Suzi’s Blog
The U.S. National Forest Campgrounds Guide website, www.forestcamping.com, is a wealth of information about developed campgrounds in all 176 national forests and grasslands across the country. It is basically an encyclopedia, straight forward and impersonal. Suzi’s Blog adds a little personal touch to the ForestCamping.com website with postings about our experiences, adventures, and discoveries along with other postings related to camping, national forests and grasslands, and family fund.
I am Suzi Dow and I hope you will find something interesting, something helpful, something informative, but mostly something that will help you get out and discover our national forests and grasslands.
Jumping Cholla
Isn’t this a pretty flower? It is a blossom on one of the most painful plant you never want to bump in to – the Jumping cholla (pronounced CHOY-yah). I’m not sure if “Jumping” is its official name. It is definitely a good descriptive term for this member of the Prickly pear family. As an Read More >>
Tips for Toddler’s bedtime when camping
The first time you camp with a toddler make it a practice run. Remember, most of camping, but especially sleeping outside in a tent, under the stars, away from the familiar, is a new and, for some, scary. Pick a place close to home, such as a nearby campground or, perhaps, your backyard. And be Read More >>
Yellowstone NP with Grandchildren
It’s a little over one hour drive from our grandchildren’s house to the west gate of Yellowstone National Park. (Gallatin, Beaverhead and Deerlodge national forests are about 15 minutes away.) But like many, visiting a local tourist attraction is something seldom done. So, Grandma and Grandpa decided a day trip was in order. It took Read More >>
Solitude of Thunder Basin NG
“Pushing cows ain’t easy like the movies said” from Garth Brooks’ songThe first thing is the topography of Thunder Basin National Grassland. It has a rolling landscape with huge grass covered swells and an occasional cluster of trees, mainly cottonwoods. The Black Hills NF is almost all vertical with pines and spruce growing out of Read More >>
OMG – The dog has met up with a skunk!
It’s that time of year when we’ll have visits from feral skunks. Once the sun goes down, our dog begs to be let outside. This wouldn’t be a problem but you would think after being sprayed a couple of times, our dog would avoid repeating the stinky experience. Apparently, our dog thinks skunks are Read More >>
Twin Lakes’ Pork and Mushroom Recipe
The chefs on television show “Chopped” have nothing on me when it comes to developing a recipe from unknown items. I don’t think I’m unusual in that defrosting a freezer isn’t a favorite activity. Therefore, my motorhome’s freezer can tend to get deeply encased in ice before I defrost it. It is rather satisfying once Read More >>
Packing for six months on the road – it isn’t easy
As our departure date approaches, all the big decisions have been made. By big, I mean we have a departure date, selected the national forests will be visiting and campgrounds to survey, our route is mapped, and all that stuff. I have my lists of what we need to take like laptops, medicines, files, etc. Read More >>
A leashed dog is a safe dog
(This is a blog I wrote years ago but think it is worth repeating every now and again. As folks begin to start planning for their 2021 camping adventures, I want to repeat it as a reminder that a leashed dogs is a safe dog. Stay safe.) The other day we received an email about Read More >>
Dr. Seuss Lorax Forest is in South Carolina
In the heart of South Carolina’s Francis Marion National Forest is where the real Dr. Seuss Lorax Forest. Just off State Route 41, between Huger and Jamestown, SC, is a stand of Longleaf pine animated by a passing breeze and not a cartoon character. The trees are tall and full and oh so healthy. The Read More >>
Cleaning Green
The COVID-19 pandemic had everyone staying put. For me, one of the downsides of spending all that time seating around was I got to see just how dirty my motorhome was. We didn’t clean it as thoroughly as usual when we got home in the Fall and it showed. I looked at the products I Read More >>
