On to MI and Evansville

[Dave5Cs]

Made it over the Tehachapi Mountains Sunday Night after driving 7 hours and stopping once to eat in the Bus at a rest stop. Stopped for the night and took a dip in the pool for an hour before eating some roll-ups with roast beef and turkey wrapped in a roman leaf with roasted caulifolower, broccoli and carrots on the side, the wife made, at our usual stop Sierra Trails RV park 22.00 a night with "Passport America" Normal price is 45.00. It is at 58 and Highway 14. Becuase of the hot temps we are running about 190 up hills and 170 on the flats but it is 102 to 106 outside in AZ too.

After the light show I went out and changed the Stemco plug and window in the right side front axle because when I pulled the plug to put some hub oil in of course the Plastic window shattered. I always keep a few kits with me. Got that done and refilled aired up and proceeded down 58 to 40 at Barstow to Needles to CA95 Parker where we found the Parker VFW and pulled in. Paid the Bartender 10.00 and we got spot number 1. Backed in very hot 104 and tired 625 miles today. Nothing fancy, a gravel spot, clean and quite.
This morning heading for Quartszite CA95 to fuel up (6.7 MTG with genny running an both air blasting) and dump, then onto to 10 with the wife at the wheel. I can kick back, yes.
Dave5Cs

[Dave5Cs]

And today the Tstat went on the genny Kuboda with Koler and every place I called including both of them did't know where I could get the part in Tucson where we were at. Ran in to a local nice RV tech at the local Walmart. We shot the radiator with my heat gun and top was 202 and then bottom was 100. It would run awhile then shut down and I noticed it was dripping coolant from overflow tube. He found the part for us and is coming out to the RV park we are at with it in Willcox AZ in the morning. So we drove from Tucson to Willcox with no AC's in 109 degree weather. Not fun and had to pat down cats with ice to keep them cool. We are plugged in now and everyone is starting to recover.

[Jim Eh.]

Ouch. That's gonna leave a mark. Of course this would be all true ONLY if there were pictures....

[brmax]

  Were gonna be thinking a better tomorrow for you all. Although a real pain, nothin you cant handle and besides with meals like that!. Here I was sharping the pencil ready to write that restaurant name, few if any serve that quality.
Sounds like the passport America is a real deal, good tip. thanks
On that kubota, not to hijack your post. I sure had a time with mine getting rid of an air pocket in the coolant, back of the head was suspect area. I recall thinking they should have put a bleeder at the rear corner vs the temp sender. Or better yet put both some how.
Mine simply would run to a high temp ( in my garage ) and i would shut it down before the cut off did. A pesky problem it was. Just couldn't get the air out with out hanging it from the cherry picker 
I finally picked up a new toy to pull a vacuum on the system and fill with coolant never a problem since. Them gadgets have been a blessing on some tough ones in my past.
It sounds like you have a handle on it so better days ahead there to you all.

Floyd

[Dave5Cs]

Thanks Floyd, Yep today was good. After putting the genny back together with its new Thermostat. I check it this morning and it was a cup down after sitting all night with the cap off to let out any trapped air. I filled it back up and closed the cap. Turned it on and let er run for 2 hours and was perfect. Heated right up after a bit the thermo opened up when it reached 180 and the top of the  rad was 145 and the lower tank was 131 all day. We drove from Willcox through Texas past the boarder crossing getting on 62/180 up the Guadalupe Mountains at 5,695 foot elevation at 17 MPH in 1st gear to 24 in second Automatic and 6v-71. I drove 7 hours and wife drove 2 hours. We got as far as Carlsbad RV park tonight, which also give a 15% Veterans discount. 36.00 . Everything ran great and we stopped at Costco to get Coconut water and got some slices of their Pizza for lunch.
Long day and up early tomorrow. The cats were asleep on the bed all day after the heat the day before. Hope they let us use it tonight.
Had to go through the Boarder inspection station for the first time. federal inspectors came to the toll window and asked, " all people in there American?' We said yep and 3 Cats. He laughed and said ok have a good trip. After I thought he should have asked, about all Us citizens?

