We departed from Unhitched Wheeler Lake Campground 7:50AM EDT and headed North to my parents house in LaGrange, IN (606 miles). We made our first fuel stop at the Buc-cee’s in Smiths Grove, KY. The grand kids had never been to a Buc-cee’s before, so they were impressed with how huge it was, but a bit overwhelmed by the chaos inside. The girls purchased fried chicken breast sandwiches and the boy and I chose turkey, ham, and bacon sandwiches. We also got tater tots and fried potato chips.
Buc-ee’s – Smiths Grove, KYChowing on Buc-ee’s Sandwiches
We stopped one more time for fuel at the Loves Travel Stop in Marion, IN. We arrived at Mom & Dad’s ninety minutes later (6:45PM EDT). The kids spent the rest of the evening running around the yard burning off a lot of banked up energy. They even had their Great Grandmother outside playing Hide & Seek at 9PM that night.
Testing the SwingThe LandscapersMore Landscaping StaffA Rock Painting SessionThe Local Wait StaffSloppy Joe NightPainting RocksThe Hair Assembly LineThe Four Generation Cleanup CrewFoltz Bakery DayThe Head Grilled Ham & Cheese ChefUncle Roger & His PosseFamilyFamily
We took Phoebe in for her annual checkup and required vaccines on Wednesday (7/23) and the Vet noticed that the root was exposed on one of her molars. We had originally planned to head East on Sunday (7/27/2025), but decided to stay two extra days to accommodate dental surgery for Phoebe. The surgery went well and we had her back home in the camper by 1:30PM (after dropping her off at 8:30AM). The Vet discovered that the molar in question had broken in half and all he did was remove the remaining half. So no pain killer required and no major impact. She wasn’t even very groggy when we got her (they tried to limit the anesthetic due to her age). She wasn’t interested in food the day of the surgery, but otherwise seemed just fine.
Fence Row Clean-up
Back in 2019, Beth and I cleaned up the fence row. Mom & Dad’s neighbors don’t care to trim their landscaping. In fact, the lady of the house thinks that the jungle look is beautiful. So, all of their plants grow through the fence and overtake Mom & Dad’s yard. Plus, in the front yard where there have been hedges my entire life (and all previous neighbors trimmed the hedges nicely), these neighbors have never trimmed the hedges (well over 10 years). Some of the hedge infrastructure is well over 3″ in diameter. Anyway, over the last 6 years we have not managed to keep up with it and now that I have a shiny new hip we decided it was time to clean it up again. We took our time and didn’t overwork ourselves. It ended up taking about four days working a few hours each day and hauling at least six trailer loads of debris to the street on the back side of our block (because we can’t dump it on US-20). It’s all cleaned up now and we hope to stay ahead of it in the future.
Progress after Day #1Weed Whacking the FenceProgress after Day #2Progress after Day #3Hedges Trimmed BackDumping the Debris
7/22/2025 – Dinner at Monument Pizza and Pub
This afternoon we went to Angola to shop at Menards (an annual ritual with Mom & Dad). We went in the late afternoon, so we started out by eating supper at Monument Pizza Pub which is on the Angola roundabout which is anchored by the Civil War Soldiers’ Monument (Angola had a roundabout LONG before roundabouts were cool). We enjoyed our meals and were all glad we gave the establishment a try, but didn’t feel we needed to frequent it. The biggest disappointment was that several of the items from their online menu (chicken wings, cheese-steak, etc.) were not available on the restaurant menu.
Buffalo Chicken Sandwich (no bun)Chicken Tenders Tossed in Buffalo Sauce
7/15/2025 – Arrival
We departed from Camp Petosega at 9:30AM EDT and headed South to my parents house in LaGrange, IN (317 miles). Due to construction on US-131 we took I-75 South to US-121 to I-69 just North of Lansing, MI. After refueling at the Speedway in DeWitt, MI, we then took I-69 to Angola, IN and stopped off at the local Walmart. After purchasing some kitty supplies (litter) we headed over to Mr. Meatz on the West side of Angola and picked up some sweet Italian sausage to smoke. That store had the biggest selection of Bratwurst flavors we’ve ever seen. Then we headed West on US-20 to Camp Land of Troy arriving at 4:00PM EDT.
