Saturday, July 9, 2016

Lady Leaf is Traveling the USA to Lake Michigan and Other Delightful Destinations, Part 2

All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Lighthouse at Silver Lake, Michigan
Before leaving Decatur, Indiana, our new 'rally friends' suggested that,
instead of heading east to West Virginia as we had planned,
we should travel north to Lake Michigan.
Rob looked at me, and I asked,
"Why not?"

So away we go!
Lake Michigan, here we come,
crossing yet another state line
--Indiana to Michigan--
The countryside is beautiful,
green farmland as far as these eyes can see.
I'm so glad to be traveling through
this part of the USA for the first time.

The driving has been easy on the highways and interstates
for our 40-foot RV plus towing our Ford Escape.
There have been a few areas where
'road work in progress' has caused lanes to narrow.
That is when we take a deep breath, slow down, and look straight ahead.
This procedure has worked every time.

We arrive at Silver Lake State Park in late afternoon,
get settled, admire the large sand dunes,
then drive over to the lighthouse near sunset.
Hungry? Yes.
And we love to try new places along the way.

Typical Mom and Pop place. I enjoyed a Monte Cristo Sandwich and freshly brewed coffee.
But we also enjoy eating at home in our home-on-wheels.
Breakfast almost ready
The next day we drove our Escape north to several towns,
including Manistee Beach and a nearby charming Victorian village.
Manistee Beach, near Lake Michigan
Meanwhile, back at the campsite:
Popcorn is a real trooper
Popcorn: "Can I go for a boat ride too?"
Several nights later, a fierce thunderstorm and heavy winds
came off Lake Michigan.
The tenters broke camp; we were planning on leaving anyway.
When traveling, you never know what the weather is going to bring.
Sun, clouds, rain, hail, tornados, hurricanes, flooding ...
That's where your trust in the Lord comes in,
and continuous watching of local weather reports.
After the storm, fog rolling in from Lake Michigan.
Time to go.
On the road again ...
Heading to Wheeling, West Virginia via the Ohio Turnpike.
(Total cost: $25.00)
We stayed the night ... yes, at a Super Walmart in Macedonia, OH,
a Cleveland suburb.
More shopping and people watching.

The next day we crossed the border to West Virginia,
arriving at our destination, Wheeling, WV.
As planned, we stayed in the RV section of the beautiful Cabela's.
My Robinski in Cabela's, Wheeling, West Virginia
Eight years ago after moving from southern California to South Carolina,
I worked for Books-A-Million.
Did I tell you that I had always wanted to work in a book store?
I traveled here with an awesome gal, Jacqui Lee.
Part of her job description is opening new BAM's across the country
and I was honored to travel with her on several trips.
Our nicknames were Thelma and Louise (smile).
Since I had never been to these northern states,
I was thrilled to either fly or drive
to these various cities.
"I want to bring Rob to Wheeling some day," I said to Jacqui.
God heard,
So here we are, eight years later, in Wheeling.
Boy, has this town grown!
Many stores now surround Books-A-Million.
Me standing in front of BAM in Wheeling, WV 2016
Later, Rob and I drove downtown for dinner at the restaurant where
Jacqui and I ate eight years ago.
Nice memories. Now, new memories.

Wheeling Artisan Center and Restaurant
Me and my cane
Every leg of a road trip is exciting for me for many reasons.
New state.  New scenery.  New people.  New experiences.

After departing Wheeling and staying at our last
Super Walmart of this trip in Mount Airy--home of Mayberry,
we glamped at Tanglewood Park for a few days, near Winston-Salem, NC.
We stayed here last month on our way home from Myrtle Beach, SC and
we wanted to stop here again to visit our daughter, Carrie.
Like I said, traveling is all about the people you meet along the way.
Relaxing at Tanglewood Park before daughter Carrie arrives
I love beauty.
Beauty comes in different packages.
Scenery.  Fabrics.  Art. Animals.  Music.  People.
I try to look for the beauty in all things, big and small.
My greatest beauty is my relationship with my Lord and Savior, Jesus.
My second greatest beauty is the love of my family and friends.
Everything else falls into place.

This has been a long blog but I hope you enjoyed reading about my adventures of
Lady Traveler, the 70-year-old almost-famous author.

Here's wishing you oceans of summer traveling blessings, whether near or far.

I'll stride freely through wide open spaces as I look for 
Your truth and Your wisdom.
Psalm 119:45  the Message

2 comments:

Jennifer Richardson said...

Your adventures sound like joy to me:)
Such happy trails; glad Popcorn gets to travel along with you!
It's a beautiful way you're spending your days; pure gift:)
-Jennifer

Sharon Leaf said...

Yes, Jennifer, God has given us the gift of traveling and we are finding our happy trails, one day at a time.

On life's journey, whether traveling around the world or walking around your block, there's lots to learn about life, faith, friendship and fun! so lets dive into a new ocean together ... and lets keep that body movin'!