Rally On

April 28/16  Weather 55, rainy, cool at night 43.  Seems the weather is going to be like this right thru the weekend.   We moved 17 miles today; oh yes it was a really big day!

checkin at the Rally

Registration day starts at the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds for the  Holiday Rambler 419 Chapter Diesel Pusher Maintenance Rally.  The fairgrounds are in Goshen, Indiana which happens to be in the heartland of the RV factories and suppliers.   Holiday Rambler and Monaco are in the same company umbrella so we were able to come to the Rally as a sistership member.  Billy reads a Monaco Forum Group daily where the members ask and answer questions related to our motorhome.   A technical question we had was answered not long ago by a gentlemen who suggested we attend this Rally since the theme is "maintenance".

We are being escorted to our site in the Racetrack infield

 There are about 250 coaches in attendance and we are escorted to the racetrack camping area where we have water/sewer/power.  Unfortunately or maybe fortunately when we plugged in the power we had a technical situation.   Well if we have to have a problem this is the right time and the right place.   Everyone was so helpful from the moment we tried to setup.

All kinds of guys trying to help us out

The HR fellows never left Billy.   They went and got technical help immediately from one of the Vendors.  Our power at the surge protector had to be bypassed for the night while the part was ordered and being expedited in.  
The thing about RVing is that you meet the nicest people in the world.  Tonight at   the social hour we found friends we had made at a previous rally in Nevada.   It was so good to see them, just like yesterday:)  That's what makes our life so great.

Rally friends

Shipshewana and a Quilting Obsession

April 28 /16  Weather 53, misting rain.  Cool tonight 42.  Shipshewana, Indiana.
This morning I quickly had my coffee and dressed with my walking shoes to hustle down the street into town before we have to pull out of the campground at noon.  Lots of time for Rosey to indulge in a couple of quilt shops that are within 1/2 mile.   Billy stayed at the coach with coffee mug and TV remote in hand.

the ten commandments

 As I walked out of the RV park  I waited for a horse and buggy to clear past me and then I glanced up and saw The Ten Commandments mounted on the side of the barn.  Such a genuine area this is. While I trucked on down the side of the road where the buggies go I had to laugh at such a simple site as a "shoe" laying  there.  Looks like a horse had a flat I thought!  It was ironic in the sense that our son called yesterday with a flat tire on the car.   What a paradigm:)

a flat tire.....?

The sky threatened and of course I did not take an umbrella as Billy suggested, wouldn't an umbrella get in the way of carrying parcels back?  Ha!
First shop was The Cotton Corner.  Nice little shop.   A primer to get in the mood to my next stop at Yoder's Department Store. 

rugs that looked hand made

Sock Monkeys

 Yoder's has everything.  Like an old fashioned department store should be - clothes for all, shoes, rugs, crafts, cafe, and lots more.  Huge fabric section.  Adorable stuff.   Don't let the quaintness of the village set your expectations in the material.   Yoder's had lots of modern style fabrics plus the little house on the prairie too.

baskets of colourful fat quarters

beautiful quilt at Cotton Corner

Ship She

April 27/2016  Weather cool, sunny high of 55, storm coming tonight, low of 42

Billy pulling our cargo trailer around the farm

We have had a busy 10 days at the farm.   Our chores are caught up and the gardens are in good shape now for Mom to start her season.    This spring Billy has been very interested in heading to Indiana for a Holiday Rambler 419 Diesel Motorhome Maintenance Rally; so away we go for the week.  It's suppose to rain all day Thursday so we decided to leave a day early and drive while the weather is nice.

Happy Tulips blooming along the street in Shipshewana

Just a half hour before our final destination is Shipshewana so we thought that would be a perfect spot to stay over; then tomorrow we just have a short jump to the Rally.   Shipshewana South Campground is a great location to walk around town and explore the beautiful crafty Amish community.

Be cautious for the Horse and Buggy Travellers

The horse and buggy is so beautiful and peaceful

After hooking up the coach we walked down the street to enjoy a home cooked meal.  It's really nice to walk from your campground to activities.  This town has what they call "Retail Therapy".   In the morning after coffee I'm going to make a quick walk to two quilt shops!!!   Oh yes, this is my kind of town!! Then scoot back and we will head off to the Elkhart County Fairgrounds in Goshen. 

