RV & Motorhome Hall of Fame

According to Wikipedia "Elkhart is best known for two industries: recreational vehicles and musical instruments. It has been referenced as the "RV Capital of the World" and the "Band Instrument Capital of the World" for decades".  Took a ride to go to the spring RV show, hoping to see some other models of C class (for retirement full-timing hopefully), and if there are any other TT's that I like for 'in the mean time'.  Still like the Keystone Summerland 2020QB, so it's all going to depend on $$$ (isn't everything?).

The RV show is held on the ground of the Motorhome and RV Hall of Fame in Indiana, which houses the hall of fame (founding fathers of some of brands like Winnebago, dealers, campground owners), and antique motorhomes and TT's and a full library.

 

 

I may be a little off on the models and years of these.  The images may be a little shaky.  They were taken with my itty bitty cell phone instead of my camera.

1913 Model T

 

 1929 Covered Wagon

 

 1931 trailer used by Mae West (wonder what she'd think of move star trailers now)

 

 1936 Road Home

1936 Road Home bath tube !?!

 Another 1936 Road Home

 1954 Spartan Imperial (looks like a cross between an Airstream and a VW van)

 1963 Mallard

 1974 GMC motorhome

 1988 Star Streak

The inside of a 1935 Bowlus (looks like a boats hull)

 1954 Yellowstone

Some others I don't have the name of.  It's amazing how similar they are to today's models on the inside.  I saw a lot of the same floor plans, but now they are more lightweight, but since the manufacturers still like dark wood, the biggest similarity is they are all dark on the inside with or without electrical).

 

 

 

 



Illinois Route 66 Pontiac, IL

Took a day trip to Pontiac, Illinois with Dad now that he's returned from being a snowbird in Florida.  Dad has wanted to go to the Pontiac Car Museum, and I've wanted to go to the Route 66 Museum, plus Pontiac RV has the TT that I like, so we decided to make a day of it and do all three.

The town of Pontiac itself is mostly small storefronts, cafes and various museums.  One, the mural museum we didn't go into, but just about every building has some type of mural on the wall.

 

 

 The Pontiac Automobile Museum

 

The Route 66 Museum includes maps and miscellaneous memorabilia from all the towns along Route 66 in Illinois.  This building also has an Armed Forces museum on the third floor, as well as an apartment with how it may have looked in Pontiac's heyday.

In the Armed Forces Museum, Dad spotted the patch he wore in the service when he was stationed in Germany.  He said they used to call the patch "seven steps to hell". 

Similar to Chicago's Cow's on Parade that was held in 1999, Pontiac has painted automobiles throughout the town.

The courthouse is still in use and the original second floor ceiling was discovered when they renovated the building and removed a ceiling.

Another reason for the day off was that Zorro had to have surgery (the square patch of fur that's been shaved).  While he was knocked out, the vet also discovered 2 bad teeth and removed them.  Poor Tubby is in a lot of pain and is still sleeping off the anesthesia.

Chain O' Lakes State Park

Had to go pick up the plates for Mar-E today and with the weather finally feeling like Spring (at least for today), took a ride up to Chain O' Lakes State Park.  I actually wanted to find Moraine Hills SP, but my GPS couldn't find the address on the DNR Illinois site.

Temperature was warm, but storms are moving in so it was quite a grey day.  Chain O' Lakes is a large park with camping, fishing, hiking, and biking.  I didn't get to hike like I planned, but I think it would be a beautiful hike in the fall when the trees change color.  Hopefully fall of 2014 will be more colorful than 2013.

Near the boat launch.  They also have canoe rentals.

Chain O' Lakes is part of the Fox River Valley area in northern Illinois.  There are 3 lakes in the park as well as the Fox River and small creeks feeding the lakes.

As part of the prairie restoration, sections of the prairie have been burned.  There is also a livery stable for rentals.

