Wandering...

Hi.

We have spent the past few days "wandering" through Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and New York.   We are currently camping about 15 miles outside of Niagara Falls and we will visit the Falls on Sunday.   We were in Niagara Falls during a spring break about four years ago and it is one of our favorite places.

So, what have we been doing the past few days?  Well, we have been viewing this country's beautiful scenery as we have have driven down the highways and the by-ways of several states.  Some areas look like California scenery;  but most areas are different with flat lands full of crops that seem to stretch on for miles...or rolling hills full of cedar and birch trees, with layered, dark rocky outcroppings.

We had our first encounter with "toll roads" (turnpikes)...nothing like paying $27 to travel a little over 120 miles in Indiana.  Oh well! :-)

We also had the opportunity to see the "scenery" inside another tire shop.  Yup.  We had another tire blow-out on one of our rear tires; but on the other side this time and while traveling down the freeway.  Fortunately, we were able to quickly pull over at an off-ramp and exit to a safe area.  We called our "Good Sam" emergency service and in three hours we were on the road again....and looking for a tire shop that could sell us the correct tire (and one that actually had it in stock).   We finally found one in Elkhart, Indiana about a mile from where we were camping.  What a coincidence!?!    The price was sooo good (and the service so exemplary) that we replaced all of our old tires.  We now have a total of six new tires...and a lighter wallet.  Whew.

We originally planned to go to Elkhart to visit the RV/Motor Home Museum.   Amazingly, over 70% of the travel trailers, fifth-wheels, and motor homes produced in the USA are produced in-and-around Elkhart.  Our own Damon Challenger motor home came from Elkhart.  We enjoyed our visit to the museum to see the beginnings of the RV industry and its display of "rigs" from the 20's and 30's.   

OK, that's it for now...off to Niagara Falls in the morning.

Take care.
Don & Sandi