Dave5Cs

[Dave5Cs]

Another fun day. Good nights sleep, met some nice folks in a Class C next to us last night. I got up early and dumped the tanks after showers etc and the wife made a nice breakfast for us in the Bus. Talked to the neighbors and then they were getting ready to go home to Tennessee after the eclipse they went to see in Oregon. As I was finishing up with the tanks and checking the generator I heard them pull out and turned around and their Awning was still out and their sewer cap was dangling from the pipe. I shouted but they kept driving. I called to the wife who had their card to call them which she did and got a hold of them 1 mile down the road. They got it in and secured the cap thanked her and off they went.
We left after airing up and proceeded through NM on 62/180 some more and then to 277 to 277/82 to 44 and are in Wichita Falls Texas tonight at a nice 25 spot city RV park at the Information Center. You take a spot fill out a card and put 17.00 in the envelop and drop it in the box. Pull in to any site you want and hook up. It has 30 Amp with water and a dump on the way out if you need one.

Go straight in to the lane next to the visitor parking because if you go into the lane on the left you will drive out and it is a one way street. You end up going all the way across the freeway and then back to get into it again ( don't ask me how I know this).
Lots of clouds and a little rain but the bad stuff which we could see at a distance was just that at a distance.
very humid tonight but with both airs on it was good.
Life is good.

[Dave5Cs]

Left Texas at around 10am their time and traveled over 62/180 to fuel up and drove for about 5 hours. We stopped at Valley Rv park to get water and rest. We took a nap for 2 hours and then got on the road again. All running good and McAlester OK has a lot of lake you pass through. Beautiful country. We went up 62 east to 60 north and then got on 44 north and ended up just west of Joplin Missouri at a nice Free truck stop. Missouri has got it down with these big pull in rest stops for trucks and RV's every 50 miles. So today will be continuing up 44 and we are heading for North Webster where there is a boat ride we are taking in Lake MI. did a lot of miles yesterday and will do a lot today. Did have the heat gauge stop yesterday because of a wire that came loose but found it and put on a new end ,reconnected and away we went. Heat gauge works again. The cats are loving life either sleeping or by the windows on the desk and watching the world going by. 

[Dave5Cs]

We are in Northern IL. Nice RV park in Elffingham. Good day on the road heading east then North on 40 to 70 IL. Tomorrow we head to Weber and take a Boat ride on the Lake Michigan at 6 pm. They are holding a long parking area for us there at the Parking lot. Then Shipshawana and some Museums the next day up there.

[Dave5Cs]

We are boon-docking in the Blue zone( free tonight Mon & Tuesday) at the auction and auction tomorrow. We saw a few of the blinking carts in front of us. got here at 8:30 pm after a great day at the lake. Took a neat little $7.00 Boat ride for 70 minutes in a paddle-wheeler the Historic  Dixie and saw one on those guys on an air board up in the air with water shooting out to keep him up there. Nice Lake at Webster. 
Never been to Indy but is very nice and clean we noticed. Lots of big business there but outskirts are still nice and untouched much like where we live back home. Shipshawana 70 to 31 on to In-5
Up the lake side of Michigan Wednesday to grayling by Saturday and the following week.
Even though I have a few leaks we only used about a 1/2 quart of oil since we left California.
Dave5Cs

[Dave5Cs]

After going to the Shipsawana veggie market and getting some really nice produce we took off and headed up 31 to cR4 to Elkhart Campground. Nice and clean with a lot of amenities. Good full hookups ,level lots and open for satelite reception if needed. Took the Jeep and went to the town of Elkhart IN and walked the city streets and took pictures of all the neat art work. In the park there was a 30 foot tall American Gothic pitchfork and all. Marilyn Monroe in in a museum with the blown up dress. there were musicians as statue's and artists painting a picture that looked real. These big colored hearts and many other statues. Very neat and modern. came back and cleaned the Jeep so dirty from California to Indy. The bus needs it too but will stop at a truck wash before we get to the rally.
Tomorrow we go to some quilting gardens which are gardens planted to look like quilting patterns, very interesting. and then the Studebaker museum, and up the coast to the Michigan dunes.

[Dave5Cs]

Today had a nice drive up 31 to IN22 and ended up traveling next to Lake Michigan and Crystal Lake. Went through nice little towns like the smallest little town you never heard of "Frankfort and ended up in Traverse city,MI at the VFW. Probably one of the nicest VFW we have seen across the country. We had a nice dinner there and then retired to the bus for the Night. We will be going to my wifes sister house in Grayling tomorrow for a few days. so far 3,606.8 Miles we have traveled and loving every minute of it. Stayed at the little river casino rv park last night which was very nice and had the breakfast buffet this morning. Ok well the Rv park was good. Food not so good. This park had full hook ups for 36.00 a night and no discounts. Thought it was a little steap for a pull through with the showers and restroom up at casino.

