Campground Review – Boulder Lake National Forest Campground – June 2008 (and woven lawn chairs)

(this is one of series of posts of various campgrounds we have been to over the years... I am going through my files in alphabetical order and posting past camping trips in my blog.... something to do over this long long upcoming winter---- sigh)

This campground is a larger one in the Nicolet National Forest.  It’s usually packed full, and is known for recreation with lots of families, power toys on the lake and busy busy busy.   Some sites also have electric hookups, which is rare for the National Forest campgrounds.  $15 for non-electric sites and $20 for electric.  There are three bathroom buildings and showers too.  Dump station and recycling station at the entrance. 

We were far back in the last loop, outta the way of the traffic, the noise and the crowds.  I think we were on site 74.  It was quite a hike down to the lake from our campsite, but you could still hear the incessant whine of the jet skis on the lake all day long.   The boats line up in rows down between the beach and the boat landing. It’s like a busy parking lot on the water!  There are large group sites located further away and we could hear some loud live music coming from over that way too.  Bet they were having fun, but it wasn’t too peaceful for the rest of us.

We went here to meet up with some friends, otherwise we try to steer ourselves to more quiet sedate parks.  At the last minute they couldn’t come, so we were on our own.


We love these backroads… and winding along in our motorhome with the huge windshield exposing all the scenery is one of the best shows we could ever see.  Ya never know what is around the next bend?  This was taken right out of the windshield while in motion, so it’s a bit blurry.

 
Parked in the back loop, we just barely fit on this site. (see the big rock under our back bumper?)   It was a very nice weekend and the temps were great.  Not too hot, not too cold… juuussttt right!   We were in a non-electric site, but that was fine with us. 

 
I really like campsites situated like this… where we can look out each window and see green  green green….  don’t see any other campers nearby, and our picnic table and fire ring are far back away from the edge of the road.   Most national forest camgrounds are gravel, both the roads and the sites.  This one being blacktopped is really a *step up* for us Rustic Folks!  LOL


 
We do a lot of outdoor cooking… Steveio is the Fire-Tender and Super Chef…..  
He brings along a few select chunks of cherry wood from our own trees to use for the cooking itself.  Once the food is done, then he puts on regular campfire wood.

 
Yummmmmm  looks good enough to eat?   The Hobo Potater Packets are just doubled layers of  tin foil with peeled chopped up potato and onion, then a dollop of vegetable oil, a dab of real butter, then spices like Lawrys , pepper and dried parsley.  Carefully rolled up so the oil don’t leak out.   Set on the grill and carefully turn over without poking the tinfoil.  When you hear them sizzling, it’s time to turn it over.   Once you can squish a lump through the tin foil, then you know they are done!
The chicken breasts are always slathered with Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce… hmmmmm

 
To escape some of the noisy folks in the park, we took down the scooter from the back rack and went for a ride.  There is a lot of pretty scenery around this area, between the national forest lands and the Menominee Indian Reservation…. they have some of the prettiest land in Wisconsin for their own, and the roads going through the rez are some of the most scenic and inviting. 

 
We found some back roads and decided to explore.  Although our scooter is NOT a dirtbike, don’t tell Steveio.  He thinks he is a daring motorcross rider at times, so I let him enjoy his fantasy.  (If I don’t, he will be tempted to buy a big motorcross bike and we don’t need that after the age of 50…. old bones break too easily)

 
Sometimes I like to bring along my spinning wheel and spend the morning with a cup of  coffee, soft fibers, and the tranquil feeling of the wools slipping through my fingers as I create lovely yarns to knit with.   By Sunday morning the campground quieted down, and the mass exodus of folks leaving early was only marked by the clanging of tent poles being taken down, the slamming of camper and truck doors and engines starting up to leave.  How nice is that?

Our sitting up style lawn chairs are handmade by me… its a technique that uses macrame cord (the braided is better than the twisted)  and two big crochet hooks.  Using graph paper,  one can make just about any design.   Here are some that myself and my sister have made over the years. 
This is a link to the website that has instructions:
http://kingskountry.com/free-macrame-patterns.htm

 
  


 
Soooo that is another day in the Camping LIfe of KarenInTheWoods and Steveio…….


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