Rend Lake Reservation

I am very excited - Every since we traveled to Benton, IL last summer and spent a few nights at the Benton KOA so I could work in Marion, IL we have wanted to go back to southern Illinois so we could spend some time at one of the Rend Lake Campgrounds. If you didn't get a chance you can go to this link to my post from last summer. The Benton KOA is right next to I-57 with traffic all day and all night whizzing by. If only I had done a little more homework and looked closer at what Rend Lake had to offer in campgrounds I would have found out how quiet and scenic the campgrounds were just a few miles further west away from the interstate. Well I made a reservation for next month for us to go back and spend a few days in the South Sandusky campground. We chose the Dogwood loop.  Glenda likes to have full hook ups (for more than a weekend we need FHU due to our smaller holding tank size) and there are a couple of FHU sites on that loop and one was available. The great thing about this loop is the bike path around the southern part of the lake goes right by our loop.

 Here are a couple of photos I took on one of our rides in the evening last year

 

 

 

 

The second photo is riding through one of the loops. Not sure which one that is since we went through them all, I think. There are 4 main area campgrounds - North and South Marcum and North and South Sandusky. As you can see the sites are farther apart with nice foliage.



Doesn't this look better than

 

This?



 

Now all we have to do is watch the weather and hope for some nice clear days. Last year was one of the hottest summers on record for the Midwest. So far we have had plenty of cool days and are ready for some warm (I didn't say HOT) weather. The last few days are beginning to shape up with temps in the 80's.

 

 

There is also a nice swimming beach near the South Sandusky campground.

 

The rest of May is going to be busy with me working a couple of motorcycle safety classes( I am an instructor for the IDOT program in Central IL teaching basic motorcycle riding safety classes) and visiting our daughter and grandkids in IN over Memorial Day weekend. Then another class in the first part of June, go see our newest grandson - Aiden again(he is now 2 month old and growing like a weed) and then our time to relax and get some vacation camping. Only 6 more weeks, but who's counting.  Like I said before we are camping right now until we get the 5th wheel next spring and prepare for going on the road. Looking forward to retirement and full timing and it won't be long.