July 17, 2025 (Thu.) - Lake Mitchell
The day began in typical fashion—Lynn was up at 7:45 AM, coffee in hand, enjoying the quiet outdoors. But with temps hovering at 54°F, her patio time was short-lived. Kirk was up earlier than usual at 8:30 AM, and with no firm plans on the agenda, the day unfolded slowly. Lynn’s allergies were still in full swing, making Benadryl a daily must, which unfortunately meant drowsiness and another delay in blog updates.
One priority: repairing the ripped slide toppers. Kirk started calling around and we stopped by Jack’s Campers in Mitchell, hoping for a quick fix. No luck—they were booked solid and not particularly welcoming. They offered to sell us the materials if we wanted to DIY, but their attitude made it clear: they weren’t interested in taking on more work. Must be nice to turn business away!
Kirk then reached out to Grand Design for a materials-only quote—$2,200 just for parts! Yikes. Finally, he called Camping World in Sioux Falls, and—success! They had an opening next week that aligned perfectly with our travel plans and could replace all three toppers in a single day. Huge win.
The rest of the day was filled with errands: stops at Wal-Mart and Cabela’s (still chasing that elusive gazebo), a car wash to blast off the Badlands mud, and a visit to a local dog park where Otis got to stretch his legs and roam freely.
In the evening, we headed to Lake Mitchell and hiked the Sandy Beach Trail. The path wound peacefully along the water and through the trees, and we had it completely to ourselves. A pair of deer foraging nearby added a quiet magic to the moment.
No grand adventures today—just progress, fresh air, and a little solitude by the lake.
Weather – High 75*, Low 51*. Winds 2-20 mph.
Traffic – None.
Food – Nothing notable. Ate in the RV.
Notable – Lake Mitchell.
Screentime – Bloodline, The Institute
videos : Otis at the dog park
July 18, 2025 (Fri.) - blog catchup, rv clean up
Today was the definition of low-key. Lynn was up early at 6:30 AM, determined to finally make a dent in the blog backlog. Her allergies were still relentless, so she powered through another Benadryl haze, but managed to post two full days of entries. The real time-suck? Sorting through hundreds of Bethlehem Cave photos—a deep dive that took nearly eight hours. Honestly, it felt like a full-time job. But it’s absolutely worth doing—the blog has become a great way to document the journey, share stories, and relive the moments we’ve collected along the way.
Meanwhile, Kirk declared it RV deep-clean day. Between the lingering Badlands mud and Otis’ never-ending fur tumbleweeds, it was time to vacuum, mop, and wash the rugs. The place definitely needed it, and the results were worth the effort.
The rest of the day was spent relaxing, watching TV, and prepping dinner. We had a pack of four sirloin steak burgers marked as a manager’s special for $5, but while we were debating whether to grab them, the store clerk knocked it down to $2 right in front of us. No way we were passing that up! Kirk grilled them all before they could go bad, and they turned out surprisingly tasty.
No photos today—just a quiet, productive day behind the scenes.
Weather – High 84*, Low 64*. Winds 6-14 mph. Gusts up to 24 mph. T-storms 50%.
Traffic – None. Didn’t go anywhere.
Food – Ate in the RV all day.
Notable – Nothing much.
Screen time – Untamed, Bloodline