Posts from the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

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 . . .

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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 . . .

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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.

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Change of Plan — Geneseo, IL

One of the Main Street Geneseo Pigs

We tried — really tried — to camp at the site we had reserved at Johnson-Sauk Recreation Area, but after a good hour of trying to jockey our motorhome into our site, it was no dice.

Our site (and many others) was not level and there were culverts on either side of the site.

At one point Jan suggested that we just drive across the entire grass campground to get into our site.

I think that’s when we knew it was time to get another campground.

We lucked out. We were able to find a campground where we could stay over through the upcoming Labor Day weekend.

We celebrated by dining out at a local restaurant . . .

What’s with the pigs?

Starved Rock State Park — Oglesby, IL

After we got back on the road after our road debris encounter, we arrived at Starved Rock State Park on Tuesday afternoon.

However, when we arrived, we couldn’t start our Honda CRV. Dead battery? We even thought we might have towed it with the park brake on. Did we destroy the transmission? We were in a panic. But we were able to get it together and schedule the car to be towed to a local Honda dealer.

So Tuesday ended on a sour note . . . first an RV problem, now the car. Oy veh.

Wednesday I (Tom) spent the morning at the local Honda dealership in Ottawa, but found out that the only thing wrong with our car was a dead battery. So it cost $95 for a charge. Much better than installing a rebuilt transmission. Whew!

But the best Wednesday moment was watching wild turkeys walk next to our RV and through the park.

On Thursday there were no issues with any of our vehicles, but it did rain all morning.

However, after we ate lunch, we were finally able to get out and about . . .

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NEXT STOP: Johnson-Sauk State Recreation Area