As we roll into Thanksgiving, Mrs. Weeble and I want to send a heartfelt thank you to every one of you who’ve joined us on this winding road of adventures.

Whether you’ve been with us from the first campfire post or just recently pulled your chair up to the fire, we’re grateful you’re part of this journey. In addition, your steady encouragement keeps our little corner of the web warm and welcoming.

Your comments, your curiosity, and your support keep this campsite glowing. Because of you, the stories feel richer and the miles feel lighter.

It means more than you know. However, it also reminds us how fortunate we are to share these experiences with people who enjoy the open road as much as we do.

This season has shown us that community matters. Also, every time you read, like, or share a post, you help keep Captain Weeble’s Travels rolling toward the next adventure.

From quiet forest campsites to noisy ballparks, each stop feels more special because you’re right here with us.

For that, we are truly thankful.

Continue reading “Happy Thanksgiving Everyone”

Target Field Dreams: RV Parking, Toad Talk, and Baseball Plans

As you read in my last blog, Mrs. Weeble and I are planning to stop in Minneapolis to watch the Twins play a baseball game and see Target Field. I’ve been looking at how we’d park the RV—because you just can’t park a 24-foot rig just anywhere. I’ve mentioned before that I’d like to tow a small vehicle, a “toad,” and this stop is another reminder why. It would’ve helped when Bill and I were in Shenandoah National Park on our 50-year reunion tour. A 30-foot RV doesn’t fit too well at the trailheads. That was one of the big reasons for downsizing to a Sprinter-van-type RV with a diesel motor. The idea is to keep things flexible enough for both highways and hiking trails. The problem I keep circling back to is towing a toad all the way to Alaska and back home—thousands of miles of rough, beautiful road. That’s a lot of wear and tear on both the RV and the toad. Continue reading “Target Field Dreams: RV Parking, Toad Talk, and Baseball Plans”

I’ve been thinking a little more about the stretch from Whitefish Point to the Badlands. As I mentioned last week, I was a bit concerned about pushing the Weeble RV Traveling Rules on this leg of the journey. But the more I look at it, the more I’m inclined to bend them—just a little.

The distance from Whitefish Point to Minneapolis is about 690 miles, which raises the question: where are we going to spend our nights along the way?

I’d really like to stay away from the big-name campgrounds—KOA and the like. They’re fine, but I’ve found that national parks, state parks, and local county or city campgrounds are not only friendlier but often easier on the wallet.

Sure, there are plenty of spots that allow overnight stays—Walmarts, Cracker Barrels, even a few Cabela’s parking lots. But one of the unwritten Weeble Rules is:

“Whenever possible, never set up camp in the dark.”

Continue reading “Back on the Map Again (Part 2): From Whitefish Point to the Badlands”

Back to the Map Again: Decisions, Decisions on the Road to the Badlands

By Captain Weeble

I’m sitting here with Mrs. Weeble watching Game 6 of the World Series. She’s watching the game; I’m pretending to — but truthfully, my mind keeps wandering north… to Alaska.

As of tonight, I’ve got the first 45 days of our trip roughed out. There’s a spreadsheet full of stops, rest days, and mileages that only a true map nerd could love. While Mrs. Weeble was tracking the score, I was tracking the miles.

The next leg starts at Whitefish Point in northern Michigan. And when I say northern, I mean the next stop north is the Arctic Circle — or at least that’s what it feels like. You can’t get farther north unless you bring a boat. So from there, I’m looking west.

If I stick with the official Weeble Travel Rules, the next few stops are mostly state parks scattered across Michigan and Minnesota. The only national park along that route is Voyageurs National Park. When I asked ChatGPT to fill in this leg, I gave it carte blanche — which might’ve been a mistake. It promptly suggested Voyageurs, so I checked it out.
Continue reading “Back to the Map Again”

The other night, I was kicked back in my easy chair with a map sprawled across my lap, pretending to know what I was doing. Mrs. Weeble had the World Series on TV, and I was “multitasking” — keeping one eye on the game and the other on Alaska.

She looked over and asked, “What are you doing now?”

“Planning the RV trip to Alaska,” I said proudly, like a man unveiling a great expedition.

She rolled her eyes. “You do realize that trip isn’t happening for several years, right?”

“Of course,” I said. “That’s why I’m planning it now. A trip this epic doesn’t just happen — it has to be engineered, scheduled, and possibly blessed by the travel gods.”

Then I asked, “So where would you like to go?”

