Back to Hillsdale: Our Third Camping Trip of the Year

Tent and Night Sky at Camp

For our third camping trip of the year, we returned to Hillsdale State Park—the same place where we kicked off our camping season. This time, it was just Carrie, Oliver, and me. In the days leading up to the trip, severe heat was forecasted for the area. We debated whether to go but ultimately decided to go ahead with it. Our main concern was how Oliver would handle the heat, but we found a way to help him stay cool, which I’ll explain later in this post.

Sunset at Hillsdale State Park

We had originally planned to head out Wednesday night after I got off work, but we couldn’t reserve our campsite for that night. So, we left Thursday instead and arrived around 5:30 PM. It was extremely hot while we were setting up camp. As I mentioned, we were worried about Oliver being in the heat, so we kept him in the shade as much as possible.

Once camp was set up, we relaxed for a bit before preparing dinner. Carrie had made meatloaf the night before at home, so our first camping meal was meatloaf sandwiches with chips on the side. They were delicious. After dinner, we got a fire going—mainly to keep bugs away, as it was still quite warm.

Big Dipper in Night Sky

We stayed up late around the fire, enjoying the cooler evening air and watching the night sky. We saw a spectacular sunset before dinner, and the stars were out in full force. Although clouds were moving in, they took their time, giving us a beautiful view of the stars.

Even though most campsites in the area were marked as reserved, there weren’t many campers around. At one point, I counted only four other groups, despite many more sites being booked earlier in the week. I’m sure the heat kept some people away. We also decided to leave earlier than planned because of the heat.

On Friday morning, we woke up early as the tent started heating up. Oliver was up around 5 AM, but we managed to get him back to sleep for another hour or so. Even early in the day, it was already getting hot, so we spent the morning lounging, reading, eating breakfast, and taking it easy.

Oliver at the Beach

By noon, the temperature had climbed to 91 or 92 degrees, with a heat index of 106. To cool off, we took a car ride with the AC blasting. We drove to Paola, KS, for coffee and to explore the town. After about two hours, Oliver had finally stopped panting, and we were all cooled down. We headed back to Hillsdale State Park and drove around to check out the beach. We decided to grab our swimsuits and return for a swim.

Oliver Wet at the Beach

The beach at Hillsdale is a great setup—plenty of space, a large sandy area, and lots of picnic benches. We had a great time cooling off in the water. We even took Oliver into the lake, and it really helped him cool down. He swam out to one of us, fully submerged. I don’t think I’d ever seen him swim before, so it was fun watching him paddle with his paws.

After a couple of hours at the beach, we returned to camp. Dinner that night was Currywurst with fried potatoes. We waited until the sun was nearly down before cooking, relaxing in our chairs and keeping Oliver in a cool spot. We read and listened to music while we waited.

Dinner Cooking

Dinner was fantastic—a perfect end to the day. We decided to head home Saturday morning. Carrie and I could have stayed another day, but we were concerned about Oliver. At 14 years old, the heat was just too much for him, and he had been panting heavily at times. Friday night would be our last night of this trip. We had a good day and I think Oliver had a fun day too. Oliver had a happy look on his face most of the day and looked to be smiling between panting. 

Oliver in Wagon with Fan

We stayed up until about 2 AM around the fire, listening to the Royals game and then some music. It was a fun and peaceful night. At one point, we set up a fan on Oliver while he rested in the wagon, and it worked—he was zonked out while we enjoyed the evening. A perfect end to the night. We knew we would be packing up in the morning, so making the most out of our last night camping.

Peck on the Cheek While Camping

Saturday morning, we slept in a bit, but once the sun hit the tent, we were up. Oliver actually slept later than usual, which gave us a little extra rest. We slowly packed up and were on the road by around 10:30 AM. We stopped in Paola again for coffee before heading out to scout future camping spots. Our next goal: Melvern Lake—this time on the RV side. Yes, we’re planning to rent an RV in July for our first RV camping trip! We’ve stayed at Melvern Lake many times, but this will be our first time with a travel trailer.

