[Rhodes22-list] Generator and Camping question... (a follow-up)

[Roger Pihlaja]

Doug,

OK, trailer camping with all the bell, whistles, & generators isn't really
my thing.  However, I am pretty familier with Michigan.  Practically any
state park in Michigan is going to have the electrical & water hookups you
want for your trailer.  Since you will have small children along, I presume
things for the kids to do ranks pretty high on your list of priorities.
Therefore, I recommend Silver Lake State Park in Mears, MI (231-873-3083).
Silver Lake State Park has access to both Silver Lake, a small sandy bottom
inland lake as well as Lake Michigan with an incredible, "goes on forever"
sandy beach & sand dunes.  Nearby, there is Mac Woods Dune Buggy Rides
(231-873-2817) on the famous Lake Michigan sand dunes.  Michigan's Adventure
Amusement & Water Park is just a short distance away in Muskegon, MI
(231-766-3377).  Also in Muskegon, MI is the Great Lakes Naval Memorial &
Museum where you can take a tour of the USS Silversides, an actual WW II USN
submarine (231-755-1230)  Holland, MI with the Wind Mill Island, The Dutch
Village, tulips, and the De Klomp Wooden Shoe Factory (616-399-1900) is also
nearby.  In nearby Shelby, MI there is the Shelby Man-Made Gemstones Co.,
where you can view the manufacturing & polishing processes used to make
artificial gemstones (231-861-2165).  Drive about a 100 miles north along
US-31 on the Lake Michigan coastline to Sleeping Bear Dunes National
Lakeshore (231-326-5134).  This drive is one of the prettiest & most scenic
in the state.  If you're up to the physical challenge, you can climb one the
world's largest sand dunes.  You can take a day trip via ferry out to S.
Manitou Island, about 5 miles offshore (231-256-9061).  There are also lots
of trails for hiking & biking within the national lakeshore park.  However,
be forewarned that most of them are in sand dune terrain & will thus be very
hot dry places to be at this time of year.

There, that should keep your family occupied for several days.

Have fun!

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium

----- Original Message -----
From: "Gardner, Douglas (LNG-DAY)" <douglas.gardner at lexisnexis.com>
To: "Rhodes22-List (E-mail)" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2004 3:15 PM
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Generator and Camping question... (a follow-up)


> OK, all of you generator folks, now that you've had even more time to
> evaluate your mini generators, how do you feel about them? I'm thinking
> about going ahead and getting one of those Honda's... thinking about the
> eu1000i or the 2000i.
> There is a difference of a few hundred bucks between them, so I wonder if
> I'll really need the bigger one.
>
> Use: primarily for camping.  Keeping the battery charged.  The biggest
> current draw would probably be the fan on the furnace.  I don't pretend to
> think it would power the AC, or even the fridge (which I'd put on gas if I
> didn't have hook-ups)
>
> So no, this isn't really a sailing question.  But it is a follow-up to an
> old thread.  How 'bout it Rik et al?
>
> Related question:  Starting to plan about a week long camping trip, and
are
> looking for recommendations not too far from Cincinnati.  Prefereably
north.
>
> Northern Michigan would be good (probably LP, but could be eastern UP).
> Recommendations?  We'd be trailer camping (34' Airstream), not
backcountry.
> Robin suggested Kingston Ontario (she was there at a conference a few
years
> back and loved it.)  That seems a bit far for a weeklong trip with small
> kids. Thoughts?
>
> Thought about picking Rik's brain about northern Minn... but for a week
with
> kids pulling a large trailer, that seemed a bit ambitious.
>
> I've been to Nicolet NF in Northern WI... used to go there every year.
But
> haven't been in 10 years and heard it is more crowded now.  Truth?
>
> Anyway, I appreciate your thoughts.
>
> --Doug
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