Archive for

Red Roof Inn — Elkhart, IN

While our RV was having a new fridge installed, we whiled away two nights at a Red Roof Inn in Elkhart, IN.

We chose this motel because it was near the top of a list of “dog friendly” lodgings. Some motels let you have pets. Very handy, but I felt for the cleaning staff because after two days the carpeting was getting thick with Golden Retriever hair.

However, we ended up walking Flirt and Ellie more here than some of our recent campground stays.

Also, there was a Menards next door so I killed a morning hiking around the store.

We’ll post photos from our fridge update in a few days, but for now here are some photos from our Red Roof stay . . .

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

NEXT STOP:  Des Moines, IA

MasterTechRV — Elkhart, IN

So as much as we tried to keep our food cold in our 12-year-old Dometic NDR1292 fridge, the temp just kept on rising. This was especially apparent during the recent MidWest heat wave. For example,  in the mornings the temps hovered around 40 degrees. However, whenever we opened the fridge door for more than a couple seconds, the temp would shoot up to 45 degrees and stay there for hours.

Because the safe operating temperature of a refrigerator is 40 degrees or below, we thought it was best to replace our original fridge with a standard residential type.

No mean task.

Since my “heavy lifting” days are done, I looked for an RV service who could do the work and searched the RVing forums for suggestions: MasterTech RV in Elkhart, IN.

So . . . like a rubber band . . . we left Geneseo, IL this morning and headed east 250 miles to Elkhart, IN — instead of west towards Colorado Springs, CO (our next destination).

We’re replacing our 12 cf Dometic with an 11.7 cf Whirpool WRT111SFA. The install was quoted at 20 to 25 hours of labor, so we should be out of here Wednesday or Thursday. We’ll spend those days in a local motel while our new fridge is installed.

But tonight we’re camped out in the MasterTech RV “campground” along with several other RVs awaiting service. Some photos . . .

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

It’s Tuesday . . . It Must Be Time To Replace Something — Geneseo, IL

So on Tuesday our 12-year-old bathroom roof fan gave up the ghost. Though we have two roof fans (one in the WC and the other in the kitchen), the bathroom fan is fairly important.

We usually flick it on when, well, you know, we use the loo. The fan covers up for, well, you know — especially during the middle of the night.

Anyway, a replacement fan was ordered with a wireless remote control (hubba hubba), and I was able to install it during a break in the heat wave we’ve been having in the Midwest. Lucky me.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.