Never Drive an RV on I-90 in Chicago

Still working on trying to get pix.

Here's the picture. It is 2 pm Chicago time. We hit the city traffic on I-90, which appeared to be 20 lanes bumper to bumper all merging into 4 lanes, some going north, some going west. It was hot, Mike is PANIC city screaming into the walkie-talkie,cause he doesn't know where to go And he is in front of me, And I have dropped my walkie talkie under my seat, ah if only Dakota had hands...

yea good times...enough said...several grey hairs were added to my collection. We were thankful we made it out of the city with no accident. Driving this bus is WORK...I have a much greater appreciation for truck drivers. People see a truck or RV coming and they do stupid things to try to get ahead...

We booked a campground that was advertised the closed campground to Chicago...if you call 50 miles close...they stretched the truth some....we stayed at KOA in Union, Il, which is near Woodstock, Il.

Now Woodstock is significant...not this one, THE WOODSTOCK, is having a 40 year anniversary Aug 14-15. There are a few events, Question is can we get those old crusty hippies off their velvet cushioned Flat screen TV butts.? You know who you are..

We are looking for some venue.. or maybe you should just have a party...

Do you know there is a web site devoted to blotter art??? The funny thing this summer is very similar to 1969 for me..I have been listening to alot of oldies on the radio, but also something about the way I feel.

The KOA is very pleasant, and successful. They are in a prime location, right off the interstate. Lots of people from California, Oregon, Colorado. RVs in and out .

We met Kathie and family from Steamboat Springs area of Colorado who said "even the criminals are nice" about her home. They make me want to go there. She said alot of hippies live in Steamboat Springs...I checked out. They are nice people.

Then a family from Iowa moved in. They came to go to a CUBS game. Not only did they see the game that put the CUBS in1st place, but the 13 year boy caught a ball. As soon as they got back to the campsite, he came over to tell us. It was an exciting moment. These people love their CUBS.

There was a family that pulled in with a silver bullet Airstream, like the one Lucy and Desi traveled in. They came in about 6pm and were gone before sunrise...we thought that odd.

On lady and I talked about how our sons play on the computer all day, and how when we were young, we were never inside... Children grow so fast..think about it the kids conceived at Woodstock are now 40 years old...

A note about family. I was disappointed by my family, which really isn't news if you know anything about my family. As we become a techno society, superficial relationships, family is often a post note. Although you might not like your family, there was a reason you were born into that family, maybe there is a lesson, maybe it is an opportunity to learn love.

Be kind to your family, or you might end with them next life...

We stayed an extra day had real nice campfire, grilled sausage and corn, and beer. I am enjoying the swimming in the pool... tomorrow we leave here for new vistas.

OHIO here I come

I always liked Ohio. The people are friendly there, I think. It is July 15, We just got into Ohio and the service Engine light comes on..Mike is driving his car, I panically call him on the walkie talkie. No problem he says....no problem he is not driving a 16 ton bus...I go up a hill, Agatha deBusse, is sputtering...I am sweating bullets, but I make up the hill to a flat spot and DEAD...she is DEAD right in the middle of I-80

"OH SHIT" was my thought. She coasted to the shoulder. Now I am screaming at Mike....no problem....!!!!!!!

I waited a minute and she started. The exit for Hubbard Ohio was right there. Truck stops, truck repair places...nope we can't help..the chevy place doesn't work on chevy trucks. and Good Sam RV help line wants to send us to Dayton....It is hot, no one is happy. Mike goes across the street to a 2 bay garage repair shop. They will look at it.

We drive to the back/side lot of Morrow's Auto Repair.A real nice 30ish man says he grew up in an RV and he would look. He finds the shark plug wires are burnt. Too late to order and get part, so we stay there. Across the street is an ice cream place...a great place for our emotions to cool down...ice cream was good, but Dakota and I got chiggers.. yep one great day. I figured there was some zen reason for it all.

July 16 the wires come, but the old wires caused the computer board to fry as well. Another day waiting for that. Now even though it sounds pretty frustrating, it actually was nice. Hubbard is a cute little town, almost a suburb of Youngstown, but everyone knows each other. The newspaper is more gossip news that bad things, and the biggest crime was some kid went for a joy ride in someones car. We ate at the Emerald Diner, which still had a juke box. I had an outrageous hot dog.

Mike liked hanging out with the 2 young guys there, Nate and Brien. The one thing that left me purturbed is something Brien said. He said it was amazing how many RV's break down right at the same place Agatha did...as if the RV didn't want to leave PA...or maybe Hubbard has some kind of special magic which causes RV's to break down and people to stay in their town....

OK finally, Agatha DeBusse is fixed and ready to go, so Sat July 18 we bid goodbye to Hubbard, and hello to $600 repair bill. We finally get on the road. I was not in the mood to stick around Ohio any more, so back on I 80 we go and drive right throught the Buckeye state and into Indiana. I said a prayer as I passed Kent State.

Ohio's and Indiana I-80 is a toll road. The service centers are MUCH nicer in OHIO than Indiana. Indiana is a funny state. I don't think they really like tourists, but they don't mind if you drop some money. Whoppers are $6. We decided to stay at the service statin at Elkhart IN, home of many RV's manufacturers. The RV museum is there. I wonder if they have Desi and Lucy's Airstream??

so we inch up to where all the big boys-trucks are sleeping. Everything was good until a truck parked next to us running the generator, with the exhaust pipes going right in our window. Thank God all the windows were opened. The good part is it got us up early so hopefully we could get through Chicago early Sunday Morning.

