It's been a crazy week. So I thought I would catch up with a post about our E-bikes!
In my last post I mentioned that we had been researching electric bicycles. Yes, E-bikes. We had finally decided on a brand and placed an order. We chose the Lectric brand because they seem to have a much better reliability, they were developed here in the United States by two young college kids with the help of their father who started up a business. They are now in their fourth year of production and have sold over 400,000 bikes and the bikes are very popular with the RVing community. They fold up and stow away in a small space. We met a few RV couples who had them and just absolutely loved them.
They had a really good promotional deal with a sale price plus a number of accessories for free. There were also other accessories that could be purchased at the same time at a discount from the list price.
We placed our order on the very last day of their promotional sale with the additional items. They promised an 8 day shipping window after receiving our order.
But.... They came safe and sound from FedEx actually one day earlier than promised!!!
In this day and age of crazy shipping, it's a wonder that you get anything in good shape, much less on the day it was promised. Not only did we get the two bikes but we also got the two boxes of the extra accessories that came along as part of the deal. With NO damage to the boxes either.
Steve and I set up the video camera and did a silly unboxing video for YouTube. So many of these professional YouTubers get items from companies for free and then promote themselves unboxing it and talking about it. That's not us! Nobody bought these for us, we had to do it all ourselves!!
So this is an unpaid promotional unboxing video link below:
If you don't want to look at the link, here are some of the actual photographs I took of us un-boxing them.
What is really cool, is that these bikes are shipped fully assembled. The bikes do fold up for storage so that's the way they arrive in the box! They are 64 lb with the battery inside. If the battery is out and you fold it up then they only weigh 57 lb.
Once we started snip snip snipping all the wire ties, this is the leftover packing foam that surrounds the bikes. 40 snipped wire ties per bike, 80 wire ties in all!
Then we had to snip snip snap all of these little yellow warning tags. Each one has a QR code to read more about what the warning is for. Nine warning tags per bike, 18 in all.
All we really had to do was pop the handlebars into place and adjust the latch and also set the seat bar into place and adjust that latch. 2 cords to plug in. Done! They also came with fully charged batteries and two sets of keys. The bike will not operate without a key, and the battery can not be removed unless the key is used. The batteries are encased in the frame itself, protected from rain and theft. The bikes can be charged with the battery in place, or else taken out and into another location for charging. They are Lithium batteries and should be stored indoors in cold weather.
The front tire on Steve's bike was very low on air. We didn't know if it had been punctured during transit or not. Steve went to air it up and realized it was only a loose valve stem! Easy peasy! He tightened it up and filled with air and everything was great! No damage - no scrapes - no dings - no dents.
We had ordered the wider seats with the suspension post that has a shock absorber in it. That was contained right in the box along with the bikes. We slid them into place and adjusted for our individual heights.
In advance, we both had bought helmets and some nice thick gloves for riding. They are actually gardening gloves from Aldi's but they seem to be quite nicely made.
We had also picked up some supplies to keep on the bikes which included some microfiber cloths and a headband for under my helmet as well as a band for on my pants leg. That way it doesn't get caught in the sprocket or chain. And of course a little first aid kit!
Like I said, our bike deal came with some FREE items....
The first item was an upgraded headlight from the original one that comes with the bike. The new one is bigger and brighter LED and better for nighttime riding. Steve had those mounted in no time. What a difference in size. This is a $99 upgrade that we got free in the deal.
The second item in the free deal was a cell phone carrier that attaches right to the handlebars. The cell phone can be used as a GPS for directions as we pedal along. Some cell phone carriers just have rubber banded corners. If the bike ever tips over or heaven forbid, we ever fall over, the cell phone isn't very well protected with those kind. So this one is a little more elaborate with a little more protection. I don't think I would pay $30 for it, as it's priced that high, but because it came free with the bike I don't mind.
The third item is this articulating steel bike lock. It operates similar to the old fashioned carpenters yardsticks that would unfold and fold back up again. This is made to go around a post or a tree and through various parts of the bike frame to lock it up. Although no lock is foolproof, it probably would take a thief a little longer to get through the steel bars then through the links of a chain. It sells for $50 but we got it free with the deal.
