tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21699592423155758962024-03-14T05:41:15.834-07:00Reet On the RoadIn 2003 Rita and Bob left behind a 30-year lifestyle of full-time employment. We hit the road March 2004 as full-time RVers in a travel trailer.
In 2011 we began our eighth year of this amazing lifestyle and are now happily living in our new RV--The Titanic--a 36 foot long Titanium 5th wheel pulled by a 2007 Chevy Silverado 2500HD diesel 4x4. We call our new rig "Big Bertha-The Titanium driver!"
Summer of 2011 we are exploring the National Parks of Utah!Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.comBlogger224125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-8462300390480281432012-01-15T16:53:00.000-08:002012-01-18T06:12:23.217-08:00Sept 1 -Sept 26, 2010 Fall Up North in Minnesota<strong>Wednesday, September 1, 2010 Golf Widows Shop Brainerd</strong> Low 55, sunny, gorgeous day. Walk after breakfast. Dick, Jean and Wilson are back. The guys are golfing at The Pines (if Ron can get a tee time) tonight while the gals shop. I see Arlene down by the Pub. They played The Pines yesterday. They have one more round today and then they leave tomorrow. I tell her to look for us at the campfire tonight.<br /><br />At the State Fair Dick and Jean saw the Cajun guy with the crawfish shirt and jeans shorts who was at the Cajun Fest in Walker. He told them to go to the Cajun music at the State Fair from 1:30 to 2:30. Over there they saw a bunch of the couples who were dancing in Walker. Dick googled “Krew de Walleye” that he saw on a guy’s shirt. There’s a whole contingent of Cajuns up here.<br /><br />Bob tires to copy Hay Lake pictures to our big memory stick (since they won’t all fit on our 32MB card.) We don’t know why the larger stick won’t accept them. It’s always something with electronics. <br /><br />I make Banana Sundae Cheeseball. Wayne knocks and says 3:15 tee time at The Pines. He’ll drive and pick Bob and Dick up at 2:30. Ron will meet them there. We have Chicken Pot Pie (5 minutes in the microwave at 60% plus 8 minutes in the convection oven at 350.) Bob leaves at 2:30. I call Brauhaus to make reservations for eleven Saturday night around 5:00. Then I get dressed for shopping, go through email, and read until Gail picks Jean and me and Bonnie up. We’re off to Brainerd.<br /><br />Christmas Point Store where we all buy food (Bonnie buys food-related “pie crust cover.”) On to Grizzly Bear to eat. Salmon for me, Jean and Bonnie; no salads and sandwiches at “fine dining” like the guys accuse us of. Gail has steak. On to Kohl’s where we have fun shopping. Then we stop at Menard’s for Fire Starters. I find fake Lorna Dunes for $1.29 for my cheeseballs.<br /><br />Home by 9:00. Guys are at A-Pine in Jenkins. It’s 9:15 p.m. and 64 degrees with 55% humidity. High 77. Best weather of the summer. Bob returns and Gail delivers my share of Tiramisu.<br /><br /><strong>Thursday, September 2, 2010 Rain, Jigsaw Puzzle, Insurance, Ghirardelli Brownies</strong> Up at 6:00, couldn’t sleep any longer. Bob got up too. Rained all night (1/4 inch, after ¾ inch two nights ago.) Cloudy most of the day. On-line weather says afternoon storms so we axe fishing (turns out we should have gone; 4:30 or 5:00 before any rain.) <br /><br />Blair called while I was on-line. Skip and Joyce went to Bemidji. They caught a few fish yesterday. I told her we wouldn’t come out today. We’ll call if we’re fishing tomorrow. I got her pics on email that I took on her camera. We finally have ours on an SD card. Told her I made reservations for 11 for Sat. at The Brauhaus. After breakfast I walk and stretch. <br /><br />Bob re-starts the jigsaw puzzle (the hard one with autumn leaves on steps in a forest.) We put it away a few weeks ago. So we had pieces already together in the box and manage to get it done by 9:00 p.m. I get on-line to check our banking and credit card issues. All is on schedule. I get on the phone and chat with Shara at our insurance company about a new policy. They are now offering full-time RV insurance. She went to school for it and was very knowledgeable. It will save us some money. I can’t believe our agent, Terry, who we’ve been with since 1982, has a son who is 16 and getting his first car. Wow! Terry was single when we met him in Austin.<br /><br />I feel good about getting this paperwork off my list. I celebrate my making Ghirardelli Symphony Brownies (after all it helps warm up the RV.) High 67, the sun only made a brief appearance. I take the trash out and take a walk about 5:30. I see Kick, Jean and Wilson coming back in their car. They just wanted to get out-cabin fever. A few seasonal folks came up for the holiday weekend I guess. Jeff yells at me across the bridge and says Marilyn is picking up her new Nissan Cube tonight! It rains so no one is out tonight.<br /><br />We have leftovers for lunch and dinner. I call Karen H. in Central Texas. She is baking Cowboy Cookies (oatmeal choc chip.) She’s hoping her two grandsons (11 and 13?) come this weekend. She tells me all about her son Kevin’s (and Julie’s) wedding in June in Oregon. Sounded grand.<br /><br />At 9:00 we watch The Mentalist, a repeat. It’s 10:31 p.m. and sprinkling again.<br /><br /><strong>Friday, September 3, 2010 Laundry, Lodge and The Cube!</strong> Up at 7:00. Cloudy, chilly. Rained during the night. Low 51, high only 58. Bob looks on-line at the weather and we blow off fishing.<br /><br />Stretch, breakfast, pack up six loads of laundry and head to Brainerd. Lots of holiday Up North traffic heading the other way. Under two hours for the laundry. This laundry mat is great; dryers only 18 minutes and everything is dry. Stop at Walgreen’s where we score three aluminum water bottles for $10 and misc. sundries. Eat at The Lodge. My Butternut Squash Soup and grilled vege sandwich were great (with sweet potato fries.) Bob had Cobb Salad (they forgot to bring it and it arrived with no avocado.) I had to hunt up our waitress to pay our bill.<br /><br />We stop at Secondhand Store and find books and puzzles. Traffic is building up. We have a pit stop in Nisswa where I mail birthday cards. On to Pine River (short tie-up at light in Pequot with holiday traffic.) Stow laundry, read paper. Around 5:30 Marilyn knocks. She brought her new Nissan Cube by! She just got it yesterday and finally took it out of the garage since the sun is out at last. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhEvTKHIjin4DA4h_JDWRWdX2nCdPnf5LGhtULqNp_-SBuAmqzeADhO-0qdZI_SHfrJQ_ar8PSI6zm_-sxdYrGbNqTGw6vL-QLfCDd4ojL9qj-7pqpIHfFiaPPU9QgWK9eu850P-Hc9gZ/s1600/MNPineRiver1_+014MarilynCube_Marilyn.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhEvTKHIjin4DA4h_JDWRWdX2nCdPnf5LGhtULqNp_-SBuAmqzeADhO-0qdZI_SHfrJQ_ar8PSI6zm_-sxdYrGbNqTGw6vL-QLfCDd4ojL9qj-7pqpIHfFiaPPU9QgWK9eu850P-Hc9gZ/s400/MNPineRiver1_+014MarilynCube_Marilyn.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698028392446024386" />Marilyn's new Cube!</a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_JfU1nN1TGGjl0QTXqtW3AMdKPufvPGJY_e42eq0AQrGO7PG3x9zJikTXTUfjSG-ZB16Dm0kXZNQK1iXpOqHdHXWokd8oGSGNS6K6oHXZg0cSChuKWJPPfizsYGbNMlm5DMzznDvWz3Jy/s1600/MNPineRiver1_+004MarilynCube_Sticker.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_JfU1nN1TGGjl0QTXqtW3AMdKPufvPGJY_e42eq0AQrGO7PG3x9zJikTXTUfjSG-ZB16Dm0kXZNQK1iXpOqHdHXWokd8oGSGNS6K6oHXZg0cSChuKWJPPfizsYGbNMlm5DMzznDvWz3Jy/s400/MNPineRiver1_+004MarilynCube_Sticker.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698028387878733570" /></a><br /><br />Jennifer (Seth’s Mom, here for the weekend) and her friend Ryan, with the small travel trailer down on the end, come by to see it too. Marilyn takes us for a spin and lets me drive first. I turn it over to Bob when I realize I don’t have my driver’s license with me. I love the one-to-one steering ratio. It’s the cutest thing. It’s 6:26 p.m. and 58 degrees with 48% humidity. <br /><br />I walk down to the Pub. Find Jeff, Marilyn (and her Cube), Ron, John, Jennifer, and Ryan. We chat ‘til they all go off to grill dinner. Kevin and his wife and son and grandkids come by. He’s 17th in the Walleye tournament qualifying (top 20 in finals in 6 weeks.) Bob joins us and we all break up around 8:30. We see Gail by Jennifer and John’s fire on our way home.<br /><br /><strong>Saturday, September 4, 2010 The Brauhaus and Wood Tick Musical Theatre</strong> Up at 7:00. Very chilly; 53 degrees in the living room. Coffee and turn on heater. Veg out, sunny outside but a chilly wind. Blair calls this morning. We’ll pick her up at the laundry mat in Backus tonight. Her new guests at the lake arrived and everyone is coming to the theatre. After breakfast I walk, take the recycle out, stretch and have a pedicure. We get cleaned up and go to Pequot Lakes for a bowl of soup at Mayson’s (first time they seat us.) <br /><br />We get a paper at BP and head home to read it. It gets up to 62 degrees. At 3:50 we leave for Backus. The sun is warmer and the wind has died down. Blair’s laundry is still spinning but it’s done by 4:20. Just as she piles in our truck and we drive off, Skip and Joyce turn towards the laundry and he gets out to look for Blair. He can see her truck that she left parked across the street. Bob does a bat turn and we let them know she’s with us.<br /><br />Off to Akeley to The Brauhaus. Big crowd on Sat. night. Our table for eleven is waiting. Blair introduces Greg and Joan (her St. Louis, MO, Lindberg High School classmate who lives in Minnetaka now) and their friends Carla and Terry (he works with Greg.) They are up ‘til Monday at the lake. They ask lots of questions about our RV lifestyle. Carla and Terry’s daughter lives in Edmund, OK.<br /><br />Joan points out that The Brauhaus is a southern German restaurant. A northern German restaurant would have more seafood/fish items. I get Beef Rouladen (ru la’den). It is nothing like mine and not as good (IMHO!) The beef is macerated, whole bacon is wrapped inside and the pickles/carrots/mustard are non-existent. <br /><br />Blair doesn’t like the Potato Dumplings I recommended with her shrimp. Joyce doesn’t like her pan-seared walleye (when in Rome…). Terry and Skip must have like their Swine hocks as they polished them off. Greg’s draft German beer was flat and he ordered another. Bob’s Franzenkanner was warm.<br /><br />We take our go boxes and still left stuffed. We pause out front for a picture by the barrel. A fat hummingbird on the hanging baskets of flowers out front fascinates us. The guys check out Bob’s 5th wheel hitch. We all meet at Paul Bunyan’s statue in Akeley.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqPHHj5I1JxjsfmN0HHNQq9FQq7Gy-CCv5cuwrAfNC4cj4ydjyV2NDRr7NEcKTfzJEgCtdWEuk419rrX9HHd6sxF9KIVPS2Ea_NbrzR7FfM_M_tpwWvqsmkwteHxtwhB8MYp3jCSM2UDfQ/s1600/MNPR1_+016BrauhuasHayLkGroup_SkipJoyceMelFriedaCarlaTerryJoanGregBlairBob.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqPHHj5I1JxjsfmN0HHNQq9FQq7Gy-CCv5cuwrAfNC4cj4ydjyV2NDRr7NEcKTfzJEgCtdWEuk419rrX9HHd6sxF9KIVPS2Ea_NbrzR7FfM_M_tpwWvqsmkwteHxtwhB8MYp3jCSM2UDfQ/s400/MNPR1_+016BrauhuasHayLkGroup_SkipJoyceMelFriedaCarlaTerryJoanGregBlairBob.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698037712348815298" />Skip, Joyce, Mel, Frieda, Carla, Terry, Joan, Greg, Blair and Bob</a><br /><br />First, half of the group goes to Purple Cow for ice cream. Bob moves our truck closer to Woodtick Theatre and joins them for ice cream. Joyce has a fit over LOL rollover Dog and buys one in Purple Cow ($19.95.) We go in to get a demo. What a hoot! Blair buys one too.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Kg70_EZ3t_1aW58s5oWkO6MnoMo9d3iWcdvrct11lM1Tkjbdxqz-3AqwLyzfSMNvdwi3Df7sTWp2t4Zs3-KERvrzeJelRDFC1cEKH3V_FgVsITtetCxNMOuvdfpmnDdqyku5wEOuYN1J/s1600/MNPR1_+032HayLkGroupPaulBunyan_SkipFriedaJoyceMelRitaBlairJoanTerryGreg.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Kg70_EZ3t_1aW58s5oWkO6MnoMo9d3iWcdvrct11lM1Tkjbdxqz-3AqwLyzfSMNvdwi3Df7sTWp2t4Zs3-KERvrzeJelRDFC1cEKH3V_FgVsITtetCxNMOuvdfpmnDdqyku5wEOuYN1J/s400/MNPR1_+032HayLkGroupPaulBunyan_SkipFriedaJoyceMelRitaBlairJoanTerryGreg.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698037713944579778" />Skip, Frieda, Joyce, Mel, Rita, Blair, Joan, Terry, Greg and Paul Bunyan!</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9j8RtJ7K_XHAxYkOcxtLcrY5aeieOJg31Xp4bFPGLs0EK8h8E4NVukfPFv_vHmghbgGIaGM1Z7mS6NlOcju0kyl8X3ffZwzITPdN26nLJ8Sp7GQ5ulGr1b0hEBluriO-Wjp9VQxoHfgeR/s1600/MNPR1_+033HayLkGroupPaulBunyan_ReetBob.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9j8RtJ7K_XHAxYkOcxtLcrY5aeieOJg31Xp4bFPGLs0EK8h8E4NVukfPFv_vHmghbgGIaGM1Z7mS6NlOcju0kyl8X3ffZwzITPdN26nLJ8Sp7GQ5ulGr1b0hEBluriO-Wjp9VQxoHfgeR/s400/MNPR1_+033HayLkGroupPaulBunyan_ReetBob.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698038765632667138" />Reet, Bob and Paul</a><br /><br />Back across the street for a photo op with Paul Bunyan. Then we walk down to Woodtick (I spy Patsy Cline review across the street.) The antique store is closed; they don’t get it. Lots of folks roaming around in this little town waiting for the pre-show at 7:30 and the show at 8:00. I left the Woodtick dollars Blair gave us on the counsel in the truck. We pay $15.50 each for Row I (behind Mel, Frieda, Greg, Joan, Carla and Terry.) Skip, Joyce and Blair are five rows behind us.<br /><br />As the show begins Joyce yells out “go Saints” when they mention the Vikings (or Wikings as Lena says.) The guy behind Joyce says “that was brave.” Blair has Joyce play her loon flute when the guy on stage plays his.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsQ04kn0KplkKcruvPGVJfCBNTVMzRDPctuLrkKNsi7tLQIuC0e84tR_0iyLrQE35mORJpyZi90_0-VHSGmWuwd2FUp7Jf_lUZAv2SCDMAhx4arOa9nFr3eYhyphenhyphenJiLXBWodHluX1eQ-oZpU/s1600/MNPR1_+035WoodtickTheaterAkeleyMN.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsQ04kn0KplkKcruvPGVJfCBNTVMzRDPctuLrkKNsi7tLQIuC0e84tR_0iyLrQE35mORJpyZi90_0-VHSGmWuwd2FUp7Jf_lUZAv2SCDMAhx4arOa9nFr3eYhyphenhyphenJiLXBWodHluX1eQ-oZpU/s400/MNPR1_+035WoodtickTheaterAkeleyMN.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698038771478956626" />Paul plays at Woodtick Theatre in Akeley, MN</a><br /><br />My favorites are:<br /><br />“My Hair Had a Party Last Night” by Trout Fishing in America<br />“Too Many Holes in Her Head<br />“Ghost Chicken in the Sky (instead of Ghost Riders.)<br />Lady Antebellum’s Grammy hit<br />Paul’s “Halleluiah” (K.T. Oslin did it at the Canadian Olympics)<br />“I’ll Fly Away”<br />Minn version of “Mama Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys”<br /><br />The show is over at 10:10. Skip and Joyce follow us to the laundry mat. Skip rides the rest of the way with Blair. There are patches of fog on the road. We’re home by 11:01. It looks like Kevin is driving out of the RV Park as we drive in. It’s 11:52 p.m. and 43 degrees. A clear night with bright stars.<br /><br /><strong>Sunday, September 5, 2010 Slow, Sunny, Sunday Holiday</strong>. Slept in until 8:30. Sunny, cool, 45 degrees. Turn on space heater and enjoy my java. Cuddle with a book (Rudyard’s Kipling’s “Kim.”) Work on NY Time crossword all morning. Finally get it with both of us adding bits. <br /><br />Breakfast, walk. Ron is out fixin’ Gail’s noisy fan motor on her car. Jean is coming back from the laundry. She’s had a respiratory infection that Dick had and thinks it’s too cool to be out. He’s playing Par 3 Wildwood with their son and grandson. They may do a fire later between Ron and Gail’s and their RV.<br /><br />I see Diane and Wayne leaving on my way back and mention the fire to her. The other Wayne is down by his big truck by the Pub with their new van, installing a car top carrier. I see Ryan and Darlene packing up. She says they are just moving to a new site. They plan to store “The Little Shit House”, as the sign on their tiny travel trailer says, here.<br /><br />Home to stretch, finish the crossword; one last pesky corner. Bob goes out to take the curbside wheel off the RV so we can take the hubcap with us to The Cities when we leave here and get it replaced. We put the living room slide in to make it easier. I make the bed and get dressed around 1:30 for crying out loud!<br /><br />The Bungalow for lunch in Emily, MN. Pork chop dinner special (love the old-fashioned apple sauce.) We walk through the bar to check out the food and drink specials for Thursday night’s Super Bowl rematch; Saints vs. Vikings.<br /><br />Back to campground. Walk down to talk to Jean about having the fire at our place. Dick is on the way home. We walk to the wood bin but it’s empty! Back to Jean’s. Tell her we’ll see if Ron and Gail have wood. Knock on their door and ask if we can raid their woodpile. Gail says she already sprayed around their place for pests so they’ll have the fire after dinner. We’ll look for their smoke. Darlene comes by and says they’ve moved to Charlie and Kathy’s spot. They’ll leave their rig there until next May.<br /><br />Jeff comes by with the electric bills. We go back to Jean’s. Dick is home. Tell them Ron and Gail are having the fire. Cindy and Lars are back from his brother’s in northeastern Minn. We head back home until we spy smoke. We’re watching Inspector Lewis on PBS that we missed earlier in the week. It’s 4:50 p.m. and 63 degrees with 46% humidity. High 63, low 45.<br /><br />Around 6:00 we see smoke at Ron and Gail’s. Grab Banana Split Cheeseball and lawn chairs and head over. Ron, Gail and Wayne are there (Bonnie has a pinched neck and is at home.) Soon Wayne and Diane join us. Gail has popcorn for us all. Dick and Wilson come. Jean follows shortly (she baked peanut butter cookies!) and serves them hot out of the oven. This is some camping! Jennifer joins us-she just had to pet Wilson. John and Ryan are on the way back from golf at The Pines.<br /><br />Jean suggests Butter Nipples so I go home for Butterscotch Schnapps’ and Bailey’s (fake Bailey’s actually.) Jean brings her glasses to add to mine. I run out of my fake Bailey’s (didn’t like the brand anyway) so Jean gets her new bottle of O’Mara’s. Way better.<br /><br />Jennifer misses (or never got word about) dinner being ready at their site. She reports that their big plastic covered kitchen-type trash can is missed from outside their RV door. We chat around the fire ‘til 9:00 and head home. Fun evening.<br /><br /><strong>Monday, September 6, 2010 Labor Day at Hay Lake and Five Crowns</strong> Up at 7:00, 45 degrees. I walk early and see Wayne taking a walk. I was coming back in around 7:40 and he called out to me. Says he found Jennifer’s missing trash can across the highway in a ditch. Hmmm….either a big raccoon or the Wilson’s Corner bear that was spotted earlier! Yikes. <br /><br />Stretch, breakfast, and make my creamy corn in the crock-pot. Pack up everything, call Blair and say we’ll be out in an hour or so. She says Gwen made her some homemade sweetened condensed milk for her coconut cake she is making today. So we stopped to pick it up on our way to the lake. Up North they learn how to make specialty ingredients for when they are snowed in and can’t get to town. After all, cooking is a great way to spend a day when you’re shut inside.<br /><br />Gwen shows us where a skunk visited and tore up her yard by the steps. Later she said a tree cracked off a few nights ago. We didn’t see it while we were in her yard. I told her the bear/trash can story.<br /><br />Off to the lake. Blair is feeding her hummers. Bob says he’s not really thirsty. We unload the fishing gear and Bob goes fishing. I chat around the fire pit with everyone (Terry, Greg, Joan, Carla, Skip.) I run over to say hi to Joyce on the porch of cabin 4. Gwen arrives. Blair brings out her laptop after I fill our water bottles from the well. I impress myself by successfully downloading all pics from my Sony Memory Stick with our USB reader onto her Mac!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5moYaqJNb8ZN918nf473ijMy_0iK4iJ12FUH3nouoeaxp53VYUeVPtLhDwA-woFNGPjeYxr2Cz_ucPlegXbDkD0ze_PEmS594PKYXCWfupOfrhvJq4QyfwqjmDgUhgXZV4WylAXut84Zm/s1600/MNPR1_+052AnglersIsleLaborDay_DragonFly.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5moYaqJNb8ZN918nf473ijMy_0iK4iJ12FUH3nouoeaxp53VYUeVPtLhDwA-woFNGPjeYxr2Cz_ucPlegXbDkD0ze_PEmS594PKYXCWfupOfrhvJq4QyfwqjmDgUhgXZV4WylAXut84Zm/s400/MNPR1_+052AnglersIsleLaborDay_DragonFly.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698963023701599810" /></a><br /><br />Dinner is served. Bob comes back in; he caught some fish. “Wind out of the east; fishing is the least.” Joyce’s venison burgers with Cajun seasoning (from their ranch in Ozona, TX) were excellent. Brats, bean casserole, my creamy corn, slaw, fruit salad, Joan’s corn relish and spiced peaches (my favorites), and bread and butter pickles are all outstanding! My Banana Split Cheeseball, Blair’s (Gwen’s recipe) Coconut Cake-to-die-for, Carla’s Apple Spice Cake (never see this great old-timey cake anymore-love it!), and Tiramisu Mascarpone Cheese Chocolate Cake. Way too many desserts!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgNmLq5WTXmGfdv8xV51uJam5I5cIqZrh1ZJDBShs15UNeyu63Uz5sVnX1yIT_LlaHTArRNPz6IhnGemJ87G-lK32uom36MPrUiZLTasxVzuiJJMSxOoJZtG1QSVNCxt4M4fDl8BtkkaJ/s1600/MNPR1_+047AnglersIsleLaborDay_GwenBobSkipBlairCarlaJoyceTerry.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgNmLq5WTXmGfdv8xV51uJam5I5cIqZrh1ZJDBShs15UNeyu63Uz5sVnX1yIT_LlaHTArRNPz6IhnGemJ87G-lK32uom36MPrUiZLTasxVzuiJJMSxOoJZtG1QSVNCxt4M4fDl8BtkkaJ/s400/MNPR1_+047AnglersIsleLaborDay_GwenBobSkipBlairCarlaJoyceTerry.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698963006820900210" />Gwen, Bob, Skip, Blair, Carla, Joyce and Terry</a><br /><br />Joyce lets us try her Pickle Ball rackets and balls. Bob googled pickle ball earlier; you play on a badminton court. Joyce plays all over the country. It’s catching on as a substitute for tennis we learn as we continue to see it at RV Parks.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0edJ8UbRIF1lgLXmxx7bWgDFMiBzzPuJj9nFdAo9_VuuJRAmniQq9lHFniVz-P-ws573ccAEeDBQhyphenhyphendBvpQpukxzSRw58kAnmSKXlChrj5m9lH-Y8wB13aE15IgFlTCMash_xi6T7kKci/s1600/MNPR1_+056AnglersIsleLaborDay_PickleBall_JoyceBob.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0edJ8UbRIF1lgLXmxx7bWgDFMiBzzPuJj9nFdAo9_VuuJRAmniQq9lHFniVz-P-ws573ccAEeDBQhyphenhyphendBvpQpukxzSRw58kAnmSKXlChrj5m9lH-Y8wB13aE15IgFlTCMash_xi6T7kKci/s400/MNPR1_+056AnglersIsleLaborDay_PickleBall_JoyceBob.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698963226258648354" />Joyce gives Bob Pickle Ball Tips</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY2BdfSbR1BVyn689nKZ8mSF3sU6seALn6xIDnkbOI_UW82r7PyaPEQwQt8W3vhfBnKEjcfn-S4OoBjaQ6XHJ3JgMqZ4aIzInoJl49zBSxiAkWpYXAUKEWf3CMptAKld_uBjiqBm1h9vav/s1600/MNPR1_+058AnglersIsleLaborDay_PickleBallTShirt.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY2BdfSbR1BVyn689nKZ8mSF3sU6seALn6xIDnkbOI_UW82r7PyaPEQwQt8W3vhfBnKEjcfn-S4OoBjaQ6XHJ3JgMqZ4aIzInoJl49zBSxiAkWpYXAUKEWf3CMptAKld_uBjiqBm1h9vav/s400/MNPR1_+058AnglersIsleLaborDay_PickleBallTShirt.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698963233823473458" />Joyce's Pickle Ball Mascot</a><br /><br />After we clean it all up we say goodbyes to all as Greg, Joan, Terry and Carla leave around 3:00. Bob goes out fishing. Gwen, Frieda, Joyce and I go to cabin 4 to play Five Crowns. Blair cleans cabin 1 for the next group (John and a friend flew in from Texas and are driving from The Cities.) We play two games and Gwen heads home. She left her windows open and it’s starting to sprinkle.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfynxRGzoisuDlAp1PM329H7yTL0BrfNiUNbTVdAM1B2Sqh6QciG_vrC70PUptAVDHW1bYBEiR-tT4_aXSxUlYs1wG_pcB7RJUx16XCm7INZt9HUcbicGLunzK1iYthOyJSpmtVtiV6ch-/s1600/MNPR1_+050AnglersIsleLaborDay_SendOff_BobJoyceGwenBlairSkip.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfynxRGzoisuDlAp1PM329H7yTL0BrfNiUNbTVdAM1B2Sqh6QciG_vrC70PUptAVDHW1bYBEiR-tT4_aXSxUlYs1wG_pcB7RJUx16XCm7INZt9HUcbicGLunzK1iYthOyJSpmtVtiV6ch-/s400/MNPR1_+050AnglersIsleLaborDay_SendOff_BobJoyceGwenBlairSkip.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698963011112351666" />A perfect Hay Lake Send-off</a><br /><br />Bob stays out ‘til around 5:30 in spite of light rain. So I figure he’s catching fish. And he did. Blair had just joined us and we started a new game when Bob returned. He caught a really nice bass (4 to 5 lbs.) on a buzz bait.<br /><br />Mel comes over from cabin 3. The guys arrive in cabin 1. Skip greets them and we continue our game. We deal Bob in and I run to the truck to get my cheeseball. Joyce breaks out chicken salad, venison chili, chips, cheese and turkey dogs. I add Ghirardelli Symphony Brownies. What a feast! We play another game and break up around 8:30. Goodbyes all around. We sure had fun with everyone. They plan to leave ahead of schedule tomorrow as Mel is not feeling up to par. Sure hope to see Skip and Joyce in Louisiana or Texas! Home by 9:00. It rains hard around 10:00, 53 degrees.<br /><br /><strong>Tuesday, September 7, 2010 Puzzle, Pictures, Insurance and Groceries</strong> Up at 7:00, low 49, windy, cloudy. Rained really hard last night. Lars says later he heard 3 inches! After breakfast I walk and stretch.<br /><br />Bob starts a 1000-piece puzzle. I clean up and get on the laptop. I put all of the rest of the pictures on the big Memory Stick for Blair. I download email, print insurance stuff from our agent and then call her to clarify the details. She’s out and will call back. Blair sent My Hair Had a Party Last Night” and “Ghost Chicken” YouTube links. Around 9:30 Jean knocks and brings us two more tomatoes before they leave for home. How nice. We have leftovers for lunch.<br /><br />Bob and I leave to go to SuperValu in Pequot. As we leave the RV Park we see someone pull into our site. So we do a bat turn to make sure they’re not looking for us. No, they are visiting Bonnie and Wayne. Wayne has been out in the cold, strapping down their bikes on their ladder rack. They plan to leave on Friday.<br /><br />We get Ham Hodge-Podge Soup ingredients and find Honeycrisp apples! First time this year. Our insurance agent calls back as we drive to Pequot. We go with the new full-time RV policy. I have a voice message when we get home. She has to send me a form to sign.<br /><br />We stow groceries and I go for a walk around 6:00 after reading the paper. I chat with Cindy and Lars around their huge fire. They needed it; high 60 degrees. It clears off as the sun sets. It was cold and rainy up north at Lars’ brothers’. Home at 7:00 to watch repeat NCIS, NCIS LA and The Good Wife. It’s 10:10 p.m. and 50 degrees with 63% humidity.<br /><br /><strong>Wednesday, September 8, 2010 Bob’s Lunker Bass at The Lake</strong> Chilly, 48 degrees. As I walk I see Wayne and Diane are power washing their roof already on this chilly morning. I stop at Gail’s and we make plans to head to Walker to shop at 8:00 tomorrow morning. They are excited. They put a bid on a home in Breezy Point.<br /><br />Breakfast, pack up for the lake, make tuna salad, call Blair and say we’ll be out soon. We get there after noon, picking up her mail on the way in. A gorgeous day, high in mid-60’s, sunny and calm. John and John Paul Smith from Allen, TX are still snoozing in cabin 1. They are night fishermen.<br /><br />We get a few strikes and hits at first. Bob catches a nice one on a buzz bait. We come in around 2:45 and have a picnic in the sun with Blair. Tuna, fruit, cheeseball, and Blair brings Joyce’s Venison Chili and chips. I fill one water jug. Then I try to download pics onto her Mac. Can’t do it. No idea how I did it on Monday. Wasted 1 and ½ hours of a gorgeous day. I hate technology. We did get to hear “My Hair Had a Party Last Night” and a few other Trout Fishing in America tunes that Blair played for us.<br /><br />Just as we were headed out to fish around 5:00, John Smith and John Michael emerged from cabin 1. We chatted for a bit and they took a walk down the road. Bob catches 21”, 5 ½ lb. bass off the backside of the point by Otter Cove. We put it on a stringer and bring it in so Blair can see it. We put it in the Fish Motel until we’re done fishing. We go back out after a photo op. Little did we know we were done fishing for the day. We never caught another thing!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixhbd8rlQ0YsCi7E1OVzOWJ0Lxf_PYJLY2E6Ot-x4Pccga-zpSNzq8gN-NndNsaqhq4zMLtIbmHjK84SrUE8bdVQoAnlGa8tbL4Z95VDP050I1SV_8dr4OHuMKjdCcMNAY4Y5mzLiki1NL/s1600/MNPR2_+005HayLkBob21InchBass.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixhbd8rlQ0YsCi7E1OVzOWJ0Lxf_PYJLY2E6Ot-x4Pccga-zpSNzq8gN-NndNsaqhq4zMLtIbmHjK84SrUE8bdVQoAnlGa8tbL4Z95VDP050I1SV_8dr4OHuMKjdCcMNAY4Y5mzLiki1NL/s400/MNPR2_+005HayLkBob21InchBass.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698966256318058258" />Another shot of "Bob Holding Fish"</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFgeDUQDvv1D-P3SsxGrd-J9RmdmRZA0U5puwFr1mnVAUFgflKSZqaCnUBZJJI5ftvHespVHN52M4aebSLu-vAhusnbIzK1PJNshD1MbUjObXvbgr0H94LDf3NjJWpPpIFp2tEZXRFE5T6/s1600/MNPR2_+002HayLkBob21InchBass.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFgeDUQDvv1D-P3SsxGrd-J9RmdmRZA0U5puwFr1mnVAUFgflKSZqaCnUBZJJI5ftvHespVHN52M4aebSLu-vAhusnbIzK1PJNshD1MbUjObXvbgr0H94LDf3NjJWpPpIFp2tEZXRFE5T6/s400/MNPR2_+002HayLkBob21InchBass.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698966253030910130" />Bob lands a "Nice One"</a><br /><br />John and John on the dock were just going out night fishing at 7:15 as we take Bob’s bass to the back of the island to release it. Blair serves Coconut Cake in cabin 3. She googles for the channel for tomorrow’s game but we can’t get it (more failed technology.) She calls on the phone quicker and gets Fox as the answer. I put Fox Vikings Saints in google and get 9/9/10 game on NBC. Go figure! We say farewell and get home just after 9:00. Showers and hit the sack. It’s 10:11 p.m. and 71 degrees in the bedroom, 55 outside I think but I’m not getting up to look.<br /><br /><strong>Thursday, September 9, 2010 Reet and Gail Shop Walker ‘til We Drop</strong> Up at 6:45. Bob gives me a shake knowing Gail is picking me up at 8:00. She’s right on time and we head north on this chilly, 48 degree morning. We eat breakfast at Country Corner. Biscuits and gravy for Gail, oatmeal with raisins and cornbread muffin for me. <br /><br />North to Walker, park on the main drag and go in ships on the lake side of the street. Spend lots of time in Artist’s Mall. I find a white and black tiny cubes bracelet and Christmas presents (fall stove towels for my niece Megan!). On to Up North stores, gift shops, Kitchen store (where I score Wind n’ Willow cheeseball mixes) and Reeds. I try on Merrill Hikers but not comfy. Gail gets a kite for her grandson, Tate. Ron calls while we’re in line at Reeds. He’s on his way home around 2:00. <br /><br />We cross the street and find Village Café for lunch. We split the special; Turkey, provolone sandwich with cranberry chutney on wonderful Wheatberry bread with tomato basil soup. It’s all excellent, including coffee of the day, Kenya dark roast-very smooth. <br /><br />As we head home it starts sprinkling. We stop at Pine River Visitor Center where I ask Carol about Joyce’s t-shirt. She left it at home and says she’ll just mail it to her in Louisiana. How nice. I try to call Blair while Gail gets her mail at the post office. The younger John (Smith) answers at the lake. Blair is at the outlet fighting off beavers. <br /><br />Home by 3:45. Fun day. Bob has a pot of Ham Hodge-Podge Soup cooking. He got a haircut in Pine River today. Wayne and Bonnie packed up all day and are due to leave tomorrow. It’s 5:40 p.m. and 56 degrees with 79% humidity. High 63. I walk in a sprinkle around 6:00 and run into Jeff. He’s reading Wayne and Bonnie’s meter. Lars is chatting with him and leaning on a shovel.<br /><br /><strong>Friday, September 10, 2010 New Haircut for Reet, New Home for Gail and Ron</strong> Check email, new bills are at bank site. Voila! I pay Sept. bills. My day starts good. Bob puts lake pics on the small memory stick and deletes the big stick that I couldn’t load on Blair’s Mac.<br /><br />I knock to say bye to Bonnie and Wayne but they are not home. I leave for my haircut at 11:15. I hate to miss saying farewell. At the salon, Paula and I discuss a new cut and she darkens my color. Love the result. She says she used a medium-spaced sculpting shears and thinned it. She enjoyed her Wisconsin Dells trip in August.<br /><br />I’m done by 1:30. Call Blair about Carol in Pine River mailing the t-shirt to Joyce. John is just leaver after clearing the beaver damn yesterday so we don’t chat long. I say we’ll try to be out tomorrow if the weather cooperates.<br /><br />We have a voice message from Tom and Shirley, our Iowa RV friends. They are leaving Indian River, Mich., today and will be home in 2 days. Tom has surgery on his other leg next Tues. They are wondering if we can meet up on our way south.<br /><br />We stop for a paper at BP. Bonnie and Wayne’s rig is still there when we get back but they are not home yet. Bob and I have leftovers for lunch. He starts a jigsaw puzzle. Ron and Gail knock around 3:00. Big news! The offer on the house in Breezy Point was accepted. Now they just need to sign the deal. Big hug for Gail and congratulations. We have a toast with Killian’s Red and Smirnoff. Horrible gnats chase us inside as we discuss their new home.<br /><br />They tell us Bonnie and Wayne are staying to finalize a deal on their new home! They may leave tomorrow instead. Off Ron and Gail go to meet their friends at Rafferty’s Pizza (Gail wants a calzone.)<br /><br />Have a voice message from Blair. She wants us to bring caulk when we come out. I call her back. She talked to Joyce. Her, Skip, Frieda and Mel are all in Waterloo, IA, where Mel is in the hospital. What a mess. My heart goes out to all of them. Skip and Joyce did get to see the Saints game last night. <br /><br />It’s 6:40 p.m. and 58 degrees with 77% humidity, thunder and rain. High 62, low 53.<br /><br /><strong>Saturday, September 11, 2010 So Long to Bonnie and Wayne</strong> Sunny, low 53. Bonnie and Wayne are packing up. We go out to say goodbye early so we won’t get under foot when things are wrapping up. Sounds like their house purchase will work out after all. They’ll be back in a month to finalize the deal. <br /><br />I go for a walk. A travel trailer leaves the site across from the Pub and pulls into the dump station. On my next round I see him jockeying in front of the bath house to pull up to dump from the opposite side. He must be a first-timer or borrowed the rig from someone.<br /><br />On my way around I see Dan, Betty’s son, and meet his friend Paul. Up fishing for the weekend. Last night Dan caught a 15-lb. northern. Paul paid him $1.00 for their bet. He says he fishes with a guy for 25 cents per fish. After only a few hours he owed him $3.75. The guy’s daughter came along and ‘lost’ his orange lure. Paul gave her $1.00! Great fishing story.<br /><br />Betty is in the middle of her cancer treatments. When they put her on the table and raise it up she thinks they’re treating her sore shoulder, bless her heart. I head home to stretch. Bonnie and Wayne are having trouble hitching up to their Big Truck. Bob and I have breakfast while first Gail, then Ron, then Diane and Wayne go over to help out. He finally gets hooked up and we go out to see if we need to move our truck out of the way (we’re on his curbside.) Bob pulls it away a bit. We chat with Diane and Wane. Wayne says the other Wayne’s air bags on the glad-hand hitch were not inflated. After they got hitched up they noticed a flat tire on the 5th wheel streetside. What a bummer. At last they’re off around 11:00 after over an hour just to hitch up.<br /><br />Our view is greatly improved with their big rig gone! I change Gertrude into her fall outfit and hang Glenda’s new fall wall hanging over the door. Semi-cloudy, very windy. I call Blair and say we won’t be out. Maybe tomorrow on Monday. She lit a smudge pot for the 9th year in a row to commemorate 9/11.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLGFsGonudFmmBXuYnFoJVGvdDNTbBf8SxcIN5Jbuda-OVRJVpNcgkE-PnaEfVOczy6IndV2oMR8O2kpv3zOcbWmhIFekGhG54x4XWvYoQ52EOM_OfXin_ahbjZzmOHAmMxeeYr16abt-v/s1600/MNPineRiver3_+008.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLGFsGonudFmmBXuYnFoJVGvdDNTbBf8SxcIN5Jbuda-OVRJVpNcgkE-PnaEfVOczy6IndV2oMR8O2kpv3zOcbWmhIFekGhG54x4XWvYoQ52EOM_OfXin_ahbjZzmOHAmMxeeYr16abt-v/s400/MNPineRiver3_+008.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698967868673104530" />Glenda's Fall quilted wall hanging looks marvelous!</a><br /><br />Bob charges our trolling battery. I clean up and watch the Fed-Ex golf. We go to The Bungalow in Emily for lunch. No dinner menu on Saturday (only all day on Sunday.) Great Chicken Sandwich for me. Chicken Salad for Bob. We both enjoy outstanding Tomato Basil Soup.<br /><br />At Holiday gas station there are five diesel pumps; #1 and #2 off road, #1 and #2 ultra low sulfur and non-taxable dyed. Geesh! We couldn’t figure out how to get what we wanted. I go in for a paper and two cranberry juices (my throat is sore again-bad omen.) The guy says “Yeah, a lot of people have trouble figuring that pump out.” Ya think?<br /><br />Sunny, windy, high 65. Take a walk around 5:00. Chat with Dan and Paul. They didn’t catch much today at Pine Mountain Lake. They are both insurance agents and sell Medicare Part D. Say they can’t sell other products in the same visit. Both are against new health cares changes.<br /><br />Home at 6:30. Leftovers. Watch U.S. Open Ladies final at 7:00. Kim Klisters wins. It’s 6:50 and 63 degrees with 42% humidity.<br /><br /><strong>Sunday, September 12, 2010 Titanic Gets a Bath and Campfire at Our Site</strong> Woke up on a board at 9:45! Yikes. My sinuses are draining and my throat is sore. I work on Sunday crossword and never get it. Take a walk, chat with Ron who is cleaning golf balls on his picnic table. He found 80 more at the golf course this morning. Gail is working until 2:00.<br /><br />Bob and I decide to wash the RV as it’s too windy to fish. He gets out the stuff while I stretch and change clothes. He does the roof. Diane comes home and we chat. Her class reunion was fun yesterday. I invite her to a campfire tonight. Ron brings a 3-lb. coffee can of golf balls over-how nice! I invite him to our campfire. Bob finds a crack on one corner of our A/C cover from hail a few weeks back. Cindy and Lars had damage too.<br /><br />We break to have a bowl of soup and get back out there to finish the job. Cindy and Lars come down with the same brochure Blair gave us about the chainsaw event. That was nice of her. We invite them to the campfire. Marilyn comes by on her golf cart and we invite her. She finds Bob trying to get a wagon of firewood and helps him use her golf cart instead and gets wood from Betty’s pile.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0vDME8RFDf2ohQY81mTwuY7nLU1hs235G5zexY5i1R81C9WeuYNb9kCF6W93d1h7YV31Bf-Ghw4cHwfenBfEsjI0EG1o2POZmR6NYMxgCpBHpxpCD9GDd8BQEBgLSfF_SIcl616lg8N6/s1600/MNPR3_+010BobMarilynFirewood.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0vDME8RFDf2ohQY81mTwuY7nLU1hs235G5zexY5i1R81C9WeuYNb9kCF6W93d1h7YV31Bf-Ghw4cHwfenBfEsjI0EG1o2POZmR6NYMxgCpBHpxpCD9GDd8BQEBgLSfF_SIcl616lg8N6/s400/MNPR3_+010BobMarilynFirewood.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698969927026432642" />Bob and Marilyn gather wood</a><br /><br />We’re finally done around 4:30 and clean ourselves up. I go down to invite Dick and Jean. They got back this afternoon. Dick went to practice golf. Jean and I chat. Wilson’s been going crazy chasing their sun catcher rays today. I hop over and tell Cindy and Lars the campfire is at our place. Lars gives me an armload of kindling.<br /><br />We have leftovers. I make trail mix and get out the Butter Nipple glasses. Jean is bringing her Bailey’s. Around 6:00 Bob lights the fire. Cindy and Lars come down with a chair for Cindy as our early smoke signals go up. Soon Ron and Gail come with her Caramel Apple “Salmon Crap” (Ron’s name for cheeseballs) It is very good and so nice of her to bring it. Diane and Wayne bring chairs from next door. We start a back row to stay out of the smoke. I set our smoke alarm off inside the RV when I open the door to get snacks.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfeDjbpo8N_MMfLEPlKCH7Bm9zuQYFJ5xABIGVe_9_L-ZaK0nBaIPfyV9XkaOAMWo0wsYSUUo5CTPftZrCTyu1edHZmDi4tH-6cQxwJuzWRXS4FP0UGmWwfwKI8nknwI9OCRtp8TLl5gC/s1600/MNPR3_+013SmokeyCampfire.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfeDjbpo8N_MMfLEPlKCH7Bm9zuQYFJ5xABIGVe_9_L-ZaK0nBaIPfyV9XkaOAMWo0wsYSUUo5CTPftZrCTyu1edHZmDi4tH-6cQxwJuzWRXS4FP0UGmWwfwKI8nknwI9OCRtp8TLl5gC/s400/MNPR3_+013SmokeyCampfire.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698969930652663538" />The smoke causes everyone to gather</a><br /><br />Marilyn and Jamie, then Jeff, arrive. Jean comes with a basket of home-grown tomatoes. How nice, they are Better Boy she says. She also has Bailey’s and her little glasses. Butter Nipples for everyone. We even get Cindy to finally have one. I hopped over to invite Caroline and Curly. Curly is sick; flu or something but she comes and enjoys the Butter Nipples too. Dick arrives at last. Ann and John from across the road join us. They’ve been roofing and Ann enjoys the comfort of our LaFuma.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-exyeT1k4IZSiG0r99PUSzXD9wAb4RYUEi8UfuDSjKsDsXdyeijMpLh1wxJLwt11w3ejP7wwOsg2pZ0DUP0OMWW6VNbbwNnv8e1fVX0Z5FhQ_0hhpUd64PNSuD8YrydQTki3izpno3g5/s1600/MNPR3_+016TitanicCampfire.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-exyeT1k4IZSiG0r99PUSzXD9wAb4RYUEi8UfuDSjKsDsXdyeijMpLh1wxJLwt11w3ejP7wwOsg2pZ0DUP0OMWW6VNbbwNnv8e1fVX0Z5FhQ_0hhpUd64PNSuD8YrydQTki3izpno3g5/s400/MNPR3_+016TitanicCampfire.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698969946005715522" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNWPPGg1QvM_vKY7XcDvOaBuBYu9eY147OQosl1NBJZyrNs-Y0ih2Eiu88yNAEzZkCYGUS6X-5szoA-z33Dg5yZFA4yDeDS4SKtkxmfM_Git23DSF90D0heN1syDKJ6JDL0GTA_56Nbhmj/s1600/MNPR3_+015TitanicCampire.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNWPPGg1QvM_vKY7XcDvOaBuBYu9eY147OQosl1NBJZyrNs-Y0ih2Eiu88yNAEzZkCYGUS6X-5szoA-z33Dg5yZFA4yDeDS4SKtkxmfM_Git23DSF90D0heN1syDKJ6JDL0GTA_56Nbhmj/s400/MNPR3_+015TitanicCampire.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698969935416552242" /></a><br /><br />What a fun night. Wayne, Diane, Dick, Jean and me and Bob are the last to go in around 9:20. It’s 10:00 p.m. and 58 degrees with 52% humidity. High 67, low 52.<br /><br /><strong>Monday, September 13, 2010 Big Northerns at the Lake</strong> Restless night hacking with a sore throat and congestion. Sunny, low 48. I finished Kipling’s “Kim.” When I walk I chat with Dick and Jean. They are going kayaking. Wayne and Diane are already gone fishing with their boat. <br /><br />Bob hunts up a picture hanger and caulk for Blair. I axe two (of a set of three) battery candles Glenda’s friend gave me. The batteries leaked acid and corroded the terminals. I save one that’s not too bad.<br /><br />We head to the lake after I call Escapees for our mail. We pick up Blair’s mail on our way to the island, arriving around 12:45-late for us! It’s windy when we go out to fish but the far shore is sheltered. We catch two small bass and a few pike before going in for lunch around 3:30. Blair joins us for ham sandwiches.<br /><br />Bob goes back out after hanging the Dillinger poster in cabin 1. Doug (new guy staying on the hill with two friends) is from Fenton, MO, not far from our old home in Green Mar subdivision there when we were first married. He takes pictures on the dock and one of Blair in the window of cabin 1. He tells her how much he loves it here; the cabins are all different and far apart, there’s so much wooded area. He says he’d love to catch a 20-inch Northern for a picture. They haven’t caught much yet so they made reservations to rent a boat tomorrow at Pine Mountain Lake near Backus. It always amazes us that people give up on Blair’s lake. There are so many lakes up here (MN is the land of 10,000 lakes) and many are famous as great fishing spots. Bob and I prefer the ones no one knows about.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvpyv4YzwWr-aN7TD6vHRpN59NsbbZ3OXucFkSdAmVf-JGSXzAHUbvXND07fLyxkXZS9xGqdV5twdLR8qDkrq0p5ulrke-c3tXcJ6jUIOknd05w0gx_A5TIxQX0WhmiW_4UK-SiN87xkuQ/s1600/MNPR3_+020BobBig+Nortthern.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvpyv4YzwWr-aN7TD6vHRpN59NsbbZ3OXucFkSdAmVf-JGSXzAHUbvXND07fLyxkXZS9xGqdV5twdLR8qDkrq0p5ulrke-c3tXcJ6jUIOknd05w0gx_A5TIxQX0WhmiW_4UK-SiN87xkuQ/s400/MNPR3_+020BobBig+Nortthern.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698973067100622978" />Bob's 32-inch, 5 1/2 lb. Northern</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglvSH177mDm5ANaWxfZQ1m2tLrPejdwIrj0emOQB8ckzlIl0p1TcfFW2s1YWcCpPNl4rTz-KM-6XAmO-dXLu0U7gs2KpjTuUZS3cSaLfaOp74aYBm0u2reuNF7rcr6iKRdSkXrK8QZJozR/s1600/MNPR3_+018NorthernInFishMotel.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglvSH177mDm5ANaWxfZQ1m2tLrPejdwIrj0emOQB8ckzlIl0p1TcfFW2s1YWcCpPNl4rTz-KM-6XAmO-dXLu0U7gs2KpjTuUZS3cSaLfaOp74aYBm0u2reuNF7rcr6iKRdSkXrK8QZJozR/s400/MNPR3_+018NorthernInFishMotel.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698973068986759986" />Barely fits in the fish motel</a><br /><br />Blair and I download the pictures from our memory stick and view Flixxy’s “Waffly Wedded Wife”. As I look back later on my decision to come to the lake at all today, I realize I should have stayed at home. At least I should have gone out in the boat with Bob and not stayed in the cabin with Blair to breathe my germs on her. But then what happened next would have never happened. Bob comes back quickly from the lilies just off the dock. He’s got a 32-inch, 5 ½ lb. Northern Pike! Blair’s three new guys get to see it and take pictures. They were surprised Bob caught his on a buzz bait as they have been fishing 30 feet deep. Bob goes back out and soon all three of them get in one boat and go out. We see them from the window and dub them “Manny, Moe and Jack.”<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXjM-UY3C6-FHkeVpNsA5Lu6Gk7MOYbW2Pvf0kRLBHlUiFfFAXvggRN1BIqSAGpTShpMgaaYzdoiTQYHA_JePhQZNPepuWCTk2X51Co2Uv3XEyWds18Tj5ZZVI1CHF2WCUGAbmm1-EfDQd/s1600/MNPR3_+027MannyMoeJack.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXjM-UY3C6-FHkeVpNsA5Lu6Gk7MOYbW2Pvf0kRLBHlUiFfFAXvggRN1BIqSAGpTShpMgaaYzdoiTQYHA_JePhQZNPepuWCTk2X51Co2Uv3XEyWds18Tj5ZZVI1CHF2WCUGAbmm1-EfDQd/s400/MNPR3_+027MannyMoeJack.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698973076014790802" />Manny, Moe and Jack!</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Huh3T7JJthu3kMc-xx7OJ1Xs1NiCbSx0mugYAcPprpqfGHG1Lv43kdjyxSFKbOW9ayI4vJXTPVoAxCmZKEZWuH9112s4XXaCpvY0gOXD3muoU05dU664PO0aRX2TO_Pt60rD_W_SnPbq/s1600/MNPR3_+032DougNorthern.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Huh3T7JJthu3kMc-xx7OJ1Xs1NiCbSx0mugYAcPprpqfGHG1Lv43kdjyxSFKbOW9ayI4vJXTPVoAxCmZKEZWuH9112s4XXaCpvY0gOXD3muoU05dU664PO0aRX2TO_Pt60rD_W_SnPbq/s400/MNPR3_+032DougNorthern.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698973078698538178" />Doug lands his 'dream' Northern</a><br /><br />Soon they come back. Doug caught a 36-inch Northern that’s 10 lbs.! (thus exceeding his earlier expectations.) He was so excited. Said he’d never forget it-on a spinner bait, just under the surface near the lilies! <br /><br />We pack up and leave around 8:00 while it’s still light. What a pretty sunset. Harve called and said the Northern Lights should be visible tonight. I feel too bad to wait up for them. It’s 8:50 p.m. and 58 degrees with 54% humidity. High 67.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkHXL7cbiuuvgPG1rb8yT0AAWFiCig_a5mpQiw8cw7f880En0c-GR4ulf_Xtn2HlnvG8dxhFD-GevjW0pqtQx3ROShmmAHSOhYsipG6aoYsnjLGhBcAoGz6l52UiFrG14mdC74R8d4h-ZZ/s1600/MNPR3_+034HLkSunset.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkHXL7cbiuuvgPG1rb8yT0AAWFiCig_a5mpQiw8cw7f880En0c-GR4ulf_Xtn2HlnvG8dxhFD-GevjW0pqtQx3ROShmmAHSOhYsipG6aoYsnjLGhBcAoGz6l52UiFrG14mdC74R8d4h-ZZ/s400/MNPR3_+034HLkSunset.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698973084026368834" />Another perfect sunset</a><br /><br /><strong>Tuesday, September 14, 2010 Under the Weather</strong> Woke up on a board hacking again. Rained early morning. Low 50. Good thing Bob didn’t play golf with Dick and the ‘old farts.’ I skip my walk and don’t stretch I feel so bad. Take a shower and feel better.<br /><br />We go to Super Valu in Pequot. Home to eat roasted chicken. Sun is out now, gorgeous day. Wayne and Diane fished ‘til 2:00 or so. I never did talk to them to see how they did. High 65 degrees.