Today we left Cade Lake County Park and Campground in Sturgis, MI promptly at 8:45AM EDT and took Beth to Goshen, IN to get her final allergy shot of the road trip. We had a bit of a delay getting started when our power tongue jack decided to stop working. We ended up breaking out a ratchet and socket to override the system manually. While I ratcheted like a mad man I had Beth pull the fuse on the line leading to the jack from the battery. It looked good so I had her reinstall it and suddenly the jack started working again. It was still working when we arrived at our next campground this afternoon, so fingers crossed (Note to Self: Don’t ever forget a cordless drill again).
We arrived at Riverview Campground in Madison, IN at 3:45PM EDT. It was 91 degrees and we setup quickly to get out of the heat. We don’t have any plans to go anywhere tomorrow, so we left the truck connected to the camper. We stayed at this campground back on 7/14/2024 on our trip North. Any details can be found in that blog entry. The only thing that has changed is that the park WiFi has drastically improved and we are able to use it to watch YouTubeTV on our Roku.
On Saturday (8/3/2024) we headed 8 miles West to Shipshewana Campground South Park in Shipshewana, IN. We checked in just after 1PM EDT. This campground has full hookups and we are parked in a back-in site along the Southern edge of the property giving us a clear view of the southwestern sky for easy access to all three Dish Network satellites. They provide free Wi-Fi that is limited to 3Mbps (too low for streaming). We elected to upgrade to their paid service which bumps the speed up to 5Mbps (for $15/week) allowing streaming. The service was fairly spotty. We would lose our Wi-Fi connection regularly and sometimes the speed would drop to nothing. We hardly had any connectivity Monday and we don’t recommend subscribing to their service in the future. The pasture behind our site is home to small group of beautiful horses.
Shipshewana South Park – Site #126Shipshewana South Park – Site #126Shipshewana South Park – Site #126Exercise TimeNeighborsNap Time for Phoebe
On Monday (7/21/2024) Mom, Dad, and I dropped Beth off at Chicago Midway International Airport and she flew back to Tampa to pickup the grandkids. She and the grandkids spent the night at the Tampa Airport Marriott and flew back to Chicago on Tuesday. My sister Deb and I picked them up at Chicago Midway International Airport and brought them back to Mom & Dad’s (after a stop at the Michigan City, IN White Castle).
We all had a great time with the grandkids. They had fun riding on their great grandfather’s tractors. Penny and Evie learned to operate his Simplicity lawn tractor and Penny even mowed lawn. We spent an afternoon at my childhood friend Paul’s farm where he showed them all of his farm equipment (tractors, combine, semi-truck, etc). Afterwards they got to enjoy a swim in their family pool.
On Thursday (8/1/2024) I drove Beth and the grandkids back to Chicago Midway International Airport and she flew them back to Tampa. Aaron & Alysa picked the kids up at the airport and Beth flew right back out to Chicago. After dropping Beth off at the airport I headed West to a safe suburb (Hodgkins, IL). I had a very good breakfast at the Country Cup Restaurant on old Route 66 (which was attached to a bowling alley). After breakfast I moved to the AMC theaters where I watched the three hour movie Horizon. After the movie I had dinner at a nearby Texas Roadhouse which was also back on the Mother Road (Route 66). I then waited for Beth’s return in the airport’s cell phone parking lot. She returned on time and we arrived back at Mom & Dad’s around 11:00PM.