It stows in a bracket that is attached right to the frame of the bike. It is quite a heavy piece of steel lock that is handy to have on hand if we need to lock them up somewhere quickly to go in a store or someplace.
Multiple locks seem to be the way to go, so we will get another type of cable lock besides these. Theft of these e-bikes seems to be pretty common.
Of course, they are now insured with their own policies as they are a motorized vehicle. The same company (American Family) that has our homeowners, cars and motorhome insurance also will insure E-bikes.
We found out some other interesting things. This cute little handlebar bells that we bought can also contain a hidden air tag for GPS tracking in case of theft!
Another item we had ordered separately were these pannier bags. We only ordered one set for on the back of my bike. Steve is going to do a type of long narrow pack on the top of his rack of his bike. He will carry tools and a flashlight in his. We haven't found the right one yet, but he will decide on something in the near future.
These bags can hold quite a bit and I can still put other items in between them on the rack itself. They are made of waterproof vinyl. Just perfect for a little grocery store run or taking things to a beach or picnic.
We also invested in a small 12 volt electric air pump. It's one that can be charged up and taken along cord free. It is rechargeable with a plug-in or an automobile cigarette lighter, but it doesn't need to be hooked up to power to operate. It is great for pumping air, it also has emergency USB ports to recharge a cellphone and also a flashing strobe light for SOS in case of emergency.
It worked quite well, and he was able to air up his front tire as well as touch up all the others to the proper inflation. So he will carry this little air compressor in his tool pack. My sweet "Mechanic on Wheels".
Now the difficult part comes... Trying to find a day that it's not raining to even try them out! We had rain rain rain on Monday and Tuesday and finally on Wednesday, the third day of owning them, we had a tiny window of about 15 minutes to go for a ride.
We got all of our gear together and hopped on... More rain was due very soon so we better get out on the bikes and take a ride if we wanted to try them out.
These bikes can be ridden three ways:
1. Peddling it just like a regular bike. It has seven shift speeds and hydraulic brakes. It's rather heavy, so it's a real workout if you're pedaling it just like a regular bike.
2. Peddling it, but also has a feature called "pedal assist" . There are five levels of pedal assist that will help you with your pedaling. It's like a nice little boost to get you going and to keep you pedaling up and down hills without as much effort. It is a Class 2 bike, only going up to 20 mph. But it can be unlocked with some reprogramming into a Class 3, which let's you pedal up to 28-29 mph with some assist.
3. Throttle only, with the twist throttle on the handlebar. This mode is is just like a motor scooter, no pedaling needed.
The 500 watt motor with a fully charged battery will last 20-40 miles, depending on how much assist you use.
Keep in mind, neither of us have ridden a bicycle in probably a good 20 years. We did do a little sample test ride a couple weeks ago from some people who generously let us try theirs out. So this was a whole new thing for us.
I got my GoPro camera all set up on my chest harness bracket and we took off. But I forgot to hit record! So after we were done with our two mile ride, we had to do it all over again just so I could record it.
So this is a recording actually of our second ride. It is very jittery and shaky because I forgot to also hit the image stabilization feature on the camera. Please bear with us as we wiggle and jiggle our way around a two mile ride. Think it's hilarious---------
We got home just before it started raining again. Steve wiped off the bikes to make sure that they were spic and span spotless.
Here's the little route that we traveled, two times, because the first time we forgot to set up the camera correctly. This is the little program on our GPS on the phone that shows us where we've been and how long we peddled and what we accomplished.
Since our ride on Wednesday it's been rain rain and more rain. Now it's the following Monday.
I have been miserably sick for 3 days so that meant NO bike riding for me at all!
We finally have a day without rain and guess what, it is down in the low 30s with wind chills into the low 20s!!! We even have snow forecast for tonight. So no thank you, the bikes can stay in the garage for another couple days.
~~~~~~~~
Our next decision is how we are going to actually transport them when we go travelling in the motorhome.
1. We had originally planned on putting them in tote carriers and carrying them inside. Keeping them out of the rain and the dampness and also for security. But then again, when we are inside the RV we have to move them around and try to maneuver around them and walk. That's not such a good idea.
2. The second idea was to put them up on the bunk in the RV when we travel. Yes, that will work but it also means lifting up 65 pounds up high, and taking it back down again... plus securing them with safety straps while each bike is up there right over our heads!
