Still in house in Louisiana

We are doing fine, just not managing my time.  Lazy. 

We joined a small group of Holiday Rambler owners in Foley, Al for the Blue Angel show, then a campout in Patterson, Louisiana  and last week we went to a Ocean Properties spill on their club membership.  They only wanted $8,000 down and about $500 dollars a year in dues.  We passed, but did get a gift card for a turkey and a Android Tablet.  Not the best tablet but OK.

We will go to another Campout with the HR group Jan 7 and then off on this years' trip out west.

blue angels air show

slow go in traffic...but we are thrilled to see this air show...will attend this afternoon and tonight, then again tomorrow....price is right....prepaid with our taxes and craig s 8 years in thr air force......posted using my smart phone...tomorrow will enter the base using the back gate.....line for parking are really long,

Big house in Louisiana

We are in the Louisiana house.  Always a lot of work to make this stick and vinyl house liveable. 

Last time we where here, we had about a 1/2 dozen Bats.  This time we had the whole village.  Looks like they don't like us because they are gone, I hope.  Still need to get in the attic and see if they just moved, there.

Monday we will drive 200 miles to Pensacola, Fl.  The local chapter of the Holiday Rambler Owner's is planning to attend the Blue Angels Air Show and we would like to join them.  Looking forward to meeting this Louisiana group.  We have booked  7 days at Johnny's RV resort in Foley, Al.

I really want to do better about posting this blog.  I have a lot to talk about and show.  But I get sooooo lazy and then time just gets by.  Part of my problem is that I use my Verizon Smart Phone to read my daily blogs and almost never open the big laptop and hook to the Verizon MiFi.  Now, in the house, I can leave the big laptop out and easy to get to, so hope to do better.

Tried for 10 minutes to post one picture but blogger has changed things and I can not do it.  Need help.

Stone Mtn GA/Callaway Gardens

Just not enough time in the day.  We are now at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain GA.  We have pass by these attraction a million times.  Finally stopped.  Both are great places.

Sorry no pictures tonight, seems blogger has made changes and my computer does not respond.  It just locked up.  I give up!!

Oh, LSU won.  What fun!!

Driveway parking, Greenville, SC

Travels have been great, but I have been selfish and lazy.  Not wanting to take the time to post.  Now I am getting e-mails reminding me that 9-11 was my last post.  Thank you, Joe.

Anyway, we are visiting friends here in Taylors, SC.  This area is very pretty, you can see the mountains that are Ashville, NC.  Yesterday Craig and I drove around Hwy 11 and Flat Rock State Park.  We lived here for over 3 years.  Flour Inc. has a very nice office here, it is huge.  Craig got to go in and visited with a bunch of the people he used to work with.  He and a few guys have gone to the gun club to shoot skeet.  They will do it again Sunday.  Tomorrow (Saturday) we will drive to Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC. to see the Auburn/South Carolina game.

Tell then.  Oh, thanks to all for you patience.

Elkhart, IN..the place for RV's

Visited my friend Susie near Lima, Ohio.  But, because I have caught a severe head cold, we only got to have dinner, but at least it was a visited.  Last time we got to visit Susie was in KY when she was an Amazon worker.  You may remember that I meet Susie at a Volunteer Job near Lake Cumberland in KY.  We worked the Wolf Creek Fish Hatchery.

Arrived in Goshen, IN on Saturday.  Staying at the Fairgrounds, we stayed here in May during the 419 diesel pusher Maintenance Rally.  We are going to have another cabinet built and have ESC do a long laundry list of repairs.  Seems the air leak is not fixed.

Bob and Linda!!!!!!  Where are you?????  Would be honored to meet you.

Leaving Gettysburg PA

We spent 14 days discovery Gettysburg.  Several days wher very raining and Labor Day weekend was crowed.  So two weeks worked well.

Bus tour to Washington, DC

Booked a day trip with Dayton Tours. Cost was $75.00 each.  They picked us up, at the campground, at 6:20 and we ended here about 6:45.    This included a meal.