Tampa Airport MarriottChick-fil-A Breakfast at Tampa InternationalWhite Castle in Michigan City, INEvie & ChuckiePennyPenny and Great Grandpa Bob Hang’n in the MorningOver Medium Eggs on Sausage, Cheese, and ToastWord Search with Uncle RogerPlaying with Grandpa’s Tinker ToysPlaying with Dad’s Lincoln LogsEvie Learning to Hang LaundryKitty TimeKirby out for a Walk with Penny1940 John Deere A Rides1940 John Deere A RidesPenny Mowing LawnPlaying Aaron’s Mickey YahtzeeTime for a ComaTruck’nTruck’nThe Crew in Paul’s CombineEvie Riding Paul’s John DeereChuckie Riding Paul’s John DeerePenny Riding Paul’s John DeereChuckie Playing on Paul’s Utility TractorComa TimeOver Medium Eggs on Sausage, Cheese, and ToastJohn Deere Gator Rides with Uncle RogerJohn Deere Gator Rides with Uncle RogerJohn Deere Gator Rides with Uncle RogerRock Painting with Aunt DebCornhole CompetitionCornhole CompetitionComa TimeCornhole CompetitionCornhole CompetitionS’more TimeS’more TimeCuddle TimeSwing’n with Great Grandma Sarah
Trip from Madison, IN to LaGrange – 7/16/2024
On Tuesday we headed North to Mom & Dad’s house in LaGrange, IN. We left the Riverview Campground in Madison, IN at 9:00AM EDT (after visiting the dump station to empty our tanks) and arrived in LaGrange at 1:30PM EDT. We stopped at the Love’s Travel Stop in Knightstown, IN for fuel. Shortly after we finished setting up the camper my sister and brother-in-law Deb & Roger arrived. We spent the rest of the afternoon on the back porch catching up and enjoyed some Eckrich Smoked Sausage for dinner.
On Wednesday Beth was successful in getting a local allergist in Goshen, IN to administer the next shots in her allergy regimen. This was a major relief allowing us to remain in the area for an extended period of time without ending her progress with the allergy regimen. In other positive news, I could have chucked a rock from the allergist’s parking lot into the Menard’s parking lot. Considering that we will be having weekly trips to the allergist for the remainder of our stay, this proximity to Menard’s should allow us to sufficiently deplete our retirement savings.
Eckrich Smoked Sausage Dinner at the Backyard KOAKitty Happy Hour at the Backyard KOAKitty Happy Hour at the Backyard KOA
On Sunday we departed from Marion County Park Campground at 09:00AM EDT after visiting the dump station to empty our tanks. We had planned to stop at the Buc-ee’s in Smiths Grove, KY for fuel, but traffic for it was lined up clear down the off ramp and onto the interstate. We moved on up the interstate to a Shell station in Park City, KY. Due to road closures on I-264, which we would have taken around Louisville to get to I-71, Google Maps routed us through Louisville and across the Ohio River to SR-56.
We arrived at Riverview Campground in Madison, IN around 3:20PM EDT. It’s located just around the bend from Hanover College where Woody Harrelson and Mike Pence attended and I never realized was located along the Ohio River. This is a nice city campground right on the Ohio River. We have a great view of the river from our recliners. We are in Site #2 which the hosts tell us is the best spot in campground (we would have to agree). The other sites are fairly close together. One very long Travel Trailer had a hard time backing into their site due to a Marathon Motorcoach across the aisle sticking out into aisle. We have 50Amps and water hookups. The dump station is located along the street.
We were able to pickup Dish Network satellites 110 and 119 from the rear of our camper (satellite 61 was blocked by a tree). This allowed us to access all of the channels we were interested in (including Louisville locals). We were also able to pickup NBC, CBS, FOX, and CW stations via antenna. We are getting 37/46 Mbps download/upload speeds with our AT&T 5G+ hot spot.
Riverview Campground – Site #2Riverview Campground – Site #2Riverview Campground – Site #2Riverview Campground – Recliner View
While we were in LaGrange, we had my childhood schoolmate Paul and his wife Shelly over for dinner (hamburgers and grilled potato wedges). My sister and brother-in-law (Deb & Roger) joined us as well. We also went to Fort Wayne and had dinner at Bagger Dave’s with my college roommate Barry and his wife Mary Jane. Near the end of our stay, Beth’s brother Dick was on his way back from his epic van journey to Alaska and we invited him to stop in and stay with us as he passed by on US-90. He was able to park in the back yard and spent two nights with us, including another meal with my sister and brother-in-law (taco salad). We think Dick is the first of Beth’s siblings that Deb and Roger have met.
