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Meandering
Down The Highway While
staying at Elkhart Campground in early June, we spent most of a day
playing tour guide at the RV Hall of Fame Museum to members of the
Heartland Owners Club, who were in the area for their annual rally. It was
a lot of fun.
In
ten years of publishing the Gypsy Journal, we have been approached by several RV manufacturers
about advertising, but Heartland is the only one we have accepted
advertising from, because they convinced me that they build a quality
product and stand behind it. The
Heartland owners we talked to at the museum were just as impressed. The
factory is located here in Elkhart, and they sent a small army of service
techs to the rally to handle any problems owners had with rigs. Everybody
was impressed with how accommodating they were. One comment I heard was
“They promised less and delivered more.” A fifth wheel does not fit
our needs or lifestyle, but if Terry and I were going to buy a fifth
wheel, Heartland would be the first and last one we looked at.
I
enjoyed taking visitors into the RV to show them its many unique features,
including a large screened roof vent. One family had a little boy who
immediately started flipping switches and pulling on things. His
father immediately chastised him and told him not to touch things, but you
know how kids can be. In no time at all he was reaching for a toggle
switch on the wall, and I told him “Be careful there, I’m not sure
which switch it is, but one of them operates the ejector. A while back we
lost a nine year old who touched it and went right through that hole in
the roof. We looked for him everywhere, but the place closes at 5
o’clock, so what could we do? He still hasn’t turned up.” The
boy’s eyes were bigger than the RVs’ hubcaps, and his mouth was
hanging so far open a sparrow could have flown in. I couldn’t resist
taking it a step further, so I said “The security guard says sometimes
late at night he hears the boy’s voice calling out, but it’s a big
place and he’s an old man, so who knows?” The boy stuck his hands deep
into his pockets and never took them out again until he was well clear of
the RV! Bad Nick! Small
World Encounter I
had another one of those small world events that happen to me all of the
time while I was giving some folks a tour of the Cadillac motorhome. Paul
Jones, the man who built it, was a graduate of the United States Military
Academy at West Point, and the car has two West Point emblems mounted on
the front fenders. Back
when I was a young solder, about 100 years ago, I spent a couple of years
at West Point as a firearms instructor. (Sleep well tonight, I helped
train the guys running the Army today!). As
one couple was looking at the RV, the husband saw the emblems and
commented that he was sure familiar with them. “Were you a cadidiot?”
I asked him, using the slang term we enlisted men assigned to the Academy
used for cadets. “No, but I was a firearms instructor there,” he
replied. As it turns out, he had the same job I did, only about four years
before my arrival! How cool is that? RV
Slobs If
you’ve been reading the Gypsy Journal for very long at all, you know how much I hate RV
slobs. When we stopped at Wally World in Elkhart early one afternoon, we
were disappointed to see two RVs, a fifth wheel and a big diesel pusher,
with their jacks down on the pavement, and the slide room out on the
motorhome. We were even more disappointed to see Escapees RV Club stickers
on both rigs. It was just after 5 p.m. and the people from the motorhome
were crawling into a car to drive away as we saw them. Folks,
this kind of thing does more to hurt us being welcome to park on private
business parking lots, and to make us look bad in the eyes of the public,
than a lot of RV park owners complaining to city councils that we are
taking money out of their pockets. In fact, it gives those same RV park
owners more ammunition to use against us. If you are not familiar with the
Escapees’ Good Neighbor Policy on overnight parking, check it out. It is
up to all of us to be good guests so we will be welcomed back again. Tin
Can Tourists One
day our friend Al Hesselbart from the RV Hall of Fame Museum called to
tell me that several vintage RVs from the Tin Can Tourists were visiting
the museum and that I was missing a great photo opportunity. So I grabbed
my camera and headed over to check things out.