Barn quilts, outdoor chairs and Stars for sale

Now that's a Dollhouse, wouldn't our granddaughter love that? 

On the Farm

April 15/2016  weather is just as forecasted - warm....yeah!

Might be the nicest days we have ever had yet coming back in the Spring.  We have pulled into the farm, so the nightly rate is very inexpensive.  Thanks to Mom. Last year we had 50 amp outlet added to the shed and it works!!!   Our view of the farm is quite nice.  

Back in site, 50 amp, water, no sewer, no cable, no garbage pickup

It is so convenient being right here on Moms farm for a couple weeks.  We can take her to appointments and in between help her get the yard spring cleaning finished.  It's a big yard.   Moms cat seems to have had an easy winter and she has put a few pounds on!  There she is holding the wall up. Ha ha. 

Fat Minnie

Spring has Sprung

April 14/2016  Yesterday Weather 70, low 46 in Louisville, Kentucky.   Pretty spring day.   Birds are chirping, trees are blooming.  

spring trees in full bloom, Louisville KY

When we setup at Sheppardsville, Kentucky KOA we couldn't get over how noisy the birds are!  There are more and more Northern RV plates in the campgrounds as we move north - Michigan, Ohio, Ontario.  All Heading home.  And best of all the forecast looks super.  We told Mum we would bring the warm weather with us, just last week it snowed a big one.   One more night on the road and then Ontario.

Forecast looks good - no freezing at night

   We had such a fun winter this year.   Even in our 5th year our journey took us to so many places we had not stayed and visited before.    Ending it at Hill Country, Texas was a highlight since the motorcycle riding, the park and the area is so much fun.   A quick story.....   a couple of weeks ago we just pulled in from a days ride with another bike and a familiar couple walked up to us.   Hmmm..   As soon as she said "hello Rosey" ; I knew it was RV friends we had made 4 years ago.  We met D & D in Brunswick, Georgia!   How great is that???   Once in a while we email each but have not seen them since.   That just makes the life all worth while when you just pick up where you left off 4 years ago.  

D & D riding with us to the wildflowers

While our time overlapped in Buckhorn Lake RV Park, we went riding (they both have motorcycles) several times.   Enjoyed lots of laughs and compared RV notes.   We acknowledged that our lives are wonderful and we both have lucky horseshoes that we take with us everywhere! 

These snowbirds need to fly home

April 11/2016  Weather....... ?  Good question.  

Red Poppies at Wildseed Farms outside Fredericksburg, Texas

Hill Country Texas the weather is great,,,, Southwestern Ontario, Canada it is cold.  However!   A big however; in five days from now it's going to be much warmer - forecast is 52 low of 39 and it improves day by day.   We can live with that.    So we head out on our trek to the North.   It's about 1600 miles which we want to do in 4 nights, 5 days.  Our medical insurance is good till the 15th so we need to be in Ontario by Friday and we have lots of appointments with Mum.

Our 1st night will be top of Texas (North East) near Tyler, Texas.   Hot(86)  humid travel day thunderstorms threaten all day.   Spooky clouds.  We travel cross country and see the amazing poppy fields on hwy 290 Fredericksburg.   The wildflowers driving to Austin were really pretty then making some miles came into play and we jumped on Interstate 35 North, then veered off it before hitting Dallas.  Not going near that traffic!!! Ugh!   So we go cross country on hwy 31 to Fernbrook RV Park in Longview.   We settle in and turn on the TV with all kinds of Tornado watches and severe thunderstorms and golf ball size hail within 50 miles of our park.  That's us the little blue dot surrounded by storms, North and East.   So glad we didn't keep driving into it,,, but my guardian angel (Dad) is looking out for us and as spooky as it looks we only have a hard rainfall.   Phew, that was too close for comfort.