3. The third idea of course is to do what most people do and get a heavy duty e-bike rack for on the back of the motorhome. They need to be made especially strong because of the bouncing and swaying off the back end of a long-wheel based vehicle. Regular bike racks won't work. Then there is the problem of our back bedroom slide for our bed which extends out 3 ft. We would have to get a specific rack that either tilts away or swings away just so we can put out our bed at night. That can be difficult if we are traveling from point A to point B and not planning on removing the bikes from the rack.
The added problem of leaving them on a rack is then they are susceptible to dampness from overnight dew, moisture from the road, dirt and grime, and possibly theft.
4. So our fourth solution might be to take along a small enclosed cargo trailer. Steve is thinking of a small 4 by 6 or 5 by 7 would be perfect. Could also haul along some extra gear that would lighten up the load inside of the motorhome itself. We are still exploring this option as an idea as well.
~~~~~~~~
Who knows what we will end up with, but for now we know that these are awfully fun, and they are going to enhance our enjoyment while we are RVing. We will be able to explore areas a little further and even get some exercise at the same time.
With loving memories of Steve's father, the patriarch of the Pfundtner Family:
Paul Reinhard Pfundtner, 90, formerly of the Town of Liberty Grove, was called Home to be with the Lord and was reunited with his wife, MaryAnn, early Tuesday morning, October 10, 2023 at the Unity Hospice Jack and Engrid Meng Residence in the Town of Ledgeview where he was cared for the past seven months.
He was born November 25, 1932 in West Allis, the son of Paul J. Pfundtner and Eva A. (Mueller) Pfundtner. Paul grew up Baptist and graduated from West Allis Central High School. He went on to study at the Layton School of Art in Milwaukee.
Paul was united in marriage to MaryAnn Wandrey on September 8, 1951 at the First Baptist Church in West Allis.
He initially worked as a commercial artist for a firm in Milwaukee and then started his art advertising business, Mark Stevens Inc., in Elm Grove. Paul completed engineering courses through a program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. From 1967-1972 he was employed with Leyse Aluminum in Kewaunee as sales manager. The following year, Paul worked for Ikia a Japanese (automation platform) as President of North and South America operations, while living in Iola/Scandinavia. In 1973, he went to work as a sales manager for Midwest Wire in Sturgeon Bay. Paul remained there until 1979 when he moved to New London to devote his efforts to his engineering fabrication solutions company, Red Stag Engineering, as owner and CEO.
His collaboration with fellow engineers helped provide solutions to various companies throughout the United States and world. Paul had a patent on a hydraulic press cushion that was important in the automotive industry transitioning to aluminum fabrication. He was a keynote speaker at Automotive Engineers Convention in Detroit, Michigan in 2013. Paul continued with his engineering company into his 80s, selling Red Stag Engineering in 2015 and fully-retired in 2017.
MaryAnn preceded him in death on December 15, 2012.
Paul was most recently a member of Sister Bay Moravian Church, but had attended churches in/near the communities he was living and working: Peace United Methodist Church in Brookfield, Community Congregational Church in Kewaunee, and Freedom Moravian Church (where he served as a trustee). He volunteered alongside his wife, MaryAnn, with the Kewaunee Public Library to make the library handicap accessible... Paul was also an active volunteer with the Humane Societies in Brookfield and Waupaca. He served as a Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader. Paul visited hospitals and nursing homes with his therapy dog, Millie. He even drove northern Door County students to school services and drove for Door-Tran serving Northern Door County and drove School Bus in Wausaukee.
When Paul wasn't working or volunteering, he enjoyed mowing his grass. While he wouldn't have considered himself a gardener, the flowers that grew at his home on Old Stage Road in he Town of Liberty Grove were highly sought by a horticulturist. Paul started taking (father-son) fishing trips with his sons starting in 1983 and looked forward to visiting new places every year, with the Willow Reservoir being one of the few places he made return-trips to. He also enjoyed being a pilot and flying, camping and RV's, motorcycles, creating visual art, convertible sports cars, horses, cooking, fishing, traveling, ice skating, swimming, and reading.