The Never Ending Winter of 2013-2014

It's been a long and horrible winter. Snow then cold, then snow and so on.  It's the middle of April and the talk is of some snow showers again next week.  This is the never ending winter. 

To make the winter worse, I lost my girl Molly 2 months ago and still miss her every day and I think Zorro does also.  He is now staying closer to me and is starting to play with toys.  His idea of play is grab a toy and throw it in the air or at me.   He tries :-)  Unfortunately, my little buddy, is scheduled for surgery.  It may be skin cancer.  I'm trying to stay positive.  I don't want to loose him too so close to losing Molly.

As part of my plan to RV full time when, and if, I ever retire, I'm back to RV shopping.  Over the last 1 1/2 years, I've been focusing on Class C's or a small Class A, but at the Rosemont RV show, I walked into a travel trailer (TT) and loved it!   People said you'd know it when you see it.  I guess there is some truth to that. Also went to the Loves Park and Springfield shows over the last few weeks, and none have hit me like the little TT.

The TT is a Keystone Summerland 2020QB - a new model this year.  It's got just about everything on my 'would like to have' list except a motor! 

What I really liked were the large windows.  So much brighter and didn't look like a dark cave on the inside.  The only draw back is the little / square shower, I like the corner showers, but for the brightness of the windows, I would deal with the shower.

Leaning towards a TT instead of C or A means I need a new vehicle.  The Escape is only 2 years old and already has 70,000 miles on it.  Should I buy a truck now or later?  Looked at new and said the prices were crazy so started looking for used that didn't have 100,000+ miles on it.  Found one!  Great deal!  A 2012 F-150 with only 23,300 miles on it, and the perfect color. White of course.

Her name is Mar-E  for Moving And Roaming Everywhere.  She is my everyday vehicle and will take me on any excursions I go on.  In time, maybe in a year or two, Mar-E will have a little Colt (C (my first name) Own Little Trailer.  Corny I know, but since I doubt I'll ever have another horse, the names will have to do.

My Sweet Molly Crossed the Bridge Today

It is with a very sad heart that my sweet, happy Molly girl had to cross the bridge today.  Although I've had dogs in the past, they weren't mine because they favored someone else in the family even though they knew I was mom.

Molly was and will always be my heart dog.  She was my girl through and through.  The best definition I've ever heard for heart dog is that your heart dog is that once in a lifetime – soul mate dog. One you click with. There’s an understanding, a bond stronger than most, and a special level of communication. Your heart dog “gets” you and you get him or her right back.  She was my shadow.  Where momma went, Molly followed.

How can you summarize your heart dog / best friends life?  Is it possible?  Molly was my pedigree challenged girl.  The shelter said she was a cockapoo, which meant 20-30 pounds.  Well, unless she came from a standard poodle, they were way off in their guess.  She was tall (all legs) and up to 80 pounds.  Depending on if she was shaggy (in the winter) or clipped (in the summer), everyone had a different guess on what she was.  Bearded collie? Some kind of terrier?  Afghan mix? Poodle mix? Other?

As a puppy, Molly just seemed to know what to do and when.  She never made a mess in the house, never cried or whimpered, and never bothered me in the morning if she woke up early.  She would lay quietly until I spoke to her and then would rush to the bed, sliding those big paws of hers under by back to say 'happy morning mom!  what are we doing today?'.  So polite! 

And she figured out mirrors almost instantly.  She saw our reflection in a mirror and ran to say hi!, but when she didn't actually find anyone, she came back, looked at the reflection one more time and you could see her comprehend 'oh!  that's us!'.  She never gave any reflections in mirrors or windows a second thought after that.

My memories of Molly will always be that she was happy all the time and never met a person or another dog she didn't like.  She loved her doggy play dates with Justice the sheltie, Claude the St. Bernard, Chaos the akita, and the rotties Biggie D & Heavy Small.  And with the teacup yorkies or other small dogs, if I said 'baby' she just knew to be gentle.  She only met one cat, George and didn't quite know what to make of him.

