We made it to Winona last night in time to get a boat ride and watch the sunset. The sun doesn’t set here until after 9:00 so we were able to unpack, eat dinner, and get out on the lake.
Brad driving the pontoon on our first night at Winona LakeHomes on the lakefrontSophie wasn’t so sure about this boat riding thingRalphie, on the other hand, took to it like a proDinner on the lake included a beautiful Brunello di Montalcino served with classic Midwestern Italian food
As many of you know, I was born here and spent every summer of my childhood at Winona Lake, Indiana. Our lake house has been in the family since 1937. My Dad was seven or eight (he’s not quite sure) when he moved here and he has spent every summer here since. I was born here in 1958 and have done the same except for that pesky little summer where Brad and I got married. Brad knew that part of his wedding vows included an annual trip to “The Lake” and he hasn’t broken that promise.
Winona is the place where we are at our happiest. I love being on the water and walking along the streets of the Village. Brad always has a big smile when he is driving our boat along the shore. At Winona, time has a way of standing still. Things have definitely changed along the years. Generations have come and many have sadly gone, but there is a sameness and a peacefulness that remains. As we have sheltered in place in Danville, Brad and I would frequently talk about how wonderful it would be to be on the lake and just isolate ourselves at Winona. More importantly, we needed to see my Dad who turned 91 this summer. My Dad and I have always been close…we get each other and enjoy spending time together. When we were both much younger, we spent a lot of time on the lake together. My Dad would get up before work and I would get up early before whatever I was doing and we would play tennis together in the mornings. Tennis has always been my favorite sport because of him even though he beat me practically every time — even when he was well into his 70’s.
My Dad and I on the pontoon boat in the summer of 1959
My Dad and I on the pontoon boat in the summer of 2020
And, what is a day at the lake without a Dairy Queen Buster Bar
That’s the background to how the RV idea began. Brad made it happen and now here we are with the two dogs and my Dad (Incidentally, my Dad hates dogs. More on that in another blog). COVID-19 is a reality here in Winona because no place is truly untouched by the virus. Indiana has a mandatory mask policy because their cases are going up. The per capita rate here is actually almost identical to Danville’s.
Our kids and grandkids are not here with us. My brother and sister and their families couldn’t make it. Usually, we are cooking for 15-18 people. This summer there will just be the three or four of us for dinners and patio wine tasting. It is not safe enough for the rest of our family to fly here or even to drive. The virus and our government’s policies have robbed all of us from family traditions and chances for multiple generations to get together to laugh and play and dine and play games and “assume the position” in lawn chairs at the end of the evening. Sadly, there will be no reunion this year.
We are going to treasure every single day we are here this summer because one thing we have learned during this pandemic is to never take anything for granted. Not days at the lake, not family reunions, and not times with your 91-year-old-Dad.
Post Script: While digging through old pictures this morning, I found a special family service that my Aunt Barbara and Uncle Russ did at the lake in 1992. Their description of Winona is as perfect as it gets. (Paraphrased and updated slightly by me)
“This place–Winona Lake–this cottage–are symbols to us of a whole host of meanings and feelings connected with family. There are other places, other houses, other memories no less important. But these are the ones that all of us share. The “Stauffer” cottage is a reminder of all our families and their experiences. It represents to three (now four) generations of descendants of Irene and Bob Stauffer. It represents crazy times and creative times, happy days and miserable ones, a family’s strength and its failings, its original circle and its growing circle, its joy and its grieving. It is a symbol of a wider community–a group of people whose lives got entwined on the shore in lasting ways.
So far our blogs about our trip have been written by Brad with editing/suggestions by me. However, I bet many of you are wondering how I really am adjusting to this mode of travel. Do I love it or do I LOVE IT as in one of our favorite SNL skits?
Here’s the reality. I am adaptable. I used to love camping and then on one camping trip each daughter threw up successively in our tent and I swore off camping. We traded up to rustic cabins at Graeagle and I was in heaven. I also loved our sailing trips with Jim and Jayne Taylor on Andiamo in the BVI. I still consider those the best vacations of our lives even though we lived in tiny quarters and barely showered and never wore makeup or used a blow dryer. I knew I could do this but some questioned whether I would “Love It.”