<br /><br />Bob makes tomato soup and grilled cheese for me. We walk down around 5:00 to the recycle. As we return Dick’s insert that fell out of his chair they invite us to sit out and have some wine. I abstain since I’m on heavy drugs for my cold.) Jeff delivers some firewood. Marilyn and Jamie are back from their grocer’s meeting in The Cities. They are bowling tonight.<br /><br />Dick and Bob go set up a Thursday afternoon golf game with Ron (the gals are shopping Thursday morning.) We enjoy their nice fire. Jean makes Chai tea for me-how nice! Jean and I catch Gail as she comes home from work and make plans to leave at 7:15 for shopping. Bob and I leave just after 8:00. It sure is cool away from the fire. We stop and chat with Cindy out by her fire. Lars is at his ‘paycheck’ meeting. Home to watch the end of NCIS LA repeat. It’s 9:07 p.m. and 54 degrees with 53% humidity.<br /><br /><strong>Wednesday, September 15, 2010 Game Day on Angler’s Isle</strong> I slept on the air bed in the living room as I had several major coughing fits during the night. Text message from Blair “How ya felling and are we shopping?” Bob checks Intelicast weather. It’s not looking good. Running around in the rain shopping doesn’t sound good to me so I call Blair and say “How about a game day?” She’s all for it. I say we’ll be out around noon. We don’t make it until 12:45. Dreary, rainy-we left the bedroom vent open all might and it rained early this morning.<br /><br />Pack up the laptop, dominoes and Ponytail Canasta. Blair greets us in cabin 1. It’s all cozy and warm with fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies. She is so sweet. We play ½ game of Mexican Train and break for Bob’s Ham Hodge-Podge Soup and Blair’s ham and roast beef sandwiches. Blair hunted up a wood scrap so bob could tie down and strengthen the partition between the two sleeping areas. <br /><br />I make coffee and wash up the dishes. We got out both laptops and transferred pictures from all summer to Blair’s Mac. Whew! Glad that’s finally done. But once again it was a bad decision to fool with her keyboard with my cold. We watch “Proper Cup of Coffee” video on-line by Trout Fishing in America.<br /><br />We resume our game of Mexican Train. I win-maybe they let me because I’m sick. Bob goes out on the dock around 5:00 to toss a line or two as the three guys go out to fish. He catches two keepers and some dinks off the dock while Blair and I play ½ game of Quiddler. She’s winning when bob comes in with cold hands. We start over and deal him in. I win again. Hmmm…..We pack it up and leave around 7:00. Fun, cozy day with Blair at the lake.<br /><br />We see five deer, four raccoons and a white cat on our trip home. Chilly in the RV. It’s 9:11 p.m. and 51 degrees with 77% humidity, high 62, low 50. I have early shopping date tomorrow. Every few hours tonight I have a coughing fit.<br /><br /><strong>Thursday, September 16, 2010 Shop ‘til We Drop-Gail, Jean and Reet</strong> Up at 6:00 a.m. on a board. Hacked all night. Coffee and Blair’s Cinnamon Applesauce for breakfast. Gail and Jean pick me up at 7:15 a.m. I couldn’t see them coming due to the motorhome that moved in streetside yesterday while we were at the lake. There are eerie low clouds hanging under blue skies. It’s very chilly. We stop for breakfast at Country Corner in Backus. Oatmeal, egg and homemade wheat toast is too much for me. All of our breakfasts were too big. Our waitress remembered Gail and I. <br /><br />On to Walker; the leaves are really changing up here. And it’s sunny, those weird clouds are gone. We have a pit stop at Holiday. I get a Tribune and cough drops. Our big plan to start early went awry as we see a sign on the first shop “September hours-open at 10:00.” Yikes! It’s 8:45. We find the Artist’s Mall open-that same cranky lady is there. I find a cute snowman spoon for a Christmas gift.<br /><br />Christmas Point store saves us. It’s open at 9:00. We all buy good goodies of course. Jean gets a charge out of a little computer upstairs with a DVD playing of a crackling fire. We do the rest of the stores and stop for lunch at Village Café. Gail and I split the lunch special; turkey sandwich with apricot glaze. Tomato Basil Soup for me and Chicken and Wild Rice for Gail who is nice enough to treat us all.<br /><br />Time to head home. Ron calls and can’t believe we’re still in Walker at 1:00. Gail has to work at 2:00. The guys have an afternoon tee time at The Preserve. We make it home before the guys leave. Dick comes over to chat and say the tee-time got pushed back (bumped Ron’s employee tee time for a real customer.) <br /><br />It was sunny in Walker all morning but it’s cloudy here in Pine River. It’s just clearing around 2:30 when the guys head off with Bob driving. He picks up Ron and Dick at their RVs. Poor Gail goes to work. Jean comes by to get me and we go to Nisswa and shop. What a fun time. We have dinner at Billy’s. Walleye for both of us as well as Lobster Bisque. Jean drops me off at home around 6:15. Very fun girls’ day out. I’m tired and feel feverish. Guess I wasn’t ready for a whole day of adventure.<br /><br />Blair calls and while we’re chatting Gail knocks to say the guys are at Tasty Pizza. Bob is home by 8:30. Says they had a good time. Pitchers of beer may have been involved.<br /><br /><strong>Friday, September 17, 2010 Last Campfire at The Titanic</strong> Almost slept around the clock-on a board. Feel better, only hacked a little last night. I even took a walk and stretched after breakfast. I saw jean and invited them to a campfire at our place tonight.<br /><br />I try to finish the difficult Thursday crossword “SOS on Titanic DahDahDahDitDit”. Couldn’t figure it out. We go to Mayson’s for lunch; excellent Meat and Tomato Pasta Soup! We get propane on the way back at BP. The guy was just coming out to fill another bottle. $24.00. I get a paper and cough drops too. We go into the liquor store where Bob gets Killian’s. I get Butter Nipple fixin’s. The guy asks us if we want to sample some wines! Bad Dog Pinot Noir for Bob and California Oakwood merlot for me. ($5.99 a bottle.) He’s trying to find something affordable to drum up business.<br /><br />Back home Lars comes by, he’s home from work. Bob invites him to the campfire. We read the paper and I make White Chocolate Amaretto Cheeseball. Diane and Wayne come home. Bob goes out and stops them from putting their boat in our campfire site. I walk over to ask Ron and Gail but they just left. Later I catch them-they went to Salty Dog. Benita and Justin are coming over and they’re going to do a drive-by of their pending new home. They may join us later at the campfire.<br /><br />Around 5:00 Bob starts the fire. The wood is wet so it’s kind of smoky. We gather up twigs up on the hill. Cindy and Lars see the smoke and come on down. Cindy and I walk down to get kindling and Lars’ axe he splits our big logs. The fire gets going. Soon Wayne and Diane join us. Then Jean arrives with Butter Nipples. Dick is right behind with chairs and wine. Wayne gets his metal poker and a coconut (actually a big rock to put the fire ring on.)<br /><br />Jeff and Ryan join us (he just arrived in “The Little Shit House.”) Later little Seth joins us. Jeff brings slab wood and amps up our fire. Ron and Gail join us just before 9:00 after a DQ stop. The rain sprinkles several times but we don’t get rained out. We break up at 9:15. It’s 10:08 p.m. and 49 degrees with 37% humidity. High 61, low 49.<br /><br /><strong>Saturday, September 18, 2010 Taste of Pequot and River View Pub Party</strong> Up at 7:00 and still on the air bed-3 nights in a row. Only one coughing fit woke me up last night so I’m making progress. Work crossword. Dick walks by with Wilson and we agree to 11:30, they’ll pick us up.<br /><br />At 11:25 Dick calls and they come by for us. Park in front of Wild Hair and walk through the tents around Pequot’s Visitor Center. Nice arts and crafts but no loitering as the smells from The Taste of Pequot booths beckon. Jean has time to buy cute ‘fish’ socks for Sophie. <br /><br />We all decide on pulled pork sandwiches with Cole slaw from Timberjack. No free tables so we devour them standing. Bob and I buy legume soup mix at the fudge stand for $6.00. We all walk around the shops in Pequot Lakes. At Celtic Shop Jean buys Irish cover gloves. At Brambleberry we pick out two coffees to share; “Kona Macadamia Nut” for me and “Moose Joose” for them. I get decaf “Nisswa Nice” for me and wild rice. Jean’s going to give me her wild rice casserole recipe.<br /><br />We walk through funky gift stores and sample jalapeno jams at North Woods décor store. Stop in ice cream place. Jean and Dick split a cone. I wanted coffee but none made. Settle for water as I’m having a coughing fit. Bob decides to save his calories for tonight. Jean says she made German Chocolate Cake. Dick’s nice enough to cruise by the post office so I can mail a card. Home by 3:00.<br /><br />I make Corn Casserole. We finish tough NY Times crossword. Bob’s on-line (after we stack firewood and bring in the tablecloth from last night.) It’s 4:10 p.m. and 56 degrees with 31% humidity. Really feels like fall. Low 40 this morning.<br /><br />Around 5:00 we head to the Pub with a cheeseball. Everybody is gathering. Roger and Ellen are here (she tells of deer tick bite and blood poisoning this summer.) Cindy and Lars are by the fire. Marilyn introduces Jerry, Lois, a co-worker and Kay who lives on Norway. Met Mike and Dan, 4-wheel guys. Jean comes with her two German Chocolate Cakes! Ron comes to me after a while and says “You didn’t tell me your “Salmon Shit” was White Chocolate!<br /><br />Ryan and Darlene, John and Seth, Caroline, Jamie and her grandmother (later she goes to get her little dog around the fire) all join us. Drew, a Pine River musician, entertains us around the fire after our feast. We enjoy fall-off-the-bone ribs, Jean’s hash browns, Caroline’s Pasta Salad (Curly’s feeling better-had the flu-bad year for them as he had a heart attack earlier right here in the RV Park.), we actually have four pasta salads and one is better than the other (I love the hard salami and pencil-round pepperoni), Cindy’s potato salad, Diane’s great Wild Rice, baked beans, Carol’s Cole slaw, Gail’s scalloped Corn, (she comes just as we’re all done eating-got off work early around 7:30.) <br /><br />We gather around the fire for singing. Drew knew Lyle Lovett, Robert Earl Keen, Townes Van Zandt (he did Pancho & Lefty), Johnny Cash, and some oldies (This Land is Your Land, Feelin’ Groovy, Ain’t Misbehaving, Almost Heaven West Virginia and Me Upon My Pony on My Boat. I’m in heaven. Feel like I’m jamming back in Austin, TX.<br /><br />Jamie Cranks up Lady Gaga, Jeff cranks up the fire. Bob and I head home at 10:00. It’s cool away from the fire. It’s 11:02 p.m. and 45 degrees with 50% humidity. High 61, low 40.<br /><br /><strong>Sunday, September 19, 2010 Fall Fishing at the Lake</strong> Hacked all night on the air bed; feeling better but my chest is draining. I had 15 minute increments of sleep. Finally got three solid hours from 7:00 to 10:00 a.m. Slow going this morning, stretched but no walk. I see Dick pack up and leave around 10:30. Wilson hops in the front seat. I feel sorry for Jean left all alone.<br /><br />I make chicken salad and pack a lunch then we head to the lake. I call Blair as we go out 44. No answer on the land line or cell. She must be at the laundry mat (or could be out in the canoe.) The mystery is over when we get to the gate. It’s locked but of course we have our key. I get the camera out and take shots of the changing colors. <br /><br />We park by cabin 1, being careful to miss the flag pole. We load up the boat and head out. It’s weird for Blair not to be here to see us off. It’s fairly warm, overcast but we can see blue sky in the north. High 58, low 43. We didn’t get the frost last night that they predicted.<br /><br />Bob catches several pike on a buzz bait and a couple of small bass. And one northern on a beetle spin saves me from being skunked. Two guys fishing on the dock in the cove by the ramp are the only other signs of life on the lake except for two loud loons in the same cove. They are actually screaming so loud those guys’ dog started barking at them.<br /><br />We see Blair drive in around 2:45. At 3:15 we take a lunch break. She was in Backus at the laundry and Godfrey’s as well as a yard sale. She suggests pizza and pops a great Swann’s Florencia in the oven. We sit out by the fire barrel in the sun. The sky has cleared and the lake is calm as glass. Just as the pizza is done, Ann from across the lake arrives in her boat with her black dog. Blair’s pizza is delayed. At last they shove off but she returns in 15 minutes as she left her tie-downs at Blair’s dock and had to come back for them. Bob spies an eagle in the big pine by the dock.<br /><br />Bob donates his 35-year hammer to Blair. He goes out fishing while Blair unloads her laundry. I take pictures and make tea. Blair and I download pictures off my camera; finally get it to auto-download. Then we deal out the Quiddler. Blair is ahead when Bob returns. We help him unload as he tells us he caught six nice bass.<br /><br />We deal him in and start Quiddler over. Bob wins but we all get table stakes (Almond Joy and Butterfingers-me too in spite of dealing four hands for three players!) We hit the road at 8:30. It’s 9:40 pm. and 50 degrees with 50% humidity.<br /><br /><strong>Monday, September 20, 2010 Housecleaning on a Rainy Day</strong> My Nyquil worked; I slept through the night on a full board. Housecleaning time today. Bob tackles the shower with ½ vinegar and ½ water that works well to take the hard spots off. Yeah! I make Ritz PB cookies with M & M’s. Then I clean myself up and take the trash out. I take a plate of cookies down to Jean so she can share them with her sister, Kay, who comes tomorrow. She invites me in for Chai tea and a chat. She tells her story of losing her brand new Samsung phone (one week old) yesterday at the laundry in Brainerd. Yikes! She drove back down there and found it. Someone found it on the parking lot and turned it in. By then she had called her service provider to lock her service. Just glad she got it back.<br /><br />It’s 5:07 p.m. and 54 degrees with 85% humidity. High 54, low 45. I work on mail, we have leftovers and watch Inspector Lewis and the premier of Castle.<br /><br /><strong>Tuesday, September 21, 2010 Groceries and Val’s Soup</strong> Woke up at 8:30 in my own bed, no coughing all night (with a little help from my Nyquil.) I see Gail driving by and hop out to see if Ron’s ear surgery went okay. They made two passes and did stitches for repair. All is well. He went to work (after Tylenol with codeine!) Gail left the Chainsaw schedule at Jean’s since they are thinking about going.<br /><br />After breakfast I take the recycle out and go for a walk. I run into Jean doing sheets at the laundry mat. She says to stop by for the schedule Gail gave her. She still plans a campfire tonight after 6:30.<br /><br />Bob and I do respective chores; he tightens faucets and I do paperwork. We go to Timberjack for lunch. Tomato Basil Soup and fried Cheese Curds for me-oh bad, you can tell I’ve been sick. He has 1/3 rack of ribs special. On to SuperValu where I buy two bags of Honeycrisp apples thinking they were $1.99/bag. Turns out to be per pound. They are still a good price but I end up with $19.00 worth of apples!<br /><br />Home to cook Val’s Unforgettable Hamburger Soup mix we got at Taste of Pequot. I also make chicken salad for tomorrow. I start to make Crispy Thingies while I’m on a roll but we got ground turkey instead of turkey sausage. <br /><br />Bob cleans the inside, the nerf bars and the wheels of the truck. Diane and Wayne are doing the final two sides of their RV. Ron stops with his bandaged ear. Says he’s feeling okay but fell asleep while mowing the greens at the golf course while on codeine! He says they got their house! <br /><br />I show Tony’s Seasoning to Diane as we discuss fajitas (she tried to make them one time.) We eat our soup, read the paper and Bob sets the recorder for two NICS premiers tonight. Around 6:45 we see flames under Jean’s RV in the firepit. So we gather our chairs and head over. We meet Kay, her sister (an assistant director of nursing half way between Bemidji and International Falls Minnesota-WAY UP NORTH!) Jean breaks out Butter Nipples and introduces Kay to them. She also brings out warm oatmeal cookies. Ron and Gail join us by the fire. We break up just before 9:00. It’s 8:55 p.m. and 53 degrees with 61% humidity.<br /><br /><strong>Wednesday, September 22, 2010 Blair Catches Creeping Crud</strong> Slept through the night with no coughing, in my own bed for the first time in a week-without Nyquil! Up at 7:30 to find a text from Blair from 4:15 this morning! She caught my cold; can’t sleep or breathe. I cannot tell you how bad I feel. I never should have gone out there. I text her back so I don’t wake her and ask what we can bring. When she answers I call her. Her cell has a weak signal and I lose her and call her on the land line (later I learn she had to get up to answer the land line-bummer!) I tell her we’ll be out later.<br /><br />We get ready and go to our last breakfast at Cottage Café in Pine River. The blueberry pancakes are still great. We order Turkey Noodle soup to go for Blair. Back home I had packed up cough drops, throat lozenges, cough capsules, Kleenex and Honey Crisp Apples. The road on the way out is finally dry; it hasn’t rained in three whole days. So Bob’s clean truck doesn’t get too filthy.<br /><br />Blair is up and in cabin 3 looking for a space heater that’s gone missing. She gives us a grab bag of presents. So sweet since she’s so sick. Two great blue and black socks (coozies) for our new aluminum water bottles fit perfectly and will keep our hands from getting cold. A cinnamon candle since she knows how I love the smell. Cute “Don’t Postpone Chocolate” notepad. A Hay Lake t-shirt (my size I’m sure, not Bob’s). A pocket screwdriver for Bob. It’s Christmas in September! <br /><br />We pack up the boat and send her off for a nap (after we fill the gas can.) We troll out to the lilies by the docks. Bob catches a big northern. It’s sunny, partly cloudy with a chilly wind. He catches a 5 lb. bass on the back side of the island with a big, long, floating crankbait. We fish until 2:30 then come in for lunch. Blair joins us in cabin 1 but stays in the recliner. Said she enjoyed her mystery meat soup (turkey noodle we tell her) and then she had a nap. She sounds horrible and I feel so bad. Harve calls, then Gwen-she was hoping for a game day but no dice with Blair sick.<br /><br />Doug and his two buddies from Missouri showed their pictures to their wives when they got home and now they all want to come! Another group of Hay Lake Regulars is born! We have Val’s hamburger soup and leave the rest for Blair. I made Grog coffee and we enjoyed Blair’s Toffee Pecans made with toffee glaze from Fleet Farm (a taste of Texas!) I tried her Kretcher’s Cranberry Nut Muffins-excellent!<br /><br />We went back out to fish and she went off for another nap. We caught enough to keep it interesting. It’s completely cloudy now but warmer. Weird low clouds look like blankets. We find a hotspot at the end of the day out from Otter Cove. My new job is fish locator! I get one to chase my buzz bait and swipe at it; Bob throws his big crankbait in and catches my bass! At last we run out of daylight and head in just after 7:00. It’s sad to unload the boat for the last time. Blair must be catching some much-needed rest. We hate to sneak off. I leave her a note on the table in cabin 1 as we quietly leave around 7:30. We get home just after 8:00 and see no wildlife on the way. Our last late-night drive home to River View. Snacks, showers and hit the sack. It’s 8:50 p.m. and 54 degrees with 62% humidity. High 58, low 42.<br /><br /><strong>Thursday, September 23, 2010 Rainy Laundry Day in Brainerd</strong> Drizzly all day. I walk in a slight drizzle. Low 51. Pack up 4 loads of laundry and head to Brainerd by 11:30. Go to Road/Trailers southeast of the water tower on 13th Street. They don’t have our Dexter wheel hubs. We stop in Walgreen’s for a paper and contact solution. On to the laundry as rain comes down. An anal old guy in there refolds a towel his poor wife just folded. Done quickly then have lunch at The Lodge. Special for Bob-pulled pork sandwich; grilled vege wrap and mushroom barley soup for me. We split sweet potato fries.<br /><br />I have a text from Blair; she just got up. I call her and find she slept off and on. She sounds a little cheerier. Schwann’s guy comes so we ring off. We get fuel at Fleet Farm where Bob also finds the ‘perfect’ jacket. We drive home in a harder rain. I have a text message from my brother Mike in Texas. The Ranger’s magic number is 4!<br /><br />We’re stowing laundry and groceries when Ron knocks. They’re going to DQ so we join them. Mini Blizzards for us. They have dinner. Bonnie and Wayne’s loan deal on their house fell through.<br /><br />Back home to watch recorded NCIS and have Val’s Hamburger Soup. It’s flooding in southern MN. We may have to change our travel plans. It’s 10:45 p.m. and 53 degrees with 85% humidity. High 58.<br /><br /><strong>Friday, September 24, 2010 6th Annual National Chainsaw Sculpting Invitational, Goodbye Hay Lake and Underdog’s</strong> Cloudy, drizzly. There’s a knock on the door just before 9:00 a.m. Diane and Wayne came to say goodbye. They are leaving for Belle Plain, down by The Cities, for the weekend to see there daughter Therese. They hope to meet up in Texas this winter. <br /><br />I check email; have replies from Blair-no chainsaw event for her, still feeling too puny. And hear from Charlie and Kathy, she’s jealous of Bob’s Northern. And a note from Mike who just returned from Missouri (Bennett Springs fly fishing with Travis and a visit in St. Charles with Mom and Dad.) <br /><br />I take out the recycle but it’s too cold and wet for a walk. I see Dick arrive as I send email. Later Jean says her sister left at 8:00 a.m. and was home by 11:00 with a stop for groceries!<br /><br />It’s 12:30 by the time we leave for the Chainsaw Sculpting and only 49 degrees. The wind is blowing hard. Not to self: Don’t wear black velour pants and stand down-wind at a carving event—sawdust galore! We see ‘fake’ chainsaw event just past Backus but zoom by to downtown Hackensack for the real deal. We park by the tennis courts near Lucette (Paul Bunyan’s girlfriend.) There’s a crowd of about 100. Six competitors are set up in booths including a couple from Eldon, MO-Tim and Karen Barker. I liked her one-sided bench with a squirrel holding an acorn the best! <br /><br />At 1:30 each competitor has one and one half hours in the speed carving event. We watched for 20 minutes. It’s freezing so we ducked inside Sweets Café. I get the second biggest bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar and raisins and a huge buckwheat pancake. Bob has taco salad. Lots of people ducked in here to get warm. The gal making radio announcements for the event is set up inside by the front door. <br /><br />We go back out into the cold at 2:30 and are amazed at the transformation of the 8-foot tall 2 ½-foot diameter tree stumps they started with. They are now works of art. They can only use the chainsaws for 1 ½ hours. There are five to ten different sizes and varieties of saws-all Stihl! The competitors have fashioned a log cabin and pine tree, a bear cub peaking out of a hollow tree stump, the gal’s squirrel bench, a bear, and an eagle.<br /><br />Each artist is also working all day (9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) on a master art piece to be auctioned off Sunday. The highest price realized at the auction wins the competition. They are all very talented and work really hard. This event is quite physical. It’s 3:15 and not time for the rail-splitting competition until 4:00 so we browse the shops in Hackensack. <br /><br />At 4:00 we take a seat in the bleachers for the Pro-Am Rail Splitting. Eight-foot logs are to be split into six pieces with an axe by hand. The winner has a time of 3 minutes and 57 seconds. Second place is over 7 minutes.<br /><br />We’re cold and done for the day. We head to the lake. I text Blair as we turn at Godfrey’s. I get a voice message from Jean and call her back. They’re doing happy hour and said to call them later if we’re free.<br /><br />The fall colors are gorgeous on 87 past Salty Dog as the sun finally breaks through. High only 55 degrees. We get to the lake around 4:30 and there’s no sign of Blair. We bail the boats out as quite a bit of rain water has collected. After 20 minutes she emerges from Cabin 4.<br /><br />We all go in to stay warm and have one last visit. She sounds better. We tell her about the carving competition and give her the soup we brought and zinc lozenges. She shares apple cider and toffee pecans. The sun stream in and the lake looks incredible. We’re never up here this late in the year. Blake called and has a new Mitchell drill. He got the pole saw fixed reasonably in Bemidji. He’ll be her next Friday.<br /><br />I remember to give her the key back. We settle our bill. I give her a quick video lesson on her camera. I actually get a cell phone call that comes through at the lake for the first and last time this year. Gail and Ron are wondering where we are. They are heading to Tasty Pizza. We have to pass. Maybe we’ll meet up before we leave.<br /><br />We sure hate to say farewell to Blair as we reminisce about our fun summer. We have tearful goodbyes. I try to be strong since she feels so poorly. She gives us a hay Lake send-off that makes me feel like she’s getting better.<br /><br />The sunset it beautiful as we leave-how appropriate! A grouse runs down the road ahead of us. We pull into River View and see no sign of Dick and Jean so I call them. Dick says they are at Underdog’s. They went for Happy Hour and stayed to eat and watch the Twins game. I say we’ll join them. <br /><br />We find them at a table by the door. The folks next to us want to know about my Hay Lake shirt-is it upper or lower? I say no idea-I’m from Texas and a friend gave it to me. It was nice of Dick and Jean to hang around while we have a bite and catch up a few brews with them. Blue Moon draft for me and New Castle Ale draft for Bob. We split Walleye Divers and have Beef Barley Soup-heaven! Then I switch to Bailey’s and coffee with Dick and Jean. Fun time. Detroit massacres Twins 10-0. Our second massacre today!<br /><br />We say hi to Wilson waiting patiently in the car. Jean is missing Tom Selleck’s new series premier “Blue Bloods” at 9:00. We watch recorded NCIS LA and crash It’s 11:23 p.m. and very chilly. We can’t believe we pack up tomorrow.<br /><br /><strong>Saturday, September 25, 2010 Packing Up to Head South</strong> Woke up at 5:15; got up at 6:00. Couldn’t go back to sleep thinking about Movin’ On Down the Road. I finish reading The Jungle Book. Low was 45 last night, very chilly. The sun doesn’t appear until around noon. It’s too chilly to walk; I just take out the trash and return to stretch. Breakfast, shower then Bob goes outside to hose off the patio, bikes, etc. and put all of the fishing gear down under. I go out to wipe down the lawn chairs and bikes. The dang gnats are terrible.<br /><br />Jean and Dick are getting ready to head to Cross Lake and Hackensack today. She comes down to give me her Wild Rice recipe-how nice of her to share! She says they’ll try to have a fire tonight.<br /><br />I go inside and pack up the décor. It echoes in here. Bob finishes checking the fluid and air levels. He cleans up. Around 1:30 I walk over to see if Ron and Gail will join us for a beer at Underdog’s. Poor Gail is sick and just leaving for work. Yikes! Ron is having a beer at his son’s game night tonight so he passes on Underdog’s since he is on antibiotics for his ear surgery. He’s doing okay he says. I give Gail a hug; Ron says he’ll try to join us at the campfire tonight.<br /><br />Bob and I head to lunch at Underdog’s. Prime Steak Sandwich with Jo-Jo fries for him. Grilled chicken with mushrooms and Swiss cheese for me with a cup of Beef Barley Soup. Very good. College football is on. An older gent comes in and sits at the bar with a Mission, TX, jacket on. <br /><br />We see a wreck (guy with a truck and trailer on the wrong side of the highway) just before Pequot. We go to the car wash just after SuperValu. Get an early Sunday paper at BP and head home to read it. It’s 3:36 p.m. and 57 degrees with 58% humidity. The high for the day so far. We bring in the bikes. I check email (1950’s White Sport Coat & Pink Carnation from Dick and Danny Kaye’s Court Jester from Blair.) Leftovers.<br /><br />We see a fire at Dick and Jean’s. Bob takes them our leftover firewood. I take PB Ritz cookies. Hugs for Wilson-he gets his tail in the fire. Jeff and Jamie come by with slab wood. Ron comes back from his son’s Dungeons and Dragons weekend. The chili was too hot-jalapenos and habaneras. Wow! Way up North! Gail comes home from work and joins us around 7:30 in spite of being sick. Ryan and John join us too. They golfed at White Birch. Fun evening. Hate to see it all end.<br /><br /><strong>Sunday, September 26, 2010 Movin’ On Back Down to Faribault, MN-Leaving with the Loons</strong> Up at 7:20 a.m., 42 degrees. I walk early and see Ryan and John out packing up to leave. I say farewell. Then go home and back outside to snap a picture of The Titanic with the autumn colors surrounding us. When I come in I have a voice message from Blair. I’m sorry I missed her. It’s too sad to leave. <br /><br />We have breakfast. As I’m doing the dishes, Jeff knocks and gives us our electric bill (four days short of a month=$65, not too bad considering the temps and me sleeping in the living room for a week with the second heater going.) He brings my blue oven mitt that I left at the Pub Party-how nice! And I write down our email address for Marilyn. She’s working today.<br /><br />Gail knocks as I finish the dishes. She has a surprise ‘chocolate treat’ and a S’mores recipe book (interesting, and different pumpkin S’more.) How cute. It’s so hard to say good bye. Ron’s at work and doesn’t make it home before we leave at 11:08.<br /><br />We pack up with no problem. The sun warms things up. It promises to be a gorgeous day. We pull around and stop at Dick and Jean’s. They hop out to say so long. I say bye to Wilson too. Dick gets his camera and takes a picture of us with Big Bertha and The Titanium. I snap a pic of them. We run over and give Gail one more hug by her picnic table. And then we’re off. <br /><br />Glorious fall colors until Brainerd. We take 15 at St. Cloud to I-94. We stop between Royalton and Rice for fuel and the buffet at Twin Pines. Great Beef Dumplin’ Soup, salad bar (Ramie noodle slaw had the noodles cooked and added peas and sunflower seeds with an olive oil dressing.) <br /><br />Not too much traffic through The Cities. We see Belle Plain as we go south on I-35 (Wayne and Diane’s daughter lives there.) We stop at a rest area at exit 76 on I-35. Only 20 more miles to our exit #56 at Faribault. Total miles of 201. The guy in the office is very friendly (not the guy I talked to on the phone.) He lets us choose a site (#13.) We’re set up by 4:20. It’s 71 degrees when we get out at the rest area. Yeah! It’s 5:11 p.m. and 66 degrees here at the RV Park.<br /><br />Bob is scanning for TV channels and cussing. I get a text and pics from Mike of Texas Rangers American West Champs hat. He says he needs a new 2010 hat. Leftovers, walk and crash. While I walk I call Mike and we have a nice chat. He’s glad I’m back in the real world with cell service. I also call Blair and left a voice message. She calls back. I had to put shoes on and go outside to get a signal. The sun went down and I ran back for a coat. Nice chat with her. Her cousin Tom in California gave her an email solution to a friend’s facebook issues. A pop-up Bambi, small slide-in pulls in on our curbside. Can’t believe our Summer Up North is over.Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-281857281789601302012-01-14T04:39:00.000-08:002012-01-14T11:01:36.016-08:00June 20 - Sept 26, 2010 Summer Up North In Minnesota<strong>Sunday, June 20, 2010, No TV, No US Open, Last Day in Prairie du Chein, WS</strong> Up at 6:30. Finished reading latest Owen Perry, "but let that bide." Very tired and draggy. Grateful we don't have to move as we watch all the campers in the "transit" section pack up and leave around us. Bob skips breakfast. I have oatmeal around 9:30. Stretch, shower, lounge.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKFyYB5Q1qrpAeE43QbugjBrhv53Mc6TgYFtvS5yuBHZ6eAto5FDw1Riwx3fJjcshHCc0UOsPYrXyaYEbjjN0bmkqGh7tGY3M5UltTfb7uBlDssVV37_k-GFDp6MKfSgKFNBePVhx3NT1i/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+065WIPrairieDuChien_SportsUnLtdCG_OldTravelTrailer.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKFyYB5Q1qrpAeE43QbugjBrhv53Mc6TgYFtvS5yuBHZ6eAto5FDw1Riwx3fJjcshHCc0UOsPYrXyaYEbjjN0bmkqGh7tGY3M5UltTfb7uBlDssVV37_k-GFDp6MKfSgKFNBePVhx3NT1i/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+065WIPrairieDuChien_SportsUnLtdCG_OldTravelTrailer.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697548877123381234" />One of the cute transits next to us</a><br /><br />We leave for lunch around 1:30. All sites are empty around us. Three cute little dogs are playing Frisbee down the way-one dominates. We go to Family Restaurant east of 18 in Prairie du Chein. It's not any better than the one closest to us but it's hopping for Father's Day. So-so catfish for me, grilled ham for Bob. We both enjoyed Beef Cabbage Soup. Go boxes. Stop at Holiday Gas. Diesel pump won't work. I go inside for the Sunday Dubuque paper. Gas goes out but can't get the pump to work. We move to diesel pump on the other end. Finally she gives Bob a 10 cents per gallon discount for his troubles.<br /><br />We're home by 3:00. A big diesel pusher I saw go by with a matching toad out the restaurant window is in the site right next to us curbside. The entire rest of the park is empty! We were hoping to pull out that way. No change now. It's 3:07 p.m. We put the A/C on as it's 77 degrees with 52% humidity. High 80, low 65.<br /><br /><strong>Movin' On to Faribault, MN 2010</strong> we head to Minnesota for the entire summer. This will be our longest stay in one place since we started full-time RVing seven years ago as we end up staying in Pine River until September 26th. It was nice to settle in some place that feels so much like home. This is our third summer over the last six years to call River View RV Park in Pine River, MN, home.We were welcomed back by old friends and made some grand new friends as well. It's 88 degrees with high humidity as we set up camp. Our friends say it's the first time it's been warm this year. They had eight inches of snow the first week of May! The summer turns out to be cooler and rainier than we have experienced in the past up here. But of course there are many perfect days with Minnesota clouds throughout the summer.I'll try to post a pictorial summary of all of our fishing, eating, cycling and general partying. One of the highlights of being up here is to visit our good friend Blair at Hay Lake and see the whole gang up there all summer. So here goes...<br /><br /><strong>Monday, June 21, 2010, Movin' On to Faribault, MN</strong> Up at 6:00. Not much to pack up. I read, stretch, have coffee, Crispy Thingies for breakfast. Pack up with no problem and hit the road by 10:45. We thought about waiting around for a half hour to time the drive through Rochester but decided to just go ahead. Good decision. It starts sprinkling as we pull out of the campground onto Hwy K. But it never gets too bad all day.<br /><br />We follow 35 north on the Great River Road past the 82 bridge to Lansing and we're in new territory. Hwy 35 is good all the way. We make a left turn on 14/61 in LaCrosse. It's an easy turn but we didn't know about the right turn across the River to Minn. Bob figured it out on the fly and we connected with I-90 west towards Rochester. Five miles before that we stop at a rest area for PBJs, trail mix, and cookies; already had an apple in the truck on the way. <br /><br />Rochester is easy, just a traffic light. Take 14 west to I-35. If we turned south it's a long way to Austin, TX, on I-35! But we go north for only 16 miles, past Owatonna where we went to Cabela's two years ago and looked at Heartland RVs at a dealership there. Now we have our new Titanium. Time flies. On to Faribault, exit 56 south on Western to Camp Faribo RV Resort and Campground, 21851 Bagley Ave., Faribault, MN 55021 (517) 332-8453. <a href="http://www.campfaribo.com"></a> We paid $$29.84 with our Good Sam discount for one night. The camp host leads us to a "pull thru" by the playground. In fact, our backyard is the playground!<br /><br />We set up in a sprinkling rain. The slides all work-Yeah! We had a much better move this time. Head into town. Can only find pizza places. The gas station only has #2 diesel. We finally find Ultra Low Sulpher and fill up. I get a Minnesota Star Tribune and look in the Yellow Pages but find no restaurants. We give up and go to Perkin's near I-35 exit 56. Apricot Glazed Salmon for me. Afterwards I find a voice message from Jeff at River View RV Park in Pine River, our next destination. He has site #8 for us tomorrow. How nice of him to call.<br /><br />Home to finish unpacking and set up. I download pictures from the reunion and name them until 7:00. It's fun to see them all. The scenery is breathtaking in Lansing. Bob airs up the tires. We watch Lie to Me and The Good Guys. Yes, we have phone and TV channels! But still no Internet connection. You can't have everything. It's 9:20 p.m. and 71 degrees with 61% humidity. High 86, low 69.<br /><br />Summer Solstice; the sun will be up for 15 hrs 36 min. That's almost 7 hours more than the Winter Solstice.<br /><br /><strong>Tuesday, June 22, 2010, Movin' On Back to Pine River, MN</strong> Up at 6:30. It's hard mentally to move again today but I tell myself it's the last time for three months. Stretch, breakfast, pack up without incident. Leave by 9:30; early for us. We're 30 miles south of Minneapolis and want to get through there before the lunchtime traffic around 494 loop. All of the road construction is done now so it is way easier. North on 94 (2 left lanes go to I-94, but it's best to be in the far left lane due to merging traffic on the right.) I-94 is still bouncy. We intend to cross the Mississippi River to 10 at Monticello like last time but a construction sign says 10 is under construction all the way to St. Cloud-choose an alternate route. So we stay on I-94 'til Hwy 15 at St. Cloud (we stop at the rest area before St. Cloud and enjoy a break.) We take 15 around the west side of St. Cloud and see restaurants but they're not too accessible with the RV.<br /><br />So we continue north on 10 to Rice and eat at Twin Pines where we ate 2years ago. The food is way better. They have the buffet again with 2 soups; beef barley and wild rice chicken. Polish sausage and kraut and ribs on the buffet. Great veges and salad. We get diesel next door. The gal at the checkout says they just had a $0.00 drive off.<br /><br />We go north on 371 through Brainerd in familiar territory. It's fun to see old haunts. We spy the Paul Bunyan Trail at Nisswa. Arrive in Pine River at 2:30 and back into site #8 (one site between us and Wayne and Diane.) All sites are full but no one is here.<br /><br />It's 88 degrees with very high humidity as we set up. We turn the A/C on first thing and get the LaFuma's out to sit on our concrete patio as we wait for the RV to cool down. We walk down and knock on Cindy's door. Great to see her. We sit outside at her place and Bob cranks up the patio umbrella for some shade. Lars gets home from work a bit later. Bob gives him a tour of the Titanic. <br /><br />Soon Gail drives in with Bonnie (our next door neighbor.) Gail comes over to say hi and give us a hug then goes home to put her groceries away. Ron soon comes home (found his lost wallet under the tractor seat at the golf course.) Him and Gail come over ad join us at Lars and Cindy's. Bonnie, then her husband, Wayne, joins us too. They owned an RV Park at Lake of the Ozarks 15 years ago. They have been full-time now for seven years as they sold their RV Park.<br /><br />We chat in the heat and humidity 'til Ron, Gail, Wayne and Bonnie go to Tuesday Taco night. Bob and I go home to get our bikes out of the living room. We have TV channels! Leftovers for dinner. I put up decor. Jeff knocks around 8:00 when he's done cutting grass just to say hi. Cindy told us his Dad passed away suddenly a few weeks ago. Sounds like his Mom is doing ok. We wave at Jamie as she finishes the grass. It's 10:30 p.m. and 74 degrees with 52% humidity. High 88, low 62. Heavy rain, wind and hail predicted.<br /><br /><strong>Wednesday, June 23, 2010, Laundry, The Bungalow and Cleaning the Rig</strong> Slept like a rock. Up at 7:30. Unpack laptop. Very disappointed-no connection. No storms last night like they predicted. Sprinkles this morning. Early morning walk for me. Catch up with Wayne and Diane. They were in Arizona this winter with their daughter. <br /><br />Breakfast back home, pack up four loads of laundry with bedding. Drive to Emily, MN> Lunch at Bungalow, better than we remembered even. Tasty split pea soup fills us up. I only eat 1/4 of my Rachel on marble rye. Bob takes home 1/2 of his grilled chicken salad.<br /><br />We get a Minn Star Tribune at the gas station on the corner. Go to laundry mat; the crowd has cleared out since we drove by on the way here. I call Blair while the clothes are drying and apparently chat just a bit too long as all the dryers are finished and Bob's on overload. Blair is thrilled we're here. Doug's family is here for a week beginning Friday.<br /><br />Home by 2:30 or so. Stow clothes. I go out and clean bugs and road splatter off the RV from our journey here. Bob comes out to clean the inside of the truck. Lars and Cindy come down and we give Cindy a tour of the Titanic as we all rush inside as the raindrops start falling. We chat and Lars asks about our digital picture frame. We explain about SD cards since they may get one for their daughter Amy. They leave us to our work and we finish up as the sun comes out. Read the paper, watch The Suicide Tourist on PBS. It's 9:10 p.m. and 69 degrees with 52% humidity.<br /><strong>Thursday, June 24, 2010, Cycle 19 Miles to Timber Jack Thursday Soup Bar</strong> One of the first things we did this week was to cycle 19 miles on the Paul Bunyan Trail. Over the course of this summer we cycle 540 miles (435 of those here around Pine River.) In the fall on our way south we stop in SE Minnesota and cycle some more. But I'm getting ahead of myself. We are thrilled to find that the Paul Bunyan Trail is now completed from Guthrie to Walker (an additional 16.5 miles) so the entire trail is now 116 miles from Crow Wing State Park in Brainerd/Baxter to Cross Lake State Park in Bemidji! We are about smack dab in the center of that 116 miles.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR3_EUR5R58K8yNQaVCjiaFZIzAZ3c-T9Vm6FKPWN0P7E_odAJgTIyt-IHhKPmikjWw5a83tjTKJtftQ7ryFPwEizMKFiQjsIzDmO3J89V7mq5xawwRlOS9J1Ep6F-IxVyWmVrcd80by0L/s1600/MNPR_+003FieldBtwPineRiverJenkins.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR3_EUR5R58K8yNQaVCjiaFZIzAZ3c-T9Vm6FKPWN0P7E_odAJgTIyt-IHhKPmikjWw5a83tjTKJtftQ7ryFPwEizMKFiQjsIzDmO3J89V7mq5xawwRlOS9J1Ep6F-IxVyWmVrcd80by0L/s400/MNPR_+003FieldBtwPineRiverJenkins.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697490072219098498" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNQWyvB9Ez6WFaW6MZZ7Xu38JQbrZRyx3iD-Xtcu0RlFqISXVulgwYmQrq16K54qLRn9xLTA9O2Nt3DkykWNcOn4lpoKFYT7wsz7am2irbPM7-dTtQGhhgf6shULzHJPn1ysxWFXAjMH6/s1600/MNPR_+001FieldBtwPineRiverJenkins.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNQWyvB9Ez6WFaW6MZZ7Xu38JQbrZRyx3iD-Xtcu0RlFqISXVulgwYmQrq16K54qLRn9xLTA9O2Nt3DkykWNcOn4lpoKFYT7wsz7am2irbPM7-dTtQGhhgf6shULzHJPn1ysxWFXAjMH6/s400/MNPR_+001FieldBtwPineRiverJenkins.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697490068978092882" /></a><br /><br />Snapped these pics of a field of white flowers that looked like snow on our first cycle to Nisswa. Good thing I did; they were played out the next time we cycled byWe stop and get family fishing licenses which are $53.00 this year (up $3.00 from two years ago.)<br /><br /><strong>Friday, June 25, 2010, Happy Times at Hay Lake</strong> We just have to visit Blair at Hay Lake. The logging she warned us about on the road to the island is not as bad as we feared. Jimmy and Ron are here; Jan and Julie are on the way. And we get to meet Blake's girl friend Kelsey. It's so great to be back.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8BRxRjsGbN8_iNhdkIarfYctY682p6CJSX7-rS3IYS2VaUpZNVQPvVcUXeqwRc-fCWVnIgCkyfmw2qYcf_zZpouu2RljyaoNM7SUgjhUzgZt6J1qziXRBEQEvdKgOuS5sQhT5cMMVXKm/s1600/MNPR_+011LoonsFirstDayHyLk.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8BRxRjsGbN8_iNhdkIarfYctY682p6CJSX7-rS3IYS2VaUpZNVQPvVcUXeqwRc-fCWVnIgCkyfmw2qYcf_zZpouu2RljyaoNM7SUgjhUzgZt6J1qziXRBEQEvdKgOuS5sQhT5cMMVXKm/s400/MNPR_+011LoonsFirstDayHyLk.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697490378643301746" />On our first day fishing at Hay Lake I get this shot of a loon with her babies. We get to watch them grow up all summer.</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaXICP62DJ_OZ5nPRUYVP541V8yhUzab9Y7Th68VYtPW9k4c6uBnI55LlSZjeMRhxSTqeChrYkZqdPrsWSJ8ht9W6PrADCGSCEmYDEQIbOVOtVO1XYl_4ix8uxzRvymehyJ_RvQ1a5a8o8/s1600/MNPR_+024Cabin1FlagPoleHyLk.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaXICP62DJ_OZ5nPRUYVP541V8yhUzab9Y7Th68VYtPW9k4c6uBnI55LlSZjeMRhxSTqeChrYkZqdPrsWSJ8ht9W6PrADCGSCEmYDEQIbOVOtVO1XYl_4ix8uxzRvymehyJ_RvQ1a5a8o8/s400/MNPR_+024Cabin1FlagPoleHyLk.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697490595198181778" />One of the reasons we love it up here--nothing ever changes. Especially the beauty! As you can see, Bob's flag pole is still standing too!</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwxJ-zgzyJi57in10DTQHghIuI86Nvys6KL3Vpc0vFHMnp3NewyVNYXYsCi4dj9IScukw6rX6KF2YlUMIIsfOvjJlm_FI0ZQjMtkdDbg4Isvpi9XvDqBePVdggzdIn64bo5VDYOE0ftRyx/s1600/MNPR_+026BlairLoonShirt.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwxJ-zgzyJi57in10DTQHghIuI86Nvys6KL3Vpc0vFHMnp3NewyVNYXYsCi4dj9IScukw6rX6KF2YlUMIIsfOvjJlm_FI0ZQjMtkdDbg4Isvpi9XvDqBePVdggzdIn64bo5VDYOE0ftRyx/s400/MNPR_+026BlairLoonShirt.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697490874804328258" />Blair looks proud sporting here new loon shirt</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16v54TUEBLqOYmgQsGDLhq0PhCmKkOJkUndB8k_T9whcT08P2M70W07CPVa-NvsO-vPp_D9QbN1np0N2XMtpjH1bRqp0WHTjHf_StCQydFMYjuobKcmruWv1pRuEahPqIo2nEc4oJfUuQ/s1600/MNPR_+029BlakeKelsey.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16v54TUEBLqOYmgQsGDLhq0PhCmKkOJkUndB8k_T9whcT08P2M70W07CPVa-NvsO-vPp_D9QbN1np0N2XMtpjH1bRqp0WHTjHf_StCQydFMYjuobKcmruWv1pRuEahPqIo2nEc4oJfUuQ/s400/MNPR_+029BlakeKelsey.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697491246290574914" />Blake and Kelsey on the paddle boat</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp8_EI5xtcemgzd0s0Vu_aVfz1rh_Kf6USnRb-qaFTFJ2BajRmTDB4IRT8Rh3rMD46aEI1LIBgNg8g2srkn74RWLjIU6iNhCm9fxsesoT0SvJhdN3lLvmGGvQ7I4J4APonTJfR6LilaZ4H/s1600/MNPR_+040BobDougBlakeKelsey.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp8_EI5xtcemgzd0s0Vu_aVfz1rh_Kf6USnRb-qaFTFJ2BajRmTDB4IRT8Rh3rMD46aEI1LIBgNg8g2srkn74RWLjIU6iNhCm9fxsesoT0SvJhdN3lLvmGGvQ7I4J4APonTJfR6LilaZ4H/s400/MNPR_+040BobDougBlakeKelsey.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697491897690297922" />Bob, Doug, Blake and Kelsey relax around the fire</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnoKWG3HNmrQ988dyfjVo7bQhFFRvTok8HMKALyHsPHcuk36FWgy9fx7uTETARpLZfYVa2qg9MUy-C0xjvI-Cvd_l-FrbgH3v_J9Q_ljrXY0lhIAR5wsxvFmFbBJ5b70ND9Wh9Dv6WJjp/s1600/MNPR_+064StLouisFabricPlate.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnoKWG3HNmrQ988dyfjVo7bQhFFRvTok8HMKALyHsPHcuk36FWgy9fx7uTETARpLZfYVa2qg9MUy-C0xjvI-Cvd_l-FrbgH3v_J9Q_ljrXY0lhIAR5wsxvFmFbBJ5b70ND9Wh9Dv6WJjp/s400/MNPR_+064StLouisFabricPlate.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697492581877185938" />Blair surprises me with this fabric bass plate made in St. Louis. She knows I love to serve my famous cheeseballs on a cute plate.