There Is No Place Like Home

Indianapolis, IN  (72 degrees, blues sky)

I feel like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz racing around trying to see some of our family & friends. It's so nice to be back home in Indiana and the flowering trees and blooming daffodils are so lovely.

Some of the time we allotted has been taken up with unexpected visits to Cummins for a hydraulic  leak. Just as we approached Indiana the diesel engine started spitting oil out the back all over our bicycles and our jeep.. Good grief! Luckily our friend Allen helped us diagnose the problem and Cummins worked us into their busy schedule. It's been nerve racking worrying about whether the parts will arrive in time before we meet up with our friends in Ohio for the Biggest Week in American Birding and further travels into Canada for five months.,

Marcia, Jerry, John, & Linda

We arrived at one of our favorite county campgrounds - White River to find out three of our friends brought their rigs out there to surprise us. Linda, Jerry, and Marcia belong to a camping club with Good Sams we helped initially organize before full timing. It was so much fun to see them and we sat around a fire each evening catching up. Other members -  Norma and John also joined all of us for dinner one evening.

John, me, Jerry, Marcia, Linda, Norma and John

The next day Allen came over to the campground to help John trouble shoot the engine problems. He and his wife Joyce were camp hosts at this campground at one time and we became great friends. Allen drove semi trucks most of his life and recorded over 3 million miles. He knows his way around diesel engines. Unfortunately the next day he took a tumble at home off of a ladder and ended up in the hospital with a concussion.  We hope he'll be feeling better soon.

John also was able to meet up with some of his retired postal carrier friends (Dan and Gary). We all met with them and their wives at a Mexican restaurant. It was a nice evening. I don't think any of the carriers miss working for the post office.  

Me, Chris and John

One morning we drove to Lafayette and saw one of my best friends from my hometown (Monticello). She drove down from the Chicago area just to see us. We had a nice lunch at a restaurant and talked and talked. Chris attended our 40th high school reunion and showed me lots of pictures. Our waiter was very patient.

Afterwards we drove up to Rochester to stay with my brother and his wife for a couple of days. Their friend Rick cooked us a five star delicious dinner on an outdoor  grill and we sat outside long into the evening. S'mores were involved too. It was a beautiful evening along the lake.

Rick and his amazing grill

Harry and John

Corn on the cob and grilled chicken

The next morning we piled kayaks onto a pontoon boat and launched them later into a pristine wetland which feeds the lake. It was a beautiful day and the spring was in full tilt. We saw some Sand hill Cranes, a couple of beautiful Swans, deer, and for once no alligators.  

Kayaks being launched from the pontoon boat

Our happiness dulled, however, when we decided to portage around a couple of areas where the stream was blocked with fallen trees. It looked easy in theory. However, thick muck, slippery slopes, and one overturned kayak (mine) suddenly changed the atmosphere. My kayak ended up being punctured and it suddenly took on lots of water in the hull. Fortunately Penny was using a tandem kayak and  I paddled back with her towing mine behind by a rope. We all thought our decision to portage was not a good one but hindsight is 20/20. The tough reality will be finding someone to quickly repair it before we go to Canada.

We had one last dinner with Debbie and Dave (see previous post) and were also able to visit Debbie's Mom in a rehab center. She is recovering from a heart valve replacement and looked amazing for having been through such a serious surgery. We wish her a speedy recovery.

We were even able to see my friend and former boss Jackie's new house and have dinner with her daughter Kenzie and her sister Jill and her husband.  (oops, I forget to take pictures) Can you tell a lot of great food was also involved with seeing all of our friends and family.  Yum!

David and Debbie

After returning to Indy our unexpected focus has been communicating with Cummins and we also finished up last minute shopping. It's been much easier to accomplish all the shopping because for once we are in a city we know how to get around. However, we are so amazed by how much it has changed in just three years on the north side.

Unfortunately due to all the time spent with the unexpected engine problems we could not see everyone. We will just have to return again soon. Thanks to everyone for taking time to see us. You are all so special to us.

Still Broke Down In Cheyenne For Two Weeks And Counting

(Cheyenne, Wyoming) 79 degrees, clear blue skies

We are still in Cheyenne. Can you believe it?  We have spend the past two weeks fighting with our extended warranty company (Allegiance) to cover our claim.  It turns out our radiator is leaking and Floyd's Freightliner diagnosed a failed core.  Luckily the engine is not damaged.  The cost to replace the radiator since it is side mounted is approximately $5,500.  Allegiance Warranty has tried every trick in the book not to pay this claim.  For example, taking days to return our calls, insisting that the radiator be completely removed before sending their inspector, delaying sending out their inspector for four days, and then denying the claim due to corrosion.  There is no evidence of corrosion at all.  However, our insurance agent says he is just sure there must be some. 

John was present when their inspector came out and he did not seem to know the difference between the radiator and transmission.  He mostly goes out on automobile claims.  A diesel pusher is quite a different beast.  Floyd's did not agree with their findings (corrosion) and have fought hard for us.  I read our policy and all the fine print and saw that we could take them to arbitration in the state of Wyoming.  So, in a  last effort we said that unless they paid this legitimate claim we would follow through with arbitration.  Suddenly, they decided to pay most of the cost. 

We felt strongly that our claim was valid and isn't this why you take out the policy in the first place.  It was supposed to give us peace of mind.  It has mostly given us heartburn and a big dose of extreme aggravation. This policy was very expensive and at the time we were not sure whether to purchase it.  In the future, we will not buy one.  It would be better to save each month for repairs.   

There have been some bright moments.  F.E. Warren Air Force Base has been wonderful to us.  They brought down to the campground a 30 foot trailer for us to stay in.  The cabin was cute but having a kitchen and bathroom now has made it more comfortable. 

We also spent a wonderful day at the Rocky Mountain National Park.  Our original intent was to spend a week there in the RV.  We were so happy to see the aspens in their glorious fall colors.  It was a perfect day and we enjoyed the time away.

A guide book we referenced recommended going up Old Fall River Road (one way dirt road) and down Trail Ridge Road (paved road).  We picked up a small guide just as we started that was so great.  It told us about changes in the the ecosystem and an avalanche we would have probably missed.  For a dollar it was a great guide.  The summit is at 12, 454 feet. 

Beginning of Old Fall River Road

Chasin Falls

Aspens in all their glory

1985 Avalanche

Near the summit -alpine tundra

Trail Ridge Road

Hidden   Valley

During our ample free time we also have been to the movie theatre.  We saw:   Moneyball (true story, interesting, highly recommend seeing it)  Driver (way too violent)  Contagion (scary and it encouraged us to consider investing in solar panels to avoid crowds)  The Help (great movie, be sure to see it)

John's cousin and her family live a few  hours away in Colorado.  We had a nice reunion over the weekend and met more of her extended family.  One of her son's has a ranch in the high dessert.  They have lots of horses and even llamas and alpacas.  We got a kick out of watching one the twins lead her alpaca around. 

Our motorhome is having the radiator put in today.  Hopefully tomorrow we will be on the road and heading to New Mexico.  Wish us luck!