Would recommend this for anyone.

Gettysburg, PA..safe from Hurricane Irene

we are just west enough that Irene will have only light rain.  Some of our neighbors are pullling in from the east.  We are booked at Artillery Hill Campground till Sept 7th.  For 14 days we paid $440.00

All is good .

Weber's have left Maine

onenata, NY but our transmission has leaked fluid.  Not sure how much or why.  the thing was not slipping or making strange noise.  Looks like a filler cap is gone.  Maybe a easy fix.  Guess we will call Allison and learn how to check the fluid level..
Oh, 50 degrees this AM.  Ran the heater.

This post was made using my smart phone, and it cannot spell.

computer back...best buys Geek's arrived

Computer now has more memory and looks like it did before.  Cost $149.00 for one hour of training and $98.00 for the install of 1 GB more of memory.  This computer had 1 GB before and now has 2 GB.

The print size has returned to the size I like and Internet Explorer, with all my favorites, has returned.   You know people or creatures of habit.  Change is hard to accept sometimes.

Verizon MiFi card dropped the connection.  Lost the rest of my post, so bye for now.

PS  Miss my sister already, she flew home Tuesday.

computer broke

Using my Android smart  phone for this post.  Very slow going.  Hope to have the computer repaired next week when we will be in Banger.
My sister is here and she has really kept me busy.
Having a wonderful time.
Lots of Lobster.

Company arrived in Bangor

My sister arrived in Bangor today.  Her fight was to arrived at 11:30 am but was late and we did not leave the airport tell about 1:00 pm.  Betty's phone decided to lock itself and we could not get it to work.  Stop at Best Buy and they tired but not luck.  They called AT&T and they could not fix it and then check with Samsung and still no go.  She ended up buy a Go Phone for $10.00 and transferring the Sims card.  Seems to be working.

I left the campground (in the rain) around 6:15 Am and we did not get back tell 7:00pm.  Partly because I got pulled over for speeding.   The last ticket I got was more than 25 years ago.  Wow, the policeman followed us for several miles (we did not know) then another cop came and got us pulled over.  The first cop was in an un marked car and his lights did not work.  Well, their is more to the story but my 30 minutes of Internet will not allow any more talk.......Bye for now

It is nice to have my sister here.  I feel great.

Company in Eastport, me

Only have a few minutes of Internet connection, so here goes.

Connie and Dave drove down from Houlton, ME.  What a fun couple.  Jackie and Walt (we meet at the rally in Goshen) are here and treated us all to a camper breakfast.  We made omelets in zip lock bags.  Fun and really good.  Connie said she learn a lot, never knew about this style of life.

My sister Betty will arrive in Bangor Wed.  I am looking forward to spending time with my sister.

Bye this campground is fixing to cut my connection.

Eastport me....still no internet

Having a blast here on the east coast.  Saw Reversing Falls, the tides are 20 feet up and down.

No internet connection.  This has to be very very short.  Later

Seaview Campground, Eastport, ME

Back in the states.  Still can not use my smart phone or mifi or this campgrounds wifi.  Verison wants to lock on a Canada tower so it is roaming.  Talked to Verizon and that is hopeless.  Although during my many conversations with the seaview Campgound owners they assured me they had wifi, that isn't what is happening.  If you need to be connected at all, do not come to this campground.  It is beatiful here, if we where just here for a couple of days things would be OK.

Today I have come to the Easport, ME, public library to check my emails and post to my blog.  Wow, wifi and internet can work!!!!!  This building was built in 1895, wonderful high ceilings and wood moldings typical of those times.  I can 'feel' the history and warmth.  I love it.

From the years of 1962 thru 1970 I was employed at the Ascension Public Library.  Even offered the librarian ship when the new  building was built.  I put the first card-ex together in Gonzales and was issued the second library card that fit in the electric stamper thing they used.  I was almost 12 when they started paying me (from the late charge money).  I made 25 cents an hour and worked 2 hours  every afternoon and on Saturaday mornings.  I had more money than any of my classmates.

