Service Rodeo Over, At Angola, IN

Once again we've survived our semiannual service "rodeo" in and around Lagrange & Elkhart (Indiana).  For the trailer: new brake pads, bearings repacked and wheel alignment, new bedroom AC/Heat pump, new convection microwave installed (old one - original to the trailer - slowly died over the summer), pocket door travel lock repaired and door rehung from the track (and the track was reinstalled), ducting for bedroom AC repaired, drain leak for the kitchen sink repaired (actually, replumbed), exterior seals and caulking repaired or replaced as needed, new (bottom) access door for the power cord reel (we lost it - it broke off - on the way out to Idaho during high wind travel through South Dakota), generator oil changed with new air filter and a tune up, and additional brackets installed for the larger MCD shades.  Truck got an oil change.  Otherwise, it was cold and windy and I got my first head cold & sore throat since pre-pandemic.  And Donna then caught the cold from me.

So we had a quiet week just going out or moving the trailer as necessary.  Great time to just sit in a hotel room - we had a suite - and drink hot or cold liquids and complain about my sore throat and constant coughing.  Eat breakfast at the hotel and go out to eat for dinner only if we felt like it.  Unfortunately, there was no Ben's Pretzel run this year and the only ice cream was a pint of Hagen Das from Meijer.

We're better now.  Donna been catching up with her phone calls, and I've got a couple I need to make. It's Halloween at the Angola/Hogback Lake KOA, so the park is filling up as I write this and kids are everywhere.  Yes, we've already hit the ice cream here. Both of us still have a lingering cough - ice cream always seems to help.

Monday begins our travel down to Virginia.  We plan to be in Luray, VA by Wednesday - about the time Ian has moved out (we hope).  Not common for us to face a tropical storm as we head southeast to Virginia, but we've done it before and canceled a stay in Luray or Shenandoah Natl Park because of it.

So that gets you up to date with us.  Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us.  More later, David

Folks-on-Spokes (Gulf Shores) Fall Rally, West Des Moines, Iowa

High Trestle Bridge

So why would you call a group of 50+ people with bicycles getting together for 8 to 10 days to ride their bicycles a rally?  Me, neither, but that's what we do. 

We're actually in Waukee, IA at Timberline Campground for the fall rally.  We're not volunteering this year, so we could actually make it to a fall bicycle rally.  Unfortunately, the dates fell right on top of a 50 year high school reunion for me.  This means you can be fully retired, living a nomadic life style and still have schedule conflicts.  Life happens, I guess.

We're riding the walk-bicycle trails around the Des Moines area.  The trails are in great condition.  With the exception of Saturday, we've been on our bicycles everyday since Tuesday.  Donna's loving it plus she's around all her winter friends from Gulf Shores.  We're eating more meals out than usual, but the increased activity seems to be keeping us steady weight-wise.

There's still more trails to ride.  We leave for Elkhart, IN on Tuesday.  Friday starts the fall trailer service rodeo.  What gets repaired depends on what parts & appliances are there when we arrive.  Should be fun?

Anyway, that gets you up to date with us.  Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us.  Pictures are of the High Trestle Bridge near Woodward, Iowa.  They light a section of it at night.  It's pretty cool to see.  It's to the north of Des Moines and crosses the Des Moines River.  The blue light is used so as to not hurt your night vision.  

 

West Des Moines, IA

One of the many covered bridges of Madison County

We're in the West Des Moines, Iowa area for this summer's Folks-On-Spokes (Gulf Shores) summer rally. We'll be here until the 20th when we head over to Elkhart, IN for our autumn trailer service rodeo.  We're fine.  This part of Iowa is dusty & dry.  Suppose to rain later this weekend.  They need it!

We had a great time in Sioux Falls, SD.  We got in a couple of game nights with Ken & Susan and a couple of bicycle rides along the Sioux Falls area Greenway.  On one trip we actually made it all around the city of Sioux Falls for a total of just over 19 miles.  We now know we'll be riding with the slow group for the bicycle rally!

I know - not a lot of news or pictures.  Thanks for dropping in and checking up on us.  More later, David