The Journey draws to a close

Sunday

Good thing I posted early at breakfast, we are in another dead zone here in the National Forest.  The registration lady told me we had to drive about 3 miles or so and then the phones should work.

We had a short 57 mile drive up here windy road and up and down hills.  We made a brief stop in St Marys for groceries and then on to Johnsonsburg, Kane and then the campground.  About 30 minutes before we got here Bonnie said those are some mighty dark clouds over there.  About 15 minutes later it started to rain.  It was light until just before we got to the campground.  Then it poured, I had to get my rain coat out of the back just to go in and register.  The lady was very nice and we got checked in and headed for the site.  The side is level front to back but the side to side slope is significant.  The coaches air leveling system worked well and we are nice and level.  It is raining off and on so hopefully this will not last.  Bonnie started a load of towels and we are still running off our onboard water and holding tanks.  When the rain stops or they fill up we will finish hooking up.  Then we can also unhook the car.

The rain would come in waves, every time I would go out it would rain.  I did get the water, and sewer hooked up, now we just need to unhook the car and then we can explore the campground.  No cell, no TV but the radio works and we found Family Life Network so we are good.

Looks like the front has passed it’s a little lighter out and has not rained for a while.  We had chicken for supper with potato salad, cole slaw, deviled eggs.  I unhooked the car after eating and took a drive around the area.  

Got to see the Ospreys

I did get the phone to work in one spot across the lake.  Its right near an active Osprey nest so that’s a bonus.  Now back at the rig its almost dark.  Its cooling off but pretty damp after the rain not sure we will go with the windows open or the AC.  Looks like it might be movie time again.

Monday

No more rain overnight but its pretty wet around here this morning.  The sun has been in and out of the clouds.  Bonnie put in a load of wash and then we will head out and do a little exploring.  This should be our last full day on the road, tomorrow night should find the rig parked in its home driveway.

We decided to take a little ride and see a couple of the main attractions around here.  So we jumped in the car and headed for the Kinzu Bridge State Park.  This is the site of the resorted railroad trestle is.  They called it a viaduct and it was damaged severely in 2003 during a F1 tornado.  They say winds hit it from 3 directions all at the same time and tore it right out of the concrete piers.  So the checked and repaired what was left and made a nice walkway and overlook out of it, best of all its Free.

We had also read about a small distillery in Kane so we pulled in there to see what they did.  They were closed but the owner was there using a small hammer mill to crack rye to get ready to cook up a new batch.  He was very nice and gave us a nice tour and explained things to us.  They are just opening and getting things started.

The distilling column

The owner explaining things to Bonnie

But first before getting to the Kinzu Bridge we had another adventure.  We decided to eat at a little café in Mount Jewett.   As Bonnie pulled in to park she got a little close to the curb, the TPMS sensor hit the curb and we ended up shearing off the valve stem on the right rear tire.  Opening the door we could hear all the air escaping from the tire.  

The valve stem is sheared off

We went in the café and asked about tire repair in the town.  There was a place about a block away.  I called them no answer, so I walked down while Bonnie ordered.  No one was there and a local man told me the guy worked when he felt like it.  So back to the café and I called Coach-Net.  They took all my info and said they would get someone to come and change the tire.  By then my Beef on Weck was ready.  Yes they had Weck rolls way down here in Pennsylvania, the owner said she loves them and gets them from Olean.

After lunch Coach-Net called and said they were having trouble finding someone to come to Mt. Jewett.  I told them I would try to change it myself.  I got the tire and jack out and got to work.  Then the phone rang and Coach-Net had someone on the way.  A nice man stopped also to see if we needed anything, even offered to get us a cold drink.  Shortly after that the truck showed up and they changed the tire, we signed the work order and we were on the way.  One of the guys on the truck told me he uses a guy named Ray Cook back in Kane for his repairs.  It took a while to find Ray Cook but it was a good choice.  They had me call NAPA and another parts house to see if they had a replacement sensor, but no luck.  I talked to the Honda dealer and he said I could use a regular valve stem Until I got home.  So that’s what we did.  Cooks only charged me $12.50 to unmounts the tire, replace the valve stem, remount and balance the tire and then took the spare off the car and put the repaired tire back on the car.

Finally we were back on our way to Mount Jewett so we could then turn off the highway and head for the Kinzu Bridge.

The tornado took out the center section

Headed out to the overlook

A real American Beauty

While were at the Bridge we had good cellular service so we checked out email etc.  Then we headed back toward our rig but first a stop along the way at the Kinzu Dam.

A view up the lake

This was built while I was in high school

They are releasing water from all the rain earlier this week

More of the excess rain still running off the hill

Finally back and Bonnie heated up the spare ribs and added potato salad and coleslaw, boy was it good.  Now maybe a movie and then a good nights sleep, its nice and cool tonight.

Tuesday

We got up and packed this morning and were on the road by a little after 11am this morning.  We took our time and even stopped in Salamanca for fuel and some lunch.  We backed into the driveway right at 2:30.  Bonnie picked up the mail and then she unloaded most of the food.  I hooked up the computers and relaxed a little before going out to unload more of our stuff from the coach.  While I was out there Elizabeth and Alexus pulled in, it was great to see them.  Alexus helped me finish unloading.  Then we ordered pizza and wings for supper and caught up on all the news from while we were gone.  Alexus sorted the mail for us, maybe I can go through it tomorrow.

Our site before we left this morning

A little TV this evening and then early to bed I think.

Wednesday

Raining when I got up this morning so looks like I can rest up this morning.  Bonnie got up and we watched some of the recordings.  I also had time to go through all the mail.  We still have some local papers and the monthly magazines to go through.

I ordered some new smoke detectors for the coach and a few other items.  Bonnie reminded me to call to restart the Sunday paper and the Penny Savers.

Bonnie and I went out to work on reconnecting the vacuum cleaner hose.  There was no access to it so we decided to enlarge the hole that the hose connector comes through.  That way we could pull the hose out and glue it together out in the open.  We tried to sand the hole but it is a full 3/4in board and the Tight Knot Walnut is very hard wood.  The only choice was to use a Saber saw.  Even being careful because of the lack of room to work it beat up the wood some.

All glued together

We think we can repair the wood and make it blend in and look good again.  We will let the glue set up until tomorrow and then put it back together.  I picked up the tools and then went outside to take a picture of the remaining hubcap so we can order a new one.

They call this a 5 tab

We grilled hamburgers for supper and we are still catching up on all the recorded TV we have.
Its raining again tonight and its about time to post this and get to bed.

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"If Your Dreams Don't Scare You, They Are Just Not Big Enough"