Iowa Has Mountains, Who Knew!!

After leaving Osage, Iowa I checked the map again. There was a nice county road going down the east side of Iowa that looked interesting. According to my Rand McNally Road Atlas it was one of the "Red Ribbon" scenic routes. That means the road would be scenic as well as having good restaurants and possibly antique shops or other tourist type locations of interest. The road fit into our basic route, so off we went down Highway 52. We were not long on the road when we found mountains. Who would have thought Iowa had mountains. This was one of those roads that you start down and wish you had a motorcycle with you. And on this trip it was one step worse. We had a sportster in the trailer. Ward kept threatening to pull over and take it out for a spin. But we were under time constraints to get to Woodstock by Sunday.
The road kept twisting and turning, rising and falling and showing us some great scenery. Then it went down into a valley and into the town of Guttenberg, which was right along the edge of the Mighty Mississippi River. It looked like a wonderful little tourist town. One we would love to stop in if we had the time. It got added to the list of places to go, next time we were in the neighbourhood.
We spent the night in Dubuque, Iowa. Again, add that town to the list. We stopped counting motorcycles because there were just too many. The roads in that area were screaming to be ridden on two wheels.
The next day started with the same wonderful scenery as the last, and just got better. Motorcycles were everywhere on the highways, there must have been a bike run that day. And what perfect roads, we added this whole stretch of highway to our list.
We were in Illinois now, and soon came to the town of Galena. By this time I was just kicking myself that I didn't go and get my camera. I should have been taking pictures of these roads all along this highway. The town of Galena, Illinois was amazing. The highway took us right through downtown.

The buildings seemed all to be very old, and not of this century at all. We passed signs for Ulysses S. Grant's house and a few other famous people. But there was no time to stop. Ward mentioned we would come back this way and spend a bit of time in the area. What was that about best made plans?
Oh well, another time. And Galena is definitely on the list of places to come back to, most definitely.
Just as we rolled into Rockford, Illinois we got a flat tire on the trailer. Ward pulled the motorhome over into a parking lot and we got out to assess the damage. We have a great CAA plan that we could use, if needed. But we didn't want to use it unnecessarily. I got on the internet, I just love my mobile internet stick, it comes in so handy sometimes. I googled tire places in Rockford and found one a block away from the lot we pulled into. We called them to make sure they had trailer tires and limped our rig over. An hour later we had two new tires on the trailer, and a spare tire in the trailer. It's a good thing we didn't stop earlier in those scenic towns. The extra time was needed for this repair during daylight hours.
Before nightfall we were in Woodstock. The next day would be the swap meet. Vendor set-up 6am, you could pay at the gate.

Ho - Ho - Ho - Green Giant

Who would have thought there would be a 50 foot statue of the Jolly Green Giant located in a small town in Minnesota. But there it was, larger than life, and green.

When I found it listed in the road atlas, and it was so close to our actual route, I made a point of taking it in.
The association of the City of Blue Earth, MN had the statue erected in 1979, according to their brochure. Each winter the town folk put a red scarf around the big green guy, marking the change in seasons and preparing the fella for winter.
We were in corn country. Just about every field we drove past was corn, and as we crossed into the great state of Iowa that didn't change a bit. More corn. It was corn and cows, and more corn.
We stuck to the smaller county roads, and continued to enjoy the scenery and the lazy feel of driving through the US Mid-West.
As we drove through the small towns along the county road, we were looking for a grocery store. It was getting on in the day and we wanted to make sure we had provisions for dinner. The gas attendant at Caseys in Osage, IA gave us directions to the Payless Foods in town. She said some of the prices there were good, but other items were a bit expensive. Good to know. The directions got us easily to the store and we went inside. I found the prices to be very good and was wondering what that clerk was talking about. Then I saw the canned goods. It worked out great because we were after some meat and fresh produce, and those prices were in line with what we wanted to pay. I picked up some pork chops and cream cheese and headed back to the RV.
We took a break from driving, and had some down time in the parking lot of the grocery store. It wasn't long when we heard that Monty Python sound of coconuts clapping together. No, wait a minute, that was the sound of a horse on pavement. And that was a buggy that just passed the window.

The buggy stopped, and an Amish man got out and tied the horse to a hitch on the pole in the parking lot. Then a young girl got out and slid the pocket door closed on the buggy. I guess we were in Amish Country.

