22nd Stop - Goshen, Indiana

We said good-bye to the people that we met at the Elkhart Campground at the Mandalay Travel Club rally and pulled out this morning for the short ride.  When I say short, Ed didn't even bother hooking up the car; I just followed behind him for the ride.

We're now staying at the Elkhart County Fairgrounds and there's a sea of Mandalay coaches and a few others made by Thor. 

The fairgrounds are really nice and occasionally we hear clop-clop-clop as the horse-drawn Amish buggies go up and down the street. 

On Sunday, all the coaches that were at the Mandalay Rally in Elkhart arrived and filled in some more sites here at the Fairgrounds for the opening day that included a social hour, chili cook-off competition (no...Ed didn't compete and everyone who knows ME understands why I didn't), a pot luck dinner where the food ran out pretty quick considering there's almost 200 people here at this rally.  After dinner, a blue grass band played.

Monday started off with a continental breakfast; in addition to the full hook-up campsite, four days of breakfasts and dinners are included along with the beer, wine, munchies for the social hour.  The days are filled with seminars on (to name a few):  RV electrical safety, Onan generator maintenance, Freightliner chassis, Blue Ox Tow Bars & Brake Systems, Tire Pressure Monitoring, Furnace & Water Heater Maintenance and a few I was interested in...shorten/weave t-shirts, digital camera.  The seminars are put on by the vendors who are here for the week in the big building where the social hours are held and Thor brought in 5 coaches to put on display.

The thing that Ed likes (besides the free wine and beer) is the fact that you can get a lot of work done while we're here.  Thor workers are here going around fixing problems on coaches and it doesn't matter if they're brand new and under warranty or not.  We fall under the NOT (under warranty) category so we have to pay for the parts and they never charged for the labor;  very convenient. 

Tuesday was Ed's birthday and it was announced at dinner (not sure how the speaker found out about it) and the crowd sang happy birthday to him.  I treated him to dinner (ok...so it was free but I gave him my extra piece of salisbury steak!!!).

Tonight there is a variety show after dinner and tomorrow there's a doo-wop dance since the theme of this rally is "Strolling Back in Time".  Friday, hopefully we'll have all the work done that Ed asked for, we'll be heading east towards NY.

21st Stop - Elkhart, Indiana

Before we left Ionia this morning, we got a group shot of "the girls" ... Mandy, Molly and Lily.


We arrived at Elkhart Campground in Elkhart, Indiana today and we ran into quite a bit of rain along the way.  When we were checking in it was raining AND hailing and we got drenched! 

Ed and I will be here at this campground for a week and then heading just down the road to the Elkhart County Fairgrounds in Goshen for the Thor Rally.  

Sunday was our last day spent with Carol, Gary and Lily before they headed back to Arizona.  It was cold and we all layered up and packed the dogs in the car and headed to downtown Elkhart to check out the Riverwalk and the city's first-ever fall flower "Carpet of Mums".    We just walked up the ramp to a "viewing platform" overlooking 7,000 pots of jewel-toned mums when a young man unloaded a camera from a channel 2-ABC car called out to us asking if he could talk to us.  We told him we weren't from the area and he said that was fine and started asking questions.  Next thing I know, Carol, Gary and Ed had volunteered me to answer them and the guy was pinning a microphone to my jacket and pointed the camera and asked me my name and started asking questions.  After it was all over they all made fun of me and we went on our walk along the river and then took a ride on Beardsley to look at the big houses that the wealthy had built in Elkhart in 1910 and then to the Wellfield Botanical Gardens.  The Gardens had been under construction the last time Ed and I had stopped there last year and this year we (the dogs, too)
were able to walk around the lake and the gardens were beautiful with a lot of flowers still in bloom. That evening, my 6 seconds of fame (my name was spelled wrong, as usual) aired on TV during the local news:  http://www.abc57.com/news/local/Celebration-in-downtown-Elkhart-170905571.html!

Monday we waved good bye to Carol, Gary and Lily as they drove out of the campground.  In the afternoon we drove to South Bend to go to the Studebaker Museum...LOTS of nice looking cars!  Notre Dame Campus was close by so we headed there and were able to walk the dogs around the campus with us.  Beautiful buildings/architecture!!!  I don't understand though...the students looked sooooo young!!! 

Tuesday, Ed and I went to Shipshewana to the BIG flea market there.  We passed a lot of Amish horse and buggys along the way and Molly and Mandy were kept very busy watching for them. 

