Back in the USA

 

Wait a minute, didn't I just say we had arrived in Canada at our seasonal spot in

Barrie, Ontario? Yes ... however... you know us ... off we go!

 

Jo-Anne needs to have a monthly allergy shot. She was getting them in Texas but we needed to continue them here in Canada. The care system in Canada, while it will provide a the "show up and we'll fix you" stuff for most medical and dental problems we have ever had, requires a longer process for the allergist.

 

We had checked with our allergist in Texas and he affirmed this and so we pre-arranged an allergist in Niagara Falls for the monthly visit.

 

Because the allergy clinic in Niagara Falls, NY, was close we decided to leave the RV and the cat in Canada and chose to stay at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station in the visiting officers quarters. Monday the 18th of May was Victoria Day for the Canadians so the 140 mile car trip through Toronto and on to Niagara Falls was probably the easiest and least traffic we had ever seen.

 

After a quick trip across the border at the Lewiston bridge (actually customs guy was more interested in the allergy problems which he also suffered from) we hit the base and the VOQ.

 



 

This is an AF Reserve Base geared for Reserve training weekends and the facilities are great for that. In the building below on this non-reserve night I think there were two other single guys here ... really spooky.

Super facility and really nice hosts but sometimes there was no one there. The air conditioning was off because of previous hot weather but the room amenities made up for that. Below is the lobby in which I never saw another human.

Once we went to the allergist and monthly shot which went perfectly we came back to the base for a rest and then off to find some culinary delight.

About two miles from the base (we never saw the falls or the city itself) we ran across this pub ... yeah you know us.

OK, this place is touted as a gastropub ... see definition later and we whizzed by it on the way to the base. It is the Griffon and there are apparently a couple of them near here.

Gargoyles and a rather lackluster outside appearance aside this was really up there on the B&J pick list. And their take on what the gastropub might include. This pic was taken from our table of the glass window next to us. The wording was reversed to be seen from outside and I swapped it so that you could read it.

This was really good food in a really great setting.

While what you see below is a real mess ... hey I found the food before I found the camera and then split it between us and started to eat ... it was beyond great.

Jo-Anne had the chicken gruyere which was chicken coated in flour and fried then chopped with mushrooms, onions, and gruyere cheese and then baked and served over gouda shells and cheese and veggies.

And I had the maple jam burger with gorgonzola cheese and a fried egg. And both with their specialty Guinness sautéed onion rings which were .... sinful.

 

All washed down with a couple of Harp beers which fit perfectly with the dinners. Up there as one of the nicest pub dinners we have had. Super talented and timely service and meals done with care and perfection.

The next morning we went back to Canada. Again with a really quiet ... not one other vehicle at the gate ... and a customs guy that actually laughed with us about our lifestyle ... nice people in a tough job.

 

Very unhappy RV gods ...

 

 

In spite of my unfailing reverence toward Elkhart either the tree god or the RV master lord was really unhappy with our RV life.

 

As we departed for the border on the 6th of May expecting another quiet trip across the Blue Water Bridge and then the nice 200 mile trip through central Ontario ... WRONG!

 

We turned out of the KOA and about a half mile later were just about to enter I-96 for the mile toward the border and the instrument panel lit up ... just like an aircraft flame-out.

 

"Amber Engine Check Light"  Not really a problem ... press on

"Battery Low Light"  Had it before but still not a problem for a few miles ... press on

"Red Engine Check Light" Oohh never had that one before.

"Red Engine Overtemp Light" This is probably not going to end well.

 

And then the engine quit.

 



As we had refueled at a Pilot truck stop across the Interstate the night before ($2.91) I restarted the engine and just before it quit again we coasted into the truck stop. I guess we won't be going to Canada this day.

We had subscribed to a Good Sam Roadside plan and gave the 1-800 number a call. They said they would take care of everything and that a tow truck would be there shortly and they were. Wow. It takes a 20 ton tow truck to tow a 20 ton bus.

Good Sam had worked out the nearest Cummins engine shop and that was about 20 miles north of Detroit and 35 miles from Port Huron and had found a tow company to haul us.

It took about an hour for this very experienced guy to hook, bolt, ratchet, hose and whatever our bus to the truck ... what a process ... but with a detailed explanation and concerns explained at every step.

And in a couple of hours we were at the Cummins/RV folks in Mount Clemens who said that they would look at our dead bus right away. They did and said that the air conditioner clutch had seized up and as a result the fan belt was fried.

Gotta order parts and get you into the garage when they arrive ... maybe tomorrow. By the way we have a 50 amp hookup next to the bay for your night's stay.

