Elkhart, Indiana, Sunday move to Wisconsin Dells

Thursday

Bonnie left at 8am to pick up her parents, I finished unhooking the electric and emptied the mouse trap down by the inverter.  One down no idea how many more may be in here.  We met at the Wales school and loaded up the coach with the folks stuff.  Hooked up the car and we were under way by 9:15.  We made pretty good time.  Stopped once into PA and then in Ohio we fueled up at Flying J and Bonnie made lunch.  Then one more stop in Ohio to stretch.  On in to Indiana and we made it to Elkhart Campground and were on our site by 6:30PM.  It was a long day but not a hard day.  It was hot, very hot once we got past noon.  When the sun hits the front its like driving into a furnace.  I ran the coach air until 3pm and then I lit off the generator and ran the 2 roof airs along with the coach air.  Only problem we had today was we lost connection with the tire sensors when it got hot around the time we passed through Cleveland.  But it reconnected, took me a while to figure out what the beep was.

My son surprised us and stopped by as he was in the area for work.

So we had a nice visit.  Now guess we will relax a little and rest up, we plan to be here until Sunday.

Friday

We were up and about around 8 this morning and had a leisurely breakfast.  I did a little research and trip logging left over from yesterday.  We wanted to take the tour of the Monaco factory and it took a while to find the correct phone number for them.  That happens at 2pm.

We took off in the car for Shipshewana.  It is an area where a lot of RV are built and has a large concentration of Amish and Mennonites.  It is home to a large flea market also.  Today was the horse auction and no flea market.  We did visit the large Amish bulk food place, the size of a large supermarket but different stuff.  There were 20-30 horse drawn buggies along the side of the building.  Lots of cars like us also.  Some times on the road there were as many buggies as cars and lots of horse residue along the shoulders of the road.  Lots to see and do there but we just did a quick overview.  Dad pretty much wants to stay in the car and wait.  But we get him out most of the time and then he says he enjoyed it.  So we headed back west, we were about 20 miles to the east.

All Homemade

Mom checks over the jams

We were headed to Wakarusa for the 2pm Factory Tour of the Monaco/Holiday Rambler manufacturing plant.  On the way we stopped at Das Dutchman Essenhaus for lunch.  Had our choice of the menu, buffet, or family style.  We chose the buffet as the family style was way to much to eat, with dessert and all.  It was very good and we had a nice chat with Sharon our waitress.

Had a good lunch

Lunch

Dad coming to the table

We got to Monaco about 20 minutes early and about 10 minutes before the sky opened up.  It was a cloud burst type rain.  Its very dry here so I think the ground soaked it up, lots of wind and a lot of leaves and branches all over the place.  We all enjoyed the tour which lasted about an hour.  The plant was doing inventory so very few people were working, which was nice except for the rain beating on the roof it was pretty quiet and the 4 of us were the only ones on the tour.  The woman that did the tour has been there 20 years and she seemed quite knowledgeable.  No pictures allowed in the factory.  It was in the 60s for a while after the rain and that was nice.

Ready for the Factory Tour

From Wakarusa we headed to Nappanee to stop at Focal Wood Products I wanted to meet Carlyle and see his products in person.  We were not disappointed you want to get one of each.  He was doing an install of a pop up TV unit but took the time to show us his stuff.  We got some measurements and headed toward Elkhart.  We made a stop at Elkhart for Bonnie she picked up a few items.

There we stopped in for a Slurpee, Bonnie's treat.  The over to the new location of RV Parts Nation to meet Trina.  They are just moving in and the store is about 1/4 full right now.  Bonnie spotted a couch she liked but it is about 2 inches to big. for the space we have to put it in the space we have.  Looks like Bonnie took a video of the couch.

Finally back at the Coach in time to relax a little before the Folks tuned in Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy.
Supper will be a light supper as we are pretty much full.