Without hesitation, she said, “Niagara Falls.”
Continue reading “Back to Planning (Again): Mapping Our Epic Alaska RV Trip”

I’m going to pivot a bit from last week’s blog, where I was mapping out my dream trip to Alaska, and start thinking about what type of RV I’d actually like to buy. I know it might seem a little confusing to switch gears this fast, but that’s just how my ADHD brain works — the road winds where it wants to go.

Why a Diesel Motorhome Makes Sense

First off, I want a diesel motor. I’ve owned a Volkswagen TDI for the last seven or eight years, and I love that car. Whether I’m cruising at 55 or pushing 85 mph, it still gives me about 40 mpg on the highway. I’ve become a bit of a diesel fanboy, I’ll admit.

Now, I know I won’t be flying down the interstate at 85 mph in any motorhome — that’s not the point. But diesel engines deliver great mileage, torque, and longevity, which means more range and fewer fuel stops.

Keeping It Manageable in Size

I want it under 28 feet. That’s mostly so Mrs. Weeble might feel comfortable driving it — if I can ever talk her into it. Driving something longer than a car can feel intimidating at first, and if she never wants to drive it, that’s okay too.
Continue reading “Thinking About What Type of RV I Want”

Ever since I got back from my last camping trip, my mind’s been wandering north — way north. I’ve been thinking about Alaska. Not just getting there, but driving there from Baltimore… and then, of course, driving all the way back.

That’s roughly 8,000 miles of open road, gas receipts, and snacks of questionable nutritional value.

Now, I used to be an over-the-road truck driver, so long-distance driving doesn’t scare me one bit. But Mrs. Weeble? She’s a “go slow, stop and shop” kind of traveler. If there’s a gift shop, a farmer’s market, or a rack of postcards, we’re stopping. And probably buying something we’ll have to make room for later.

Before any of that happens, though, I’ll have to get Mrs. Weeble fully on board with the idea — and that may take some careful persuasion, a few strategically timed compliments, and possibly the promise of unlimited souvenir stops.

I’ll be honest — this trip won’t be happening anytime soon. It’s several years down the road, but something this epic takes serious planning. You don’t just wake up one morning and say, “Let’s drive to Alaska.” (Well, you could — but you’d probably forget your coffee mug, your camera, and half your socks.)

So, to keep things from turning into a cross-country endurance run, I came up with a few Weeble Travel Rules — my own, thank you very much:

• No more than 6.5 hours of driving per day. I’m not hauling freight anymore.
• If the drive tops 400 miles, we take a rest day. Humans (and RVs) need recovery time.
• If it’s interesting, we stay longer. After all, the whole point is to enjoy the journey.

I didn’t get these from any particular blogger — they just make sense after years behind the wheel. But I did get one great idea from a favorite YouTube channel, Van Trekking Lifestyle. They were planning a trip out west and used ChatGPT to help map their route. I thought, “Well, if it can help them find great stops and scenic detours, maybe it can help us too.”

So yes, maybe I’m putting the cart ahead of the camper — dreaming about routes and stops before I even own the RV. But that’s part of the fun. The dreaming and the planning are half the adventure.

And I’ll plead guilty — I don’t mind stopping and shopping either. I just have to remember that I’ll be living in an RV… which means if I buy something new, something else might have to go. Space is limited — and I’m pretty sure Mrs. Weeble’s shoe collection already called dibs on the storage bays.

To be continued…

Bill has headed back to Texas, and I’ve been home reflecting on our camping trip to Shenandoah National Park.

I really only have two complaints. The first was the RV’s refrigerator. I can’t honestly complain too much — but you’ve got to gripe about something, right? I’ve owned an RV before, back when my kids were growing up, so I know that mechanical hiccups come with the territory. You just deal with it and move on.

The second complaint? The weather. Like everyone says, it could’ve been better — but it could’ve been a whole lot worse, too. We were in front of the campfire every night, enjoying a few adult beverages and talking about a lot of nonsense. So I’ll call that a draw: Mother Nature 1, Camp Run-a-Muck 1.

Pennie, who I thought might be our biggest challenge, ended up being a real trooper. She’s used to having free rein of the yard at home, so being on a leash was new territory. She also managed to give me plenty of exercise — mostly by wrapping herself around the canopy poles every ten minutes. She loved her morning and evening walks, though. We saw plenty of deer, but she barely glanced at them. I guess her attitude was, “I see deer in my backyard every day. Nothing to see here.”

Bill and I have been talking about what we did right (quite a bit, surprisingly) and what we could do better (there’s always a list). For our first camping trip in over 30 years, I’d say we nailed it. We even wrote down a few lessons learned — partly for next time, partly because at our age, memory is more of a suggestion than a guarantee.

