While I built the jeep to be fully self-sufficient in the remote wilderness, sometimes you just need to make life on the road a little less complicated, and a good old national forget campground or state park is just the ticket. Especially after two long days on the road.
On Tuesday, after a few hours in the offie that morning, I was finally able to officially hit the road. My route took me out through State College, home of Penn State, and into the Allegheny National Forest where I camped at a quite little spot called Hearts Content. A rustic little camp ground a little ways outside of Warren, PA.
Today was a haul! 576 miles from Warren, PA to Ludington, MI, where I am camping on the shores of Lake Michigan in a lovely state park. Running water. Flushing toilets. Showers. And, most importantly, cell reception so I could get online and get some work done (and make my first post from the road). Keep in mind that jeep miles are like dog years… there is a multiplier, although I am not sure what it is. In a few more days I might have more insight into the equation.
If you haven’t been to Ludington, it looks like a very nice place to spend some time in the summer. On the shores of the lake, I drove by miles of beaches, parks, quant homes, and sand dunes on the way to my camp site.
It never ceases to amaze me what a conversation starter the Jeep is whenever I am in a public campground. It’s a great way to meet new people, share stories from the road, or talk about the build. And I imagine anyone reading these posts knows, I never mind talking about the build.
It’s interesting this time running solo. After 9 hours of driving today, I wouldn’t have minded the company of the boys again (or Michele), but they would have been driven crazy with my non-stop books on tape marathon. My ability to be singularly focused at times seems so out of character… well, maybe not to anyone else.
I am excited for tomorrow. At the suggestion of a colleague and a desire to see some of northern Michigan, I will be boarding the SS Badger at 9AM. The SS Badger is a ferry that runs from Ludington, MI to Manitowoc, WI. The crossing time is ~4 hours. A bonus in many ways, as I can make westerly progress, without the trouble of driving, get some work done, and have a new experience all in one!
That’s it for this post. I have an early day tomorrow, needing to break camp by 7AM to get in line for the ferry. More from the road soon.
Cheers-
Matt
Brandywine Overland 
Great post Matt….that vehicle is quite amazing. Also when Dan drove cross country or other long drives in college…he had a cigar on hand because he knew that he would not fall asleep while driving because of the strong odor and queazy stomach which the cigar produced. As you know Dan has never smoked which is why this “aid” was able to work for him. Drive safe and continue to enjoy our beautiful country.
Maria
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