We "crashed" the Mandalay Travel Club Rally that started here at this campground on Thursday and joined in on the happy hours and Friday's breakfast and dinner.  These rigs will be heading over to the Thor Diesel Club rally at the fairgrounds in Goshen on Sunday (we're leaving Saturday to check in).

20th Stop - Ionia, Michigan

Another beautiful day in Michigan.  We left Traverse City and topped the RV tanks off with diesel (diesel is going up and regular gas is down below $4/gal) and headed to Ionia.

We checked into Alice Springs RV Park & Resort not far from plenty of shopping (Meijers, Walmart, etc.) and restaurants along the main drag that leads to downtown Ionia.  This is within driving distance to Holt where Ed's Mom lives so we'll be spending some time with her at this location.  My old (as in childhood) friend, Joanne Ward Fornusek, doesn't live far from here BUT she's going to be in NY visiting her family and I won't be able to get together with her this year.  I'm disappointed I won't see her but happy that she'll be with her family and in my old house...her sister, Mel (aka Mary Ellen) bought my parents' house.

Gary and Carol (and Lily, too) headed to NY while their rig stays here in the site next to us.  They'll have long days of driving on Sunday (going) and Friday (returning) and packing a lot of visits with family and friends while they're in the Mid-Hudson Valley.  Once they return, we'll probably be heading to Elkhart, IN instead of South Haven, MI as originally planned.

It's Tuesday and the temperature has dropped and some rain has fallen.  Other than visiting family, this will be a quiet stop but at least it's a very nice campground.  I'll chill and read a book while Ed paces and goes for bike rides and tries to think of things to do. 

Check back this weekend and find out where we end up once Carol and Gary return and we head out to the next stop.




Ed with his Mom and sister, Pat

19th Stop - Traverse City, MI

Since we had a lot of rain our last day in Mackinaw City, everything was wet packing up in the morning (again!).  We were packed up and pulling out of the campground by 11:00am and arrived at Holiday Park Campground in Traverse City around 1:00pm.  We'll be here for a week...the longest stay at any place since we started this trip (we're here 7 nights!).

We really like this campground here...really nice site, wi-fi is great, we have cable, water pressure is great and it's close to a LOT of things. 

We pulled into our sites and Pat (Ed's sister) and Michael (her husband) were just walking up to our see if we had arrived;  they're staying here in their pop-up for the weekend.  After we got set up, we went for a walk with Gary and Carol and the dogs around the campground.  We left Gary and Carol (they headed into Traverse City and walked around) and headed up to Jan's (Ed's sister) and Jerry's house for a fish fry and a LOT of food for a going away party for Kris (daughter of Jan & Jerry) who will be heading to Los Angeles for a new job. 

Sunday, Ed and I went wine tasting with the family.  Ed had a hard time keeping up with lead-foot Jan; she forgot he was following her.  There's a LOT of vineyards and wineries up towards Northport and one of the ones we stopped at was the Ciccone Vineyard which is owned by Madonna's father and stepmother.
(CLICK ON PICTURES TO ENLARGE)

Monday was a beautiful clear day and we loaded Molly, Mandy and Lily into the car and we headed to Sleeping Bear Dunes in Empire.  The Dunes are part of the National Lakeshore park overlooking Lake Michigan and LOTS of sand.  We drove through the park and stopped at some of the lookouts and then went to the dunes where Ed, Carol and Gary climbed up to the top while I sat back with the three dogs and took pictures and chatted with some people who were out sightseeing (I felt like the welcome wagon).

Tuesday we headed to downtown Traverse City and walked around town browsing at the storefronts along the way and found a good place for lunch. 

Wednesday we had another beautiful clear warm day in the 80's so we headed to Sutton's Bay to walk around, browse in the shops and had lunch.  If the weatherman is right, we'll be dropping into the 60's tomorrow!

Thursday ended up being cold and rainy and I started worrying about leaving my heavy jacket back home in the closet (well, it wasn't THAT cold but it will be probably be soon!).  BUT when the rain stopped, we had a beautiful sunset so there's a silver lining to every dark cloud, right?

Friday it was still chilly but a beautiful day but it was time to say good-bye to sister Jan, bro-in-law Jerry and niece Kris.  We met them at Sleder's Family Tavern (est. 1882) in Traverse City where they served all-u-can fish.  Let me tell you, Ed has had his share of lake fish since we hit Michigan and tonight he was able to get some more smelt (Kris is holding up one here in this pic) so he was happy.

Saturday, we'll pack up and head to Ionia where we'll be closer to Ed's Mom.  Carol and Gary will be leaving their rig in Ionia and heading to NY to visit family and friends they left behind when they sold their house (with OUR campsite) and moved to Arizona.