Despite the various places he lived and worked, Paul definitely lived his life fully. His children will always remember his love of adventure and exploration, and his perseverance in adversity and overcoming challenges in life.
Paul will be missed by his children, Mark (Ann) of Wild Rose, Wendy of Clintonville, Steven (Karen) of Oconto, Peter (Cindy Strong) of Menasha, and Lynn of Oostburg; grandchildren, Jenny (Robert) Jones, Heather (Dave) Reh, Faith (Kirk) Hanna, and Kate and Stephanie Ports, Dan (Heather) Pfundtner, Erin (Waylen) Choate, and Heather (Jesse) Wade, Sara and Joe Gilbert, and Andrew Hrlevich, Patrick (Lissy) Hunt, Frances Hrlevich, and Eleanor (fiancé', Logan Faccio) Hrlevich; great-grandchildren, Lucas and Carson, Owen, Hayden and Huntley, Allegra and Mason, Chlesea, Clayton, and Claire, Jameson and Whitney, and Beckhem; siblings, Linda Pfundtner of South Milwaukee and David (Julie) Mundt of Milwaukee; nieces and nephews; other relatives; his friend and companion of two years, Sandra Polarek of Green Bay and her family, Nicole Polarek (Jason Ferry), children, Will, Drew, and Elle; and his best friend, Millie (his dog).
He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul Pfundtner and Eva (Richard) Mundt; wife, MaryAnn; grandson, Michael Pfundtner; brothers, Karl Pfundtner, Ward (Arlene) Pfundtner, and Richard Mundt; sister-in-law, Nancy (Gordon) Hennum; daughter in-law, Shirley (Goll) Pfundtner; and other relatives.
Paul's life will be honored with a funeral service held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 4, 2023 at Sister Bay Moravian Church, 10924 Old Stage Road with Rev. Kerry Krauss officiating and Chaplain Nathan Meierbachtol assisting. He will be laid to rest in Sister Bay Moravian Cemetery beside his wife, MaryAnn. Paul requested that attendees of his celebration of life wear colorful attire and celebrate not only his life but celebrate their lives and live fully.
Visitation for family and friends will be held at the church on Saturday, November 4, 2023 from 9:30 a.m. until 10:50 a.m.
Memorials may be given in Paul's name for Sister Bay Moravian Church (www.sisterbaymc.org) or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105; www.stjude.org).
Casperson Funeral Home in Sister Bay is assisting the Pfundtner family. Expressions of sympathy, memories, and photos of Paul may be shared with his family through his tribute page at www.caspersonfuneralhome.com.
Going through the motions here, trying to do some "normal" things in advance of Steve's dad's funeral planning ... Steve and family are handling funeral home and church details and attending family meetings etc. The funeral will not be until November 4th due to scheduling conflicts and delays with the pastor and family schedules.
Since we had some free time, we decided to pop some things into the motorhome and go camping nearby.
We have always been told that our Oconto County Machickanee Forest had dispersed camping. We recently found out there were some actual sites for dispersed camping, complete with picnic tables and fire rings! This is only within 15 miles of our home...
Previously, we only knew of one spot, but it was right near the bridge and major highway noise and it was a spot where a lot of people go to put in canoes into the Oconto River.
Right around the corner from the launching spot, in the pretty part of the woods, there's room for five or six campers. But it's so close to the highway and the railroad tracks so you hear all of the noise. That's the only spot we ever knew about.
We decided it was time to learn more.
So we hopped in the Saturn and just took a ride. Back deep in the Machickanee County Forest just north of Abrams, WI on Hwy 141, Turn on Timberline Rd. and there is a parking lot that is maintained by a horse riding group. Right on the edge of their parking lot is another one of the dispersed camping spaces. If you like horses and want to watch them getting loaded and unloaded from trailers all day, that would be a really nice spot to park. The kiosk there had a handout map provided by the Wisconsin Outback Riders. They are helping to maintain over 25 miles of equine trails within the Oconto County Machickanee Forest. So on this handout map they nicely show 13 campsites!
(The little triangles are the campsites)
Upon our calling Oconto County Courthouse Parks Dept. itself asking if there was a more detailed map, the clerk there informed me that actually the dispersed camping can be anywhere within the county forest as long as you are not blocking a roadway or a trail. You just need to register and pay a $10 permit fee per night. They cannot tell you that you can only camp in certain spots. It's just that the map that the horse group created already shows some nicely established ones.
