Last Call

April 17, 2018 Weather in Indianapolis is sunny, high of 53 and low of 35.    We are stopped for the night just to stage ourselves to travel north to Mishiwaka for an 11:30 am coach appointment.  Our camp for tonight is the KOA East Indianapolis, it is a large park so we did not bother calling ahead to reserve.  It is cold spring weather in the northern states. 

Indianapolis East KOA

April 18 & 19, 2018  Weather is still cool to cold high 48 or 50 and low of 30.    We left an hour ahead of the normal travel time to get to Mishawaka from Indianapolis.  Good thing we did.  Traffic was a parking lot on I465 bypass.  We had 12 miles and it took us almost 1 hour!!!!  Ughhh.  Tip:  next time we will go up to Elkhart area and camp.  It took us almost 4 hours to get there all because of the bottleneck in Indianapolis at work rush hour.  
Cummins Crosspoint is an Engine Service Depot only, nothing else on the coach.  Billy feels they are very well trained and competent so we wanted to stop on our way home.  After we stopped about 45 minutes away in lovely Shipshewana South Campground.  This time we did call ahead, not because we were worried about getting a site..... but that they would be open.  They open April 15 and it is weather permitting.  Once again we got lucky and they were just open and the water is on.

Walking over to the Mennonite Event Center

We are staying a couple of nights just to give Ontario one more day to warm up, pretty please!  Last night in Shipshewana it actually snowed at some point, when the sun came out this morning it melted away - Really Mother Nature, give it up..... please.

Shipshewana South Campground

Shipshewana South Campground is so convenient, nice long sites and big and quiet.  We have been here many times before and we can walk to everything, groceries, shops, restaurants and more in town.

Signs to caution you for the Horse and Buggy

This Amish town is so sweet and lovely.   Food is wonderful, and almost all the RV`s are built in the factories around here. 

Horse and buggy and Trailer on the main street

You will see horse and buggies or trailers on the roads everywhere.  It is a great spot to call our last call.

Plain might be Better

October 14-16/2016.  Weather - it has been a warm fall in Ontario.  A couple of nights we had close to frost and then last night it was a hard ground covering frost!  Oh boy; that means it's time to hitch up and go.  Remember we are in the 2- 30 club.   We either go 230 miles or are off the road at 2:30 pm.  Today was just a tick under.   Crossed the Ambassador Bridge at Windsor/Detroit and checked in at Shipshewana South Campground about 2:30.   I know we are so comfy with that!  

The Amish farms are so clean and neat. 

Not in a buggy but on their bicycles - The Amish are very Eco Friendly

Last spring we were in Northern Indiana area but were unable to ride the motorcycle as it rained on and off the whole week.  We just had to come back.

Amish farmers at work

It is such a "plainly" beautiful area.  Plain as in a peaceful, simpler way of life.  Saturday in Ontario is a bustling hectic day.  Those that work all week are out shopping and doing their errands.   Not here.    Most merchants we visited today were closed by Saturday noon and will be Sunday as well; in fact we it took us a while to find a place to stop and have a bite to eat this afternoon.  Small town America, we love it!  Northern Indiana knows how to enjoy a weekend.  I think we could learn something from this???

Pumpkin Tree on the Main Street in Wakarusa .  Sign says "No Roundabout"

We found a tourist book that highlighted the "Heritage Trail".   It meanders through the countryside following this route: Shipshewana, Bristol, Middlebury, Elkhart, Wakarusa, Nappanee, Goshen and back to Shipshe, about 90 miles.  You can see the Amish in daily life, explore the markets, view the Quilt Gardens, and step back in time.   Plain might not only be beautiful but actually be better:)

Flowers planted in the pattern of a Quilt.  There are about 30 gardens on the Heritage Trail.

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?