</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUTHgHtBYQ0iUv_ibBaeEHDUO2pZpTirJ58QzCrf48hNUEzdT2z-Aw9Et1FD1UcWE224g9-Fuh_tEy_39MVgaJ3dxIzUYhumsuIWRESqB6HCMim31aFTGAPAQ-GgToMZdB93ceiJNQa4rc/s1600/MNPR_+046SunsetHyLk.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUTHgHtBYQ0iUv_ibBaeEHDUO2pZpTirJ58QzCrf48hNUEzdT2z-Aw9Et1FD1UcWE224g9-Fuh_tEy_39MVgaJ3dxIzUYhumsuIWRESqB6HCMim31aFTGAPAQ-GgToMZdB93ceiJNQa4rc/s400/MNPR_+046SunsetHyLk.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697493315165694898" />How many Hay Lake perfect sunset pictures will I take in a whole summer?<br /></a><br /><br /><strong>Saturday, June 26, 2010</strong> Chores back at the RV Park in Pine River. I redecorated for 4th of July and just had to post this picture of Don and Reva's (our new friends we just met in Indiana who hail from Abilene) handmade salt & pepper holder. Don makes the wooden holders and Reva makes the 'curtains.' You can change the curtains for the seasons or holidays. There is a napkin holder to match!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6J8aOz2JJ4RT9Wc7f45OUN95q6y6gkCaFCuTGLtSJV2HVs6CtG4AOpjbfAiy0EYx0u5moHjRf1OQUbpfnPTtT6FWAYtjT2koDjtPNUvrT5A8zHCXTq0AdhOwa2tMzY4EB2RYO68nKhQ0y/s1600/MNPR_+056.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6J8aOz2JJ4RT9Wc7f45OUN95q6y6gkCaFCuTGLtSJV2HVs6CtG4AOpjbfAiy0EYx0u5moHjRf1OQUbpfnPTtT6FWAYtjT2koDjtPNUvrT5A8zHCXTq0AdhOwa2tMzY4EB2RYO68nKhQ0y/s400/MNPR_+056.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697493545808361074" />Don and Reva's salt & pepper holder with 4th of July curtains</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUx6YsLwW4YzFxzH4S2dlIAEcmetQ7XLOjoww02yaQUEPfg1J8Ls9fqwNpLefDhT9kJGZpEf8h6HvOSI-wBxrcaqINCI18wji06mbGDY75yzrqel2PrMFkiDjgBPWsohCCvDMVmbTcIlkK/s1600/MNPR_+275.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUx6YsLwW4YzFxzH4S2dlIAEcmetQ7XLOjoww02yaQUEPfg1J8Ls9fqwNpLefDhT9kJGZpEf8h6HvOSI-wBxrcaqINCI18wji06mbGDY75yzrqel2PrMFkiDjgBPWsohCCvDMVmbTcIlkK/s400/MNPR_+275.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697494029009978210" />Here's the napkin holder with an apple motif.</a> <a href="http://www.campfaribo.com"></a>Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-66796004339523584512011-09-15T09:39:00.000-07:002012-01-14T09:42:00.032-08:00Sept. 27 - Oct 12, 2010 Fall Down South in Minnesota,<strong>Monday, September 27 "New Wireless Card and Two Sets of Golf Clubs"</strong> I get up at 6:45. It's Always weird to wake up to lught coming in different windows the first day after a move. The electricity is inclued in the weekly rate so weleft the heater on in the living room last night. It's nice to be 64 degrees in there this morning instead of 48! I enjoyed the sunrise through the streetside windows as I sipped Moose Joose from Brambleberry in Pequot Lakes-thank Dick and Jean!<br /><br />We never moved the bikes outside yesterday so strething was a challenge after my walk. After breakfast and showeres we hit the road with our laptop, Bob's maps, itinerary and game plan he made while browsing the net in Pine River. It's a good thing as our wireless coard is not working here.<br /><br />Our first stop is AT&T on Hwy 60 in Faribault-of course there's road construction. Thad, a brand new employee, get's Rashan's help-he's the guru of all things wireless. He would not give up until he proved our wireless card was the culprit. He used his laptop, changed the Sims card, used our laptop (yes, he touched our laptop-you hear that at AT&T in Baxter?!)<br /><br />We left with a new card that has an extension cord to the USB port (he said we can look at Sierra Wireless on-line for an antenna) and a new 2-year plan. I looked at new phones (my off button is cracked, but decided to wait as there are no great deals at the moment.)<br /><br />Next it's downtown to Central Ave. to <a href="http://www.granplazagrill.com">Gran Plaza Mexican Grill</a> Bob had scoped it out on the Web. I have Mochajeta (shrimp, chicken and beef-huge) good, but not as good as El Rodeo in Lampasas.<br /><br />Fortified from lunch we head north on 21 to I-35 to Bloomington, just south of the 494 loop around The Cities to Show Car. The place is closed up. I dial a number posted on the building and the guy says he'll be there in 15 minutes (he had to pick his kid up at school.) We find restrooms in an archery park nearby and drive back. He's there and calls Eagle about our center caps for the wheels on the RV. The guy looking up the number says it's out of stock but they may have replacements. He takes our phone number and says he'll call us but never does. Hmmm...<br /><br />We have a voice message from AT&T-forgot to charge us $60.00-Geez! On to Minnetonka, west loop of 494, east on I-394 to Ridgedale and (10,000 used golf clubs.)<a href="http://www.2ndswing.com">2nd Swing </a> Simon, one of the owners helps us both find the perfect fit, lie, length and match for our swings. We get to hit them, put tape on the clubheads and he adjusts the lie of the sole of the club. I even get a few swing tips. Calloway irons for Bob; Taylormade irons for me. We;re both very happy. We're out of there at 5:20. Simon directs us to <a href="http://www.redstonegrill.com">Redstone American Grill</a> further south on Ridgedale. Fine dining, good food, pricey salads. Waldorf Salad on baby spinach for me. Chicken Salad for Bob. We split a great cornbread wedge.<br /><br />Around 6:00 p.m. we head back. Traffic not too bad by this late. There's a backup at 169 due to the bridges over the Minnesota River that are closed at 101 and 41 due to the flooding. They are diverting 32,000 cars a day to 35W.<br /><br />We make it home in just under an hour to watch House. I return Glenda's call but have to go outside to get a signal. It's nice to chat with her. It's 9:02 p.m. and 60 degrees with 56% humidity. High 75, low 46.<br /><br /><strong>Tuesday, September 28 "Driving Range, Bernie's Grill, Antiques and HyVee"</strong> Low 52. On my walk this morning a passed a bearded guy with a big dog but he wouldn't even acknowledge me even though he is in the motor home on our curbside. Go figure. I see him and his wife packing up and leaving later.<br /><br />Bob goes out and puts his new clubs in his golf bag. I get a call from Patti. Bernie had his first blacksmithshow last weekend. Jackie Monat in Iowa had a baby girl, Adalyn. After I check email I go put my new irons in my golf bag. I need to axe two clubs since I have a gap wedge now and a five iron is back in my set.<br /><br />We go woutheast to a golf course/driving range on Straight River. Several holes are under water from the flooding. We get two small buckets of balls (one at a time) and hit them at the driving range. Wow! 15 to 20 years of technology has really improved golf irons! I hit them way farther (Bob too and way higher) that is when I manage to hit the sweet spot. It's a perfect day with a high of 72.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79s1YyaRdOGJxP8rpmDLCwZbbmYEtb42FQws3CyU9QDk6Ac0cYLawhCypGBqaMBuTyKNLluQi4QWy-7T4vQUakvnmgpy50VXg0OAmpEMkekBquUZpk5Q0-iwS6QJa56l4qMf-LKkGQME/s1600/MNFaribault1+120BerniesGrill.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79s1YyaRdOGJxP8rpmDLCwZbbmYEtb42FQws3CyU9QDk6Ac0cYLawhCypGBqaMBuTyKNLluQi4QWy-7T4vQUakvnmgpy50VXg0OAmpEMkekBquUZpk5Q0-iwS6QJa56l4qMf-LKkGQME/s400/MNFaribault1+120BerniesGrill.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652773944808637458" /></a><br /><br />We head downtown and cross the bike trails twice, ending up at Bernie's Grill below the Vintage Ballroom & Hotel. Great food-snippy waitress. Chicken Primavera Pasta for me; spaghetti with meat sauce for Bob and we both get parmesan cheese garlic toast with our entrees. Spend 1 1/2 hours downtown in the antique shop, finding old tees in a box with a scorecard on the box, decals, postcards and Wilson golf coasters.<br /><br />On to HyVee Grocery, a nice store, out in $81.00 (cheaper than SuperValu!) Home, watch NCIS, Good Wife. It's 8:36 p.m. and 58 degrees with 57% humidity.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfgh13idMusDJBAmVZfEsJC0JyWB8xbPck9oJ-tkYVv-4kr_Rpj8u0P6mybNwSkrIBBVEgBuI60PQJ6cyApwDM_bB19WwUO2AE5cbano6aCAC4ZHu7-wCbaXlqcFD57DFUAmdM9quYVzs/s1600/MNFaribault1+129SakatahTr.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfgh13idMusDJBAmVZfEsJC0JyWB8xbPck9oJ-tkYVv-4kr_Rpj8u0P6mybNwSkrIBBVEgBuI60PQJ6cyApwDM_bB19WwUO2AE5cbano6aCAC4ZHu7-wCbaXlqcFD57DFUAmdM9quYVzs/s320/MNFaribault1+129SakatahTr.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652778711775236018" /></a><br /><br /><strong>Tuesday, September 28 "Cycle 16 Miles Sakatah State Trail"</strong> Before cycling we hit Bernie's Grill for breakfast. We split eggs/sausage/hashbrowns/French toast and three "Famous Cheese Blueberry Pancakes." We get our same snooty waitress but she's more attentive today. The pancakes are no where near as good as Cottage Cafe's blueberry pancakes in Pine River.<br /><br />We stop at AT&T Store where Thad cheerily copies my documents for our rebate. We fill up with diesel at HyVee and then get home to find 15 cents off per gallon coupon stuck in the HyVee receipt from yesterday. Bummer. We load up the bikes on the truck rack (they are finally out of the living room!) as a young guy blows leaves and vacuums them up. It seems pointless as they are falling in droves. We go south on 93 to 39 to 17 to the trail head parking on Cannon Lake. The wind is whipping up whitecaps straight at us. A guy on a racing bike is loading up. We ask him if the trail is open with all the flooding. He only knows the two trails in town have closings due to the flood (that was Plan A for him so he goes to Plan B.) <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSGYL6VaRi3sheVz_oRVbmo-E7AQN7jA-YExPjouwCvHM1Gdy_lgejrPw4fLdKkZaOJBDnmFG6oD7yNmUEJ2qhfIvuW3yjF5t_DPgIzfao8h_jSzpQZsbkIU_XKtHNA_2buL8d1AOKJW0/s1600/MNFaribault1+124SakatahTr_CannonRiverBob.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSGYL6VaRi3sheVz_oRVbmo-E7AQN7jA-YExPjouwCvHM1Gdy_lgejrPw4fLdKkZaOJBDnmFG6oD7yNmUEJ2qhfIvuW3yjF5t_DPgIzfao8h_jSzpQZsbkIU_XKtHNA_2buL8d1AOKJW0/s320/MNFaribault1+124SakatahTr_CannonRiverBob.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652779247572943266" />Bob checks out the high water of Cannon Lake</a><br /><br />We take off on Sakatah (Dakota word meaning Singing Hills) Bike Trail going west from Faribault to Morristown. He passes us on our second break. We stop on the bridge over Cannon Lake to snap a picture of the high water. We go a little past Morristown to Maiden Rock West Campground (daily camping); Maiden Rock East is seasonal camping, private, gated sites only. We ride our bikes through and only see two RVs there but of course the place closes soon. We go a little further west then turn around. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvn92jblv8cKqFI18MZjhQecCSpoWMe5RSUOrvrfSgMJLZgBLdDyGELyyiUWRmlTo21_aFXQUYoS7bvMoSLc9_HF865TGBgG6JxjvqXFlQO1L0AzmaylQspmi4IR5HGgWIJGKumn92mOs/s1600/MNFaribault1+126SakatahTr_HuntingSignBob.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvn92jblv8cKqFI18MZjhQecCSpoWMe5RSUOrvrfSgMJLZgBLdDyGELyyiUWRmlTo21_aFXQUYoS7bvMoSLc9_HF865TGBgG6JxjvqXFlQO1L0AzmaylQspmi4IR5HGgWIJGKumn92mOs/s320/MNFaribault1+126SakatahTr_HuntingSignBob.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652779249867862162" /></a><br /><br />I snap a pic of the trail signs with a hunter symbol! Yikes! No wonder the guy at the trealhead parking put a bright neion orange construction vest on before he pedaled off.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlaMNwPRidgrE41GChqvLANB7z7kCoeO6dow11-ZCiB8HTcTqOvb9SsNrBZASpYsGetCUS0AAw1uT5T9TM-oQ5Eeg75mzXWjeh7JDOb9L-xO6nGu70GqmPAFGn5ajQqJRcraBve8l3wc/s1600/MNFaribault1+132SakatahTr_Cannon+Lk.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlaMNwPRidgrE41GChqvLANB7z7kCoeO6dow11-ZCiB8HTcTqOvb9SsNrBZASpYsGetCUS0AAw1uT5T9TM-oQ5Eeg75mzXWjeh7JDOb9L-xO6nGu70GqmPAFGn5ajQqJRcraBve8l3wc/s320/MNFaribault1+132SakatahTr_Cannon+Lk.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652780502437770786" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-15-A4DEZJi-Ou3xDMzqxinv4QO4ZjZ9-UPsmAq-ypTGEGilBBl0vz4JuTB7QzFFjnheaMWJPhfYWN1OAXKXhYQzG6PEgyVGo289_ueVdvnvVj-CR5fBr7dJYaOrA5uDOYHoGpkkpkw0/s1600/MNFaribault1+130SakatahTr.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-15-A4DEZJi-Ou3xDMzqxinv4QO4ZjZ9-UPsmAq-ypTGEGilBBl0vz4JuTB7QzFFjnheaMWJPhfYWN1OAXKXhYQzG6PEgyVGo289_ueVdvnvVj-CR5fBr7dJYaOrA5uDOYHoGpkkpkw0/s320/MNFaribault1+130SakatahTr.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652780498037002018" /></a><br /><br />Remnants of my cold make breathing difficult. I feel like my lungs are half full of water. I haven't cycled in two months. On the way back I gall 1/4 mile behind until I figure out my rear brake was dragging. I thought I was weak from my cold and not having cycled. Whew, I'm glad I'm not a complete wimp. It is very windy. We stop for cookies one mile from the end of the trail. A dog is barking in a nearby yard and mosquitos mobbed us. There is road construction at the trail head. We got through but missed 39 and stayed on 17. I dug the map out of my bike pack and we took 15 to 18 to 39 to 93 home. Geez! Arriving at 4:00, we devoured pasta leftovers from Bernie's yesterday.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjj6h8f-h_yuhMxHIw-zEa6o6fAu_l0V61pT2g7gJx64sG_5CTzrQ4K1Dz3SbgXlSWtTyeDU6ojDNI308j_cwhQl2ZfsYEslRCLoczAZiDPz3Qlh2Ns0UYZA_iONMaK1cSDdzXy8cZyIU/s1600/MNFaribault1+135CampFaribo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjj6h8f-h_yuhMxHIw-zEa6o6fAu_l0V61pT2g7gJx64sG_5CTzrQ4K1Dz3SbgXlSWtTyeDU6ojDNI308j_cwhQl2ZfsYEslRCLoczAZiDPz3Qlh2Ns0UYZA_iONMaK1cSDdzXy8cZyIU/s320/MNFaribault1+135CampFaribo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652780506945079538" /></a><br /><br />In a burst of energy Bob changes the water filter and finds it rusty red! I clean bugs off the front of the RV and my arms give out. We put the bikes in the 'carport.' High 74 today. It's 5:36 p.m. and 70 degrees with 34% humidity.<br /><br /><strong>Thursday, September 30 "Golf 9 Holes at Straight River, Faribault, MN" </strong> We head to lunch at Rock Island Depot, opened by their chef last Spring. The place is booming and we know why. Our hostess asked if we wanted to sit outside and then chuckled as she noted the box elder beetles everywhere. I have the Craisin Raisin Salad, heavenly with grilled chicken, hunks of blue cheese, candied walnuts, cran raisins, homemade poppyseed dressing. I also have a cup of tomato basil soup-Wow! We'll be back. Bob has 1.2 Cajun spicy turkey sandwich, chips and the soup.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPIt8OLH8gZxhKF4A-dYsSGcaJY1ZSpuNRVj17PRjsqg1dA7P8XY-6mTiZMopVa8WJEf5-63wtAHJghLA-wZGmSg9loU6pj1aJDr3LTMx0ZZ6PR78FxsYZY3FlePPi2fvtQpB-dKD4aE8/s1600/003MNPreston_DepotBarGrill.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPIt8OLH8gZxhKF4A-dYsSGcaJY1ZSpuNRVj17PRjsqg1dA7P8XY-6mTiZMopVa8WJEf5-63wtAHJghLA-wZGmSg9loU6pj1aJDr3LTMx0ZZ6PR78FxsYZY3FlePPi2fvtQpB-dKD4aE8/s400/003MNPreston_DepotBarGrill.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652968449461912018" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcjnyOymKxtWewERhMiyiV-HtGILctGMgiBnP8K3GwXx77Z77ADZkaQWQLap185SlJSaOx-GL21sv5IUzrywAhij3y8C1sx6EUaDM4nfWc6pBv6RbzBcJGNAaGc0ExMyJIBiwt5whluA/s1600/002MNPreston_DepotBarGrill.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcjnyOymKxtWewERhMiyiV-HtGILctGMgiBnP8K3GwXx77Z77ADZkaQWQLap185SlJSaOx-GL21sv5IUzrywAhij3y8C1sx6EUaDM4nfWc6pBv6RbzBcJGNAaGc0ExMyJIBiwt5whluA/s400/002MNPreston_DepotBarGrill.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652968446620822898" /></a><br /><br />On to Straight River Golf Course (whoever named this river had a sense of humor, it's the crookedest river we ever saw.) We had to play the back nine holes as the front has some flooded holes. First we hit a bucket of balls with our new irons. It's fun to play with new clubs. We're both pretty happy with our selections. This is a short, executive course at 1,795 yards for me and 2050 yards for Bob. We're home by 4:00. It's 68 degrees with 22% humidity!<br /><br /><strong>Friday, October 1 "Mall of America" </strong> Today we head to Bloomington, MN just east of 35W on 494 loop to take in Mall of America for the first time for both of us. I seem to be more excited than Bob! After much circling we park in garage P3-Indiana and take the walkway to Sears where we consult the directory. We're right by Ruby Tuesday, one of our favorite lunch spots, so we have a salad first thing. Well, right after I take a few pictures of Nickelodeon Theme Park.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBfRRvqdaVadaeesP7DLK3oP8mQN15DPHhwVwJNLoD8Chb5FFGxqWgq6eFMpPcu5g5KZ4Kx6xDLs_nupOu_sXPcMe3_8ualBAoA2Psj7J0S4EskOCD3R0oHfFi7KMLTzc5rvYKUhxR5M/s1600/MNFaribault1+140MallOfAmerica_NickelodeonThemePk.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBfRRvqdaVadaeesP7DLK3oP8mQN15DPHhwVwJNLoD8Chb5FFGxqWgq6eFMpPcu5g5KZ4Kx6xDLs_nupOu_sXPcMe3_8ualBAoA2Psj7J0S4EskOCD3R0oHfFi7KMLTzc5rvYKUhxR5M/s320/MNFaribault1+140MallOfAmerica_NickelodeonThemePk.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652955352166154338" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbRjFZg8EwymUFc37Xh-nmvizRiLJIbBiC5kQNMwCARiS9UoU2UWfDLfwcdFK_X1yI8-HHpYHbqW5fh7I7b0QET59mW4dCSPvvOogy7ifRnJV_oDZV75F-USbNuwkapiSPELF6wVasUgY/s1600/MNFaribault1+137MallOfAmerica.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbRjFZg8EwymUFc37Xh-nmvizRiLJIbBiC5kQNMwCARiS9UoU2UWfDLfwcdFK_X1yI8-HHpYHbqW5fh7I7b0QET59mW4dCSPvvOogy7ifRnJV_oDZV75F-USbNuwkapiSPELF6wVasUgY/s320/MNFaribault1+137MallOfAmerica.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652955354631149442" /></a><br /><br />At Ruby Tuesday's I ask to change tables in the bar area so we can watch early first day Ryder Cup Matches. It's tied 2 and 2, U.S. and Europe. After our favorite salad bar we're ready to tackle the Mall. It has over 520 stores and is known as the Taj Mahal of the U.S with four stories and four wings-N,S,E and W. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvC3EvY0NkYRCKLQC7EyNT2y3caaG4242sP__qKzlS8MzghlJrmE3WbaIwbEz3mIsX8Y6lOXsi33ev32ZP0p5egTqZDv9T3Eow8Wu-zRutm3kax9cgleBHZ8QR44cH26zGxoSanA8wbBk/s1600/MNFaribault1+152MallOfAmerica_NickelodeonThemePk.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvC3EvY0NkYRCKLQC7EyNT2y3caaG4242sP__qKzlS8MzghlJrmE3WbaIwbEz3mIsX8Y6lOXsi33ev32ZP0p5egTqZDv9T3Eow8Wu-zRutm3kax9cgleBHZ8QR44cH26zGxoSanA8wbBk/s320/MNFaribault1+152MallOfAmerica_NickelodeonThemePk.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652958575165455586" /></a><br /><br />We wander and get our bearings. Bob finds a flyfishing Minnesota shirt for half price but we never find our loon suncatcher. We both hunt for shoes but no dice. I have fun at Nordstrom's Rack hunting for coats and shoes-Nada. The Lego place is being remodeled and will be open in Nov. 2010. What a bummer-everyone told me not to miss that.<br /><br />We break for beverages. Bob sits by the theme park as I hunt for Caribou Coffee and rejoin him with my java. Then we wander up, down and around. I burn Bob out. He sits by the mini golf mountain and I check out Marshall's and meet him at 5:00. Where has the day gone?<br /><br />Dinner time so we head down to level 1 to Tucci Benucci (Dick and Jean recommended this Italian place.) Bob has Chicken Penne Rustica and I have Butternut Squash Ravioli with apple cider sauce. Both were excellent. We pass on the wine our friends bragged about since we have a long drive home through The Cities.<br /><br />We find our way back to our parking space and are on our way home by 6:00. Traffic is heavy on 494 but okay on 35S. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWOu1RpwOVQATU2qu9NLocyrViqdrGA4BUoKHwdVfR7YY7RtafRR6D1ZiV_Qcvkny7trUFz492wqsVpqNp0cjuYJUhMaKQkvT8uyo8l-peZjFQ6rwbzoJCJzMD2w88vMqcgtuv_NSmLdQ/s1600/MNFaribault1+164SunsetInterstate35.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWOu1RpwOVQATU2qu9NLocyrViqdrGA4BUoKHwdVfR7YY7RtafRR6D1ZiV_Qcvkny7trUFz492wqsVpqNp0cjuYJUhMaKQkvT8uyo8l-peZjFQ6rwbzoJCJzMD2w88vMqcgtuv_NSmLdQ/s400/MNFaribault1+164SunsetInterstate35.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652958889733939810" /></a><br /><br />I take sunset pics on the way home. The RV Park is full when we return. Campers are surrounding us now. There is a campfire on our streetside with 8 or 10 people around it. It makes me homesick for Riverview! I have a voice message from Blair. She got my loon mobile card. And she has a campfire going waiting for her dock crew to come.<br /><br /><strong>Saturday, October 2 "Ryder Cup from Wales" </strong> According to the local news, Sept 2010 is Minnesota's wettest on record with an average of 6.46 inches of rain, exceeding 10 inches in many towns. Marshall had 30 inches of rain!<br /><br />I wake up at 3:00 a.m. and read until 5:00 a.m. then slept on the couch 'til 7:30. The Ryder Cup was rained out yesterday afternoon. The US is leading after the morning matches, 6-4. They don't have time to finish the second matches. They played 6 matches for the first time in history (usually 2 players from each team sit out.!) Europe is up in all six afternoon matches and play is suspended at 7:00 p.m. their time (1:00 p.m. here.)<br /><br />I call Pleasant Valley Campground in Preston. Galen calls back ad says they have water and electric site only for a week. We clean up and go to Depot Grill for lunch. Grilled Salmon Sandwich for me with sweet potato fries and a heavenly lemon basil mayo on my sandwich-outstanding! Bob has tuna melt and tomato basil/seafood bisque.<br /><br />We take a drive along Legacy Golf course on our way home, east of the river. The trees are gorgeous with fall colors. We get diesel at HyVee and use our 15 cents per gallon off this time (too bad we only needed 10 gallons.) It's chilly with a high of 53 and a low of 45. Our streetside neighbors are out by the fire all day with big jackets. They had breakfast on the picnic tables around 9:00 and lunch outside as we left for lunch and they are still out there. The gals went shopping and the guys hung big blue tarps between the back of the one motorhome and 5th wheel to block the cold northwest wind.<br /><br />It's 3:25 p.m. and 53 degrees with 30% humidity. We bring in the bikes around 6:00. A guy around the campfire next door tries to come around the Titanic and find su but we're already inside. I go for a walk in spite of the cold. Lots of the seasonal campers are having fires. Three older couples next to us don't say a word when I wave. Whatever...<br /><br /><strong>Sunday, October 3 "Movin' On to Preston, MN" </strong> Ryder Cup is rain delayed until 7:30 a.m. our time, it was supposed to hve started at 3:00 a.m. I'm kind of glad when I get up at 7:00. U.S. is behind in all six matches and we only pull out 1/2 match. Bob says he got up in the middle of the night and found te water not flowing. He turned on the water pump to go on our internal freshwater holding tank. When he gets up at 8:30 he goes outside (with more help than he wanted from the streetside neighbor-Texas Valley snowbirds who wanted to camp here this weekend in MN and found Camp Faribo was the only campground in the area open due to the flooding. Bob gets our hose thawed out between the spigot and our filter ad we're back in business. <br /><br />Our indoor/outdoor thermometer says the low was 35-that thing must be wrong if our water froze. Although our neighbors say theirs wasn't frozen. They all pack up and leave by 10:30. I see the last couple in the 5th wheel kicking leaves and searching all ove the campsite-maybe they lost keys, or jewelry? They finally leave in their rig.<br /><br />We pack up while watching the Ryder Cup. U.S. 6 1/2, Europe 12 1/2. We shut it off and leave. Have to get out on 93 out of campground as our steps are sticking out a little. I shove them all the way in and we're off. South on I-35 16 minutes to exit 40, Hwy. 14 around the outer loop of Rochester, south on 52 through Chattfield to one mile north of Preston where we find Valley View RV Park, Hwy 52, Preston, MN 55965. The park is on the side of a hill on the left going south. A sign in the office says choose a site. We walk around and scope out site #40, a pull-thru that is water and electric only. We say hi to a few neighbors, a gal and a dog. One of the co-owners finally comes over. Galen and the other co-owner are working on the new expansion sites.<br /><br />We set up, meet Caroline next door who's just leaving and will return on Thursday. We're set up by 3:20. Bob only finds three public analog TV stations on the first try. The phone says 911 calls only-Yikes-we're in the middle of nowhere!<br /><br />Hop in the truck and go back north a few miles to Chatfield to Las Gables Mexican Restaurant; a cute place with great food. Shrimp Chimichanga for Bob. Chicken Soup ad one fish taco for me. Both are great, we'll be back.<br /><br />South to Preston, west on 16 to Preston Golf and Country Club, 9 holes. I go in and get scorecard. There's a big TV inside and the guys says he'll be open at 7:00 for snacks only but maybe we can see the end of the Ryder Cup.<br /><br />We drive to Root Trail access and down the main street of Preston. Then we go east off 52 and find The Barn Golf Course, campground and restaurant (we never see the campground actually.) It looks scary to pull The Titanic down this road but Dick and Jean did it.<br /><br />We check out Hidden Valley campground along the Root River but they have no full hook-ups so we'll stay where we're at. Back home Bob adjusts our antenna and gets ABC, NBC (Ryder Cup-yeah!) and CW. I got a voice message at the restaurant in Chatfield but still no phone service here. We haven't tried the Internet yet. It's 6:34 p.m. and 58 degrees with 21% humidity. High 63 and low 35 (Right, I'm sure) Gorgeous fall colors here along the Watson Creek in our campground.<br /><br /><strong>Monday, October 4 "Golf at Preston Country Club" </strong> Good thing I didn't get up at 5:00 a.m. for the Ryder Cup. It was not on NBC. I fumed all morning because they put it on ESPN (found out later at the golf course it wasn't on there either.) I guess you had to get it on-line. Ha! Streaming video is out of the question here.<br /><br />Bob fired up the laptop, got a roaming area message and it never found a signal. I had a voice message when I turned the phone on this morning but I couldn't access it; it still says "911 only." We have an early morning frost-kind of heavy and a low of 33.<br /><br />On my walk I take the phone to the top of the hill, happened to look at it down by Watson Creek and way down along the walking trail. Voila! I have "G" and some bars. So I retrieve my voice message. It's Blair and I actually am able to call her back. I lost her twice but at least we got to chat for a bit. I sure miss her.<br /><br />On top of the hill here I get no signal, but I do meet Galen who is working on 21 new sites. Galen and his wife Brenda co-own the park with Mickey (who I met yesterday) and Tom. They built it from scratch four years ago. He wants to go RVing now that he sees people come through in the lifestyle. A guy in the big brown diesel pusher up top winters in Brownsville, TX one year and Palm Desert the next. They met people here they saw before on the road. Galen says he gets CBS in the office (from some town west of here.) But AT&T is no good; he had to sweith to Verizon in this area. Thus one of the problems with the RV lifestyle. Your cell phone is not going to work everywhere you go. He says there are brown trout in the Watson Creek here on the property.<br /><br />Back home I stretch and we fool with both TVs and finally get CBS but only on the bedroom TV-go figure. After leftovers for lunch we head to the golf course. Nobody is there and the door is locked. We putt for a few minutes and a guy comes off the course-he's golfing with a buddy. We pay him $13.50 for two of us to walk nine holes (there's a discount for Valley View campers!) He tells us Europe won the Ryder Cup, it was close but not televised. Geez!<br /><br />It's a hilly course. I love my new irons. Nine holes wipes us out after not playing for so long. I go home and have a foot scrub. It's 5:07 p.m. and 64 degrees with 16% humidity. At 5:00 we go to dinner at the Branding Iron in Preston. It's closed-only on Mondays! So we drive east on 16 to Lanesboro, cute downtown off 250. We park beside <a href="http://www.pedalpushercafe.com">Pedal Pusher Cafe-The good for you burger joint.</a> Hearty tomato soup and cod cake sandwich with roasted red peppers on wheat with Gentle Giant's Mustard (local from Das 'something' Haus next door.) Bob has grilled chicken salad. I really wanted to try Grilled Ring Baloney with sauerkraut from the local Hillside Farms.) Many items are grown/produced locally (it's a big Amish area.) They roast their own coffee beans in back. My coffee (organic Guatemalan) was heaven with real cream (skim on top!)I love the Pedal Pusher Cafe t-shirts.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip7-GxKSF49x-GIAYj5Lwxc7w_32ZWoa6wBApyS1BGEXjEej3bsJ0Gnq_ION_0ZgeY5vQu9PKk5AvASqcHrtGkR2EbgzGz5OCxPtmdQdnuxB9C_o8AEeMQsP1yAeePric3GNWJdIQm5Zw/s1600/009MNPreston_LanesboroPedalPusherCafe_Tshirt.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip7-GxKSF49x-GIAYj5Lwxc7w_32ZWoa6wBApyS1BGEXjEej3bsJ0Gnq_ION_0ZgeY5vQu9PKk5AvASqcHrtGkR2EbgzGz5OCxPtmdQdnuxB9C_o8AEeMQsP1yAeePric3GNWJdIQm5Zw/s400/009MNPreston_LanesboroPedalPusherCafe_Tshirt.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653122477713969442" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAEk-t7DsWJ2WCCw_ws5p4AujxtrY0PTx6lRHbgSK7VxJsYXnVmBQzvznOimXq5EMfXlXFxbeS1_-v9hpSzw8vSylccJtszkiRsnneXhu1Oh-Hw1uS0U-e1Hz6NMQr7-w_xk1JqwQJkI/s1600/007MNPreston_LanesboroPedalPusherCafe_BikeDecor.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAEk-t7DsWJ2WCCw_ws5p4AujxtrY0PTx6lRHbgSK7VxJsYXnVmBQzvznOimXq5EMfXlXFxbeS1_-v9hpSzw8vSylccJtszkiRsnneXhu1Oh-Hw1uS0U-e1Hz6NMQr7-w_xk1JqwQJkI/s400/007MNPreston_LanesboroPedalPusherCafe_BikeDecor.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653118986884917218" />Great decor in the Pedal Pusher Cafe in Lanesboro, MN</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyRkk6D_bCL5zuQotmkheHcaeIy-R0Wc5piUtZs0tBXMImxLg_QkhoQ0CJ8Oz-haE6RxCWn8Lr-9XPH1Mj0unJMtS0mN7Hy1YZFIpvf5dVCvX1XAyra-j5cAsmwREJbiKs9TOkdUaJH24/s1600/008MNPreston_LanesboroPedalPusherCafe_BikeDecor.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyRkk6D_bCL5zuQotmkheHcaeIy-R0Wc5piUtZs0tBXMImxLg_QkhoQ0CJ8Oz-haE6RxCWn8Lr-9XPH1Mj0unJMtS0mN7Hy1YZFIpvf5dVCvX1XAyra-j5cAsmwREJbiKs9TOkdUaJH24/s400/008MNPreston_LanesboroPedalPusherCafe_BikeDecor.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653121348989351010" /></a><br /><br />We walk around town after we eat-cute shops. The Root River Trail goes right through downtown so we'll be back on our bikes. There's even a nice looking Theatre and free wi-fi access. We get a paper at BP in Lanesboro. It's chilly outside. We get home by 7:00 and it's 54 degrees with 32% humidity.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEK0o5YO3ucnK13JY8nvudIkEcXDQSfjA-3CudRAETpAcFAX0Q8N_P0vgU8m9rf-W1vbpNdDjxPWNQQYoWL_mex_etQQvedUuOOx-q9O7QDd_KB0TFEqlVTvr-IO4sWmyAqs8v7fNFKI4/s1600/020MNPreston_Lanesboro_CandyCornDecor.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEK0o5YO3ucnK13JY8nvudIkEcXDQSfjA-3CudRAETpAcFAX0Q8N_P0vgU8m9rf-W1vbpNdDjxPWNQQYoWL_mex_etQQvedUuOOx-q9O7QDd_KB0TFEqlVTvr-IO4sWmyAqs8v7fNFKI4/s400/020MNPreston_Lanesboro_CandyCornDecor.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653122486181773826" />Love this candy corn decoration downtown</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJYFa3AnWHMZQyCy3sG0Uo7tktBDiuWUf5hK_oDDzbLWkoCczFUql4Q9cIbjF0YU2AhMSwe8ir4cy1PEMV91-xhvp4AzVqF4KJiVepnD9UKP-UOqdrLyTvGvtW6Imd5OuWehkH6i1ZmY/s1600/012MNPreston_Lanesboro_Downtownr.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJYFa3AnWHMZQyCy3sG0Uo7tktBDiuWUf5hK_oDDzbLWkoCczFUql4Q9cIbjF0YU2AhMSwe8ir4cy1PEMV91-xhvp4AzVqF4KJiVepnD9UKP-UOqdrLyTvGvtW6Imd5OuWehkH6i1ZmY/s400/012MNPreston_Lanesboro_Downtownr.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653122483566787218" />Lanesboro is a quaint town</a><br /><br /><strong>Tuesday, October 5 "Cycle 20 Miles Root River Trail" </strong> We have more frost this morning with a low of 35. But it's sunny and Bob gets an Internet connection. I go out and open the stove vent to make Crispy Thingies for breakfast. I got all the stuff while in Faribault but the electrical connection was so bad in the RV Park that I didn't want to ruin the convection oven. Current is great here since the campground is only four years old. We eat the first batch while thw second batch is baking.<br /><br />We get the bikes out of the living room and onto the rack on the truck for a ride today. We have to swing back around campground circle to get the bike lock out of 'downunder' storage. And we're off to the trailhead in downtown Preston. We look at the kiosk map and head northeast along the Root River towards Lanesboro. It is gorgeous along the River; it looks about a foot high. We find out later it is one of the premier trout fishing rivers in the country.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcmj7noHCSIOimX-vrTYFfGT6u2TH1h9quxK5hYwUkJP57gqsWjAJ61lLjy_ZtcJfLeMN6Jq133m1ZOnkfRzmBeQ-4Gbby0nw5_dC1LAGY63B7d2hSHfJ9vvo916IN82i9qX7S0ijvIcA/s1600/048MNPreston_RootRiverTr_OldBarnResort.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcmj7noHCSIOimX-vrTYFfGT6u2TH1h9quxK5hYwUkJP57gqsWjAJ61lLjy_ZtcJfLeMN6Jq133m1ZOnkfRzmBeQ-4Gbby0nw5_dC1LAGY63B7d2hSHfJ9vvo916IN82i9qX7S0ijvIcA/s400/048MNPreston_RootRiverTr_OldBarnResort.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653133475530161922" />The Barn Golf Course from the Root River Trail</a><br /><br />We cycle 5.5 miles to Isidours (The Barn Golf Course.) We take a break at a picnic table by the fork in the trail where it splits to Fountain or Lanesboro. We go right to Lanesboro (4.7 miles) past The Barn Resort.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimCQEteN9z0sdqo5bD0pMmMJtkpSW7ESdCqfpMBDrgI-aC0tfcAkTMipe-pEEi3W1haG5gbVxK8QeDSbbs4pi3XK6FAppAISSPsZUE58ATo8p7cwGNt0E0VG5iRgo45HlffRyfG74wsUs/s1600/032MNPreston_RootRiverTr_Barn.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimCQEteN9z0sdqo5bD0pMmMJtkpSW7ESdCqfpMBDrgI-aC0tfcAkTMipe-pEEi3W1haG5gbVxK8QeDSbbs4pi3XK6FAppAISSPsZUE58ATo8p7cwGNt0E0VG5iRgo45HlffRyfG74wsUs/s400/032MNPreston_RootRiverTr_Barn.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653129287925954738" /></a><br /><br />The trail comes out in downtown Lanesboro one block from The Pedal Pusher Cafe. Of course we go straight there. We split a Good Golly Miss Molly 1/2 lb. burger with carmelized onions, mushrooms and brie with new red potatoes and two cups of tomato soup. I rave about the Fair Organic Guatemalan Dark Roast Coffee. Bob buyrs me a pound of the beans on the way out. What a guy! He doesn't even drink coffee.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WMGxi2qsth80fXMJeh6W7oQvgoqExpXikTVP8_YsQiMEPQAHPD7GbrKLTkSZAjJBCmagiOVFJa-sJDf7Kl-Qvtc0rKtLInylo1R8lrgb7psksB9j5H9wq2zNekJDMOSL24ifYXtRU-c/s1600/028MNPreston_Lanesboro_waterfall.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WMGxi2qsth80fXMJeh6W7oQvgoqExpXikTVP8_YsQiMEPQAHPD7GbrKLTkSZAjJBCmagiOVFJa-sJDf7Kl-Qvtc0rKtLInylo1R8lrgb7psksB9j5H9wq2zNekJDMOSL24ifYXtRU-c/s400/028MNPreston_Lanesboro_waterfall.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653128681594187170" />Waterfall in Lanesboro along Root River Trail, taken right from the bike path</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjeYSiadB85oAga9fOKXJuLDO5b8wOtseluGv_UjYESBox89MqY1NpFOFOT99KlFNhol6FsaU9zZbPdaG7DlyXssquNSLpuMkRxJpGcWbsYXUWx9o_4Y_ouxGZ0kwkOjfaVvh6c9Aokpo/s1600/038MNPreston_RootRiverTr.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjeYSiadB85oAga9fOKXJuLDO5b8wOtseluGv_UjYESBox89MqY1NpFOFOT99KlFNhol6FsaU9zZbPdaG7DlyXssquNSLpuMkRxJpGcWbsYXUWx9o_4Y_ouxGZ0kwkOjfaVvh6c9Aokpo/s400/038MNPreston_RootRiverTr.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653131793504924098" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVwi73B43jxIO_uYMa4QtcsAp5TxwziXGsTWF2x_w_8oJsXDevt60XNExLFn1rOBDSGIhgLcJF6JqjNg-XS2jj0I9DWhMkBIo_JHcd8zNUsK1aNOoEMzemNcbJOBqGlUjuqfeAJEFuU7Y/s1600/054MNPreston_RootRiverTr.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVwi73B43jxIO_uYMa4QtcsAp5TxwziXGsTWF2x_w_8oJsXDevt60XNExLFn1rOBDSGIhgLcJF6JqjNg-XS2jj0I9DWhMkBIo_JHcd8zNUsK1aNOoEMzemNcbJOBqGlUjuqfeAJEFuU7Y/s400/054MNPreston_RootRiverTr.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653136422478814498" />The Root River in southeastern Minnesota</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3VpfSQS9dNEs_l13qm6r38SidBOqPmh_Oz5MtWOcq74Wuue3FqDG_YKjRBK1Uhx6cqc_u1AsJEivFVl2kFpX6LsWuWnb8FVhAke8vhw5uf8NJwLB3VjheiA5thVz9kQKRLfCZr0IlVkE/s1600/058MNPreston_RootRiverTr_Reet.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3VpfSQS9dNEs_l13qm6r38SidBOqPmh_Oz5MtWOcq74Wuue3FqDG_YKjRBK1Uhx6cqc_u1AsJEivFVl2kFpX6LsWuWnb8FVhAke8vhw5uf8NJwLB3VjheiA5thVz9kQKRLfCZr0IlVkE/s400/058MNPreston_RootRiverTr_Reet.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653138462013465122" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUQSGeURF_2if4ZrHBxMwjmlSSypkaOJkYwCCsRfBp31P8qjsNsDv10iobzOQO8lfuZ7P6nzGmHeXF9IIyhSmILeTJXtw357v0AEa_ekje7xFoS5fjwi97Qh3gUIikqbB66n0NIXJBmo/s1600/064MNPreston_HarmonyPrestonValleyTr_TrailheadInn.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUQSGeURF_2if4ZrHBxMwjmlSSypkaOJkYwCCsRfBp31P8qjsNsDv10iobzOQO8lfuZ7P6nzGmHeXF9IIyhSmILeTJXtw357v0AEa_ekje7xFoS5fjwi97Qh3gUIikqbB66n0NIXJBmo/s400/064MNPreston_HarmonyPrestonValleyTr_TrailheadInn.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653139233426654530" />Preston, MN</a><br /><br />I stuff it in my paniers (saddle packs for a bike!) and we're off. We decide to head back as it's 2:20. We stop for picture at the waterfall and when we cross the Root River (upper and lower) and Watson Creek. It's uphill against the wind all the way back. Bob asks the guy at the Trail Head Inn in Preston how far it is to Harmony and he says 12.7 miles. Maybe next time. We're home by 4:00. It's 4:31 p.m. and 70 degrees with 16% humidity.<br /><br /><strong>Wednesday, October 6 "Golf 9 Holes Preston Country Club and The Branding Iron" </strong> Low 42; no frost today. We head to small IGA downtown Preston-nice store. $69.00 later we're home to stow our grup and ready for golf. First we have lunch at Branding Iron Supper Club on the hill with a great view. It's a huge place with a large lunch crowd at 12:45. All MN license plates in the parking lot except for two worker bees from IA and SD.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tp0sfbN_NLHh3f8CFwY-xm5PwXZwn8gMnkpTf18wPSdxefhXqNIDOd4L7V_GaZqKM4IW-Bgyfcr0nA9yfiWk0ZdpJ11hTjz2FsM3f9B1Wx0xgdIAaSWTEMDIhelyb4n-8N-RRhv-G7Y/s1600/074MNPreston__BrandingIronRestView.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tp0sfbN_NLHh3f8CFwY-xm5PwXZwn8gMnkpTf18wPSdxefhXqNIDOd4L7V_GaZqKM4IW-Bgyfcr0nA9yfiWk0ZdpJ11hTjz2FsM3f9B1Wx0xgdIAaSWTEMDIhelyb4n-8N-RRhv-G7Y/s400/074MNPreston__BrandingIronRestView.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653332508289562866" />View from the window by our table at Branding Iron<br /></a><br /><br />Great salad bar ($2.00 to add to the sandwich/lunch special.) Ham and Vege soup is outstanding with little spaetzles in it. I have Yellow Fin Tuna sandwich with homemade tarter sauce and baked potato with Kemps sour cream and chives. Bob had the lunch special chicken sandwich. We both have go boxes. There are two daughters (older than I am) struggling in the tiny restoom with their mother and a wheelchair. Dad is waiting patiently in the dining room.<br /><br />On to the golf course. The pro is out playing so we putt and tee off on #1. He comes around the clubhouse and says to pay him after we play. Gotta love small towns. It's a perfect golf day. I felt good about my new clubs. I like playing just nine holes. We're home by 3:30. Read paper we got at IGA. It's 3:50 p.m. and 72 degrees with 29% humidity. High 73.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfAfCxyL1pGymxxPjekM24s19jMilCNZNOpOu-z9zVt3fS0zgjDg3Ca08MP30SBUhC6yqvpTmvdMJw3qAnRUcXt8vAYwEmyMMTQeeeNr8-jvSZ9M_BAGxBd9qfqPiV14sAvIgkuxy9ug/s1600/076MNPreston_FountainLosGablesMexicanDecor.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfAfCxyL1pGymxxPjekM24s19jMilCNZNOpOu-z9zVt3fS0zgjDg3Ca08MP30SBUhC6yqvpTmvdMJw3qAnRUcXt8vAYwEmyMMTQeeeNr8-jvSZ9M_BAGxBd9qfqPiV14sAvIgkuxy9ug/s400/076MNPreston_FountainLosGablesMexicanDecor.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653335546379758370" />Los Gables has eclectic decor</a><br /><br />We have military showeres (since we only have water and electric here for a week.) Then we head to Los Gables in Fountain. As we pull into the parking lot I spy an eagle overhead.<br /><br />Chicken soup and fish taco for Bob, Mole Rojo dinner for me (chicken in a tasty mole sauce.) Home by 6:15, read paper, nothing on TV. We chatted with Tom, the owner, as we came back. He's not very interested in having us pay our bill.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfl7GSYb-gBiqEC38taT2EM4a1Dzr_hoAB52RtguOke2ZiIYXRqwroGyFagyjWIfIu9Q2nR1ZTMtRC3-tUHX3VpNI4N8aBPj7WqqOUy-UqYhVZqvFMKtGAaRdOulJaxF_wzvtOYc_CoLU/s1600/072MNPreston__ValleyViewCG_Titanic.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfl7GSYb-gBiqEC38taT2EM4a1Dzr_hoAB52RtguOke2ZiIYXRqwroGyFagyjWIfIu9Q2nR1ZTMtRC3-tUHX3VpNI4N8aBPj7WqqOUy-UqYhVZqvFMKtGAaRdOulJaxF_wzvtOYc_CoLU/s400/072MNPreston__ValleyViewCG_Titanic.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653336815841697442" />I snapped a picture of our RV site here on the way back.<br /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWCKA9qA-R2y87fKpYSBRa8LOa4YlLn2LqIBSaTh_4Z5GBRxI7KJeUJ3sn-IZIZVtns7nMNMQgQXbpZKrvnFoe0fa5udMO-6hhALKaKT4VgGvc-FsRzCkDRmSMsdwUfZ3RnR57f9HcWg/s1600/073MNPreston__ValleyViewCG_Barn.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWCKA9qA-R2y87fKpYSBRa8LOa4YlLn2LqIBSaTh_4Z5GBRxI7KJeUJ3sn-IZIZVtns7nMNMQgQXbpZKrvnFoe0fa5udMO-6hhALKaKT4VgGvc-FsRzCkDRmSMsdwUfZ3RnR57f9HcWg/s400/073MNPreston__ValleyViewCG_Barn.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653337433234553746" />Also took this shot of an old barn that is still on the premises. We can see this out of our big back picture window on The Titanic.<br /></a><br /><br /><strong>Thursday, October 7 "Cycle 27 Miles Preston-Harmony Trail" </strong> Sunny, low 39. Pack up Bikes, new batteries in odometer (upper and lower) and they finally start working. We sure hate to cycle miles and not have them record. We chat with a couple about our age on racers at the trail head in Preston. They are having a pre-ride snack and are also cycling to Harmony today. They just moved to LaCross, WS. They love this area. Have never heard of The Paul Bunyan Trail Up North. We take off ahead of them heading south. They overtake us on the first big hill with those racing bike gears.<br /><br />The trail map syas a 3 to 4 mile section "may be too difficult for casual riders." It's 12.3 miles one way to Harmony. It starts off okay along Camp Creek. There are cows in the fields, trout in the streams-brown and rainbow. Soon we start going uphill. And up and up. After 1 and 1/2 hours we make it to downtown Harmony; left Preston at 1:25. As we roll into town I get off and snap a picture of this dinasaur sculpture with the catchy name.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZc_epQfCLBCxKOVQJ-rzanhKE1cFZWqA0j-9auQbNrQ9hL8l-YSwPSvVx4Ndq7n31eEdtExJ-dyfIE1uzz7gZSUi0wV2v4PxMhi92Y9ADMJXTx5wpJtxePsBHbrZy6ObPel2bm-1acE/s1600/084MN_Preston_HarmonyTr_TerraLegoff.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZc_epQfCLBCxKOVQJ-rzanhKE1cFZWqA0j-9auQbNrQ9hL8l-YSwPSvVx4Ndq7n31eEdtExJ-dyfIE1uzz7gZSUi0wV2v4PxMhi92Y9ADMJXTx5wpJtxePsBHbrZy6ObPel2bm-1acE/s400/084MN_Preston_HarmonyTr_TerraLegoff.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653345699357512818" />Terra Legoff!</a><br /><br />We hop off and go through "I love Antiques." Nice store, friendly older lady running it. Her daughter lives in Oregon and she sees her once a year. She hates to fly and there's no one to keep her cat. She used to have a rabbit too and that was worse.<br /><br />I buy 27 old postcards, mostly $1.00 each, a small candy cane pin and gold/white Napier earrings. We park our bikes in front of OTCS (On The Crunchy Side) a restaurant with "the best 20 feet of bar in the county" on their t-shirt. Great food. Chicken/Pasta/Marinara for me. Dorothy Lynch salad dressing (popular up here, like a French dressing. I think I had it somewhere else, maybe Ohio?) "Blacked" Tilapia and vege risotto for Bob. Heaven. Our waitress Lisa promises it's easier going north to Preston on the trail. <br /><br />We stop in Old Crow Antiques. A gal with a Chihuahua, Rusty, owns the place. She cycled Harmony to Lanesboro yesterday-45 miles. We talk to an older gent who was trout fishing in Neia (a few miles from here) and the Japanese beetles were bugging him to death. He asked if they were a pain on the bike. We haven't encountered them at all.<br /><br />We stop in an Amish consignment shop. I find the cutest quilted wall hangings that hold pictures. I wanted it for postcards. They had no year-round colors, only holiday themes. I found a "We survived the Harmony Trail" magnet. We stop at the Visitor Center to use the restrooms.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH29o2MkQvJ9-akDRWQAdYFxp0fKraRPaJE7v_i8emO03LSRjmbcJxWG6TNQRSf39IxCzheeunwZ_bmgn2ai6ZKAt5b1NKPzWxfDR2MCVzTOvJPJ_BIyZXCtdh6jvRXtxb5Irmbyr3nXU/s1600/090MN_Preston_HarmonyTr_Harmony_HoboCarvings.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH29o2MkQvJ9-akDRWQAdYFxp0fKraRPaJE7v_i8emO03LSRjmbcJxWG6TNQRSf39IxCzheeunwZ_bmgn2ai6ZKAt5b1NKPzWxfDR2MCVzTOvJPJ_BIyZXCtdh6jvRXtxb5Irmbyr3nXU/s400/090MN_Preston_HarmonyTr_Harmony_HoboCarvings.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653344285525689970" />Harmony Hobos!</a><br /><br />And I stop to take a picture of the carved Hobo figures that are stationed just as you enter town on the trail. One of the locals wanted to commemorate the importance of the railroads to Harmony and the man hobos who came through on the trains.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTGvk3U-3hHq1V8IJ20lHCYbmXKhr3P89HQIdrEDgQ8T6P8rKuFzoSPj31e22n7rjdO4LcBqRfNRMsQbsl8xbpSILJ1vIHuqCL7kx1grKPkzuXyh8KSe-kZm3qhzqyhQPqsV7ybmqsX_w/s1600/091MN_Preston_HarmonyTr.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTGvk3U-3hHq1V8IJ20lHCYbmXKhr3P89HQIdrEDgQ8T6P8rKuFzoSPj31e22n7rjdO4LcBqRfNRMsQbsl8xbpSILJ1vIHuqCL7kx1grKPkzuXyh8KSe-kZm3qhzqyhQPqsV7ybmqsX_w/s400/091MN_Preston_HarmonyTr.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653346746442372450" />It really looks like fall at Camp Creek</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvv_G4fOH49P1uN4PHU2xaOlQjQQTCdoC1Xl0hLcEx7lyqRvEcwmziVGTw1fpgLZVAarG9VN8JUGsmd8Z7MpZIUeFI6Qb1Du6oEbMV2l9xd1D2Qpfj_9PkZSN-Uw_vwKhfxVFI-Kxju2A/s1600/099MN_Preston_HarmonyTr_CampCreekSignTrout.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvv_G4fOH49P1uN4PHU2xaOlQjQQTCdoC1Xl0hLcEx7lyqRvEcwmziVGTw1fpgLZVAarG9VN8JUGsmd8Z7MpZIUeFI6Qb1Du6oEbMV2l9xd1D2Qpfj_9PkZSN-Uw_vwKhfxVFI-Kxju2A/s400/099MN_Preston_HarmonyTr_CampCreekSignTrout.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653347201909431826" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXcbrJPQ2ndpuRdZ488C2DtnZqiZzPhLzonhaKFCdK1zrO1v6XZY_VO_R7FzuBOw3RpZnbnZh3syEuSTVLtg4QH6Cmohj7435IpuhRHMucAiu3ln1X0yOq6b4jJWNH1tgeEVwEj7VesyY/s1600/096MN_Preston_HarmonyTr_Wildflowers.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXcbrJPQ2ndpuRdZ488C2DtnZqiZzPhLzonhaKFCdK1zrO1v6XZY_VO_R7FzuBOw3RpZnbnZh3syEuSTVLtg4QH6Cmohj7435IpuhRHMucAiu3ln1X0yOq6b4jJWNH1tgeEVwEj7VesyY/s400/096MN_Preston_HarmonyTr_Wildflowers.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653347196551342642" /></a><br /><br />And we're off, it is mostly downhill and a lot more fun on the north. The wind picks up a little but it's a gorgeous day and beautiful countryside. Later the thermometer in the RV says it got to 76 for a high but we only saw 67 in Harmony. We spy nutria, three pheasants, eagles, turkey vultures, a squirrel that ran under our bike wheels, and cows. We take the fork into Preston for 2.5 additional miles to the trail's end near Main Street on our way back. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgez3HqOzUqKXLSNuITJy2HsCBvMsXY5s7PIc8V6RrZZ2OdwPd53XwO-fdhLYkSeCKYXo4uz7qYJUKeCAllVA2wdmgsvt3uKdIEDWmPg2UztjpwqLTVlAfV3DifkyTGkEe4uMmBGu6drwo/s1600/100MN_Preston_HarmonyTr_TrailBossRichWidowSign.