Dad, Beth, and Dick Outside the GarageDick’s Van in the Backyard
Rebuilding the Bell Stand
When my Mom’s parents sold their farmhouse they brought their farm bell to town and mounted it on their barn (they lived next door to us). The bell has been in the family for several generations. It was on the same farm when my grandmother was growing up. Based on the markings, the bell was made by C. S. Bell in Hillsboro, OH between 1875 and 1882. When Grandpa sold the house next door the bell was removed from the barn and Mom & Dad took ownership. Dad built a stand for it out of treated landscape timbers nearly thirty years ago and they were rotting, so we tore it down and built a new one.
Mom SupervisingOld Bell Stand RemovedNew Bell StandFinal Result
Testing the Bell
Trip from Cincinnati to LaGrange – 8/13/2023
Today we headed North to Mom & Dad’s house in LaGrange, IN. We left the FMCA Campground in Cincinnati at 9:30AM EDT and arrived in LaGrange at 2:30PM EDT. Mom & Dad, who had been attending a family reunion, pulled in the driveway right behind us. We stopped at the Walmart in Van Wert, OH for fuel and ate the sandwiches Beth had made in the parking lot. Shortly after we finished setting up the camper my sister and brother-in-law Deb & Roger arrived. We spent the rest of the afternoon on the back porch catching up and enjoyed our first Eckrich Hot Dogs in two years for dinner.
Today Dad, Beth, and I attended the Tractor Pull at the Elkhart County Fair with my friends Paul and Barry. Paul and I have been friends since Kindergarten. I met Barry my Freshman year in college and we roomed together on our Co-Op sessions at Magnavox (now Raytheon) in Ft Wayne, IN. Barry has worked there his entire career. Barry came to the house and rode over with us while Paul drove separately in order to attend both sessions of the Tractor Pull (he’s an animal).
A decent storm passed through overnight. It didn’t physically impact the track, but it did prevent the overnight track preparation so the pulling didn’t start until nearly 11AM. Since we were all up we went on over at our usual crack of dawn time and ate our usual pancake breakfast. Afterwards the guys walked around and stared at new tractors on display while Paul explained the latest in tractor technology to us. Beth ventured out on her own to look at farm varmints (I’m fortunate to have escaped without buying her Elvis, the HUGEST draft horse).
The Tractor Pull was excellent and the weather was absolutely perfect (low 70’s). We headed home around 4PM.
Tractor Pull
July 25, 2021 – Travel to My Hometown
Today (7/25) we left our friends Tom & Mary’s house in Delafield, WI and headed to my parents’ house in LaGrange, IN. We were very concerned about how to travel through, or around, Chicago because the traffic there is so bad. During the weeks prior to our travel through Chicago I had plotted a course completely around the city, but it definitely added a lot of miles to the trip. Tom checked the Google Waze application when we were departing and it indicated that it was safe to travel directly through town on I-94 and I-90, so we gave it a shot. It worked out fairly well. We did hit some very heavy traffic just North of downtown, but it only caused about a 16 minute delay. Following the delay, Waze wanted us to take the Skyaway (I-90) but it is a toll road and we expected that there would be significant tolls for a motorhome towing a Tahoe, so we stuck with I-94. This route worked out well for us. We hit one more 13 minute delay near the Indiana state line but the two delays combined were smaller than the extra time we would have taken using my route completely around the city.
Beth had spotted a Rest Area near the intersection of US-20 an SR-2, but a large section of it had been filled with piles of gravel and I was afraid we wouldn’t be able to get turned around so we parked at New Prairie Small Animal Clinic instead and ate a quick bite for lunch.
Our remaining drive was just over an hour and we arrived at Mom & Dad’s at about 4:15PM EDT. My sister and brother-in-law, Deb & Roger, were there when we arrived. After setting up the camper and catching up on life, we ate a delicious Lasagna that Mom had prepared for dinner. After dinner we let the cats have some freedom inside their cat fence that Beth had assembled behind the barn.