Craig is on his way to pick me up and we plan to walk around downtown Eastport, ME.  Jackie and Walt will join us.  We first meet Jackie and Walt in Goshen, IN, at the HRRRC maintenance session rally.  Wonderful, fun couple, they have traveled from central CA.  This couple first meet here, on the east coast, some years ago. 

Poor Internet connection

We are on Prince Edward Island, CA. Atlantic time zone, I didn't even know about this. We turned our phones off so my Mifi is disabled and the wifi connection here at the Cornwall KOA is slooooooow.

Walked in Will and Kate's' footsteps in Charlottetown. Wow, what fun.

Will post more when we return to Maine, July 18th.

Bye for now.

Sunday bunch

Just hanging around the campfire and visiting with neighbors. But I did decide I wanted to eat the buffet at the Hollywood Slot's Casino, here in Bangor.

Looked on the net and they have a lunch buffet, and dinner buffet, but this was a bunch. No price listed on the net so I thought it would be the lunch price of $9.99. Well it was not, they wanted $19.99 per person. No thank you.

We went to Tim Horton's, now I know a lot of people know about Tim Horton's. But not the people from the south. I wanted to try it. Being from Louisiana I like my Louisiana coffee. I have to say, Tim Horton's coffee was great. I ordered just plain coffee. The lady behind the counter had to repeat that back to me. Also had a chicken salad sandwich (not good) and a Boston Cream donut (very good).

Tomorrow will be fireworks.. See ya

Fort Knox and Penobscot Narrows

I wanted to do the 420 feet bridge observatory but Fort Knox is what turned out to be outstanding!!

About a 25 mile drive from Pumpkin Patch in Bangor and we found the Penobscot Narrows. This newer bridge is built next to the state of the art 'old' bridge and has two towers to support the cables.

It is the only observatory bridge in the Western Hemisphere and the tallest in the world.

Fort Knox is right next door and you buy tickets to both at the gate, $7.00 each, for us.

The Penobscot river leads to Bangor and Bangor had the trees. Trees where everything in 1844. Something to be protected.

Fort Knox was built to protect Bangor but after 25 years of construction it was never finished, not even completely stocked with cannons.

We took the free tour and our guide was a local young girl who enjoyed her job and all the history.

Ambulance

Port after port for all of the cannon's that lined the walls. Walls mostly made from granite from near by Frankfort.

The brick leached limestone, a lot.

The middle courtyard was never finished.

I've seen several 'forts' but this one was wonderful. Don't miss this if you come to ME. About 55 miles down from Acadia National Park and Bar Harbour on US 1. Good road, the motor home pulling the car is fine. In fact we saw a 40 motor home pulling a Cadillac in the parking lot.

Just visiting with fellow campers

The Adventure Caravan group (19 campers and 2 leaders) pulled out of the park this am. So we can move to a FHU site. And that is all we did today.

We did a lot of visiting with our neighbors. This park has a lot of seasonal people, I guess they could be called reverse snow birds. Too hot in the south. Several have return to this park for years. But it does not look like a trailer park, at all. No decks or storage buildings.

The ladies had a craft get together tonight. Ten ladies, several people beading. I just watched, guess I need a hobby. Oh no.

Sunday/day of rest & Nascar race

If you are an RVer/camper then you know that a big part of the experience is hanging around the campground and visiting with all your new neighbors.

Seems like we should be out exploring Maine but it is sooooooo nice to just sit in the lawn chairs and read or surf the web and visit with anyone who will stop by and talk. This park is large and full. Mostly with the larger rigs. Even a Adventure Caravan is here. Twenty one rigs leaving for a 58 day trip to Canada. Wow.

Our couple of days just meeting all these interesting people is wonderful.

We saw bears continued

These guys help us spot wildlife.

Bear pics. This baby was trying to get above the grass to find his mom. When he spotted her he sailed off this log. His twin is in the grass below him.