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgez3HqOzUqKXLSNuITJy2HsCBvMsXY5s7PIc8V6RrZZ2OdwPd53XwO-fdhLYkSeCKYXo4uz7qYJUKeCAllVA2wdmgsvt3uKdIEDWmPg2UztjpwqLTVlAfV3DifkyTGkEe4uMmBGu6drwo/s400/100MN_Preston_HarmonyTr_TrailBossRichWidowSign.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653347520632126994" />Love this sign along the trail near Camp Creek</a><br /><br />The bedroom Fantastic Fan vent is stuck open part way. Hmmm.... <br /><br />We're home by 6:00, cover our bikes on the truck rack and crash with the paper from BP. Two 'newbies' are in the campground (first ones this week and quite a few cars are back in the seasonal slots.) It's 6:35 p.m. and 64 degrees with 22% humidity.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZNzrh2dESNCybfzbZvPCJVGi2xDT9Hp01yHsXB8Z1imQ22-d5FwyPyPf9XpwjQZCvTT_OopzZq0gFLoPXDm3ekqMnwjVCZ-l-OCKweO_aykGcxnKcqYEpShcAldPdle8xA6jN6ezsVfc/s1600/079Gertrude_Halloween2010.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZNzrh2dESNCybfzbZvPCJVGi2xDT9Hp01yHsXB8Z1imQ22-d5FwyPyPf9XpwjQZCvTT_OopzZq0gFLoPXDm3ekqMnwjVCZ-l-OCKweO_aykGcxnKcqYEpShcAldPdle8xA6jN6ezsVfc/s400/079Gertrude_Halloween2010.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653348706764839570" />Gertrude decides it's time for fall!</a><br /><br /><strong>Friday, October 8 "Golf on an "Aug-tober" Day in Preston, MN" </strong> I couldn't sleep last night so I read Jane Austen's"Persuasion" 'til 2:00 a.m. I call Independence, IA, and get the phone number for the city RV Park from Parks and Recreation. It's the same number as before but he says to talk to Bonnie and I did! She was very nice. $15.00/night ($14 if 60 years old-next year!) We stayed there in 2004 and it was $80/week with full hook-ups and cable-go figure. I send and email to the Monat cousins In Jessup, Independence and Traer, IA, saying we'll be there Sunday through Tuesday.<br /><br />Bob takes the bikes off the truck rack and puts them in the garage. I add up all of our cycling miles so Bob can reset the odometer after our new batteries. That's always a challenge to set that small electronic device. We have 4,139 total miles on our Raleigh hybrid bikes!<br /><br />We go to Branding Iron; grilled cod special for both of us with soup and salad bar for $7.95. BP for paper, then on to Preston Country Club. The pro says it might be slow today. He asked how we liked having the course to ourselves all week. He's from Canada so doesn't think trout fishing is all that great here.<br /><br />Our round is quick, no one ahead of us slowing us down. Some of my bad habits slip back in. But I drove well. It is really warm; 20 degrees above normal. High 84, low 41. We pay Galen in the office $190 for the week.<br /><br />Back home it's still early after we read the paper so I get out buckets and clean the RV windows. An older gent in a motorhome across from us comes over and says "you can do ours next." I couldn't get any of them to say hi or wave all day. They get together and meet once a month, October is their last month. He stayed in Bandera, TX, a few years in the winter, also Apache Junction. His wife comes out ready to go eat and barely says hi.<br /><br />I crash but the RV looks good. We snack on a beer and Old Dutch Dill Potato chips. Thanks a lot Blair for one more thing in life I have to resist. It's 8:00 p.m. and 65 degrees. The Fantastic Fan vent won't close again. Maybe the batteries in the remote are dead. It's a battery kind of week for us.<br /><br /><strong>Saturday, October 9 "Generations Antique Mall, Harmony, MN" </strong> Around 8:30 this morning Jim Monat calls, Bob's cousin from Traer, Iowa. We hope we can gettogether while we're in Independence.<br /><br />Around 10;30 we head to Harmony. Just north of town we find Generations Antique Mall, an Amish place. They have great 'smalls' that we look for. I find a golf planter, a new address book for my purse, and three books. On to downtown. On the Crunchy Side is full, not one free table so we walk to Quarter/Quarter Restaurant, sparse but elegant decor. The food is great. We split an appetizer of Crab Cakes. I have Chicken Currry Salad on Potato Rolls with a salad. Pulled Pork for Bob.<br /><br />We walk to IGA and buy more of those large red grapes. I chat with the check-out gal who asks if we've tried the grapes. She never saw them before and didn't know hwere they came from.<br /><br />We couldn't find the other antique place at 3rd and 4th northwest. We go to the car wash to brush and wash the truck then on to Preston for diesel and and early Sunday Tribune. (I'll miss the Tribune when we move to Iowa.) We're home by 3:30 and it's 87 degrees, low 48 with 16% humidity. It's 90 degrees inside the RV since we had it closed up while we were gone. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxV1FcCQO287_P_hmdbkLcU9406YjYUkANUOMstLN0Ns9n6ebfIoDZNyOxkLR0oDxqouhE0KRBHAr9rt77ybkj6MieM38UWrf4HbKkXi7f8FasxR6UdblcAMqhRlpzy9IM2Ak_05vuhkE/s1600/070MNPreston__LiquorTourismSign.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxV1FcCQO287_P_hmdbkLcU9406YjYUkANUOMstLN0Ns9n6ebfIoDZNyOxkLR0oDxqouhE0KRBHAr9rt77ybkj6MieM38UWrf4HbKkXi7f8FasxR6UdblcAMqhRlpzy9IM2Ak_05vuhkE/s400/070MNPreston__LiquorTourismSign.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654450086455489490" />Before we left Preston I just had to get a picture of their combination Tourism Center and Liquor Store!</a><br /><br />Around 6:00 I pack up the interior decor, we bring the bikes in and strap them down for our move tomorrow. The RV Park is crowded this weekend. All the sites by Watson Creek are full with lots of kids and adults circling in golf carts. When we got here last Sunday it was deserted. I was thinking "This will be a long week!" It sure went fast.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ju4mSPAIwhGgLFZB-dxdg0tzLWNxP3Q7MfZuMC5cgpXhvr83ROcWQ8m8Ak3TsiPYfQsLgVVPclTaUxYsVlPKUmqyL3hzEY8vmjuzAbrTk1V35BCoH0P91tpOjaYVpvtrj4D9Pq1h5VQ/s1600/108IAIndependence_WapsipinicanRiverSign.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ju4mSPAIwhGgLFZB-dxdg0tzLWNxP3Q7MfZuMC5cgpXhvr83ROcWQ8m8Ak3TsiPYfQsLgVVPclTaUxYsVlPKUmqyL3hzEY8vmjuzAbrTk1V35BCoH0P91tpOjaYVpvtrj4D9Pq1h5VQ/s400/108IAIndependence_WapsipinicanRiverSign.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655637269497075426" /></a><br /><br /><strong>Sunday, October 10 "Moving On to Independence, IA" </strong> I wake up at 4:30, get up at 5:30 since I couldln't go back to sleep and read until 8:30. Low 47, sunny, no wind. I walk to take the trash out before we pack up. Japanese Beetles are everywhere. No one else is leaving so we're the only ones at the dump station at the top of the hill. This is our first dump station use with our new RV (more on that in a few months in Arkansas!) We made 7 days on our grey water holding tank with 'marine' showers daily after golf and cycling. No problem with the black water.<br /><br />We pulled out of the campground at 11:27 and head south to 16 west to 63 south at Spring Valley (nice golf course there.) A motorcycle is turning right as we turn left on the County Road. So we didn't see the 'Road Closed-Detour" sign. Bob makes a last minute bat turn (not easy with a 37-foot fifth wheel behind us) and we go south 4 miles to County Road 66 instead, then east 9 miles to a stop sign we think is 281. We pull in a gravel parking lot between the post office and a gas station and use our own restroom facilities. Then we go south again and finally are able to determine we are in fact on 281. We continue south to US 20 east past Jessup to Hwy 50 in Independence. They have a new Wal-Mart since our last visit here. Our trip is a total of 130 miles today.<br /><br />We find our old haunt, Independence Park & Recreation RV Park & Campground, 301 8th Street SE, Independence, IA 50644 (319)-440-0472. Bonnie the new camp host is in the first site. She takes our $45 for 3 nights for site #24 (she lost her voice-some allergy she thinks.) We back in on opposite side from last time. We don't see the young pyromaniacs that set the woods on fire behind us last time. The utilities in this site are tricky; electric and water are in back curbside! The sewer is up front. We jockey and just barely reach the electric. We set up quickly though by 3:15.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi604k9p8V5n12x0SD9u22iWB8c_v40gRPSn_4J55UCE5qRYReUrA7cw62JhZ_aH7-Hq0WLa982nPZTQMz7hwp885YPAQg8ENIx29lnwbgWtI1UIIwc4A_uiGwTUZdPA37t6P-jnEfi1VE/s1600/109IAIndependence_ParkandRecRVPk.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi604k9p8V5n12x0SD9u22iWB8c_v40gRPSn_4J55UCE5qRYReUrA7cw62JhZ_aH7-Hq0WLa982nPZTQMz7hwp885YPAQg8ENIx29lnwbgWtI1UIIwc4A_uiGwTUZdPA37t6P-jnEfi1VE/s400/109IAIndependence_ParkandRecRVPk.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655637599654855810" />Here we are in site #24 at Independence RV Park with the fall colors just peeking through</a><br /><br /><br />We have a voice message from Jim and Nancy Monat, Bob's cousins nearby in Traer, IA. I call them back and we agree to meet tonight at The Homestead (one exit west on US 20). Ted and Cindy, more IA cousins from right here in Independence will join us. I call Pat and Dan, the Jessup, IA, cousins but they are tied up with Vicki, another cousin, visiting from AZ so they probably won't join us tonight. Maybe we can get some golf in Monday or Tuesday.<br /><br />High of 89, seems really hot here as we set up the RV. I try to get out some plates and they fly out of the cabinet and hit the floor. The Corelle shatters and the cute travel trailer plate Megan gave me is history. Bummer. I get out the vacuum and clean up the shards. Vacuum the whole place while I'm at it. Bob gets out his shop vacuum and sucks up the Japanese beetles we brought with us as we put the slides in and out. I make a snack plate of veges, fruit, cheese and crackers to tide us over until dinner.<br /><br />We have 'real' showers since we have sewer hook-ups here. What a luxury-all the water we want AND 100 cable channels. Civilization!<br /><br />Around 6:00 Jim and Nancy pull up. It's great to see them. We give them the grand tour of The Titanic. A few minutes later Ted and Cindy arrive and they get the grand tour. Then around 6:30 we head to The Homestead (we ride with Jim and Nancy.) We pile in a big wooden booth. The place seems to be out of everything we order. No salmon so I have Italian Grilled Chicken Salad. Bob has pork-wrapped pork loin.<br /><br />We have fun chatting with everyone. At 8:15 they close the place down. We say farewell to Ted and Cindy (poor souls have to work tomorrow.) We ride back to the RV Park with Jim and Nancy. They don't come in a sthey want to visit Vicki at Angie's (she leaves Wed. or Thurs.) It sure was nice of all of them to get together with us on short notice. I was so busy talking I didn't take a single picture. It's 9:55 p.m. and 64 degrees with 44% humidity.<br /><br /><strong>Monday, October 11 "Bill's Smokehouse and Golf at Three Elms" </strong> I slept the sleep of the dead until 8:45. Low 54, high 78. Gorgeous fall day. After breakfast I walk downtown to Casey's for The Des Moines Register. I saw the house on the corner the lady was painting in 2004 when we were here; she had Cat Stevens blasting on the boom box while she painted. My RV life is weird. There's a big brown and black diesel pusher by the shower house in the RV Park with Iowa plates. I wonder if it's the same gal who shared baked goods with us last time. They live about 15 miles from here.<br /><br />Back home I get on-line and pay bills. My broadband e-bill is still not posted on our bank site-maybe next month. It sure makes it harder to pay (when you have a slow Internet connection.) <br /><br />Bob and I both walk downtown and end up eating at Bill's Smokehouse (we ate here with Dave and Jean from Olewein, IA, last time.) Baked Tilapia with baked potato and Sicilian veges for me. Tilipia sandwich and cheeseburger chowder for Bob. On the way home I snap some pictures as we walk across the bridge over the Wapsipinican River.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wjZHZjg7v42XjnnOQVl9Q3f16CA80-pjkJzuis6OWBJTlNY756aUFPf3t5xH16vl9JoK39F9TLaHeiwOA48541kLWsTKeIvZEQ6F6FmuEYRIF-iStXF617ZtJ1abef_dfKDOWMze7ZUx/s1600/103IAIndependence_Wapsipinicanriver.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wjZHZjg7v42XjnnOQVl9Q3f16CA80-pjkJzuis6OWBJTlNY756aUFPf3t5xH16vl9JoK39F9TLaHeiwOA48541kLWsTKeIvZEQ6F6FmuEYRIF-iStXF617ZtJ1abef_dfKDOWMze7ZUx/s400/103IAIndependence_Wapsipinicanriver.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655754507850721122" />Bridge over Wapsipinican River, Independence, IA</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_gSxnMk4fcUU-reLvhjfcUI4gpy28_aiVUZLUqlgDuAwoXjV4I5Sh00EfApm4QARrBavfel1fA7LRoUEdd97FFJIUgUfi0TvOJDpw_SnnweBaEaF7_1PAi6VlVC169kCeXiQ5KqlzfwZ/s1600/105IAIndependence_Wapsipinicanriver.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 314px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_gSxnMk4fcUU-reLvhjfcUI4gpy28_aiVUZLUqlgDuAwoXjV4I5Sh00EfApm4QARrBavfel1fA7LRoUEdd97FFJIUgUfi0TvOJDpw_SnnweBaEaF7_1PAi6VlVC169kCeXiQ5KqlzfwZ/s400/105IAIndependence_Wapsipinicanriver.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655755045744597938" /></a><br /><br />We head to the golf course (9-hole Three Elms along US 20). I play the red tees at 5092; Bob plays the blue tees at 5960 yards. I start out terible with my same old bad habit from last time. But I figured it out (smaller grips on my new ladies irons are causing me to break down my wrist) I hit the 6-iron of my life to an elevated green with water in back-15 feet from the pin! There's hope. It is a nice course and easier to walk, flatter, than Preston. We start at 3:05 and are done by 4:45. Wish Pat could have played with us.<br /><br />I have a voice message from Pat inviting us for ribs tomorrow. I call her back and say I'll bring baked beans. It's 5:29 p.m. and 78 degrees with 19% humidity.<br /><br /><strong>Tuesday, October 12 "Golf Re-match at Three Elms and BBQ Ribs at Pat and Dan's" </strong> I'm up at 7:15. After coffee I walk to Fareway (we loved this grocery when we were hear before and now there's one out here by Wal-Mart.) It only takes seven minutes to walk over there so it's not open yet (opens at 8:00 a.m.) I circle the parking lot a few time for a bit more exercise and get in at last. I need an onion for my baked beans tonight and candy corn to decorate my Ritz PB Cookies. <br /><br />I snap some pictures on the bridge over the Wapsipinican. The fall colors are great. Back home I make RV BBQ Beans in the crock pot. And I make Crispy Thingies for breakfast. Then I get on-line. Our wireless card bill came to the bank site today. Voila! I'm able to set up an autopay so I had to cancel my manual pay yesterday. I guess our billing cycle moved up a week when we bought a new device and started a new 2-year contract in Fairbault.<br /><br />We head to the golf course around 11:15. We putt while two couples in carts tee off ahead of us. I hit my new irons well today and completely lost my beautiful drives of yesterday. That's golf. It was fun though. It's very warm, 80 degrees right now with 22% humidity at 2:55 after a low of 52 this morning. We stop at Fareway for fruit but find no Holiday red grapes from California. It's 85 inside the RV when we return. We have leftovers, take out the trash and I iron an outfit for tonight.<br /><br />Huge black clouds move in around 4:30. It rains and we close up the RV. I pack up the crockpot and we head to Pat and Dan's around 5:00. We take US 20 west of Independence to exit 245 (V65) south to 1st Street, 240th west to 1st Street, Spring Creek south to Fox Rd. A heavenly aroma is coming from Pat's new cooker full of ribs. We follow the aroma and knock at the walkout patio door. Pat greets us and I plug in my crockpot. She has two big tables set downstairs for our feast.<br /><br />We head up to the kitchen where I slice salami and cheese. Julie comes in looking so grown up. I can't believe she's a senior. Soon Angie and Vicki arrive. It's nice to see Angie again and to meet Vicki at last. I've heard so much about her from Jim and Nancy after their wintering in Arizona.<br /><br />Soon Jackie and Adam arrive with little two-week old Adalyn (named for Adam and Jacquelyn). What a doll! She sleeps peacefully as I hold her. Vicki snaps a picture. Dan comes home and says there was lots of rain in Raymond where he was trying to work.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw7Shiw2M7GoblHEDEGgB8RjVCkh1Zd231yPaMsUYFFF7gXXwjbhgSHvvG8GQqdszlD7Xkh6RpKVu1R7vAl6kW2qJKJa_J_stC5AoIdSx-IB5EIUJqtuS4wc8dKb_NcnlDvEzlZszMmmbC/s1600/112IAIndependence_ReetAdalyn.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw7Shiw2M7GoblHEDEGgB8RjVCkh1Zd231yPaMsUYFFF7gXXwjbhgSHvvG8GQqdszlD7Xkh6RpKVu1R7vAl6kW2qJKJa_J_stC5AoIdSx-IB5EIUJqtuS4wc8dKb_NcnlDvEzlZszMmmbC/s400/112IAIndependence_ReetAdalyn.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655766304147483234" />Rita gets to hold Adalyn-only two weeks old-how precious!</a><br /><br />Duncan, Pat and Dan's little dog, and Mabel, Jackie and Adam's little dapple dachsund, join our group. And Megan arrives too. We all go downstairs where Adam cuts up the ribs. He has connections for golf clubs and calls the to try to locate a gap wedge for Bob. How nice of him. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xvRpUOyLh46EXTCz4nAgk0m43qXCj_IzUlfshoDeu01t_4m_U_H_ebyHpoZk9Wy4Vk_vAVowYDQ-HBJWKeXfRGeNv0oD8e42gT4QMLJyS8OYDfeIyW5o4gYLfSpUpCbr2Jb7egUflFRc/s1600/117IAIndependence_MabelDuncan.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xvRpUOyLh46EXTCz4nAgk0m43qXCj_IzUlfshoDeu01t_4m_U_H_ebyHpoZk9Wy4Vk_vAVowYDQ-HBJWKeXfRGeNv0oD8e42gT4QMLJyS8OYDfeIyW5o4gYLfSpUpCbr2Jb7egUflFRc/s400/117IAIndependence_MabelDuncan.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655766305794848418" />Mabel and Duncan</a><br /><br />We all chow down on ribs, pork loin, bisquits with Pat's homemade strawberry jelly, potato salad, slaw, and my beans. Not to mention wine and Angie's Scotch Bars. She had those at the reunion! (Rice Krispies, PB, something else, 1/2 butterscotch chips, 1/2 chocolate chips melted and spread on top. Yummm!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9uyd7pN2xQhJF4GeYnGHl3403__RPisOKqZiCWhvjEI8MTzoRJiVa5Ao_D4jVMVEqUzNt_tb1o1liFiJRqc1jqQ_9lTU68WFSlFFWCDsKbLidbcnt4UqIulN23lTTdkqRP2MBSy1dfiX7/s1600/130IAIndependence_BobReetAdalynJackieAdam.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9uyd7pN2xQhJF4GeYnGHl3403__RPisOKqZiCWhvjEI8MTzoRJiVa5Ao_D4jVMVEqUzNt_tb1o1liFiJRqc1jqQ_9lTU68WFSlFFWCDsKbLidbcnt4UqIulN23lTTdkqRP2MBSy1dfiX7/s400/130IAIndependence_BobReetAdalynJackieAdam.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655767495007799522" />Bob, Rita, Adalyn, Jackie and Adam</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbTvEMrWbol8WkFsrK93LJTGaif3hlrCbVD_ObUJ9KJodo9Qz3zVz7eav8x0NW3Lw-js8nwy_ruzWI2XpyuTQW1MzGXRrDNG_tZGCPFbKDwrzVC6Jr91hO5JM7XM0xKFArV94E4v3KINnP/s1600/128IAIndependence_JulieDanMeganPatAdalynJackieMabelAdam.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbTvEMrWbol8WkFsrK93LJTGaif3hlrCbVD_ObUJ9KJodo9Qz3zVz7eav8x0NW3Lw-js8nwy_ruzWI2XpyuTQW1MzGXRrDNG_tZGCPFbKDwrzVC6Jr91hO5JM7XM0xKFArV94E4v3KINnP/s400/128IAIndependence_JulieDanMeganPatAdalynJackieMabelAdam.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655767494361923954" />Julie, Dan, Megan, Pat, Adalyn, Jackie, Mabel and Adam</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh501t8baOIYqc97-k5Uc6KlmnXyBvS9vvl_b41iMks5PfzWf15sYGyARUW4mkCfwfW3EoCGDO2hjgYpIuWLHoNt8sEGnX5UkdPKj91FxVb81gqIq1wY_c3FgZ7ygrGN7J-qbhZePPQu5o/s1600/116IAIndependence_VickiAngieBob.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh501t8baOIYqc97-k5Uc6KlmnXyBvS9vvl_b41iMks5PfzWf15sYGyARUW4mkCfwfW3EoCGDO2hjgYpIuWLHoNt8sEGnX5UkdPKj91FxVb81gqIq1wY_c3FgZ7ygrGN7J-qbhZePPQu5o/s400/116IAIndependence_VickiAngieBob.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655766304149420290" />Vicki and Bob</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dZ6hhW7P2c7DnrxR4rFoP7N9tpvRaCAqc3Wxf8QRWjPmm0YRzgCcxyqZbQkFK_vJXxJD7ZPgkC3SPxSGB6a4chw6hsF_5qCXUrpPRywoXjtF-iEJnDF337qkmByjdzXg8ba5tNG4shuw/s1600/133IAIndependence_PatsGrandmasButtonCollection.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dZ6hhW7P2c7DnrxR4rFoP7N9tpvRaCAqc3Wxf8QRWjPmm0YRzgCcxyqZbQkFK_vJXxJD7ZPgkC3SPxSGB6a4chw6hsF_5qCXUrpPRywoXjtF-iEJnDF337qkmByjdzXg8ba5tNG4shuw/s400/133IAIndependence_PatsGrandmasButtonCollection.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655767502032746002" />Buttons galore!</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinl-Qc-Q50wYfaYTU2HsTRh2uDZxRMeLVY19-h0D6IPCKAdlWR4cbFl2U8KZk4cfRVyse4S_9hzUKOe1T6h1pqv4EFlQDQT_dOob1rqo0rdqOXw2y6DmbWuJdRTi9zdg42OE26z3kS5uGf/s1600/138IAIndependence_PatsGrandmasButtonCollection.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinl-Qc-Q50wYfaYTU2HsTRh2uDZxRMeLVY19-h0D6IPCKAdlWR4cbFl2U8KZk4cfRVyse4S_9hzUKOe1T6h1pqv4EFlQDQT_dOob1rqo0rdqOXw2y6DmbWuJdRTi9zdg42OE26z3kS5uGf/s320/138IAIndependence_PatsGrandmasButtonCollection.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655769010390750722" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgio7gW-8QRoWcteKN-dAhz7qPukR2SEYio9uSJFcG1TIawtUPhbeKk-BVWS-27z5pDxvIYOQdEgFoyfZbUFwxWFNgvxUAF5_GJWYI6XqeiSAgWtpfon_kzzZ5SWMIcajK9TR28a4ccFLuE/s1600/134IAIndependence_PatsGrandmasButtonCollection.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgio7gW-8QRoWcteKN-dAhz7qPukR2SEYio9uSJFcG1TIawtUPhbeKk-BVWS-27z5pDxvIYOQdEgFoyfZbUFwxWFNgvxUAF5_GJWYI6XqeiSAgWtpfon_kzzZ5SWMIcajK9TR28a4ccFLuE/s320/134IAIndependence_PatsGrandmasButtonCollection.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655769006872200242" /></a><br /><br />After we eat Pat spread's her gramma's button collection out on the pool table. Fantastic! Pat remembers helping her mount them on the cards and growing tired of it when she was a young girl. Pat finds some old real photo postcards but she doesn't know who is on them. Vicki models Italian sunglasses!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYYkuc1kb8Tv8W5Wb75WPOSc6FRTh2SW1k_p9YofuxrYu9KrUIcUTXPM8oz0Iop-YmJmV3Fov1LVHpoTTHh5ZmbfOeKr5s8vnvMFKzAiRgbeXaQDcl3OQVSz85GCh-MeR0BBrC723iYuYt/s1600/149IAIndependence_VickiItalianSunglassesPat.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYYkuc1kb8Tv8W5Wb75WPOSc6FRTh2SW1k_p9YofuxrYu9KrUIcUTXPM8oz0Iop-YmJmV3Fov1LVHpoTTHh5ZmbfOeKr5s8vnvMFKzAiRgbeXaQDcl3OQVSz85GCh-MeR0BBrC723iYuYt/s320/149IAIndependence_VickiItalianSunglassesPat.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655769865240095058" />Vicki and Pat</a><br /><br />What a fun evening. The whole gang leaves by 9:00. Vicki rides back in on "Sparky", her red stick-horse with a pistol handle from her childhood. Angie's is white and Toni had a yellow one. What a hoot.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT2PhQREDt9zH8g3_wnowdqUvZjOnIIJd0CTwMfxC67s9MLcLFRQ7i8cWsZtTayH1MF-91CuFu3bZkn_8DWeR2v1N8nRDjUZ81GD7ivO6Jx0OiG2VR372Zk3ryZf5DxYUjFvFx0NfwnVOQ/s1600/132IAIndependence_VickiRidesSparky.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT2PhQREDt9zH8g3_wnowdqUvZjOnIIJd0CTwMfxC67s9MLcLFRQ7i8cWsZtTayH1MF-91CuFu3bZkn_8DWeR2v1N8nRDjUZ81GD7ivO6Jx0OiG2VR372Zk3ryZf5DxYUjFvFx0NfwnVOQ/s400/132IAIndependence_VickiRidesSparky.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655767505620607474" />Giddy-up Sparky</a><br /><br />Bob and I chat with Pat and Dan about golf and solving the world's problems. We hit the road at 10:00. It's nice of them to always make us feel so at home when we're here. It's cool outside; at 11:11 p.m. it's 60 degrees after a high of 80. The Rangers win game 5 and clinch their division. Yee Haw! I text my brother Mike in Dallas and he texts back saying "It only took him 39 years to get them this far!"Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-36497005954819459162011-04-20T12:12:00.000-07:002012-01-14T05:31:51.510-08:002010 Jun 6 - Jun 19 Monat Family Reunion Lansing, IA, June 2010It has been over ten months since my last post. Where does the time go in this free-wheeling lifestyle? I will attempt to hit the highlights, with mostly photos, of our past ten months of travel.<br /><br />With heavy hearts we said goodbye to our new Texas friends, Don and Reva, from Abilene. They spend the summers in Indiana and we were fortunate enough to spend some great times with them here. But it's time to move to Lansing, IA, for the Monat Family Reunion.<br /><br /><strong>Sunday, June 6, Movin' On to Utica, IL and Slow Time!</strong> Don and Reva stop by to say farewell about 10:00 a.m. Sure going to miss them. We pull out by 11:00 heading west on 20 around the west side of South Bend to Hwy 2 past Mini-Mountain CG where we stayed four (?) years ago I think. We see the old Studebaker proving grounds. The big pillars still stand but the Studebaker logo globes are all gone. We connect up to I-94 west where the traffic picks up as we near Chicago's suburbs. We get on 80/294 Tollway okay but we almost miss the right exit to 80 west. Bob makes a grand maneuver at the last minute as I hem and haw with the map, completely lost. We pay $1.70 toll and soon zoom past Tinley Park (hi to Nathaniel and Marie!) Our old campground that we stayed at there is gone. The Loop 355 Tollway comes south to 80 as it is now complete.<br /><br />Past Joliet and I-55 we find a rest area after exit 122. We have come 130 miles of our 170 mile trip but we need a break after that Chicago traffic. After a snack break we head back into a sw wind in our face. Only 40 more miles west to exit 81, past Marseilles where we stayed before) to Hickory Hollow CG, 757 N. 3029th Rd., Utica, IL 61373. The guy in front of us gets the last spot but she finally spits out that she has a full-hookup site thru Thursday so we pay $153.00 for 5 nights (with our Good Sam discount.) There was tornado damage near here yesterday and people from other places moved here. Our darned motor won't put the rear jacks down and we just paid over $500 for that thing in Goshen, IN! On top of that our battery charger on the PC gave up the ghost. I have to call our insurance agent to get the amount of our bill (since I can't get it on-line like usual.) Then I have to check with the office to see if they will accept a fax. The insurance agent faxes the bill and I pay it by mail--how quaint! While in the office I use the 'paper' Yellow Pages (also quaint) to find a Dell outlet for our batter pack for the laptop. The rear jacks motor is another thing. That's a blue job!<br /><br /><strong>Monday, June 7, Cycle 16 Miles Illinois & Michigan Canal Towpath</strong> Life looks better after a good night's sleep. We're back in 'slow-time' as Reva called it so I got up at what I thought was 7:15 but the Atomic Clock didn't get a signal so it was really 6:15. It's sunny and chilly with a low of 58 and a high of 75. I take a walk before breakfast-you can do that if you get up at 6:15. Then I work one of the crossword puzzles that Betty (new friend at our Indiana CG) gave me. Bob has to work one of the Sudoku puzzles she gave him too since we have to PC and he can't get his on-line puzzle from href="http://www.dailysudoku.co.uk/sudoku/index.shtml"><a>TheDailySudoku</a>.<br /><br />Off to Hwy 6 west to PC Connection Concepts where Tom looks at our adapter and says "You need a Dell, have you gone on-line?" We patiently say "No, we have no laptop as our batter hasn't worked in years-we need the adapter for the laptop to run." He shocks us by going on-line for us, calling his Dell rep and making sure he's got the right prongs. Then he says he'll order if for us and it should be here in two days. He doesn't even ask us to pay for it first. We were so happy we almost bought a new notebook from him. Things are looking up.<br /><br />We get diesel at the Flying J for $2.96 gallon and try for a Chicago Tribune out of the vending machine-yeah, a real newspaper-but no, the machine is empty. We spy a mail box and make a detour to drop my insurance payment in the mail. One of the reasons we stopped here in Utica was to cycle the Illinois & Michigan Canal Towpath (we loved the Ohio Erie Towpath Trail.) Back home we pack up the bikes, take 178 straight south from the CG to downtown Utica and park on Canal St. at the trailhead. We look at the kiosk but that's a major waste of time. It tells us the trail is 90 miles, most of it to the east so we start off that way. We only go a mile or so and see a sign that says "trail closed four miles ahead." Bummer--we turn around. The trail looked all grown over like it was never finished, not like it was washed out. <br /><br />When we get back to the trailhead the back side of the kiosk has a sign "Trail closed due to recent floods four miles east of Utica AND 2.5 miles west of Utica." Yikes! Well, we're here so we decide to go west as far as we can. The trail is much better this way. We zoom past where they said it was washed out by the floods. There's a fairly new bridge so perhaps they already replaced it. It's pretty here as the trail follows along the Illinois River on the north and Canal Towpath on the south to Lock #14. We manage to get 16 miles in so all is not lost.<br /><br />Over the next few days we check out the local eateries, get a new Atomic Clock, pick up our battery adapter for the PC, browse Peru Antique Mall and get ready to move north.<br /><br /><strong>Tuesday, June 8,</strong> Laundry Twice, Ottawa Once and Peru Antique Mall. Cloudy, rained during the night. Spits rain all morning. Curbside neighbor in Class A packs up like a pro. Very Organized and tidy. I took a walk early. The big diesel pusher left and tooted his semi horn at everyone on the way out. Not too neighborly at 8:30 a.m.<br /><br />Breakfast and then call to reserve a camp site at Prairie du Chein for the family reunion 6/17-6/20. She'll call me back. Sort laundry-we both go through and choose "gotta haves" (our first mistake of the day) since there are only two washers here. This is way too big of a park for only two. It's mostly weekend warriors and they don't want to encourage them to do their laundry here I guess. I stretch and we drive to the laundry room behind the office. There is stuff in two dryers but the washers are free (second mistake of the day.)<br /><br />We go ahead and put ours in the washers then go around to the front porch to sit in patio chairs. A chilly wind is blowing and it's raining harder. A guy with a Canadian accent sits down at the next table. I say the rain is making it cold. He says "especially in a tent!" He was in a tent for 4 or 5 days here, even during the tornado the day before we got here. Not fun he said.<br /><br />Our washers are done but the dryers are still running and the owner of the clothes is no where in sight. We decide to head to Peru. So we put our wet clothes in laundry hampers and put it back in the truck. We stop at our RV to get my purse and go west on I-80 to the exit for Hwy 151 south to Target to loo9k for a new atomic clock. They have one model we like but hate to buy the first one we see. It's raining harder now. We go south of the mall to Big K. They have a Timex atomic clock and we even like it. It's $5.00 cheaper than the other one so we go for it. <br /><br />Time for lunch. One light north of I-80 to May Rd. We go west first and find Peru Antique Mall (we loved this mall last time we were in this area.) But first we want lunch. So we go just east of 151 on May Rd. and find Pine Cone restaurant (under new management.) The parking lot is full, mostly pick-ups, always a good sign. Turns out to be true this time. Great food, cheap, and lots of it.<br /><br />The chicken soup has homemade noodles-I start with that. Bob has cheeseburger soup, both are excellent and they give us a great assortment of crackers in a big basket (Wheat saltines like the ones Reva's raccoon stole!) I have Monte Cristo Sandwich (waitress comes back to tell me they are out of turkey so I go ahead and get it with all ham and they really pile it on!) Bob has great tilapia with mixed veges and rice pilaf (a large fillet and very well prepared for $8.99.) We have go boxes and we'll be back.<br /><br />We score a Chicago Tribune out front in a machine. It is way down-sized since we were last in the area-like a magazine format and is $1.25.) On to Peru Antique Mall. It's still raining, really comes down on the metal roof as we browse for two hours. There are lots of smalls in rows of glass cases. I find $40 worth of postcards. Bob finds a wooden golf tray from St. Louis (20% off.) We'll come back and do the 2nd half of the mall another time. Tom, from the PC place calls and says our adapter is in already. They are open until 6:00. Ten minutes later while we're still in the mall, Desire from the campground in Prairie du Chein calls. They have a site for us. I reserve it with a credit card. She says it's $10.00 more per night on the weekends.<br /><br />A guy and gal at the check-out chat with us. They were at the Antique Show in Austin years ago and used to go to Frederickburg too. They couldn't believe how long it took to get out of Texas from there! We get that a lot. They were interested in our RV lifestyle. It's 3:30 and time to head home.<br /><br />First we stop and get our A/C adapter in Peru. The young guy shows us HP minis and notebooks. Time for us to head home and dry the laundry. We stop at the RV first to unload our treasures. We miss exit 81 (oh my god we live here!) for our campground while talking and have to go nine miles east to Ottawa and back! Once we get to the campground, I drive to the laundry room and to find both dryers are running and there is a wet load on top of one dryer. Back home Bob says lets go find a laundry mat and get this over with.<br /><br />Since we can't Google without setting up our laptop adapter, we stop in the office and the gal says the closest laundry is the one I saw on 351 south. There's a big crowd there but we find two dryers. They work well and we're home by 6:30 in spite of a foul-mouthed young gal doing 21 loads of laundry and bossing her sister/friend and husband around.<br /><br />We stow the laundry. Our new adapter has the PC battery charge up. Yeah! Its works. We have leftovers for dinner. There is no CBS or ABC here so Tuesday night TV is a bust for us. We read the paper. Bob actually gets on-line. What a concept. He surfs and finds PJ's Courthouse Tavern and Grill in DeKalb, IL, our next destination. Motto is "Dieters should just walk on by!" I'm another 1/2 week behind on my journal.<br /><br />It's 8:05 p.m. and 69 degrees with 73% humidity. It still looks like rain but it's not raining now. High 76, low 60. Four or five diesel pushers came in tonight with decals on the slides. There's a fancy Maudalay next to us.<br /><br /><strong>Wednesday, June 9,</strong> J.C. Whitney, Kohl's and Pine Cone. I read until 1:30 a.m. last night. It started raining so I shut the bedroom window. The Fantastic Fan did not shut off automatically tonight like it did last night. I couldn’t sleep and I finally passed out on the couch.<br /><br />Bob figures out the diesel pusher on our curbside. The Mandalay left at 8:00 and we got all of our TV channels back-go figure! I go for a walk, stretch and we have leftover Monte Cristo for breakfast (heaven with a raspberry jalapeno jelly and powdered sugar!)<br /><br />I get on-line before breakfast and work on emails from the past four days while our PC was dead. I have a nice email from Reva. They miss us kids! I emailed her back (after several failed attempts-our 3G card and campground wi-fi are interfering with each other.)<br /><br />We're off to J. C. Whitney across I-80 from the campground. We take our picture of the RV hubcap that we printed out. They didn't have the right size. On to Kohl's where I find new sandals (my Ecco's shredded) and flats. Bob finds two new shorts. Then we have lunch at Pine Cone across the street. Chicken Salad Melt on Caraway Rye for me. Perch for Bob (not as good as tilapia.) We both have stuffed pepper soup (yesterday's cheeseburger soup with rice added.) Chocolate ice cream comes with it for dessert. Home to 91 degrees in the RV. We open the windows. It's 1:42 p.m. and 79 degrees with 43% humidity.<br /><br />We put the awning out to dry. Bob takes the burnt stabilizer motor apart. It was a plastic gear-can you believe it? It's stripped. He's doubtful of fixing it and the new one is probably the same plastic gear that has failed. A young couple with a little boy pulls in two sites over in an expensive diesel pusher. She says "this weather is great; glad to see it, left in the rain this morning." Their plates are Pennsylvania.<br /><br />Bob and I go for a walk; I take the camera. Get a pic of farmhouse in the back section. Our whole section out front is full when we return. Our first neighbors streetside are setting up and seem to know the folks next to them. They have BBQ pits, lawn chairs, and a dog. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2RcQmWDDES8aTvmiqdjTS8GDOdPcM5735c-31NziCtq6IPcXsmiWuB2j61sKkav8iQFRYhQDR2UMudY9O7JMNf3F8N-f007Ky9ZV40vgQDExhrMc_lUD3VAHZGUgoMuy9r642RN7ghwMS/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+006ILUtica_HickoryHollowCG.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2RcQmWDDES8aTvmiqdjTS8GDOdPcM5735c-31NziCtq6IPcXsmiWuB2j61sKkav8iQFRYhQDR2UMudY9O7JMNf3F8N-f007Ky9ZV40vgQDExhrMc_lUD3VAHZGUgoMuy9r642RN7ghwMS/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+006ILUtica_HickoryHollowCG.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697238057503026834" />Farm behind our RV Park in Utica, IL</a><br /><br />We have TV channels tonight but naturally since nothing is on Wednesday! I try to backup the hard drive on the laptop but it gets stuck at 25,000 of 74,000 files. At 11:30 p.m. I cancel it and go to bed. Our new atomic clock won't get a signal yet. (Not supposed to use rechargeable batteries maybe?) Nothing's ever simple anymore.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTRqT2IAw5kPvym9VDdjhsMf2VnlNLZM_ovoHmgoPuoJOQIN-qoOpraBXIZ25FGBlVRHB1oKAJZs2fmbBgPDTT_XpvLaLPmO-LozCEgSLEL_0zDXqm1oSGWhyvzaNl3Dc9KaOdnCa4Axmm/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+011ILUtica_HickoryHollowCG_SmartCarBalcony.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTRqT2IAw5kPvym9VDdjhsMf2VnlNLZM_ovoHmgoPuoJOQIN-qoOpraBXIZ25FGBlVRHB1oKAJZs2fmbBgPDTT_XpvLaLPmO-LozCEgSLEL_0zDXqm1oSGWhyvzaNl3Dc9KaOdnCa4Axmm/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+011ILUtica_HickoryHollowCG_SmartCarBalcony.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697243420891808722" />Interesting balcony on top of this motorhome</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb8KFJUZjuLlmxDN7656rHVCXxLIfwDKyEGcKU37niVJfIs3hzBaF9OhrC6Ty_Ny4cuhu0_Q-htbXEWZQz8RDv9Gbp5DmnAsmOK0ggJbfB-d9P3ymRO9est3eCHT-Ve27v5EzEUbBYpQlS/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+010ILUtica_HickoryHollowCG_SmartCarBalcony.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb8KFJUZjuLlmxDN7656rHVCXxLIfwDKyEGcKU37niVJfIs3hzBaF9OhrC6Ty_Ny4cuhu0_Q-htbXEWZQz8RDv9Gbp5DmnAsmOK0ggJbfB-d9P3ymRO9est3eCHT-Ve27v5EzEUbBYpQlS/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+010ILUtica_HickoryHollowCG_SmartCarBalcony.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697243423731692370" />They have a Smart Car like our friends Tom and Nan Marie </a><br /><br /><strong>Thursday, June 10,</strong> Canalport Bar & Grill, Utica, IL. I slept like a rock until 8:00 a.m. Breakfast, walk, stretch, clean bathroom, clean myself up and around noon we leave for lunch at Canalport Bar & Grill in downtown Utica. There are two 5th wheel RVs in the bike trailhead parking lot. Wow! That's a tight squeeze.<br /><br />There are only two other guys at a table on the restaurant side when we arrive. The bar side is empty. But it fills up by 12:30. The cream of asparagus soup is one of the best I've ever had. Crab Cake Hoagie with Roasted Red Peppers is in the top three! Bob has chicken Portobello sandwich (light on mushrooms but good.) <br /><br />Next to us is a 35 to 45 year old Dad who is short and pudgy with a look-alike son with him who seems to be 11 to 13 years old. The kid is trying to pour his heart out about something he's afraid of at school on the soccer team. Dad gets three phone calls and answers them all, then gets off the phone and turns around to watch the big screen TV. The kid says "Daaaaad!" I felt so sorry for the young kid.<br /><br />We go back to Peru Antique Mall to do the other half. We see some interesting items but don't purchase anything. We're done by 3:00. We get fuel on the way home and get a News Tribune (North Central Illinois) for 50 cents at the Shell Station. There are informative signs in this gas station directing RV's to the correct pumps and where to park on the side of the building and/or thruway around back. How simple is that!<br /><br />Home to do pre-move stuff. We bring the bikes in. Grease drips out of Bob's front sprocket. We save the carpet. We discover the atomic clock has found a signal at last after Bob restarted the procedure this morning. I'm trying a third time to back up the hard drive. The second time it got stuck over an hour on file 846 of 24,000 (I'm only doing the C: drive and my Documents today.) The Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1961!<br /><br />It's 6:46 p.m. and 78 degrees with 48% humidity. We had to turn on the A/C after bringing the bikes in. The humidity is so bad. Supposed to rain tomorrow. Great. We'll need a window to pack up and leave. Leftovers for dinner.<br /><br /><strong>Friday, June 11,</strong> Movin' on to Sycamore, IL. A/C on, hot and muggy; Low 67, High 68. Leisurely morning as our trip is only 64 miles today. We watch the streetside neighbors pack up and are surprised they are leaving already. Amateurs! We watch them pack for 2 and 1/2 hours, have our Crispy Thingies for breakfast, clean up the kitchen, pack up and still leave before they do. I think they're all ready, just visiting with their friends on their streetside. The guy gets chatty with Bob as he's trying to concentrate on raising our jacks with the broken motor. Go figure! Why didn't they ask us over for the last three night's happy hours they had right outside our window? That's my "safe to be hospitable when people are packing to leave theory!"<br /><br />We do leave at 10:50. The humidity is unbearable this morning; 71 degrees with 79% humidity. Aah, the Midwest! I-80 for one mile to I-39 north for 40 miles then east on 64 for 17 miles. The last 1 1/2 miles we get right behind a guy striping the white line on the right side of the road. Bob was careful but later when we stop we discover white specks of paint all over our black undercarriage on the RV. Six years with The Beauty, never a spec of paint on it! Finally after 1/2 mile north on 23 we arrive at Sycamore RV Resort, 375 E. North Ave., Sycamore, IL 60178 (815) 895-5590 in DeKalb County. We pay $192.00 for 6 nights (we could have had a pull-thru site for $212.00, maybe we should have gone for it as the guy from the office leads us over there and "over- helps" us back in to a 90-degree angled site.) We're glad when that control freak leaves. He had to come back and say "oh, by the way, do as I say, not as I do, don't cut through sites like this." I say "Yeah, we're full-timers so we know about RV and Camper etiquette." Geez!<br /><br />We set up in the heat and humidity. Kind of bummed about the white paint. Whatever. I put the decor out, we go to lunch at Town Square Family Restaurant just south on Main from the campground. Great little place. Baked white fish special for me, Bob had Parmesan Tilapia, nice rolls, fresh salads and Jell-O for Bob and Rice Pudding for me with whipped cream and cinnamon. What a treat. Daily Chronicle in vending machine for 75 cents.<br /><br />Drove east on 64 to locate the bike trail head (limited parking for four vehicles.) Then we go south on 23 to DeKalb. Stop at Jewel Osco grocery. A surly checkout guy didn't offer a courtesy card for a discount. Home to stow groceries. Bob gets on-line with our card-Yeah! We have Tengonet here but couldn't get on.) It's 5:12 p.m. and 87 degrees with 43% humidity; feels like 90%!) A heavy brush won't take the white paint off. I get the Steadyfast rear handle clean with a pot scrubby. Bob pulls a spot of wallpaper off in the bedroom removing the old atomic clock. Now we always have to hang something there.<br /><br />I go for a walk, stop in office. The guy in there "don't know nothing about no wi-fi!" He gives me a sheet of instructions for Windows XP (why didn't we get that is the first place?) I continue my walk around the lake. It's pretty here. A mother with a brood of ducklings swims by. It's a relief to get home out of the sweltering heat.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmIpkKa6jrE9gJspljGjRAJMiImctnuKuJCxYkaI5-5IVsXSFYBwsKUyeGFa9NCRIJFJrh4U6NBD-qQ-Lqz_Gc9uGfK1Q_OdcX3G53b3UjVZJVYLBbDRM8pK8ZT_gRhvjeLfhGEM8IFLg-/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+020ILSycamoreRVPkFishingPond.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmIpkKa6jrE9gJspljGjRAJMiImctnuKuJCxYkaI5-5IVsXSFYBwsKUyeGFa9NCRIJFJrh4U6NBD-qQ-Lqz_Gc9uGfK1Q_OdcX3G53b3UjVZJVYLBbDRM8pK8ZT_gRhvjeLfhGEM8IFLg-/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+020ILSycamoreRVPkFishingPond.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697250779223342530" />RVs along the pond in Sycamore, IL</a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCWLE_58ECBcfqkwsVE8DiTUayoBE9uj33skbb1lOj7RueraA4UJZqlNekxVkwrDRmmr3aHTbutzmenal7Ro9qXgUCsPSVQ-6qGwiSdv6d5qXdFrQaxI2IF2R4eFVHoR6Xj6jPHgtO1sf-/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+016ILSycamoreRVPkFishingPond_Ducks.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCWLE_58ECBcfqkwsVE8DiTUayoBE9uj33skbb1lOj7RueraA4UJZqlNekxVkwrDRmmr3aHTbutzmenal7Ro9qXgUCsPSVQ-6qGwiSdv6d5qXdFrQaxI2IF2R4eFVHoR6Xj6jPHgtO1sf-/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+016ILSycamoreRVPkFishingPond_Ducks.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697250770971125890" />Family of ducks scurries away as I walk by</a><br /><br /><br />Our broadband card works long enough for me to send an email to Nathaniel. We stopped here so we can try to meet my nephew Nathaniel and his wife Maria between here and Chicago (maybe in St. Charles, IL) But alas it's not to be as his low-tech Aunt sends an email. He doesn't check his email often. Seems I should have texted him or called. Next time I'll try to be more hi-tech. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJvVGeVQhkDuA3t_-JisL0kTUIGBHMsBTl2FEUxZw_CZ3ZjhyeOPnMfxz5FjuxlFmLxgFYQbIasBPlefJmAULRx34rWBHE-UGzKfZ-2wXMTbcJsGipJA5bdkiW-OSRv_YBkDf90pbcy8Tj/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+028ILSycamoreRVPkFilowers.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJvVGeVQhkDuA3t_-JisL0kTUIGBHMsBTl2FEUxZw_CZ3ZjhyeOPnMfxz5FjuxlFmLxgFYQbIasBPlefJmAULRx34rWBHE-UGzKfZ-2wXMTbcJsGipJA5bdkiW-OSRv_YBkDf90pbcy8Tj/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+028ILSycamoreRVPkFilowers.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697251645267298834" />Nice landscaping at Sycamore RV Park</a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbvkXPi6t2q_4wPVjIRa5BUbdZO6t9MCHuXMKyk0WZqJnusaCE2tvWUL3NKl_Rbgo1x8t6J0bYEHxxcWAuQ2YBWHF5VMNfbRmQbMzS39OjCh1CpYS31D2NEe0cs9sMvVQ_QZ35DthiSg-G/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+023ILSycamoreRVPkFishingPond.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbvkXPi6t2q_4wPVjIRa5BUbdZO6t9MCHuXMKyk0WZqJnusaCE2tvWUL3NKl_Rbgo1x8t6J0bYEHxxcWAuQ2YBWHF5VMNfbRmQbMzS39OjCh1CpYS31D2NEe0cs9sMvVQ_QZ35DthiSg-G/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+023ILSycamoreRVPkFishingPond.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697251639370747922" />Peaceful walking along the pond</a><br /><br /><strong>Saturday, June 12,</strong> Eggclusive Cafe. Up at 6:15. Still hot and muggy. A/C was on all night. Early morning is a good time to get on-line (our GSM card is working! -well enough to pay bills.) I send an email to Jeff and Marilyn in Pine River, MN, our next stop after the reunion. I redo and print the "Move Checklist". I print the RV Hall of Fame journal pages to send to Mom for her birthday. I sent a postcard from there to Dad for Father's Day.<br /><br />After breakfast and a stretch I have a whole house vacuuming session. Bob starts a 1500-piece puzzle (we use our new coffee table for extra pieces as Don and Reva now have our TV tray table. Rain/thunder/lightening off and on all day. It clears a bit after lunch.<br /><br />We go north on Main to Pearce to Eggsclusive Cafe, an upscale breakfast eatery. I have eggs benedict, Bob has Tuna Steak sandwich on kalamari olive bread with red cabbage kraut and hash browns and slaw. This place is great. Huge menu. We have go boxes.