Putting miles on the truck

Thursday  when we got up it was raining...we don't like to travel or pack up in the rain!  Jim checked the forecast and radar for the area we would be traveling through and decided since we have an appointment in Lagrange we'd go asap!  The rain let up and Jim was able to get the outside done without getting soaked.  He wiped the trikes down as best he could and we brought them inside for hopefully our last time! The bike rack is not stable and it's a pain in the butt to bring them in so they can ride in comfort on the bed.

We were on the road around 0930  We took a couple back roads but we also ended up on the interstate for a stretch.  We always check out tractor trailers as they go by and this was was intriguing.   

The whole thing was white with no markings except this on the back.  Any Pirate fans out there?

Even with a stop for a quick bite of lunch, a salad of lettuce, black beans and mango salsa we made good time and arrived around 1230, just in time for the rain to start in Lagrange!  Jim headed into the office while I kept Boo company in the truck.  A young man came out and checked under the slide and parts were ordered.  Soon Jim came out and unhitched the rig and Paul hooked it up with his tractor and slid in into a slot next to the building.  We have water and electric.

Jim made a quick call to the folks who made our blinds and discovered if we bring them in before they close we can have them back after lunch the next day...So off we go to Goshen because they've moved.  Not that far in the scheme of things but we'd already driven a lot so this was added to our mileage for the day.  Of course this was done in the rain because it hadn't let up.  We were able to see the farm country around here and a few horse and buggy's.  This is Amish/Mennonite country and the way of life here is another era.

We stopped to eat at 5 & 20, a good restaurant on the corner of highways 5 and 20.  Jim chose the buffet while I had a baked sweet potato with brown sugar and butter.  My dinner was just like having a sweet potato pie!  We still had another stop to make.  Because we can't do laundry we needed puppy pads for Boo....now where do you find something like this is such a rural area?  Walmart of course!  Well that took us to Sturgis, Michigan, just across the Indiana border....more miles on the truck!  And our weary bodies.

Finally we made it home and just collapsed for the evening.  The rain continued off and on and during the evening we even lost power for a bit from a lightning strike.

Yesterday we didn't have to hurry our morning.  Parts hadn't arrived and there were others ahead of us.  So I stripped the bed, made oatmeal for breakfast (chilly and rainy), did dishes and then packed up the rig so we could bring the slides in.  Our trikes are being stored in the building.  Jim disconnected the water and electric so all would be ready for them to move the rig to work on it.

Of course Boo had to go with us and Jim got the carrier out so we could leave him in the truck safely.  I had made plans to meet up with Joyce and Roger who are at Twin Hills getting their new rig packed up. But haven't heard back from them, I'm sure they are busy!  Our first stop of the day was the post office in Howe to pick up a package from Sonsearae.  Then we headed out to find Greenfield Mill and Twin Hills campground.  We didn't find the mill and the campground had gates so we just sailed on by.  Of course we still had overcast skies and intermittent rain.

Jim had picked up a flyer in the office for Lambright Comfort Chairs,http://www.amishcountry.org/leisure/lambright-comfort-chairs so that was our next stop.  Five miles south of Shipshewana in Topeka...more miles driven...

They make lovely furniture and tables suitable for RV's.  For those who don't know, this whole area is RV country!  A lot of different rigs are built here.  We saw the lots full of new rigs and saw quite a few on the roads too.

my new computer table

We liked the chairs, even found one that fits my smaller frame.  But no chair buying today!  I did get a new table for my laptop.  It has a metal foot to slide under a chair leg for stability and a magazine rack.  The top lifts for storage and the height is adjustable and the whole top swivels!  So far I like it a lot.  I can bring it right up to me for typing and as you can see in the picture there is room for the mouse.  My other table was to high.  Of course with the lower table it means Boo doesn't have a lot of lap room...

After this stop we headed back towards Shipshewana for some lunch stopping at Subway.  I know what you're thinking...why Subway when we have all these wonderful restaurants serving such good food?  Well the gift card was free...so lunch was free :-)  I'm sure we'll be sampling some of the fine meals that can be had around here.

So now it's after lunch, that means we can drive back to Goshen and pick up the blinds!  Off we go down familiar roads and wonderful scenery.  Blinds safely tucked in the back seat we head back towards Lagrange.  Our first stop was Guggisberg Cheese Factory, www.babyswiss.com.  Those who have been to this are know this is a must!  You can sample all the cheeses they make and some snacks too.  Hmmm, should have come here for lunch!  Jim bought a wheel of four cheeses and I got some popcorn and postcards.  Our next stop was a bakery whose name escapes me...Rise and Shine or something like that.  There we wandered and tasted cookies and dips....Cowboy cookies and Snickerdoodles were our favorites.  The cookies are huge, at least four inches across and the samples were big too.

Now we're on a sugar high and we head back to Paul's and see our rig is right where we left it.  :-(  So we check in the office and find we're next and Kay gives us directions to a winery....Off we go again in the spitting rain only to find more back roads and lovely farms.  Never did find the winery but we did find the Mill!  The mill has been around for awhile and I love their slogan, Put a new Rinkle in your baking.... http://www.newrinkelflour.com/

The place was open but no one was inside.  We checked the store out and looked at a couple of things then left.  As we were getting into the truck someone came by in a car and asked if we'd been helped.  I just waved him off because we didn't want to buy anything.  They do give tours and that might have been interesting.

So by now we are both tired of driving and sitting in the truck.  We head back to Lagrange and lo and behold they're working on the rig!  Jim dashes inside to check progress and as I'm sitting there Paul is delivering our rig to the side of the building.  Hurrah! we can set up, feed Boo and have some coffee!!!....

But it wasn't fixed....it's not the rod but some bushings which hopefully they'll have on Monday and we'll get the slide fixed then.  So we're staying here the weekend, Monday after the repair we'll move to a local campground and wait for the next phase.  We're getting a new hitch for the bike rack

I can honestly say we were all glad to be home, out of the rain!  Even Jim said he was tired of driving and that rarely happens!  Boo ate dinner and then began to nap.  Jim set up my new table so I could check it out.  We had our coffee then Jim put up the blinds.

Did I mention how chilly.....no it's cold here.  Apparently the front that brought all this rain is also bringing colder temperatures.  Last night it was 55 degrees when we went to bed and it was still raining...I slept very well, thank you very much!

Not sure what, if anything we'll do this weekend....it's not raining and the sun did TRY to come out.  It's 61 degrees outside with a high of 74 predicted....but it isn't raining!