[Dave5Cs]

Heading down from seeing relatives in Harrison MI through Ohio on 475 and then I 75 South and the construction was worse than Sacramento California. Ended up at a nice Ohio State Campground for 38.00 for two nights with PA it was half price full hookups.

[Dave5Cs]

Good day at 4,603.8 miles today and are in West Virginia and went through Marietta Ohio as well as Parksberg WV. Saw the big barges going down the river as well as eating Pulled pork sandwiches for lunch with root beer floats. Life doesn't get better than that.
We are at Bert's Trailer park where he has Trailers for sale as well as working on Motorhomes of all kinds. He has 25 rv spots for 30 a night but takes Passport America for 15.00 a night. Water and electric at site and dump on the way out.

Was talking to him and he and a friend built a 4106 back in the 70's in WV and the friend and his wife drove it across the country for 10 years. They are gone now and so is the Bus but sounds like he had fun doing it.

[Dave5Cs]

Went into Hillsboro Ohio on 73 last night and had Briscut Slow & low cooked and smoked at a place by the same name. Staying at a state park off 24 after we went to serpents Mount and Hillbilly hotdog in West Virginia yesterday. Hardly any signal here in Ohio but did get some local news last night on Wally hopper dish.
Heading out tomorrow after 3 days here up 73 to 41 into Oaktown IN.

[Dave5Cs]

Well got into Evansville on Friday at 10 Am down 150 then 41. A little confusing that no one knew what we were suppose to do. Only that sometime between 10am and 5pm they were going to come get us and park us. then some guy that never even told us who he was said that at 4 pm they would send someone over to get us. finally at 3PM they told us to air up and they were going to take us over to the rally area which finally happened. We followed Mike "Red Rider" in his 4106 coach and there were about 30 coaches already parked and had been all day?

You heard a lot of genny's running and did all weekend but seemed to be muffled by tower bells and talking among the groups of people looking at coaches and busnuts meeting for the first time and old friends making contact again. We met a lot of Busnuts from midwest and the east coast we had talked to or read on the forums but never met.

Lots of nice looking buses all parked next to each-other being cleaned up and shined. The area was nice and sleep well at night. We as others did ate at Brew and Burgers which had a great tasty menu & reasonable prices. Funny story that the waitstaff wanted to know where we got the "We Love Buses" badge on our hats which were given out with the VIP packages for the dinner. So we asked Stan if we could buy some more from them and hand them out to them. Of course they sold us some and we went over and handed them out and later he went over and handed more out to them all. Great advertising.

Lots of people on saturday and Sunday looking at our Buses and thanking us for coming to their city with them. Very nice Bus tours around the city with the guides pointing out the famous Houses like the one the first Mayor lived in as well as the one Mary George lived in from the INdy 500 fame as well as the country's first Sears store which is no longer there but the building was. They have a nice water front as well as the Bell tower which went off on the hour.

After the rally we spent a night at the Burdett Park rally and met Bob Glines as well as Dinamoe Dave who road with us to show us where the Dump was at the top of the hill. I mean to tell you it was at the TOP of a flippin hill. The bus got down to 14MPH going up it and road it down stabbing the brakes and in 1st gear. Met Joe from Oregon and Paso from Canada Paul from Ohio as well as Dan from Florida. Great guys and glad to meet some more Busnut from the right coast and between.

Yesterday headed out on 64 to 62 to Louisville where we tour the bat factory. Wow what a fun tour that was and to see all the guys i played with in Baseball on the wall and their bat signitures and to know they were pros and i was there reading their names because I wasn't, LOL oh well next life i guess. I did see Dusty baker and told the guy I played against many of his brothers in Carmichal CA league and I struck Dusty out 3 times when we played his team, Ha . My claim to fame.
We then drove down 65 to Shelbyville and are staying until tomorrow at the Lake here nice park for 25.00 a night on the lake that has the airboat guys who go out and go fishing for tournament fishing practice each morning.
Went through the Mega-Caverns which were really cool inside because it was really hot outside and very neat. They going way back in and are old Limestone caverns and now hold a bunch of businesses down there like one that has all the films made in Hollywood and all the originals of them to preserve for history.
The final thing the wife set up was a tour at Churchhill Downs, Wow what a big place, Fun tour and got to see a few of the race horses , a theater in the round where it is all around you as if you are at the race and then they take you outside to see the track the padack and the buried horses that have won the race and then passed and were buried at the park.
So tomorrow we travel down 65 to other things in Kentucky and then Tennessee. Where we will be staying for free drycamping at another attraction.