<br /><br />I have a terrible migraine. This is the second one in a row that started with a sore neck on the left side. Before that one, all my life my migraines started behind my left eye. So I didn't even recognize it as a migraine when it started in my neck. Until it really got to throbbing; then there was no mistaking it.<br /><br />I stop a female letter carrier on the parking lot and I give her my letters/cards. Home to work the puzzle. I lay down for 15 minutes to get rid of my migraine (thank you miracle drugs!) Then I'm good to do my nails. Bob goes fishing in the two nice ponds here.<br /><br />I call Patti who is on her way to a co-worker's wedding. No mailing from Tony and Gertie (the reunion hosts) yet. I call Glenda and she has a dog! Toby-a rat terrier! She's had him since Memorial Day. How fun! I'm jealous. It's 5:40 p.m. and 74 degrees with 65% humidity. Sixteen RVers and campers were killed by flooding in Arkansas. Yikes! I always worry about floating away in the middle of the night.<br /><br /><strong>Sunday, June 13</strong>, Rain and Ruby Tuesday's. Slept like a rock; no neck pain this morning. We work the 1500-piece puzzle and finish it after breakfast of leftover Eggs Benedict from Eggclusive.) I check email-nada. Coffee table is still out but all of the puzzle pieces are on the kitchen table. So we have our first breakfast on the coffee table. Bob is on the loveseat, I'm on the ottoman. Voila! Instant breakfast nook.<br /><br />Two big rigs behind us leave early with their medium duty truck and 5th wheels. The gal chats with the neighbor for 45 minutes while the guy packs up (once again proving my theory of "we're leaving so it's safe to talk to you".) Then her husband has to wait for her to catch up her part of the packing. The motorhome guys we saw tool back in with bikes on the rack (their bikes were leaning against the picnic table ever since we got here.) Bob said "Hey, maybe they're going to ride the trail. NOT! They just put their bikes on the rack to pack up and move on down the road. At least we have a view of the smaller pond now.<br /><br />We get cleaned up and go to Ruby Tuesday's for the salad bar. I take the umbrella in to ward off impending rain (the reason we are not cycling today.) They seat us in the bar-we hate that. A mid-life crises at the bar is hitting on our young waitress so we get no beverage refills (Note to self: refuse to be seated in the bar section!) <br /><br />My umbrella plan works; it is not raining as we get back in the truck but it pours all the way home. Sycamore Antiques downtown is closed. We wait in the truck at the RV Park for the rain to subside. Some poor guy in a 5th wheel is just checking in. He runs from his rig to the office with a windshield sunscreen over his head. He needs to invest in an umbrella.<br /><br />We finally get inside and check the weather channel. Two lines of thunderstorms are moving over us going west towards Chicago. We watch a TV infomercial about Old Dean Martin Variety Show CDs. I loved watching those old shows with Gram Rood. It's 3:11 p.m. and 69 degrees. A cool front blows through when I walk around the lake at 8:00 p.m. We turn of the A/C and open the windows. It's still drizzling rain. I find a voice message at 10:30 from our Elgin, TX, neighbors Joanne and Bill. They are leaving Milwaukee tomorrow, heading towards the Mississippi River (Bridgeport.) They must have called while I walked and the voice message just now showed up (that happens in a new cell area sometimes.) Too bad. I'll call them in the morning as it's too late now. I read Janet Evanovich 'til 1:00 a.m.<br /><br /><strong>Wednesday, June 14</strong>, Stuck Inside with a Puzzle. Up at 8:30. Cloudy, severe rain is predicted afternoon and evening. We have Crispy Thingies for breakfast and work another 1500-piece puzzle. I take time to scour the kitchen sink and stretch. Around 10:00 I call Joanne and Bill. Bill answers. They are in Madison, WS, in a McDonald's for a lunch break. They are heading 180 miles total today to Bridgeport near Prairie du Chien. They leave Prairie du Chien Thursday morning, 6/17, and we arrive 6/17 in the afternoon! What a bummer! We're only about 100 miles apart. So close yet so far. They have to be in Amana, IA, 6/17 to 6/20 for an A-Liner Rally. Then they go northwest heading to ND and WY. We go north heading to MN. Maybe next time.<br /><br />We have a better view this morning as several big motorhomes left yesterday. There are several lined up at the front office so more are coming in I guess. Around 1:30 we go to lunch at P&J's Courthouse Tavern Grill. Oriental Tuna Teriyaki for me. Tuna Steak Sandwich for Bob. We split so-so Toasted Ravioli (hard to beat the St. Louis original!)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_lsNiyRm1DJss7wR96zH5i2SH1EDdKuiPwfGfQwQnJ45N3lZSZlXtLtMaJmX-mkh0Z1WBAuMG3vTpxLMx0VeHq0yj7aGmQQ0cPNmNqqALKf_yC-iE5C4Jwa8HFb90s0dz49xOJh0izlq/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+037ILSycamoreRVPK_FishingPondLilies.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_lsNiyRm1DJss7wR96zH5i2SH1EDdKuiPwfGfQwQnJ45N3lZSZlXtLtMaJmX-mkh0Z1WBAuMG3vTpxLMx0VeHq0yj7aGmQQ0cPNmNqqALKf_yC-iE5C4Jwa8HFb90s0dz49xOJh0izlq/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+037ILSycamoreRVPK_FishingPondLilies.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697311702695281218" />Lily pads on the pond at Sycamore RV Park</a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVdFOA0aSr2gp4a_-_IbtUbY5rAP7r7zBkDPP7KLa_8O4uzt9gufVccxYYYt_lHqsL4gMc8TVKXOzCRWyLvYHYoCQ6XrHGkNDL03UYbVdFnvkVAyOakv1myVLu8RbB-5-ZxBfI8tKbTzM/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+032ILSycamoreRVPK_Flowers.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVdFOA0aSr2gp4a_-_IbtUbY5rAP7r7zBkDPP7KLa_8O4uzt9gufVccxYYYt_lHqsL4gMc8TVKXOzCRWyLvYHYoCQ6XrHGkNDL03UYbVdFnvkVAyOakv1myVLu8RbB-5-ZxBfI8tKbTzM/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+032ILSycamoreRVPK_Flowers.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697311696301030786" />Lots of things blooming here</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Kat8jf0wKrN1oeOylXZGBARFxIZM9zuHjvdfunGFmvkGwKLyP8Xmr1eAHh7-A8JkeJigTKgpPmVYa27BmCWjyjGp7kUss8sUdPtjzsllly2vf-L2Kf23XknAFPCY0vE1OrL6K26NPd8l/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+044ILSycamoreRVPK_Flowers.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Kat8jf0wKrN1oeOylXZGBARFxIZM9zuHjvdfunGFmvkGwKLyP8Xmr1eAHh7-A8JkeJigTKgpPmVYa27BmCWjyjGp7kUss8sUdPtjzsllly2vf-L2Kf23XknAFPCY0vE1OrL6K26NPd8l/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+044ILSycamoreRVPK_Flowers.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697312371947498210" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSkWC64oqbm9KV-RVuAa4GNx4U0rqC71JgLDQfvZALun210YVMdNxWB04XcxM4ZLV2MnqMNjPl36s5sJalCdJ1ou_fklM7sQuMAmtusLYz39oP3J9g_w7uFsfN7Qr5vM4ATeHbj_rKiGnE/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+042ILSycamoreRVPK_Flowers.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSkWC64oqbm9KV-RVuAa4GNx4U0rqC71JgLDQfvZALun210YVMdNxWB04XcxM4ZLV2MnqMNjPl36s5sJalCdJ1ou_fklM7sQuMAmtusLYz39oP3J9g_w7uFsfN7Qr5vM4ATeHbj_rKiGnE/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+042ILSycamoreRVPK_Flowers.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697312365849994930" /></a><br /><br />Home to work our puzzle. I balance bank statements and work on bills, download email and find the maps and family reunion schedule from Tony and Gertie. It threatens rain but never happens. I go for an afternoon walk. When I return I have a recorded message from the health insurance company about coordination of benefits (all I have to do is step outside and I miss phone calls.) I know, it's a cell phone, but I hate to have it ruin my peaceful walk. I'm weird that way. We watch "Lie to Me" and "The Good Guys." End up by picking up the puzzle-it's frustrating. It's 9:30 p.m. and 66 degrees with 71% humidity. High 72, Low 65.<br /><br /><strong>Tuesday, June 15</strong>, St. Charles, IL, population 31,900 ten years ago. But we drove there instead of cycling as it's cloudy with a threat of rain. We follow the Great Western Trail all the way there. We antique and have lunch at The Filling Station. Then walk around and I snap a few pics.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcMH9qT8Cdga7ViFSFBPv8gNAuTPPVvTla_EyWPolYgt3r9bX_CbyCximJFgdl4ofVZxATanXNBLd6JwmtnOKN_Q8xQgpamtFkz77_b8QUxr1TB60gDPE81D2MR7pwDpM7A6I7892Smg0/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+048ILStCharlesMuniCtr.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcMH9qT8Cdga7ViFSFBPv8gNAuTPPVvTla_EyWPolYgt3r9bX_CbyCximJFgdl4ofVZxATanXNBLd6JwmtnOKN_Q8xQgpamtFkz77_b8QUxr1TB60gDPE81D2MR7pwDpM7A6I7892Smg0/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+048ILStCharlesMuniCtr.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598110186188043250" />St. Charles Illinois</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyg1sZqqGxUn8XAEhxc24vz4hYZZo2vatrU7-Bok25pvrIigUPeSKd0XmrCuaA4Z8ly3_LSosZe4sOvculKrXeu-IGAXhA7iK4LKo2hZYebGkVrJDcOErJPQE22OZEt9v1JblMGyBKy_A/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+050ILStCharles.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyg1sZqqGxUn8XAEhxc24vz4hYZZo2vatrU7-Bok25pvrIigUPeSKd0XmrCuaA4Z8ly3_LSosZe4sOvculKrXeu-IGAXhA7iK4LKo2hZYebGkVrJDcOErJPQE22OZEt9v1JblMGyBKy_A/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+050ILStCharles.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598110694492461154" />St. Charles Illinois</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgI_ucFsalxw25lndtDKcGrfbq0HEE84RTacZnsS66aOWH_u2D05UfOrM5oOaCk1o_J_bK7JODtHCTDbE2EJxSD5eXKdWVaHGGDmF-zKT5L_uOPcIna0OBQHBvgTVwCRK69UgXkaoZHa8/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+058ILStCharlesILStCharlesMuniCtr.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgI_ucFsalxw25lndtDKcGrfbq0HEE84RTacZnsS66aOWH_u2D05UfOrM5oOaCk1o_J_bK7JODtHCTDbE2EJxSD5eXKdWVaHGGDmF-zKT5L_uOPcIna0OBQHBvgTVwCRK69UgXkaoZHa8/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+058ILStCharlesILStCharlesMuniCtr.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598111166725230258" />St. Charles Illinois</a><br /><br /><strong>Wednesday, June 16,</strong> Paint On; Paint Off. Up at 6:15. Sunny at last. Too late for us. The bike trail is still wet and we do our pre-move checklist so we can leave tomorrow. I finally had an email last night from my nephew Nathaniel. I should have called him as he didn't see my email until yesterday. He's working two long days this week so we'll have to catch them next time.<br /><br />After breakfast Bob takes the stabilizer jack motor off. It's too hard to turn manually. He checks the roof and gutters. I'm a crazed maniac and use good old-fashioned elbow grease to get the majority of the white paint off the under-carriage of the RV. I started out to wash the dirt off so Bob could spray paint it black but I found the paint came off with a scrubby and water. My fingers are raw, nails destroyed and hips hurt but the RV looks better. I won't even mention my right arm and shoulder. Nothing like being at my best for the once-every-three-year family reunion! Might as well clean the bugs off the front of the RV while I'm at it. I find some white flecks on the lower front of the RV that were thrown up by the truck tires. I removed that paint twice--the first time, and the last time!<br /><br />We clean ourselves up and go to lunch at Eggclusive Cafe. I love this place, Blackened Tuna Warp for me with Cranberry Walnut Cabbage Slaw. Bob has a great grilled chicken, candied pecan, avocado salad. Professional guy is washing the windows out front. He has neat equipment (holster for squeegee heads) to make the job easy but I hurt just watching him.<br /><br />Eggclusive has a neat napkin fold (silverware is tucked in pickets.) I fold a post-it note to remember how to do it. After lunch I mail letters at the post office. I try to put a bag of stuff in the Goodwill box but it is marked clothes and shoes only so we don't. Tom and Nan would have showed us how to do that! I saw his blog finally yesterday. They had a bent axle in Canada-what a bummer!<br /><br />We get a Chicago Tribune at the gas station where Bob fills up. The only Goodwill is south of DeKalb so we pass on that. Home to pack up decor. It's 3:15 (how did that happen?) and 79 degrees with 42% humidity. Sunny and 86 degrees inside the RV. Read paper, have leftovers. It gets up to 89 degrees in here. High of 81 outside. I go for a short walk. We put the awning out to dry and to block the sun.<br /><br />Motorhome couple behind us with a motorcycle garage down under is sitting outside with a highball and a glass of wine. I heard him say "If I owned an RV Park I wouldn't have these fire rings." We agree but four million seasonals in the upper Midwest would strongly disagree.<br /><br />We bring in the bikes. Bob's handlebars leak grease again on the kitchen floor and doormat. Bummer. Just what my raw fingers needed was more scrubbing. Ouch.<br /><br /><strong>Thursday, June 17,</strong> Movin' on to Prairie du Chien, WS. Low 64; High 91! Pack and leave by 9:59 a.m. I-39 north for 15 miles to 39/90 Tollway NE around Rockford (the Rockford pocket watch museum is defunct now, bummer we missed our chance to see it last time we were near here in Marseilles.) We pay $3.00 toll and cross into Wisconsin. We follow a Military Bike Trail along Hwy 18. Stop at a defunct gas station/rest. near Fennimore that we didn't know was abandoned. But thankfully we did stop as Bob always walks around the rig when we stop. He discovered the rear stabilizer jacks had fallen half way down on the driver's side and a little lower on the passenger side. He digs around 'downunder' for some zip strips to tie the jacks up with. That could have been a disaster and torn the jacks completely off the trailer. I'm getting more and more unhappy with Lippert and their crappy stabilizer motor system.<br /><br />We continue west on 18 and encounter a 5% grade down to cross the Wisconsin River to Bridgeport. How sad that Joanne and Bill, our Elgin, TX, neighbors, left here this morning. We tried hard over the email and phone calls to meet up with them but they had to be at an A-liner rally and we weren't arriving in Prairie du Chien until today. We go north on 35 through Prairie du Chien past the golf course we played out by Wal-Mart when we stayed at Spook Cave across the Mississippi River in IA a few years back. We pass Cabela's on the Great River Road and miss our turn west on Limery so we had to go a few miles north to be able to turn around on the narrow space between the bluffs of the River and the railroad tracks. A bit more road construction and we arrive at Sports Unlimited, Frenchtown Rd., Box 210, Prairie du Chien, WI 53821, Crawford County (608) 326-2141. The office is in the Par 3 golf course club house. They have our reservation and we pay $148.00 for 4 nights.<br /><br />Then the trouble starts. Our site is #235 a back-in site with a tree streetside in the "transits sections!" I take exception to that. The site slopes way down to a gully curbside. We adjust several times and still can't stay out of the overhead tree limbs. Bob ends up trimming them later since if they touch the RV you get ants marching in. As we ponder our position in the site Bob notices the RV hubcap and grease cap on the front axle on the driver's side is missing. It was there when he tied up the stabilizer jacks earlier. <br /><br />We can't put the rear jacks down until Bob cuts the straps off. So I leave the kitchen slide in until all of the utilities are out on that side of the RV. We did remember to measure for the electric cord. We only have about 1 1/2" extra so it will be close. We did not consider the sewer hose however. Bob has to stretch it way out to avoid getting out an extension. Geez!<br /><br />I go inside to start unpacking. The bedroom and living room slides go out perfectly. Bob's all done outside with the utilities and comes in to put out the kitchen slide. It won't budge; it's stuck. We are sure bummed. Bob says in a loud voice "That's it, I'm done." I'm not sure if he means done RVing or done fighting this move today. I don't ask. We've never had trouble with our slides in either RV all these years. This will require the owner's manual. It's 85 degrees and 90% humidity and we are hungry. So we call a halt and go have a so-so lunch at Hungry House Family Restaurant. We can't keep our mind on the food as we keep thinking about how we will get that slide out. Get fuel first as we're almost out. That's all we need to run out fuel.<br /><br />Back home to get out the paperwork and manual for the slide-out. I can't find it anywhere. At last I see a paper that says Lippert, Inc. Slide Mechanism. My heart sinks. Those are the same idiots who made our rear jack stabilizers. Their instructions say the manual crank for the slide is outside of the chassis rails underneath the RV. We look everywhere and can't see it. Finally Bob spots it inside the chassis rail. They say use the crank for the front stabilizers; it's the same crank handle. Or use 3/4" socket/rachet. NOT! Neither one fits in the slot. Bob has to dig 'downunder' for the right size socket. We're sweltering in this humidity mind you. Success at last. He turns it just a little and hears the slide mechanism release. It must have been jammed by either our very rough ride here through Madison or the slope we maneuvered on here at the campground. We should have put the streetside slide-out first I guess but there was that whole stabilizer jack thing. Anyway, I go inside and the motor slides it in and out perfectly. We are so relieved. Bob goes on the roof and trims limbs. Then he puts sheet metal tape over the axle to keep the dust out. We put the A/C on and I'm such a crazed lunatic I leave the bathroom vent open and hit the wrong remote button on the Fantastic Fan in the bedroom. The vent closes but the fan is still running. Not very good for the motor. What else can go wrong?<br /><br />We sit down and cool off for a few minutes and feel better. We're so relieved the slide worked that we get energized and head to Wal-Mart for groceries. We see a DQ on 35 and pull in for a well-deserved ice cream treat; Mocha Mulatte for me and M&M Blizzard for him. He says "I knew you'd get one of those." And I said "I knew you'd get one of those too." Just goes to show you, duct tape and ice cream fixes anything.<br /><br />No TV channels down below the River bluffs, one bar on the phone and we can probably scratch the Internet too but I'm too tired to try it.<br /><br /><strong>Friday, June 18,</strong> Old Man River and Smoking <br /><br />Friday, June 18, it is hot already when I get up at 6:22 a.m. The low is 67. It rained several times during the night. The trains didn’t wake me up anyway. There are puddles everywhere this morning. After breakfast and a stretch I clean the bugs off the front of the RV from our move. It is muggy and hot. The sun is out at first but then clouds come over and the mosquitoes are out in force. <br /><br />A seasonal guy comes by and asks “What’s in that little part up front?” We chat then he asks about the Steadyfast. He’s been looking at them. I ask him about getting a weather forecast here. He says you can get 97.7 radio station from across the River. I say so long and go inside to clean up. After an iron of ironing various outfits (since we don’t know what the weather will be like all weekend for the reunion) around 1:30 Bob and I pack up the PC and the A/C charger we found ‘down under’ that we use in the truck. We’re off to McGregor, IA, across the River for lunch. <br /><br />It is weird to be back here. We can’t figure out where we ate before and I didn’t check my journal. We can’t find the ‘chicken’ place Bob saw on-line when we were still in Sycamore (back when we had a connection—we should not have been complaining about our come-and-go connection there; at least we had one!) We end up eating at Old Man River on the main drag. Bob has a Raben (half and half—turkey and corned beef.) Pulled Pork for me. It ticks me off that Bob gets French fries as a side—a mound big enough to choke a horse. I get a side salad and it comes in a bowl the size of half of a softball. I swear this country does not want you to eat healthy. In fact, you are encouraged to eat poorly. The US Open is on the cable TV but the screen is behind a pole. Soon the patrons switch the channel to World Cup Soccer. <br /><br />It clouds over and is rainy. We go out to the truck and plug in our A/C charger into the cigarette lighter. The unit starts smoking like crazy so we don’t plug the PC into it. We have to open the windows and air out the truck. So much for that. We get a Telegraph Tribune (DuBuque) on the way home. Maybe we can see a weather forecast in the paper. On the way back to the RV Park we go in the second entrance but it is not a good exit for the RV when we leave here. Back home Bob checks our charger. It has stopped smoking and the voltage meter says it’s putting out 125 volts. Go figure. Maybe there was a bug in it that burned up. It’s 3:26 p.m. and 73 degrees. It is cooler now with 63% humidity. <br /><br />My migraine is almost gone. That is my second migraine after the left side neck pain that I started experiencing. Whatever. We read for a while then get ready for tonight’s family gathering. Around 5:00 we head north on K to 35 and continue north along The Great River Road, across the Mississippi to 9/26 to Front St., past the boat landing place for tomorrow’s reunion cruise, on to Columbus Rd. to Tony and Gertie’s, Bob’s cousins’ home. The whole gang is in the garage.<br /><br />Bob's cousin's Tony and Gertie treat us all to brats and a fun dinner in their garage at their lovely home in Lansing, IA. Gertie later generously shares her honey mustard pretzel dip recipe. Very Tasty! I'll just post a picture of our festivities in their garage and say a good time was had by all.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnvNqug1Rq9qisF0ifNoDE45-aACEFKHHLr0Nv1Z2hFTcK5ATPNm3zPTZKdbw9lwsmPTwc8kr_8WI9Q8O4h_ZVYdj6sd1ud7GXAb8P80qAUEvvOiC5QKceHDBh0bv8IC24_a-SDqGJJVc/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+067DonnaLarryBobDougDarleneRichardLinda.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnvNqug1Rq9qisF0ifNoDE45-aACEFKHHLr0Nv1Z2hFTcK5ATPNm3zPTZKdbw9lwsmPTwc8kr_8WI9Q8O4h_ZVYdj6sd1ud7GXAb8P80qAUEvvOiC5QKceHDBh0bv8IC24_a-SDqGJJVc/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+067DonnaLarryBobDougDarleneRichardLinda.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597749354066251410" />Friday night brat fest at Tony and Gertie's</a><br /><br /><strong>Saturday, June 19,</strong> Up at 6:22 a.m. Cooler, sunny, blue skies and windy. Stretch, breakfast, get cleaned up and hit the road by 10:00. It's 10:12 before we find the trash dumpster and get out of the campground. Bob cleaned up off the windshield-lots of bugs from last night.<br /><br />Gorgeous drive along The Great River Road. We get to the Mississippi Explorer Landing at 10:45. Tony is out front flagging folks down. We park at the ball diamond. I hop in the restroom (saw Donna go across the street.) We file down the ramp to board the boat and leave promptly at 11:00. As we come down the ramp, those already on board show us their better sides!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlgOKx2CDtiaBXVZxLARmDWpbXSwOpOwccpfJBIwj00YkQNa2IsNDBia76pMBRkBJibBa9EdyM0yQxW0S3M59rJS2z-MR6W81UalRQG_RZKG04-SS0uHWrGmJS1ETPI_w0CE8mXNh5A3k/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+098MissExplorerCruisesBernieMoon.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlgOKx2CDtiaBXVZxLARmDWpbXSwOpOwccpfJBIwj00YkQNa2IsNDBia76pMBRkBJibBa9EdyM0yQxW0S3M59rJS2z-MR6W81UalRQG_RZKG04-SS0uHWrGmJS1ETPI_w0CE8mXNh5A3k/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+098MissExplorerCruisesBernieMoon.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597755157165463602" />Bernie shows us his best side</a><br /><br />Captain Jack takes the whole family reunion group on a cruise up the Mighty Mississippi River. The weather is perfect, we enjoy a great lunch on the boat and have a nice relaxing time to visit and catch up.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE1cg_rAprHoZIOWaEt_HLYPuPYSmJ710Abp-fRAEmVj-roiVwgUYPGLKIwKPU9vKFoeTNGAlEfI5P_tnnEO2BoEI1UgLx8VN2DN1K45FcgigvBvwFtGIGFzddX1-7TtKmdA5nVp8QSOU/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+100MissExplorerCruisesPatAdamMelissaPatJulieMegan.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE1cg_rAprHoZIOWaEt_HLYPuPYSmJ710Abp-fRAEmVj-roiVwgUYPGLKIwKPU9vKFoeTNGAlEfI5P_tnnEO2BoEI1UgLx8VN2DN1K45FcgigvBvwFtGIGFzddX1-7TtKmdA5nVp8QSOU/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+100MissExplorerCruisesPatAdamMelissaPatJulieMegan.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597755542428389138" />Bon Voyage!</a><br /><br />We leave promptly at 11:00. We sit out on the front sun deck with Pat, Jackie, Megan, Julie, Amber and Adam. Pat has us all roaring with her definition of a Whale Tail (big gal bent over with a thong!) The cruise is very relaxing. We see an eagle and its nest. Our lunch is fresh rolls, turkey, ham, cheese, cheese curds (of course), Jell-O, veges with Gertie's great mustard dip and heavenly cookies.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAixcV0vaFQHyQBtZX5SC7trGJRW94y8lg8AB7zwAxoVy5PuIiLwWOlF9OSQ3aNTByTa-lnYxbruQ-e0KXN_yBt0cXxjf0yp0_mRsP6E6JSdYIJFOLngt2WOLq0nbp846lp3O2SW0KahE/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+130MissExplorerCruiseDonnaBob.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAixcV0vaFQHyQBtZX5SC7trGJRW94y8lg8AB7zwAxoVy5PuIiLwWOlF9OSQ3aNTByTa-lnYxbruQ-e0KXN_yBt0cXxjf0yp0_mRsP6E6JSdYIJFOLngt2WOLq0nbp846lp3O2SW0KahE/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+130MissExplorerCruiseDonnaBob.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597756612533328418" />Bob and his Colorado cousin, Donna Monat, enjoy the cruise</a><br /><br />Dan is finally here this morning. And Ted and Cindy too. We all have time to chat and relax on this perfect trip. We're back by 1:00 and after the cruise we all make a caravan in our vehicles up to Mt. Hosmer. At 6th and Main we navigate the longest, steepest paved incline in Iowa and stop at the overlook on the way up. You can see where we just cruised. On to the top where we play Frisbeer, take official reunion pictures and enjoy this gorgeous day.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUxRpSNCGCcC409lenh_6gfXaUIp1kJtv3CFV8e_i8PJ-7YebXvi3QrsNXCb41dLn77VYSg-c75ios0f13emzr20R2nzTgbuvm7nlcQn-k2-y5-M5W4YM2OLxzoL2Av7t2al6LtS5KeyY/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+160MtHosmer.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUxRpSNCGCcC409lenh_6gfXaUIp1kJtv3CFV8e_i8PJ-7YebXvi3QrsNXCb41dLn77VYSg-c75ios0f13emzr20R2nzTgbuvm7nlcQn-k2-y5-M5W4YM2OLxzoL2Av7t2al6LtS5KeyY/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+160MtHosmer.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597758568772181090" />We all enjoy the view from Mt. Hosmer on the bluffs above the Mississippi</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGEduX2Uh4_0JRVJ-gSP4a9X21BMIRmaqIQEiYL1uuK3-N8UVsLQGkl_575dOn1Q6v_lohyb1YEuZZnclRXkYdEOmvpeqdk6GS6itaPomScEiNoMoxD1jJbzx3XIU5mt7eg9ThtaQbZFM/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+170MtHosmerRitaDonna.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGEduX2Uh4_0JRVJ-gSP4a9X21BMIRmaqIQEiYL1uuK3-N8UVsLQGkl_575dOn1Q6v_lohyb1YEuZZnclRXkYdEOmvpeqdk6GS6itaPomScEiNoMoxD1jJbzx3XIU5mt7eg9ThtaQbZFM/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+170MtHosmerRitaDonna.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597759645951514210" />Reet and Donna at Mt. Hosmer</a><br /><br />Another group is using the pavilion (there are no reservations here.) But the threat of bad weather led our hosts to get the Community Center in town for our dinner later. We all play and visit at City Park until 5:00.<br /><br />Gertie, Cindy, Donna, Patti and I re-enact our "ladies' sculpture garden walk" from the Colorado Reunion. Patti replaces Bob and we're missing Nancy this time. Brandy takes our picture as we deface the WWII Memorial in the park. What a hoot. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBlYZFB7BkpoiCgpAsuncwQHddGIIQqDC98H3xA5zjMSWRAEq5swwSDwZS24bt5inpy3UzIrnDhDIlzcAOp8wWkhhMNC2RIELr506BUVbpeF4sj-0MERuYqePiKY0HW6nMlLh14IMhrgM/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+175WWIMemlSculptureCindyRitaDonnaPattiGertie.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBlYZFB7BkpoiCgpAsuncwQHddGIIQqDC98H3xA5zjMSWRAEq5swwSDwZS24bt5inpy3UzIrnDhDIlzcAOp8wWkhhMNC2RIELr506BUVbpeF4sj-0MERuYqePiKY0HW6nMlLh14IMhrgM/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+175WWIMemlSculptureCindyRitaDonnaPattiGertie.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597760179651918114" />Cindy, Rita, Donna, Patti and Gertie at WWI Memorial re-create our "sculpture" photo from last reunion in Colorado</a><br /><br />Gertie and Donna brave the poison ivy on the dirt trial down to Lansing overlook. I wanted a picture but no way I was walking in sandals with poison ivy. Back in the park, Callie and Darlene work furiously on embroidered tea towels for the auction later. Big games of Corn Hole and Frisbeer (bottles of beer on a pole that you knock off with a Frisbee while the other team tries to catch it.)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVBJsTq6ydt-eZVhNxn14p7ztGg3f5WG99M9sE_WXRs3_C_KyatAwXOG-8Fe5xHdm-UQHDhzzypLpLYJoA64t-B4PpUQePzUbn_9s4I3yb2B4BTNDerChElm7WrIorY2nyYyitkXns7E/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+179MtHosmerTrain.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVBJsTq6ydt-eZVhNxn14p7ztGg3f5WG99M9sE_WXRs3_C_KyatAwXOG-8Fe5xHdm-UQHDhzzypLpLYJoA64t-B4PpUQePzUbn_9s4I3yb2B4BTNDerChElm7WrIorY2nyYyitkXns7E/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+179MtHosmerTrain.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597761117872593122" />Love this picture of the train roaring along the River just below Mt. Hosmer</a><br /><br />Each family in attendance poses beneath the reunion banner for an official picture. Mike and Donna Monat adopted Bob and I for this family shot!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrpMc1EdzmXPVG_aBBwLc1tYN-BgdgVq4Q0TXKVNObomMDI5LGl_Uf2xdwME7GoKCDfJ_E9KHelxoER0oikO-w-6QoeFgOCfN9nURcgbLdasWr-V0Nd85fY2BgiP7hAnjK_T-9jKewtp4/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+211DonnaMichaelRitaBobMonat.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrpMc1EdzmXPVG_aBBwLc1tYN-BgdgVq4Q0TXKVNObomMDI5LGl_Uf2xdwME7GoKCDfJ_E9KHelxoER0oikO-w-6QoeFgOCfN9nURcgbLdasWr-V0Nd85fY2BgiP7hAnjK_T-9jKewtp4/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+211DonnaMichaelRitaBobMonat.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597762006508974546" />Donna, Mike, Rita and Bob</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZL2tI_926beq4GwteJ2Nkbol29-tPIcngGkXi6LHohAlelPxIR5YxZ_5JXHj_zTqJkoIUxGYOY-FirM3luRK93XoikX1hUbmEDld1_57l_6DoiNJ5fc3XY5pYYQiQCd7VsJLGodphQ3w/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+315Banner2010.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZL2tI_926beq4GwteJ2Nkbol29-tPIcngGkXi6LHohAlelPxIR5YxZ_5JXHj_zTqJkoIUxGYOY-FirM3luRK93XoikX1hUbmEDld1_57l_6DoiNJ5fc3XY5pYYQiQCd7VsJLGodphQ3w/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+315Banner2010.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597767879440859954" />Reunions are held every three years and each time a new section is added to the banner. Here's the Lansing, IA, 2010 addition</a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZ8VNLDh7pjndwMP-6RgevGroZPSckiZykedDLNeGFadx0SzRc9WiW6V-H0_0u4j1g2O6KCVVAqq9nOmC7T0b9xag_Q44TPQRIHp9IiCeBA4ag9QVmGn3F-jyPaOBj0K1_R1SrqeCwrA/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+228Group.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZ8VNLDh7pjndwMP-6RgevGroZPSckiZykedDLNeGFadx0SzRc9WiW6V-H0_0u4j1g2O6KCVVAqq9nOmC7T0b9xag_Q44TPQRIHp9IiCeBA4ag9QVmGn3F-jyPaOBj0K1_R1SrqeCwrA/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+228Group.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597763188092289058" />Here's the whole gang</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1o_3-IZszCXaU3CQ4NMqiLFR_BPAGxQL-1c73xUpyo1kv7uMloFSwQHaQpZlb2EMYBpUBW5_IoBpLQBsS7lwxUfjgLgrn6-AigR2SI5PlrIY5sRqdD0kiRoVdYGX0c56UdA9mJX4Lboc/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+237CousinsTonyBernieJimDarleneBobAngieTedPatMichaelDan.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1o_3-IZszCXaU3CQ4NMqiLFR_BPAGxQL-1c73xUpyo1kv7uMloFSwQHaQpZlb2EMYBpUBW5_IoBpLQBsS7lwxUfjgLgrn6-AigR2SI5PlrIY5sRqdD0kiRoVdYGX0c56UdA9mJX4Lboc/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+237CousinsTonyBernieJimDarleneBobAngieTedPatMichaelDan.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597763652929182882" />Here's Bob with all of his first cousins</a><br /><br />Next stop is the community center at 4th and Main in town around 5:00 for dinner and the auction. Doug, Darlene and their grandson ride with us. Everyone brings items to auction off to help defray costs for the next reunion. It's fun to see what everyone brought. We have a great dinner including; chicken, mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, veges, and 100 desserts! Great strawberry cream Jell-O salad on graham/pretzel crust. Bob and I sit at the table with Pat and Dan's girls (Adam too) and Ben and Heather.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhK7dRy_a9Y6X_FZhap2rr7PJXyVozgvjzM40RClfio9N4PHUrz_XWtP-UFZRqtAYiw5MQa4Sua2BDRl8dQDDx1edZh1AqgmOaYgPdmCfLRqnSxm3P1xW8dlmjSi8FPaVJBZE47L3ctic/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+276GertieTony.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhK7dRy_a9Y6X_FZhap2rr7PJXyVozgvjzM40RClfio9N4PHUrz_XWtP-UFZRqtAYiw5MQa4Sua2BDRl8dQDDx1edZh1AqgmOaYgPdmCfLRqnSxm3P1xW8dlmjSi8FPaVJBZE47L3ctic/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+276GertieTony.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597765035266603890" />Our reunion hosts, Gertie and Tony, get the auction kicked off</a><br /><br />Gertie and Tony hand out fun prizes. Mike and Donna get "traveled the greatest distance from Colorado." Patti gets "first to RSVP." Bob and I get a Minnesota map so we don't get lost when we leave. Linda and Richard have been to every reunion since the first. Michael starts the auction as Donna hands of record keeping duties to Amber and Lorraine. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszp_mUzsDNzYnL9g701b4fvnuISId5qDfPXG8eJlmIGcn0WwpMl4oPLZ97LeDMb_vMuCwTpt3nSx3c8be5w2rEuxAQQ0UaRsfjoQblLXbwYJRa2yVTCZnvU1HBNrAijpePgROpDmjUE4/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+294GertiesFriendsPhotoQuilt.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszp_mUzsDNzYnL9g701b4fvnuISId5qDfPXG8eJlmIGcn0WwpMl4oPLZ97LeDMb_vMuCwTpt3nSx3c8be5w2rEuxAQQ0UaRsfjoQblLXbwYJRa2yVTCZnvU1HBNrAijpePgROpDmjUE4/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+294GertiesFriendsPhotoQuilt.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597765727590751202" />Gertie's friend quilted this photo quilt for the auction</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjatfgzbF4LkC0lOFQogl7GuwI7Gd0N8ti9LeJQdcCIN1fxHYcGig-nvr9IvHagEx9MNhJOS1E3f7EPizQNjLSWIANXs6rkkORI46DN2yRmz8vUf5XLZoau-bgmy-S3cbkAbR-T8ZuU6bA/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+259GertiePhotoquilt.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjatfgzbF4LkC0lOFQogl7GuwI7Gd0N8ti9LeJQdcCIN1fxHYcGig-nvr9IvHagEx9MNhJOS1E3f7EPizQNjLSWIANXs6rkkORI46DN2yRmz8vUf5XLZoau-bgmy-S3cbkAbR-T8ZuU6bA/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+259GertiePhotoquilt.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597766043996619858" />Can you spot Bob's Dad amongst his aunts and uncles?</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFj_JCZLW7TrT3ew0aVu-8gbqIrdjnweG_AcOpf7biVu7bVmqQGVbwIx4YKnolF3bTt8pDYG8rR6tiv_rXcZnPzFuBoQc_kRAhofvywv4vohpDjBEqmNyAzJyloTU-W59F91mK38PT7-M/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+307.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFj_JCZLW7TrT3ew0aVu-8gbqIrdjnweG_AcOpf7biVu7bVmqQGVbwIx4YKnolF3bTt8pDYG8rR6tiv_rXcZnPzFuBoQc_kRAhofvywv4vohpDjBEqmNyAzJyloTU-W59F91mK38PT7-M/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+307.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597766959208243890" />Bob's cousin Patti from Missouri made this signature quilt. She collected signatures at the last reunion in Colorado three years ago</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC15Ve5GDLETnylGLx9N3D1i8bVaE2WAiNNTa4Hsy0-DeG2QNcrszpJZRb47elRHtldpV-A4GrcmYQQ2yLNOZPu754G1vNdmJ0WzH33Vf7een2QQbri9-dqAh9D1u1fGJAgvEd4PHF01c/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+272PattiSignatureQuilt.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC15Ve5GDLETnylGLx9N3D1i8bVaE2WAiNNTa4Hsy0-DeG2QNcrszpJZRb47elRHtldpV-A4GrcmYQQ2yLNOZPu754G1vNdmJ0WzH33Vf7een2QQbri9-dqAh9D1u1fGJAgvEd4PHF01c/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+272PattiSignatureQuilt.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597767370584729202" />Here's a close-up of Bob's 15 seconds of fame on Patti's quilt</a><br /><br />The auction is a big success. We all pack up and head to the next event. Our final stop for the day is 'the cabin' where we have a huge bonfire, hayride and say our farewells. We take Michael's drink stand that he bought at the auction (Jim made it from Black Walnut wood off the farm-it has Rockies beer and wine glasses.) Hmmm....those might just stay in our truck!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3q1nCnfTo9gqZqPa7-ywpvHNLL8tHqg8WBNGQcsspEyP4Q0y6q_pqlEG2leJjbFD4sB0I48MdfmcDNx_rJ2xJDehGD-F8_JS-sZCb1rgGjlFW1kg3cHBETIAGDfrBYh-Ey1_DdrK2dLQ/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+323JimNancyCedarCreek30Foot5thWheel.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3q1nCnfTo9gqZqPa7-ywpvHNLL8tHqg8WBNGQcsspEyP4Q0y6q_pqlEG2leJjbFD4sB0I48MdfmcDNx_rJ2xJDehGD-F8_JS-sZCb1rgGjlFW1kg3cHBETIAGDfrBYh-Ey1_DdrK2dLQ/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+323JimNancyCedarCreek30Foot5thWheel.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597769064700840450" />We get to tour Jim and Nancy (Iowa Monat's) Cedar Creek, rear kitchen RV!</a><br /><br />Jim finally gives us a tour of their 30-foot 5th wheel. It's a 2004 and loo9ks like new. Very nice floor plan. I get Deet out of the truck for Lorraine and Amber, put my tennis shoes on and we all keep moving back from the huge bonfire.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUw8Ozv_7-W6aK9hlOV4fkj98U9aMb50DBvK3pm4wILDtp6oCl6IB3cJgqKUTWoRrefQLQzFZ9IACneJoUc3aC0Is4ZQBj2lBMs9mj2eBd9z1BHXjCnPch-ZB-d418w1Ju1LPsn7ob1so/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+326ReetBonfireAtCabin.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUw8Ozv_7-W6aK9hlOV4fkj98U9aMb50DBvK3pm4wILDtp6oCl6IB3cJgqKUTWoRrefQLQzFZ9IACneJoUc3aC0Is4ZQBj2lBMs9mj2eBd9z1BHXjCnPch-ZB-d418w1Ju1LPsn7ob1so/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+326ReetBonfireAtCabin.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597769843858925810" />I stood by the fire so you could get the idea how big this blaze was!</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6BYax0neSlmh8eYr1pZ2RhF2t6XYdlRST3Qu1iGQTWJFm7V3nLQ-rmPRK7zfzq5SKdKmN7jt-3I1rlRAVC_y9nOqGIW4LhlGYr3qKpt7mvTqqdtCOxwCLJczS6R_Vv-kqAIj32ELaq9A/s1600/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+335BonfireAtCabin.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6BYax0neSlmh8eYr1pZ2RhF2t6XYdlRST3Qu1iGQTWJFm7V3nLQ-rmPRK7zfzq5SKdKmN7jt-3I1rlRAVC_y9nOqGIW4LhlGYr3qKpt7mvTqqdtCOxwCLJczS6R_Vv-kqAIj32ELaq9A/s400/IALansing_2010MonatFamilyReunion_+335BonfireAtCabin.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597770530287982242" />Several of us took pictures with our "moon", "candle", "fireworks" settings on our cameras. I'm sure someone has a better one but I thought this one came out pretty good</a><br /><br />Goodbyes all around. We sure hate to say farewell to Michael and Donna. Bob and I leave at 11:15. What a day. We get home by midnight as we watch a half moon hang over the Mississippi all the way back to our campground in Prairie du Chien. We're exhausted but it sure was a grand time! There is thick smoke hanging in our campground from the seasonal campers.Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-80505732889063291922010-07-27T16:19:00.000-07:002012-01-12T14:02:19.590-08:002010 Jun 3 - Jun 5 Hudson Collection in Shipshewana, IN<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYvW9MmtsK_y9L9knl6wvIjcN0AxUO2-EtOloZSCF8HNzRE9lv_5ksEoFJLQY-lJz_VM_QdcDYy-BhRfAC2RVsphx4fFetFYVyxLKUTqZ9ewz0X5NyanIf45wvKpUqgtTrV4lPw-1dg6k/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+354.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYvW9MmtsK_y9L9knl6wvIjcN0AxUO2-EtOloZSCF8HNzRE9lv_5ksEoFJLQY-lJz_VM_QdcDYy-BhRfAC2RVsphx4fFetFYVyxLKUTqZ9ewz0X5NyanIf45wvKpUqgtTrV4lPw-1dg6k/s320/HudsonAutoMuseum+354.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498731598751580434" /></a><br /><strong>Thursday, June 3,</strong> I get up at 8:00. After breakfast we go to Shipshewana around 11:00. We wave at Don and Jim as we head out. They are on the porch with a fire going already. On our way to Shipshewana we see a funny sign again that says “Backyard Bull Bash.” I don’t even want to speculate! <br /><br />When we park at the museum we find old Cadillacs on the parking lot. I don’t know if there is a car show in town but it’s obvious they drove them here. We check them out and I snap pictures before we head inside. Here in Shipshewana Eldon and Esta Hostetler have amassed “The most complete collection of Hudson’s in the world.” The docent tells us that the Hudsons we saw at Gilmore Auto Museum in Michigan were part of this collection on loan. The couple left the collection to the city of Shipshewana along with a $5 Million endowment and the land to go with it. The <A HREF="http://www.hostetlershudson.com/">Indian Hostetler’s Hudson Auto Museum</A> and a Conference Center were built. The Conference Center provides revenue for the collection upkeep and additions. <br /><br />The collection includes Hudsons from 1909 through 1957. We pay $8.00 each for admission. I snap some photos of Amish quilts in the lobby and get 14 postcards of these great old cars. As usual I’m fascinated with the hood ornaments, brake lights, emblems, trim, trunks and spare tires. The detail and craftsmanship are unreal. It’s easy to see why they had trouble staying in business. Like Studebaker, they made a product that was high in quality and too good to afford. <br /><br />In 1954 (the year I was born!) Hudson directors approved a merger with Nash to form the American Motors Corporation. Later that year production was move to the Nash factories in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The Hudson production continued although it grew to resemble the Nash until 1957 when the Hudson name-plate was dropped. American Motors concentrated on the production of the Rambler (and we all know how that worked out for them.) Approximately four million Hudson (two million), Essex and Terraplanes were built during the 46 years of production! Placing that figure in perspective, Henry Ford introduced the Model T in 1908 and by 1924, in less than 17 years of total production, the 10 millionth Model T rolled off the line. The original stock holders of Hudson now hold stock in Daimler-Chrysler Corporation after American Motors acquired Kaiser-Jeep in 1970 and Chrysler engineered a take-over of American Motors in 1987. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJ89YWENyw-CPzvN81Q5eNHt27o5UjWkubrinZSrNEEDmFGxlyINgE-ApU0_i457Cw5mhb7izFTn8oIH4ctocH__zlA1_vc-V_lQ9RuSNj_8VNuTTJLOZyRBM23fLPeNdvPe9rvUQSOQ/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+360.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJ89YWENyw-CPzvN81Q5eNHt27o5UjWkubrinZSrNEEDmFGxlyINgE-ApU0_i457Cw5mhb7izFTn8oIH4ctocH__zlA1_vc-V_lQ9RuSNj_8VNuTTJLOZyRBM23fLPeNdvPe9rvUQSOQ/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+360.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498735148240649026" />Love the color of this 1929 Hudson R Coupe</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXqE30pMJqmadZ068RHbWMJ1Hvc6pR-tGnqOuZJvhUx6Nxfrtyyg1kcsmA7jj28QBt5Mad-VVByHfLmKj2X-S1-npAJxGNOkcTxbiCOAQCLIYsZhQTAc5DnHvZSi7UC7_rjjyyTgNmsU/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+362.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXqE30pMJqmadZ068RHbWMJ1Hvc6pR-tGnqOuZJvhUx6Nxfrtyyg1kcsmA7jj28QBt5Mad-VVByHfLmKj2X-S1-npAJxGNOkcTxbiCOAQCLIYsZhQTAc5DnHvZSi7UC7_rjjyyTgNmsU/s320/HudsonAutoMuseum+362.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498735608902318962" />I just love these fancy hood ornaments-this one is from the R Coupe above</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZ61zYQygpLydNwpbDlYAstXvPP3mcmL4zs5iMMlriGQYTZ0O_rbeaMmJpLIK7i4kUnVqsyRWGQ9v48O1aRSh2THinB8fPciSy5vmN_4cBaHD7OUB96e63tekXhlu-zHgp0q1zOBiRo4/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+405.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZ61zYQygpLydNwpbDlYAstXvPP3mcmL4zs5iMMlriGQYTZ0O_rbeaMmJpLIK7i4kUnVqsyRWGQ9v48O1aRSh2THinB8fPciSy5vmN_4cBaHD7OUB96e63tekXhlu-zHgp0q1zOBiRo4/s320/HudsonAutoMuseum+405.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498738487418870194" />Pretty racey for the 1928 4-door Town Car</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXHmUFPpCM6PeibQgPSjOzy284rQovXIqBzjmLmf7mdhtuKGNnOV_Z3AOoG3Ga7WaWEG2yyfKeWYZxkFL_h7nsxBCELxxfQGBaNSwQPIt0ARwBzndOXhO9Kr2gwteuQuP39lFWAFEs9-4/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+427.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXHmUFPpCM6PeibQgPSjOzy284rQovXIqBzjmLmf7mdhtuKGNnOV_Z3AOoG3Ga7WaWEG2yyfKeWYZxkFL_h7nsxBCELxxfQGBaNSwQPIt0ARwBzndOXhO9Kr2gwteuQuP39lFWAFEs9-4/s320/HudsonAutoMuseum+427.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498739139307280482" />Fancy door handles!</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsoy1E3u2Qpx_uwHIxlQRRUNR2p7wqkbD1eD_J35EulEbuVS795ZMJzjfGGZ-Rx3nnT0_sYLuiaxCLj8jcmIzVjc2yuFAWODY7mOAm9lwbWrIVElcQNqykRIeunapXlFv-P8lur8PV6kc/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+429.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsoy1E3u2Qpx_uwHIxlQRRUNR2p7wqkbD1eD_J35EulEbuVS795ZMJzjfGGZ-Rx3nnT0_sYLuiaxCLj8jcmIzVjc2yuFAWODY7mOAm9lwbWrIVElcQNqykRIeunapXlFv-P8lur8PV6kc/s320/HudsonAutoMuseum+429.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498739592086686594" />And fancy instrument panel to match!</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHseHiZ9uIinWQvPUk3QYdhlPwSPGFMoX9R5RFnEQp90evbI18g60kcvr-oMgXpmVSLzDSclbjepbqANiEmoYoc2eq6DU5XQp5EHMJvMDaQnGzbDCzLMQePU-cFiLOPBui3nhs1O8TsjI/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+431.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHseHiZ9uIinWQvPUk3QYdhlPwSPGFMoX9R5RFnEQp90evbI18g60kcvr-oMgXpmVSLzDSclbjepbqANiEmoYoc2eq6DU5XQp5EHMJvMDaQnGzbDCzLMQePU-cFiLOPBui3nhs1O8TsjI/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+431.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498740098138178658" />And here's the 1929 Model L club Sedan with fancy features on the exterior too</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINvW3-SRPANP7GKOa1HKvA1xaOK__FcQv-sCPtFD77ppUgkgE_LFbnPRXjdn2NQAgQLFP22uJFx84tBdL5Rg0rJZ_kdZvj_eaC9wy1pZ4irNfHi14WcFABbz-nQSXSgboYitYChIK2vE/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+424.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINvW3-SRPANP7GKOa1HKvA1xaOK__FcQv-sCPtFD77ppUgkgE_LFbnPRXjdn2NQAgQLFP22uJFx84tBdL5Rg0rJZ_kdZvj_eaC9wy1pZ4irNfHi14WcFABbz-nQSXSgboYitYChIK2vE/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+424.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498737088649675266" />1937 Terraplane Pick-up Express, 6 cylinder, 88hp, Cost $700</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcWnuGYRsIb9_9H16I44zf5WpZ1FwGIKXtUl_UHp1v_2J6-MkUDv9aHlSK9AqQgCI3DHnup_PxywH9E7E3AqvSrTqssVg86jz8ny9-FlNdHivrWkcNbhJiFjOUOGzCawCR1f08ZPYcYx0/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+502.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcWnuGYRsIb9_9H16I44zf5WpZ1FwGIKXtUl_UHp1v_2J6-MkUDv9aHlSK9AqQgCI3DHnup_PxywH9E7E3AqvSrTqssVg86jz8ny9-FlNdHivrWkcNbhJiFjOUOGzCawCR1f08ZPYcYx0/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+502.