We drove around and actually picked out two of them that were kind of nice. All of them were empty. It was a Wednesday, and there were only about six or seven pickup trucks with horse trailers in the one lot. But they were just there for the day. Nobody was in any of the actual camping locations designated on the map.
We drove back home and finished packing up the motorhome. I followed behind in the Saturn because it was only 15 miles.
The one spot we chose actually had instructions on the sign to return back to that horse trailer parking lot and pay for the site in the pay post located there. That's what we did.
Later on, we found out from the courthouse lady, she would prefer you go online and just click the permit link and apply there and pay with a credit card your $10 fee. All you have to do is give the GPS coordinates of wherever you have chosen to camp. So next time we will do that.
Keep in mind, this is all rustic camping. There are no amenities included at all, and everything you take in, you should take out with you.
The site we chose was well off the road. The trees are just about at their peak so the color was amazing.
I tried to do a panorama view of all the beautiful colors that were surrounding us on this remote site.
This site happened to have a picnic table and a fire ring. Not all of them do. The ground was a little soft and we could see where someone had rutted in the mud a little bit. We were careful to park on a drier section of the land.
Sadly, someone left a big mess in the fire ring. There was a lot of trash around as well as a moldy heavy rain soggy carpet cast over the campfire. We got a couple large trash bags out and cleaned up. They did leave some firewood though. LOL
We got the camper all set up and made a little lunch. This was such a nice quiet peaceful place. We were really going to enjoy this. It was great to get away, even when it was so close to home.
Steve had walked around the backside of the camper and along the edge of the campsite he discovered the gory remains of a freshly killed deer carcass! Evidently some hunter had chopped off the good meat and left the rest of the carcass and the head there to rot!!!
Ewwwwww!!!!!!!
So that is when we called over to the county courthouse to ask if they did any type of maintenance on these dispersed camping sites. That's when we found out from the courthouse gal that next time we should pay online and not at the post. She said they really don't do any type of maintenance but then I explained that it might be a poacher who had chopped up a deer and left all the remains right in the campsite. It is bow season so it could have been a bowhunter and even then, it needed to be tagged and registered at a DNR station. Chances are, whoever got the deer thought it wasn't quite big enough so they would just take the meat and leave the rest there. Then they could save their hunting tag for their next kill that might be a bigger and better trophy buck! How disgusting that they left the carcass just lay there.
So the courthouse gal said she would ask the maintenance crew if they were in the area to come and take a look. Sure enough, within 15 minutes a truck pulled into our spot!
These two very courteous workers donned some of our disposable work gloves we use for our dump station duties. They grabbed some big bags and they picked up all of that gooey icky fresh killed carcass! How nice of them. We really didn't know for sure if anybody would come. It's nice to see that people follow through and take care of things in our little county. We really appreciate it.
Now it was time to sit back and relax and enjoy the colors of autumn. All around the campsite it was absolutely beautiful. We spent time talking about memories with Steve's dad, and how much he loved camping too. We felt close to him, and I think he was there enjoying our little respite away.
The sky was starting to cloud up a little bit, but for the afternoon we got to enjoy the beauty of the Northwoods of Wisconsin. The birds were singing and we just loved looking around at the colorful woods.
Binney wandered around the campsite checking things out and sniffing around. Of course, we didn't let her anywhere near where the deer had been. She checked out our campsite and then curled up underneath our lawn chairs to take a nap.
Since we had driven the Saturn separately, I tossed in my spinning wheel and a basket of fleece. It was nice to take it along for setting outside and doing a little spinning in the autumn woods. Peaceful soothing and relaxing.
By supper time, it started to cloud over completely. The weather forecast had changed from what we had initially looked at this morning. The winds were suddenly blowing in from the east and storm clouds were building.
We nixed the idea of cooking outside and decided to make supper indoors. We had planned on grilling burgers outdoors and making a big salad. Instead I had some frozen stew I had grabbed from home that I was able to reheat for a nice cozy dinner, along with our salads.
