4/4/88

Whew!  Everything takes soooo long in the new MH.  We are ready to leave at 10:45 AM.  We pulled into Shawnee State Park at 3:45 PM -- five hours -- but it didn't seem that long -- no gas stops.  Although it didn't seem easier to drive, it seemed like the time went faster.  Meg and Matt took two naps - Mansfield to Columbus and Chillicothe to Lucasville.  I took 71 through Columbus -- all kinds of construction -- bypass next time!  We stopped south of Columbus on 23 for lunch - sandwiches!  We are on site 30 -- level and nice up near the playground.  The kids rode and played.   At about 4:30-5 another group pulled in with a 6 year-old girl.  Meg was thrilled.  We cooked hot dogs and marshmallows.  The girl's father is a driver inspector from South Amherst and we talked for a while.  Talked with the ranger for a bit.  I called him about a lose dog - super friendly and if we were in the market we'd take it home.  Very protective as if her job was to take care of all the kids in the campground.  Meg helped Matt off the stair and he has cut his knee.  She also landed on her face coming down the slide on her stomach!  Then she was coming down the hill to another site.  She needed to brake hard but panicked and went head-over-heels after attempting to cross a 6 x 6 inch piece of lumber at the site.  I am sure they will be well bruised and cut up by the time we get home.  The kids fell asleep about 10:30 and I went to sleep about 11:30.

4/5/88

Up at 8:30.  Biking, playing, and general goofing around.  Friends came and went.  There are four of us in the park.  One with a kid.  It's now 7:01 PM and we finished dinner.  We cooked marshmallows.  Really ran out.  Meg wanted to go to bed!  Neat!  We all took showers in our new shower!  Great!  Neat!  I am thrilled!  We are all squeaky clean on one-quarter tank of water and one-quarter in the holding tanks.  Great!  NO MORE stinky, smelly public showers!  I'm thrilled!  Now 2152 and time for bed!  85 degrees today, whew.  Turned the air conditioning on--life is rough in our new motorhome!  Even called Mom again about the showers.

4/6/88

We were up at 8 AM.  Got loaded and went to Scioto.  Pouring rain and very muddy.  If it were nicer we would have a lot of fun as there are a number of trails in the park.  We had lunch and registered in the POURING rain. Came REAL clost to backing into a tree, stopped within four inches.  Rain, rain, rain, rain, rain.  What a day!   Bed at dark.

4/7/88

up in the rain, rain, rain.  Went to Mt. Gilead State Park.  Rain the auxiliary tank dry.  Took 31 gallons.  We are camping with no hookups!  Took $47.70 - 56.18 gallons gives 7 mpg.  Not bad with generator testing, running, with oil changes, etc.  We WILL be using the generator today!  Took a walk in the woods, bike rides, very cold.  Bed at nine to ten and up at seven AM.  A boss-and-secretary haven.

4/8/88

To Findlay -- a swamp.  Biked about 8 miles, walked in the mud.  Mud, mud everywhere.  We had fun, though!

4/9/88

Mom is here now.  Biked, walked, burned hot dogs and marshmallows.  Walked in the mud.  Three days of no hookups without a hitch.  Megan loves to blow dry her hair, pain to have the generator on.  We are all taking showers.  The kids climbed a tree.  Went to bed later and didn't get up until nine.  Ate until 11.  Meg and I took a long walk on what turned out to be the Buckeye Trail and ended up on 57.  The kids played.  We came home.  Turns out the dump station was closed due to sewer problems.  I have to go out again to dump and get gas.  I never got around to it!

Further information on Ohio State Parks are available at their website.