So far…and let’s remember we are really new at this…I am honestly loving it. I love the fact that we are seeing new places. I love the fact that we are self-contained during a pandemic and have our own bathroom and cook our own food. I love that on our road trip we don’t have to stop at fast food places but instead seek out serene parks where the dogs can play and we can eat at a picnic bench. I am enjoying being disconnected to the internet and Twitter and Nextdoor and the news. I love spending time with Brad without distractions.
We ate lunch today at Anita Lake State Park. It was beautiful.
Sophie likes our lunch stops too.
We are learning how to do the dance that we learned from Jim and Jayne Taylor on the Andiamo as we cook and move in a small space. We planned our simple menus in detail and we packed our small pantry and cabinets with precision. We are getting better every day as we figure out more efficient ways to do the dishes or make the bed and manage our water and power. We may not be making the gourmet meals that Jayne Taylor made but we make up for it with a really good bottle of wine!
When packing for this trip, it was clear that we needed to be organized and be minimalists. Something that Brad and I are not known for when we travel — especially me. I have a closet in the RV that is three square feet, so packing cubes (thank you Mary Frandsen), are saving me. I usually show up for a weekend trip with a large suitcase and an extra toiletries bag. So far, we are proud of ourselves with our organization and minimalism. We seem to have brought the right stuff and not too much. (True Confessions: I did ship a box of cute clothes, sundresses, and swimsuits to the lake)
Some of you have asked about the interior of our RV. Here are a few pictures of the couch and bed complete with Tommy Bahama bedding, cute pillows and an adorable dog. The cabinet to the left is my three square foot closet!
Our living area including kitchen, bathroom, living room and bedroom.
Ralphie gracing the sitting area in the back. The two small cabinets on the left are my closet.
The sitting area converts to a king-sized bed at night.
We really like being part of the RV network “Harvest Hosts’. Harvest Host is a collection of wineries, breweries, golf courses, and farms where members can stay for a small annual fee. They allow a limited number of RV owners to park overnight on their properties. So far, we have been the only ones at each site and that is exactly what we are looking for on this trip.
Last night, we arrived at our destination — Thornridge Golf Course in Milford, Nebraska. Milford is a town of 2000 people outside of Lincoln, Nebraska. The Winona Rider looked out at a beautiful golf course and a community swimming pool. There was a gorgeous little park down the street that we let the dogs run around. It was all quite delightful actually.
Our home for the night in Nebraska overlooked a beautiful golf course.
The idyllic park right next door.
The park had nostalgic old-time playground equipment.
When we arrived and set up camp, I was struck by the sound of children laughing and playing at the community pool. There were dozens of kids swimming going down the water slide. Before I knew it, I realized I had tears in my eyes. I haven’t heard groups of children laughing in six months. We live by an elementary school and one of the happy sounds in our home is the sound of children laughing and playing at recess during the school days and families cheering during softball and soccer season. It was a feeling of normalcy that I have taken for granted every other year of my life and might have even been annoyed by. These kids’ sounds brought me to tears. I guess when you live in a very small town in the middle of Nebraska, Covid-19 is not something that kids and parents are as worried about as in the Bay Area.
The community pool across the street.
We are currently staying at the Living History Farm in Des Moines, Iowa. Early in the evening, we connected with our good friends Jenny and Steve Clark for a lovely socially-distanced glass of Walt Wine. They were great sports as we showed up looking a little like the Griswalds with our RV, two unruly dogs and our very casual appearance! Luckily, we were able to back out of their driveway more easily than at Vicki’s!
Jenny and Steve Clark
Brad was in heaven grilling out dinner at the farm. Of course, he bought a small Weber grill and modified it to operate off of the RV’s propane system. We ate Beyond Burgers, drank a nice Chianti, and were joined by some deer and a few geese. All socially distanced, of course.
Beyond burgers with Swiss cheese grilled on a mini-Weber grill.
Tomorrow evening our destination is Winona Lake. We hope to get there in time for a Winona Sunset and a boat ride. It’s been a six day journey instead of a six hour one like past years but this time it really is all about the journey and not just the destination!
