The Show Must Go On

Our transportation, accommodation, food and entertainment cost so far

July 17 ~ Day #68
Budget to date
Spent today
Total to date
Daily average
Total
$6800
$48.40
$6943.39
$102.10
Miles by Road
Nautical Miles
Miles by Air
Miles by Train
Total Statute Miles
8257
3856 [4437]
000
69
12763

Current Location: Campground, Sandstone, Minnesota

More Lousy Weather
The morning started out OK but a little overcast. By the afternoon it had morphed into a steady rain. There was nothing to do but sit in the tent and wait it out.

Most of the activities are planned for today but the common area is outdoors and is only covered by a sun screen.

Great Meal
Fortunately around supper time there was a break in the rain long enough to serve up a wonderful catered buffet. There was lots of food for everyone and seconds for anyone that wanted it. We’ve had a lifetime of going for seconds and the figures to prove it so we are trying to be good.

Hypnotist
Next up was a hypnotist show that was hilarious and only possible in an adult environment. I’ve never really believed in hypnotism but I’d never seen it done before. I don’t think it would work on me but I’d be willing to volunteer if I get another chance.

Act Three
Like true professionals the resident troupe presented act three even though the light rain made the stage slippery. It was a lot of fun and they did a great job.

It’s Over
Unfortunately the rain just wouldn’t hold off any longer and just like that it was the end of festivities. I hope we will be able to get the tent dried off before we pack it up tomorrow.

People Games

Our transportation, accommodation, food and entertainment cost so far

July 16 ~ Day #67
Budget to date
Spent today
Total to date
Daily average
Total
$6700
$48.40
$6894.99
$102.91
Miles by Road
Nautical Miles
Miles by Air
Miles by Train
Total Statute Miles
8257
3856 [4437]
000
69
12763

Current Location: Campground, Sandstone, Minnesota

The Games People Play
We have mentioned several times that nudist are generally friendlier than most people we meet at regular campgrounds but even nudist carry a lot of social inhibitions meeting new people. With so many strangers getting together an afternoon of people games helped to get introductions going.

Duck Buddy
This is a simple game that consists of pink and blue ‘rubber duckies’ floating in a kids wading pool. Each set of ducks has a unique number written on the bottom. Everyone takes a random duck from the pool then tries to find their ‘duck buddy’ that has the same number.

You have five minutes to find out as much as possible about your duck buddy and then answer questions about what you discovered.

People Bingo
In People Bingo everyone gets a blank sheet divided with a ten by ten grid. You then madly try to fill each grid space with the names of the other players. The host then goes randomly to each player and you check them off if you have their name on your sheet. Just like regular Bingo but with people.

Evenings Entertainment
The evening kicked off with another dance and even though we are breaking into occasional bouts of violent coughing we are determined to have fun.

Act two of the residents play was presented during a break in the dance and was a surprisingly professional performance.

Typhoid Vicky

Our transportation, accommodation, food and entertainment cost so far

July 15 ~ Day #66
Budget to date
Spent today
Total to date
Daily average
Total
$6600
$48.40
$6846.59
$103.73
Miles by Road
Nautical Miles
Miles by Air
Miles by Train
Total Statute Miles
8257
3856 [4437]
000
69
12763

Current Location: Campground, Sandstone, Minnesota

Double Up On Germs
There’s no question that I now have Vicky’s cold. My right eye seems a bit itchy but so far I seem to have avoided the Pink Eye but it is probably just a matter of time.

It is amazing how these things spread. When we were staying in Schreiber Vicky went to a neighbor’s house to see a new baby and one of their other kids had pink eye. She must have picked up the germ there and touched her eye before she got home and washed her hands.

Courting Again
There is a dance every night under the stars. Even though the stage and dance floor are outdoors the sound system is the equal of anything you’ll find in a dance club. The music was a little loud but easy to dance to and we reminisced about all the dancing we did when we were younger. I’m not sure what happened but we definitely need to do it more.

We don’t want to pass our germs on to anyone so we’ll be staying pretty much to ourselves and dancing with just each other.

Act 1
Act one of the comedy the residents are presenting was a great success and we are looking forward to the next two evenings.

Torrential Rain and Wind

Our transportation, accommodation, food and entertainment cost so far

July 14 ~ Day #65
Budget to date
Spent today
Total to date
Daily average
Total
$6500
$48.40
$6798.19
$104.58
Miles by Road
Nautical Miles
Miles by Air
Miles by Train
Total Statute Miles
8257
3856 [4437]
000
69
12763

Current Location: Campground, Sandstone, Minnesota

Rain
Sure glad we set up the tent yesterday because today the sky opened up and poured buckets of water on us – about 3 1/2 inches. The rain was accompanied by strong winds that did quite a bit of damage.

We came through OK in our Sportz SUV tent but the tent next to us got flattened when their support poles buckled under the weight of some trapped water. Also an RV nearby had an awning out and the support got twisted.

We stayed warm and dry but the ground underneath us turned pretty squishy and we had to lay some planks of wood around the outside to avoid slipping in the mud.

Road Repairs
The campground is on several levels and the rain managed to cut quite a few deep ruts in the access roads as the water poured down the hills. There are still many people arriving in huge RV’s and the staff have done a marvelous job of fixing the roads.

Fortunately the rain was all over by the afternoon and the sun came out to dry things up a bit.

Duluth to Sandstone, Minnesota

Our transportation, accommodation, food and entertainment cost so far

July 13 ~ Day #64
Budget to date
Spent today
Total to date
Daily average
Total
$6400
$143.05
$6749.79
$105.46
Miles by Road
Nautical Miles
Miles by Air
Miles by Train
Total Statute Miles
8164+93=8257
3856 [4437]
000
69
12763

Current Location: Campground, Sandstone, Minnesota

Today’s Total Expenses: $143.05

Transportation: $33 (gas)
Accommodation: $48
Food: $3.86 + 57.79 groceries

We are planning to camp for several days so we went back to the CUB store for perishable stuff like milk, meat and cheese. We managed to spend another $57.79 so it had better last for awhile.

CUB appears to be a local chain but we were very impressed. The sort of prices you expect at Costco but in regular quantities and no membership. If you are lucky enough to live in Minnesota and haven’t tried them you should definitely check them out.

We didn’t have far to go so we told Madge (our GPS) to take the scenic route. It’s a lovely day and we have lots of time.

Vicky managed to catch a cold and “pink eye” while at her daughter’s and is coughing quite a bit so we stopped at a Walgreens along the way and got her some cough drops and suppressant. I don’t have it yet but I’m sure it is just a matter of time.

Since we arrived in Sandstone via the scenic route we thought Madge was lost because where she wanted us to turn did not match the directions we had been given. Several miles later we realized that Madge had been right all the time.

The campground has over a hundred acres and a very active membership. They even have a community theater group that writes and produces their own plays and skits.

This weekend is their annual open house and they are expecting three or four hundred visitors form all over the USA and Canada. They are also producing a new play they have been rehearsing for weeks.

We pitched our tent in a shaded spot not far from the stage and just a short walk to the showers and restrooms.