Camping in Door County

 I always enjoy getting feedback from previous columns that I've written, and I especially appreciate the feedback when it's positive! All kidding aside, I heard from a lot of people regarding a recent article about camping.  

Well, in August the kids and I camped at Peninsula State Park and I am very happy to report that it did not rain one time. I can't remember the last time we camped and stayed 'dry' the entire time, but it happened up in Door County! I must admit though, that on Wednesday morning, the forecast called for a 80% chance of rain early Thursday morning, which just so happened to be the day we were packing up and heading out. Because of this I chose to pack up our site on Wednesday night and we stayed nearby in Bailey's Harbor at a motel  

And, of course, as it works, it did not rain on Thursday morning. I don't mind though, because after camping since Sunday, it felt wonderful to take a shower and clean up the smoke, sweat, dirt, blood, sand, and bug spray that I had layered on through the week.

The kids and I had a great time at Peninsula. We saw a show at the amphitheater, we biked a lot of miles (Emerin set a new personal record for longest bike ride and obviously earned extra ice cream in return), we hiked, we climbed the tower, we spent a day at Nicolet Beach, and we visited some of the must-see sights in Door County like Wilson's (ice cream) and Cave Point (we jumped off the cliffs!) and the squiggly road (Estelle's term) that leads to the Washington Island Ferry.

Another highlight was a late-night drive to Newport State Park where we saw Northern Lights and a Meteor Shower. It was truly a blessing to have the moments with the kids!  

The kids also learned a valuable lesson when collecting firewood. If you see a big piece of lumber anywhere near the garbage dumpsters, don't collect it to use as firewood. It's there to help the Trash Pandas (raccoons!) get out of the dumpsters in the morning!

As of Monday, all three kids are back in school, and fall sports are ramping up. I hope for another camping escape this fall if the schedule allows it!