Yes we have had some. Lots of rain and wind and hail. So far we have been lucky and not had serious stuff. The other evening we did have a lot of lightning and pea sized hail with a few that were the size of moth balls.
Haven't had the awning out very often because of the wind and on the bedroom topper I had to rig a hold down to keep the flapping in check so we could sleep.
The flooding has been closer to Sioux Falls with both I90 and I35 being closed.
Lets hope the weather improves by the time we head east in a week or two.
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Why is our Jeep on a wrecker?
On Monday 6/16 we decided to take a trip to the Black Hills Petrified Forest about 20 miles away and return via Vanocker Canyon Road. The trip to the forest was very interesting and the video that discussed the geology of the Black Hills was very well done. This attraction is $6 for us seniors. The rock shop at the end of the tour has, wait for it, rocks. Many polished but some raw and some petrified wood specimens.
After our walk thru the forest we headed out to find Vanocker Canyon Road. This is a great motorcycle road, one of many in the area. As we were well up the road there was this beeping noise. I looked at the lcd display where many of the warnings show up and didn't see anything so we kept going. Some where along the way a couple of minutes later I looked and saw that the engine temp was max'd out. Found a pull of that was near a stream. So we stopped and let things cool down a little and refilled the radiator tank with the stream water. Headed back down and the temp was higher than normal but holding. Got on I90 and headed to Rapid City. High temp alarm again. Stopped at the rest area and called Good Sam ERS.
The Jeep was taken to the local dealer and on Tuesday the called and told me the radiator had a hole and needed to be replaced. They did not have a Jeep radiator but NAPA had one for about $60 less. Go for it. Later that day we picked up the Jeep for $846.09. Just what we needed after buying 4 new tires the week before.
After our walk thru the forest we headed out to find Vanocker Canyon Road. This is a great motorcycle road, one of many in the area. As we were well up the road there was this beeping noise. I looked at the lcd display where many of the warnings show up and didn't see anything so we kept going. Some where along the way a couple of minutes later I looked and saw that the engine temp was max'd out. Found a pull of that was near a stream. So we stopped and let things cool down a little and refilled the radiator tank with the stream water. Headed back down and the temp was higher than normal but holding. Got on I90 and headed to Rapid City. High temp alarm again. Stopped at the rest area and called Good Sam ERS.
The Jeep was taken to the local dealer and on Tuesday the called and told me the radiator had a hole and needed to be replaced. They did not have a Jeep radiator but NAPA had one for about $60 less. Go for it. Later that day we picked up the Jeep for $846.09. Just what we needed after buying 4 new tires the week before.
This winter wood pile will last for years.
It's petrified
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Saturday 6/14
Flag day. Since the wind blows so much here and often quite hard we decided to hang our flag inside the coach from the room darkening shade in the front window.
Late get up day and late breakfast. After noon we decided to go to the Central State Fair Grounds for the Black Hills BBQ Festival. Maybe it was the weather maybe it was our expectations but it wasn't that much. BBQ was good but not excellent.
Returned to the coach and just hung out for the remainder of the day. Temperature dropped at least 5 degrees after we returned.
Late get up day and late breakfast. After noon we decided to go to the Central State Fair Grounds for the Black Hills BBQ Festival. Maybe it was the weather maybe it was our expectations but it wasn't that much. BBQ was good but not excellent.
Returned to the coach and just hung out for the remainder of the day. Temperature dropped at least 5 degrees after we returned.
Friday 6/13
Hung around during the morning and picked up mail again. Then after lunch we went to the Journey Museum. Quite interesting as it takes you on a journey of the area from the beginning of the universe to modern times. We received the senior rate plus we were able to use the $1 off coupons.
Thursday 6/12
Back to Tri-State to get the correct tires installed. Done and I checked all 4 to make sure they were correct.
We were in need of hair cuts so we found a Great Clips and had our trim after we had lunch at a 50's diner called Arnold's Classic Diner. Not bad and it looks like a '50 place that I had been in in my youth.
We had gone by a place called Runnings and decided to stop in and see what it was all about. It's about farm and ranch and huge. We bought a new bed for Logan and he seems to like his new bed.
