Indiana

Austin’s Fall trip East

October 13, 2016Indiana, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Vermontaustinsonwheels Leave a comment

Our plan this year was to head out to the east coast the first part of September . We have always wanted to visit Bar Harbor Maine and see all the fall colors on the way. We thought we would leave right after Labor Day weekend. Plans are always made to be broken.

Some of you know that we have had a problem with our travel trailer this past year. The cover (called the skin in trailer talk) started to buckle on the front of the trailer. We noticed it in March. It was a small little dent on the very top of the front curve of the trailer. We didn’t think too much about it at first. Then in July on a nice sunny day we looked up and noticed this little dent was now a much larger dent and was spreading across the front of the trailer. We contacted General RV as that is where we bought it new back in February 2015. We were told to contact Coachman in Indiana as we were 6 months over the warrenty. I called and explained our problem with their customer service manager. That started the process of sending pictures and waiting to see if and when they would take responsibility for repairing it. We wanted to get it fixed before we left for the south for the winter. Because it would take time to get this all processed and order parts, we decided to leave for the east coast a little bit later than originally planned.

We started our fall adventure on September 18th. We both have a “bucket list” of places and things we would like to do while on this adventure. I am happy to say we were able to check off a number of them on this trip.

Highlights of our East Coast adventure

Niagara Falls. It took us almost 50 years of marriage to make it to this honeymoon destination. Of course no trip is complete without the boat ride on The Maid of the Mist
Toured Fort Niagara on Lake Ontario
Cooperstown, NY and the National Baseball Hall of Fame. We spent many hours reading stats and watching video of baseballs greatest.
An unexpected treat of having dinner with our friend Carol in Massachusetts
A visit to L.L.Bean in Freeport, Maine.
Time exploring and sightseeing in Acadia National Park
Bar Harbor Maine eating Lobster
Mount Desert Oceanarium in Bar Harbor. It features a lobster hatchery and salt marsh
Visited Larrie’s cousin Nancy and Steve Bird in Brandon, Vermont Had a great time catching up on life
Ben & Jerry’s Factory Tour in Waterbury, Vermont.
Stops at cider mills, winerys, cheese factories, and a distillery.
Mount Independence State Historic Site, Orwell, Vermont. Fort built in 1776
Many Fall leaf color drives in New York, New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont
Almost annual trip to Shipshewana and Lolly’s fabric store (Jackie’s highlight )
Musical “Josiah for President” at the Blue Gate Theater (wish we had someone like him to vote for).

As you can see, we had a full trip to the East coast and back to Michigan. We will now have our trailer repaired courtesy of Coachman and General RV. Then we will head south as the weather is getting colder and the campgrounds are closing.

Tribute to Markin Glen

October 16, 2015Indiana, MichiganThere's no place like homeaustinsonwheels Leave a comment

It is said you never really appreciate what you have until you lose it. I think I did appreciate Markin Glen Campground while we were there. We started this adventure there on May 8th and we ended our Michigan time there on October 9th. Including the month that we camp hosted, we were there for 106 days during our 5 months of “practice” being full-time RVers.

Markin Glen has clean bathrooms and showers. The sites are always checked over and mowed before the next camper comes in. The staff were friendly and helpful. The manager, Josh, is a great guy who takes his job very seriously. He is always around to help with any issue and keeps the entire Markin Glen area in great shape. Even when busy, he takes the time to chat with campers. Just the type of person you need to manage a park.

For us, we made some new friends that we saw numerous times at the campground. They kind-of adopted us in their little group. They even came to see us off when we left in October. We have plans to see them again next memorial day weekend and share stories.

Garry Judy Madelyn Millard

Because we enjoyed our time in Kalamazoo’s county park, we thought we would try one on our way south. Driving into the park , I noticed the trees are larger here, and the park is much larger too. The bathrooms are clean. Showers are disappointing . As you push in a tiny button to turn the water on, it runs for a short time before it shuts off and you start the process all over again. Not convenient but doable.

What I really notice is that the hook-ups for our trailer are on the cement slab of the trailer behind us. That means as they walk out their door, our sewer hose is maybe 6 feet from their trailer door. Oh yes, their picnic table is also on this cement area. At the present time, we have no one on the left side or right side of us. But, guess what happens on the second day we are here. Yes, we get neighbors to our right. So now , we have a sewer hose about 6 ft from our trailer door. And, yes, our picnic table is in this area too. Guess we will be spending time inside the trailer and outside the park.

After neighbors

Before neighbors

Our kids have always said we started out in the Cadilac of campgrounds. We knew that. But, I never felt it so deeply as I do now.

Keep it up Josh. Your park is the best.

Plans change, okay?

October 12, 2015Indianaaustinsonwheels Leave a comment

The best laid plans of mice and men…….., oh well! Right from the get-go we were confronted with real life. Plans to visit Jackie’s cousin in Illinois were withdrawn due to death of a close friend of the family and church he is pastor of. We altered the plan out of respect for his need to spend time facing the loss and honor the friend. We’ll reschedule a visit down the road. God’s plan trumps “mice and men” plans.

Implementing a plan change was complicated by the Covered Bridge Festival taking place in the western half of Indiana which left no room in the “inn”. I selected Lost Bridge West State Park campground southwest of Fort Wayne. We traveled there by way of US 131, Indiana 5, and Indiana 105.

I began to notice a minimum of highway signs, businesses, and traffic as I traveled south along ever-narrowing roads. Farms were right and left and fields were being harvested. I felt grateful to the farmers who supply the food chains I partake of daily.

Farmers first as I learn patience and appreciation

At our destination we selected a site near two bath houses, a water spigot, and on a high level gravel site. With only electric hookup we’re learning to manage water and waste carefully to avoid unnecessary teardown and setup.

A teardrop rally group were camped nearby so we walked through the display of authentic restore and retro-repro trailers along with some cool tow vehicles.

The next day we traveled to a site near Marion, IN to view a “reenactment” of a battle in the War of 1812.

The location was well staged with period correct camps of the British soldiers, American soldiers, Native Indians, militia, villagers, and pirates along the Mississinewa river. The battle was narrated as it smoked and blasted our senses. A huge cast of performers and props made the well attended event take us to a place back in time.

Back at the state park we checked out the Salamonie dam that creates the lake we were on. Salamonie Lake Recreational Area is a multiuse park and pretty well maintained. It served us well for our initial landing after finally launching into our travels.

-LA