“If you think travel is dangerous, try routine, it’s lethal.” Paul Coelho
Lisa and I have been (trapped?) in Danville pretty much the entire time since March. We’ve largely been in a routine — doing the same thing every single day. For those of you that know us, this isn’t normal. But, then nothing is normal these days, is it?
We sit here in our condo in Boulder, CO and we have been overwhelmed by the feeling of freedom as we’ve reflected on our past three days of travel. The freedom to move around; freedom to see friends we haven’t seen (other than on Zoom calls) in months; freedom to see my sister Vicki; freedom to watch a sunset in Boulder, our happy place we haven’t been able to visit since last October. Freedom to go places was something we used to take for granted. Not anymore.
Things are different, of course. We have to stay socially distanced. No hugs with the friends and family we love. Entering homes through side doors and basements. Wearing masks everywhere we go. But, we are free nevertheless. With the Winona Rider (our RV, for those who missed our first blog episode), Lisa loves being able to go to the bathroom anytime she wants. And, there is no worry about waiting in line for one’s turn or cleanliness.
We stayed at Dollar point overlooking Lake Tahoe on our first night. We stayed with our close friends Mike and Mary Frandsen. They sleep on the second floor, we slept in their basement. It’s a beautiful home and we felt lucky to have dinner with them on their deck even if we never got within six feet of them.
Sunset over Lake Tahoe
As we unpacked our things for the night, Mike mentioned that we needed to remove all food from the RV. Bears. “You’re kidding,” I said. “The RV windows are higher than a bear is tall. ” He let me know that bears are resourceful and their sense of smell is very acute. “I don’t care how cute they are,” I replied. Dad joke. A very bad one.
So, Lisa and I proceeded to empty five bags of groceries out of the RV and bring them into the house. As we went to bed, I did wonder if I had fully cleaned up Maile’s goldfish crackers that I had spilled the day before.
We arose the next morning with a fully intact RV, untouched by cute bears. We thanked Mike and Mary profusely and headed out for our long trip to Utah.
Saying thank you and goodbye to Mike and Mary
Oh. We haven’t mentioned the dogs. We brought along our two canine companions Ralphie and Sophie. Ralphie is our 4 1/2-year-old Welsh Corgi. Sophie, our 4 1/2-month-old German Shepherd mix rescue dog. Another COVID shelter-in-place acquisition for us. They have been great (with a few exceptions) so far.
Ralphie, left. Sophie, right
Next stop, Salt Lake City to see my sister Vicki. But first, we needed to travel through Nevada. If you have never done this, let’s just say it’s a slog. Chris Dittmore and Matt Swinnerton road across the entire country on bikes but the Nevada portion felt like the never ending story to them. We felt the same way and we were driving. But, for those who are wondering how the Winona Rider is handling the trip, Nevada helped us know it is a great way to travel. I am very glad it isn’t bigger. Every ten miles there is a sign that warns of high winds. That’s no exaggeration. Every. Ten. Miles. From border to border. Now, a high profile vehicle feels all of that wind. So, you do need to pay attention. But, it wasn’t too bad and we crossed the Utah border fully intact. I have, however, never been so happy to see those salt flats.
The Great Salt Flats
We arrived at Vicki’s place in Salt Lake City. She had recently relocated from Des Moines and had just bought and remodeled a new home. She had taken us through a Zoom tour a few short months ago and now it was done (I still don’t know how that was possible). It was beautiful. Vicki respected our desire to stay distanced and brought us in through a side door where our very comfortable bedroom and bath was awaiting us. She also had room to park the RV behind a gate in her driveway.
After a fantastic salmon dinner and great conversation, we went to bed. We had time to go on a three mile hike the next morning to a nearby park in the shadow of the Wasatch mountains. I can see why she moved there. It is a spectacular place to live with outdoor activities as the headliner.
Our walk in the park boasted spectacular views
Vicki had to head out before we left. She gave us lockup instructions and we said our thank-yous and goodbyes.
Standing with Vicki in front of her new home
Ralphie, Sophie, and Vicki’s dog Finn, all a bit worn out after our walk in the park.
