WABAC II

As we were returning from our last trip in our WABAC machine we passed by The Dakota Territorial Museum. So that would be our next WABC trip. This is a small but very interesting museum. There is a replica of a Gatling gun as well as many Native Peoples, WW I and WWII items as well as many household items from the area.

What I found most interesting was the log cabin that was lived in from the time it was built in the 1800 until the decedents moved into a new house in 1953. There is also a one room school house that was used from 1900 to 1970.

View their online album here.

On our return to Nebraska Tailwaters CG we pulled off to take a look at the Meridian  Bridge. This bridge is a local Icon. It was built to allow traffic across the river. Before the bridge was built there was a ferry and in winter they drove across the ice. When the bridge was built the cars of the day could pass by each other. As cars and trucks got bigger they could no longer pass by each other. A system of lights was installed but people were impatient and caused a few problems. A second deck was added for North bound traffic. The bridge is now a foot bridge and used by a lot of folks. Suzette and I walked about as far as the NE SD state like and following are some of the pictures.

WABAC Machine

Suzette is very good at finding unique things we should visit. In small print on the state map was reference to a museum in Freeman SD. The Heritage Museum looked interesting so off we go. We have the address plugged into the GPS and think we are golden. We see a sign for the turn for the museum, blinker on, slow down, oh shit, road closed. No Problem we have a GPS. We follow the directions and find ourselves at the Freeman Academy. No sign of the Museum. We drive around looking for something that might lead us in the right direction. We give up and ask for directions. It turns out we were in the right place, kinda, the museum is in a build behind the gymnasium. So we take the ladies directions and arrive at the museum. Looks closed. But it isn't we are just the only folks to be visiting at that time.

Wow what a place, truly a rare find. Go to the link above for more information but put this on your Yankton SD list. Following are some pictures and there are more in our online album under Links sidebar.

Indian 4

Yes there is farm equipment

1927 Lincoln Page BiPlane

Hosiery knitting machine

Centrifuge

Phone booth

Stuff, that display in the foreground is buttons

There are several buildings also open for viewing. I think we spent the most time in the Deckert House. This house has a unique Russian Oven and chimney. You can learn more about the oven and heating system here. There is an area of the chimney that is used to smoke meats.

Why a Russian Oven in South Dakota? This area was settled by Russian Germans. I had no idea. Do an internet search for much more information.

After 2 or so hours in the museum it was time to eat. So off to the Prairie House Restaurant. We just had to have Chislic a local favorite. This reminded us of Spiedies that you find in the Binghamton NY area,.

The Chislics are all gone. These are BBQ Pork and BBQ Brisket. GOOD

Oh for those that don't remember Mr. Peabody's WABAC machine, click the link.

Scenic Drive, Outlaw Trail

After leaving the Music Museum we went for a quick lunch and then headed out for a scenic drive. We took SD 19 south to Nebraska and shortly after crossing the MO we turned into a scenic overlook. It was an overcast day but...
This section of the Mighty MO is claimed to be the last untamed section of the river. It lies wholly below the Gavis Point Dam and is not managed for navigation. This 100 mile section is free flowing with sections managed by the National Park Service. You can read more here and here. The following pictures are a couple of views of the river.

Looking up river

Down river

 We continued South on NE 19 to the intersection with NE12. Sections of this road are known as The Outlaw Trail and we headed West thinking we might to to Devils Nest. Jesse James is said to have had a hideout in Devils Nest. This was a scenic drive on mostly good 2 lane road. It could be driven in a motorhome with no problem. We made a few turnoffs to investigate little towns along the way. Upon reaching US81 we turned North to go to the Discovery Welcome Center. We picked up a few pamphlets and saw that in Crofton there was a Pulley Museum. We drove along NE12 to Crofton went up and down the main streets, no museum that we could see. We went back to 12 and continued West, no museum. We came to the junction of 121 which would take us back to the campground. So we made the turn and headed "home".

As we approached the Gavins Point Dam, Lewis and Clark Visitor Center we decided to turn in and see if we could go on the last Dam tour of the day. We could just go to the Dam lobby and sign in. With about a half hour to kill we decided we would see one of the movies about Lewis and Clark.

Unfortunately you can't take pictures on the tour. Not only that but you can't bring you cell, any pack or purse, nada. So you will just have to trust that we went on the tour. When you get a chance go on one it is quite interesting.

National Music Museum

Another wonderful find. As we were coming up I29 we saw several signs for National Music Museum. Humm would we be near it? Sure enough when we were traveling west on SD50 we saw a sign that pointed to the university.

A day or so later we went to Vermillion and found the Museum. There was some parking on the streets but not near the museum so we pulled in the parking lot. Sucks, it's a metered lot. Takes only quarters, we don't have any. We were able to get some from the museum and put in enough for 2 hours.