Today is Sunday, and while we were a bit sad to cut our trip short, it’s nice to be home and relax before heading back to work tomorrow. Hopefully, we’ll be out camping again soon—fingers crossed for cooler weather next time!

Have a great Sunday and a wonderful week!

Symphony in the Flint Hills: A Memorable Finale

Stage at Symphony in the Flint Hills

On Saturday, we attended our second Symphony in the Flint Hills—and the final one of the series. The last time we went was in 2013, although that year it was held on the Fort Riley base. That was still a very cool experience, but we missed out on seeing it in the actual Flint Hills.

When we heard this would be the final event, we knew we had to get tickets and head out to Strong City, KS, to experience the symphony one last time.

Panoramic Setting Sun -- Courtesy of Greg

We lucked out with the weather—it was overcast with no rain, and the cloud cover helped keep the temperature lower than expected. We went with our friends Laura and Jason, and family members Erin and Greg. We brought plenty of food and had a great time snacking and enjoying the pleasant weather. It took about 45 minutes of traffic to get into the area, but it was worth it.

Sunset, Cows, and Flint Hills

The scenery was stunning—rolling hills dotted with cattle created a picturesque backdrop. We arrived around 2:30 p.m. and found a great spot, which turned out to be right along the path of the cattle drive during intermission. Carrie captured some great photos of the cattle being driven across the land and the cowboys at work.

Selfie Early in the Evening

The Kansas City Symphony’s performance felt a bit short. Carrie and I were away getting drinks when the music began—about 30 minutes later than scheduled, as people were still arriving and waiting to get in. We later heard that some attendees waited up to two hours to enter, due to the dirt roads. Thankfully, we followed the recommendation to arrive early and were ready for the music to start at 6 p.m., though it was delayed to 6:30.

Cattle Drive and Cowboys

The symphony played a few pieces before taking a break for intermission. That’s when the cattle drive took place, which was a unique and memorable sight.

After the performance, the sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the Flint Hills. With cows grazing in the distance and the sky painted in warm hues, it was the perfect end to the evening. Knowing it would take time to get 5,000 people out of the area, we stayed until about 9:30 before heading back. We made it to Topeka by 11.

Selfie in the Flint Hills with Setting Sun

I’m so glad we were able to attend one last time for the finale of this incredible event. This was the twentieth and final Symphony in the Flint Hills. I’m grateful we got to hear the beautiful music, take in the breathtaking views, and enjoy the evening with friends and family.

Until next time, have a wonderful rest of your Sunday. Happy Father’s Day to all the dads, and have a great week ahead!

From SUV to Adventure Rig: Our First Step Toward Trailer Camping

We’re taking the first steps toward being able to haul travel trailers! This Friday, our Honda Pilot is going in for service to address two recalls. While it’s in the shop, we’re also having a hitch and wiring harness installed. Once that’s done, we’ll be ready to start pulling trailers.

We’ve been talking about adding a hitch to the Pilot for a while, and we’re finally getting it done. This will allow us to start renting trailers and see if we enjoy that style of camping. I’ve already set up an account on Outdoorsy, which makes it easy to find local trailers for rent and test out the process. Many experienced campers recommend renting before buying, so this should give us a good sense of what owning a trailer would be like.

I’m currently watching two trailers on the site—one in Eudora and the other in Gardner. Renting is pretty affordable, around $90 per day, which is still cheaper than most hotels. The biggest upfront cost is getting the hitch installed, but it’s right around what I expected, and it’ll be finished on Friday.

It’s been a long time since I’ve driven with anything in tow, so I’ll need a little time to get used to it again. I used to drive my dad’s truck with a boat attached and never had trouble backing up, but doing it in a Honda Pilot—with limited rear visibility and relying mostly on mirrors—will be a new experience. Still, I think I’ll manage and I’m looking forward to giving it a try.

One of the main reasons we’re considering a trailer is that it would let us camp earlier in the year and later into the fall. One of the trailers I’m eyeing doesn’t allow pets, but the other one does. For our first trip, we might leave Oliver at home so we can focus on learning the ropes, but we’ll see. Hopefully, we enjoy it as much as we do tent camping and can include Oliver in future trips.