No longer at Shin Pond Village but in Bangor, Me. Now our Internet connection works.

Arrived here wanting to park overnight at a Wal Mart, but could not find it. Instead pulled into a K-Mart. Asked permission to stay and was granted. Glad we did. Dropped the CRV and found the wal mart. The parking lot was very busy and very small with all kinds of curbs and flower beds etc, in the way.

Drove the CRV about 10 miles and checked three campgrounds. Paul Bunyan park, Pleasant Hill and Pumpkin Patch. Paul Bunyan was small and had a pool, Pleasant Hill's office people where dis-interested and confused. Pumpkin Patch is LARGE, with a lot of big rigs, no pool. No pool means probably no kids. We will stay in Pumpkin Patch for about two weeks. Although we do not have sewer for one of those weeks. That's OK

Meet a wonderful couple from Chicago traveling in there 'little rig'. Cute tag along pulled by a Ford truck. Forgot to ask if I could post their picture, so J & J this is for you. You are being watched.

Saw Bears in Maine today

Still at Shin Village Campground in Mt Chase Me. Seems after the huge storm yesterday the flies where almost gone today. I believe that they will return. Anyway, tomorrow we are going to stay by Bangor because that's where the mall is. I need new eye glasses and Craig has to find a Medical Lab to preform some blood work the doctor says he needs. Sheeeeesh......

We have looked for this water fall for days. Drove many many logging roads trying to find it. Maine does not have signs!!!!!! But today we found it.

Very nice.

Also, returned to our honey (moose) spot. Saw three moose and a mommy bear with two babies. Sweet.

Two hours trying to post, will try later with the pictures I would like you to see.

retirement and telling tales

These guys are everywhere. They are laying eggs.

Craig and I now have time to just chat. Living in this motor home doesn't leave much room to avoid each other, sooooo we have to talk.

Craig was raised on a large farm near Bridgewater, SD. Craig was born in the year 1953 (just a baby).

This is one of the trucks the campground owner uses. Craig saw it and started talking. Seems he drove one just like it on the farm. He said he was in the 7th or 8th grade.

I was raised with a father in the Air Force, we moved a lot, but didn't really have a lot to do. Just go to school, eat and go to bed. I can not imagery having many chores to do everyday. Chores that are what the grown ups where doing. I'm sure he started chores as soon as he could walk. Chores that had to be done or maybe an animal could die or food would not make it to the table.

Black Flies, no see um's in Maine

Just horrible plus we don't have an Internet or cell phone service. On top of that Blogger still does not work for me. Blogger will not let me sign in like I was used to, but I have signed in a different way. Let's see how far I get. Pictures are out of the question.

Baxter State Park is different from any state park but is very pretty. We battled the black things and went to an area called Sand Point. Wow, found three adult moose and 2 twin babies. Feeding in a beautiful mountain lake. I have pictures but need a better Internet service.

Finally we had neighbors last night. They only stayed one evening and left very early. They called it 'touring' they are moving 200 to 300 miles a day. Although they are joining a caravan to go to Canada and have done a 50 day caravan to Alaska.

They have a 30 foot gas 1999 motor home and do not pull a car. About 7 pm we invited them to join us in our Honda to look for moose. They said great. Stayed out about an hour and half. Went into Baxter Park, but just barely. Saw four moose, Joe has a nice camera and really got great pictures. One of the moose ran from the car and we stopped, the moose stopped, then she turned back and walked within 20 feet of the car. Actually thought we where going to have to move out of her way.

Well, I will post this now. Hope it works. I really miss chatting to myself on this blog. I need to do better and 'just do it'. I learned that from reading blogs.

wish google would get over it

google is driving me nuts......I know....short time....two weeks in Bar Harbour....leaving for Baxter State Park....want to see Moose and fish...etc etc

blogger problems

can not do this on any of my laptops.....did after ten minutes get the andriod phone to link up.....blogger has sent some emails, maybe this will help....having busy, fun time in acadia park and bar harbour...in our second week....

