While visiting family and friends in Indiana and Michigan we debated on where we would spend our summer. Option #1 go back to the UP (upper peninsula) of Michigan. A familiar and beloved favorite where we have spent our last two summers. Option #2 head to the New England area and explore Maine. A state that’s been on our list for several years, a brand new place to explore. But it also means plenty of research into new camp spots.

With just a few days to go before heading out we made our decision. We were going for the new adventure. But we took the pressure off to make it to Maine. Instead opting to target upstate New York and then decide if we had enough time to continue. Maine is twice the distance as Copper Harbor, Michigan the tip top of the UP. However, we were getting an earlier start. Leaving a month earlier than the previous two years.

With many unknowns ahead we embarked on a new adventure. As I sit here writing this blog post we are currently 1 hour from the Maine border in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The journey to this point has been filled with absolute stunning beauty. It is such a treasure to have the opportunity to explore new states and places. I feel very grateful indeed.

Before our summer adventures began we enjoyed plenty of quality family time. Days spent with our grand puppies, hammock time, the kids’ purchasing their tear drop camper, and a couch desk for me.

Visiting friends with puppy friends and delicious dinners.

When a dear friend passed away from ALS I drove back down to Indianapolis for an overnight to attend her memorial. That evening I had all three dogs keeping me company in the spare bedroom.

Nancy, you will be dearly missed. I must say her memorial captured her memory perfectly. A friend from school spoke – giving us an insight into her school age time. Her son spoke of her being an incredible mother. Finally, her dear husband spoke of their first date and how he finally convinced her to marry him. It was truly the best way to honor her life.

We also celebrated Shane’s step mom’s birthday with homemade cupcakes courtesy of yours truly.

Then we bid farewell to our family and the northeast adventure began.

An overnight stay at Punderson State Park in Ohio made for a nice layover on our way to Pennsylvania. Our spot was right on the lake. However a cool front with rain came in, making our outdoor time short lived.

On our way to the Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania, we encountered this obstacle for the first time. One guy stopped as we waved him on and said “ah, I think you can make it”. We did not even try. We turned around and found a quick way around it.

Allegheny National Forest – PA

This was a true treasure. Plenty of free spots to boondock with hiking and kayaking nearby. Internet was spotty but we managed to snag a spot with cell service – meaning our hot spot would work. It wasn’t fast but it worked. This particular spot did not look like much at first glance. It was basically a spot to park the RV but a path off to the side revealed a beautiful secluded space I called “The Oasis”.

This place was so peaceful. It was a great re-introduction to being back in the wild. We stayed for 2 weeks and I could easily have stayed longer. It’s on our list for the return trip back to Michigan/Indiana.

During our stay we met the nicest guy who worked for the National Forest as an engineer. Shout out to Bob. It was truly a pleasure to meet you and your dog Peggy . We scored some seriously great swag from him. National Forest stickers, a bookmark, and 2 cool patches.

Plenty of outdoor activities abound here. We kayaked and enjoyed a nice sunny day on the water. In the photo below that is an Osprey returning to his/her nest.

We ate ice cream. It was delicious! Hiked and found this cool stone staircase leading down below the rock cliff. Josie loved exploring all the nooks and crannies. Shane loved playing around with the old pay phone we found at the abandoned visitors center.

This is the face of a very unhappy Josie after we were caught in a downpour during a hike. She does not like the rain! And my plants loving their spot on the desk.

The Allegheny was a tough one to leave. Turns out there would be more tough to leave spots on down the road. On our way to spend 4th of July weekend with our friends near Poland, NY we stopped at Keuka State Park for an overnight stay. State parks are nice layovers. Tanks can be dumped, trash disposed of, and water refilled. This spot was pretty quiet and each site was spacious with plenty of trees in between for privacy. It was right on the way making it a simple choice.

We had a wonderful holiday weekend with friends along with other friends of ours visiting from Tennessee. To this point we had our fair share of rain and some wildfire smoke from Canada. But no regrets for choosing the northeast for the summer.

Up Next: Upstate New York