They
designed their neat camper to look like a miniature farmhouse, complete
with I
also liked this beautiful 1950 Spartan trailer, owned by Michael Greene,
of nearby Bristol, Indiana. As it turns out, Michael is the cousin of our
pal Trina Ambris, who runs RV Surplus Salvage, here in Elkhart. Michael
told me that he found the 32 foot long trailer decaying in a field one day
and tracked down the owner.
Custom
RV Paint Jobs While
in Elkhart we met a lady whom we had heard of before, and who really
impressed us, Michele Henry, from Phoenix Commercial Paint. Both Al
Hesselbart, from the RV Hall of Fame Museum, and Bob and Gita Patel,
owners of Elkhart Campground, had high praise for Michele and her work,
and we were glad to get to know her. For
years Michele’s company has painted RVs for some of the local
manufacturers, including Four Winds, Forest River, and Phoenix. But with
the downturn in the RV industry, Michele, like many companies that support
the RV manufacturers, is scrambling to stay alive. She
has painted quite a few coaches for private owners, and it is amazing how
much she can transform a dated looking motorhome or fifth wheel. We saw
some of her work and were amazed. Michele said she much prefers working
with individual owners over the big companies, who want to dictate terms,
and are more concerned with saving a dollar by cutting quality, than they
are the final job. Michele
is a sharp lady, and she has a good business model. Instead of trying to
get top dollar from every customer, she charges much less than the
competition, and turns out what I feel is work far superior to some of the
other shops. By running a lean operation, and concentrating on quality,
she is able to turn out beautiful custom work for around $200 a lineal
foot. Michele
can do what she does at that price for the same reason we have been able
to publish a successful RV newspaper for ten years without any staff, and
without filling it up with ads from the big RV manufacturers. We love what
we’re doing and we do almost everything ourselves to keep our overhead
low. If it takes working 18 hours a day when we’re against a deadline,
we do it. The same with Michele; she loves transforming dated looking
coaches with beautiful paint jobs, and she isn’t afraid to get her hands
dirty to get the job done. If you love what you’re doing, it’s not
really work. So
if you thought you needed to spend $12,000 to $15,000 for a custom paint
job on your RV, think again. Instead of buying a new coach, you can save
thousands by refurbishing your present rig inside and out. Check out
Michele’s website at www.PhoenixPaintInc.com
, she’s good people and she does good work. Tiny
Motorhomes
Digital
Edition Is A Hit When
I sent out the link to the new July-August digital edition of the Gypsy
Journal to the folks who subscribed to it, I got several e-mails from
digital subscribers, and they all were very pleased with the new issue. If
you have not seen a sample of our digital edition, check it out at http://gypsyjournal.net/blog/digital-edition/ We
have had lots of positive feedback on this new electronic version of the
Gypsy Journal, and quite a few traveling subscribers have switched over to
it to avoid the delays caused by waiting for the printed version to get
forwarded to them. A
Week In
Muskegon In
early July we left Elkhart Campground and drove 150 miles to Muskegon,
Michigan for a week, to spend some time visiting with my cousin Berni and
her husband Rocky. We
had a short driving day planned, but things don’t always go as we plan,
do they? We have a set routine we follow when we are traveling; while
Terry stows things away inside the bus, I check our oil and water, give
the engine compartment a quick inspection to be sure the motor is still
where I left it, then unhook our utilities, stow our TV dish, and scan the
bus and van tires with our PressurePro
tire monitoring system to be sure of proper inflation. With
all of that done, we hook up the van to our Blue Ox tow bar, disengage the
Remco driveshaft disconnect, and do a brake light and turn signal check to
be sure everything is working properly. The whole procedure only takes a
few minutes, and while we used a printed pre-trip checklist in our early
days, after ten years of fulltiming, we have it down to memory. We
had a short nineteen mile trip west on the Indiana Toll Road to South
Bend, where we picked up U.S. Highway 31 and followed it north 130 miles
to Muskegon, where we had a week’s reservations at Fisherman’s
Landing, a city owned RV park and marina. Big
Boats And Little Boats Muskegon
is located on the shore of mighty Lake Michigan, and the city’s history
and personality were greatly influenced by its maritime heritage. Even
though it is not as busy at it once was, the waterfront is still a busy
place, though these days the pleasure boats far outnumber the working
vessels. In
addition to the big lake, the area includes several smaller lakes and the
Muskegon River, so everywhere you look there are people in fishing boats,
sailboats, canoes, kayaks, jet skies and every other imaginable type of
watercraft, as well as several I have never seen before. Several
retired historic ships are berthed in Muskegon, including the USS
Silversides, one of the most famous World War II submarines, which we
visited at the Great Lakes Navel Memorial and Museum and featured in the
November-December 2008 issue of the Gypsy Journal. Also at the museum and featured in that issue, is the
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter McLane, which saw service chasing whiskey
smugglers during Prohibition, and Japanese submarines during World War II.