Now, I know the real question you’re asking: “What’s next for Camp Run-a-Muck?” We’ve been tossing around ideas — maybe the Smoky Mountains, maybe the Southwest — who knows where we’ll end up? But rest assured, there will be a sequel.

As for my next mission: getting Mrs. Weeble out on an RV trip of her own. Wish me luck.

To be continued…

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By Captain Weeble — chronicling the adventures, misadventures, and everything in between.

 

This morning, Pennie and I set out on a mission: find a level campsite. The spot we had wasn’t the worst (trust me, we’ve camped on worse), but I was tired of waking up cold because my blanket kept sliding down to the foot of the bed. Gravity was winning every night, and I’d had enough.

We found several promising, unreserved sites — or so we thought. At the ranger station, I learned those sites might already be reserved, but no one had time to check. Instead, we were told to try the first-come, first-served loop. After walking over a mile on “recon duty,” I was ready to declare defeat. Back at the RV, Bill was finally awake, so off we went again.

This time, we struck gold. I pulled out my trusty iPhone with its level app (because who needs a carpenter’s level when you’ve got Apple?) and — miracle of miracles — the site was flat. We hustled back to the ranger station to claim it. That’s when the day’s plot twist arrived.

“That’ll be $15 for tonight,” the ranger said.
“Wait a minute,” I replied. “We already paid for tonight.”

Turns out I’d only booked two nights instead of three. Oops. Lesson learned: never trust my memory when campgrounds are involved.

Meanwhile, the refrigerator is still auditioning as a sauna. I tried troubleshooting (with help from ChatGPT, naturally), confirmed the propane flame was lit, and hoped for the best. No luck. Cruise America customer service walked me through the same steps I’d already done, then offered a $75 cooler credit and $20 a day for ice. Too bad we’d already packed a cooler. At 6 p.m., the fridge was still holding steady at 77°, so it’s been officially promoted to “oven.” I’ll report it when we return the RV — though I’m not holding my breath for that refund.

This afternoon, we cruised down the Blue Ridge Parkway, stopping at overlooks and snapping photos. A ranger at the visitor center warned Bill that nasty weather was rolling in around the 60-mile mark, so we turned back north toward Loft Mountain before the storm caught up.

Tomorrow looks like a washout — 70% chance of rain all day — so we’ve decided to cut the trip a day short and head home. Even with the weather and the “spa fridge,” it’s been a great time. Tonight will be one last campfire, one last round of tall tales and politics with Bill, and one last toast to another successful (and slightly soggy) Camp Run-a-Muck adventure.

Enjoy the pictures from today — especially the one of Pennie. When we started this trip, we never thought she’d get this comfortable riding in the RV, but miracles do happen. 🐾

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By Captain Weeble — chronicling the adventures, misadventures, and everything in between.

Day Five — Adventures in Propane and Precipitation

As loyal followers of our Reunion Camping Trip saga know, we’ve relocated Camp Run-a-Muck to Loft Mountain Campground in Shenandoah National Park. This morning began with what I’ll generously call a “refreshing” surprise — the propane ran out sometime during the night. We woke up to find that the refrigerator had reinvented itself as a deluxe warm-food spa. 🥵🥶

Rather than live out of a soggy cooler, we packed up and headed down the mountain on a mission: propane and leveling blocks. (Because sleeping downhill every night is starting to feel like Olympic luge training.) After some spirited internet wrestling, we struck gold in Staunton — an RV dealer with both propane and leveling blocks. Mission accomplished!

Of course, being the seasoned professionals we are, we took our time on the way down, stopping at every overlook like card-carrying members of the Skyline Drive Appreciation Society. You’ll see some of those scenic shots here. 📸

Back at camp, just as dinner prep began, Mother Nature decided to audition for Thunderstorm Idol. The canopy switched to its exclusive “drip mode,” and we retreated to the RV — partly for safety, mostly for dryness.

But then — the skies cleared, and a rainbow stretched across the valley like nature’s apology. 🌈 Spirits lifted instantly, and we’re holding onto hope that the weather gods might finally be in a better mood.

Saturday’s forecast is threatening more rain, so we’re debating whether to brave the Blue Ridge Parkway or call it a wrap early. Decision day is Saturday morning.

That’s the latest from Camp Run-a-Muck, where the coffee is strong, the floors are slightly slanted, and the stories just keep getting better. 🚐⛺⚡

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By Captain Weeble — chronicling the adventures, misadventures, and everything in between.