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498741560659180866" />Check the detail on this 1942 Woody Station Wagon</a><br /><br />Bob and I always try to pick out our favorites before we leave. He went with the boatail, 1931 Hudson T Model Sports Roadster. Only 12 of these eight-cylinder beauties were produced. They had a 233.7 cid engine, weighed 2,675 lbs and had a wheelbase of 119”. The boatail body was Bob’s favorite Auburn as well. Only five of these cars survive today. <br /><br />I had a hard time choosing but at last I had to go with the 1929 Hudson Dual Cowl, Four Door, Sport Phaeton. This five-passenger Phaeton was built on the Hudson Great eight Model T chassis. It is one of the 7 of the original 17 left today. The engine is six cylinders and 288.5 cid with 92 horsepower. It weighs 2,940 lbs. and cost $1,300 new; later the price was cut to $965! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuv3eoGikzEWguTke6Ar9wh7-BbolCmxDtnbw_HcMlc97GMMpvydSiKHpG6dRKiNak346Dh-3N5IIItiVS05aKURV7LcsQCD3IJNsXDeReYjxnMSdUEo9F4TyXbq2e7Gl3ZyVqUoDS2so/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+440.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuv3eoGikzEWguTke6Ar9wh7-BbolCmxDtnbw_HcMlc97GMMpvydSiKHpG6dRKiNak346Dh-3N5IIItiVS05aKURV7LcsQCD3IJNsXDeReYjxnMSdUEo9F4TyXbq2e7Gl3ZyVqUoDS2so/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+440.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498733349952184418" />Rita's favorite--1929 Hudson: Dual Cowl, Four Door, Sport Phaeton, 6 cylinder, 92hp, Cost $1,300</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ3GFoU588UXOqQUUdTV9bSxsg5JOeMbCbpplSFyu0Ae4zYqhxFuR9ivXycoIaQuMTwSgkCTL0ocrRSXBxx_lGTei2nB72ah6u6tXw4iGtOnamtYEE3bLIknJrzVP5g1m2oBQqx3RGDzM/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+445.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ3GFoU588UXOqQUUdTV9bSxsg5JOeMbCbpplSFyu0Ae4zYqhxFuR9ivXycoIaQuMTwSgkCTL0ocrRSXBxx_lGTei2nB72ah6u6tXw4iGtOnamtYEE3bLIknJrzVP5g1m2oBQqx3RGDzM/s320/HudsonAutoMuseum+445.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498740793624339346" />Close-up of the spare tire on my Phaeton</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdGjgoNhVACadk9zO64tYwT7ZPpMQ1d7VqwphBj0y1cAOOgFAS3eJPpvnWvEjkaTo0oXa-ubdhMqnziUM0miFY_xl0zafwAzShdvq52MbNSg3fwghMjG-PmQAIP3xg2vduXSO1RRtRO0/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+628.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdGjgoNhVACadk9zO64tYwT7ZPpMQ1d7VqwphBj0y1cAOOgFAS3eJPpvnWvEjkaTo0oXa-ubdhMqnziUM0miFY_xl0zafwAzShdvq52MbNSg3fwghMjG-PmQAIP3xg2vduXSO1RRtRO0/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+628.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498734250813811698" />Bob's favorite: 1931 Hudson T Sports Roadster, Custom built boatail body, 8 cylinder, 87hp, only five of these survive!</a><br /><br />We are dazzled by color and style as we leave this fun museum. I take more quilt pictures in the lobby and we head across the street to Yoder’s (Yup’s owner perhaps?) meats and cheeses. For $21.00 we get a basket load of smoked turkey bacon, Wind ‘n Willow cheese ball mix, Boysenberry jam, pickles, chocolate-covered sunflower seeds, oyster crackers, chocolate graham pretzels, and munchies for trail mix. The flax seed corn chips turn out to be our favorites. Now we’re really starving. But first we go to the antique mall across the street. We get halfway through and have to go find lunch. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPqO6a-KDUsFuZtem6exdcWr_CdOBiVhNz44jFjevM3OyzNCkY1kHxgN5ikTPFtaNbVHzk4Ut-qTh2GnXB8xfwFLbf32icii1-CUbxoFwPO0Jnw_JQSP3RR-nDT6noRJgb2B8FtZ91UJs/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+357.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPqO6a-KDUsFuZtem6exdcWr_CdOBiVhNz44jFjevM3OyzNCkY1kHxgN5ikTPFtaNbVHzk4Ut-qTh2GnXB8xfwFLbf32icii1-CUbxoFwPO0Jnw_JQSP3RR-nDT6noRJgb2B8FtZ91UJs/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+357.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498731912263772546" />Local quilt hanging in the lobby with a price tag of $695.00</a><br /><br />We head to US 20 where we see Dutchmaid Diner and we do a bat turn in a gas station. But I spot a Dollar General so we hop in for Bob’s SoBe’s. Another $44.00 later we head back to the diner. It’s 3:05 and they closed at 3:00. Will we ever get lunch? We walk in the Amish produce place next door and get amazing tomatoes, apricots, grapes and bananas for very reasonable prices. We see a young Amish boy about five or six years old in bib overalls with a big straw hat who has a tall twist ice cream cone. We love those cones and will have to come back after lunch. <br /><br />By now we are deadly serious about lunch. We go directly to Rulli’s, Sam and Mary run this four generation Italian restaurant. We saw this place with Rick and Debbie on our Sunday drive on US 20 in Middlebury but didn’t stop. Bob has Good Fella’s Pasta (chicken, sausage, tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach in a sweet marinara sauce with ricotta cheese sauce over rigatoni, garnished with crushed red peppers.) I had Stuffed Chicken Breast (breaded boneless chicken breast stuffed with broccoli and mozzarella with a side of pasta.) We both enjoyed a trip to the soup and salad bar. Thankfully the buffet was closed. They had plenty of fancy side salads that were really good (big shell macaronis, broccoli salad, cabbage salad and three-bean salad.) I really enjoyed the savory vegetable beef soup. <br /><br />We rolled out with ‘go boxes’ and made it home by 5:00. I made some Chocolate PB Ritz cookies. Bob Googles Dunlop golf balls that we saw at the antique mall to get a feel for their value. It’s 5:55 p.m. and 75 degrees with 48% humidity. The high was 77 and the low was 63. <br /><br />The smoke coming out of Don’s fire pit smells like marijuana so we go out to give him some grief about it. He says “Shhh, don’t let everybody in on it!” We grab our lawn chairs and sit out with him. Soon Reva returns and then Jim, Ginger and finally Betty join us. Betty gives Bob two Sudoku books (she ordered 32 of them through the mail!) I share Ritz PB cookies with everyone. We watch the birds and hummers on Don’s feeders. Ginger almost catches a ground squirrel and stares up in the pines at a red squirrel forever. We chat until 9:15. What a fun evening with great weather. We go home and have a bowl of soup. I call Patti about the color of old hankies she’s looking for to make her blouse as we saw some at the antique mall. She wants blues to purples.<br /><br /><strong>Friday, June 4, Antiques and Bulk Foods in Shipshewana<br /></strong> up at 7:30, cloudy, chilly, 54. High gets to 80 and sun comes out in the afternoon. The local RV Park preacher knocks with a brochure regarding the Sunday service here at the park. After breakfast we go to Shipshewana to finish the Antique Mall. On the way we see a sign "Backyard Bull Bush." Hmmm..... I find 40 postcards, two mitt potholders, a sweater for Gertrude and a golf Valentine. Bob passes on Dunlop golf balls in the original box since they are not mint. He also passes on a chalk fish plaque.<br /><br />As we leave there are vendors setting up for an antique show tomorrow. We go to Dutchmaid Diner and have the buffet lunch. It beats the Amish place we ate at before; sausage cabbage soup, salad bar, great tender BBQ ribs, fried fish with tasty cornmeal coating, yummy dressing and the Banana Bread Pudding that was like a spice cake!<br /><br />On the same parking lot we go to E & S Bulk Foods. $31.00 later we emerge with lots of goodies that you can't find anywhere else. The store is very busy with Amish folks shopping along with the tourists. We're home by 4:30. I make crispy thingies with the Amish whole wheat English muffins in spite of 81 degree temp inside RV. The convection oven only raises the temp one degree while baking at 350 for 1/2 hours. No way that would have been the case with the propane oven. It's 5:45 p.m. and 80 degrees with 45% humidity.<br /><br />Bob and I bring the bikes in as it's supposed to rain tomorrow. I put some of the decor away (since the bikes sit in front of my sofa drawer storage.) Bob sweeps off the roof. Don and Reva and Jim and Betty are outside and they kabitz with us. I go over and say hi but then rejoin Bob so he can toss the broom down to me and restrap the ladder rack.<br /><br />We go inside and strap the bikes down. Don knocks and gives us a bowl of pecans (I guess he thought we weren't coming out.) We finish up and I package Crispy Thingies for the freezer. Then we go oustide. I join Betty and Reva at the picnic table. The guys are on the deck. Reva is cutting out cat fabric for doggie pants. Don't ask.<br /><br />Betty brings me two crossword books (she got a big order of them today.) How nice of her to share! Both her and Bob worked a "Wordoku" today. Don brings their laptop out and I show Reva how to send pictures as email attachments. I'm clueless about Windows 7 (her HP and operating system are great however.) It takes us several tries. Betty gets bored and calls it a night. Jim follows her home. Reva and I finally get it-Success! We sit out by the fire until 9:48. We go in for leftover pasta and watch "Change Your Brain; Change Your Body." It's 10:30 p.m. and 74 degrees with 58% humidity.<br /><br /><strong>Saturday, June 5, Reva's Email Pics and River Inn</strong> Up at 8:45 after reading 'til 3:00 a.m. Reva calls while I'm doing breakfast dishes around 11:30. She sent emails to me with picture attachments and wants to know if I got them. I was checking email and editing journal pages an hour ago but she just sent them. While I was on before I saw Patti's blog that says her daughter Sarah is engaged!<br /><br />Bob goes out to dump holding tanks and check air pressure. I clean up the kitchen and pack up the rest of the decor. Bob's over on Don's porch and it's sprinkling. I clean up and go over to join them. Reva comes out too. She gives me the cutest black shirt with red, white and blue motif (says the arms are too tight for her.) How nice of her to share with me. <br /><br />It really pours as we watch the rain. Patty next door starts her truck to charge their dead battery and walks over in the rain to join us for a few minutes. It's chilly and Reva gives me a towel for my legs and gives Bob a jacket. We're in shorts and short sleeves. <br /><br />There's a lull and Bob goes home to take a shower. That darn Don threatens to shut off our outside water--can you imagine? Bob emerges and I go home to put long pants on. I check email white I'm at it and get a cup of coffee. Reva successfully sent her pics via email (love that chipmunk with the pecans!) I go back over to their porch. Jim and Ginger join us. Jim invites us to a spaghetti dinner at their place at 1:30 tomorrow. We'll be long gone but it was nice of him to ask us. There's wine and cheese at noon or 1:00 today at the pavilion but we missed it.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcI_gKQ4NNLgZiQzO_B2HHda0qfwZvTG0SkKw9SBtyBG5lcVMxn2C4jrHcsjC94glXatGCuR__rmSlPu5_AfB-yCx8fCP4OeF1kvToh_2uVuEkr4_LO18jXwzEHmOBfeTejnIuvd1YsRsl/s1600/ChimpmunkPecan%2528640x480%2529.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcI_gKQ4NNLgZiQzO_B2HHda0qfwZvTG0SkKw9SBtyBG5lcVMxn2C4jrHcsjC94glXatGCuR__rmSlPu5_AfB-yCx8fCP4OeF1kvToh_2uVuEkr4_LO18jXwzEHmOBfeTejnIuvd1YsRsl/s400/ChimpmunkPecan%2528640x480%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696867849923110674" />Bold chipmunk</a><br /><br /><br />Reva and Betty are chatting with new arrivals (Amber and Jim?) Bob and I head to lunch at River Inn. We have a friendly waitress. I have hot chai latte tea in a cool clear glass mug. We both have Polish Beef Soup (same as vege beef soup we loved-waitress says the broth is grandma’s family secret "Buska" Hungarian? I have European Lake Perch lunch special with mojo's (big home fries.) Bob has Whitefish Sub. We donate $5.00 to young gal with cancer (but skip the raffle ticket for a side of beef!)<br /><br />We go to Speedway where the young kid behind the counter says "I would have no idea" when I ask him if their diesel is Ultra Low Sulphur. It is not marked on the pump. I head out the door and a nice guy by the check out with a cane says "Go to BP at CR 17 or Yoder's, they're the only places I know with it." How nice of him to speak up.<br /><br />So we go to BP. I have to go inside for the whole tax-exempt spiel. Remember when fueling up was simple? We go home under cloudy skies. It is not raining now but it looks like it might. Don and Reva are gone; the lid is on Don's fire. It's 4:30 p.m. and 69 degrees with 75% humidity. We watch James Taylor and Carol King special and old Ed Sullivan Rock 'n Roll. I work on RV Hall of Fame journal pages 'til 9:00. Don and Reva are still gone.Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-1299769028718885702010-07-27T15:24:00.000-07:002012-01-11T09:40:01.154-08:002010 Jun 2 Before and After Holiday Photos at Eby’s Pines CampgroundWednesday, June 2, I am abruptly awakened at 4:00 a.m. as a dog nearby lets out an unholy yelp for ten minutes. I thought it was a little kid being tortured. My neck is kinked again so I move to the couch and toss and turn there for an hour before I finally fall back asleep until 9:45! It is cloudy; one front came through in the wee hours of the morning and another arrives late morning. We had quite a bit of rain and some wind with the second one. <br /><br />I start my day with a stretch to work out my neck kink. Bob’s back is still delicate so we are quite a pair. After breakfast I work on my journal pages and Facebook until we have leftovers for lunch around 2:00. It’s possible all of this catching up of my journal and sitting at the laptop for hours on end is contributing to my neck issues. Whatever! I work on more journal pages after lunch. <br /><br />We go out for a walk with the camera to get “after holiday” shots of the campground. It is completely amazing how this place was transformed over the holiday weekend. It’s hard to describe if you haven’t experienced it. I’ve seen it before on other holidays in other campgrounds but I never took the time to gets ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures. You still had to be here to really get the feel of the circus atmosphere and then the isolation afterwards. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2-PwMzq6LZjD9vP578O6bRXvlG5sORTmQ5syWfEdskNvCi2hUBRukFzZwSqSn-ZdcIQmqwP4C-Qch9_JFLPaPaAo73SUlUACB23YrDXq_JGoMYiMGQ6qFqpymunq6VKKZS5VFC2EVP9Y/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+321.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2-PwMzq6LZjD9vP578O6bRXvlG5sORTmQ5syWfEdskNvCi2hUBRukFzZwSqSn-ZdcIQmqwP4C-Qch9_JFLPaPaAo73SUlUACB23YrDXq_JGoMYiMGQ6qFqpymunq6VKKZS5VFC2EVP9Y/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+321.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498720330047626338" />Our campground row without the holiday mob--The Titanic enjoys peace and quiet.</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMF5idGuafUJ70htxWO4lK2hBqy-p1tzROKnSjeSCpgwIWBjjSpW7lJlQC3Ezkj31KEPtn24Dm8izv7vreVFLa5BJ_6Rqa8q0rH_szRohG8-N9oUfiXNYMkw5eSCxJpHqZQ719IFzLHAw/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+005.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMF5idGuafUJ70htxWO4lK2hBqy-p1tzROKnSjeSCpgwIWBjjSpW7lJlQC3Ezkj31KEPtn24Dm8izv7vreVFLa5BJ_6Rqa8q0rH_szRohG8-N9oUfiXNYMkw5eSCxJpHqZQ719IFzLHAw/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+005.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498719892977554130" />Our campground row with the holiday mob surrounding us!</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR_U0MO1F5DqRm1zL06jPFDgaceiRfcF0nd5woTVxEi95jLBcEMRnxDamT1jQs0J1wh9Zr1p_qU_usjdZAwIDZ5hAbNa1uGfK-k-cx8w5IkrmN-Xo0RRKrjgK7FakcDyFDoajkm3nf7ag/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+011EbysPinesCG_PoolPreOpening.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR_U0MO1F5DqRm1zL06jPFDgaceiRfcF0nd5woTVxEi95jLBcEMRnxDamT1jQs0J1wh9Zr1p_qU_usjdZAwIDZ5hAbNa1uGfK-k-cx8w5IkrmN-Xo0RRKrjgK7FakcDyFDoajkm3nf7ag/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+011EbysPinesCG_PoolPreOpening.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498724145879631986" />Not a soul in the pool before the holiday</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bec5YEVRnrnXRFfoZ3W5PVECvMie6jCyxE2_vBUMpepsYQxgTL__w4d6LHgPKs6pt1VJBHCDaVIVBA3QS7wBuTZ0x38OAXn5UKfRViGSiB3yAxMd-nK2EaVciEg5ZZI6i1iYIqGZHg4/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+016.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bec5YEVRnrnXRFfoZ3W5PVECvMie6jCyxE2_vBUMpepsYQxgTL__w4d6LHgPKs6pt1VJBHCDaVIVBA3QS7wBuTZ0x38OAXn5UKfRViGSiB3yAxMd-nK2EaVciEg5ZZI6i1iYIqGZHg4/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+016.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498724577498882402" />Standing room only for the entire holiday weekend</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2A_YBm4fSp1d-TDG3K9nS9jTkg75Bi8zx8viUJY6pRfsP3lVtYtt-eNiKoA82woviNE7hI2KAM5bYjXAABoPoU4VDbp2KxBwajpFOrxLXbtL83j0YIelnJ2qwqXdBoY62MFFO1DuOQqM/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+326.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2A_YBm4fSp1d-TDG3K9nS9jTkg75Bi8zx8viUJY6pRfsP3lVtYtt-eNiKoA82woviNE7hI2KAM5bYjXAABoPoU4VDbp2KxBwajpFOrxLXbtL83j0YIelnJ2qwqXdBoY62MFFO1DuOQqM/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+326.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498726196405787218" />You can see the row in front of us before the mob descends</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipPtt7qOeVPfuekj3j4zUfmFLn3P25IX69gbo5akEKTEg68JyzZgjIhQ1v1EYuKIEjoCVnLVuxIEBEOmICcQNP4xed4slT1PAN9HNHxTiVG19Jgm6mlQLIEHrjT_CXR3UlhVSpGlC2kWA/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+022.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipPtt7qOeVPfuekj3j4zUfmFLn3P25IX69gbo5akEKTEg68JyzZgjIhQ1v1EYuKIEjoCVnLVuxIEBEOmICcQNP4xed4slT1PAN9HNHxTiVG19Jgm6mlQLIEHrjT_CXR3UlhVSpGlC2kWA/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+022.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498725281973145250" />The row in front of us is jam packed</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI38iovmRGsQgY6_AwXIW8VClWZcBjD9Dgt9ZZnBLD1tQ8KtoEP9yJm20CQqEe72RK6kWFPxzGy3cjZDYuEsDU5MEDVZBFJRHILpWa_XQI65oCmSFQET0PIZrE8AGXwvJEriCvzQ4B8_o/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+339.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI38iovmRGsQgY6_AwXIW8VClWZcBjD9Dgt9ZZnBLD1tQ8KtoEP9yJm20CQqEe72RK6kWFPxzGy3cjZDYuEsDU5MEDVZBFJRHILpWa_XQI65oCmSFQET0PIZrE8AGXwvJEriCvzQ4B8_o/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+339.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498727730141791090" />This circle of campsites down by the river was empty the entire time we were here except for the holiday weekend.</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj41TJpgzrWCoIDx1XWlpNRlMXEIPy_dLNFwGc0wMOzr3FVXJ58f4I3O0VGIlS71XGw8jM4opAFB0wLhKdVFE584Kufv0dk5IQCV7HYQwc2hRtFj-g68rS1zkgyQEMs6RirHnd5yVzDp0c/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+026.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj41TJpgzrWCoIDx1XWlpNRlMXEIPy_dLNFwGc0wMOzr3FVXJ58f4I3O0VGIlS71XGw8jM4opAFB0wLhKdVFE584Kufv0dk5IQCV7HYQwc2hRtFj-g68rS1zkgyQEMs6RirHnd5yVzDp0c/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+026.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498727188868640802" />The same circle of campsites down by the river with no sites available!</a><br /><br />In my usual overkill fashion I took photos from every angle. There are many more rows and sections of the campground but the story the pictures tell is the same. A peaceful, almost empty campground became a mass of swarming humanity overnight! What a zoo!<br /><br />Don and Reva are just returning from lunch. She says she almost came and knocked on our door this morning as their water heater is still working! They even turned it off and back on again! We go for our walk and the mosquitoes get us after all of this rain. The campground is empty except for a few seasonals who have stayed on. <br /><br />Back home I work on more journal pages. I’m caught up to May 24th. (Little do I know we’ll have no Internet access for weeks after we leave here and I get way behind again.) Bob is bored. His back won’t let him fish, work a puzzle or get on the computer (not that he could with me hogging the laptop.) <br /><br />Don and Reva’s family is over playing cards. He is finally done with his woodworking and cleared off their picnic table. It’s 6:13 p.m. and 54 degrees with 54% humidity. The high is 80 after a low of 65. We have an email from Blair at Hay Lake in Minnesota. She forwarded my Shipshewana Flea Market blog to a cousin in California who is from here. It is interesting to hear about their hiking and rock rappelling adventures considering they just celebrated their 40th! <br /><br />Around 7:30 we join Don and Reva outside by the fire. It gets chilly as the sun goes down. Jim and Betty and Ginger join us too. Ginger is on my lap and Reva takes a picture. She doesn’t know how to email it so I offer to show her sometime. (We manage to work it out before she leaves and here is the picture she took!) Patty in the Avion next door comes home with her hubby. She comes over to chat. Her black dog with the muzzle is still barking like crazy while she tries to have a conversation with us. The poor thing wants his momma! We go in around 9:15 as Don’s solar lights come on.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4nUUDpMOh0KdYUIVzsyXSMYJTZvQT3NRImLurZLy2ITLCMEfeJ6B_FGFh47mbjVyMCE2gIvrM4ITdqwPXzIei0XAu7Jwoa0Uo4xzD8FXKf2wAqhzPvJg6w3SRepAByZc81tC0LP65xJU/s1600/ReetGinger+(640x480).jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4nUUDpMOh0KdYUIVzsyXSMYJTZvQT3NRImLurZLy2ITLCMEfeJ6B_FGFh47mbjVyMCE2gIvrM4ITdqwPXzIei0XAu7Jwoa0Uo4xzD8FXKf2wAqhzPvJg6w3SRepAByZc81tC0LP65xJU/s400/ReetGinger+(640x480).jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498716707301756274" />Reva snaps a picture of Rita and Ginger sharing a quiet moment</a>Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-14271542365082422652010-07-27T15:18:00.000-07:002012-01-11T09:40:42.069-08:002010 Jun 1 Lucchesse’s, Antiques and Visit with BurgersTuesday, June 1, I can’t believe it’s a month since Travis and Callie’s wedding! Where did the time go? When I get up at 8:00 my neck is stiff and it turns into a major migraine. What a bummer. After breakfast I get out buckets and brushes to get the pine pollen and bugs off The Titanic. The awnings are full of the stuff. Bob scrapes off putty around the skirt that has been there since they built it. <br /><br />Bob joins Don and Reva to kibitz from their front porch as I clean on our side of the road. Reva walks over to show me her moccasin planter she wants to put a cactus in. I clean myself up and take a magic pill for my migraine since the physical activity didn’t knock it. Don and Reva leave so they put Ginger back inside Jim and Betty’s trailer. She did not want to go inside. They are at the laundry room. <br /><br />Bob and I leave shortly for lunch at Luchesse’s, an Italian place in Elkhart. Bob has the mini-rigatoni and meatballs. I enjoy the baked mostaccioli with meatballs along with a bowl of Italian Wedding Soup. I am a big fan of this delightful soup and try it wherever we travel. This one is in the top three of all time. Wow! We get go boxes and head to Middlebury Street through the construction detour to Main where we get cash at our bank that we saw a few days ago. I get some rolls of quarters for the laundry while I’m at it. <br /><br />Then we head north on 19 to CR 4 to Elkhart Antique Mall. It has a small storefront but a big, long metal building proves to be roomy inside. They have interesting stuff to look at. We find five books and leave to head east on County Road 4 and arrive home by 5:30. We drag our lawn chairs to Don and Reva’s. Don and Bob go around the back to see if Bob can get their water heater to do anything. Reva and I go to our place where I give her a tour of The Titanic. I show her our new coffee table that prompted us to give our old tray table to them. We chat for a bit in the living room. Bob comes in to say he got their water heater to light once and heat up. They’ll have to see if it starts up by itself next time. <br /><br />I take some trail mix over when we head back to their place outside. Doug and his son James come by to drop off some wood for Don. Don and Reva put curtains on a salt ‘n pepper and napkin holder for his wife. We head home at 8:30 before the bugs start up and watch a repeat NCIS. It’s 9:46 p.m. and 73 degrees with 54% humidity. The high was 80 with a low of 63. What a perfect day. We end it with leftover soup that was mighty tasty.Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-88341591948213300672010-07-26T20:26:00.000-07:002012-01-11T09:41:29.429-08:002010 May 31 Rain, Rain Go AwayMonday, May 31, it starts raining early and the campers pack up like wild people. I get up at 8:00 and watch the show. It turns into a strange, quiet day as the campground empties out. A guy starts to pull out down the way with his front door wide open and a roof vent open in the rain. He jumps out to check it out when he realizes it and his dog jumps out of the camper onto the muddy road. The good times are over early. <br /><br />I work on journal pages and pictures off and on all day. Bob has a hitch in his back and takes it easy. We do leftovers for lunch and dinner. This evening we watch a new TV show, The Good Guys, starring Bradley Whitford of West Wing who has transformed himself for the role. It’s 9:31 p.m. and 68 degrees with 77% humidity.Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-88652463966964777862010-07-26T20:19:00.000-07:002010-07-27T15:18:14.663-07:00New Studebaker National Museum<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzEgi6N__f65dm0J5y-mgwXJJhTb4Iu5ZX0c3jAoNHXRG9Z_nWaGXl-DXASrPxOd8QsUlOKDsLJ9DZujRDtzq8V5F1oBsZdi9a08qKiP2inM0VdV0wk0b9XPqR92cOgP5SUDlJ6Td6Ljk/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+133.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzEgi6N__f65dm0J5y-mgwXJJhTb4Iu5ZX0c3jAoNHXRG9Z_nWaGXl-DXASrPxOd8QsUlOKDsLJ9DZujRDtzq8V5F1oBsZdi9a08qKiP2inM0VdV0wk0b9XPqR92cOgP5SUDlJ6Td6Ljk/s320/HudsonAutoMuseum+133.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498425153229719842" />Great old neon sign as you enter the first floor</a><br /><br />Sunday, May 30, I’m up at 8:15. It is hot already after a low of 61 degrees it gets to a high of 86. Our new motor home neighbors pulled out before we left this morning. Too bad! They were overnighters I guess. Anyway, we got our view back.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePr_5zfmT1P-W22vTiNRio29XxgTgAfqyImjmmqs05XTEY7959aRqtRCEcn646ZZ6PPTqjTKKw2foBkKa4T-A-TgiOcEuvxGat1Pw5fOGSfQClN4LhWcufznlwzDvEMcPG-7s45Oim4M/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+224.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePr_5zfmT1P-W22vTiNRio29XxgTgAfqyImjmmqs05XTEY7959aRqtRCEcn646ZZ6PPTqjTKKw2foBkKa4T-A-TgiOcEuvxGat1Pw5fOGSfQClN4LhWcufznlwzDvEMcPG-7s45Oim4M/s320/HudsonAutoMuseum+224.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498435726839247922" /></a><br /><br />We leave around 11:30 to take US 20 to Michigan north to Samples west to Chapin to <A HREF="http://www.studebakermuseum.org"> Studebaker National Museum.</A> There are actually two museums here; “The Museums at Washington and Chapin.” The other one besides the Studebaker National Museum is <A HREF="http://www.centerforhistory.org"> “Center for History”</A> which includes topics such as Women’s Hard Ball, Notre Dame, Knute Rockney and regional art. We just toured the Studebaker Museum for $8.00 each.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEL7oqRLQuIkn5G1fkEqaE40ZSqxz7MEUjvNn3MrB3Zcu8kt4tjXhrS31XrZ3Qz9IlXcupZ6Uj4OlEEyDDZafzrMdB-AvNmvM0gaYbi8EYcA6lG_bjlHJrMNhTMIMvSfWg2MlxsOql3tM/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+073.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEL7oqRLQuIkn5G1fkEqaE40ZSqxz7MEUjvNn3MrB3Zcu8kt4tjXhrS31XrZ3Qz9IlXcupZ6Uj4OlEEyDDZafzrMdB-AvNmvM0gaYbi8EYcA6lG_bjlHJrMNhTMIMvSfWg2MlxsOql3tM/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+073.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498424099016418226" />Reet checks out the first display in the lobby of the new Studebaker Museum</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHNxq0JaMIw0dLjWdCChmnYnyymGGMFeSwUPkz7kcoxqcMz0UgYSClHyeY8A3z84Yyj9J7um-UGi3ZNEUAQougB3fUuOsHEEoD5MwlbI_ib-Kf6zKU6JDfViZR5w8R4hdi52Suh93HANg/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+088.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHNxq0JaMIw0dLjWdCChmnYnyymGGMFeSwUPkz7kcoxqcMz0UgYSClHyeY8A3z84Yyj9J7um-UGi3ZNEUAQougB3fUuOsHEEoD5MwlbI_ib-Kf6zKU6JDfViZR5w8R4hdi52Suh93HANg/s320/HudsonAutoMuseum+088.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498427966782288498" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkQopM9UFxElkhsG1qEVNoPyTGURfmt-GKXMJXnzyiheynhGMN6fYSDbe26hWbnfidcCdxx5SyyCNxZzofhrx376tCcS_ET2tNNQtfcMr_Z5qGP5JweFtm3G_tjIuoBhWaOIwDg4zxdw/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+093.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkQopM9UFxElkhsG1qEVNoPyTGURfmt-GKXMJXnzyiheynhGMN6fYSDbe26hWbnfidcCdxx5SyyCNxZzofhrx376tCcS_ET2tNNQtfcMr_Z5qGP5JweFtm3G_tjIuoBhWaOIwDg4zxdw/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+093.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498428363808571426" />Bob checks out the Big Six with a dummy auto mechanic</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE0e9a36SawZqj0RbeQSstI60k6VHbPMn-bz2F4T9XkP9kta1nExrhJ5f9-s8tYZahlzBcu7HjrS6ARdrINhZXyRFQPaP3Td3V07aHZpvQ24x5X9TepURg-ClmFHKQUWPI97dLdMVKSXI/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+108.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE0e9a36SawZqj0RbeQSstI60k6VHbPMn-bz2F4T9XkP9kta1nExrhJ5f9-s8tYZahlzBcu7HjrS6ARdrINhZXyRFQPaP3Td3V07aHZpvQ24x5X9TepURg-ClmFHKQUWPI97dLdMVKSXI/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+108.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498430883361651938" />Bob and I enjoyed a great lunch in the old Studebaker home when we were here the last time.</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp-SdxJPZ9_pE5fUfASx8948zh9vmY00SegjaySRJaeonMHdlvEHNO6CwIuwxaXJ1CXrMXxaTCUfrBRHeS2RKbDB1wXuEte22mS63c-jq6eycYcHI6NdaX5FT-hMqiWyc6DkdxFe_YYNE/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+128.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp-SdxJPZ9_pE5fUfASx8948zh9vmY00SegjaySRJaeonMHdlvEHNO6CwIuwxaXJ1CXrMXxaTCUfrBRHeS2RKbDB1wXuEte22mS63c-jq6eycYcHI6NdaX5FT-hMqiWyc6DkdxFe_YYNE/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+128.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498431389144814754" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_KRiESp15klAIhKqg_2A8FUhpiTA-znD_2zy7Dt-b7WzoM1pFQE3TdPxYoGSyj0plKVGlfaSeUXlaVPJ_fcMSYBmgS0ue1iUYnqVzw3Cn2PkuWaKO6JztkT-7YfDfovQtf9qWsulN6o/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+131.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_KRiESp15klAIhKqg_2A8FUhpiTA-znD_2zy7Dt-b7WzoM1pFQE3TdPxYoGSyj0plKVGlfaSeUXlaVPJ_fcMSYBmgS0ue1iUYnqVzw3Cn2PkuWaKO6JztkT-7YfDfovQtf9qWsulN6o/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+131.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498431785520343186" />1935 President Convertible Sedan, 250 cu. in., 110 hp, Cost new $995</a><br /><br />The museum consists of three stories: The Main Level Gallery covering 1736 through 1920, Upper Level Gallery from 1920 to the present day, and Lower Level Gallery showcasing Studebaker War and Remembrance. I personally enjoyed 1920 to the present. Many of the exhibits were the same as the old Studebaker museum location but there was plenty of new stuff too. I love the peach-colored Hawk, the New Muppet Movie Car, the golf club side door, and an exhibit of the Studebaker Brothers. This time we didn’t see the Studebaker pocket watch. They have added an exhibit of old toys that is really cute. And now they have a coffee shop.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiODug6mgrmAshqrPg0e-aQRqqZqPvJzXmOlvL250xharfoBxq4qFVTv7TZqXQToNAueprvddBUXGvw5k3Rv0WEz7jyUANknR_VC4GBIIIT2VbjTEdezzIJsvKTZ2Zi7hlDdC9YuCqaCgM/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+163.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiODug6mgrmAshqrPg0e-aQRqqZqPvJzXmOlvL250xharfoBxq4qFVTv7TZqXQToNAueprvddBUXGvw5k3Rv0WEz7jyUANknR_VC4GBIIIT2VbjTEdezzIJsvKTZ2Zi7hlDdC9YuCqaCgM/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+163.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498432742393904626" />Lower level of the Museum</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWAV3UQyCyjEUIVAlRV2EdrJIYCyQB4SKNDly0uUUSVrcJmhsKqBLZyRSO7iZumvbf37S2XRA7jj5owfggdKhkdNIQCE2mV-CRS9dNl_i8txzQ3Vv3TXiLLKTM0mOXIHag6PQHDAkKT-Q/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+202.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWAV3UQyCyjEUIVAlRV2EdrJIYCyQB4SKNDly0uUUSVrcJmhsKqBLZyRSO7iZumvbf37S2XRA7jj5owfggdKhkdNIQCE2mV-CRS9dNl_i8txzQ3Vv3TXiLLKTM0mOXIHag6PQHDAkKT-Q/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+202.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498434574335104114" />No sticker shock back then!</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEholxush4zkvX4Liz0Z4E42tbogalx2R-6a8mYw5qHnaSgD05YrizRtgGIlYwxyJqfe4dSauvPN7UNTQEP8bYdCHcsvDupWl-mHjur5jZzKsBR4xmDtBjTdz2gzpKdD9R_JsWGuFYWauT0/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+187.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEholxush4zkvX4Liz0Z4E42tbogalx2R-6a8mYw5qHnaSgD05YrizRtgGIlYwxyJqfe4dSauvPN7UNTQEP8bYdCHcsvDupWl-mHjur5jZzKsBR4xmDtBjTdz2gzpKdD9R_JsWGuFYWauT0/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+187.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498433289123820466" />1963 Studebaker Zip Van could be driven by the postal worker from a standing or sitting position</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0iErjH-CJtP3EISUTzbw3Bq0iQftPNiX2qQ8TnGnu0ihAuLiGDgrUQ3nN-0KbbPFYr99HeNfbbVENFPQGPiAObKbK-uQLbvaZXqn7k_-ziybSH70303I4FROSMPgN3fYsdLIlTMNgSG4/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+188.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0iErjH-CJtP3EISUTzbw3Bq0iQftPNiX2qQ8TnGnu0ihAuLiGDgrUQ3nN-0KbbPFYr99HeNfbbVENFPQGPiAObKbK-uQLbvaZXqn7k_-ziybSH70303I4FROSMPgN3fYsdLIlTMNgSG4/s320/HudsonAutoMuseum+188.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498433813131083618" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigOJ2A6YYd0kTbR9Ylqs0t3OL_SmFKxAie5IzGY_F8UoyT79gMGXdI0pZhHrC5-npfeNr1wwyOO2wA5iaeknLLP8OOQKSxMjFnoFh5uIcozVQKXxjglPfDrb4B6tG3JhOfAgftQL9KRV8/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+197.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigOJ2A6YYd0kTbR9Ylqs0t3OL_SmFKxAie5IzGY_F8UoyT79gMGXdI0pZhHrC5-npfeNr1wwyOO2wA5iaeknLLP8OOQKSxMjFnoFh5uIcozVQKXxjglPfDrb4B6tG3JhOfAgftQL9KRV8/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+197.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498434045059912562" />Part of the huge toy display includes this 1895 tricycle</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdx6BafmGxSIkWD-4s7fGVo8hsWW869STHnPMOitpFTGJHl37kKdS12bMG7Q01_nozVbRtdbb0I9KDt-D4c-tjLXWM-hslG2StAL2lQ2FDfKfl9pen997etBqHx-mQZpQ2U1FOknubwkU/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+219.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdx6BafmGxSIkWD-4s7fGVo8hsWW869STHnPMOitpFTGJHl37kKdS12bMG7Q01_nozVbRtdbb0I9KDt-D4c-tjLXWM-hslG2StAL2lQ2FDfKfl9pen997etBqHx-mQZpQ2U1FOknubwkU/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+219.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498434952388061250" />My favorite Studebaker-1961 Hawk, V-8, 289 cu. in., 225hp, Cost new $2,650, Color-Flamingo!</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_l4Rrn4ZPj5UK7J4BChm2HVcddMwDjjGwoR0Etk4H9OJNzA4LvNLJwcX8TZeuQTZU8gmGFvEceHhTKsGIsVirmm_SbA1DDJbLqxL7n9Fxf2L769VJaH_MH_vQnSNPkmZpSou3xlwAbY/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+243.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_l4Rrn4ZPj5UK7J4BChm2HVcddMwDjjGwoR0Etk4H9OJNzA4LvNLJwcX8TZeuQTZU8gmGFvEceHhTKsGIsVirmm_SbA1DDJbLqxL7n9Fxf2L769VJaH_MH_vQnSNPkmZpSou3xlwAbY/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+243.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498436002028199074" />Flight Hawk</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhicmvrtiUEkBzeUS18XHHtAwIMHIymuuL5NyVNDC1P2hj56DMLkJG42H40eAY7VZLyyvhNk6iTbGa8Ef8n52k92Ol3QnrNw2UjcNsRZ4H-ayiseUm-QZlQmf8BuT-WYWugWmMbCNKSfUs/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+244.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhicmvrtiUEkBzeUS18XHHtAwIMHIymuuL5NyVNDC1P2hj56DMLkJG42H40eAY7VZLyyvhNk6iTbGa8Ef8n52k92Ol3QnrNw2UjcNsRZ4H-ayiseUm-QZlQmf8BuT-WYWugWmMbCNKSfUs/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+244.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498436555355958050" />Upper Level: 1920 to Present</a><br /><br />We stopped in the gift shop for postcards and some miscellaneous items. I really thought the old museum that was located in the original Studebaker dealer showroom building was neater but the new museum’s displays are much more professionally done. In the “Club Room” I signed a story book that was provided for visitors to leave memories of their favorite Studebakers. I said my Dad and oldest brother drove Studebakers and I learned to drive my brother’s 5-speed on the floor (slightly modified) 1955? Silver Hawk. A policeman in my hometown stopped me when I was in high school and asked if he could buy it (in the 1970’s!) Some guy who signed the visitor book before me was grieving the wreck of this Studebaker. “I’m nothing without that car. I can’t talk about it.” <br /><br />As we left we tried to pinpoint the old location. We weren’t sure of the exact corner but the new museum is not too far from the old site near all of the abandoned factories. We headed on to lunch at Texas Roadhouse that we spotted at US 20 and Michigan. Same great food as in the ones in Texas but the line dancing by the wait staff was not as enthusiastic. They just don’t get that country beat this far north.<br /><br />We were home by 4:30 after fueling up at Speedway. It’s 4:450 p.m. and 86 degrees with 23% humidity. I go outside and join Reva in the sun, trying in vain to find some shade. Bob soon joins us. Don is building another corn hole set. I get a picture of his face through the hole! Jim and Betty join us shortly. As Betty drove up she opened her car door on the road behind us and let Ginger out. She came running over to Don and Reva’s site. The golf cart parade is a non-event as only 5 or 6 decorated golf carts are in the parade. We all chat until around 7:30 when Bob suggests ice cream at Yup’s. Everyone is in for that idea. Jim and Betty go in their car and take Ginger. Don and Reva come with us. Our truck is a bit higher that theirs but they manage to get in.<br /><br />There is a big line at Yup’s. Betty is already saving a table in the shade with Ginger. Bob, Don and I get in the back of the long line. I start chatting with a younger gal who has two small dogs in her car. She says they get their own dish of ice cream. She says she likes Turtle Topsy Turvy. As we chat I mention we’re full-time RVers and a local couple behind us starts asking me lots of questions. They want to sell off parts of their 5-acre farm and go RVing.<br /><br />The line moves fast and I have to decide on my two scoop cone: Traverse City Michigan Cherry Fudge and Bear Claw Brownie. Bob has Raspberry Yogurt. They don’t have their famous Black Cherry today. Bummer. Don had me all set for that. He gets the Traverse City Chewy Fudge for Reva. It is all very good and we can see why this place is so busy. The couple I was chatting with comes by our table in the back and says the place is a gold mine. John Yoder (prevalent local name) bought it from the original owners who celebrated 50 years in business last summer. You can easily tell that it is a local tradition.<br /><br />We chat with a young couple with two toddlers. He teaches locally and we discover he teaches Reva’s granddaughter. We head back to the RV Park and sit out until 9:45 when the mosquitoes chase us in. It’s 10:03 p.m. and 75 degrees with 50% humidity.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglwC1sfwiiMtfZrz-EQvQoY1pe6FsN9TUd6Ypjd3KNnT16pTw1yJkyXIn20rhXB4u7y1tw4O356L8PMrs2gZ_KbCKDZH52fNu9Y1GK2oyx2mv_HTsaYBjgbwTlH68ARxYXZtXRDB75jWo/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+277.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglwC1sfwiiMtfZrz-EQvQoY1pe6FsN9TUd6Ypjd3KNnT16pTw1yJkyXIn20rhXB4u7y1tw4O356L8PMrs2gZ_KbCKDZH52fNu9Y1GK2oyx2mv_HTsaYBjgbwTlH68ARxYXZtXRDB75jWo/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+277.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498437027799534690" />Lark letters used on a 1950's dealership to announce the arrival of the Studebaker Lark</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLXKuT7jHtXT__ePYUgKa-vf-8oA3qtMDM6NUyU0fXFRzpPCfmj1Kk6LO_84jvI9JvWjiFZ-bsnYYi-aRndSuQiwnkIpPM-Jvc5LgBJvA4FopUCqPyYZr__mAgU2VCQg941HlfKQOWJ8/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+149.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLXKuT7jHtXT__ePYUgKa-vf-8oA3qtMDM6NUyU0fXFRzpPCfmj1Kk6LO_84jvI9JvWjiFZ-bsnYYi-aRndSuQiwnkIpPM-Jvc5LgBJvA4FopUCqPyYZr__mAgU2VCQg941HlfKQOWJ8/s400/HudsonAutoMuseum+149.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498432470773941474" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8nqpDEb5TT4S9x2d889LXx-CYmTqsI70qBi7qw_0AGvvV318J_eqnAqByMVknde8TcSpVJTmjkQMaxpySSe77n2n_N2M4i-P9kohnMWCaElemm6un1KRCO0rX91ph_I-EaxMpy9iqho/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+142.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8nqpDEb5TT4S9x2d889LXx-CYmTqsI70qBi7qw_0AGvvV318J_eqnAqByMVknde8TcSpVJTmjkQMaxpySSe77n2n_N2M4i-P9kohnMWCaElemm6un1KRCO0rX91ph_I-EaxMpy9iqho/s320/HudsonAutoMuseum+142.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498425875683258690" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvy8SDBQULQxBloSdK8vaLwSf-wRETMHZQQ0Gnt9cSFtt9vvPDlT9acGnfUd7DXF5GJGaKpb-_15oL09ByKpcsMH4x4UQuWclR6v1AsrzLbweVmAg07xuu6LFy_lH68ktxzCHIL0ImF0/s1600/HudsonAutoMuseum+106.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvy8SDBQULQxBloSdK8vaLwSf-wRETMHZQQ0Gnt9cSFtt9vvPDlT9acGnfUd7DXF5GJGaKpb-_15oL09ByKpcsMH4x4UQuWclR6v1AsrzLbweVmAg07xuu6LFy_lH68ktxzCHIL0ImF0/s320/HudsonAutoMuseum+106.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498430539067395506" /></a>Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-39576020872264308242010-06-05T15:24:00.000-07:002010-06-05T17:48:30.611-07:00RV Hall of Fame Museum and Library, Elkhart, IN<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitE_6BbugANqgASl7SbwlbzKU3P-v7wPEZ7FFFPoiZ1kzCy5AGsn9m_tYc271IfF6iSoXRHTudGvev22iqPORksP0LjgRNhTlMnwycef10EnkDjF-4SIgdJqAG-OQH9HxzhiqdzbBskAQ/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+030.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitE_6BbugANqgASl7SbwlbzKU3P-v7wPEZ7FFFPoiZ1kzCy5AGsn9m_tYc271IfF6iSoXRHTudGvev22iqPORksP0LjgRNhTlMnwycef10EnkDjF-4SIgdJqAG-OQH9HxzhiqdzbBskAQ/s320/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+030.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479428295490720642" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR2_fi_f4MY9wN95WBsOw1EHl_wPkoxd080XAl14Np3D5Wk0AYlyF3ayu0KdRGLz0cWgH9LqbVoS9der6jdkCnw0fDSYIx3krKENrc_ZUsKd0OCr7-5HcgOJGiNMYBXm1fW-tYfi1vYeg/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+031.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR2_fi_f4MY9wN95WBsOw1EHl_wPkoxd080XAl14Np3D5Wk0AYlyF3ayu0KdRGLz0cWgH9LqbVoS9der6jdkCnw0fDSYIx3krKENrc_ZUsKd0OCr7-5HcgOJGiNMYBXm1fW-tYfi1vYeg/s320/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+031.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479428470682887570" /></a><br />Saturday, May 29, it is 60 degrees when I get up at 8:00 a.m. The high gets to 82 later. We had the windows open all night and it was cool with the Fantastic Fan going. I admit it was a bit smoky late last night.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHhjWpNAlljYuLuw4DVtApZ94BLZXzTI2UCxo9TvKycRVQbWFh69UUSX1Yh33u9hY2VskjN0aKBcizJBsqq7OdE8jf1c-HswZk9Z7kAnbo58_MJ8IJB5YCPkVSEVza_6HoEA_us1kh-ac/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+045.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHhjWpNAlljYuLuw4DVtApZ94BLZXzTI2UCxo9TvKycRVQbWFh69UUSX1Yh33u9hY2VskjN0aKBcizJBsqq7OdE8jf1c-HswZk9Z7kAnbo58_MJ8IJB5YCPkVSEVza_6HoEA_us1kh-ac/s200/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+045.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479429201688945714" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglkWA1jeXX97tJ6xpnUoPbIImnJJtcI88JaPonRvwvviSsHVcRbADGntjUCKB1stM08v78soJkkTPrtrBmlf7f3POttzXoodERPa91-rtPr6JYWOKZWhMPLVgef4kizTtUbzmXRNfZWhE/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+059.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglkWA1jeXX97tJ6xpnUoPbIImnJJtcI88JaPonRvwvviSsHVcRbADGntjUCKB1stM08v78soJkkTPrtrBmlf7f3POttzXoodERPa91-rtPr6JYWOKZWhMPLVgef4kizTtUbzmXRNfZWhE/s320/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+059.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479432013181179682" /></a><br /><br />After breakfast and a stretch we're off to Elkhart to tour the <a href="http://www.mhhalloffame.org">RV/Mobile Home Museum/Library/Hall of Fame.</a> First we stop at the post office to mail some cards and an anniversary packet of Travis and Callie's wedding journal pages to my Mom and Dad for their 62nd wedding anniversary on June 5! The Bristol post office is open until 1:30/ We get there at 11:50-plenty of time.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqyQGdAQYgubm9xDPyGcfVZe4__kiY2TiubhrTo9rrxxUT2b__eVpOr_1j_bpdkweu6W3Lu9j0qdeOo69S-SpqhUu1xdJjhZSBe80XC8bCgFgO4a2N3RuT4u8UFOlX939XTGI-V-vms4o/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+083.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqyQGdAQYgubm9xDPyGcfVZe4__kiY2TiubhrTo9rrxxUT2b__eVpOr_1j_bpdkweu6W3Lu9j0qdeOo69S-SpqhUu1xdJjhZSBe80XC8bCgFgO4a2N3RuT4u8UFOlX939XTGI-V-vms4o/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+083.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479434360714980914" />1935 Kumfort Travel Trailer looks a lot like our 16-foot Casita we used to have.</a><br /><br />We take 120 est to CR 17 north to the RV Hall of Fame's current 80,000 sq.ft. location since moving to new digs in 1999. Admission is $8.00 each and a volunteer guide points out the path to take and then we're on our own.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIqdXN1Jv1sfTGywcF64Umo6A_mvVE9NU-HK-UB4iCdRdr7AHw_AqQArvSRSUy2VQDeZcVy4-c5PH7qP8FnK9noMecvVLNacJq7eHEv088E5zPXBsEgaxfFgeANs6AzpcmfQWbD_kkB2w/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+085.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIqdXN1Jv1sfTGywcF64Umo6A_mvVE9NU-HK-UB4iCdRdr7AHw_AqQArvSRSUy2VQDeZcVy4-c5PH7qP8FnK9noMecvVLNacJq7eHEv088E5zPXBsEgaxfFgeANs6AzpcmfQWbD_kkB2w/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+085.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479434964449374210" />1954 Shasta 15-foot Travel Trailer-the year I was born! It has a gravity water system with a reservoir in the cabinet above the sink<br /></a><br /><br />The new RVs are first on our list. We see models ranging from pop-ups to motor home coaches. But we're anxious to see the older stuff so we head for RV Founder's Hall to view the historical exhibits. We follow the macadam roadway and enjoy a wide range of old-time campers.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmIgawU7BTfJwFmjgrBviqUqH827tWziUNDB186s84KxkdQVYv0Ej-vbM_46H3kvAAFb69Z7euWEpgXszYR6PhikeTSTclXtLdPQlAqmoTw1quY7FIPwMIYdYL4t7vwx9l6L4evcy8UK0/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+089.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmIgawU7BTfJwFmjgrBviqUqH827tWziUNDB186s84KxkdQVYv0Ej-vbM_46H3kvAAFb69Z7euWEpgXszYR6PhikeTSTclXtLdPQlAqmoTw1quY7FIPwMIYdYL4t7vwx9l6L4evcy8UK0/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+089.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479435882921411602" />1954 (Good year!) Holiday Rambler Travel Trailer has double-wide "army stretcher' type bed with canvas between steel pipe bars located above the standard bed.</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiue4iL7q250Wz5-EJhrPsOWDdjX2vATeP4sQQKrPSLMJN2YN3J1gBTT9aurjk_h51smLkloOyq3P7hCiqDZ0AIKllkLDgKgpn2hMGzLM8oguddH2LOUBcQWRSD_qCrFko5tkgpnrP5Lj0/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+098.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiue4iL7q250Wz5-EJhrPsOWDdjX2vATeP4sQQKrPSLMJN2YN3J1gBTT9aurjk_h51smLkloOyq3P7hCiqDZ0AIKllkLDgKgpn2hMGzLM8oguddH2LOUBcQWRSD_qCrFko5tkgpnrP5Lj0/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+098.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479436740052576162" />Love the old refrigerator in this 1954 Yellowstone Travel Trailer. The kitchen range was also a residential apartment style unit.