Light supper

Great Apple Pie again

Now time to relax a little and then off to an early bed.  An easier day is planned for tomorrow as we need to decide where the next stop is.


Saturday

Rained more overnight with some thunder but no high winds like yesterday.  We slept in until 8:30, guests were up earlier.  Bonnie and her mom went out shopping for a while and Dad and I stayed around.  I worked on reservations thru July 5th all morning and during lunch so we are all set there.  Tomorrow we move up into Wisconsin.

It was nice this morning but is 85 out now at 2PM,  The folks just took a short walk and we are about to go for a quick walk.  We were hoping to visit with Nick Russell of the Gypsy Journal but I read on FB that he had gone to pick up his computer that needed a new optical drive.  Its pretty hot out so it was a short walk. We did admire the older MH thats parked in front of us, an Appolo Sceptre.  Later in the day I met the owners Dennis and Cheryl Denoi who were visiting the same Museum we were.

Mom, Dad and I headed out to visit the R/MHV Hall of Fame and Museum.  Bonnie decided to take a nap.

This was very interesting

There was so much to see there most of the RVs are open so you can walk in them and really look them over.  We spent a couple hours there and you could easily spend 1/2 day there and not see it all.  Here are a few of the pictures.

This is an early Holiday Rambler pull behind

Another Holiday Rambler for in a pick up truck.  The number is the RV club number

This is an overview of some of the 50+ RV's

Before we went in we got our picture taken by the Elk out front in honor of Elkhart where we are.

The Elk out front

Once we were back Bonnie and I walked down to meet Nick Russell and his wife Miss Terry.  We visited for a couple hours and the time flew by.  I read his blog everyday and have read his novels that he has recently published.  Bonnie enjoyed visiting with them also.  Al Hesselbart from the RV Museum also stopped in to visit and it was nice to get to know him.

Nick and Terry with Bonnie in their coach

We headed back to our coach and Bonnie made supper and we topped that off with some Jello. Mom and Dad have headed to the showers and that means bedtime when they get back.  I am off to get a shower.  Tomorrow we pull out in the morning for Wisconsin.

Sunday

We were all up by 8 this morning Moving Day!  We were packed up, unhooked from utilities, and hooked to the car by 9:30am.  We pulled out of the campground and were back on the interstate in just a few minutes.  We had about 100 miles to Chicago.  Parts of the road were like glass and part was pretty rough especially the bridge joints.  We were on the Indiana tollway first and then the Illinois tollway.  So far I think the EzPass has been excepted by them all.  Looks like Indiana is expensive.  I will have to add them up when they show up online and report.

We listened to about 4 sermons from Elizabeths church before lunch.  Bonnie had seen on the weather this morning that a big storm with high winds was going to hit near Chicago.  We got by Chicago but caught the northern edge and one gust blew me onto the shoulder.  So then it was a little tense for about 30 minutes but I slowed down to 45 and the wind died down and we were back to my normal 62.  There were few rest areas but we finally stopped at the Wisconsin Welcome Center and Bonnie fixed sandwiches.  It is in the 90's again so we had the generator going and the 2 roof airs.  While moving the dash air did a fine job.

We pulled into Fox Hill Campground around 3:15 and got the car unhooked and the Coach set up.  I have been outside since then.  Its hot but its a dry heat.  The A/C is running and some of the others have sat out for a while also.  The internet is strong but slow, so not sure about pictures today.

We plan to go out for supper which we did and we were right across the bay from the water ski show.  So we had a very good local dinner and a ski show that lasted till after dark.

When we got home we had caught another mouse.  That makes three since the morning we left.  The lady on the next site over told my MIL she saw one run out of the coach last evening after we left.  I put out 3 traps and peppermint oil so hope that drives them off.

The internet is slow here I have been trying to upload a picture for 10 minutes so will go ahead and try to post this.

Got it to upload, Bonnie relaxing at the Fox Hill CG, Wisconsin Dells

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