Docked
right behind LST 393 is the cargo ship Paul H. Townsend, which
spent the We
were talking to a gentleman at the dock who told us that the ship is still
commissioned and can be made ready to sail within a matter of days.
Meanwhile, he said, Inland Lakes Management, Inc., the company responsible
for the ship, pays a watchman $300 a week to live aboard the Townsend to
protect it from vandals or burglars. If I ever stop traveling, I want a
job like that! Seeing
so much activity on the water had us eager to get our kayaks wet, so Since
it was their first time paddling, we didn’t make a long excursion, but
in the couple of hours we were on the water, we probably covered a little
over three miles. Until
now, Terry and I have only paddled in the Florida Keys and the Gulf of
Mexico at Aransas Pass, Texas. We learned that paddling a river is much
different. Going downstream with the current is pretty easy to do, but
fighting our way back upstream against the current our last half mile or
so, was hard work! We all had sore muscles by the time we pulled the boats
out of the water, but all four of us were already talking about our next
expedition! A
few days later, after Berni and Rocky got off work we put our kayaks back
in the Muskegon River and again paddled for a couple of hours. This time
we were smart and paddled upriver against the current starting out, while
we were still fresh, and allowed the current to carry us back to our
launch point when we were done. We
poked into a couple of channels that led off the river and up into some
small islands. At one point the channel we were paddling wasn’t more
than a few feet wide, and the water under us was choked with weeds. Our
kayaks did fine, but a regular boat would have had a hard time of it. I
was in the lead, and as I rounded one bend in the waterway, a beaver or
muskrat swam across and disappeared into the cattails on the bank as I
approached, and soon after that I drifted around another curve and
startled three great blue heron, who took flight at my intrusion into
their little sanctuary. Now
that’s why we love kayaking! You can have your motor boats and jet skis.
We much prefer the slower, quiet ride that allows us to get up close and
personal with Mother Nature. As much as I love our life on the open road,
I have to admit that I am just a little bit jealous of Rocky and Berni for
having this wonderful place only a minute or two from their front door. Traverse
City We
had a vendor booth at the FMCA rally in Bowling Green, Ohio, then
drove to my cousin Terry Cook’s place just south of Traverse City,
Michigan. We
backed into our usual spot in Terry’s driveway, received warm greetings
from the entire family, and hooked up to water and electric. We would be
here for a few days for Miss Terry to have her annual visit to her
oncologist, and we enjoyed some time relaxing with family. After being up
early every morning at the FMCA rally, the first order of business would
be to turn the telephones off and sleep late every morning! Terry
and I love the area around Traverse City, Michigan. It is absolutely
gorgeous in the spring, summer, and fall, though we like to be long gone
before the first snowflake falls. Having spent part of a winter there
years ago while Miss Terry was being treated for cancer, I can tell you
it’s no place to be in an RV! Grand
Traverse Bay, with its amazingly blue water, is a playground for swimmers,
boaters, and fishermen. The hills are covered in lush forests, and I think
we have seen more wild turkeys here than anyplace in the country. The
shops in the charming downtown area offer some neat shopping
opportunities. If you like to tempt Lady Luck, there are three nearby
Indian Casinos operated by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa
Indians. We
return here ever year for Terry’s annual visit with her oncologist, and
also to visit with my cousin Terry and his family. When Miss Terry was so
sick, we squatted in their driveway for a couple of months while she was
undergoing chemo and radiation, and they treated us just wonderfully.