The town folk didn't seem to find it odd that a horse and buggy pulled up in the parking lot of the food store, and there was a hitching post already set up for the horse. The fields may be all corn and cows, but there is much more going on in the land than initially meets the eye. This is one of the reasons I like to get off the Interstates when I travel. One gets to see a more real image of the regions travelled.

Our House Was Just Around The Corner

We were on a mission. We needed to get to Woodstock by Sunday, June 24 and it was Wednesday. Just four days to do the trip and so many scenic roads to travel.
I checked the map and found the Jolly Green Giant resting in a small town along the southern border of Minnesota. Blue Earth, Minnesota was now marked in as a destination on this trip south. Other factors in determining our route were that we wanted to travel along the smaller county roads, and did not want to go near any larger cities. It may add miles to the trip, and definitely takes longer to travel that way, but it adds so much more to actually seeing the country and getting a feel for the different areas we travel through.
As you may know, Minnesota has a saying on their license plates "Land of 10,000 Lakes". Now to a Manitoban that may not seem like such a big deal. Our province boasts 100,000 lakes. But really, most of our lakes are up north, where most people never see them. Every square inch of Minnesota is accessible by roads and every lake is within a stones throw of civilization. We noticed this on our last trip when we pulled over on some dirt road between Fargo and Detroit Lakes only to find a lake on that road.

On this trip we went past many more small lakes just like this one. The terrain was rolling hills filled with ponds and lakes surrounded by farm land. I could imagine the farmers a few hundred years back finding this land and choosing a spot next to a lake. And today, after a day in the fields, jumping into the lake to cool off. I wonder if they go away to the lake on holidays, or if they just sit in the back yard and enjoy what they have right there.
As we were driving down one of the county roads, we came up to yet another lake. But this time there were signs along the side of the road. They said "no parking anytime". The road went right up against the lake. On one side of the road were houses, and the other was filled with private boat docks and their boats. These must have been cottages along the lake, and I bet they were not economy cottages. The scenery at that spot was amazing, and I am sure we would have pulled over if we could. But the signs said no. We went a little further on and came across another lake, and another set of signs stating that we were not welcome to stop there either. Then we pulled into town, and followed the signs to the public beach and park.

It was the town of Annandale, MN. We stayed at the park for the afternoon, having a picnic lunch overlooking the lake and enjoying the breeze. While sitting there we watched a heron perched on a post at the end of the dock. But before I was able to get my camera out and snap a photo, it was off. We watched it fishing for it's lunch and sat back and enjoyed the wonderful scenery. And our house was just around the corner.

Journey Into The Bowels Of The US Mid-West

Or, as Ward would say: "Adventures In The Bible Belt".

We left at the beginning of June, just as soon as we could get the trailer hooked up, and make sure the lights were all working on it. We had a connector at the back of the RV for a trailer, but it was the wrong end. So, we removed that one, and got the correct connector installed. After a bit of experimenting, all wires were connected correctly, and the trailer lights worked as they should.
Sunday morning we headed south. The border presented no problems this time. They asked the last time we crossed, and the nature of our visit. "About a month ago, and we were looking to buy some motorcycles to bring home."

Back in the U.S.A. Don't know how lucky we are! We're back, back in the U.S.A.