The museum is free on Friday's and they loan you iPod's so that you can get information and hear the instrument at the numbered displays. This made our tour so much better. There some very rare instruments in the display. Some are 1 of 2 known. It is really something. We used the 2 hours we had on the meter.

This is a must stop when you plan your South Dakota trip.

  

Nebraska Tailwaters

We are just south of Yankton SD on the Nebraska side at Nebraska Tailwaters Campground. This is an electric only campground with the dump station on highway 121 above the campground. When we arrived yesterday we were greeted with a Bald Eagle fishing over the river. By the time I got my camera and put on the telephoto lens he was gone.

Our first order of business after setup was to again go to the visitors center. There are good views of the Lewis and Clark lake as well as downstream below the dam. We talked with a work camper and got some of the lay of the land. and a suggestion for our trip to Glacier NP. The road over the dam is closed during the day while maintenance is being done. When they open the road it is limited to vehicles less than 9' wide. Since we are 8'6", not counting the mirrors, I'll not attempt this with the MH.

Raining today, 6/11, so we took a ride to town and did a little shopping for lunch. Tomorrow we plan to go to Vermillion to the Music Museum, that will be another entry.

Our campsite

The spillway and Lewis and Clark lake beyond

A view down river from the visitors Center

Since this was once an inland sea there are sharks teeth to be found

A view out our front window.

Lewis and Clark State Park Onawa IA

This was an overnight stop but it could have been much longer had we done a little research and changed our schedule but ...

Lewis and Clark SP is a nice park, we had a full hookup pull-thru site. There was no one at the check in station but one of the folks told us where our site was so we didn't have to spend time going in the wrong direction.

As soon as we were setup we headed for the visitors center and museum. They had very nice displays and the State Park is located where Discovery camped.

Replica of a keel boat

The actual outboard motor used to power Lewis and Clark up river. All that business with oars and ropes was just for show. I didn't know they had outboards back then.

Replicas in the museum, Visitors Center

BLOOMINGTON EAST, KS

A little out of the way for a visit to Kansas City but Bloomington East on Clinton Lake south west of Lawrence KS worked for us. Our GPS took us on a more scenic route than was necessary but that was really a function of settings. We use Rand McNally RV7720 and I put in the RV information, length, height, weight, width etc. and the Rand should not route us on roads we would be illegal on. Hence the more scenic route. One route had a weight limit of 40,000 #'s and I have the GPS set for our Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, 43,000 #'s.

The CORPS park had 50A and water at the paved site which was easy in and out. The park is known to get busy but it was mostly empty when we were there. The sites are very level side to side and front to back.

Our main reason for this stop was to go to KC and visit the Arabia Steamboat Museum. WOW what a story. After some initial presentation by your tour guide there is a film about the Arabia and its discovery. After the film, on the day we were there, David Hawley who made the discovery was available to answer questions. The Q&A went on so long that our tour guide had to kick us out because another tour was waiting.

What a great museum. It has taken time to write this post because I am adding links and when I find one I begin reading it and have to remind myself to get back to this post.

After we had spent as much time as we wanted in the museum it was time to eat and we found Winslows BBQ there in City Market. We pondered the menu for a while and then ordered figuring a large late lunch would last well into the evening and we would find something light for an evening snack.

After lunch we browsed thru the City Market but didn't see anything we wanted to we decided to go to the WWI Museum. Well this being June 6 there was a lot going on. We never did find out just what was happening at the museum but there was NO parking without an uphill hike. So we looped around for a photo op and then headed back to the campground.

 Our next outing was a tour of Lawrence which we started at the visitors center where we saw a film on Quantrill's raid. Mom had said that some distant relation was a survivor of the raid by hiding in a cornfield. But I don't have the Genealogy work she did and what I could find on Ancestry.com did show that a branch of her family was  in the area.

Lunch in Lawrence. I had been told that the place to have lunch in Lawrence was the Free State Brewery. So that's what we did. Great food and excellent beer. 

Arabia Steamship Museum

Arabia Steamship Museum

World War I Museum

Travel time and St Louis

Our next stop was "Bo" Wood campground which is a very nice CORPS park. The weather wasn't all that good but we did take a tour of the dam facility and drove thru Shelbyville IL but it was Sunday afternoon and there wasn't much to see or do.
On our way to the CG we had a warning indicating a problem with the exhaust particulate filter. So when we left Bo Wood we went to Decatur IL to an international dealer to have the coach looked at. It turned out to be a fuel delivery problem, meaning fuel filters were restricted. Perhaps we had some bad fuel or the service we had done in April was not correctly done. Anyway after about 4 hours we were on the road and headed to St Louis MO.