One thing we’re not getting installed on Friday is the hitch ball. It was recommended that I purchase that separately, and I’m considering a multi-size hitch ball that can be swapped out depending on the trailer. On my dad’s truck, we only had one ball hitch since we mainly towed a boat or a trailer with a tractor, so it was pretty straightforward. I’m not sure how it’ll work with different rental trailers, but I’ll figure it out.

I’m really excited to get started. We’ve been thinking about adding a hitch for a few years now, and it’s finally happening. I’ll definitely share future posts about our experiences and hopefully some camping trips throughout the year—not just in the summer.

Until next time, have a great rest of your Sunday and a wonderful week!

Happy Birthday to our dog Oliver — he’s 14 today!

Wow! It’s hard to believe we brought this little guy home 14 years ago. He brings so much joy to our family. We love taking him on vacations (when we can), enjoy camping with him, and cherish every moment spent together around the house.

Last night, I took him on a birthday-eve walk, and he had a great time. I’m trying to take him on more walks lately—he gets so excited just to be outside. It’s a simple joy that never gets old.

We’ve been on so many fun journeys over the years. Here’s to many more adventures with our little guy.
Happy birthday, Oliver!

 

Camping Through the Storm: Our Memorial Day Weekend at the Lake

Campsite at Eisenhower State Park

We went out for our second camping trip of the year from May 22 to May 26 (scheduled). Unfortunately, heavy rain on Sunday cut our trip short, and we returned that evening instead of Monday. Still, we had a great time during the days we were there. This is the story of our trip to one of my favorite locations—Eisenhower State Park at Melvern Lake.

Thursday, May 22

I was at a conference in Pittsburg, KS, from Tuesday through Thursday, so we planned to start our camping trip Thursday night after I returned. We loaded up the car and arrived at our campsite around 7:30 or 8:00 p.m. Erin and Carrie joined us but had to work the next day, so they helped set up the tents and even got the fire started before heading back to Topeka. Greg and I stayed behind to enjoy the evening by the fire.

Carrie and I had picked up Hog Wild BBQ in Topeka before heading out, so we had that for dinner. Erin and Carrie ate with us before leaving. Greg and I spent the night around the campfire, and it turned out to be the best night of the weekend. The sky was clear, and we could see stars all the way down to the horizon. We stayed up late talking, listening to music, and soaking in the camping life.

Friday, May 23

Walking Along the Bank

Friday morning started off well. Although I had the day off, I had a 9:30 a.m. work call I planned to join—only to find out it was canceled. Still, it made for a productive morning. I took a walk by the lake, and we spent the day relaxing at the campsite. The girls were planning to join us that evening after work, so Greg and I enjoyed a laid-back day.

We watched Washburn Tennis compete in the Final Four in Florida. They won 4–0, which made for an exciting morning. The afternoon was lazy—reading, checking emails, and listening to music. The Royals were scheduled to play that evening, likely around the time the ladies would arrive.

Oliver Relaxing

Carrie and Erin stopped in Lyndon to pick up Casey’s pizza on their way to the campsite. They arrived before 7:00 p.m., bringing the last of the camping supplies. It was an overcast night, but we had a great time around the fire, talking, listening to music, and enjoying each other’s company. Carrie brought Oliver, who loves camping too. Despite the forecast, we decided to brave the weather and bring our little guy along.

Saturday, May 24

Saturday was a day of relaxing, listening to music, and watching/listening the finals of Washburn Tennis and Royals baseball. We took a few walks around the site with Oliver, who loved it and did his best to protect us from other campers. We love our spot because it’s relatively secluded.

Carrie and Oliver by the Lake

Both Washburn Tennis and the Royals didn’t have the best day—Washburn lost 4–2 in the championship, and the Royals lost 5–4. Not the ideal sports afternoon. Later, we had visitors: Erin’s mom Mona and her friend Larry, along with Joan and Eddie, joined us for dinner.