We went to Chain O Lakes State Park on the Friday of Labor Day weekend to camp with Mom & Dad and one of the families we camped with growing up. We camped with Bil & Cindy and both of their children’s families (Wes & Anita and Carrie & Jeff). I hadn’t seen Wes and Carrie since 1984 when they were little tykes and I was in college. We had 5 campsites all located together and congregated at Carrie and Jeff’s site in the evenings to enjoy Jeff’s massive campfires (he, Bill, and Wes bring several trees worth of firewood).
Jeff’s Fire
The campground is very large (over 400 sites). The sites were built for campers built in the 70’s so they aren’t very long and definitely not level. We needed to jack our back end up quite a bit so I placed a stack of yellow jack blocks under our rear hydraulic jacks. Beth (aka, “Bubbles”) started leveling the RV and once she got the rear end lifted enough I walked away to see if Dad needed any help. Unfortunately, that was a mistake. While I was gone, the rear of the yellow jack blocks started sinking into the ground placing the bases of the hydraulic jacks at a significant angle. Dad didn’t need any help and as I started walking back to our camper I noticed the blocks sinking and started heading to the front of the camper to tell Beth to raise the rear jacks, but it was too late. The rear jacks slid off the jack blocks quite violently making an extremely loud thud! It totally freaked Beth out because she was afraid I was still under the camper aligning the yellow jack blocks. I was certain we had destroyed our very expensive hydraulic jacks. Fortunately the driver side jack landed solidly, but on the passenger side the base of the jack that holds the return springs slipped off and the jack slammed several inches into the ground. I thought sure it was ruined, but I dug out all the dirt around it and was able to push the jack back up into the cylinder using a pry bar.
Once I got the jack pried back up, I went back in the camper to change out of my “going to town clothes”. When I came back out I could see two feet sticking out from under our camper and our friend Bill said, “Brian, this is my son-in-law Jeff (under the camper)”. I said, “I can’t see him, but I already like him”. Jeff and I were able to pull and pry the springs and base plate back under the bottom of the jack and the jack now seems to work fine. In order to provide more stability I dug out my home made ramps and drove the rear of the RV up onto them. We then placed numerous 2″ x 12″ boards under the rear jacks and leveled them with 2″ x 4″s before placing the yellow jack blocks on top. At that point we were stable for the weekend.
Chain O Lakes SP – Site #261
Rear Jack Engineering
After that we had a great weekend. We cooked our meals over the fire (hotdogs, pork burgers, and hamburgers). On Saturday Beth and I hiked “Trail #6” which was a nice trail and ended up being 4.25 miles by the time we got back to our campsite. On Sunday, my sister Deb came by (her husband Roger was sick) and brought us delicious pulled pork that she had been cooking in a crock-pot for over 24 hours. It was delicious!
Yesterday morning when we woke up in Mitchell, SD, Beth discovered some drops of blood on the floor and immediately subjected each of her cats to a complete physical inspection (I had to inspect myself). It was eventually determined that Mercury was the culprit and we were concerned enough to want to take him to a Vet, but didn’t want to get stuck in South Dakota if it was determined that he might need to return for follow-ups. We had good luck last year with the Vet’s office in my hometown so we decided to drive straight through instead of spreading the travel out across three days.
We were on the road by 9AM CDT and only stopped for fuel. The first fuel stop was at the Freeborn County Co-Op in Alden, MN where we purchased diesel fuel for $2.19/gallon. The second stop was at the Kum & Go in Tipton, IA where we purchased diesel fuel for $2.09/gallon. From there we had enough fuel to make it to my parents house in LaGrange, IN and arrived there around 11:30PM EDT.
The good news is that Mercury’s appointment was 1:00 PM EDT this afternoon and the doctor didn’t find anything that made him feel a blood test was necessary. He did provide some medicine to address his “digestive” issues. Mercury got to come home and even spent some time this afternoon in his favorite Cat Habitat in his grandparents’ back yard.