Then since we still had time to kill we went to Cabelas and checked out the rv parking area. We had been told that Cabelas had dump stations and they do. So we went inside and found something to buy. We did take a good tour of the store. Neat.
In the evening as I was walking Logan I was stopped by another Holiday Rambler owner. Turned out he recognized the hat I was wearing which identified me as a member of HRRVC Chapter 419.
After dinner we visited with them and the Monaco owners a couple of sites down. Nice evening.
We were in need of hair cuts so we found a Great Clips and had our trim after we had lunch at a 50's diner called Arnold's Classic Diner. Not bad and it looks like a '50 place that I had been in in my youth.
We had gone by a place called Runnings and decided to stop in and see what it was all about. It's about farm and ranch and huge. We bought a new bed for Logan and he seems to like his new bed.
Then since we still had time to kill we went to Cabelas and checked out the rv parking area. We had been told that Cabelas had dump stations and they do. So we went inside and found something to buy. We did take a good tour of the store. Neat.
In the evening as I was walking Logan I was stopped by another Holiday Rambler owner. Turned out he recognized the hat I was wearing which identified me as a member of HRRVC Chapter 419.
After dinner we visited with them and the Monaco owners a couple of sites down. Nice evening.
Wednesday 6/11
We had made an appointment with Try-State Tire and Auto to get new tires for the Jeep. We thought that paying 3% sales tax her was better that 6% when we returned to Florida where we would need them for sure. They were just short of the wear bars.
Long story but they sold us Nokia and we discovered when we returned to the coach that they had put put on Summitt. Called them and had an appointment to get the Nokia installed on Thursday.
Fixed veal for supper. I just love cooking on the induction cook-top.
Long story but they sold us Nokia and we discovered when we returned to the coach that they had put put on Summitt. Called them and had an appointment to get the Nokia installed on Thursday.
Fixed veal for supper. I just love cooking on the induction cook-top.
Tuesday 6/10 Badlands day
We decided that the weather today was the best for us to check out the Badlands and see if we could fit the coach in the NP campground and if not what campground we would stay at.
We got off I90 at Wall and took a drive downtown. Just passed by Wall Drug, didn't go in, and stopped at the Grasslands Visitors Center and spent about an hour or so. We will take time to visit Wall Drug when we return in a couple of weeks. You can view the pictures I took here.
In the big town of Interior, pop. 67, we found a Good Sam park which is just outside the park and made arrangements to spend a few days there before we head further East.
We returned to Rapid via SD 44. Good road but not much for services. It does run thru the Buffalo Gap grass lands and crosses the Badlands NP. Nice lonely road.
We got off I90 at Wall and took a drive downtown. Just passed by Wall Drug, didn't go in, and stopped at the Grasslands Visitors Center and spent about an hour or so. We will take time to visit Wall Drug when we return in a couple of weeks. You can view the pictures I took here.
In the big town of Interior, pop. 67, we found a Good Sam park which is just outside the park and made arrangements to spend a few days there before we head further East.
We returned to Rapid via SD 44. Good road but not much for services. It does run thru the Buffalo Gap grass lands and crosses the Badlands NP. Nice lonely road.
Monday 6/9
Today was our day to return to Box Elder and Americas Mailbox so there was no hurry to get on the road. We decided to take the coach to Bell Fourche to a Sinclar station to diesel up since the price there was about 20 cents less than the Flying J next to the CG.
We checked in and picked up our mail and packages and the tags for the Jeep. Coach tags would take another day or two since we owed another $234 in taxes. We gave the Americas Mailbox folks the additional funds and they will go to the County Office and take care of ours and others tags. Should have them by Wednesday.
Got everything set up and just kicked back.
We checked in and picked up our mail and packages and the tags for the Jeep. Coach tags would take another day or two since we owed another $234 in taxes. We gave the Americas Mailbox folks the additional funds and they will go to the County Office and take care of ours and others tags. Should have them by Wednesday.
Got everything set up and just kicked back.
Sunday 6/8 D.C. Booth
Decided to have a pancake breakfast this morning since it was cool and raining. Suzette did a load of wash after breakfast and we watched some of the Sprint Cup race. Since it was being recorded we decided to go to D.C. Booth Fish Hatchery. Very interesting however the Fish and Wildlife want to close it. I think a lot would be lost if this historic site is closed.
