I was happy to roll out from the Pike Camp Access and head to the Lake of the Ozarks. This campsite is tucked away, right on one of the beautiful fingers of the lake.
Believe it or not, there are castle ruins in Missouri! It was built in 1905 and destroyed by fire in 1942. After wandering the ruins, I also checked out a sizable natural land bridge.
When something is called the Bloodiest 40 Acres in America, you know that I'll have to check it out. MSP must have been a truly brutal and inhuman place for so many decades.
With the holiday weekend approaching, I needed to find someplace free to hide out, get some work done, and try to relax before getting back on the road.
Checking off another incredible National Treasure was only part of the joy of my day on Cass Island, which included a ferry, wineries, a Biergarten, a cave, a golf cart, and some hiking.
Pressing eastward, I stopped in Monroe, MI, to visit a National Battlefield Park and found a Catholic Church with an impressive painted ceiling before camping by Lake Erie.
With all that I've been learning about taconite and iron mining over the last few weeks, I decided to visit one more historic site connected with iron ore mining around Lake Superior.
My first stop on the Keweenaw peninsula was a quick night's sleep in a tiny camp by a beautiful little lake. I was wedged in between some trees, but it was good enough for one night.
After checking out the courthouse, I decided to head to the public beach that was not too far away. I knew a storm was rising on Lake Superior, and I wanted to see what it felt like.
After leaving Ashland, WI, I headed into Michigan and up the Keweenaw Peninsula to begin exploring this area at a lighthouse that is part of the Keweenaw National Historic Park.
As much as I wanted to stay and explore Duluth, MN, I was a little nervous about finding a spot where I wanted on the docks, so I kept rolling and headed into Wisconsin.
To say I enjoyed myself with my friends Lynn and Erik would be a monstrous understatement; leaving was difficult, but I had a lighthouse and waterfalls to visit on Lake Superior.
I was so happy to move from a roadside pullout to a gorgeous National Forest Campground with a private beach after having a blast at a grocery store opening in a nearby town.