We stayed at a very nice county/city CG, 370 Lakeside Park in St Peters just west of SL. We wanted to visit friends from Sun-N-Fun as well as see the Arch. We got it all in as well as a walk thru St Charles where the Journey of Discovery set off from. St Charles, aka St Chuck, which was also the first capitol of MO. The Lewis and Clark visitors center had a nice little display and there were to  be 3 replicas of the boats used. They were not there, they were in Calgary CA to be used in a documentary. While on our walk of St Chuck I did buy a little over a pound fresh fudge.

We did get downtown to see and ride to the top of the arch. In looking for parking I found that every place close was a parking garage so off came the kayaks and bikes. The J bars still hit the floor above but they rotated down enough that they were no problem. We purchased our ride tickets in advance so that made live a little easier. There was a lot of construction around the Arch so we didn't see much more than the arch.
More pictures are here.

Focal Wood and beyond

When we left Duncan we went to Napannee to get our cabinets from Focal Wood. Once they were installed we were on our way to Mississinewa Lake State Park near Peru IN. That would be our base from which we would go to Kokomo.

On our way we were buffeted by strong winds and heavy rain. The Malfunction Indicator Lamp, MIL, started flashing but I confused it with the High Exhaust Temperature Light, HEST, and figured a Diesel Particulate Filter, DPF, was doing a regeneration. We were running right along and things seemed fine. However when I had to slow and then accelerate I noticed that the power was way down. I checked the turbo boost pressure and it would not go above 23#'s. Damn another problem in the middle of nowhere. I called the last dealer I had been to for the reprogramming of the ECM and they could provide no over the phone help. Take it to a shop. There was one on the way to our next destination so I figured I would go there when we left.

Our main reason for going to Kokomo was to take a tour of the Kokomo Opalescent Glass factory as well as see a couple of museums and find the Vermont covered bridge that is in a city/county park.
The tour of the factory was very interesting. It is hard to describe so a couple of pictures will speak the words I can't find.

They "hop" the molten glass, about 80# I think, over to the mixing table and pour it out.

Once the molten glass is on the table it is "mixed", basically folded like dough, then thrown into the forming rollers

After it has cooled it is cut into panels and off to packaging.

The tour guide said that they have orders that fill shipping containers. Many to Europe, Japan and ...

After lunch we went to a museum, oh crap closed on Monday. Then it was off to find the Vermont Covered Bridge in a local park.

Patience Patience Patience

When you have a home that is on wheels you need a little patience, well a lot of patience.

We left our winter home at Sun-N-Fun April 12 and had an appointment at Alliance Coach in Wildwood FL. for annual service and a couple of warranty items. We were in the shop on the 13th for a few hours and they addressed some of the issues and determined that one of the hydraulic leveling jacks needed to be replaced. So that gets ordered on Tuesday I think. Nope they have to wait for warranty approval from ARG.

Places we've been

This shows the places we've been since joining rillage.com.

Duncan RV and Service

After the MS, Maintenance Session, it was a short 17 mile drive to Duncan. We got checked in and the next morning they came to get the coach. They went over what they planned to do and discus the order of work. They started by removing the fiberglass in the rear which I had damaged by backing into a 4x4 post at Alliance without a spotter. That is a story to have over a beer. The doors that I damaged the second day driving the coach are to be reskined but they didn't want to remove them since there were heavy rain and wind forecast for the weekend. They did however remove the J couch in preparation for extending the platform on the slide.

Couch ready to be removed

Lower rear cap damage

How the coach looks with the lower rear cap removed

Let it all hang out

On Monday they took the coach in and removed the cargo doors to take them to the shop that was to reskin them. They also worked on the slide extension.

Now we wait. Time for more Patience pills. We did purchase carpet from a local shop, a Lambright Comfort Lounger from Brad and Hall, and a visit to Focal Wood to discuss our cabinet needs.

While we were taking our Patience Pills we visited the Studebaker Museum, New York Central Railroad Museum, took a tour of the Newmar factory found some good restaurants and dinners and visited with others that were also taking Patience Pills. I managed to finish one book and read two more and Suzette did some knitting as well as 4 jigsaw puzzles.



We also found a disk golf course at a local county park so for my birthday we played 18 holes.


After the work was done, after two and half weeks, we took the coach to Selking International to have an ECM update done. Then it was on the road to our next adventure.

Maintenance Session HRRVC Chapter 419

We arrived at the MS, Maintenance Session, and our first order of business was to have the coach weighted. It is good to know the weights on each wheel so you can set the proper tire pressure and also balance the load if/when that is needed.