</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWWl_yfL0IFdhioukWdg0SxHeBb5Q_Rf8E9QSpkz6276GV0CdUhSrgV8I8G8iNxuwLXpWnHAYeeAAyohHcafNSbyBD2T9U41_HdbnZDJE3O1RsPW_dYozQf38G6Ed4ks_13fVsLgSgcys/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+107.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWWl_yfL0IFdhioukWdg0SxHeBb5Q_Rf8E9QSpkz6276GV0CdUhSrgV8I8G8iNxuwLXpWnHAYeeAAyohHcafNSbyBD2T9U41_HdbnZDJE3O1RsPW_dYozQf38G6Ed4ks_13fVsLgSgcys/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+107.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479437619628701602" />1962 Mallard 13-foot travel trailer includes a kitchen, dining area and beds for up to five people! Toilets were yet to become available.</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWBpsvw12B8en88pPKxgHldB_SVWeD2qjJ5HQDYH3bH_fhK6QhKfzDpU7KDTJYqa2Ne3ohw5J7fYeKnkbpEqmhA-P5yD7PkYZMc904ER7ACbGdsJYtBIfD2VU5Mz0p-TZ0Ao-cbjqjDI/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+109.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWBpsvw12B8en88pPKxgHldB_SVWeD2qjJ5HQDYH3bH_fhK6QhKfzDpU7KDTJYqa2Ne3ohw5J7fYeKnkbpEqmhA-P5yD7PkYZMc904ER7ACbGdsJYtBIfD2VU5Mz0p-TZ0Ao-cbjqjDI/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+109.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479438274772913906" />Bob inspects a 1957 Serro Scotty 10-foot Teardrop Trailer</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZAYa-wckQ_S9OmMXWOPaHC-UgvDmEJpp8dncTG9AgMzK_X9KfjbZ-_OgWbllHkSL0zN3BYiqTWe6nU6-SyMuP43Qsuv3nfk9tSh83fePbZHQYgx9G-bGUhlgQ0WtiGZ_DXpg3_DeptDs/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+134.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZAYa-wckQ_S9OmMXWOPaHC-UgvDmEJpp8dncTG9AgMzK_X9KfjbZ-_OgWbllHkSL0zN3BYiqTWe6nU6-SyMuP43Qsuv3nfk9tSh83fePbZHQYgx9G-bGUhlgQ0WtiGZ_DXpg3_DeptDs/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+134.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479439320206017682" />This 1939 Schult 8 x 20-foot House Trailer is one of the models where we both banged our heads in the short doorways of these old travel trailers in spite of all the signs saying "low clearance."</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIZCBLTRO1C9dfkOeB2cgTmMHlFG2pzb5-wQ3MURfbaFEjMaj2_RQOnOIaPHIvIMLFAtFo4aXLqhiPmAZ0e13JPz1CPpGFQeJ7SP8RglV5mdAClVx1KI-JypUE5yng5Z6WZGre-hGuM3M/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+139.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIZCBLTRO1C9dfkOeB2cgTmMHlFG2pzb5-wQ3MURfbaFEjMaj2_RQOnOIaPHIvIMLFAtFo4aXLqhiPmAZ0e13JPz1CPpGFQeJ7SP8RglV5mdAClVx1KI-JypUE5yng5Z6WZGre-hGuM3M/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+139.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479440878839741250" />One of my favorites is a 1915 Model T Ford pickup with a 'telescoping apartment' that features a rear bed, and a kitchen and shower that slides out on each side. Warm water for the shower is produced by radiant heat from the engine! None of this is covered so you are totally dependent upon good weather.</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUteAHDfQUoig1YbwHvoAijGUuEzAgzJJoJsJ6TkaCV1HRAdy5u8AInn2zdOe2-l9zBhrFeKxQSFp87FKk3M2ursTD7LoQZ4P8y7EwZL1K6Gx77rxiBJkgD4OsbN5o5_VOIJh0FuKUOg/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+142.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUteAHDfQUoig1YbwHvoAijGUuEzAgzJJoJsJ6TkaCV1HRAdy5u8AInn2zdOe2-l9zBhrFeKxQSFp87FKk3M2ursTD7LoQZ4P8y7EwZL1K6Gx77rxiBJkgD4OsbN5o5_VOIJh0FuKUOg/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+142.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479441369261951394" />1915 Model T Ford 'slide-out' kitchen</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVcZHA9ECM-QU9IAlacpa3x_8-hNciHOKzrwJVJFes29kkyyuslmQ0jaaBY3RNQmXZgpyLCFykfXITOe19G_NkkedIlPIhUb3y9kAupFSAzqqiKgHJQpHO4Al4UmYkjx51mV4qbm3j1V0/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+148.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVcZHA9ECM-QU9IAlacpa3x_8-hNciHOKzrwJVJFes29kkyyuslmQ0jaaBY3RNQmXZgpyLCFykfXITOe19G_NkkedIlPIhUb3y9kAupFSAzqqiKgHJQpHO4Al4UmYkjx51mV4qbm3j1V0/s320/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+148.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479442229085427666" />You gotta love this "Auto Refrigerator"! I wonder how cold it kept things in Texas in the summertime?</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWwcnF88yxg7I50AFZjAPMi9QigDWkhhoXKd1h-vkv7Ew2WXXxOSwR-mUuVAVTLV_W8fhhVnk1-25sLky6-ckMRfdXCCPCCKdPgXh-ZGVxpxH6Y8jE6lH0fz8MojJRTRZjqPB4xQEg0Ts/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+161.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWwcnF88yxg7I50AFZjAPMi9QigDWkhhoXKd1h-vkv7Ew2WXXxOSwR-mUuVAVTLV_W8fhhVnk1-25sLky6-ckMRfdXCCPCCKdPgXh-ZGVxpxH6Y8jE6lH0fz8MojJRTRZjqPB4xQEg0Ts/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+161.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479443070397376690" />This 1932 Zagelmeyer Tent Trailer looks a lot like the ones the Harley riders pull behind their motorcylces today.</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgFxoNShD21_kB9XTwyTs5ZX3bXudhaEnYjUPUTw4ddctZN70Kw-U1L4yTksk3GgLY50P-FA7toOo3dbttcWjKR__PjjBFVb8v0grdvOFluJ1QQHvSvc2ftu7ImoaU6JScSYyMG8_s00/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+176.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgFxoNShD21_kB9XTwyTs5ZX3bXudhaEnYjUPUTw4ddctZN70Kw-U1L4yTksk3GgLY50P-FA7toOo3dbttcWjKR__PjjBFVb8v0grdvOFluJ1QQHvSvc2ftu7ImoaU6JScSYyMG8_s00/s320/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+176.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479443840821794194" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdY8uO9vQXqVQHRwUjkCL9Vu32n-XbY6v0o-WI9DvVmo-oIBnj8L0fpkvGXs1_tB_NhX_SVRfIeX4oezIsLNGntakkFon8lABieCUyBN7VuDCY39EOsLgzYet-nNESa-arkuqf5MDRIs/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+196.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdY8uO9vQXqVQHRwUjkCL9Vu32n-XbY6v0o-WI9DvVmo-oIBnj8L0fpkvGXs1_tB_NhX_SVRfIeX4oezIsLNGntakkFon8lABieCUyBN7VuDCY39EOsLgzYet-nNESa-arkuqf5MDRIs/s320/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+196.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479444427337431090" />Now that's a commode!</a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg75Rz8AhaOGjyclFNo0BYReXIYtQMrnYxkbaWTNgcuJlJechwc_YjPyg1-ysTWYwTs7zMejFr9BAmUtWMtMvFBkLWM5VElMgKvI_t0IFt0MOhwcvJsd94pxY3vSkInp3b0maVrCDOUwuk/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+207.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg75Rz8AhaOGjyclFNo0BYReXIYtQMrnYxkbaWTNgcuJlJechwc_YjPyg1-ysTWYwTs7zMejFr9BAmUtWMtMvFBkLWM5VElMgKvI_t0IFt0MOhwcvJsd94pxY3vSkInp3b0maVrCDOUwuk/s320/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+207.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479445078801430626" />I've seen double-decker golf driving ranges but never a mobile home park!</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-dySLMv4feZ71wMYqCYEtLQNxRTnuTBUWRufQo5i6NxRrfwgZeIxYSaHJr-bZG-EhjVZLAC7_EalCCce6sp4Gvtyh_m43dL0xRmPzsNei3ekO16mQ9-vejvAhgPZa2yKzY-TxNBOCEo/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+213.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-dySLMv4feZ71wMYqCYEtLQNxRTnuTBUWRufQo5i6NxRrfwgZeIxYSaHJr-bZG-EhjVZLAC7_EalCCce6sp4Gvtyh_m43dL0xRmPzsNei3ekO16mQ9-vejvAhgPZa2yKzY-TxNBOCEo/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+213.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479446452180513090" />1946 Studebaker one-ton truck set up with a 5th wheel style hitch to pull a long, long trailer; price new=$1,285.</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWnTw7uatYzA_KEBVMz3F9UgAQn7sW3iD3pVF1fP3QaMQFCs1Ql3j6zcXIZG524aY3MplIwxNTW7TDt4hDGCx5D2yS40EgveDn-pGM-U-Sq5GBfU0DZUtfmsTGcVLFkPyq85-SQNmyeT8/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+237.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWnTw7uatYzA_KEBVMz3F9UgAQn7sW3iD3pVF1fP3QaMQFCs1Ql3j6zcXIZG524aY3MplIwxNTW7TDt4hDGCx5D2yS40EgveDn-pGM-U-Sq5GBfU0DZUtfmsTGcVLFkPyq85-SQNmyeT8/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+237.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479447101616513842" />Star Streak II, second of two custom built all aluminum motorhomes. Built in 1988 using a 1976 Cadillac Eldorado Chassis and a 1976 Olds Toronado 455 cu. in. engine. Designed to fit in a standard garage; length 270 inches, weight 5400 pounds, height 83 inches.</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSv47PJoASwszFIPnVroc0KADtQM4BcUgYiV1mzddassbkm7IRao6qV3kJ6iuWrJ_9FgjUCeoTuGl-13m8HmFbTsWRRV8epNR0x4LgUaupA7TZQe6dQjv0j4MuTmUwQUiG8DPrXtnLerU/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+258.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSv47PJoASwszFIPnVroc0KADtQM4BcUgYiV1mzddassbkm7IRao6qV3kJ6iuWrJ_9FgjUCeoTuGl-13m8HmFbTsWRRV8epNR0x4LgUaupA7TZQe6dQjv0j4MuTmUwQUiG8DPrXtnLerU/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+258.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479448434477339778" />1969 Stites Chassis Mount Truck Camper. Example of the first Lance camper-like slide-ins that outgrew the ability to be slid in and out of pickup trucks and required the truckbed to be removed so the camper could be mounted to the cut-off truck cab. This actually morphed into Class C motorhomes of today.</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VjhWVbaAW2J81pQysR28humtMZCjDqTT99iRGmoMJ7ZOeNOoH5hGyarXVjIU9oGy96uvtdRCbwDx_bIi3w7SVgu2R4tr7zKmmL_rLAjJVJDLZ-zXfH2DKFzoB4VJzCBuVAiXiAvCtwo/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+263.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VjhWVbaAW2J81pQysR28humtMZCjDqTT99iRGmoMJ7ZOeNOoH5hGyarXVjIU9oGy96uvtdRCbwDx_bIi3w7SVgu2R4tr7zKmmL_rLAjJVJDLZ-zXfH2DKFzoB4VJzCBuVAiXiAvCtwo/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+263.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479449659294006290" />A classic yellow 1974 GMC motorhome has the first airbag suspension system</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRfQqC4PRrqhQ99G_f7YAIXhJ9_pvZygBAlhbHcXETSu4FJGwd9AUFZZsIUEZ6vbMsIF189-5uE_Lt2ngjnW5nMNLfuNtib4Ci_RUwOBh18wEYSnR3agaw6vNJjQHGwpTZ825IAnso6c/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+270.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRfQqC4PRrqhQ99G_f7YAIXhJ9_pvZygBAlhbHcXETSu4FJGwd9AUFZZsIUEZ6vbMsIF189-5uE_Lt2ngjnW5nMNLfuNtib4Ci_RUwOBh18wEYSnR3agaw6vNJjQHGwpTZ825IAnso6c/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+270.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479450327557508226" />Bob watches the Winnebago video in front of their classic 1967 Motor Homes. If you purchased 100 shares of Winnebago Industries stock in 1966 for $1,250, the stock split into 64,000 shares and grew to $1.98 million as of 9/5/2005. There was no discussion of what happened to the value in the past two years!</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB9o5KaKWPiczMiMirt9TxL4E3j8flJ4jPkJNU9zAiXbkN03QP2Lym_BDCRWQ5UKR9j3adHyB9JEOkDHd3xRMZtLy4i0-7bDyhK8NNHAvAu7aq5TaC0QHItzQoD8OeB6a1J2Ii97pjtms/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+274.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB9o5KaKWPiczMiMirt9TxL4E3j8flJ4jPkJNU9zAiXbkN03QP2Lym_BDCRWQ5UKR9j3adHyB9JEOkDHd3xRMZtLy4i0-7bDyhK8NNHAvAu7aq5TaC0QHItzQoD8OeB6a1J2Ii97pjtms/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+274.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479451602036364818" />I have to put the Airstream Ranch in Florida on my bucket list since we've seen the Cadillac Ranch in Texas!</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2-zy_L2eVQYI3zc2pNkhnNSlH0XZmke-gNxeE2X4DnERkR4igF1yUoBtgSISOJ8uVdJw3eKwL2S-6ZTNEAPMnSjOIeA83MvOy2X-3lluqC8CRyyWmQ850C89DBsMjNWMgL_Mu3PE35g/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+202.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2-zy_L2eVQYI3zc2pNkhnNSlH0XZmke-gNxeE2X4DnERkR4igF1yUoBtgSISOJ8uVdJw3eKwL2S-6ZTNEAPMnSjOIeA83MvOy2X-3lluqC8CRyyWmQ850C89DBsMjNWMgL_Mu3PE35g/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+202.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479454110635947442" />The museum is home to the Mae West Housecar, a 1931 Chevrolet. Paramount Studios used it as an enticement to get her to leave the Vaudeville circuit and make movies for them. It is designed as a chauffeur driven lounge and not at a 'camper' unit. She even had a porch on the back with a rocking chair.</a><br /><br />And we saw the 1935 Covered Wagon, one of the first RVs, that we saw a few years ago at the Gilmore Auto Museum. In 1935 Covered Wagon was one of the largest trailer manufacturers in the country and produced one out of six "house trailers" built in the U.S. The exterior is "genuine leatherette"over a thin plywood shell and the roof is covered with coated canvas stretched over tarpaper.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEogN_NnoWxy6_5e6L_-_-5ZmQK46SpWuZVUgOxaSamU_GqZHSd4Jhh4sBl1Ps3HnYyEmCchiJnBt3UIBDjcXMHwr-oe9k-bioDcVkISiFagxEvgFzG2vvlHwQuk9G2DQgQLDcvuvF2vU/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+077.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEogN_NnoWxy6_5e6L_-_-5ZmQK46SpWuZVUgOxaSamU_GqZHSd4Jhh4sBl1Ps3HnYyEmCchiJnBt3UIBDjcXMHwr-oe9k-bioDcVkISiFagxEvgFzG2vvlHwQuk9G2DQgQLDcvuvF2vU/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+077.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479433158146886466" />1935 Covered Wagon Travel Trailer</a><br /><br />One thing that struck us is how few changes have been make over the years. Many of these looked the same inside as both of our full-time RVs. Only the materials have been updated.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ZEcEvhsBgoa1n6WgfxyzDJqW1h4FRFRf56ZrFHFHMXFZLoq6TmJnogjuHdDla5PZ3Jl8g1C4rIzivOlEvk7C4JjuaQ_dH-Ci8SyDZhrNRvua4mXPxbJ3_hussdw3zRbUyxeuXAsKJXo/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+053.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ZEcEvhsBgoa1n6WgfxyzDJqW1h4FRFRf56ZrFHFHMXFZLoq6TmJnogjuHdDla5PZ3Jl8g1C4rIzivOlEvk7C4JjuaQ_dH-Ci8SyDZhrNRvua4mXPxbJ3_hussdw3zRbUyxeuXAsKJXo/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+053.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479430948527462498" />1913 "Earl" trailer and Model T Ford-the oldest RV known to exist.</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcqMihAEBcwiTgoZ4jXgJ87Ku7mDpSyWp9cjR6MRKJ-l0MYHugNIa434PuteSHYW6ABhXv5jKwn_CI5sQLwKUoSOBpcN8uax-hXAFXqgPbIUNWxcvHuUCLapo9Of0NAgfKhmBYVLdBTNk/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+052.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcqMihAEBcwiTgoZ4jXgJ87Ku7mDpSyWp9cjR6MRKJ-l0MYHugNIa434PuteSHYW6ABhXv5jKwn_CI5sQLwKUoSOBpcN8uax-hXAFXqgPbIUNWxcvHuUCLapo9Of0NAgfKhmBYVLdBTNk/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+052.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479430250761690882" />The 'Earl' trailer has a dining table that seats four, then converts to a double bed.</a> <br /><br />After we view all of the models we head upstairs via The Grand Staircase to the library. Here they have years and years of "Motortrend", "Highways", "Trailer Life" and any publication related to the RV industry.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwiwlFBPj4Awd6TJeYmEasB9prF8eRZY567-HPPX44Rt4OjUgev8FhSBBcYzswXfso9-bkLEH4DQ5wUrltjgKLiZY2CZXtzof-A156QvRYKzDbXlVyWsE_Ie0nea8wVSGTfJDhivrVVM4/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+281.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwiwlFBPj4Awd6TJeYmEasB9prF8eRZY567-HPPX44Rt4OjUgev8FhSBBcYzswXfso9-bkLEH4DQ5wUrltjgKLiZY2CZXtzof-A156QvRYKzDbXlVyWsE_Ie0nea8wVSGTfJDhivrVVM4/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+281.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479452349244775666" />Follow the macadam road down memory lane at the RV Hall of Fame Museum in Elkhart, IN!</a><br /><br />I buy postcards in the lobby and snap a picture of the building outside. As we stare at the Tollway, appropriately enough, a Casita travel trailer like our little one zooms by.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7VD0VFbuGxTP78is3t8QyK3AaccrYqKSLO0zQs8BZbEayLZukY9iPKCNa5VMB6WqyBSqe6mFuQJHLapcXOkM8sO-xJMAP1aTRUUe6I82w1m93vJbcXbwp4SsM28ogBqbo1NmAVBUpFE/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+290CasitaOnInterstate80.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7VD0VFbuGxTP78is3t8QyK3AaccrYqKSLO0zQs8BZbEayLZukY9iPKCNa5VMB6WqyBSqe6mFuQJHLapcXOkM8sO-xJMAP1aTRUUe6I82w1m93vJbcXbwp4SsM28ogBqbo1NmAVBUpFE/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+290CasitaOnInterstate80.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479455091383333090" />A Casita zooms by the RV Hall of Fame</a><br /><br />In the lobby I found a brochure for Lucchese's Italian Restaurant at 655 Cty Rd. 17, just south of 120. It turns out to be a great place. I have Penne ala Vodka in creamy red sauce with basil. Bob enjoys Baked Beef-filled Tortellini with tomato sauce and mozerella. Their side salads are very fresh and the Poppy Seed dressing is a winner.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI-RXUcp86mjryPg7gmtQ9w1bDRuvxsKXE5k32t44hAnCJNIR119rqCPT9G6tomeszZbbsobvGmY0iMWepmEpjBQI3_2GxmLD1qnRb6v4aa2vQLXKcdHKnTps33ogLHjfG8zt-Y4nKDWo/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+288.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI-RXUcp86mjryPg7gmtQ9w1bDRuvxsKXE5k32t44hAnCJNIR119rqCPT9G6tomeszZbbsobvGmY0iMWepmEpjBQI3_2GxmLD1qnRb6v4aa2vQLXKcdHKnTps33ogLHjfG8zt-Y4nKDWo/s320/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+288.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479452963172929938" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6dAJA4rwrmjtLQfRYb4rBny0NIucmetmg7vaXh2d5i_M6ywdeN-6N5vvgf0k67VHcn2P7q8Wb6reJfuTFrL4Y8LHXz3ugfNFgjgjqs6sfl-h3P4a34qBK3n2kKfX5Pucjgw5lQZ5cYc/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+289.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6dAJA4rwrmjtLQfRYb4rBny0NIucmetmg7vaXh2d5i_M6ywdeN-6N5vvgf0k67VHcn2P7q8Wb6reJfuTFrL4Y8LHXz3ugfNFgjgjqs6sfl-h3P4a34qBK3n2kKfX5Pucjgw5lQZ5cYc/s320/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+289.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479453255335752354" /></a><br /><br />We're home by 3:30. The gal at the office stops up on the way in. She didn't see our tag in the windshield and asked if we were visiting for the day. Geez! We can't cut through the site next to Don and Reva like we usually do to park in front of our rig. There are so many campers in the Park we have to go all the way down the hill and back around. What a mob! It's like Phil's in Michigan on the 4th of July that we encountered our first year out on the road and were so shocked by.<br /><br />It's 4:40 p.m. and 82 degrees with 31% humidity. I get on-line and work on one journal page from May 2. Wow! I'm behind again. A young couple in a motorhome pulls in next to us but can't get level or else realize they're in the wrong site. So they pull across the road.<br /><br />I go for a walk around the campground with my camera to snap pictures of The Zoo. I'll post 'during' and 'after' the holiday pictures later. There is one half of a row of "RVers", not "campers", on the far side of the campground. They are just here overnight or for the weekend basically hiding out for the holiday. They have no awnings out, no lawn chairs out, no BBQ pits out, no corn hole games and the windows are closed and the A/C is on to keep the smoke out--Just like us!<br /><br />In this sea of humanity no one waved at me as I walked around the Park except for Dianna who I saw on a golf cart. I took pictures of all the jam-packed rows. As I neared our section I see Jim building a fire for a BBQ by his deck. Betty's sister and son Don from Goshen near here are on the deck. I told him we saw him opening up their trailer a few days ago. He said he checked for leaks and everything was good. Good thing he turned off the water again before he left.<br /><br />Bob is online when I get back. I read my book as late afternoon clouds move in. We watch a recorded Good Wife. Chris, the owner, comes and looks at Rick and Debbie's empty site next to us (the only one left in the Park I think.) Ten minutes later a Class C pulls in. It looks to be Grandma and Grandpa with two boys around 9 and 12 years old. The fire pit ends up inches from the front wheel of their motorhome. She lights the fire in it while he's gone to the pool with the boys. He does a lot of gesturing when he returns and makes her put it out-thankfully! She puts brats on the grill on top of the picnic table. He tries to get the awning out but has no idea how it works and gives up in disgust.Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-26070371495224907192010-06-05T14:50:00.000-07:002010-06-05T15:24:03.815-07:00Housekeeping and New Motor<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI4Jcj4xY7Q9IkTcowBuWh2_OLIOKjMnBjkHrKSM33x2pn57oa-bmWXSTuiR9Y_2wSZ8EQRGK8KVQf5eWVRu27bK5B8hBEbnsprjMGi14NZ4m_D-DB-wWwa3lefJyUA9ew4HyiGnGZcmU/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+017SpeedwayGasDieselMarlboroPrice.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI4Jcj4xY7Q9IkTcowBuWh2_OLIOKjMnBjkHrKSM33x2pn57oa-bmWXSTuiR9Y_2wSZ8EQRGK8KVQf5eWVRu27bK5B8hBEbnsprjMGi14NZ4m_D-DB-wWwa3lefJyUA9ew4HyiGnGZcmU/s320/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+017SpeedwayGasDieselMarlboroPrice.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479418495378676370" />Cigarettes cost more than fuel!</a><br /><br />Friday, May 28, I don't wake up until 9:20! Must be this 'fast time.' Of course I sleep like a rock with the windows open and a cool breeze after the cold front. The low is 59; not much difference in temp but the humidity is only 37% at 2:00 p.m.<br /><br />After a late breakfast I go into a pine-pollen induced housecleaning frenzy. Bob puts the new jack motor on the rear stabilizers. Two crazed weekend warriors zoom by the back of the RV in travel trailers with only inches to spare from our bikes so they can back in going the wrong way three sites down the hill.<br /><br />Don and Reva are sitting out at the picnic table on the site next to theirs with Ginger the poodle as I shake out our throw rugs. Reva says when I'm done I can come do site 193! I say no way. I get the pollen off all the screens and windowsills. I even find a piece of trim above the hall window that fell off.<br /><br />We have showers and do leftovers for lunch. Then we go for a walk. We see Dona and Reva at the bus driver gal's travel trailer across the park. We come back and sit out front Reva joins us in her lawn chair. Don makes a corn hole game (I wish I would have had my camera when he came over with his face stuck through the hole!)<br /><br />Reva brought 'apple' and 'fall' curtains for my salt 'n pepper and napkins holders and a cross bookmark. How nice of her. I have her the Pistachio Cake, Orange Coconut Cake and Microwave Green Bean Casserole recipes. She brings Don's Mandarin Orange Pineapple Cake recipe for me. We sat out and kept moving our chairs to stay out of the sun to we watched "The Show" as the RV Park fills up for the holiday weekend. Jim and Betty join us. They got their water leak they discovered this morning fixed. Betty brought square pretzels with vanilla, chocolate mint and peanut butter melted wafers topped by M&Ms. Very tasty! She also shows us her green and white towels with names embroidered for gifts. Very classy.<br /><br />They see their grandson walking up behind our RV with a fishing pole. He going to the office for bait with his friend. Soon his sister, Nina, yells out "Grandpa!" from over by Jim and Betty's trailer. Their daughter and two dogs, Francis, a black standard poodle and a smaller black and white dog like a border collie show up on a golf cart. There are hugs for grandma and grandpa. Nina shows us her lime green cast from a baseball injury. <br /><br />Dianna from two sites up the hill walked over around 9:00. Bruce is going to bed already. She's limping from sciatica. She quit smoking last week as $47.00 per week for a carton of cigarettes was too much for her. I got a kick out of the local gas station signs that list the price of gas at $2.69, diesel at $2.68 and Marlboros at $4.95!<br /><br />We all went in around 9:15 when the bugs started biting. It's 9:45 p.m. and 76 degrees with 47% humidity. The high was 82 degrees. The entire campground smells like campfire smoke.Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-50482019110340142022010-06-04T05:55:00.001-07:002010-06-05T14:50:35.218-07:00Hair Day, The Olympia Candy Kitchen and Lippert Motor<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1wmdIb6jnLpGolmMzcxVXMGmVzrPDrhrjeSjrJX7pKCXdQDChAc6VUz8Z_xFgcFKKVAFzAZ4BTTRK0ELrFT1u6lGb68i1plm-ojE1nDf0k1fM1QpX3Dfmnz46SbS_dXvi_nxrquAGkOo/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+020OlympiaCandies_GoshenIN_GreenRiverPhosphateDrinkMenu.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1wmdIb6jnLpGolmMzcxVXMGmVzrPDrhrjeSjrJX7pKCXdQDChAc6VUz8Z_xFgcFKKVAFzAZ4BTTRK0ELrFT1u6lGb68i1plm-ojE1nDf0k1fM1QpX3Dfmnz46SbS_dXvi_nxrquAGkOo/s320/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+020OlympiaCandies_GoshenIN_GreenRiverPhosphateDrinkMenu.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478908670769641922" />A Green River drink from The Olympia Candy Kitchen</a><br />Thursday, May 27, I'm up at 7:45. The day's temperature starts at 64 degrees and gets to a high of 80. Bob and I split a Pistachio Muffin from Martin's for breakfast and I hate to admit it but theirs might be better than the ones from HEB in Texas that we love. We head out for haircuts by 10:50 and wave to Don next door as we leave.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJ4E3MFRWeyrnqMx2IirjqhO7OjDP8Ju3kuYay7oVnldQb89VkIiFlT83vAc3-vI1_lN15ygK-sH8SXWbYeo1a7Gnmrn0l5TSvWSm-G4xm5psHprZCdr5Vn4-HRWWhp0ZxrUKr404hXY/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+025EbysPinesCG_MemlWeekendPotluck_Reva.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJ4E3MFRWeyrnqMx2IirjqhO7OjDP8Ju3kuYay7oVnldQb89VkIiFlT83vAc3-vI1_lN15ygK-sH8SXWbYeo1a7Gnmrn0l5TSvWSm-G4xm5psHprZCdr5Vn4-HRWWhp0ZxrUKr404hXY/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+025EbysPinesCG_MemlWeekendPotluck_Reva.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478909154108018994" />Long table of goodies at Eby's Pines Memorial Weekend Potluck</a><br /><br />Bob goes to Scott's, parking on the street corner at Lincoln. I walk down the alley to Salon J downtown on Main and Ashley take me right away. She does a great job cutting my hair; actually twisting a clump before using the thinning shears. I've never seen that before. I also like the sculpting taffy she uses. This shop has been open since November. The downtown has recently been revitalized. I ask her about places to eat and she asks if we noticed the hot dog guy. We see him on the way to Olympia's for lunch and he has a big line around his cart with an umbrella. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDffP5o5dj0ODqHONPDVk4ydm4SjD8ggt9mXHJuwlNEeh6Ve0iJl-P_lgVsxnKqxLiUTOb68IfV6BOMRICdc-e_axAgwx0EqSMi1mre0HNHNkgZEb71NFJKmHG2smVNMYNp5QXNt8f0mI/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+028EbysPinesCG_MemlWeekendPotluck_RevaCutsMandarinOrangePineappleCake.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDffP5o5dj0ODqHONPDVk4ydm4SjD8ggt9mXHJuwlNEeh6Ve0iJl-P_lgVsxnKqxLiUTOb68IfV6BOMRICdc-e_axAgwx0EqSMi1mre0HNHNkgZEb71NFJKmHG2smVNMYNp5QXNt8f0mI/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+028EbysPinesCG_MemlWeekendPotluck_RevaCutsMandarinOrangePineappleCake.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478909496519347970" />Reva slices Don's Mandarin Orange Pineapple Cake</a><br /><br />The Olympia Candy Kitchen has been in business since 1917. For a beverage I follow Ashley's advice and get a Green River (a dark green phosphate drink the color of green Jello shots.) I have a pork and olive sandwich (cold pork fixed like a chicken salad with huge green olives sliced over it on toasted wheat bread-never would have thought of it but it was great.) I follow the waitress's directions to a storm-cellar basement restroom located underneath the stairway. A lady in the backroom is making chocolate covered peanut clusters and giving directions to everyone on how to get to the mysterious restroom location.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnHpGLTJoXhMjftfHiYujRs5zpVmJVKFBRDUaJnassoV8VI-vQldIJRafOSxYUv3zyWDIDcqpa5COnk70BsurB1ySH1NcS8vZoMXjuMNnbIzBz9lJIhul2RERWay18akJoDhpcAkO6TEQ/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+026EbysPinesCG_MemlWeekendPotluck_BettyDon.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnHpGLTJoXhMjftfHiYujRs5zpVmJVKFBRDUaJnassoV8VI-vQldIJRafOSxYUv3zyWDIDcqpa5COnk70BsurB1ySH1NcS8vZoMXjuMNnbIzBz9lJIhul2RERWay18akJoDhpcAkO6TEQ/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+026EbysPinesCG_MemlWeekendPotluck_BettyDon.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478909881270536578" />Betty and Don use his nifty pop can lids that make a can of soda look like a bottle!</a><br /><br />After lunch we go south on Hwy 33 to College, east to Lippert Components, Inc.'s corporate headquarters. We finally find the lobby door and the receptionist sends an email to a guy in back. he comes out and takes us back to his cube. He says he doesn't usually see people in person, just takes orders over the phone. He calls up our motor without asking us any questions-apparently they only have one model. He informs us it will be $482.36! (and he also lets us know right away that if we get the whole jack assembly mechanism it would only be $17.00 more.) We pass and just get the motor as we have no where to store an extra sets of stabilizer jacks. Yikes! We were both thinking between $100 to $200 for the motor.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZO_3hyQwk1swwUz9WupS3pAMzd9grux8-4lPAN6EbjIVOrWrvxyzPNrVZhHCNPdXSeBZ-oryzMukTnIE15-z2DAsGkskwzI4KMXE1RwICuLid2KCDab2b7dHP7VRC-ZhN6_PueNytm8/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+027EbysPinesCG_MemlWeekendPotluck_DonJim.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZO_3hyQwk1swwUz9WupS3pAMzd9grux8-4lPAN6EbjIVOrWrvxyzPNrVZhHCNPdXSeBZ-oryzMukTnIE15-z2DAsGkskwzI4KMXE1RwICuLid2KCDab2b7dHP7VRC-ZhN6_PueNytm8/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+027EbysPinesCG_MemlWeekendPotluck_DonJim.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478910373005568818" />Don demonstrates his 'bottle can' for Jim</a><br /><br />We have to go around back by the railroad tracks and truck delivery entrance to pick it up. Bob goes inside the little shack there but it turns out to be the wrong shack. The guy inside makes him wait ten minutes to say he's not Casey. So we go to the next shack and find two young guys, one of them is Casey-the 'middle manager.' The other guy goes out and gets our motor right away. Casey can't get his printer to work. It spits out 20 pages but none are the our invoice. Finally he gets us a decent copy and we're outta there.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nYnU-ksReDkfDQiLGTD_RLDIWDYlDalWsFQvlpR2MwTKAP_L1bWrrOYSphn08hptkRLv3uKULYnP8yJCVByWZM-3D8XraseRLGpvpDOiXr9PZysWe-WOWZj92fADQNXOK9Kz6hvT7CM/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+029EbysPinesCG_MemlWeekendPotluck_DonsSodaCanTop.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nYnU-ksReDkfDQiLGTD_RLDIWDYlDalWsFQvlpR2MwTKAP_L1bWrrOYSphn08hptkRLv3uKULYnP8yJCVByWZM-3D8XraseRLGpvpDOiXr9PZysWe-WOWZj92fADQNXOK9Kz6hvT7CM/s320/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+029EbysPinesCG_MemlWeekendPotluck_DonsSodaCanTop.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478911260119831090" /></a><br /><br />We stop at Pay & Packit in Bristol for diced tomatoes on the way home for my dish tonight. This afternoon we watch two recorded NCIS shows and a Good Wife from last week. Around 5:00 I make my microwave green bean casserole for the potluck. Don and Reva return. He got his haircut today too. And he made his famous Mandarin Pineapple Cake. More on that later.<br /><br />Outside we meet Jim (and his wife, Betty, later at the pavilion) and Ginger, an aptly named poodle of that same color. At 6:30 we walk down to the pavilion. The potluck dinner is all set up. The park owners, Chris and Barry, provided fried chicken and a very long table is full of some great dishes. My favorites are a great-tasting taco salad and a macaroni salad with capers and bacon bits. And Don's cake is heaven! He has one prizes with it in baking contests and I see why! I snap a picture as Reva slices it. He promises to share his recipe. We all put our names in a hat and two of us at our table win door prizes; Sheila, a young gal and her boyfriend John, across the table from us wins a whirligig and I am a winner as well. They are locals who are camping here for this weekend for the first time. They drove in, parked their camper without setting up and came over to enjoy the potluck. He tells us about his house on 120 at Madison burning down recently and all the fighting with the insurance company. <br /><br />We walk back to the RVs and see John and Sheila setting up their pop-up. I take out our trash and take a couple of pieces of Don's cake back to him. He gave me all of his leftover cake and I thought if he did all that work he should get a few pieces.<br /><br />Bob and I watch a recorded Flash Forward and a repeat Mentalist. The campground is filling up with lots of campfire smoke and people. It's 10:30 p.m. and 70 degrees with j37% humidity. I hear a radio playing down the hill outside of our bedroom window at 11:30.Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-3805326429719053652010-06-03T07:55:00.000-07:002010-06-05T07:41:04.835-07:00Our Haircuts Got CutWednesday, May 26, I'm up at 6:40 a. m. and it is warm already. I have an email from my brother Mike. He liked Travis and Callie's wedding blog. Nice to get feedback once in a while so I know someone is reading, especially when I'm behind. It keeps me motivated. I surf for Lippert (our rear stabilizer manufacturer) and find them south of downtown Goshen! Maybe we can get our motor straight from the horse's mouth! Actually I saw an on-line RV chat room that mentioned a new Lippert hydraulic levelling system that works for 5th wheels (usually you just see them for motorhomes) and Bob said "Lippert is our rear stabilizer manufacturer." Otherwise I would never have looked them up and found out they were right here in Goshen.<br /><br />Bob and I have Thomas thin bagels for breakfast (thanks, Debbie, for turning us on to these.) I stretch and get cleaned up. We watch weekend warriors arrive early this morning across the road and set up a pop-up, unload huge stacks of firewood, cut the grass, put up a cabana, and trim the weeds for three sites around theirs. Yikes! Don goes down to say hi as they were here last year. He has his daily fire going already this morning.<br /><br />We head to Goshen. The barber downtown that we thought was closed on Mondays is actually closed on Wednesdays. Bummer! So we walk around trying to decide what to do. I find a salon and I walk in and make an appointment for tomorrow at 11:30. We'll be back and try it again tomorrow. I really wanted to go to the salon Reva recommended but I don't want to wait until after the holiday when she's back. And it seems easier to park in one place downtown and both of us get our hair cut. We can avoid trying to park near the construction on 33 where Reva's salon is located.<br /><br />We cross the street to Goshen Antique Mall where we spend two hours (2-hour parking in the public lot we're in) going through 25-cent postcards. Bob goes through some other stashes throughout the store. I find 43 postcards for 25 cents and he find a dozen others or so for a total of $38.00. The guy asks us what we're doing here when he sees my Texas check. He asks if we knew about the RV Park at the County Fairgrounds.<br /><br />We walk to the corner on Lincoln for lunch at Tony's Famous Italian Grill. This is a real 'joint'! Our waitress apparently has ADD but she knows everyone in here and what they plan to order. I have Eggplant Parmesan with a side of spaghetti-the red sauce is a bit on the sweet side for my taste. Bob has Tony's Giant Roast Beef sandwich. Another waitress describes Shoefly Pie (I've seen it several places in the area) as "like pecan pie but tastes like molasses cookies and is chewy." We are stuffed and skip pie altogether. <br /><br />Next up on our agenda is Martin's grocery for fruit and Vege Beef Soup fixin's. Then back home to stow the groceries and make the soup recipe Bob got off the Internet. Then we have to go outside to cool off as it gets pretty warm in the RV with the big pot of soup boiling. Bob takes the burnt up motor off of the rear jacks after he finds his disposable gloves 'down under.' It's 5:02 p.m. and 83 degrees. Around 6:00 Don and Reva return and we pull our lawn chairs in the shade on the site next to theirs down the hill. It's 91 degrees inside the RV so it feels good out here. They have wood ants they're spraying for at their place. We enjoy a nice evening visiting with them.<br /><br />After a bowl of Beef Vege Soup I send emails and post a link on my Facebook page to the wedding. It's 11:30 p.m. and 74 degrees with 55% humidity. The high is 84 and the low is 66 today.Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-9369443123015119832010-06-02T15:38:00.000-07:002010-06-05T07:39:58.799-07:00Shipshewana RevisitedTuesday, May 25, I'm up at 6:40. Am I getting used to this 'fast time' as Reva calls it? The A/C is on but not running. The low is 65 and it gets up to 84 today. Last night I suddenly remembered my prescription mouth rinse our dentist gave me for my mouth ulcers. I've had a serious case ever since we were sick. They sure feel better this morning. Must be a 'senior moment' to not be able to remember I had a solution the whole time. I stretch and check my email. I have a message from my sister, Carla. She got the wedding pictures I emailed to her. <br /><br />We have breakfast and clean up. We go outside to leave for Shipshewana and end up chatting with Riva and Dona for a bit.l It is 11:30 by the time we leave. It is hot already but not as humid as yesterday. The flea market it more crowded this week. We park one more row down but of course we arrived later this week. We start at the beginning again. Bob finds brass valve stem covers for our bike tires. I find two golf visors for $5.00 for both! The same booth has a Snowflake Obsidian magnetic bracelet that I just have to have. And I find a small nosegay of spring flowers and a long summer greenery vine for $6.00.<br /><br />We have a break for a Diet Pepsi and a bottle of water and watch an adorable white puppy eat ice cream out of his bowl. Then we wander for a few more stalls and buy a chair seatback for our Euro chairs (2 for $15.00) that we hope will give us some lumbar support. We take them to the truck as they are bulky to carry. Then we decide to walk to Blue Plate Restaurant where we dine in the 'menu' section rather than the buffet downstairs.<br /><br />I have Grilled Meatloaf Sandwich and Sweet Potato Casserole. Bob has a chicken/ham wrap and fruit. The complimentary loaf of Amish bread is very plain so we pile on the apple butter and peanut butter honey. There is a sweet BBQ sauce on my dense meatloaf sandwich that is excellent. On the way out we check out the attached bakery but don't find any pretzel rolls. There was a mile-high Lemon Meringue pie and monster cookies but we passed. <br /><br />We walk back to shop the Flea Market, starting on this end this time. We don't quite get though with the whole thing by 4:30. I find a black leather purse insert for my backpack purse that I have been looking for and three micro-fiber towels. And Bob find wooden screw covers for our handrail for the stairs up to the bedroom. I spy a little booth to get chocolate graham pretzels and salty trail mix crackers. One booth has custom license plate art that catches my eye. They also have some wooden plaques with old bicycle and golf advertisements on the. They are the perfect size for a spot we have in the RV so they go home with us. On the way out we buy a big soft pretzel for $3.00 with honey mustard dip.<br /><br />The weather was way better than when we were here last week in a chilly, strong wind. We head home for welcome iced tea and we go outside to sit and chat with Don and Reva. Don made two more corn hole games today and gave them away already. We give them our last oak TV table that we have replaced with our new coffee table. Reva puts her drink and embroidery on it right away. We laugh at the antics of the ground squirrels that are so prevalent here. Doves and little wrens are also busy. Bob and I say goodnight at 8:00. We come in for leftovers and watch NCIS and NCIS LA, and "V" while we record Good Wife. It's 9:40 p.m. and 76 degrees with 56% humidity.Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-91076195393730051572010-06-02T15:21:00.000-07:002010-06-05T07:38:03.101-07:00Bike Wash and Maintenance<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuwUFxhVoBaDFtCal63IyhmUgf9jrRpqqeEx3zypqOx_xGFaS7-nEpaFw-mHPCkVMT7_r7-sCxQhUtg-2nkWOP0h4RLPVasGnS8r3rQD6r3LnLgUQtzQ45ICGHdoFZsX3ybOpWqffYZz0/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+013EbysPinesCG_TitanicBikesBob.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuwUFxhVoBaDFtCal63IyhmUgf9jrRpqqeEx3zypqOx_xGFaS7-nEpaFw-mHPCkVMT7_r7-sCxQhUtg-2nkWOP0h4RLPVasGnS8r3rQD6r3LnLgUQtzQ45ICGHdoFZsX3ybOpWqffYZz0/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+013EbysPinesCG_TitanicBikesBob.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478307644591734786" /></a><br />Monday, May 24, at 7:15 it is sunny and warm with a low of 67. The high gets to 84 today and the humidity starts out at 50%. We do have a bit of a breeze today so we turn off the A/C this morning. After breakfast I work on wedding journal pages.<br /><br />We get cleaned up and load the bikes on the truck to take them to Bristol Diamond Car Wash. We wave at Don and Reva across the road as we leave. We pay $1.75 times three rounds to get the two bikes and the truck washed and rinsed. Don and Reva pass us going into town as we head back to the RV Park.<br /><br />Bob oils, greases, tightens and airs the bikes. He adjusts my seat that keeps sliding down, fixes his mirror, tightens his handle bars, and puts a new cap on his pedal. He puts the new valve stem caps we got at Shipshewana Flea Market on the truck and walks over and puts some on Don's golf cart too.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2MECuTKwMR_ey8Hop2Q9V3Dp9nS6AYwAGLT3ldR2TxEg-S5J1f6R8LVuIk-CzIry5HTBxNvOyHg2cBmlAFUG6YYeiFfq13vtq83aIGPvUyeKZ2gOZp3OCLSn1szwgdle7odvr8N1_MU/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+015EbysPinesCG_NewBrassTireCaps.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2MECuTKwMR_ey8Hop2Q9V3Dp9nS6AYwAGLT3ldR2TxEg-S5J1f6R8LVuIk-CzIry5HTBxNvOyHg2cBmlAFUG6YYeiFfq13vtq83aIGPvUyeKZ2gOZp3OCLSn1szwgdle7odvr8N1_MU/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+015EbysPinesCG_NewBrassTireCaps.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478308158380284402" />Bob puts new caps on Big Bertha's valve stems.</a><br /><br />I clean the grime off the handlebars and get out leftovers for lunch. After we eat we put the bikes in the garage. I work on wedding journal pages and pictures. I can't get the videos of Nathaniel and Kara singing to load. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAvWZY1lxqpFwllvyi3I33b6Yyc3n-51u5H_BAzSZw020ZIQ3EkHcqA-TxvoQVcyZiT8MH62dHKY8XG3NOEcsAY5ZiZIq1UujjmxJuUSoJl5cZkVIZ-j9OdfoJ47RI_McWmiojeGSU1E/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+012EbysPinesCG_TrailerTrashNeighbor.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAvWZY1lxqpFwllvyi3I33b6Yyc3n-51u5H_BAzSZw020ZIQ3EkHcqA-TxvoQVcyZiT8MH62dHKY8XG3NOEcsAY5ZiZIq1UujjmxJuUSoJl5cZkVIZ-j9OdfoJ47RI_McWmiojeGSU1E/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+012EbysPinesCG_TrailerTrashNeighbor.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478307822750096194" />Seasonal neighbor behind us at Eby's Pines Campground</a><br /><br />Bob shuts the windows and turns on the A/C after he goes out and moves the wires around to get the thermostat to display. Our new circuit board is shorting out somehow when we jostle down the road. What a bummer. And it's supposed to be hot all week.<br /><br />I call Glenda. She says our neighbor Joyce is flying in from England tonight. I'm so glad to hear she's doing well enough to travel. It's 5:33 p.m. EDT and 84 degrees with 43% humidity.Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-34067112289950486192010-06-02T14:28:00.000-07:002010-06-05T07:36:20.713-07:00Chicken Cacciatore and Chores<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga8OZz15C0PwUReBSVAYGfz_MTiW8MZlimewKbONYS7w9GzM5bkgxYRM-iwMppRvS5qHYz6xOth4_s520O1sf1s5ig518HqjZe7vnvLez7WifuvqUhsLcnSpTZkGJW_WQ-GUJIoXmWEyA/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+005EbysPinesCG_BobBatterTrolleyMotor.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga8OZz15C0PwUReBSVAYGfz_MTiW8MZlimewKbONYS7w9GzM5bkgxYRM-iwMppRvS5qHYz6xOth4_s520O1sf1s5ig518HqjZe7vnvLez7WifuvqUhsLcnSpTZkGJW_WQ-GUJIoXmWEyA/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+005EbysPinesCG_BobBatterTrolleyMotor.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478295163408208162" />Bob checks out the trolling motor, battery and charger.</a><br /><br />Sunday, May 23, I'm up at 7:15 to a sunny, humid day. I stretch first thing and then we enjoy Meijor's tasty Chicken Apple Sausage that we discovered last year in Ohio where we first encountered Meijer's grocery stores. After cleaning up I make an old Chicken Cacciatore recipe in order to use up the chicken we bought in Slidell. I'm going through cupboards as I cook this morning and finally axe my Pescho Bitters. I haven't used them in five years and now I'm afraid to. Justin Wilson had some great recipes using this aromatic liquid.<br /><br />This morning I work on journal pages through April 25th. I can't believe I'm still one month behind. Bob fixes our wheel chock and gets out his trolling motor, battery and charger. All are in working order after being in our new 'down under' storage. I find a Retro Country radio station and get in a groove as I post journal pages.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfoa_cRwoiTqfVdKCAGOFPgPK2aySeK6CzcXzEx1p4KCKIFLLJxzus1MnKvedUe2Be6JMqD7QJ7vsNrSwpTuOxcbZPFcev0ArZ9PuNP9A6mY9og0GDx3ds8knG1nI6nUGP82zKdgp7IUk/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+007EbysPinesCG_PavilionBikeSign.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfoa_cRwoiTqfVdKCAGOFPgPK2aySeK6CzcXzEx1p4KCKIFLLJxzus1MnKvedUe2Be6JMqD7QJ7vsNrSwpTuOxcbZPFcev0ArZ9PuNP9A6mY9og0GDx3ds8knG1nI6nUGP82zKdgp7IUk/s320/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+007EbysPinesCG_PavilionBikeSign.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478295691958125794" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdKgXXsaTtTebcBtL3HSdSto8W5M2nVrBf1jlvHKhOAsK0Rwl80OwgTHwE4LpQEP3qqPlZ6XUnKsUWdgFoCq2_y5CvMJBKdLS4Ah5QNToH2TVypVUBzBWLF48zJm0wTYOfg2t_2RG810/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+009EbysPinesCG_BobFishingPond.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdKgXXsaTtTebcBtL3HSdSto8W5M2nVrBf1jlvHKhOAsK0Rwl80OwgTHwE4LpQEP3qqPlZ6XUnKsUWdgFoCq2_y5CvMJBKdLS4Ah5QNToH2TVypVUBzBWLF48zJm0wTYOfg2t_2RG810/s320/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+009EbysPinesCG_BobFishingPond.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478296034346955634" /></a><br /><br />My brother Mike sends a picture over his cell phone of the face of his Martin reel. His doesn't really have nuts on the face; more like rivets. So the search continues! It's 12:55 p.m. and 75 degrees with 60% humidity. Bob made me turn off the Fantastic Fan so the pine pollen doesn't come in. My dutch oven's making it hot in here. After we enjoy the Chicken Cacciatore we go for a walk. I snap a picture of one of the campground rules signs under the pavilion. Bob takes his fly rod but doesn't stay long as the pond is covered with cottonseed. It looks like snow!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOm3dsytBsA5m3df0Jqw1hqtlSTc4t1JqPcLqrSAW49hfEWGMNQTUvOHdTxX2ptt0OmkSyWGEKwo_DxIDdDCDS-A3rGuxTw3_ly3lnkbHh5WEghIn-HY4yC_OorQIQ4rWVj0z7GvOu4OA/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+010EbysPinesCG_BobFishingPond.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOm3dsytBsA5m3df0Jqw1hqtlSTc4t1JqPcLqrSAW49hfEWGMNQTUvOHdTxX2ptt0OmkSyWGEKwo_DxIDdDCDS-A3rGuxTw3_ly3lnkbHh5WEghIn-HY4yC_OorQIQ4rWVj0z7GvOu4OA/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+010EbysPinesCG_BobFishingPond.