storms everywhere around our little blue dot..... Yikes

 Day 2  our drive is much cooler and clear with sunny skies today, temp only about 65F (night 46)while crossing Arkansas and stopping at West Memphis KOA.  Easy in and out, cute store with Pulled Pork sandwiches in case we don't feel like cooking tonight.  Still an hour behind clock wise, that's going to catch up to us at some point.   Perhaps tomorrow we will be back in the time zone of Ontario.   We will see where we get to.  We are going up I55 then crossing East on the Blue Grass Parkway, that is a pretty ride.  Weather is going to stay in the 60's and low 40's now all the way back the next couple days.  Rubber side up:)

Don't Gate Me In

April 8/2016    Over the last month riding the ranch roads and every road in between there is one common element.   Gates.  

Texan's love their gates.   Every ranch, house, piece of property is fenced and gated.   We have never seen anything like it before.   Many of the ranches are estates.  Beautiful large tracts of land.   First you have to get past the gate.  All have keypads. 

keypad entrance gates

  Once in a while we actually see a home that is just so-so but they still have a gate!  Most of the gates display the ranch name and logo.   It is somewhat of an art.   Pretty cool. 

San Carlos Ranch

Worlds End Ranch

Prade Ranch

looks like the back entrance gate

old wagon wheel gate and fence entrance

The Biggest Little Bar in Texas

Wednesday nights in Hill Country  - Yee Haw!!!   great weather.
Every Wednesday you can go to Bandera, and be a cowboy.... or you can want to be!  The 11th Street Cowboy Bar has live country music for your boot scooting pleasure.   You take your cooler with your beer, your steak and a couple of steak knives.  Really......   The bar sells a side plate of salad, baked potato, roll.      You sit outside by the stage and have a good time visiting, dancing, drinking and eating!!!   How great is that???    Such a cool cowboy bar.    And definitely bring your steak knife, we forgot and cutting our T Bone with a plastic knife was a little difficult.   I think our fellow park friends had a good laugh watching us; shortly into our steak we were given one of their real steak knives:) 

11th Street Cowboy Bar

the cowboys and wanna be's at the cowboy bar

boot scooting

grilling your steak for dinner

The Camels were here too???

April 2/16  Weather sunny  80, night 48.    

Texas camel

Just south of Kerrville is a new general store and restaurant in Camp Verde.   The new Camel iron statue is odd we think.  Why would there be a camel statue?
What's interesting is that it commemorates the site of the Old Camp Verde.

New General Store

  Old Camp Verde was the headquarters for the U.S. Camel Corps in 1856.  "Hey wait a second this sounds very familiar".........   Last winter when we were in Quartzite we saw the cemetary and monument where Hi Jolly (the camel driver) was buried.  So this is where it started!   The experiment started in Kerrville.  In 1861 the Confederate Army had about 90 camels and 9 years later when the Union army reoccupied the camp there were 66 camels still here.  At that time some of the camels were sold to circus owners and many were sent to Arizona where they eventually perished... along with Hi Jolly.  In about 1869 the Camp was abandoned and now a National Historic marker is left behind.  

Welcome Y'all

Texas Bluebonnets & Indian Paintbrush

March 31/2016 Weather Sunny and 85 today, night 61.   Oh Happy Day.

Yes Rosey you found the Bluebonnets!!!

Hill Country Texas is renowned for its Wildflowers.   This is one of the things we have always wanted to see when crossing back and forth across Texas in the last 5 years.  Timing is everything and we finally hit the jackpot!!!   Friends from the park went riding with us today in search of the infamous patches along the highways.  We had several tips this week that the blooms were prolific along Hwy 16 north of Fredericksburg and the Old Willow City Loop, plus Hwy 965 heading south.   The map shows this to be a perfect loop ride.   We were stunned..... the flowers went on for miles and miles.  It literally looked like God had taken his paintbrush and painted the sides of the roads in blues and oranges.  Bluebonnet and Indian Paintbrush.   Being on the bike was great .... the sweet smells from the flowers were overwhelming. 

Bluebonnet up close

Indian Paintbrush mixed in with Bluebonnet

Indian Paintbrush on hwy 965

Bluebonnet along Willow city loop road

don't know what the yellow was.... but it was pretty :)