Start:  Outside Philadelphia, PA - Home
Destination:  Sturgis, MI - <a href="http://www.amigocentre.org/">Amigo Campground</a>
Odometer:  101,469 (start)    102,137 (end)    668 miles.

We're going west.  My Dad has retired and has always wanted to see the natural beauty of the western United States. I've finished my PhD and have also wanted to go experience that part of the country.  For weeks we've been planning this trip, buying supplies, making reservations, preparing the itinerary, and generally looking forward to this trip.  This morning, at 6:15am, it began.

Everything started off great.  We woke up early, said goodbye to Mom, and were on the road.  We made all the lights to the highway, but then, our first issue:  "Why does the GPS say it has no power? It's plugged in."  Now, some would think having two GPSs, each with their own power supplies would be over-packing.  However, when one's power adapter has apparently broken, you appreciate having that extra adapter you didn't think you'd use.

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The driving was smooth all the way across Pennsylvania.  We took I-80 and were able to seeing the green mountains of PA...as some refer to as "the Kentucky" region of PA (no disparagement intended).  It's funny how you can live near something for so long, but never see it.  In this case, for me, it was Lehigh Valley.  I have lived outside Philadelphia for 18 years, and while I had heard of Lehigh Valley, I had never seen it.  It wasn't until we were driving through a scenic valley, with forested mountains all around and going through those mountains in the tunnel, that it dawned on me:  "Oh, so THIS is Lehigh Valley." If there's a place near you that you've heard of, but haven't yet taken the time to visit, please do so.

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Having gone about 3/4 across PA, our full tank of gas used up, it was time to stop to feed the car and ourselves.  The gas station had a nice big rock, and we enjoyed a picnic lunch of bagels and lox (thanks Mom :-)

[caption id="attachment_17" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Gas Station Picnic of Bagels and Lox"]<a href="http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/102_1126.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-17" title="102_1126" src="http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/102_1126-300x225.jpg" alt="Gas Station Picnic of Bagels and Lox" width="300" height="225" /></a>[/caption]

My Dad took the wheel and drove us for the next tank through Pennsylvania, to Ohio, Indiana, and then slightly north to Sturgis, Michigan.  My Dad enjoyed looking across the flatlands of Ohio, but I'm holding out for driving through the plane states on the way back.  We've decided to aim to get pictures of the state welcome signs we pass, so here they are:

[caption id="attachment_23" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Welcome to Ohio"]<a href="http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/102_1131.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-23" title="102_1131" src="http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/102_1131-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_27" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Welcome to Indiana"]<a href="http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/102_1135.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-27" title="102_1135" src="http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/102_1135-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_45" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Welcome to &quot;Pure&quot; Michigan"]<a href="http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/102_1154.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-45" title="102_1154" src="http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/102_1154-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>[/caption]

We arrived at the campground earlier than expected and were glad we choose this site.  It is right on a big lake, the plots are large, the bathrooms and showers worked, and the management was friendly.

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This was going to be our first night camping, and so the first goal was to setup our new <a href="http://www.coleman.com/coleman/colemancom/detail.asp?product_id=2000007831">Coleman 6-person instant tent</a>. We found a nice spot under a tree that was along the lake and not on top of the colonies of ant hills (they were busy and left us alone).  The tent went up as advertised, and a few minutes later, we were set.

<a href="http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/102_1146.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-37" title="102_1146" src="http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/102_1146-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>

Next, it was time for dinner.  I enjoy cooking and wanted to try/practice some meals while camping.  That night, it was tuna-melts.  Tuna cans, check.  Pots to use as a mixing bowl, check.  Spices, check.  Stove that lights, check.  Can opener....D'oh.  Racing the sun going down, I drove the car to the nearest Dollar General and splurged on a $2.50 can opener and was back by 7.  Now, usually tuna melts use a toaster, but we're roughing it, so we didn't bring one and were left to improvise.

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I learned early on from my camping trips with Triangle Fraternity, to always bring a lot of aluminum foil, since you can always seem to make whatever it is you need.  In this case, a means for heating the tuna and melting the cheese without burning the bread or the cheese.  Some experiments later, I had the an aluminum foil wrapper that did the trick.  I should also note, that the inexpensive <a href="http://www.coleman.com/coleman/colemancom/detail.asp?product_id=2000000260&amp;categoryid=5150">Coleman camp stove toaster</a> contraption also worked surprisingly well.  I recommend it.

A half hour later, we sat down to dinner. The meal wasn't the best, but it was definitely good for the first meal out.

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And thanks to my Dad who insisted that we somehow fit 35 bottles of water in the car, we had cold water to drink, since there was only a small water fountain and a faucet with non-potable water in our section of the campground.  He also established what will likely be our delegation of duties, my Dad cleaned up after I cooked :-)

It was just about getting dark around 8, so we decided to call it a night early and went to the tent to sleep.  We were nervous about the cots (<a href="http://www.byerofmaine.com/products/emergency-preparedness-products/easy-sleeping-cot.html">Byer of Maine Easy Cot</a>), thinking they'd be too narrow, too rigid or loose, or just uncomfortable.  Turned out, they were very comfortable, which is a good thing, since we didn't have much room to go anywhere else in the tent ;-)  We rigged a lantern to the top of the tent with an extra pair of shoe laces I brought, and so I did some reading and my Dad setup his portable radio before going to sleep.

We went to bed relieved that the first day was fun and without serious issues.  All was well.  That is, until we were awakened around 3am.  But more on that, and our trip to Chicago, in the post for Day 2.