The Rv had been acting up a bit. Every now and again it would run out of fuel. The gas tank wasn't empty, but it acted like it was. We were thinking the electric fuel pump might be packing it in. So, we were planning on buying one in the States and saving a bit of money on the purchase. Ward said he could install it himself. The plan was to pick it up in Grand Forks and have it on hand if needed.
As it turned out, the RV was giving us a bit of trouble as we were nearing Grand Forks. We made it to the Walmart without incident, and the next morning we stopped in at O'Reilly's and got the fuel pump.
The trip from Grand Forks to Fargo ended up taking about 6 hours. The RV ran out of fuel every 20 miles. We would sit on the side of the highway for 20 minutes, and it would be ready to go again. This went on for most of the journey into Fargo. But as we got closer, the RV got worse. By the time we were pulling into the city limits the RV was barely going 40 MPH and was stopping with greater frequency. It got us to the Walmart, though.
We found a nice place to park, under a tree with a patch of grass. It was almost park like. And there we changed the fuel pump. But it didn't fix the issue. Something else was causing this. We ended up taking it to Tuffy's Auto Service Center. It was just around the corner from the Walmart. Ward and I walked over and talked to the guys. We explained what was happening and asked if they would be able to take care of it and see what was going on. We even suggested a few tests they might do to see if the issue was with the carb, or with the fuel pressure. And we mentioned that the fuel guage didn't work. So, if they were dropping the tank, we would get the fuel guage fixed at the same time. We were asked how much we were wanting to spend. Not a good sign. But I said to go up to $200 for diagnostics, then call. And that is exactly what they did. I am not sure what diagnostics they did, and the work order didn't explain that either. But the charge was listed. They did drop the tank. They fixed the hose inside so it took fuel from the bottom of the tank. (Apparently it was sticking up and wasn't accessing the bottom of the tank, or some such thing). And they changed the fuel float. Oh, and they charged us $750. They took it for a test drive around town, and said all was well.
We made it 20 miles outside of town, and the RV died. No, really. It died. Ward complained that his backside hurt from the transaction that took place at Tuffy's, and I said we were not going back there. Not now to complain, and not ever.
We made it as far as Park Rapids and found a real mechanic. Within minutes, maybe even seconds, he said it was the carb. He said the float was sticking and gas was running back into the gas tank. We needed to get the carb re-built. Whitey lent us his car, and let us sleep in the RV at the back of his shop until the job was done. We found a great mechanic in that town, and had an RV that would actually run when he was finished with it. We were back on track again.
It had taken ten days from the time we first entered America, until the RV was finally running properly. We were in no hurry, and had no real deadlines, so the time was not a real bother. And while we were in Park Rapids, we had a courtesy car, so we could get around, go to the beach, and whatever else we wanted to do. But it was nice to have the freedom of the open road again, knowing we could head down the highway and not worry about our house breaking down.
Our plan to hit the Walnecks swap meet in Woodstock, Illinois was back on track. We had four days to get there, so I checked the map and planned our route. I planned the route to take us down county roads and of course through Blue Earth, MN because I wanted to see the Jolly Green Giant.
Stay tuned for more, and a picture of the big green guy, coming soon to a computer near you.

We Don't Need No Stinkin' Grid

Well, we did it. We have managed to equip the motorhome with solar panels, a generator, and functioning propane so we don't need to hook up to the grid.
I finally got the solar panels mounted on the roof of the RV. After watching several youtube videos on the subject and reading up on it, I was ready to tackle the project. I had access to a scissor lift, which made the whole project so much easier. Thanks so much for the use of the equipment. After a bit of consultation, it was decided that I make no holes in the roof of the RV at all. I used angle iron and set up a basic roof rack style mounting system and drilled holes in the sides of the RV, going into the top wooden frame. After drilling the holes I filled them with silicone, then mounted the brackets. I drilled another, larger hole in the side of the RV to receive the wiring from the panels and ran that through the cupboards inside, straight to the regulator. From there I ran wires down the channel housing the fridge wiring, and out the back of the RV straight to the battery box that we mounted on the bumper. Another set of wires came back into the RV to the inverter. And now we have electricity. So far it's only 45 watts per hour, during maximum sun strength, but it's enough to power the lights, TV, DVD, and recharge the batteries on the phones and laptop.
While I had access to the scissor lift I took the opportunity to redo the seals on the roof vents and seal the side trims. I finished off the partial container of sealant goo I was given, then went out in search of more. I ended up getting another brand of rubber sealant from GNR on Dugald RD in Winnipeg. It took only one coat and went on fairly easily. The hardest part of the whole job was scraping off all the old sealant that had peeled, cracked, and curled.
Lastly, we took the RV in to GNR for them to have a look at our fridge. We could get it working on regular electricity and DC power, but were not able to get the pilot light lit on it. They were able to accomodate us on short notice and took the RV in. They cleaned the mechanism on the fridge and lit it. Then we were given a quick lesson on how to light the fridge. Apparently it worked all along, we just could not see the pilot light. And actually, we still cannot see the pilot. We were told that it was really hard to see, near impossible is more like it. Now we know to just push the buttons a few times and  decide it is lit, then wait a few hours to see if the fridge is still cold. What a difference it makes, being able to have the fridge on all the time while travelling. We have had no problems with our fridge since turning it on with the propane power, and we found the perfect temperature setting so it does not freeze our food.
My wonderful husband mounted our generator on the back bumper of the motorhome so we have access to the extra power when we need it.
That was enough for us to go on our next adventure. We borrowed a utility trailer, hooked it up behind the motorhome, and headed south.