So a new RV park courtesy of Cummins will be added to the nightly venues for the Flying Scotsman.

There is nothing I can say even remotely bad about the courtesy and professionalism of these guys and this company. The parts arrived the next morning and they replaced the a/c compressor and fan belt ... and this is a big and ugly engine and two guys were standing up inside the bus engine compartment ... jeez. By 2pm on the 7th we were again off and running.

And back to the Port Huron KOA to relax and then hit the border in the morning.

Which we did and enjoyed a really easy trip across the border and a nice leisurely trip through central Ontario to our summer spot in Barrie.

 

Back in Canada

Port Huron

 

 

We arrived at the Port Huron KOA in a cool steady drizzle .... better than being sweltering. But below is the sewer maintenance dude ready to attack the flowing waste gods.

Speaking of the weird gods and fairies that inhabit the RV world here is the tree across from our site ... not sure if the tree gremlin is happy or angry with our appearance.

Furniture Upgrade

 

On Sunday the 3rd of May we landed at the Bradd and Hall facility in Elkhart. As I had related earlier these folks had fashioned our new computer desk and had it delivered to Dallas so now it was time to get new seats up front.

 

As we came in Sunday night there was nobody around but we were told to just hook up to the 30 amp posts in the drive and someone would see us in the morning.  We did just that and had a very quiet night.

 

 

The next morning about nine as advertised Derek knocked on the door and said that they were ready to put in our seats. We moved the Flying Scotsman into the garage, secured Bandit in the bedroom, and went to Cracker Barrel for munchies.

Below is a shot of the front of the bus when we came back in an hour or so with no front captains chairs.

And Charles Casey with both the old and new seats as he transferred the required parts from one set to another; old ones on the right and the larger new ones to the left.

The Bradd and Hall garage was really functional and made it easy to work on the interior. In their showroom they had many examples of all the really neat and extremely professional interior work that they do here. From one piece of furniture to a whole interior renovation they are really super.

Charles and Derek had the seats installed by about 11am on Monday so we hit the road north. The new seats are so different and wonderful that we had no idea how bad the other ones were for over 40,000 miles!

We were about 70 miles from South Haven Michigan and our favorite place called Sunny Brook RV Park. We got in there about 2pm after a leisurely trip in the 75 degree weather ... wonderful weather trip so far with no appreciable rain or wind.

Upon arrival we were placed facing the lake about 2/3 of the way down on the left ... wonderful view looking at the lake toward the north. Our lot faced east and as usual made for a nice evening view.

And I couldn't omit the springtime arrival of some of our Canadian friends with their brood. On Tuesday the 5th we were off to Port Huron and our usual night there before crossing into Ontario.

USAF Museum at Wright Patterson

 

 

While we were on Wright Patterson Air Force Base we decided to take some time at the museum dedicated to the US Air Force. Below is the entrance which is open to the public and it is a replica of the 1909 Wright Flyer which was the first aircraft built for any military, anywhere in the world.

 

Also open to the public is the Wright Memorial and National Park. Beautiful setting overlooking the field that the Wright brothers first perfected their machine here in Dayton and where they patented and sold one for military use. 

Within 30 years there were more than 30,000 military aircraft fighting in WWII some approaching and exceeding the speed of sound and some dropping nuclear weapons ... wow!

Once you get into the museum it is a chronological setting of aviation achievement from the Wright days.

My interest of course was in things that I did for the Air Force in my 40 years. First and foremost I was a combat search and rescue/ special ops pilot and this display says it all with the proper verbiage and the case with the Pararescue person saving another life.

And the one below which really highlights the combat search and rescue/ special ops role in the MH-53 which my really good friend Bob Tillema flew until his retirement.

On our assignment at Randolph AFB in Texas, our division boss was the first person to fly this thing below (B-2) in combat and was its first combat organizational commander. It was great to hear him talk about flying this exact plane and his mission for 30 hours + wow ... neat aircraft and neat boss.

OK let's pause and step back in time a bit. Also in the museum is this display. During the Berlin Air Lift several pilots flew many hundreds of humanitarian missions over the beleaguered city to deliver supplies. One pilot had a mascot which had already logged many missions over Berlin and General Hap Arnold decided that the pooch needed the required safety gear and hence this outfit. By the way the dog never needed the parachute but the pilot was shot down and parachuted to safety.

If you are even remotely interested in American history this is one place you can spend hours, days, or weeks exploring, and all free to the public.

On to Dayton

 

We had originally planned to continue the trip just like we motored down the Natchez Trace. We wanted to spend a couple of days in the Nashville area and then slowly work our way through Dayton and end up in Elkhart for our new chair appointment on the 4th of May.