As we were guided to our parking space we recognized a 2004 Endeavor from New York. Yes it was our friend Barb W. from SNF. I had recruited her to join HRRVC and the 419 chapter. It was good to see a familiar face. The week was filled with seminars and food along with getting needed service. We had the generator and aqua hot serviced as well as the coach washed and waxed.  Vinny from Duncan RV Service also made a visit to review the damage that we were having them repair so they could turn in the estimate to the insurance company.

Suzette took seminars on using the convection/microwave oven and bought several silicon cooking utensils. She also  took a class in locker hooking. My main purchase was a water softener which we would need as we travel to areas with hard water. We are really loving the soft water we now have.

Blacktop boondocking and Pickleball

We wanted our next stop to be near Fort Wright KY where Joan and Ed who we know from SNF live. We were having trouble finding a nearby campground and finally found out, with Joan's help, that we could boondock in the parking lot of the local Field and Stream store. When we arrived Joan and Ed were there to great us. Once we got setup and locked up we were off on a tour of their side of the river and then off to their house for dinner and visit.

The next day we spent the morning playing pickleball with a group of 12 until about noon. We said our goodbyes and hit the road for Celina OH and the Mercer County Fair grounds where we stayed the previous August.

Field and Stream parking lot

Ed, Joan, Larry

On a sad note Ed was killed and Joan was injured in a motorcycle accident about 2 weeks after this picture was taken. RIP Ed.

Social media

It is amazing what can happen when you travel and use social media. Suzette had been posting as we traveled north keeping our FB friends updated on our location and what we were seeing along the way. As we were sitting in Gondolier Pizza and Steak house in Sweetwater TN we received FB message that friends were just up the road getting fuel. They had planned on BBQ which was nearby but since we had already ordered they decided to stop an visit with us and have their dinner. They had hopped to make KY before stopping for the night but changed their plans. Again another nice visit with folks, June and Doug Taylor, we will not see for a couple of years or more.

After dinner and our good bye's we took a little tour of town with a stop at the Local Wal Mart. Just can't live without Wal Mart.

Patiance patiance ...

When you have a home that is on wheels you need a little patience, well a lot of patience.

We left our winter home at Sun-N-Fun April 12 and had an appointment at Alliance Coach in Wildwood FL. for annual service and a couple of warranty items. We were in the shop on the 13th for a few hours and they addressed some of the issues and determined that one of the hydraulic leveling jacks needed to be replaced. So that gets ordered on Tuesday I think.
No it didn't get ordered as soon as we would have liked since they had to wait for Monaco/ARG to approve the warranty work.

While we waited we had time to visit with friends in the Villages and those near there. We visited with Toby and Jayne Cargin who I had worked for back in the late '60's. It was a short visit since they were packing to get on the road back to Upstate NY. We also visited with Phil and Jan Cervi who we know from our days at IBM Endicott. Excellent visit. We also visited with our friends from Good Sam who live in Lecanto FL. We met them and another couple at an Italian restaurant in Inverness.
Another great visit. The southern branch of the Hamel family was also on our visit list and again it was with food. It will likely be 3 years before we see any of these folks again since our travel plans will have west of the Mississippi for the next couple of years.

Well the jack finally arrived and was installed. During the wait the fuel filters were also changed and a water leak on the roof was located and fixed.
Meanwhile Rod and Linda arrived and we had a good visit with them while they were getting repairs completed. We took a road trip to Hommassa FL for lunch at the Locker. 1.5 lbs of shrimp plus chips and beer. Quite a lunch.

Rod and Linda were able to get on the road before us since the jack took longer to arrive than was planned.  We were on the road a few days later and headed to the Holiday Rambler Chapter 419 Maintenance Session in Elkhart IN.

The wait begins

Well some time after breakfast I went and found Mike, our service writer, to see if he had any update on the warranty approval, Not yet he said. So we cleaned the inside of the coach and I put snaps on the tire cover bag Suzette made before we left SNF.

I also called Elkhart Sales and Service to discuss what we wanted to do for the couch removal and fix my Darlington Stripe. ESS will be at the Maintenance Session, MS, that we will be attending at the end of the month. They will give an estimate after they take a look at what we want done.

I also changed some spring door catches to a roller catch which is less likely to cause bruises or tear skin.

For dinner we met Chuck, Juanita, and Sandy, friends from The Villages. We had a good dinner and visit. As we were leaving we could see a fast approaching so we each went our own way. They will visit us at our coach before we leave.

Oh, Mike did stop by and tell us that the warranty work had been approved and that the new jack would be ordered. He thinks it will take 5 to 7 days for the part to arrive. So we will met some other friends we have in the area and likely kayak in Crystal River.

Linda Rod are also coming to Alliance Coach to have work done on their coach so it looks like we will see them before we leave.