Before then I had not seen my cousin in close to 20 years. We had planned
on only a quick visit before Miss Terry got sick, but they made us feel
right at home and were a major source of support for both of us during the
cancer ordeal. For that we will be forever grateful. Wrapping
Up Our Summer Travels After
a week in Traverse City, in which Terry got a good report from her
oncologist and we had a great time visiting friends and family in the
area, we left and drove about 56 miles south on State Route 37, a nice two
lane road that passed through the Manistee National Forest, a land of
dense trees and few people. There
were a scattering of canoe and kayak rental places along the slow moving
Manistee and Pine Rivers, several lakes, some lodges, and a campground or
two. I told Miss Terry we need to come back someday and float the rivers,
which really looked inviting. There was little traffic, and we used the
occasional passing lane to get over to the right and let everybody get
past us. When
we got to U.S. Highway 10, we followed it west 27 miles, through the
little communities of Walhalla, Custer and Scottville. At one point Terry
spotted two big deer standing on the left shoulder of the highway, and
just as she told me to be careful, they bolted across the road right into
our path. I had to do some heavy braking to avoid hitting them, and the
incident upped our adrenalin level by quite a bit. When
we hit U.S. Highway 31 in Ludington, a divided four lane road, we turned
south, and arrived at Fisherman’s Landing Marina and Campground in
Muskegon a little after noon. We registered, dumped our holding tank, and
backed into the same site we had a couple of weeks ago. This
is our third stay Fisherman’s Landing Marina and Campground, which is
owned by the City of Muskegon, Michigan. Overall, we really like it,
because it is a comfortable campground, and is only a mile or two from my
cousin Berni Frees and her husband Rocky’s place, which makes visiting
convenient. I really wish they had a weekly rate, because we’d visit
more often, and stay longer. The
only problem I have with the place, and it is a problem that may well play
into our decision whether or not to return to Fisherman’s Landing, is
that on two out of our three visits, groups of rowdy tent campers were
raising hell into the wee hours of the morning. I don’t mind folks
having a good time, but when people are hooting and hollering and playing
loud music at 3 or 4 a.m., as they were Saturday night, that’s too much. One
couple, who were parked near us in a motorhome, left the next morning,
even though they had previously told us they might stay longer to explore
the area. But as they were leaving, the man said that he could find plenty
of places to stay for $25 a night where it was quiet. I can’t say that I
blame him. If the folks in charge want to attract family campers and have
them return, and if they want them to have a good impression of Muskegon,
they need to monitor the party animals that are running good customers
away.
We
spent six days in Muskegon this trip, then said a sad farewell to Rocky
and Berni Frees and hit the road, back to Elkhart Campground. We’ll be
here until we go to Celina, Ohio to start getting ready for our rally in
late September. Once
that’s behind us, we don’t have any firm plans yet. I need to make a
stop at the VA hospital in Lexington, Kentucky for my annual checkup, and
then we want to play tourist somewhere in the southeast for a while. Maybe
we’ll go back to Washington, D.C. for a visit, maybe we’ll check out
the coasts of the Carolinas and Georgia, we’ll decide what to do when we
get to that crossroads. Isn’t that the best way to fulltime, no set
schedule and no set plans? We
know that at some point we will be in Florida for a while, and I’m
hoping that if I whine and snivel hard enough and long enough about
needing a vacation, our pals Tom Owens and Diane Rojewski will invite us
back to their houseboat in Key West for a week or three. By then, I’ll
be ready for a tropical getaway. Until
next time, hope to see you in our travels.