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478296299535664242" />Check out the fuzzies on the pond!</a><br /><br />I call Mom and have a nice chat. She and Dad were re-making the bed after washing the bedding. They knew about our neighbor Mrs. Rothermich passing away. Dad got on the phone but couldn't hear me even after I called back. We'll try again next time.<br /><br />I work on journal pages and get through the Travis and Callie's wedding rehearsal April 30. I call Bob's cousin Patti to wish them a Happy 40th Anniversary but they are not home so I leave a voice message. I watch Brooks and Dunn "The Last Rodeo." It's 8:31 p.m. and humid. The high was 82 degrees!Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-63817057844631523812010-06-02T14:03:00.000-07:002010-06-05T07:35:38.159-07:00River Inn Restaurant, Bristol, IN<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGf4CLmw78Tzr8MRBkOI5S0Q2i4BbQO81NqGQRyZ9WQRicI4pp5x0c_NTnbKrx2i3Pzc_ZDYm_4dwjKIRKcitR3AQtlSZfFT1TCaCHkEm6AFtfhO_xnFfH_11V0trQrbK0e8N7TUVjsn8/s1600/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+002EbysPinesCG_ReetOnLaptop.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGf4CLmw78Tzr8MRBkOI5S0Q2i4BbQO81NqGQRyZ9WQRicI4pp5x0c_NTnbKrx2i3Pzc_ZDYm_4dwjKIRKcitR3AQtlSZfFT1TCaCHkEm6AFtfhO_xnFfH_11V0trQrbK0e8N7TUVjsn8/s400/INElkhart_RVMHHallofFame_+002EbysPinesCG_ReetOnLaptop.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478291118352622722" />Here I am at the end of my rope after journaling for three hours!</a><br /> <br /><br />Saturday, May 22, after weird nightmares I get up at 8:30 this morning. It is cloudy and wet. It rained all night. I go through 60 emails that I downloaded after last night's software fiasco. Then I stretch and have breakfast. Back to my emails.<br /><br />Around 1:00 we go to lunch. Reva and Don are outside when we leave. She says they thought they might have to come check on us to see if we were sick again. Off to lunch in Bristol where we finally find the entrance (upper one to the lounge)for River Inn Restaurant. Our waitress is new but the food is good. We have heavenly Vegetable Beef Soup. Afterwards Bob goes home and surfs the Net to find a similar recipe. He chooses two grilled pork chops for lunch and I have Whitefish Sandwich on pretzel bread. It was great. Go boxes for both of us. <br /><br />Back home Don and Reva are just leaving. I work on-line for about three hours doing email, Facebook, pictures and journal pages. I'm exhausted. Bob and I go for a walk. We can see pine pollen blowing like thick fog through the air. Back home I call my brother Mike to chat. He cancelled his Bennett Springs trip to Missouri this coming week. They have had 12 inches of rain in May near Lebanon, MO. That would make the trout stream no fun to fish. Bob talks to him about the missing nut on the Martin fly feel and it sounds like one to pass on maybe.<br /><br />We have leftovers for dinner. I take out the trash and Don and Riva are outside. I go back inside and retrieve Don's birthday postcard and some lighthouses for Reva's daughter and granddaughter and an Escapees magazine to give them. Don is shelling pecans. Reva has a bag of kitten pillowcase embroidery.<br /><br />I sit and chat. The sun is finally out and it is a nice day to be outdoors. Don put up a hummingbird feeder and one attacked him before he could get it hung. They had a raccoon visitor last night. It stole Reva's hard-to-find Zesta whole wheat crackers. Bob soon joins us and we chat until about 9:30 when real fog rolls in. Right after we go inside a guy comes in with a travel trailer across the road. His diesel makes a lot of noise as he jockeys around for about a half an hour. It seems kind of late to be arriving. Sure is hard to get in a site in the dark. It's 9;58 p.m. and 64 degrees with 69% humidity. The high was 71 and the low was 60.Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-62239266686318626942010-06-02T13:10:00.000-07:002010-06-05T07:34:21.198-07:00RV Coffee Table, South Side Soda Shop, and Goshen Antique Mall<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmrZ0ZJEVaHjR8j-qEB6J_AsJkdZ3VYFRXKvIjKaZXvdBe1PSO4DMeMSJlTauiVExZEiYQjyhMLmoG8TAh6_wGRTEHDJkuAxjN8zTZFsbCLMwpTurU63qhVc5xYIU5mg4stTXxDN3IkMI/s1600/INBristol_+054Goshen_SouthSideSodaShop_Menu.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmrZ0ZJEVaHjR8j-qEB6J_AsJkdZ3VYFRXKvIjKaZXvdBe1PSO4DMeMSJlTauiVExZEiYQjyhMLmoG8TAh6_wGRTEHDJkuAxjN8zTZFsbCLMwpTurU63qhVc5xYIU5mg4stTXxDN3IkMI/s320/INBristol_+054Goshen_SouthSideSodaShop_Menu.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478278851743983970" />Menu from South Side Soda Shop, Goshen, IN</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nMwY281VX9rVySLkgYioNtmAo3Cwi76EkLOSaohAJ1suKIpO-o4B42wjaY5pFI9pvzB_kRWX5wYIyJz19PDirsL2ufXd98jB_S06MqGvlRyoIjos9QYYeSnEwmox4OBlxmWupN33QPk/s1600/INBristol_+059Goshen_SouthSideSodaShop_GuyFieriArticle.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nMwY281VX9rVySLkgYioNtmAo3Cwi76EkLOSaohAJ1suKIpO-o4B42wjaY5pFI9pvzB_kRWX5wYIyJz19PDirsL2ufXd98jB_S06MqGvlRyoIjos9QYYeSnEwmox4OBlxmWupN33QPk/s320/INBristol_+059Goshen_SouthSideSodaShop_GuyFieriArticle.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478281359665839282" />Guy Fieri of Diner's, Drive-ins and Dives visits South Side Soda Shop</a><br /><br />Friday, May 21, it rained all night. I'm up at 8:15 and it's still sprinkling. First thing this morning I boil up a pot of potatoes (I have a 5-pound bag I need to use up since I never made the rest of my recipes after we all got sick.) We have fried potatoes, scrambled eggs and turkey bacon for breakfast.<br /><br />My friend Cathy from my hometown calls to let me know one of our classmates and my neighbor, Lynn's mother passed away. It was nice of her to call and let me know. We had a nice chat. It's always good to catch up with her.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-SNdN7hRDKYdxfryBDEDz1V9XAbSLdO230P0HQ_rdZjxlYKEWUCkKk401OyUC9j5u6BBlz4NOorAMxwqUERC0QTPTRZZt-GXxW52YoWosgGeKRBzwxCDxppwVRVw1LhEVmkg8WghTyto/s1600/INBristol_+055Goshen_SouthSideSodaShop_ArtDecoClock.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-SNdN7hRDKYdxfryBDEDz1V9XAbSLdO230P0HQ_rdZjxlYKEWUCkKk401OyUC9j5u6BBlz4NOorAMxwqUERC0QTPTRZZt-GXxW52YoWosgGeKRBzwxCDxppwVRVw1LhEVmkg8WghTyto/s400/INBristol_+055Goshen_SouthSideSodaShop_ArtDecoClock.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478280265998090706" />Old-time diner decor</a><br /><br />We finally get a move on by 11:30 and head out under cloudy skies to Elkhart RV Salvage and Surplus where we pick out a folding coffee/end table. We found the floor sample with the fewest dings and just as we head to the checkout Bob finds some brand new ones, still in the shrink-wrap. So we find one really close to the wood in our RV, pay $95.00 and we're outta there. Many thanks to Tom and Nan-Marie who told us about this place where they got their coffee table we admired so much. They still had some like the one they got but this one folds up smaller so we can store it beside the couch. I do like the way there's adjusts to different heights but we can't have everything.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZ6DSzc-IRW-kGkpnppYEaCLJ9zVzjZXrlo-tJhy0jx1s50Inf3UdOZwjC82LB17GW3cwWRgir_Hb_IjmHq2Gbrc1vCOw_I78LoaYwueFsdWzwwZxbOjCnmo61cI-U0l7ZhwHUNQwHuc/s1600/INBristol_+056Goshen_SouthSideSodaShop_DessertCase.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZ6DSzc-IRW-kGkpnppYEaCLJ9zVzjZXrlo-tJhy0jx1s50Inf3UdOZwjC82LB17GW3cwWRgir_Hb_IjmHq2Gbrc1vCOw_I78LoaYwueFsdWzwwZxbOjCnmo61cI-U0l7ZhwHUNQwHuc/s400/INBristol_+056Goshen_SouthSideSodaShop_DessertCase.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478280630446352370" />Dessert case and check-out</a><br /><br />Next we head across the street to RV Factory Store where we got our sewer hose extension. This time we get a wooden handrail for our stairway to the bedroom for a grand total of $2.50! We saw it when we were here before but we needed to take measurements.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO21rf4msutTPCzvYz5m4tzt8GPfcue6fz1X1IRI8THWWFVi8LP1BUs_Xv0bm66FDDj9SKkguG00hcBTOyp_qQV4zwpwWz2tmCRKpxBc4FPs2awA1HGJX0X1cBLqcLJEAloZKI2vcYtgA/s1600/INBristol_+057Goshen_SouthSideSodaShop_Diner.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO21rf4msutTPCzvYz5m4tzt8GPfcue6fz1X1IRI8THWWFVi8LP1BUs_Xv0bm66FDDj9SKkguG00hcBTOyp_qQV4zwpwWz2tmCRKpxBc4FPs2awA1HGJX0X1cBLqcLJEAloZKI2vcYtgA/s400/INBristol_+057Goshen_SouthSideSodaShop_Diner.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478280892534909858" />Interior view</a><br /><br />We go south on Main where we are stopped by a train and then head on to Goshen. We spot the Wrapture Hair Salon that Reva told me about. Paula, who does her hair, is not back until after the holiday weekend I think. We go on to Meijer's for a few groceries in spite of our crowded fridge. We just don't have the right groceries. I put the eggs in the cooler and we head south on Main (15) in Goshen to South Side Soda Shop. This is a Diner's, Drive-ins and Dives find. Guy Fieri's picture is up front. He's ranting and raving about the Dinner Seafood Feast which is not available at 2:30 in the afternoon.<br /><br />So Bob has the Philly Cheese and I have the Pork Tenderloin Sandwich on Swedish Limpa Bread (homemade Swedish Rye with orange peel and oatmeal.) That was heaven! And I have a bowl of their award-winning chili-"Best in Michiana." It is mild for our Texas palates. I can't resist trying their Coconut Creme Pie. Our waitress shows us a 4-foot diameter dessert tray of pies and cakes.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgABIjAsCWiw2OD77iK-rTeYioGPCfvpriNOu3uNmaf_SkUNPbAEIEYX_6sIjxNaTM9ncx4wHlBih2c5UVnGCKC6Him5BNIm_aktReRVanRqb8fZQmyIAA9iJTq1Tp1RCNrP5YFnAPpWjE/s1600/INBristol_+060GoshenDowntown_PennyFarthingBanner.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgABIjAsCWiw2OD77iK-rTeYioGPCfvpriNOu3uNmaf_SkUNPbAEIEYX_6sIjxNaTM9ncx4wHlBih2c5UVnGCKC6Him5BNIm_aktReRVanRqb8fZQmyIAA9iJTq1Tp1RCNrP5YFnAPpWjE/s320/INBristol_+060GoshenDowntown_PennyFarthingBanner.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478281735651206738" />Downtown Goshen, IN</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6rU5sfjW51r6yIpItqPrQ2ujPDPNLCvxBqjfSlSNloS9qmFBfn1l6woEK7uSKrDLPrAFFwGQAcIX0VX2cCVnuWn8g3iu6i98aOYlhXBUdpTOTmbyohB6dCDVQ0_FmMX9ZQZZzg8_Vxw/s1600/INBristol_+062goshenCourthouse.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6rU5sfjW51r6yIpItqPrQ2ujPDPNLCvxBqjfSlSNloS9qmFBfn1l6woEK7uSKrDLPrAFFwGQAcIX0VX2cCVnuWn8g3iu6i98aOYlhXBUdpTOTmbyohB6dCDVQ0_FmMX9ZQZZzg8_Vxw/s320/INBristol_+062goshenCourthouse.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478282005722145138" />Goshen Courthouse</a><br /><br />We take an umbrella back to the truck as it is pouring. We stop in downtown Goshen at the Antique Mall that has thousands of postcards. I look at a fraction of therm and buy $30.00 worth. Bob finds a Martin fly casting reel and uses my phone to call my brother Mike in Texas to see if he's interested for the price. Apparently Mike has been looking for one of these old reels. Mike says he's still looking for one. So Bob has the lady get it out of the case and notes that it is missing a nut. He'll research further and confer with Mike. This is a great mall and we'll be back since we didn't get here until 3:45 and it closes at 5:00 today.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhOyirmM1AnmEyQbX1m8X5CtRh0B6Oridwdy2MBSfCQ9CHa28lrVYIGgwIBOuDpXuMcsvGbwTFwVQ79gyJqljRCLl-LjMgq7FXU8XeR-Hv-8Y6UKrY-_ij4fLfNG5sq3O95Ht4h_F5atk/s1600/INBristol_+061GoshenDowntown.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhOyirmM1AnmEyQbX1m8X5CtRh0B6Oridwdy2MBSfCQ9CHa28lrVYIGgwIBOuDpXuMcsvGbwTFwVQ79gyJqljRCLl-LjMgq7FXU8XeR-Hv-8Y6UKrY-_ij4fLfNG5sq3O95Ht4h_F5atk/s400/INBristol_+061GoshenDowntown.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478282476770500834" />Main and Washington</a><br /><br />We walk south on Main to True Value Hardware for silicone. Bob tries on a light jacket but no dice. The Main street area has been revitalized here. I snap a few pictures. We spot several restaurants. On the way back we drive east on Hwy 4 (Lincoln) to Abshire Park to find Pumpkinvine Trail Head. We might get a ride in while we're here.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUtlwKIUERHNe6BxcoOKj8fFn-_A3LW57dlEDuRRExxOuNDoOO9Xa7gfMBq3ZtqswtedgmEI17nvSJ9Y-aREffWqnc6v3dD9gTkz8X70O26VBYmEbCMOvcau430iEKIt7yThuLojIWdn8/s1600/INBristol_+066Rainbow.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUtlwKIUERHNe6BxcoOKj8fFn-_A3LW57dlEDuRRExxOuNDoOO9Xa7gfMBq3ZtqswtedgmEI17nvSJ9Y-aREffWqnc6v3dD9gTkz8X70O26VBYmEbCMOvcau430iEKIt7yThuLojIWdn8/s400/INBristol_+066Rainbow.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478283200491218482" /></a><br /><br />We're home by 6:00. On the way it is raining and then the sun peeks through and provides a beautiful double rainbow as we zoom through Bristol. It is still raining at the RV Park and we have to drag our stuff in between the raindrops.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2B9WV-vazDQV3VvwXXSzXOXx5uGbXJqmPQEkuQ7yC9IUiFryLkCHzqIXbWu3nvFPieZIAR1kC-DJVkixeILaz55OVTCT4AV91LFYsgbR7su8q59GX1-j24eIcotK5odoYW21x_FXLgB0/s1600/INBristol_+081TableTitanic.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2B9WV-vazDQV3VvwXXSzXOXx5uGbXJqmPQEkuQ7yC9IUiFryLkCHzqIXbWu3nvFPieZIAR1kC-DJVkixeILaz55OVTCT4AV91LFYsgbR7su8q59GX1-j24eIcotK5odoYW21x_FXLgB0/s400/INBristol_+081TableTitanic.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478284048490373442" />Our new coffee table at home on The Titanic</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kAyafg4zc-RLUnL3vPxvIPWMO7R6_Jz4pshqdVG_rh3IfGyEya-La8543hlVA5A2EVNEGb-fwm7Uglovg8BwUwxsvVLvA1L5dlYu4DrVLML1XLz9yUd3ouAl-5BQqzYluluqa-vbKXo/s1600/INBristol_+082TableTitanic.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kAyafg4zc-RLUnL3vPxvIPWMO7R6_Jz4pshqdVG_rh3IfGyEya-La8543hlVA5A2EVNEGb-fwm7Uglovg8BwUwxsvVLvA1L5dlYu4DrVLML1XLz9yUd3ouAl-5BQqzYluluqa-vbKXo/s400/INBristol_+082TableTitanic.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478284323598727762" />It doubles as an end table</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdh0ZSZ4xBh6GPm0q1aWY81D0Wwz8EIKjNPSM23zsORmH9m1ZWL7gb7yh1GehETez-Mt4fxsdlmKE1ZZZ8T6iFAIsv3JJYn_OdXMercqHRCCJSd8we7Wgckwgxws4WGj4HlbbxKgDv5Q/s1600/INBristol_+084TableTitanic.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdh0ZSZ4xBh6GPm0q1aWY81D0Wwz8EIKjNPSM23zsORmH9m1ZWL7gb7yh1GehETez-Mt4fxsdlmKE1ZZZ8T6iFAIsv3JJYn_OdXMercqHRCCJSd8we7Wgckwgxws4WGj4HlbbxKgDv5Q/s400/INBristol_+084TableTitanic.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478284547812218082" />We're ready for a party!</a><br /><br />We set up our new coffee table and it looks great in here! It's 7:46 p.m. and 61 degrees. The high was 75 and the low was 58. Bob downloads new AT&T software and it doesn't work. he loses his desktop icon and can't find the program on the hard drive. My heart sinks as it's been two weeks since I downloaded my email. Fortunately on our second attempt from my user ID it works.Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-18129317122666378882010-06-02T12:55:00.000-07:002010-06-05T07:33:26.111-07:00Back to Ohio for Rick and Debbie; Laundry for Reet and Bob<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTtI2IpjMwvscC0Qqh39E4TL0IbPRHuCEcxX4CT9nws8xDZzvw39knS_2eJ1RK5bHbQdBDUeghYoVSy8hTsO_wotMNd7iFNK3YWWzQFvPb0C5jKR2r3-ainbfJId9hvupOMH-yD65SzM/s1600/INBristol_+052EbysPinesCG_RickPackPopup.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTtI2IpjMwvscC0Qqh39E4TL0IbPRHuCEcxX4CT9nws8xDZzvw39knS_2eJ1RK5bHbQdBDUeghYoVSy8hTsO_wotMNd7iFNK3YWWzQFvPb0C5jKR2r3-ainbfJId9hvupOMH-yD65SzM/s400/INBristol_+052EbysPinesCG_RickPackPopup.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478270778011881410" />All packed up to head back to Ohio</a><br />Thursday, May 20, I sleep in until 9:20. I must still be feeling the effects of being sick. Bob and I decide to have breakfast and settle our queasy stomachs while Rick and Debbie are packing up this morning next door. We see the guy with the four German Shepherds come by. Around 10:15 Rick and Debbie knock on our door as we are finishing breakfast. We tell them we'll be out in a bit. We though they were just getting ready and weren't leaving until between noon and 2:00. But they hit the road once they're all packed up. They said Don and Reva gave them shelled pecans. How nice!<br /><br />Hate to see them go but tomorrow's forecast is for rain. Bob and I clean up the kitchen and pack up four loads of laundry. I strip the bed too after our sick days. We only pick up one of our new $1.00 laundry hampers twice and the strap breaks the second time. Oh well. One washing machine gets stuck at 15 minutes remaining so it is way behind the others. I walk to the office to tell them. She says that one has troubles and she'll send him (Brandis, I guess) down when he returns. I ask her to have our firepit moved further away before the holiday weekend as it is too close to our RV. More on that this weekend.<br /><br />By the time I get back to the laundry room the washer has finished; after getting stuck at10 minutes for a while. Brandis never does show up. We're out of there at 4:30. Don is nice enough to move his truck so we can back into our site. He has his golf cart off the truck finally! Reva backed it off-how brave of her. We have leftovers for lunch.<br /><br />We drag our lawn chairs over and visit with Don and Reva until 6:00. Barry, the owner, drives by on the Gator and chats about his '72 Vette, our diesel truck and the pool being full. It took 27 hours to fill it up. We chat about the missing clear coat on our RV too.<br /><br />Riva's daughter Debbie and hubby Roy and grandson John and grandaughter come by. We chat for a bit and head home. We have leftovers for dinner too. We're starting to be able to see the inside of the refrigerator. We put the laundry away at last. Don was right; it's still there. Then we watch TV. It's 7:25 p.m. and 73 degrees with 25% humidity. The high was 75 and the low was 47.Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-34095099915432362392010-05-31T16:26:00.000-07:002010-06-02T13:43:09.572-07:00Shipshewana Flea Market<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjquxySvGveM0MNgBMGyVI6Dh4pmZ2WvLprCa0w_rN9f5hiwUhd8rz7P3twenQobEvQucmu-IRWLoLFxTH53e4S62Y3tQxGYx5o7oEAQQfxNZ6gOe8kwSOMnR0AcH8iaa7mvL2zDyP2oAo/s1600/INBristol_+040RickDebbieShipshewanaFleaMkt.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjquxySvGveM0MNgBMGyVI6Dh4pmZ2WvLprCa0w_rN9f5hiwUhd8rz7P3twenQobEvQucmu-IRWLoLFxTH53e4S62Y3tQxGYx5o7oEAQQfxNZ6gOe8kwSOMnR0AcH8iaa7mvL2zDyP2oAo/s400/INBristol_+040RickDebbieShipshewanaFleaMkt.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477585660173342562" />Rick and Debbie shop Shipshewana-These prices are outrageous!</a><br /><br />Wednesday, May 19, I get up at 6:35. I guess I've had enough sleep for a few days. But it takes me a while to get moving. I have tea and toast; no coffee yet. I read, stretch and try some oatmeal. Then I get myself cleaned up and ready to head out the door at 9:00. All four of us pile in Big Bertha and head past Amish fields in the morning sun with four to six draft horses pulling plows. There is already a big crowd in Shipshewana since the Flea Market opened at 8:00. They have a huge outdoor flea market here every Tuesday and Wednesday. We park by Gate #8 and start wandering around.<br /><br />I break the ice and buy a $2.00 gray leather belt. Bob buys black zip strips. We wander until around 11:30 and make a bee-line for lunch at Shipshewana Amish Auction House Restaurant. We get there just in time as a line forms in the lobby after we're seated.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP5xw8bN2GgLURzvA5wqIgNOM_gnPr1H4nLdoZDjL2i7wJ747Fd8R0gvhcZhALAPdngmK2cQ7VBWS0lED4_GtgYWZgfBcpoXfmkcy4NWYYcB8Rlo50YK4XBHlfdhh8PVWfP9JAAmt-ivY/s1600/INBristol_+043ShipshewanaFleaMkt_RedBarn_BobRickCheckers.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP5xw8bN2GgLURzvA5wqIgNOM_gnPr1H4nLdoZDjL2i7wJ747Fd8R0gvhcZhALAPdngmK2cQ7VBWS0lED4_GtgYWZgfBcpoXfmkcy4NWYYcB8Rlo50YK4XBHlfdhh8PVWfP9JAAmt-ivY/s400/INBristol_+043ShipshewanaFleaMkt_RedBarn_BobRickCheckers.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477585943048269858" /></a><br /><br />Our upbeat Amish waitress takes our orders. I have Chicken Noodle Plate with mashed potatoes and mixed veges. Now I'm going for the comfort food after being sick. Bob has Ham Loaf. We see a cheesy pile of salad come out of the kitchen and another Amish waitress says it's a Haystack (taco salad without the shell.) A teenaged Amish girl in full Amish garb is eating at a table across from us with the rest of her family. She has a Blackberry and is texting. Riva tells us later that they have a couple years in their teens when they can try out 'outside life.' But at a certain age they have to make a decision as to whether to join the Amish community. We pass on pies and head out past the crowd in the lobby.<br /><br />Right after lunch we head to the Red Barn that Debbie wanted to see. At the pine furniture place an Amish girl at the checkout tells Rick that even the gas stations in the area used to be closed on Sundays until just recently. Bob and Rick sit down in the common area of the mall for a quick game of checkers.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeLhPXewdV-YVoPOkcqQdhhMlTTssbggjNsLCdRU1LhS-t7P3EefpeQKVvwMG-ncKoPfKwHJ52nvRmUT1L61-MDqQ-D-HnueMeDZj_ItWGMKZYvwTmwpWFi_az6c84ZVgQ-sFHXvAKays/s1600/INBristol_+044ShipshewanaFleaMkt_DebbiePinkGlasses.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeLhPXewdV-YVoPOkcqQdhhMlTTssbggjNsLCdRU1LhS-t7P3EefpeQKVvwMG-ncKoPfKwHJ52nvRmUT1L61-MDqQ-D-HnueMeDZj_ItWGMKZYvwTmwpWFi_az6c84ZVgQ-sFHXvAKays/s400/INBristol_+044ShipshewanaFleaMkt_DebbiePinkGlasses.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477586241310239842" />Debbie in disguise with glasse!</a><br /><br />We all head back to the outdoor flea market but I sure wanted to tromp upstairs for the fudge and a soft pretzel. Maybe later. Bob and I find two small collapsible clothes hampers for $1.00 each. Ours are starting to rip after six years of use. I find wrap-around sun glasses for $8.00. Rick and Bob score big at the Tool Shed tent. Debbie finds a metal star in a wooden window frame with a bittersweet wreath for $7.00. He took $3.00 off due to a loose nail. On the way out Rick gets grabbers and they both go back for clip-on sunglasses they saw in the first row.<br /><br />On the way home I hop out for a newspaper at BP. Back at Eby's Pines we sit outside on this glorious day-the best weather since we arrived. It is 71 degrees and sunny with no wind or humidity. I make a big bowl of popcorn. Debbie, Bob and I go for a walk. Rick says he'll catch a nap. We return and Rick us up so we all sit out until the neighbors' (the dentist and her guy in the Terry 5th wheel behind us) dinner aromas make us hungry. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKuWyror9WNHF1OuwS6fCWx7mwboO2TmTnqAiZ4SsO55xlmLN5S_X2bsMsANVcj-AP0tyo-8raZyeJtQ73b1ox6t_14Gxny4_O_4It1A73ShJ4nfU3o8G9HMv3RalLuoK4MefZIjZwsA/s1600/INBristol_+046ShipshewanaFleaMkt_AmishBuggies.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKuWyror9WNHF1OuwS6fCWx7mwboO2TmTnqAiZ4SsO55xlmLN5S_X2bsMsANVcj-AP0tyo-8raZyeJtQ73b1ox6t_14Gxny4_O_4It1A73ShJ4nfU3o8G9HMv3RalLuoK4MefZIjZwsA/s400/INBristol_+046ShipshewanaFleaMkt_AmishBuggies.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477588858729779986" /></a><br /><br />Debbie gets the grill out for burgers. Bob cuts up tomatoes, onions and lettuce. I make Broccoli Avocado Salad. We have one last mini-feast in the cabana before the guys take it down. We hate to see them leave tomorrow. I clean up my kitchen. Debbie brings her greasy spatula over for me to wash in my sudsy water. We put on our smoky clothes and take out the trash before sitting out by the prepared fire until dusk when we light it. Bob 'borrows' some wood from Don's neighbors. We solve the world's problems and learn the formula for waxing and waning. We all head in around 11:30. It is a clear night and not too chilly.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlI-e7OlaEp8nyOiXhxAjb-F0VGPZIqxlt0dAGIwlcITaqbKIOgefu5ip_jnNWElIHpX08_n-FhNiPMYDp6nu0X9CKDVWgZVBwHhfXBAisriXmBjKVWeaVHo5fCQgFDENLxbvkn1K8qlM/s1600/INBristol_+048EbysPinesCG_LastFire.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlI-e7OlaEp8nyOiXhxAjb-F0VGPZIqxlt0dAGIwlcITaqbKIOgefu5ip_jnNWElIHpX08_n-FhNiPMYDp6nu0X9CKDVWgZVBwHhfXBAisriXmBjKVWeaVHo5fCQgFDENLxbvkn1K8qlM/s400/INBristol_+048EbysPinesCG_LastFire.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477589126141722770" />One last flame!</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoFFe1sriUYxKfOBNkC6MKxVpiqNJpk8PFFiuYTs7PPYVTFxDZn_j7BXTzdP-Tbno9OhBOKrDa4z8Inb1atTOcCFL6S2rbIyt_lo9lcNq-Ow2kJyLe21a7Mdd-OmWYM6WKkL9Xn8IGJwk/s1600/INBristol_+050EbysPinesCG_Sunset.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoFFe1sriUYxKfOBNkC6MKxVpiqNJpk8PFFiuYTs7PPYVTFxDZn_j7BXTzdP-Tbno9OhBOKrDa4z8Inb1atTOcCFL6S2rbIyt_lo9lcNq-Ow2kJyLe21a7Mdd-OmWYM6WKkL9Xn8IGJwk/s400/INBristol_+050EbysPinesCG_Sunset.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477589341472854674" />One last sunset!</a>Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-10432092401527474962010-05-31T15:43:00.001-07:002010-05-31T15:54:55.976-07:00We're Back!Tuesday,May 18, at 9:30 I hear Bob outside. He must be dumping our holding tanks. We have been here a week. He comes in and says Debbie and Rick were glad to know he's alive. I guess it's true they only saw me yesterday and I was not very forthcoming about what Bob's status was. They go off to breakfast.<br /><br />I get up and we rally and have a piece of toast. Our first real food since Bob Evans Sunday evening. We both have hot tea. My headache finally subsides but my neck, back and shoulders feel bruised. I'm washing up dishes when Debbie calls. They're tooling around and wanted to see how we're doing. They have been so nice. I tell her we had toast and are feeling invincible. Have fun we say; we're staying in the rest of the afternoon.<br /><br />I really rally after breakfast and Lysol out the bathroom. Then I had one of the best showers of my life. We have half of the chicken soup those guys brought us and some crackers. We read, rest, and watch a recorded Good Wife episode. It's 2:16 p.m. and 54 degrees with 81% humidity. It sprinkled rain all day.<br /><br />At 2:45 we get a recorded message from Carnival Cruise Line saying our names were drawn in a contest "we entered." A cruise is departing Galveston on Carnival Ecstasy. I hang up. Debbie and Rick return at 3:00. We go out and sit in the cabana with them to get out of the chilly wind. They went to the RV Hall of Fame. Rick goes in for a nap and Debbie comes over to our RV to visit and stay warm. We snack on trail mix and pretzels and Rice Crispy Treats and have a nice chat on this cloudy day. I send her home at 7:00 with baked beans and Waldorf Jello as no one is eating anything over here.<br /><br />Bob and I do have egg sandwiches for a total intake of 705 calories today. We go out and sit by Debbie's nice fire. Don comes down to chat and then Riva even comes by to give me a business card for her hair salon. She fusses when Don goes back inside their Hi-Lo that "He's supposed to be 'watching' me as I take a walk around the campground." She's still using her cane from her hip replacement surgery. We say farewell to her. Rick joins us around the fire until we all go in at 10:30.Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-8639267754787648912010-05-31T15:25:00.000-07:002010-05-31T15:42:35.404-07:00What Goes Around; Comes AroundMonday, May 17, about an hour after we came in from the fire last night, Bob got sick as a dog. He was pretty much sick all night. I moved to the couch to try to get some sleep and I could hear someone outside being sick too. That turns out to be Rick. Then about 7:00 I came down with it. I got up around 9:30 for another bout in the bathroom and have no idea what happened next. Bob saw me in the closet door mirror laying on the bathroom floor. My head was wedged at an odd angle on the hall door to the bathroom. He says he kept calling my name but I never heard him. I was very dizzy and disoriented when I came to. I was able to get myself up and fall into bed.<br /><br />I tried to rally later and get up. I looked out of the window but didn't see those guys next door. That was around 10:45 I think and then I fell asleep again. I think I heard a knock on the door but was too weak to figure it out. So after resting on the side of the bed for a few minutes, I put some shoes and a coat on. Rick is sitting out trying to eat a banana after being sick most of the night. I guess what woke me up was Brandon from the campground delivering our fire ring on the forklift-just a little late. <br /><br />Debbie and Rick asked me for Pepto tablets so I crawl back inside the RV and dig them out of the medicine cabinet. Debbie follows me to the RV door so I don't have to go out again. I'm so tired and weak. I go back to bed and we both sleep until almost 3:00! It is sprinkling on the skylights. Rick and Debbie are gone in their van. I hope they went to the RV Hall of Fame without us if they are both feeling better. It's 3:00 p.m. and 59 degrees with 56% humidity. The high was 64 and the low was 52.<br /><br />I manage to keep some ginger ale (leftover from the Rock Star Rootbeer vodka drinks) and soda crackers down along with a fourth of a cup of tea. Bob sticks with a glass of water. A half an hour later we both go back to bed.<br /><br />At 5:00 p.m. Rick and Debbie knock. How sweet of them to bring us Chicken Soup from <a href="http://www.essenhaus.com">Das Dutchman Essenhaus Amish Country Kitchen </a>on US 20 in Middlebury. We saw it, was that just yesterday? on our Sunday drive but it was closed. They went back to eat and brought us a care package. I have one quarter of the broth and it tastes heavenly along with two more crackers. Debbie felt so bad about getting us sick she had an Amish postcard, some notecards with "Rita" on them and a back of M&M's for Bob in our care package. She is so nice. It made me smile.<br /><br />From 8:00 to 9:00 we watch House on the TV in the bedroom. We both passed out before Castle came on at 10:00. I didn't wake up until 5:00 a.m. with an extreme headache. I got up and had a cup of English Breakfast Tea and two more saltines. Then I went back to bed until 9:30. I don't think I've ever slept that much in my life.Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-64441145699148313302010-05-31T14:40:00.000-07:002010-06-05T07:31:26.968-07:00Sunday Drive Throuigh Amish Country<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqNu0-Cqag-dlqly4kldzvrRGgHjhAnr3huCfnRJ30RzShF9sptTLA-AK831MyCaAFGT7YOcWGgtgX0dv_ycBN_9KBOjDmjxY6rlMUZz6kZaWgymeXP7O0bxCk9ptM3faAOsnR-d4BRc/s1600/INBristol_+032EbysPinesCG_TitanicandPopup.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqNu0-Cqag-dlqly4kldzvrRGgHjhAnr3huCfnRJ30RzShF9sptTLA-AK831MyCaAFGT7YOcWGgtgX0dv_ycBN_9KBOjDmjxY6rlMUZz6kZaWgymeXP7O0bxCk9ptM3faAOsnR-d4BRc/s400/INBristol_+032EbysPinesCG_TitanicandPopup.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477560173488499266" />Their pop-up is just one site down the hill from The Titanic. We are using one of the firepits across the road.</a><br /><br />Sunday, May 16, I'm up at 7:00. I can see Rick outside. They both soon head to the shower house. Rick says the shower heads are too low and the water has a 'push-on' button. When they come back they make hot tea for Debbie after I hunt up some tea bags for them. She has Arnold bread toast, Rick has Pop-Tarts and Bob and I have Rice Crispy Treats-the breakfasts of champions. It is not as cold out this morning.<br /><br />We all walk up a few sites to say hi to Don. He has a nice fire going and we gather round. Don digs out his cute wooden napkin and salt and pepper holders for each of us. Reva gets ready inside and joins us with her fabric 'curtain.' Debbie and I pick out our favorites; I like the small birdhouse print and Debbie chooses the fireworks. Rick has the excellent idea to get Don to sign his handiwork so now we have a one-of-a-kind memento of our visit here. We all chat until 1:30! Bob and I are still in our 'lounge wear.' What a fun morning.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1XVkrnyQh0_-Tyzl1rQWJN24AL2AfG-VFavrx5MU04hBAzMZQ7Xll9dom_S9mURbVqJXR1GD_BcI5E05XyiJGJH1brnWWd0Oo6TF3L5P75Y2QAeevEEhBL7-K_IJ1fDPavLaNUi50BRk/s1600/INBristol_+035EbysPinesCG_DonsSaltandPepperMosquitoHouse.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1XVkrnyQh0_-Tyzl1rQWJN24AL2AfG-VFavrx5MU04hBAzMZQ7Xll9dom_S9mURbVqJXR1GD_BcI5E05XyiJGJH1brnWWd0Oo6TF3L5P75Y2QAeevEEhBL7-K_IJ1fDPavLaNUi50BRk/s320/INBristol_+035EbysPinesCG_DonsSaltandPepperMosquitoHouse.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477561936815320946" />Don and Riva's cute Salt and Pepper holder with 'mosquito house' looks great on our kitchen counter.</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbW9cWtSzuAjhFJhaPi7tvMdVs2dXWgbMnwIgDrbBjyoTYWMY18OuN6n5d-PIRyJwQdBAcaW1RSrfdhgvCM7cNXUoDpa0flxcjFMN8FWFgpg2Xs3NsSXZ0teMZuaS4ieQpekrpG3pzGeE/s1600/INBristol_+037EbysPinesCG_DonsNapkinHolder.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbW9cWtSzuAjhFJhaPi7tvMdVs2dXWgbMnwIgDrbBjyoTYWMY18OuN6n5d-PIRyJwQdBAcaW1RSrfdhgvCM7cNXUoDpa0flxcjFMN8FWFgpg2Xs3NsSXZ0teMZuaS4ieQpekrpG3pzGeE/s320/INBristol_+037EbysPinesCG_DonsNapkinHolder.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477562334775767074" />Found a spot for the matching Napkin Holder too!</a><br /><br />We head home to get dressed and have a leftover snack as we're starving. Those Rice Crispy Treats didn't stay with us. I clean up the kitchen, stretch and clean myself up. Then I join Rick, Debbie and Bob outside. We all go for a ride in their van. We go west on 120 to Elkhart, then north on Main to 19 and follow it around south to 20. We go east to Middlebury and on through to Shipshewana. Every Amish Restaurant and all of the other restaurants in the area are closed on Sunday. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUM4ndALxQ5dqxIVzJfUD3kXNhysv-_CSDb0U7J4tzib7eqtWURH2r99wEnf_JfKdeT0sfmksLR9LBwrStS6rIhixDw2C72foYo5SpGTp0zIAGIeqsY2w69XPA-m3BkwTln7y2OMLOBY/s1600/INBristol_+038EbysPinesCG_RVTVMotorcoach.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUM4ndALxQ5dqxIVzJfUD3kXNhysv-_CSDb0U7J4tzib7eqtWURH2r99wEnf_JfKdeT0sfmksLR9LBwrStS6rIhixDw2C72foYo5SpGTp0zIAGIeqsY2w69XPA-m3BkwTln7y2OMLOBY/s400/INBristol_+038EbysPinesCG_RVTVMotorcoach.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477563460466714466" />RVTV motorcoach has seven steps up to the interior!</a><br /><br />In desperation we go north across the 80 Toll Road into Michigan to the town of White Pigeon. Rick still has standards and draws the line at Pigeon Inn Cafe, the only thing open in town. So we go back to Bristol where we find the River Inn closed at 3:00 (it is now 4:30.) So we go to Goshen and eat at good ole Bob Evans.<br /><br />Turkey Spinach Omelet for me. Chicken Salad and Fruit Plate for Bob. Rick has a salad and Debbie gets her chicken dumplin' bowl of comfort food that she was craving after being sick. We roll out with go boxes and are home by 6:00. As we drive home Little Rick, their son, sends a cell phone picture of his dinner back in Ohio; chicken, butter, garlic, almonds, cheese and Captain Morgan's! Back home we take a short break as Bob Googles the RV Hall of Fame and checks the weather for tomorrow.<br /><br />It's 6:26 p.m. and 63 degrees. with 32% humidity. We had more sunshine than they predicted but it is cool with a high of only 64 and a low of 47 degrees. Bob and I take a walk at sunset and chat with Don. Our neighbor Jim next to Don left. He took a new site on the far side of the campground. We tell Don we saw their truck at Fazoli's on 19 in Elkhart. It wasn't hard to spot with his new golf cart he bought on the way up here still in the back. He said they went to Yup's, the local popular ice cream shack that we saw in Middlebury with a crowd out front. He says they have great $3.00 cheeseburgers too but he likes the Black Cherry hand-dipped ice cream.<br /><br />We continue on our walk. I take a picture of the RVTV motorhome on the other side of the campground. That thing is huge and has seven steps to get up inside of it. Back at our firepit across the road, Bob and I start a fire and that rousts Debbie and Rick. They are amazed that we're acting like campers! Bob has a nice 'flame' according to Debbie. Tonight Rick hits the sack early saying he doesn't feel too well and we wonder if he's sick too. Debbie stays up around the fire with us tonight until about 11:00. It seems we can't get both of them well. Little did we know....Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-26095388573553050652010-05-31T12:16:00.000-07:002010-06-05T07:30:24.839-07:00Indoor BBQ Burgers and Beans<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmbmf7gvicgfA1xocyZuaV-sLWcF8fnAKSGMy8niwAtWJ1-r6ZrBu1_rFvi8pHS7VxUjNemFj31oXdV_QeG6uzyhhCbgFr6HyEHgRemCXicecR-O9lAWn-9az2TjISYu_0vTHRgsJ4yk/s1600/INBristol_+029EbysPinesCG_PopupFirstMorning.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmbmf7gvicgfA1xocyZuaV-sLWcF8fnAKSGMy8niwAtWJ1-r6ZrBu1_rFvi8pHS7VxUjNemFj31oXdV_QeG6uzyhhCbgFr6HyEHgRemCXicecR-O9lAWn-9az2TjISYu_0vTHRgsJ4yk/s400/INBristol_+029EbysPinesCG_PopupFirstMorning.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477521356213157170" />Early morning snapshot of our new neighbors' campsite; not a creature is stirring!</a><br /><br />Saturday, May 15, I'm up at 7:00 a.m. The low was 47 last night. I feel for those guys in the pop-up but they assure us later that their little heater is keeping them toasty. I snap a picture early this morning of our new streetside neighbors campsite. I see Rick sitting out early but we're not dressed yet and he disappears back inside. No sign of Debbie.<br /><br />We have a little breakfast, clean up, take out the trash and I meet Don across the road. He and his wife Reva, who is not out yet, live in Abilene, Texas! He retired from the military air force base there. He is also a postal retiree like my Dad. They come to this campground and this site for the summer (second year here) from May through September when they go back to their home in Abilene for the winter. He lost his first wife to cancer and she lost her husband. They both went to the same high school near Terre Haute, IN, but waited all of this time to actually meet each other and get married. He showed me his woodworking projects; corn hole games and cute napkin and salt and pepper holders. Riva makes the fabric 'curtains' for those. More on that later.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipLh1ogHK7UsDiHTwG6Ls-AK_8AflITY7QY1eafJyO1p-ipfmC1e09l0d4t4SX3VzKZ7UwxMTL955urLaXFWuJJ0J8eMzv36-310RD7SywaK1slzFYfQNnOVdBF6CKjYBQt7efhizKGB8/s1600/INBristol_+030EbysPinesCG_WaldorfJello.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipLh1ogHK7UsDiHTwG6Ls-AK_8AflITY7QY1eafJyO1p-ipfmC1e09l0d4t4SX3VzKZ7UwxMTL955urLaXFWuJJ0J8eMzv36-310RD7SywaK1slzFYfQNnOVdBF6CKjYBQt7efhizKGB8/s320/INBristol_+030EbysPinesCG_WaldorfJello.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477521892755831954" />Waldorf Jello Salad</a><br /><br />I see no sign of Rick and Debbie at 11:30 and hope they are okay. I start chopping veges for my BBQ Burgers and at last I see them outside in lawnchairs. So I go out to say hi. She had a rough night and got up sick to her stomach at 4:00 a.m. I go back to get our lawn chairs to join them and meet Diana (her and Bruce are two sites over curbside from us.) They just got here from Osceola for the season. They used to be in a site on the other side of the campground but moved over here. She was laid off in December from the Juvenile Justice Facility. Bruce is retired. Diana and Don walk down to meet Bob, Rick and Debbie. Don just hung up a two-tube birdfeeder he made. It's nice to meet both of them. I like how friendly everyone is here.<br /><br />We sat out with Rick and Debbie for a bit. I share my pot of hazelnut coffee with Rick. Then I go in to finish my burger patties. I call out the window for Debbie to come over and chat. She ganders at the digital picture frame while I unmold my Waldorf Jell-O Salad. We join the guys outside in the lawn chair. The guys decide it is a good time for lunch so I come back in to do my burgers inside on the stovetop. The guys set up Rick and Debbie's canopy so we all four move it over the picnic table between the trees. Lunch is served. I did my burgers in two skillets so they would all be ready at once. The ones not done in the Teflon skillet are crumbly. These are supposed to turn out like mini-meatloaf burgers.<br /><br />My RV BBQ Beans are a hit; baked beans with granny smith apples, white raisins, brown sugar and Kansas City Masterpiece BBQ sauce. To the menu I add Peppercorn Ranch Cheeseball with veges, Waldorf Jell-O Salad that makes a nice presentation, sliced tomatoes and onions, and lettuce. What a feast! We clean it all up and poor Debbie crashes. Food is not her thing right now but she's a trooper. Rick joins her for an afternoon nap after the guys get a paper and firewood.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQpW8UQ-1NF-DmWlrpUdBNqSKQamyNthSOau36I-JWl9vcv-7vjM3RIAYaPMc4CeEA6UXVca4KP0LnsSj-DreUGbaSXnUxNjce7HOBIwHu0MSgwYHzj4FbjFsSgj_wrDHlZRCgeZiT0tg/s1600/INBristol_+031EbysPinesCG_BobDebbieRickMeatloafBurngers.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQpW8UQ-1NF-DmWlrpUdBNqSKQamyNthSOau36I-JWl9vcv-7vjM3RIAYaPMc4CeEA6UXVca4KP0LnsSj-DreUGbaSXnUxNjce7HOBIwHu0MSgwYHzj4FbjFsSgj_wrDHlZRCgeZiT0tg/s400/INBristol_+031EbysPinesCG_BobDebbieRickMeatloafBurngers.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477522210784744994" />Lunch in the cabana</a><br /><br />Bob and I read the paper. It feels good to sit down after cooking all morning. It's 4:35 p.m. and clouding over with 63 degrees and 38% humidity. The high was 65 degrees. We go out for a fire until 11:00; even Debbie joins us for a while. The stars are not as bright tonight. We have a sliver of a moon. And we can see the glow of 3 or 4 other fires in the campground.Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169959242315575896.post-71762355290759309322010-05-31T11:41:00.000-07:002010-05-31T12:15:17.544-07:00RV Surplus Store, Elhart, IN-Thanks Tom and Nan for the Tip!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWWfkBUtdC_EwZNjx6SJNi4bwbl1tlLIlN1nS6YOORloxbYEhNVpyczsrETWKNX70RDfYeEWWh9yM-EtOnrhXbBA354WHs6g_3DTyN3NrWPCdajHXsnEATP6gBMs-3CB9tBgo-r7U3drk/s1600/INBristol_+021EbysPinesCG_RickDebbiePopup.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWWfkBUtdC_EwZNjx6SJNi4bwbl1tlLIlN1nS6YOORloxbYEhNVpyczsrETWKNX70RDfYeEWWh9yM-EtOnrhXbBA354WHs6g_3DTyN3NrWPCdajHXsnEATP6gBMs-3CB9tBgo-r7U3drk/s400/INBristol_+021EbysPinesCG_RickDebbiePopup.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477513076308005746" />Rick and Debbie arrive with their little pop-up</a><br /><br />Friday, May 14, I slept like the dead through the rain storm. Bob had to close the window on my side of the bed. The low is 51 this morning. It is sunny and clear when I get up at 7:30. I make Rice Krispy Treats and Waldorf Jell-O Salad from Joanna Flukes "Sugar Cookie Mystery" (Thanks Elaine for turning me onto her books.)<br /><br />Bob surfs the Net for RV and wheel places so we can repair all of our stuff from yesterday's debacle. Thankfully we don't have to pack up and move today-that sure feels good. After noon we take 120 west all the way through Elkhart enjoying this beautiful drive past the St. Joseph's River. It is dammed up and reminds us of Lake Austin. We get to Hwy 19 on the west side of Elkhart but the Camping World Bob found on the Internet is not there. Some other RV place is on the sign but it is out of business too. There's a lot of that going on in this economically depressed area.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLyzS47IZ9XG1ttvgkDikU3fcTW7QsW9Jd8g2quj3elhfuiQwaQ02jbSIgD6c_ytEQ5b-IoBLrtZsEHsbMSkFgNiHboBgKXwm5dKhcyIZJBhNWnfMvsxxU_gxFbgPs6uweqju_EzQKmCM/s1600/INBristol_+024EbysPinesCG_RickBobPopup.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLyzS47IZ9XG1ttvgkDikU3fcTW7QsW9Jd8g2quj3elhfuiQwaQ02jbSIgD6c_ytEQ5b-IoBLrtZsEHsbMSkFgNiHboBgKXwm5dKhcyIZJBhNWnfMvsxxU_gxFbgPs6uweqju_EzQKmCM/s400/INBristol_+024EbysPinesCG_RickBobPopup.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477513699242791410" />Bob and Rick find a level spot</a><br /><br />So we do a bat turn to the place just north where they are selling Landmark RVs. A guy directs us (in a very long-winded way) to RV Surplus located where loop 19 turns east on the north side of town. In spite of his directions we find it! Nan-Marie and Tom told us about this place. They found their coffee table that we admired so much here. We spot one that we're interested in while we browse. We take measurements of it to see if it will work where we want to store it. We find no sewer extensions or wheel hub-caps, or chocks or jack motor.<br /><br />We backtrack west around the corner, across the street to another place-Factory RV Supply. Voila! They have Rhino extension kits. We get two 5-foot kits for $11.95 each. One was marked $18.95 as that package was never opened but they give them both to us for the lower price. They don't have any of the other items we're looking for but we're pleased to have our hose. Now we can have long showers tonight!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8238ieb6NoUsQgeaG8iAmYgOad-CgxLBxOtlfhSMs4F_nr6Fwlv7b6r6aBCnBLHLD2roEuDYV1G4YFcgi_voi7eHmxGE24Dm786Iiwq_QZva0nm5e6GPYim1YPay1WIPyRsmNZZdClY/s1600/INBristol_+025EbysPinesCG_RickBobPopup.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8238ieb6NoUsQgeaG8iAmYgOad-CgxLBxOtlfhSMs4F_nr6Fwlv7b6r6aBCnBLHLD2roEuDYV1G4YFcgi_voi7eHmxGE24Dm786Iiwq_QZva0nm5e6GPYim1YPay1WIPyRsmNZZdClY/s400/INBristol_+025EbysPinesCG_RickBobPopup.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477514389250209154" />Success!</a><br /><br />Next we go east on 19 where we find Bristol Cafe, established 1968, and a cheap, good lunch. Ham Salad on wheat and Ham 'n Bean Soup for me. Bob has a Philly Cheese. Then we take Main Street south of US 20 to Discount Tire. The guy can't tell from Bob's picture of the wheel hub which one he needs to order. So we give up and head home at 2:45.<br /><br />We have a voice message from Debbie at 1:38 (I didn't hear the phone in my purse.) They are hitting the road today after all. I try her cell phone and then finally reach her on Rick's phone. She got a nap in after work so they are headed out toady and are around Sandusky as we speak. How fun-we'll be seeing our new friends from Ohio last year soon.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXfj_N7HBsx7M2Aqw4e1quNU18Jp6Q09mhAd3j3joEO1BkfzvI5tKCcS__hCI_PEUtQFM3DrXBK9tUI9JRSskuGvepEmGmIVhgVWoWUBN5hHajmOBOr464uewuz2PwWvyewJ5_0pRnxQk/s1600/INBristol_+028EbysPinesCG_Sunset.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXfj_N7HBsx7M2Aqw4e1quNU18Jp6Q09mhAd3j3joEO1BkfzvI5tKCcS__hCI_PEUtQFM3DrXBK9tUI9JRSskuGvepEmGmIVhgVWoWUBN5hHajmOBOr464uewuz2PwWvyewJ5_0pRnxQk/s400/INBristol_+028EbysPinesCG_Sunset.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477514753639044434" />First of several pink sunsets at Eby's Pines</a><br /><br />Bob goes out to install our new sewer hose extension. Just one of the 5-footers reaches! I get the bugs off the front of the RV from our last three moves and squeegee the windows. Bob fishes the pond, catching 2 bass and 2 blue gill. I cut up veges and make Peppercorn Ranch Cheeseballs. It's 5:45 p.m. and 65 degrees with 33% humidity.<br /><br />Rick calls from the office just before 6:00. They have arrived! Of course the gal in the office sends them down the wrong way just like she did us. As he swings around behind us he says "Your crap (bikes) is in the way!" He jockeys his sister Lynne's pop-up sideways in the site next to us down the hill. We help them set up and get level. Debbie is feeling poorly. Says it came on her during the trip and she was blaming the swaying of the camper on the back end.<br /><br />I make a Rock Star Rootbeer vodka concoction for all of us. That may have been too much for Debbie. The guys get firewood from the pavilion and we decamp across the road where the only firepit is located.<br /><br />Debbie crashes a half an hour before the rest of us at 11:00. I hope she gets to feeling better in the morning. It sure is great to see those guys.Ritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03174716844844711304noreply@blogger.com0