A day in WIldwood FL

We went to the office at Alliance and met with the service writer and tech that would be working on our coach. The coach was taken in by 7:30 and the service was started while we went over what we wanted looked into.

In the waiting room Suzette worked on a jig saw puzzle and we also met a full time RV couple and discussed pickleball and several other topics.

By noon the service was complete but they had not received authorization for the warranty work so the coach was driven back to the camp site.

Suzette and I went of to do a little shopping at Russell Stover.

Off to visit friends for dinner at their house in The Villages. Great food and visit and we wish Jan the best with her upcoming surgery.

Tomorrow we will see if the work has been approved for warranty coverage.

Preliminary travel plans 2015

From Wildwood FL we will head to Goshen IN for the Holiday Rambler Maintenance Session. Stops along the way will be an overnight near Quincy FL then on to Summerdale AL at an Escapee's park for a couple of nights. Next will be the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Birmingham AL. Our next stop will be Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. Next will be Auburn Indiana to revisit the ACD museum and others we missed in that area.

Then it's the MS in Goshen IN.

From here it is a little grey but in general we will go to St Louis to visit the arch and friends and then follow the Lewis and Clark trail with stops at Glacier National Park, Portland OR and then winter at Voyager RV Park.

Lots to see and do this summer.

And a Blogging we will go

Ok, this blog has been dormant for some time and I need to fix that.

Now that we are back on the road I will try and keep this more current.
We left Sun-N-Fun today and traveled about 125 miles to Alliance Coach in Wildwood FL. for annual service and a couple of warranty items and a couple of things that may not be covered under warranty.

Once we arrived and were checked in I called one of my first IBM managers and we were able to get together for a visit. He and his wife are getting ready to return to the Thousand Islands of NY and are busy packing their Florida house so they can leave. We had a good but all to short visit.

We had dinner at Cody's Original Roadhouse in the Brownwood section of the Villages. Great food.

pickle-ball tournament Day

Today SNF had a pickle-ball tournament There were about 30 teams in the under 4.0 level and about 9 teams in the 4.0+ level. Ok I didn't get the winners so I can't post that and most of you would not know who they are anyway.

I did take some time out to go to the wood shop and remove the dulcimer kit I am building from the clamps from last nights glue-up. I also went  back to the wood shop after lunch to use the oscillating vertical sander to do the rough sanding. Now it is the finish sanding and finish application.

Out of the Bubble - Disk Golf

On January 20 we went with friends to the Tocobaga Disc Golf Course in Pinellas County. Our friend Jeannie wrote a very nice blog post with several pictures. Since she did such a good job I will just provide a link to her blog post here. Enjoy.

Royal Clipper day 4 St. Vincent

Only here for the morning. Suzette and I decided to remain on ship and just relax. We are in a small commercial port and didn't want to deal with the hassle there.

Royal Clipper day 3 Tobago Cays

Today is the beach BBQ. We snookered, a ate and went for a ride on a booze cruise cat. Motor sailed the whole damn way. Crap.

Royal Clipper day 1

We are on the Royal Clipper a 5 masted square rigged ship with capacity for 228 passengers. This ship has 5050 square meters of sail area.

Under sail on our way to the Grenadines. It is good to meet our sailing companions from 4 years ago. Today will be an afternoon at the beach.

We were making 6.6 knots at last check.

Life Boat drill. Mass organized confusion.
Crew introductions, program information and safety information. Lunch then time for the beach and water toys. Picked up our snorkel gear to use for the week.

We will be anchored in Union Island, Grenadines.

As you may have guessed, I am updating throughout the day because I don't have much in the way of internet service.

After a scrumptious seafood lunch buffet e changed to our suits and took the launch to the beach. We snookered for a while and I took a turn on a paddle board.
We spent some time visiting before returning to the ship.

After more visiting and a shower it was time for a beer and sail off the anchor at 1700. Then to the tropical bar for a snack and music.

Captains welcome back party at 1900 followed by dinner and entertainment. We were told that 53 folks at the party are repeat customers. There are 163 guests on board.

Royal Clipper day 2 Granada

Another beautiful morning at sea.our expected arrival at St. Georges is 1130 so we will enjoy the morning sail on deck.

Coffee and continental breakfast and lounge on deck until breakfast. Yes we eat.

Watched some of the crew haul a motor from below decks, way down, and lower the replacement. Quite an operation.

We are watching foods climb to the lowest crows best on the main mast. We are under jib and staysail and two squares off the fore mast. Moving along nicely.

As we wetter approaching port the captain have a talk about air foil and lift and how it applies to sails and specifically to a square rigger. The importance of the jibs in control of the ship. Also you may set the fore and aft yards at different angles to balance the boat.

After lunch it was off to town. We didn't stay long. Local taxi drivers hassled us to much.