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Here
is a picture of Terry sitting with her new friend, Poker Alice. Poker
Alice was a famous lady gambler and madam who was well known in Deadwood
and Sturgis, South Dakota in the old days for her luck with cards, the
cigars she smoked, and the .38 revolver she carried in a pocket, in case
some card sharp tried to cheat her. I wrote a story about her which is in
my book Highway History and Back
Road Mystery. Of course, this isn’t the real Poker Alice. That
luminary died in 1930 and is buried in Sturgis. But this likeness of the
old gal on display at the museum is pretty accurate.
Unfortunately,
we did have a Bad Nick sighting at the museum. One of the most unique
vehicles in the collection is a wild custom motorhome called Star Streak
II, built on a 1976 Cadillac Eldorado chassis, which has been featured on
the Discovery Channel.
The
Tin Can Tourists are a club for owners and fans of vintage trailers and
motor coaches. The units on display at the museum included everything from
a neat old Travco motorhome to classic travel trailers, and even a couple
of really neat homebuilt campers. I really liked this homebuilt camper,
with cedar shingles and a back porch, and the old truck pulling it was
pretty cool too. I’d have loved to see the inside of it.
Another
neat homebuilt was called simply The Shack. Built by John and Dot Flis,
the camper, built on their 1940 International truck, was made from 90%
recycled materials they collected here and there. Don’t let the old
truck’s outward appearance fool you, John replaced the original engine
with a powerful 350 Chevrolet V-8 engine and beefed up the suspension and
drive train to handle the weight of The Shack.
galvanized roof, and tail lights made from old kerosene lanterns. Inside,
The Shack has all the comforts of home, including a sink, small
refrigerator, microwave, and porta-potty. The Shack has been featured on
the Discovery Channel’s RV Crazy
episode.
The
old trailer was in terrible shape, and most sane people probably would not
have taken on the task of resurrecting it. But Michael and his wife own a
company called Sierra Custom Interiors that builds custom living quarters
in horse trailers, and they also build neat retro looking camper trailers
called Campfire Campers. Judging by what I saw inside the old Spartan John
restored, I think there are some horses that are really traveling in
style!
While
they would never work for our lifestyle, we really like the looks of the
vintage Winnebago and Itasca mini-motorhomes. Several of them came to
Elkhart Campground in July for a small rally. When Terry and I took our
after dinner walk, we stopped and admired some of the neat old rigs, and
took a few pictures.
Another
interesting old motorhome that arrived with them was this Ultra Van, which
is powered by a Corvair engine and transaxle. An estimated 370 of these
unique RVs were made from the 1960s to 1970, and records show that some
200 are still on the road, many with over 200,000 miles on the odometer.
They cruise comfortably at 60 miles per hour, and get about 15 miles per
gallon. Pretty cool, huh? I wonder how many of today’s RVs will be able
to meet that record for longevity forty years from now?
On
this trip to Muskegon, we toured another historic World War II veteran,
the LST 393, one of only two World War II LSTs still in existence. The
official designation for this type of vessel is Landing Ship Tank, because
they were designed to carry tanks, trucks and other heavy equipment right
to a beachhead, though their crews referred to them as Large Slow Targets.
LST 393 made 30 round trips to Omaha Beach during the D Day invasion, and
landed 3,248 vehicles during her wartime service. We have a feature story
on this historic ship in this issue.
last fifty years carrying concrete from Duluth, Minnesota to Great Lakes
ports. Built near the end of World War II, the ship is currently used for
concrete storage, because it is cheaper to move cement with barges powered
by a tug boat.
yesterday
we introduced Berni and Rocky to paddling. They rented a couple of kayaks,
we hauled ours out of the van, and off we went up the Muskegon River.
Rocky and Berni both took to kayaking like ducks to water, and we had a
wonderful time. Here is a picture of Rocky and Berni enjoying their first
paddling adventure.
I’m
always on the lookout for interesting RVs, and when I spotted this old
Airstream motorhome parked next to us at Fisherman’s Landing, I had to
take a photograph. I have a soft spot in my heart for Airstream travel
trailers, and though I have never been inside one of the motorhomes, I
really like their classic looks.