We were at Haulmark bright and early Monday a.m. (6 a.m. so up at 4 a.m. to get ready and things put away). They got right to us and fortunately we were back at the RV park by noon. Some parts had to be ordered so it means a second trip later in the week but most things were easily accomplished. It was nice to see everyone at Haulmark again since we got to know them very well three years ago when we were there a lot watching the coach being built. All those employees are still there, families have grown and changed, and a few employees have even been added since business is improving.
On Tuesday we went back to Newmar and did another tour. We enjoyed the first one but the regular tour guide had been out of town so we went back hoping she'd be back. She wasn't but it was still another good tour and at the end we saw even different coaches that had been completed. One being a beautiful HUGE 'top of the line' Newmar going to British Columbia that was all custom and we weren't allowed to go inside that one. The outside was beautifully painted black/white/silver so I can only imagine what the inside looked like. On our way back from this tour we stopped for lunch in Wakarusa, a very small town between Nappanee and Elkhart along the Heritage Trail. We spent several weeks over the years in Wakarusa when we had our Travel Supreme 5th wheel because this is where they were located and we would come back for service. It is a cute little town, with one stoplight, a couple of restaurants, some family owned businesses, one of which is the Wakarusa Hardware that has been selling items from its 'wall of 1000 drawers' (remember in the movies all the wooden drawers in hardware stores 'back in the day'). There is also a Wakarusa Dime Store, famous for 'Jumbo Jelly Beans' and aisles of all the candy and gum we remember as kids......Bit-O-Honey, bubble gum cigarettes, candy necklaces, Beemans and clove gum to name a few. This little town is so neatly kept with flower baskets hanging on the street corners and maple trees lining the main street.
Wednesday we went to the RV Hall of Fame and Museum. This is a gem of a museum if you want to see the RV's of the past. They have many and have done a wonderful job of showing them off. There is also a wonderful library of any RV magazine or book you can imagine. There are hopes and plans for displaying many more as time and money permit. We were privileged to sit and visit with Al Hesselbert, historian, curator and librarian for the museum. He is a very interesting gentleman with many RVing stories to tell from years past. He is 71 I believe he said and still RVs in his 'vintage' Newell motorhome. His travels don't take him to as many places now but he still goes to FL in the winter, and then two or three other places throughout the year. In fact, his Newell is parked in our campground in storage, until he needs it next.
Thursday was housekeeping day for Murphy and I as Dick took the car to have all the towing gear installed. This was pretty much an all day job so Murphy and I held the fort down here at home. Haulmark called and the parts are in so Friday a.m. we'll go back there to complete that task.
Murphy has been 'chomping at the bit' to get to day camp so while the rig was at Haulmark on Friday, he got to go to camp and boy did he come home exhausted. He plays and plays and plays......this particular 'camp' is the best we've encountered as she has 10 acres, some inside and some outside, and they have all kinds of doggie play equipment, doggie pools, birthday parties, you name it. He slept well Friday night and was pretty lazy even Saturday.
One of the things we wanted to see this week was a 9/11 memorial steel beam that was erected here in Elkhart at the Osolo Township Fire Department. They received this beam in the summer of 2011 and now have made a permanent memorial at the station for the public to see. We were here in Elkhart when the beam arrived in town in 2011 but we didn't know it until the motorcade was over with (and it was quite the motorcade we heard later with hundreds of motorcycle riders and cars following it from Ft. Wayne to Elkhart). The fire department had requested it in 2009 and realize it was quite an honor to have been granted that request so they have really made a wonderful memorial with a brick walkway up to the memorial containing the 9 names of people from IN that were lost on 9/11. There is also a stainless steel book containing the 2976 victims names on display near the beam. This 'book' was donated by a local metal etching company who also donated a book that rests at the base of a cross near Ground Zero. Very impressive to say the least!
We had dinner Saturday evening with our friends Craig and Cheryl and then back to their beautiful country home for dessert....fresh strawberry shortcake!! Today some friends from TN are coming by for a visit. It has been several years since we've seen them so it will be fun to catch up and we hope to see them again when we get to Crossville, TN in a few weeks.
Here's hoping everyone had a wonderful week. The weather is warming up here in the midwest (90's today so that means higher humidity as well) and it looks like it'll be here to stay for the next week or so. Summer has arrived.
Here are a few pictures from this past week.
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| Murphy found a gopher (one of many) in this campground and he was bound & determined to get it!! (He didn't) |
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| One of many hanging baskets along the streets of Wakarusa, IN |
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| An old-fashioned Dime Store in Wakarusa |
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| One of the many many flavors they have of these jelly beans |
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| 9-11 Metal Etched book with all the names of the victims |
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| Steel Beam from one of the Towers destroyed on 9-11 |
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| 9-11 Memorial at Osolo Fire Department in Elkhart, IN |
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| RV Hall of Fame in Elkhart, IN |
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| One of many 'housecars' on display at the museum This one is a 1928 Pierce Arrow Fleet Housecar, one of only three built before the market crash of 1929 which ended the manufacturing of these 'luxury' housecars. |
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| 1958 Airstream, the smallest Airstream ever built |
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| I saw these swans enjoying an early morning 'sail' on Lake Simonton near our campground when I was taking a bike ride |
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