Finally arrived in Maine

We are at a KOA in Canne, Maine. Trying to visit my daughter in law's parents (we have never meet) but looks like our schedules will not allow that. Oh well, we will be in Maine for 2-3 months and then we will never return.

Last Saturday when Craig and I drove into the Catskill Mountains, think Woodstock, we visited the Fly Fishing Museum.

This is what we found for an entrance. As we pulled up to this bridge, that looks like a foot bridge.

I spoke these words (Can we drive over that!!!!!) and this is what I read.

Doing this 6 hour trip. We had sunny skies, light rain, hail (look like it had snowed) and very very heavy thunderstorms. We where already lost and then the local emergency volunteers turned us around because of flash flooding, three different places. We didn't know what was going to happen to us and worried that the Motor home was also being flooded.

....

The Tall Pines Campground is on a river and we just didn't know. The dogs are in the coach. Called the campgrounds and Gail assured us all was OK. Boy I hope this doesn't ever happen again. It is bad enough that the Louisiana house may experience high water and we are not there.

The campground wi fi timed me out and I lost half my post.

Josh, I just read your comment...did not know we where close...would love to see you guys...you know that....maybe we will see you out west in Jan or Feb!!!!

Tall Pines Campground, New York

Wow, can not believe I am in the state of New York.

Arrived here about 2 pm. Parked and hooked everything up and then it rained and rained hard, for hours. The ground is sooooo wet that a person can not walk. Will we ever catch a break? At least we where parked and hooked up before it rained. Really, I think we are a very 'lucky' couple, things have a way of not being sooooo bad......could be worse.

Will stay here for two nights, waiting on Craig's medicine and our mail. Then we hope to go to Lake George, about 160 miles away. Tomorrow we go to the Castill moutains.

Cabinet is done

Finally, we have our cabinet installed. This is before, without the chairs.

Very pleased, but probably will make some changes. Like the hinges.

Seems like all of the newer coaches have this dinette bar along the table and I wanted (needed) one too.

I haven't loaded the cabinet because the vanish smell is strong. I think it needs to dry.

Cost was $350.00. I thought that was great. It is 80 inches long and about 30 inches high and 14 inches deep.

We are now in Du Bois, PA. Headed for Albany, New York for a few days then to Acadia National Park in Maine.

We need to be in one place long enough to receive a Fed-ex or UPS delivery of Craig's medicine. He takes Enbrel and has for the pass 6 years. This one month supply is $2,500.00. But the big problem is that it needs refrigeration and we need to be right their to receive it. Once in Greenville, SC we receive a $8,000.00 shipment and UPS left the box at the wrong site in the RV park and it had to be thrown away. I was very upset. Never asked if the company had to pay or UPS paid, but we did not.

Still at the fairgrounds in Goshen, IN

Friday our carpenter called and said our cabinet would not be ready Friday. Maybe Monday or Tuesday it could be done. Soooooo, we are still camped in the in-field of the Goshen Fairgrounds.

This fairgrounds is very much used by the community. Horses are boarded here and exercised every day. They had the young horse owners putting their horses thru their very best moves.

And of course, there was a huge auction (garage sale). Looks like everyone showed up. Lots of lawn mowing and tractors for sale. But you could find most everything.

At the same time, the club FMCA, had a rally. I believe they had about 180 campers show up. Craig and I walked over and talked with a few of them and looked at the new campers for sale. They had a bunch of Class B camper vans. Remember Mr Van, my Class B camper, it is covered and waiting for us to return to the Louisiana house.

Re-work on our brake assist on CRV

Last week we purchased the Air Force 1 air brake for the TOW vehicle. Well the install was shotie. Here at Elkhart 4h Fairgrounds the FMCA rally began today and the company who took our money, 6 days ago, showed up for this rally.

They came and re-located the box under the hood and rerouted the air line on the Condo and added plastic zip sleeves, plus tied the line with electric ties.

When I mentioned that I could not believe they would take $1,300.00 dollars and send us down the road with shotie work, the owner said all would have been alright. Except for the noise box under the hood of the CRV. Sheesh, I just turned and walked away.