The rain started coming down, so we curled up inside on the love seat. We had to move Binney over a little bit and we clicked on the Roku stick with Steve's phone as a tethered hotspot. He has a Visible Phone from Verizon with unlimited data. Great for streaming when the signal is good.
We watched some YouTubes of Kenny of All Trades. He is a guy in Minnesota with a pickup truck camper. He enjoys finding out of the way camping spots and dispersed camping too. We really like his weekly posts, and we have now gone all the way back to the beginning and we are binge watching him from his first video post.
We love his gentle nature, soft-spoken voice, and beautiful scenic shots and videos he takes. He does not blast you with crazy stuff to attract viewers or macho swearing or political crap. He's just a gentle guy that enjoys the woods.
Well, it rained and rained and rained all night. We were comfy and cozy in the motorhome. In the morning we woke up to a lot of outside dampness, fogged up windows, and a weather forecast of more rain all day long!
Steve got out the fixings to make a nice breakfast. I stayed in my jammies until almost 10:00 a.m.!
Even though we have a nice well apportioned kitchen, it really is made for one person at a time. Once he gets the bacon, hash browns and toast all ready... Then it's my turn to go in and make the eggs as he steps aside. He fired up the generator just to make toast! LOL .. What a guy.
The more we looked around at the muddy ground, and all of the impending rain to come, we decided it might be better to vacate our dispersed camping spot.
The last thing we wanted to do was get stuck in the mud with the motorhome! Because there's no real gravel parking pad or anything, and the low lying land, it's very possible to get muddier and muddier with the impending rainfall, and making a mess if we try to drive out if we stayed any longer.
So by 2:00 p.m. we decided to pull in our slides and head on home. We managed to get out of the campsite safely with no spinning or mud ruts. The ones that were there were made by some previous people. But we sure didn't want to get stuck in them.
We headed on home and unloaded the few things we had brought along. Of course, just as we got home and settled in, The sun came out!!!!
Go figger!
I was almost ready to suggest going back. But then we looked to the south and the east and there were huge storm clouds coming again. No sooner had we taken that picture when it started pouring outside. We got quite a bit of rain throughout the evening and all through the night. So I guess it was better that we had come on home.
P.S. as I am typing this in and getting ready to post, a package just came from FedEx. It is the first of five packages that we are expecting in the next few days...
Hmmm what is this??
These are two pannier bags that are made to go on the rack of a bike. Also two adorable little bicycle bells that secure to bike handlebars.
Wonder why we ordered those?
For a month or so now we have been investigating the possibility of buying E-bikes. Yes --- electric bikes. We met a couple on our vacation in September who had ordered a foldable set to take in their RV. They can be ridden three ways:
One. Just as a normal bicycle with normal pedaling with seven speeds.
Two. Peddling as a bicycle AND using what's called "pedal assist" with five different levels of help from a 500 watt electric motor.
Three. With the handle bar throttle, it can be used with throttle only, no peddling, kind of like riding a little motor scooter. Especially handy on hills or just when we are too pooped out and want to throttle the rest of the way back to the camper.
After much research and reviewing, we decided on the Lectric brand of foldable E-bikes.
Pretty cool that they fold up and can be stowed away. Many RVers use E-bikes to get around to explore areas or even dash to a store to pick up a couple things. That's why we wanted the pannier bags. We've been going over some of the other features, and we got quite a few freebie accessories with our order.
We are watching the FedEx tracking on four more boxes. Two boxes are the bikes and two boxes are the batteries. We should have everything here complete by Tuesday. Lithium Batteries are shipped separately, as they are not put on FedEx Air transportation.
We decided that we wanted to be closer to Green Bay to help out with Steve's family during this time of need. We chose Bayshore County Park, which is close to Green Bay. It is part of the Brown County Parks System. On the waters of Green Bay just South of Dykesville on highway 57.
Half of the sites in this park are first come first serve. Half are reservable. It is a wonderful way to run a county park. At least the average camper travelling past has a chance of getting in! The parks that allow themselves to be reserved completely full never give spontaneous or traveling campers a chance to get in. I understand the logistics of having a full park means more money. Having the option for first come first serve at least on some of the sites makes it fair for everyone. Enough of that.
