First off, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read our stories. When I started writing about our camping adventures, I never expected people outside our circle of friends and family to actually follow along. Apparently other campers enjoy hearing about somebody else’s questionable decisions, broken equipment, campground adventures, and occasional victories too.
And just so we’re clear—the stories on this blog really happened.
I may have a little fun telling them, but somewhere along the way Dawn, Odie, or usually all three of us actually lived through them.
Dawn and I have been together for almost 35 years, and camping has been part of our lives for most of that time.
We started out tent camping, back when sleeping on the ground somehow sounded recreational. This was before automatic leveling, recliners, multiple air conditioners, full bathrooms, and all the other things we now consider essential to “roughing it.”
Apparently we were tougher back then.
Or younger.
Probably younger.
From tent camping, we eventually moved to a small pop-up camper that we pulled behind our motorcycle. We spent years motorcycle camping and traveling around the Midwest. Looking back, I’m still not entirely sure how we managed to pack everything we needed onto a motorcycle and into that little camper.
Eventually our knees and backs reminded us that we weren’t 25 anymore, so the motorcycle camping days came to an end.
After that came a teardrop camper behind our Jeep, then a 16-foot camper.
And somewhere along the way we apparently decided that if 16 feet was good, 38 feet must be fantastic.
So we bought a 38-foot Crossroads with three slides.
It was comfortable, roomy, and about as subtle as dragging a small apartment building down the highway. We loved it, but eventually realized it was better suited to large RV parks than some of the state and national parks where we really enjoy camping.
We downsized to a Grand Design Reflection 226RK, which served us well for several years.
Then something strange happened.
The camper apparently shrank.
Anyone who has owned an RV knows exactly what I mean.
That eventually led us to our current camper, a Grand Design Reflection 150 Series 295RL fifth wheel. For us, it has turned out to be a great middle ground—enough room to be comfortable without putting us completely back into the “Where in the world are we going to fit this thing?” category.
Of course, the campers aren’t the only important members of this operation.
For many years we traveled with our two dogs, Loki and Odie. They weren’t just dogs that happened to come camping with us; they were part of the adventures.
Sadly, we lost Loki in January 2025, and we still miss having him along.
Odie Dog, however, is still going strong and loves camping as much as we do. If you read very many stories here, you’ll quickly discover that he has a habit of becoming involved in whatever is happening.
Sometimes I think Dawn and I are merely the supporting cast and Odie is actually the star of the blog.
He is always ready for a road trip, a campground walk, something to eat, or an opportunity to make whatever I’m doing just a little more complicated.
We live in Southern Illinois, just outside Marion, which puts us within easy reach of some excellent campgrounds, lakes, state parks, and the Shawnee National Forest.
Dawn has spent her career in banking, while my path has been a little less direct.
I served in the United States Marine Corps, spent years in trucking, and later spent more than 20 years teaching computer networking, cybersecurity, and related subjects at our local college. After retiring from education, I somehow found my way back into trucking and currently work as the Safety Director for a regional trucking company.
Apparently retirement and I have different definitions of the word “retirement.”
Eventually, though, the plan is simple:
Camp more. Travel farther. See more places. And collect more stories.
Over the years, our campers have changed, our trucks have changed, and our definition of roughing it has definitely changed.
The reason we camp hasn’t.
We enjoy seeing new places, meeting new people, sitting around a campground talking with people we met ten minutes earlier as though we’ve known them for years, and simply getting away together.
Some trips go exactly according to plan.
Those usually aren’t the stories you hear about.
The good stories tend to involve something breaking, bad weather, a questionable decision on my part, Odie getting involved, or me saying those four words Dawn has learned to fear:
“I’ve got an idea.”
That’s usually when the story begins.
This blog is where I share those adventures, along with campground reviews, restaurant stops, towing experiences, RV equipment, camping tips, cooking, a few Marine Corps stories, and whatever else happens along the way.
If one of our stories makes you laugh, reminds you of something that happened on one of your own trips, helps you find a good campground or restaurant, or keeps you from making a mistake I’ve already made for you, then the blog has done its job.
Take a look around and read a few stories. If you enjoy them, subscribe so you’ll know when the next adventure—or disaster—gets posted.
Hopefully we’ll cross paths with some of you at a campground somewhere down the road.
And if you happen to see a black Chevy hooked to a Grand Design 295RL, Odie supervising from somewhere nearby, Dawn shaking her head, and me standing outside the camper surrounded by tools…
Don’t worry.
We’re probably just working on the next story.