18th stop - Mackinaw City, Michigan

It was a short drive from Sault Ste Marie (Upper Peninsula) across the Mackinaw Bridge to Mackinaw City, Michigan today and we checked into Mackinaw Mill Creek Campground in early afternoon.  (Click on pictures to enlarge.)

The campground is located on the shores of Lake Huron and on a clear day you can look across and see Mackinac Island and the Grand Hotel.  The color (and it's clear) of the water of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan has to be seen because it's too hard to describe and it still amazes me everytime I come back up here near the lakes.

On Wednesday, Ed stayed behind at the campground to do dog duty and sent me packing with Carol and Gary across the straits from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island.  The weather indicated a slight chance of rain so I packed two ponchos...one for me and one for Carol since we both took our cameras and we didn't want to get them wet; Gary was on his own to deal with the elements.

We cruised over on one of those hydro boats that kick up the rooster tail in the back and once we got off the boat, I think Carol fell in love with the island.  There are no motor vehicles on the island (only emergency vehicles, when needed) and you get around by walking, bicycles or by horse.  We opted for the horse-drawn carriage ride and did that first after we walked up the main drag.  We first boarded a carriage pulled by two horses (Buck and Doc) and it took us up past some local landmarks and then up past the Grand Hotel which has the world's largest front porch (featured in the movie Somewhere in Time with Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour).  We found out MANY interesting facts about the hotel but I don't want to bore you with them...it's like "you had to be there" to really appreciate them.  Once we got to the top we switched over to a horse-drawn wagon pulled by three horses (Bubba, Jenny and LT Dan) that took us through the woods and up to Fort Mackinac and "arch rock". 

 

Once we were done with the carriage ride, we walked along the main street again and checked out the Sea Biscuit...it had Guinness beer (or ale, whatever it is) and Carol and Gary couldn't pass it by.  We did some more walking and by the time we went back to wait to get on the ferry going back to MC, we had some raindrops but it was just enough to make me unfold the poncho (Gary and Carol took cover) and by the time I got it over my head it was over with.

That evening we all went up to walk up and down the main street of downtown Mackinaw City and checked out some shops and found a restaurant to eat at. 

Thursday, we all drove down to Petoskey to check that out...NICE downtown area and, again, a beautiful waterfront on Little Traverse Bay.

Friday was the FIRST day that we had rain all day since we started our trip.  It was cold (in the 60's) and damp and Ed went with Gary and Carol to find a fresh fish market and pasties and when they came back we sat outside under the awning at the picnic table and played Mexican Train (which Ed won).  We layered up with jackets over our sweatshirts and sat outside and had ribs (courtesy of Gary) for dinner. 

Next stop will be Traverse City on Saturday.

17th Stop - Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

First off, I mentioned to Ed that I couldn't believe that there's been over 500 "pageviews" on this blog and then he confessed that probably 300 of them were his.  He keeps logging on to refresh his memory on where we've been and where we're going.  For all those who are keeping up with our travels, thanks; I miss you.

We're still in the Upper Peninsula and arrived at the Aune Osborne Campground in Sault Ste. Marie, MI to spend Labor Day Weekend.  From our campsite we have a front row seat of big (up to 1000 feet long) freighters going up and down the St. Mary's River (between U.S. and Canada) going through the Soo Locks.  We REALLY like this campground and are thinking about coming back here again in the future even though they only have water and electric and only a handful are 50 amp sites.  If anyone is coming this way in an RV, I would highly recommend making a stop here for a few days.

After dinner on Saturday, Carol suggested going up to the Soo Locks to watch the freighters go through.  There's like a 3-level "reviewing" stand alongside the closest lock so we stood watching the freighters going up and down in the lock (low water for Lake Huron side and high water for Lake Superior side).  It's a big tourist attraction and draws a lot of people.

Sunday Ed, Carol, Gary and I took the boat ride that goes through the Soo Locks on the Canadian side and returns through a lock on the U.S. side.  It was a gorgeous day and the boat ride was great.  We were elated at the beginning of the cruise to find that it came down the river as far as where we were camped and we were able to see that Molly was NOT up on the dashboard barking at people that were standing along the river's edge in front of the campsite.

Monday we headed up to downtown Sault Ste Marie to walk along the main street and find a restaurant to eat at.  The timing was just right because the sky was starting to look like something was going to happen and we found a restaurant and the rain, thunder and lightning came.  Mandy was NOT happy with the thunder part and was hyperventilating when we returned to the RV.