May 15 - 16, 2026, Governor Dodge State Park, Iowa County, Wisconsin, 44 Miles
About a week ago, I searched for a place to camp. The weather forecast showed lovely, summer-like days ahead for the weekend, so I started searching for a camping spot. How lucky we were to find a site available at Governor Dodge State Park. We'd never been there, but heard the park was pretty spectacular. I grabbed the last available site. We got a late start on Friday evening and arrived at the park just after 7:00 p.m.
Since we were unfamiliar with some of the backroads, we opted to take the highways to Dodgeville. Despite the added miles, the drive was pleasant as traffic through Madison was light.
The drive through the park, under the lush canopies of glorious trees, was simply splendid!
So many beautiful vistas!
The park office had already closed, so we were unable to pick up a map, and with the spotty cell phone service, we weren't sure exactly where we were going. We enjoyed our wander through the park and just let the park signs guide us to our campsite.
And what a sight it was! Nestled among the towering trees, our campsite was both level and spacious! Camp setup used to take us significant time, energy, and a bit of frustration. Now it is quite efficient. We discovered that, despite wanting to help one another at every step in setting up camp, some tasks are easier to do alone. Each of us now has assigned tasks. I take Angus, our dog, for a thorough sniff around the site, while Jose backs the camper in. Once in place, I help ensure the camper is level. I chock the wheels - Jose unhooks. I plug into shore power - Jose parks the truck and begins to unload. He completes the outside setup, as I do the inside. In very little time, we're all set. Camp chairs are in place beside a nice fire, Angus is in full sploot, and we listen to the night sounds. Ahh...let the camping begin!
When our eyelids became heavy and the pauses in conversation got longer, it was time for bed. Angus happily went into his kennel, rustled his blankets to get comfy, and snuggled in for the night. We did pretty much the same, and all was well and right with our world.
Shortly after falling asleep, we heard the rain. Gentle at first, then a downpour, then flashes of violent light and G R U M B L E... B O O M ! C R A C K!
The camper trembled. Angus barked! Jose scrambled for the lantern. I grabbed my phone and clicked on the weather app. We were in for a doozy. I managed to settle Angus, and we rode out the storm. Just as things seemed to be calming down, my phone gave a not-to-be-ignored alert sound.
Despite the warning telling us exactly what we should do in this situation, Jose and I debated what we should do. It was the middle of the night, we were in unfamiliar territory, it was storming, and now a threat of a freakin' tornado! We certainly couldn't hook up the camper and leave. The truck was set up for tailgate cooking, so leaving in the truck wasn't a good option. Besides, where would we go? We thought about running down to the restroom building. But with my messed-up ankle and a dog who was already freaking out, that didn't sound like a good plan either. We had 15 minutes left in the warning window, and we didn't hear any threatening wind, so... we decided to ride it out. The tornado warning passed, the rain eventually stopped, and we all went back to bed and slept. And we slept hard.
I woke up early the next morning, wondering what I might find after the night's storm. Gratefully,
all was calm though a bit soggy. I tidied up the campsite, flipping the chairs over to let the seat puddles drain, hung the wet towels to dry, and then began our morning routine.
I made the coffee while Jose started on a tailgate breakfast.
After taking Angus for a relaxing stroll through the campground loop to do his business, we spent the rest of the day relaxing, exploring, and enjoying nature's beauty.
The forecast for the evening showed another round of storms, likely a repeat of the night before. We opted to head home early, and thank goodness we did. It rained all night and well into this morning.
Despite being back at home, we got up and cooked breakfast camp-style.
One learns quickly that flexibility is necessary for the camping lifestyle. A gorgeous weather forecast can end up in thunderstorms and tornadoes; a breakfast in the woods can end up in a suburban garage. In true camper wisdom: just roll with it!