Back to the ship for a swim off of the swim platform.

lastpass

So many accounts, so many passwords: So a password manager seemed like a good idea. After reading several articles I choose LastPass. Good reviews and easy to use. See here and here for more information.

MagneShade

Just installed a Magne Shade to the front window. It is held on with magnets and you don't need a ladder to put it up or take it down.

Our Christmas Letter

Just thought I would post this as a way to give the reader an idea of where we have been and what we did.

 

Greetings from Sun-N-Fun Resort in Sarasota FL our winter home until Mid April 2015

We spent the winter playing Pickleball and Disk Golf with some time in the stained glass studio and not enough time kayaking. We left Florida in mid April and made our way to Goshen IN with stops along the way to get the coach serviced, some kayaking in St. Andrews FL and the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green KY.

Once we arrived at the Elkhart 4H fairgrounds in Goshen and were set up we decided to investigate the layout of the rally we were attending. The vendors were setting up and there was a coach we went to look at. That little visit put a wrench in our plan to attend seminars to learn about our motorhome. We decided to purchase a 2013 Holiday Rambler tag axle coach. Most of the rally was spent doing paperwork and moving into our new digs. We did attend a few seminars that were specific to the new coach and missed many we had planned to attend.

Early on in the purchase decision we decided to “move” to South Dakota since the sales tax would be 3%. So we made plans to travel to SD after the rally. Along the way to SD we did attend a Good Sam Rally in Marshall MI and visited with some of our FL friends that live there. Then it was on to Clear Lake Iowa to see the Surf Ballroom and visit the site of the crash site that took the lives of Buddy Holly, Richie Vallens, and JP Richardson in 1959. After that stop it was on to Rapid City SD and our new “home” at Americas Mailbox. While in Rapid City we took time to see the sites, Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer State Park and many other places of interest. We took a side trip to Gillette WY to have an issue with the new coach taken care of. On our return from there we visited Devils Tower and the Geographic Center of the US in Belle Fouche SD. We also went to Spearfish and Sturgis. Once our business in Rapid City was complete we went to the Badlands. Of course there was the trip to Wall Drug, Minute Man Missile launch control, Sod house and just enjoying the Badlands.

Next was our visit to the UP, Upper Peninsula, with stops at the Corn Palace and the Spam Museum before we reached Duluth. We stayed several days in that area and visited several lighthouses and Maritime museums. Next stop was in the Marquette MI area where we met up with friends who winter in FL with us. We had a great time visiting with them an visiting more museums as well as a boat tour of Pictured Rocks National Park. Since this was the 4^th of July weekend we saw fireworks on the Marquette waterfront. The interesting thing is that Marquette is on the western edge of the eastern timezone and the fireworks did not start until 10:45. While in the area we visited the Youpers Tourist Trap in Ishpeming MI. much more fun than Wall Drug. After leaving Marquette we made a stop in Paradise MI and visited Tahquamenon Falls State Park, Crip Point Lighthouse and the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum where we saw the bell of the Edmond Fitzgerald. Then it was off to the Soo where we watch several freighters lock through and enjoyed several meal of Lake Superior White Fish. We also attended a Pow Wow and took a trip to Mackinaw island. Our next stop was near Alpina MI where we toured several more Lighthouses took a tour of shipwrecks on a glass bottom boat in Thunder Bay.

Off to Traverse City to visit friends and play a little pickleball. We spent several days visiting Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. More lighthouses, museums, fresh cherries, new friends, good food, good beer. We moved on to visit more friends in Lowell MI before heading to Decatur IN for warranty service. On the way we visited the Auburn Cord Duesenberg museum and National Auto and Truck Museum.

After the completion of the work we went to Celina OH where we met up with friends we had not seen in two years. We spent time visiting the Bicycle museum, Airstrteam Factory and the Kitchen Aid Experience and Factory tour. Our next stop was Cambridge OH to visit the Cambridge Glass Museum. We also discovered the Hopalong Cassidy Museum. What a place. The next day we went to the National Road Zane Grey Museum where we had a guided tour. Very well done. On our way back to the campground we stopped at John Glenn's boyhood home where we were given a tour by his “mother”. When you are on the National Road make it a stop.

Then we were off to Douthat State Park in Virginia and visited several sites in the area including Humpback Bridge and the C&O Railway Heritage Museum before going to a Holiday Rambler Rally in Lewisburg WVA before we returned to Virginia to Camp host at Lake Anna State Park for the month of October. We then spent 10 days at Rock Crusher Canyon RV Resort where we kayaked with friends and saw several Manatees.

Douthat State Park

We have spent the last week here in the Whispering Pines campground loop. This was a private park at one time but you would not know it. It has been completely redone. Nice large sites and a very nice comfort station.