Dinner was chicken fajitas—so good! As is often the case with camping, we forgot one important item: the propane connector for the Firedisc. Thankfully, we had our two-burner stove, which we thought we’d use the next morning and night, so we were able to cook the meal. It turned out to be a fun evening!

Our guests left just after sunset, and we gathered around the fire. Rain was in the forecast, and unfortunately, it arrived earlier than expected. We moved everything under the canopy and tried to enjoy the evening there. I ended up falling asleep in a chair holding Oliver. It was an earlier night than planned, with everyone heading to their tents.

Sunday, May 25

It started raining Saturday evening and didn’t stop until Sunday afternoon. Both couples were stuck in their tents through the night as the rain poured. Eventually, we got out when we received a text from Erin and Greg saying they were out for a drive. We joined them and took Oliver along to explore other lakes and campsites.

We decided this would be our last day camping, as more rain was forecast for Sunday night into Monday. After returning from our drive, we slowly began packing up. It was disappointing, but we all agreed it was the right decision. Thankfully, the rain stopped while we packed, which made things easier.

Once the cars were loaded, we headed back to Topeka, a bit down about ending early. We had planned to have pancakes for breakfast and steaks for dinner—neither of which happened. When Carrie, Oliver, and I got home, we unloaded the car into the garage and ended up napping through the afternoon and into the evening.

Monday, May 26 (Memorial Day)

Camp Fire and Laptop

Still feeling a bit sad about missing another day of camping, Carrie and I didn’t do much. We had planned to put away the gear we left in the garage, but that didn’t happen until Wednesday night.

Despite the early end, it was a great trip. As usual, we were tired from camping, so we spent the day relaxing. Oliver slept wherever he flopped down. He had a great time—he smiled the whole trip. Even during Saturday night’s thunderstorm, he didn’t seem scared, at least not that we could tell. He even tried to protect us from a dog across the way. I’m sure he was dreaming of his camping adventures while he rested.

We’re already thinking about our next trip. Until then, have a great rest of your weekend—and a great week ahead!

 

In Memory and Gratitude: This Memorial Day

As the rain gently falls this Memorial Day, it serves as a quiet reminder of the solemn meaning behind the holiday. While many see today as the unofficial start of summer, it is, above all, a day to honor the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country.

May the weather not dampen your time with loved ones, but instead offer a moment of reflection and gratitude for the freedoms we enjoy.

  “Our nation owes a debt to its fallen heroes that we can never fully repay.”
  — Barack Obama

This Google Tool Turned My Blog Into a Podcast—Here’s What Happened

 It’s been a busy week for me with a conference I attended in Pittsburg, KS. I worked on Monday, then drove to Pittsburg on Tuesday. I was there from Tuesday through Thursday with a packed schedule full of meetings and presentations. Everything went really well! By Wednesday night, I was so tired after a full day of meetings that I just lounged in my hotel room watching shows—and I was asleep by 10:30.

While I was away, Carrie sent me a few pictures of Oliver enjoying the backyard. The image to the right shows him soaking up the sun while lounging in the yard. She also sent a picture of him chasing a rabbit—oh, the joys of being a dog!

This was my second conference in just a few short months. At both events, I heard about a site called NoteBookLM from Google. I first came across it at eLive back in April but hadn’t had much time to explore it. After hearing about it again at this conference, I decided to give it a try.

If you haven’t checked out NoteBookLM, I highly recommend it. You can upload a technical manual, notes, or other information, and the site can turn it into a podcast, a FAQ, or even allow you to chat live with an AI about the content. I tested it using my own website (https://blogger.haverty.net/) to see what it would do with my blog content. It turned my site into a podcast summarizing the past few months of posts. You can listen to the podcast generated by NoteBookLM below.

 

It did a great job scanning my site and summarizing what I post about each week. The audio file above was generated by NoteBookLM as if two (fictional) hosts were doing a podcast about my blog. I thought it was really cool and wanted to share it—not just because it was fun, but because it’s amazing how NoteBookLM uses AI to turn content into something so accessible and engaging.

Until next time, have a great week!