As we left Vicki’s home we encountered our first, um, hurdle with the RV. Lisa guided me through the gate and back to the end of the driveway. As I backed into the street I felt a lurch and heard a low-pitched scrapping sound. Winona Rider came to an abrupt halt. The dip in the driveway as it met the street was too deep for us to negotiate. We have a cargo box for extra storage attached to the trailer hitch. It bottomed out on the street. Lisa instructed me to pull forward and try a different angle. Same result. Another angle. Same result. Meanwhile, the street in front of Vicki’s house was suffering more and more ruts from the effort. I wonder if she’ll send me a bill for the damage.
We decided to unload the storage box and try again. This time, Lisa had me drive over the curb in the hope that the extra height would help. Success! Despite some slight bottom dragging we broke free. We reinstalled the cargo box, reloaded it and headed off to Boulder.
Wyoming is almost as long as Nevada but slightly more interesting. The one thing we noticed as we drove across the state was the makeup of vehicles on the Wyoming portion of I-80. The number one most sighted vehicles were big rigs. You would never know we are in a recession with the number of trucks on the road. Number 2 — RVs. There were RVs of all types — trailers, fifth wheels, gigantic motor homes, campers. I said to Lisa that despite our RV being one of the biggest things I had driven, we were one of the smallest things on the highway. Last in the procession were cars. Not too many of them.
Lisa and I met in Boulder. We got married in Boulder. Boulder is one of our favorite places in the world. Driving into Colorado, approaching the Flatiron Mountains that overlook the city, and then driving into Boulder was very exciting for us. Lisa put on her Colorado playlist and we sang at the top of our lungs.
Our condo has underground parking with a ceiling height of nine feet. Our RV is 10-feet high. Not gonna make it. Fortunately, Lisa’s childhood friend Joan Stucka who lives in Boulder offered to let us park the RV in her driveway and, on top of that, loan us one of their cars. Good friends are like gold.
Sometimes you go back to a place you haven’t been for a while and you feel like it hasn’t changed. We have only been gone for a few months. And, while there is the deep familiarity things are definitely different. COVID different.
Masks are everywhere, Boulder has only a 2% positivity rate (the Bay Area is 6 or 7%; Southern California is 15%). Boulder is doing it right. Places are opened up. Restaurants even have indoor dining. But, they have adjusted based on the science behind the virus. Tables are spaced very far apart. Stores are open, but, only if they can provide appropriate distancing. And, the residents are taking it seriously. Still, it is surreal. We have gradually gotten used to all the differences at home. It is more jarring to see the dramatic change in a place so familiar.
Pearl St. at Ninth Ave. Closed to traffic so restaurants can expand into the street. Note all the masks.
We grilled pork chops on our back deck tonight and watched the sun go down over the mountains. We were both feeling relaxed, content, and lucky to have each other and this experience.
We haven’t really had a true RV camping experience yet as we have stayed with friends or at our own condo. Tomorrow we head to Nebraska and a night on our own in the RV. We’ll see how much we like this newfound freedom after that.
Stay tuned for more of this adventure as we make our way to Winona Lake, Indiana.
If we went back to January 2020 to warn ourselves about what was to come there would be many things that we might not believe. It’s been a year of suffering and frustration for many in this country. We have been fortunate. Our caution since the pandemic hit has spared our family from getting sick. We have, however, had to adjust in ways we couldn’t have anticipated in January. Sheltering in place, wearing a face mask, social distancing — all things that seem so normal today. But, the one that might have surprised us the most? Lisa and I bought a motor home and are getting ready to embark on a socially-distanced cross-country adventure.
Let’s go back to the beginning to see how this out-of-character behavior began.
Lisa was talking with her girlfriends on a Zoom happy hour (another COVID-19 invention) when she started to lament her inability to take our annual trip to Winona Lake, Indiana. Her father had just turned 91 and seeing him whenever possible is of utmost importance. And, we haven’t missed a year since we got married. But, flying is not safe yet; driving requires a lot of risk with hotels, bathroom, and food stops. Seemed undoable. Then she (or someone on the call) brought up the idea of an RV trip. Sounded like an option. So, after the call was over, Lisa came to me with the idea. “Sounds promising,” I said. “I’ll look into it.”