We have seen some of the sights in this area. The C&O Heritage Center which is very well done. Oh the age of steam. They have a miniature train that takes kids of all ages for a ride as well as a nice model train display in the museum. There are many things to see on the grounds.

One of the main attractions in this area is the Humpback bridge

Why can't things just work?

This whole episode started August 17.
We were to have and easy ride from Auburn IN to Dedatur IN to the ARG service facility. As we took I470 to bypass Ft Wayne we were signaled that there was a problem. Pulled off to the shoulder and  saw that there was coolant all over the Jeep and the rear of the coach. Called Good Sam Roadside assistance. And wait and wait and wait. I put out safety triangles but the traffic just didn't move over. The buffeting was terrible.  Finally we were towed to Selking International in FT Wayne. Late evening so we went down the road to a dinner and then off to WalMart to get a few things.

Up at about 0530 so I could be at the service window when it opened at 0600. About 10:00 a tech came out and started work. He determined that the hose clamp at the radiator header tank had come loose. He replaced the hose, tightened clamp, refilled fluid and pressure tested the system. Declared all was well. We went to Decatur and got checked in.

Decatur service picks up the coach at 0600  and returns it by 1430 at the earliest. So went our week and most of the next.

Next was a short trip to Mercer County Fairgrounds. After our week+ there we headed for Cambridge OH. We got as far as Zanesville OH and the low coolant light came on again. We were at an exit so we were able to get to Lucas Truck Sales and Service another International dealer. Again the hose was off. I told them that this was the second time and I thought something more was wrong. They checked everything re-clamped the hose, refilled coolant, pressure tested and we were on our way.

We made it about 15 miles and low coolant. Again we were on the interstate, I70 this time. We couldn't get a tow and opted for a roadside mobile service. I told that tech our tale and he said they used in incorrect clamp. It was to large and would not tighten properly. He installed a spring hose clamp and after the usual refill of fluid and letting it run we were of for the last 10 or so miles to the campground where we arrived at 2300, 11:00PM.

After our tour of Cambridge, which you may have read about a few posts back, we were heading to Winchester VA and Candy Hill camp ground. We never made it.

Along I470 around Wheeling VA off the hose came again. I decided to try Coach Net since it is included with this purchase of the coach. I explained the problem and that this was the 4th time. There offer was to have us towed to Pittsburgh PA. We didn't like that option so we called Good Sam adn they said they would send a mobile service, but if it happened again they would not honer a request for the same service. A different mobile service, Fleet Service, arrived and replaced the hose with another more robust one. We were on our way again.

We expected to make the campground at about 2000, 8PM, We didn't. Just getting off VA37 in Winchester the low coolant light again. We made it to a WalMart parking lot and shut it down for the night.

The next morning I again called Coach Net and told them I was at a new location and gave them the address. They called back and told me a tow company was being dispached from Pittsburgh PA. In shock I said NO I am no where near there. I left them to figure it out. We called Highway Motors an International shop and explained the situation. We agreed that they would send a tech out to reattach the hose and refill coolant so we could drive the 6 miles to there shop.

Just after noon we pulled into a service bay and they started working to find the root cause. At last someone with a brain. There feeling is that the connecting pipe that goes from the engine to near the radiator is not adaquatly supported. They could find now way to add any support. So we agreed that they would install a longer hose with a different type of silicone lining and double clamp each side. The longer hose prevents movement of the pipe and seems to be holding.

Tomorrow we deive the 50 or so miles to the West Virginia State Fairgrounds for the Holiday Rambler International Rally. I have been in contact with Monaco/HR and have arranged for one of their tech that will be at the rally to inspect and make changes they deem necessary.

I must say a few good words about the warranty service I have recieved. I had 3 prior problems and they were all covered by warranty. I had to pay the service providers and submit the invoices and proof of payment and received redimbursement. The 2 roadside service companies charged me for labor and parts, about $800, and I have submitted those invoices and discussed the issue with Customer Relations manager. ARG has done a good job.

Cambridge OH - 2

Two big adventures today, National Museum of Cambridge Glass. We had a very nice docent give us a tour, basically a private tour. The tour took about 2 hours and we did some rubbings of the patterns that were used to do the glass etching. This is another must visit museum Click here for more information on Cambridge Glass.

Lunch was at Francis Family Restaurant. Good food and plenty of it. We enjoyed our lunch we decided we would return for supper unless we found something better. We didn't.

Just across the street was a bakery. How can one pass up the smell of fresh baked goods. We had a difficult time selecting a few items.

Off to the National Road and Zane Grey  Museum. We also had a private guided tour which was very good. Suzette posted some pictures on Facebook and I may get them loaded into our online album.