SMI out of Evansville, IL will not get our business again.

Sunday around the fairgrounds

Saturday and today was spent shopping and cleaning.

The 4h club had school kids with calves and baby goats. They where soooooo cute. They where being tagged, weighed and other things that made for a bad day for the animals. Looks like this fairground really does get used by the community

We only have carpet in the bedroom area. But we use area rugs all over. Today Craig pulled the larger rug outside and scrubbed and rinsed it. Then it was time to clean the tow vehicle.

I got to use my new microfiber cloths on the windows of the car. They did work, very well.

This portion of the fairgrounds has 35 camping sites. Three campers are here. Kind of nice, the fairground people don't come out here much. Only thing going on is the horses being exercised. They go around and around the track.

Rallly's over...we are exhausted

Wow. We are having a tough time keeping up with these people, some are 10 to 15 years our Senior.

Everyone has gone on their way, we just moved to full hook ups in the fairground. Over to the race track in-field. Now our view is the horses running around and around the dirt track. Very nice. Makes me feel like I am back at the KY horse park.

These rallies are expensive, at least for us. The Condo need updates, the Satellite and assist brakes for the tow vehicle. Craig may need to return to work at this rate. Wrong, we will have to stop spending.

TV just a push of a button!!

Out neighbors for the last 2 weeks pictured in front of the Amish house that served us a great evening meal. Wonderful, sharing people, life doesn't get any better.

How do you tell if you are a RVer?? You buy a large house on wheels and wax it using a sample bottle of wax. This small bottle did almost the entire coach. Good job J.... W...was watching.

The Internet connection is still sooooooo slow. Maybe I can get a picture posted, maybe not.

So much to learn

Do you own a diesel Motor home? If you do and would like to spend 6 days learning about your coach, this is the place. If you can't get you info from the seminars that go on everyday from 9 am to 5 pm, then join the 'round table' talks with other coach owners.

I can see why many attendances are here for the third and fourth time. So much to learn and do.

I would suggest any RV'er with a diesel coach to attend. We are having a great time, meeting a lot of fun people and learning. Elkhart is a great place to have you coach work done. If they can't fix it here, well, it may not be able to be fixed.

Tomorrow's class (that I choose to attend) is Cummins & Allison Maintenance Operation. Then Ride Height & General Chassis Info, put on by Monaco. They even have cooking, decorating, bingo and crafts. Off course, lots of food.

My mind is tired. I hope to just sit and relax, with full hookups, after this is over. We should pull out of this fairgrounds Friday. Hurry and join us.

ESC Service...Done..paid the bill

Thursday ESC did the Norcold recall and we got on our way to the Fairgrounds in Goshen, IN.

The bill came to $1400.00. But we did get 3 nights of camping without a charge. The air problems seem to be fixed. We had a couple of service places tell us that nothing was wrong, but these guys know what they are doing.

ESC found a bad dump valve, broke linkage, lenking fittings, leaking (chauf) air lines, and more. The front now will drop when using the dump valve, on the air system. Now the Condo looks level going down the road, instead of looking like it wants to sit down, in the rear.

They worked on the gutter over the big windshield, replace the door seal, service 2 A/C's, fixed the generater slide door, replaced parts on the big awning, checked the jacks for leaks, installed new electric ground from gauges to chassis, adjusted air bags to level, removed broke off antenna, and more.


We left for the HRRVC Ramblin Pushers 2011 Maintenance Session by following our neighbors. Three Condo's rolling down the road. A 3rd world country could run for several years on the costs of these RV's and cars rolling down the road.

This was fun. We where hoping to meet up with poeple that we could caravan with.

My internet connection is just toooooo slow to try and load my pictures. Going to bed!!! Need to rest my mind for the classes tomorrow. We are learning a lot. If you have a diesel coach this place is worth attending. They do this once a year. Check it out.