Lisa’s Dad looking through his tree at Winona Lake
I began to research RV rentals. Now, going to Winona was going to be a month-long excursion with a stop in Boulder and a possible national park visit. The rental costs were sky high, especially since it would be parked unused for a much of the time while we were in Boulder and Winona Lake. Since we love to travel and this might be our only means to do so for a while, and given we want to visit my parents, see our place in Boulder periodically, and head off on other adventures, I wondered if buying a motor home might not be a bad idea. So, the research began.
We ended up buying a used 2017 Airstream Interstate Grand Tour motor home. And, we were fortunate. There have been a number of COVID crazes and, I think we’ve done them all. First it was sourdough bread and banana bread, then it was a puppy (Sophie), then a hot tub, then a backyard playground for the grandkids. And, finally, a motor home. All of these crazes drove up demand for the products and we were fortunate to put a deposit on our RV before the masses came rushing in. One news report we saw said that RV sales are up 170% from the pre-COVID period. We feel lucky to have gotten such a nice unit for the price we did.
Lisa and I picking up our new mode of transportation
Lisa says I became obsessed with the idea of becoming an RV owner. I guess I did. It would be six weeks before we could take delivery once we pulled the trigger because the Airstream dealership was so slammed with demand. So, it was YouTube videos to learn what to do; blogs to learn about this strange new hobby; Amazon to buy all the needed accessories the videos and blogs said I must have. I also started planning our trip (Yes, Gracie, you heard that right. I am doing the planning).
You can imagine how excited we were to take delivery on our new toy! Lisa thought it should have a name. Katie suggested The Winona Rider. It stuck.
First up: a test run up to Sonoma Valley. We joined a network called Harvest Hosts which allows members to park their RV overnight for free at wineries, breweries, farms, and golf courses around the country. We chose Mayo Vineyards in Glen Ellen as our maiden voyage destination. If you know us, going to a winery would not be a surprise. Driving is easy since it is a relatively small RV so the trip up was a breeze. We arrived and the woman running the winery welcomed us and had us back in to a spot among the grape vines. Maybe this will be a better way to travel than we expected! She then offered us a socially-distanced wine tasting and told us we could set up in their outdoor tasing area after they closed if we wanted to eat dinner and allow the dogs to roam around in the enclosed space. Yes!
Camping in the vineyardOur wine and cheese dinner at Mayo VineyardsLisa and I hanging in the tasting area after closing time.
We both slept like babies. It was like camping, only more luxurious. And, since we haven’t left Danville since March it felt even more special. Yes, there were a few hiccups. For example, when your rig isn’t plugged into an outlet it is important to be economical with power usage so you don’t drain your batteries. I woke up at 4 am and noticed I had forgotten to turn off the outside lights. Lisa said she heard me mutter, “You idiot.” (to myself) as I got up to turn them off. Our batteries were fine, but, it was a warning to have a checklist of things to pay attention to. I am guessing this won’t be our last rookie mistake.
Tomorrow we begin the main event. A month-long RV trip with stops in Lake Tahoe, Salt Lake City, Boulder, Lincoln, Des Moines before we reach Winona Lake. On the way home we will retrace our steps to Boulder before going north to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. We are looking forward to the adventure (misadventure?) of a lifetime. All without setting foot on an airplane or pulling out our passports. Our marriage has survived 35 years. It’s survived sheltering in place in our relatively spacious home. Why not test it in a space the size of your master bath for one month?
Our four week route.
We plan on being extremely cautious as we don’t want to get sick or infect anyone else. Of course, we’ll be sporting our masks and keeping our distance as we go. It will be interesting to see how the cultural differences around the country impact the seriousness that people handle the risks. Join us on this road trip as we blog all of our experiences.
When we bought the RV, Lisa said we would be selling it on the day a vaccine is released. Now we’re thinking, perhaps, we will keep The Winona Rider well past the pandemic. Who knows?
Lisa and Brad's Travels 