 

As I had mentioned the car was dead and needed to be looked at. When we arrived in Nashville our daughter called and said that an important package had arrived at her place in Richardson from the IRS. OK so much for meandering. We decided that the best action was to get to near our friends in the Dayton area as quickly as possible; then get car appointments and have Leigh send the documents to us there overnight.

 

We hit the Interstate and knocked out the 325 miles to the Dayton area fairly quickly and easily except for getting through Cincinnati which was an hour creeping with the traffic. We checked into the Wright-Patterson AFB Fam Camp next to Fairborn on the Monday the 27th. 

 

 

Check-in at the Fam Camp is always pretty casual. We had called in a reservation but didn't know which site so as no one is around very often we just picked a site and when someone showed up they said OK. Another arriving camper there said, "I assume we are on our own here." Yup. Let's see, beautiful place on the lake, 18 bucks a night, quiet, in the heart of the base, military security guards, barbed wire fence, military dogs training next to us ... quirky check-in is OK.

Got the car over to Valentine's GMC in Fairborn and the extremely professional and efficient folks there said that there was nothing wrong with the car once they got it charged up fully. Once I got the car back and re-read the owner's manual several times about towing, I realized that I had been pulling the wrong fuse to disable the electronics ... huge operator error! We also were able to receive and return the IRS paperwork which was a long standing issue with them and they had ruled in our favor. All of this took several days and we were glad to be stable for a bit.

We also were able to visit with our long time friends Greg and Char and have them act as our Fed Ex center point. Greg retired from Air Force civilian service last summer and they have had their house on the market since then .... and all of us hope it sells as soon as possible and they are able to move to Texas as is their plan.

Natchez Trace Part Three

 

 

We left Tupelo and got back on the trace within a mile of the park. After a leisurely morning we stopped after crossing the Tennessee River and had a really peaceful lunch. This is another RV capable spot that was very convenient and the river and geese on the river made for a neat lunch.

 

 

 

Even Bandit thought the stop was cool. Cool is the word as the temperature steadily decreases. Today was about 60 and we had a partly cloudy sky for most of the trip.

Here is another sign talking about the trace and nasty hazards that the early travelers had to endure to go from Nashville to Natchez. Once the river transportation on the Ohio and Mississippi improved then that became the better way to travel and this overland route was obsolete.

Toward the end of the trace we stopped at the Meriwether Lewis monument. He died here on the way back from the historic trek to the Pacific Ocean although how he died is still controversial.

The picture was taken from the Flying Scotsman indicating another really well planned place that people like us with large vehicles can also enjoy the historical aspects of this country.

And another 200 or so miles later we took the trace to its finish and in Nashville looked for a place to stay. There were many parks near the country music row but the expense and fact that we still had a problem car we moved on out of town.

The Nashville North KOA was the typical older KOA with short narrow gravel sites and less friendly entry and exit but at $40 not a bad deal near the music. Next to us is a new RV and some great folks we met from Brantford Ontario ... fun chatting and beautiful weather.

If you have the time and want a wonderful drive through the Mississippi River region with huge history and educational resources this is the trip.

Then off to Dayton Ohio to get the car looked at and make sure the bus is also functioning well for the last segment toward our summer stay in Barrie.

Natchez Trace Part Two

 

We didn't unhook the car and managed to start it up and run to charge the battery a bit and then left Clinton on the 25th. Overcast and about 60ish making it nice for driving the bus. The view below is what the Trace looks like for its entire length with breaks for scenic lookouts and history lessons and just places to stop and enjoy the peace and quiet. Just beginning spring so light green leaves.

 



 

Below is a piece of the original Trace from the early 1830's. As the mud and sinkholes got deeper they cut new wagon paths a few feet over to go around the worst spots ... here's three lines cut through the trees to avoid the bad spots. This was one challenging piece of "highway" which thousands of people, tons of mail, and many supplies traveled over about 200 years ago.

After another 200 miles or so we came to rest in Tupelo. We got off the Trace and found a neat park just to the north side of town named Barnes Crossing RV Resort. Really funky office to check in.

This is a beautiful little park on the side of a hill in the trees. Very well done with nice wide gravel lots and paved roads and super management ... helped me jump start the car again.

South is to the right of the picture so we also were able to use the satellite TV which was amazing. You can see the slope of the land but the owners really took care to make the place "bus friendly" which some of them don't understand.

We happily got out our walking sticks and did a mile around the place on another beautiful spring day.

Off the next day for the final run down the trace toward Nashville and points north.