ESC...Elkhart, IN....2nd day of service

These guys have worked steady and hard for 2 and 1/2 days.

When Craig listed the items he wanted fixed or look at, the service manager came out to talk to us, he carried a 3 ring binder with his notes.

I wanted to run and stick my head in the sand, somewhere.

We are parked in the back lot, with lots of company (new friends, I hope). The bill was not prepared at closing, so tomorrow we will see how much this all costs. Craig is in a dreamland about the bill, he is not worried and my stomach is eating away at my backbone.

Tomorrow, if the Condo is fixed, we will move to the Elkhart 4 H Fairgrounds, for the 8 days of the HR Diesel Maintenance Rally. With any luck we will find a parking place that is dry enough that we will not get stuck.

Lunch was red beans and rice. Craig found this anduoille sausage in a Wal Mart in OK, added left over KFC chicken. This band of cajun mixes is my favorite. Check it out on the Internet. The et tou fey is the best. They are sooooo easy and you can just add whatever you have on hand.

Elkhart, IN....Condo in shop..again

More work on the Condo. Hoping to get all of the issues behind us....at least for this trip.

You know, this retirement/RV lifestyle is tiring. Just not enough time in the day. All is good. We are not alone at this repair shop.

New Air Dryer/Oil Change/Misc things

This was Friday.

We are back in action. Arrived at the service building about 10:30 and in the bays by 11:10. Left about 2:00, only $700 lighter in the wallet.

This is the view in the building. Glad we don't look like this truck. It's missing the entire motor. These people work tell midnight every night/7 days a week.

The old air dryer looks very dirty. It is gone and the new one is in. Nike said a lot of the truckers are changing these things almost every year. Just because they go out.

The filters are about $115 and the new dryer with filter was $227. Of course, with the labor and misc parts, the dryer cost us $400. Craig said this part changing is something he could have done. That's good to know. We are sooooooo glad that Craig was able to bypass the dryer and get us to the service shop without having the Condo towed.

Did a oil change, that was $189 and need fluid in that 'yoke' thing at the back axle. Not sure what it is called. He said he added 3 quarts. We need to keep a closer eye on this.

We drove about 100 miles and ran into a very very heavy rain storm. Stopped in Utica, Il at Hickory Hills campground. We are on a concrete pad. The earth here is very wet, everywhere. The Illinois river is high and overflowing. Cost of the campground is $35 a night for FHU. More than my budget allows but we are safe and high and dry.

New Air Dryer...lighter wallet

Don’t put off toady, what will bit you in the behind tomorrow!!!

The Condo has taken longer and longer to air up. The maintenance rally in Goshen should explain why and what we should do. But we did not make that date.

Of course, with no air pressure we have no air brakes. That means we could not move. Then Sparta, WI endured a late snow storm. Got 6 inches. Checked on the Internet and found a few numbers to call, but they where not sending tech’s out in the storm. Marsha in West Salem said that because the air gauge was not coming off of 0 that the air dryer or more was out and they needed the unit in the shop. They wanted us to have it towed. Night mare for me. Marsha was right it was the air dryer.

Craig called Holiday Rambler (several times). Tech support has answer all our questions over the last 2 ½ years. Very Very helpful. Josh told Craig to break the connections to the air dryer and bypass the unit. If the Condo aired up then it is the air dryer. They gave us part numbers and names of places to call for service.

Called Nick at DeBauche Truck and Diesel, he went thru how to bypass the dryer and we could drive the 25 miles BACK to have service.

After the snow slowed down Craig went into town and purchased the right fittings and it worked. The Condo air up and stopped at 120 pounds just like it is suppose to. We drove to LaCrosse (in the Honda) and talked to them, ordered the part and set up service.

All done with that, got hungry and found a Red Lobster. Lunch was $38.00. Oh well.

We have never changed the 3 filters that are in the dryer. We have to do better with maintance items.

This post is long enough, will post the bill and how DeBauche treated us, later.

Sitting at a rest stop at the WI and IL border.

Yes, the sun did appear today.