actually in a residential area, and these two does and a fawn (still had spots) scampered across the street and into this lot to sample the leaves on the trees. Phil did a great job getting off the road, and I tried to get as close as possible. The group actually didn't see mind my presence too much. One actually walked in my direction, and that's when I exited. She didn't seem threatned, but I was suprised at how close she got to me.

Summer Adventures

2007-07-15T13:40:00.000-07:00

Phil and I just returned from a wonderful 2 week vacation! We spent time camping with Mom and Dad at Putnam Pond near Fort Ticonderoga, NY. From there, we traveled to the homestead in Alburg Springs for a week, then returned to Ohio and camped close to home for our final 2 nights. Here are a few pictures which highlight our time:

This is a shot of our site at the campground near home - Buck Creek State Park. Great site! We were so sad to leave today!

These next two are views of Putnam Pond (NY).

While in NY, we took a day trip to Lake George.

A shot from another day trip - this time Burlington, VT.

We thank the Lord for the blessing of this trip!

Home Sweet Home

2007-06-25T09:44:00.000-07:00

I've enjoyed sprucing up the outside of our home this past week with summer flowers so wanted to share a few photos.

Summer Sunset

2007-06-20T07:32:00.000-07:00

We got these shots on a drive out to Buck Creek State Park last night.

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard." Ps 19:1-3

More Pictures from Gatlinburg

2007-04-12T16:22:00.000-07:00

How we stayed warm!

Beautiful sights at Cades Cove.

Another view of God's amazing creation.

Tennessee wild flowers.

More photos from our first camping trip of the season.

The Champs were Challenged

2007-04-09T17:45:00.000-07:00

Our first afternoon

The next morning

Hiking at Greenbriar, part of the Great Smokey National Park.

We just returned from a WONDERFUL first camping trip of the season to Gatlinburg, TN. The weather, as you can see, provided a opportunity for adventure! We awoke to snow our first morning there. We stayed at a marvelous campground, Great Smokey Mountains Jellystone Park, and saw some beautiful sights in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. These are just a few of our photos. Check back later for more!

Spring Flowers

2007-04-02T19:09:00.000-07:00

A friend and I took a wonderful hike to Clifton Gorge after work today. These photos capture part of the experience. We were surrounded by God's intricate, beautiful creation!

The Cave in Winter

2007-03-06T14:21:00.000-08:00

Hocking Hills Region boasts the best hiking in Ohio. The famous "Old Man's Cave" is a popular hiking attraction. This beautiful scene awaited us this morning, although we were unable to descend into the cave area due to the ice.

A few of our favorite things...

2007-03-06T14:15:00.000-08:00

Phil and I were blessed with a two day getaway to Hocking Hills (SE Ohio) this week. We stayed at our usual haunt where we enjoy the hot tub and fireplace!

Snow/Sleet Day

2007-02-13T12:49:00.000-08:00

Phil and I enjoyed a day off work due to wintery storm conditions. The precipitation continues, so we're still waiting for the final word about this storm.

Purse Project

2007-02-04T18:52:00.000-08:00

Inspired by my Aunt Tracy, I picked up some projects I had been working on. I found the pattern for this purse at http://www.craftown.com/crochet/pat10.htm

I haven't added the heart on the purse which is shown in the pattern. I'm trying to decide if I like it just the way it is. The purse will be a gift for my goddaughter who will turn 7 this month.

Some people have the right idea...

2007-02-03T17:15:00.000-08:00

Some people, like Phil, Sissy, and Sassy, have the right idea about how to handle the frigid weather we are experiencing this weekend in Ohio!

Fur Children

2007-01-06T13:17:00.000-08:00

Here are some recent pictures of our fur children, Sissy (calico) and Sassy (tiger).

Unique Christmas Gift

2006-12-27T11:44:00.000-08:00

The most unique Christmas gift in our home this year was a custom made, special order, OSU themed walking stick given by Rachel to Phil. The walking stick, crafted by a local artisan, features a hand carved "Brutus" head complete with mini OSU hat.

O Christmas Tree

2006-12-09T14:03:00.000-08:00

Celebrating the birth of Jesus is one of our favorite times of year. Jesus was THE GIFT from the cradle to the cross. Here are shots of our tree and some favorite ornaments.

Another fine family river blog...

2006-12-02T17:57:00.000-08:00

Nature Hike in Vermont

2006-11-25T04:13:00.000-08:00

Snow Geese feeding in the fields
This white line is a large raft of Snow Geese resting in lake Champlain
Beavers have been chewing these trees with their sharp teeth
Oak Leaves in a shale pool

Fariy Tales do come True!

2006-11-25T04:04:00.000-08:00

A Day in the City

2006-11-10T15:54:00.000-08:00

Phil and I enjoyed a fun day in Cincinnati today! Our first stop was the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum. A wonderful lunch at the famed Montgomery Inn on the river completed our trip (see picture). It was a beautiful day on the river!

Sewing and Scouting

2006-10-29T14:18:00.000-08:00

Our weekend consisted of some sewing with help from Sassy, one of our two cats, and scouting out a state park for future camping. The park was Hueston Woods State Park. The park was beautiful, but we were not entirely impressed with the camping area. It was a beautiful day for scouting though!

Encore!

2006-10-22T09:01:00.000-07:00

Well, we decided we weren't ready to put away the tent for good, so instead of wishing, we went! We had a nice overnight camping trip at Buck Creek State Park - close to home! We enjoyed a great campfire and a good night's sleep in our new sleeping bags.

We'd Rather be Camping

2006-10-20T14:02:00.000-07:00

We have a busy weekend ahead, but we'd rather be camping! Here is another photo from our last trip.

Enjoying a beginning for special friends

2006-10-15T17:45:00.000-07:00

Phil and I had the opportunity to enjoy a wedding this weekend celebrating a new beginning for some special friends - Sara and John! We enjoyed a beautiful fall day, a delicious meal, and even some dancing!

A Beginning and an End

2006-10-08T17:10:00.000-07:00

This is the beginning of a blog detailing our camping adventures, however, it is also the end of our camping season for 2006! We have enjoyed exploring some of the state parks in Ohio with our new Springbar tent. See http://www.springbar.com/. Hopefully more to come in Spring 2007!