Van Buren State Park

This summer, I got to do a one-night camping trip to Van Buren State Park outside of South Haven, MI. I was also riding my bike. It's nearly 50 miles one way, which is no big deal if I'm just riding by myself. But, I had never strapped a bunch of stuff to the back of the bike and hauled it with me. All of my own camping stuff is geared for kids, so we have a lot of stuff, none of it very lightweight. Fortunately, our family is full of campers and I was able to get a small(er) tent, a thin sleeping bag, and a very lightweight sleeping pad. I planned on eating dinner out on Wednesday, so I borrowed my brother-in-law's MSR Whisperlite stove and kettle to make hot water for oatmeal and coffee the next morning. I had never used one of those before and it is sweet. My route had me heading north, through the small town of Baroda and then through St. Joseph, MI before continuing north toward South Haven. The ride was cool but humid, so I took a break at St. Joe for a little while and watched…