We spent some time in the gift shop talking to the volunteer that was attending to it that day. They are full-time from Texas and have been working at the hatchery for several years. They have a site at the City Campground that is just across the street.
After we returned to the coach we finished the race and saw that Junior won. Go Junior.
We spent some time in the gift shop talking to the volunteer that was attending to it that day. They are full-time from Texas and have been working at the hatchery for several years. They have a site at the City Campground that is just across the street.
After we returned to the coach we finished the race and saw that Junior won. Go Junior.
Saturday, June 07, 2014
Museum Day
It was just a crappy outside day so it was a perfect time to visit the Museum. Very well done and covered a lot of this area. Only a small portion of the collection is on display and an expansion is planned. The river walk also has a 9 hole disk golf course. To cold and drizzly to play and enjoy it.
We found Robbs, food, wheels, tubs, toilets, shoes, cosmetics, cleaning stuff, .... paw through and you might find something you need.
After lunch we decided we would watch a DVD. Well we thought we would watch a DVD. There are two DVD players in the front entertainment cabinet. Which remote for which one. Oh this one is for the dash "radio". Oh no batteries in this one. Ok it says a DVD is playing. Neither TV will display anything. I wonder which HDMI input they used. Nothing on any of the three.
Crap to many wires. So I removed the Dish receiver, top DVD player and looked at all the unused wires. Found another HDMI cable and plugged it in to the remaining DVD player. Now the main TV is getting the movie. Hooked up the other DVD player and connected one of the remaining 2 HDMI cables and the front TV gets the picture. Both TV's use HDMI 2 input for the DVD.
Then hooked up the Dish receiver and now we have it all. However I think heat buildup causes the Dish receiver to get flakey so I will have to add some spacer between Dish and the other components and possibly a small fan.
We found Robbs, food, wheels, tubs, toilets, shoes, cosmetics, cleaning stuff, .... paw through and you might find something you need.
After lunch we decided we would watch a DVD. Well we thought we would watch a DVD. There are two DVD players in the front entertainment cabinet. Which remote for which one. Oh this one is for the dash "radio". Oh no batteries in this one. Ok it says a DVD is playing. Neither TV will display anything. I wonder which HDMI input they used. Nothing on any of the three.
Crap to many wires. So I removed the Dish receiver, top DVD player and looked at all the unused wires. Found another HDMI cable and plugged it in to the remaining DVD player. Now the main TV is getting the movie. Hooked up the other DVD player and connected one of the remaining 2 HDMI cables and the front TV gets the picture. Both TV's use HDMI 2 input for the DVD.
Then hooked up the Dish receiver and now we have it all. However I think heat buildup causes the Dish receiver to get flakey so I will have to add some spacer between Dish and the other components and possibly a small fan.
Back to the Tower
It was an easy drive to Belle Fourche and we arrived around 12:30. Did a quick setup and headed back to Devils Tower. A long drive but well worth it. We did the hike around the base and it really different each time you stop to view. You can see our pictures here.We did see a few prayer clothes. There are no climbers in June because climbing is voluntarily closed out of respect to the Native Peoples.
After we returned we feed and walked Logan then off to eat at Belle Inn. After dinner we went to the Center of the Country, COC. Of course by that time the museum was closed but we did put a foot on the COC, Geographic Center Of the Country, all 50 states.
After we returned we feed and walked Logan then off to eat at Belle Inn. After dinner we went to the Center of the Country, COC. Of course by that time the museum was closed but we did put a foot on the COC, Geographic Center Of the Country, all 50 states.
Wednesday, June 04, 2014
Another Day another 3 hours in the Drivers Lounge
Since we didn't need to be at Interstate PowerSystems until after Noon we decided to take a quick drive to Devils Tower to check out the National Park campground to see if we could squeeze in. We think we could but decided we would find another campground.
Back to All Seasons for a quick lunch before taking the coach back to Interstate. Went to the service writer and he had to check to see if the part was in. It was. So off to the waiting/drivers lounge. There was another couple there and we had an interesting afternoon visiting with them. They are independent truckers and invited us to stay in their driveway if we get up their way. We exchanged information and may just take them up on their offer.