 

Molly and Justice

 

For her entire life, Molly was so observant and saw everything new.  New for sale signs in the neighborhood, new playground equipment (which she loved to climb on & go down the slide!), etc.  She saw a squirrel only once (since we live on old farm land).  For anything new, she would stop & look at me like 'what is that?!?'.  'Go see' was her queue that it was OK, and she could go check it out.

And then Zorro came along because her boyfriend Justice was moving to Russia.  Zorro, to Molly was just 'there'.  They kept each other company.  Molly was a great watcher or should I say snitch if Zorro did something bad.  She would sit in the corner because she knew he would get yelled at and if Zorro went on one of his nut runs in the house, Molly knew that was outside play and would run the to the back door with the look in her eyes of "hurry mom!  we're going outside to be silly!"

Molly & little (?) brother Zorro

Molly was so smart!  She learned words easily and quickly. Her nick names of Baby Girl, Happy girl, silly girl, Molly O-Molly.  Molly's tail even had it's own name - Thumper. On the floor 'thump, thump, thump'.  On the wall 'thump, thump, thump'.  And if asked 'where's thumper?' - 'thump, thump, thump'.

She even knew commands that were unique to her.  "Molly itchy nose" would make her rub her nose on the rug, grass or whatever was handy.  "Molly pretty" would cause her to rub the top of her head with her paw.  She would know "momma help" for getting in the car, and more recently, helping her down steps and outside.  But she knew she was safe with me and never questioned what I asked.  Of course all the usual commands, sit, stay, down, rest, paw, other paw, etc.

She knew all of her different toy's names spider, octopus, piggy, thingy, ladybug, lamb chop, puppy, kitty, Santa, pumpkin, froggy, tiger and many more over the years. All of which had to go to toy heaven when Molly wasn't around to see or she would cry.  And tennis balls!  She was more than happy to keep playing catch all night from the time I got home from work until bed time.

Molly with thingy

 

Molly was never a real fan of car rides.  All that stop & go made her a little jittery, but highway driving she loved.  Trips to Colorado, getting to stop and smell new smells at every gas stop or rest area. 

Molly & Zorro at Garden of the Gods, Colorado - June 2004

Molly & Zorro at the cliff dwellings, Colorado - June 2004

 

Her last trip was to Iowa even though her pain was starting, she still was happy to go with - as long as she was with momma.

Molly & Zorro in Iowa - Sept 2013 - but she kept looking away when I wanted to take a picture.  Silly girl.

 

Rest easy my happy sweet Molly girl.  You are healthy again over the bridge.  Momma will see you again someday.

 

Bald Eagles on the Illinois River

It was a lovely winter's day today, 50 degrees and sunny.  The cold temperatures are coming tomorrow so I decided to get out of the house since I've been non-mobile for awhile due to foot surgery.

I've wanted to get to Starved Rock in the winter to see the bald eagles. The eagles are starting to arrive to their winter home. I hope to get back in January when there should be hundreds of them by then.  They are closer on the Illinois Waterway Visitor Center on the north side, but the sun was not being helpful for pictures.  These were taken on the south side of the river, on the Starved Rock side.

 A young eagle whose head & tail feathers haven't turned white yet.

 



Finally! Fall Colors at Shabbona Lake

First time to Shabbona Lake State Park up in DeKalb county today.  More colors up north than around home.  Grass and dirt (mud) trails.  Nice area.  Saw lots of Canadian geese on the lake and one blue heron but it was too hard to get a picture of the heron.  The trail is well marked, but would have been nice to have mile markers on the posts. 

The park itself is a mix of prairie, maple, oaks, and pines.

There is also a campground with 150 sites, all with electricity, but the prices seemed a little high for a state park campground.

Trailhead to the lake.

 Some of the colors across the lake.

 

 

Prairie meeting up with maples. 

One of the picnic areas. 

 

 

 

 Lots of berries for the snow birds that will stay the winter. 

 A new oak, maybe 5" tall.