We asked what else we should see and  headed off to visit John Glenn's boyhood home. After a brief discussion with the receptionist we were taken up stairs to be greeted by John Glenn's "mother" and stepped back to 1944. Great house and tour. 

Cambridge OH -1

We went to a carwash to clean the Jeep. It was covered in red/pink antifreeze. More on that in a future post. After the Jeep was clean we went to Mosser Glass. We had a nice but to short tour of their factory and did purchase a few items. How much does one need in an RV?

The tour was short because you just couldn't get to everything. They are moving HOT glass doing their jobs and you just can't get in their way.

Some where along the way we saw a sign for Hopalong Cassidy Museum. It didn't look like much from the outside but it was open and we had time. Wow what a place. It is housed in an old hospital and filled with antiques and Hoppy memorabilia. A fascinating place. When you are in the area you really need to give this place some time.

We decided to take a ride on the National Road, US40, stopping at two S bridges and returning via I70 to the campground.

We decided to have dinner at Grand Chinese Buffet. It wasn't, We took a walk in WalMart before returning to the coach.

Ketchup

Well not that kind. I need to get this blog in better shape. So I'll put several days in this post.

09/05 Another down day, well we stayed in the park and did laundry and I put together a shelf for shoes in the closet. We did go the local IGA for a few things for supper. Using the wire shelves I removed from the closet I tackled arranging the under sink area to hold our pots and pans etc. I also removed the waste basket holder that is under the cook top so we could better utilize that space. I will do more work on that area when we get to SNF.

09/06 Paul and Sharron joined us for a trip to Sidney for their apple fest. Good food, music, car show, and tractor pull. Awesome pullers, yung'ns on a peddle tractor with a pulling sled. The kids, and us older kids, had a good time.

09/07 Cooked pancakes and bacon for breakfast then off to WalMart to stock up on a few items. I cleaned more of the coach. Paul and Sharron joined us and we visited before going to Bob Evans for BOGO supper. We played rummicube when we returned.

09/08 Today was to be an easy travel day to Cambridge OH. It wasn't. Ill make a separate post on our travel troubles so stay tuned. We pulled in the campground about 11PM. Life on the road.

 

RVillage - Just spreading the word

I joined a new website called RVillage, and I thought you'd be interested too! RVillage is a social networking site built by RVers for RVers. It allows you to find interesting people to meet right in your RV Park and the surrounding area, find all your friends on a map, plan or attend events - and it's free to sign up!

You can plan routes, find RVers, parks and vendors along the way, and share your stories and photos, all in one place. There's even a "Groups" section that includes hundreds of organizations and special interests- whether its crafting or kayaking, Coachmans or Casitas, there's a group for it. Each group has it's own map of members, so you can see where everyone is located around the country. It's really easy to find people with similar interests, and you can meet them "online" or "in person."

If you've ever wanted to connect with neighbors in RV parks as you travel, or you're looking for a few folks to have a BBQ with, or maybe you want to know if another kayaker is staying at an RV park down the road- Here's your answer. It sure beats leaving connections up to chance while walking the dog, or the random stranger coming up asking “what type of engine is in that thing?” while you're busy dumping the tanks!

RVillage has been really well received in the RV industry world. Escapees and Workamper News have both wholeheartedly endorsed the site along with many prominent bloggers. It's already gained over 10,000 members in just 5 months.

I know there's a million websites, networks and clubs out there, but I've never seen anything like RVillage. I hope you decide to join me at rvillage.com! 

We are hrcamper on the village.

Tour Du Jour

We went to Greenville OH and visited the Kitchenaid Experience. This is a really neat store with a museum of products in the lower level. Great place to shop and it is the only official Kitchenaid store in the world. We found that the factory tour was at 12:30 so our next task was food. There are lots of neat places on Broadway but we choose the Double M around the corner on 5th. We would consider this a go to place when you are in Greenville. 

 Next it was off to the KitchenAid factory tour. This was a great tour and we had an excellent tour host. Well worth the hour or so. There was a lot of robotics as well as hand work. It makes you appreciate KitchenAid even more.
 
Then it was off to Bear's Mill for a self guided tour. It was not in operation today and the tour was very interesting. This is a turbine driven mill. Check it out.
 
And since this is Annie Oakley territory we had to visit Garst Museum to see here area as well as Lowel Thomas and a lot of memorabilia.

Miami and Erie Canal

Today we went looking for a "doings" in Piqua Ohio that we had a flyer for. There were to be some festivities about the Miami-Erie Canal We didn't find any event between Piqua and St Mary's OH. We did manage to find a few sites and all in all had an enjoyable day with friends.
Once we returned home, well our rig is our home, Suzette looked up the event on the net and found that it was held in 2012. So much for the flyers you pick up at welcome centers and Chambers of Commerce.