Tomorrow we head to Wyatt's Hideaway in Belle Fourche. That will be our base until Monday and allow us to spend some time at Devils Tower, Suudance and the surrounding area.
Back to All Seasons for a quick lunch before taking the coach back to Interstate. Went to the service writer and he had to check to see if the part was in. It was. So off to the waiting/drivers lounge. There was another couple there and we had an interesting afternoon visiting with them. They are independent truckers and invited us to stay in their driveway if we get up their way. We exchanged information and may just take them up on their offer.
Tomorrow we head to Wyatt's Hideaway in Belle Fourche. That will be our base until Monday and allow us to spend some time at Devils Tower, Suudance and the surrounding area.
Registering Vehicles
After we signed the papers for the coach and drove it off to Elkhart Campground I found that the dealer did not give me a certificate of origin which is needed to register the coach. So I think I have all the paperwork and turn it over to a representative of Americas Mailbox to handle the registration. OOPS one more thing is needed, proof that the dealer paid the South Dakota tax. Wait for that to be faxed. We now have been at the campground at Americas Mailbox for almost 2 weeks and have an appointment to have the transmission looked at by Interstate Powersystems in Gillette WY. Still no tags just a trip permit and we head off to Gillette.
We receive an email from AM that the Jeep is registered but there is another issue with the coach. SD wants to tax an item listed as other on the purchase order. This item is really an extended warranty contract. So now to get a document that states such.
Maybe by the end of next week we will have tags for the coach.
Oh the loan you ask, well we signed the loan documents on 5/16 and I just got an email from the dealer that they had the payment and would make the payoff payment on the coach we traded in. Sloooow.
We receive an email from AM that the Jeep is registered but there is another issue with the coach. SD wants to tax an item listed as other on the purchase order. This item is really an extended warranty contract. So now to get a document that states such.
Maybe by the end of next week we will have tags for the coach.
Oh the loan you ask, well we signed the loan documents on 5/16 and I just got an email from the dealer that they had the payment and would make the payoff payment on the coach we traded in. Sloooow.
New Coach
As many of you may know we purchased a 2013 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 43 PKQ. I thinkj the Q means quad slides, P K your guess.
Not long after we signed papers and loaded our stuff in it we had a Check Trans and Service Trans indicators come on. We were able to get it into an Allison shop but not a first line shop. They checked it out and said there was a missing wire in the harness. Also that it was safe to drive with out damaging the transmission. One solution they offered was to have the TCM, Transmission Control Module, reprogrammed to disable the prognostics. The prognostics tell you the health of the transmission, when to change fluid and change filters.
So we drove it. We wanted to get to South Dakota to change our residency and register the coach. Everything worked well with no apparent issues with the transmission. While in Box Elder, near Rapid City, I did another search and found a real Allison shop in Gillette WY. So, still without a registered coach, we make arrangements to have the transmission looked at by Interstate P:owersystems.
Their analysis is that there is a defective contact in the 80 pin connector that attaches the wiring harness to the TCM. About 3 hours of analysis and putting things back together so we could drive back to the campground. Yep they didn't have the needed connector shell. One is ordered from one of their sister locations and will be in by noon 6/4.
So two more nights, minimum, in Gillette before we head back east.
Not long after we signed papers and loaded our stuff in it we had a Check Trans and Service Trans indicators come on. We were able to get it into an Allison shop but not a first line shop. They checked it out and said there was a missing wire in the harness. Also that it was safe to drive with out damaging the transmission. One solution they offered was to have the TCM, Transmission Control Module, reprogrammed to disable the prognostics. The prognostics tell you the health of the transmission, when to change fluid and change filters.
So we drove it. We wanted to get to South Dakota to change our residency and register the coach. Everything worked well with no apparent issues with the transmission. While in Box Elder, near Rapid City, I did another search and found a real Allison shop in Gillette WY. So, still without a registered coach, we make arrangements to have the transmission looked at by Interstate P:owersystems.
Their analysis is that there is a defective contact in the 80 pin connector that attaches the wiring harness to the TCM. About 3 hours of analysis and putting things back together so we could drive back to the campground. Yep they didn't have the needed connector shell. One is ordered from one of their sister locations and will be in by noon 6/4.
So two more nights, minimum, in Gillette before we head back east.
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