So we loaded up early in the morning, and headed out to find one of their empty sites. Their website does try to give an updated daily tally of how many first come first serve sites are available. It said there were seven open sites in the electrical loops. We knew we were coming into a weekend, so it would be really good to get settled into our site on a Thursday. We could pay day by day, to continue to hold our site up to 21 days.
Camping is $32 a night with electric and water at each site. Some sites are 50 amp and some are only 30 amp. There is a nice clean bath and shower house, along with a coin operated laundry room.
The park itself is beautiful with tall trees and paved roads, sites and lots. It is situated on the ledge of the Niagara Escarpment at the southern base of the Door County Peninsula. There is a winding road that goes down between the cliffs to a pebbly beach area and large parking lot with boat launch. There is a very nice picnic area including some children's attractions like a huge wooden ship climbing apparatus toy as well as a big inflatable bouncing pad.
Cellular signal is very good, we pulled in 5G on our phones. All of the Green Bay TV stations are available via broadcast antenna.
Bay Shore Park is located along the bay at 5637 Sturgeon Bay Rd, New Franken WI approximately 15 miles northeast of Green Bay on State Highway 57, and 30 minutes from Sturgeon Bay (Door Co).
107 wooded campsites
90 sites with water & electric ($32.00 per night)
15 sites with no hookups
2 group sites (Up to 20 individuals and no more than 8 tents. Campers, motor homes, and pop-ups are permitted on group sites).
Site have asphalt pads, fire rings, and picnic tables
Pets allowed on leash
Amenities include:
Boat launch
Firewood
Free WIFI near the playground
Dump station
Hiking & biking trails
Ice
Jump pillow (hours vary)
Laundry
Playground
Showers and restroom facilities (registered campers only)
Bay Shore Park campsites are available both; at a first-come, first-serve basis and online reservations. All even numbered water and electric sites (2-88 and 266) are available at a first-come, first-serve basis; the remainder of the sites at Bay Shore are online reservable only (this includes the odd numbered water and electric sites (1-87), the primitive sites (200-214) and the group sites (300-301).
We decided to hook the Saturn on the back of the motorhome to tow along. I could have just followed behind Steve driving it, because it's only about 50 miles. But he wanted to tow it just for the fun of it. We would have the Saturn available to buzz down back and forth to his dad's Hospice Center.
We chose one of the non-reservable sites, site 80. We walked over to the pay kiosk at the camp host site near the entrance to the park. It is possible to pay online with a credit card through the kiosk, or cash or check is allowed in an envelope.
Although the sites are closer together than what we are used to in the rustic National Forest, they are still nicely spaced apart with tall trees and well kept landscaping. Every other site has a dual water spigot. Make sure you have enough hose along if you wish to hook up to water. There is also a dump station and potable water near the entrance if you just wish to fill your tank.
We got all set up on our site number 80, and then headed over for the day to spend with Steve's dad at the hospice center. We buzzed back to the campground for a little while at lunch. Then we went back again for late afternoon and evening rotations with other family and friends.
We set up scheduled times with the other family members to come and go to be close and have someone near his bedside as much as possible.
When we weren't at the hospice center, we were relaxing in the campground. The temperatures had gotten very cold and the winds had climbed way up. We were getting wind speeds of 20 to 30 mph up on that cold bluff!
We did get a pretty good cell signal so we were able to stay in contact with family members as well as tether to the Roku stick and watch some TV shows.
We did sit outside for a little bit but the cold winds blew us back inside!
We spent the next week or so at the campground. We were going back and forth to the hospice center and back to the campground. It was a lot easier than driving all the way back up to Oconto.
One evening we managed to drive down by the boat launch area and caught the sunset. The winds were crashing in with white cap waves out in the bay.
It was fierce and pretty and stormy all wrapped up into one.
On Sunday, after an extremely long and pleasant visit with Steve's dad, we invited Steve's brother Pete and wife Cindy over for a meal at the campground. Good to relax and unwind a little bit.
By Monday, things were taking a turn for the worst with his dad's health. We returned with heavy hearts to the motorhome for the evening. We kind of drowned our sorrows a little bit in some beverages.
We flipped on the TV to find a marathon of Laurel and Hardy. Just what we needed to take our minds off things and laugh a little.
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