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Mueller State Park - June |
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In late June 2013 we
visited Mueller State Park for a two-night camping trip. It would be
the first time we camped together. We reserved site 4 in the Peak
View loop. It is a perfectly level site with great views and easy
access to water.
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Kathy's camper is a 1982 Viking Pop-up (nickname: the Brussel Sprout) so it is dripping with vintage charm, nostalgia, and probably water when it rains, but luckily our first camping trip together was completely dry.
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Shown here is the camping
equipment employed last time Randy camped at Mueller in site 4
(August 2007). Change is good! Kathy was so proud of Randy surviving
an entire weekend camping in a pop-up that lacks running water, a
toilet, a refrigerator, a shower, an oven, air conditioning, an
awning, and a remote-controlled furnace. Since Kathy is a veteran
tent camper, from her perspective the Brussel Sprout is similar to
the Four Seasons Hotel!
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Setting up a Pop-up camper
takes much more time and effort than a hard-side trailer. Although
the hard-side trailer will not fit in my garage like our pop-up
does, so we can store it inside and not incur rental fees. Benefits
to each camping style, right?
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Kathy uses every burner on
the stove to cook a spaghetti and turkey meatball dinner on our
first night.
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Here is the dining table
all set up for breakfast. The upholstery is brand new. Kathy chose a
very cool late 70's style pattern and her mother Betty did the
sewing work.
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Kathy sits at the Peak
View trailhead that overlooks a small pond. We ended up hiking for
three hours and completed both the Peak View and Meadow View trails.
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Great mountain views from
the appropriately named Peak View loop.
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Beautiful meadow with a
mountain backdrop discovered on our hike.
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This is what happens when
Kathy says, "Hey, go stand next to that big rock."
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Wildflowers were in
abundance.
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We took pictures of
flowers in hope that a nursery horticulturist could identify them
for us so we can plant them in the native areas around our home.
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Randy cooked breakfast on
our last day. Killer sausage, egg beater, and potato burritos. At
6'5" tall, Randy can stand inside the Brussel Sprout without hitting
his head on the roof, even when wearing a hat.
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Saturday evening dinner
was better than fine restaurant dining. We enjoyed filet mignon,
grilled red and yellow peppers, and smokehouse grilling beans. We
drank all our wine on the first night with the spaghetti dinner, so
for this meal Kathy chose a Mike's Hard Cranberry Lemonade and Randy
had a Stella. The drapes you see behind Kathy are also new to the camper and keep the vintage look and feel intact.
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We had a great first camping trip together at Mueller and plan to be back whenever possible.
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