The Negligent Blogger

I know.
I know.
Mark, I know. I haven't been blogging.
What can I say.
The cat ate my homework....
I was busy....
I fell down and couldn't get up....
I was out having fun....
It was too hot....
I'm sorry, ok?
I'll try and do better in the future.

Much has happened since last I blogged. I guess I left off in a rest area just outside Fargo, ND. We managed to make it about 3 miles that day and ended up in a grassy knoll inside Moorhead, MN city limits. That trip lasted eight days, including a stop in Detroil Lakes where we found the Oof-da Taco trailer. Oh my gosh, we pulled over. We had been looking for that trailer all trip, and never caught on that we could just check their website to see where they would be touring next.



I had never had an Oof-da Taco before, but my husband had. He raved about them every time we drove through North-Western Minnesota. I was so glad to finally get a chance to try one. It looked so good I wolfed most of it down before thinking to take a picture of it to show you.

Sorry about the missing bits. It was just a little too good to let sit around for any amount of time.
If you have never had them, and if you cannot see in the photo of my almost devoured taco, it is a taco on fry bread, and is about a foot in diameter.
The Oof-da taco is one of those food items that must be tried at least once.

It's getting late, and my laptop needs some quality down time. So, that's all for tonight.
I will tell you more about our adventures tomorrow.
Oh, and Mark, that Mexican Restaurant was delicious. (tee hee, tee hee)

We Lost Our Rice At The Border

We're in America now, have been for a few days now. My husband and I decided to come down on another shopping trip to finish equiping the motorhome with a few more items. This was the first time I have ever crossed the border with my house in tow. I would have to say the experience was enlightening. We pulled up to the border guard, as usual, and answered the normal questions. Then we were told to pull over ahead and await a visit from an Agricultural Agent. Odd, but ok. I did expect an investigation of the motorhome, but not by the Department of Agriculture. We waited a few minutes, then we had a knock on our door. I opened it, pulled out the step, and invited the Agricultural Agent into our home. She asked if we had any fresh fruit, meat, etc, the usual questions when crossing the border. Then she asked if we had any rice. Rice? What do you mean? I have dry, uncooked rice, and I said as much. I was asked to produce it. I pulled out two containers of rice, but not the boxes they came in. I found it easier to store if they were in plastic containers. I was informed that there were some types of rice that were not packaged in USA or Canada, and may have parisites of sorts in them. And because I could not produce the box my particular rice came in, it was not going to be allowed into the United States of America. My rice containers were removed from the motorhome, and they were returned to me empty. The Agricultural Agent expressed the severity of bringing such items into her country and gave us a sheet of paper describing items that are not allowed to cross the border. I never suspected my rice as a danger to the National Security of the United States, but I guess you can't be too careful.
We made it into the States, two containers of rice lighter, but we made it.
After spending a night in Thief River Falls, we made it to Fargo. First stop, Mills Fleet Farms. I have to say that is a great store. My husband picked up a pair of overalls, we got a generator (1500 watt running), a couple of deep cell batteries, and a couple flavors of dried soups. I almost bought a gnome for my home, but I resisted the urge. That store has everything.
We also found a place in Fargo to dump the septic tank and get more water for the motorhome. The Petro on Interstate 94 allows free dumping and has water as well. We went there earlier today, pulled up to the area designated for RVs to get gas. Just before the gas pump was an RV sewage dump, and beside was a hookup for water.
I must say, the generator has improved our quality of life one great step forward. We are able to keep our batteries charged, and keep the fridge cold. Since doing the repairs to our propane system, the furnace works great, taking the chill out of the air in the mornings. And we have finally put water into our tank, allowing us to do dishes and wash in the motorhome instead of washrooms along the road. Once we get the propane on the fridge fixed and mount the solar panels, we should be fully operational.
Now that our shopping is done, we are back on the road. We left Fargo, and headed east down Interstate 94. We made it to the first rest area inside Minnesota. I believe we are still in Moorehead, but we are in a nice grassy area, surrounded by trees. Tonight we had a BBQ of pork chops and potatoes and are settling back for a quiet evening out of the parking lots.
Tomorrow we are headed North again. I'm not sure which route we will be taking, but we are in no hurry to cross the border.