Finally On The Road

We were ready to leave the State Park when Mike noticed that he needed a prescription filled. He drove into Lewisburg, while I took the bus over the mountain to hook up at I-80. I was quite proud of myself for getting over the very twisty mountain road. I met Mike at at restaurant. He was upset, in true Mikey...hopping mad...they could not fill the script, and messages to the Dr. were not returned. He was like a bear who lost the honey jar...

He wanted to stay. I wanted to go...I win. Off west down I-80, a road I never traveled. It is a nice drive really. Since I 80 in Ohio is a turnpike, I think we should charge, small amounts. You would not beleive the trucks...thousands of trucks.

We decided to stop at Mercer, about 40 miles from the Ohio boarder. There was a KOA , which due to roadwork was nearly impossible finding. At one point I am going down a very rural road thinking I am sooooo lost....then a sharp curve, which the bus barely makes....and over a iron bridge over a creek. The load limit is 17 tons, damn I am nearly 16 tons Please don't fail now bridge... we finally made it.

Mike tried the Doctors again. He figured he was going to have to go back to Enola and talk to the Doctor. He was not getting much help from the nurse and it was like poking a rattlesnake...On Tuesday he went all the way back to across the state of PA to get the script. I spent most of the day reading. It is a real luxury to just sit all day and read, like the summers when I was a girl.

We stayed until July 16th. We went swimming which was very nice. I forgot how much fun it was to play in the pool. Dakota is feeling better now too, she has figured out that she gets more walks, although she can't roam freely. She is happy to meet all the kids who want to pat her. She actually started smiling. I think she misses the house and her bird friends.

Mercer is north of Pittsburgh There was a huge shopping/ outlet center there...boring

There is an old inn there. we didn't sightsee. Mercer itself is a nice little town and the people there were very nice to us.

Half a month on the road and we are still in PA. I was ready to go........

Trying to talk to the Trees

When a person has been in an office, or city, too long, they lose touch with the spirit of Mother Earth. Stress can do the same thing.

The Dene say a person is out of Balance. I am out of balance.

Although the amish Farmland is bucolic, it did not satisfy my need to be in the forest, too talk to the trees and listen to the words of the babbling brook, and perhaps see the wood elves.

I found a state park in the Bald Eagle state forest near Lewisburg

I just spilled cereal all over myself....ok

The state park is 17 miles west of bucknell along a twisting mountain road. I was nearly flipping out as I tried to drive a huge bus down old country roads. But somehow, by the grace of God, i got there.

If you have noticed most of these big rigs back in...everyone who knows me can tell you backing up is not one of my best skills. i suck.

Needless to say we had half the campground trying to help me back in, which eventually happened, with a few scrapes to a poor tree.

The campground was everything I needed. There is a spring filled lake, which I tried, great trails, and clean bathrooms and showers, and lots of trees.

We got there Wed afternoon, knowing that we would have to get up early to be at PennDOT to sign the title of my faithful car Blazey, the Blazer. 8 am in Harrisburg. The day was done with other errands and the drive back. Finally on Friday I was calming down. Except we had to move the bus. Orginally there was not vacant sites for the weekend. We prayed to the creator that someone would cancel. Early friday I went to the Park office to see, and the paryers were answera]e a site was open, The Problem WAS I had to move the bus .

It was not good. Major damage to the site pole, a tree and the bumper was bent. Who said it was ok for the untrained to drive this monster. agatha was damaged We felt bad. It took 1 hr to move us, thank God Fred, an oldtimer, helped us out of a very Bad spot.

oh well, we are learning the hard way...

I should paint a big boo-boo on the bumper.

Blast Off

Moving, storing, organizing for this trip was like a 2 month full on 8 diameters labor pain.

Nearly wiped me out... Sean was right. I should have just got a big dumpster and trashed it all.

Then to add to the chaos, we were still moving out of the house, while our friends were moving in..you can imagine. who's box is this anyway??? Poor Dakota, the dog, didn't know where to go or what to do....so we spent 2 days outside the house getting everything together, worrying wheather our crazy neighbor would cause a problem.

Finally on July 1st we started off on the maiden voyage, off to County Haven Campground New Holland, PA.

This campground is in the middle of Amish country, situated on the side of a mountain overlooking the valley,near Spring Gulch folk festival area. The view was amazing. At night there were a million fireflies, creating a fairie dance of light. I never saw such a sight.

We found an Amish bakery across the street. I made the mistake of letting Mike go in while I held the dog. 15 minutes later Mike comes out carrying 2 big sacks of bake goods. "The bread was coming right out of the oven I had to get that, and the jellies looked so good, and I had to get these donuts...Look at these Boston Cremes..they are the size of a small football"

so much for my diet.

We learned about the RV here..How to set up, hook up, etc. It had wifi and cable so we were able to slowly adjust to a slower way of life. I asked the RV what was her name..I asked 2 times and got the same answer. The RV's name is Agatha. yea I thought it was strange too.. but it turns out Agatha means good. So that seemed a good sign..and so Agatha she is

My "cousin" Jean Cunningham Semder Schaefer had a great 4th of July party. It was great to see "my real family" before we drive off into the sunset. Thanks Jean

The time at Country Haven gave me the opportunity to finally un stress. I could take a deep breath and undo some of the stress. There were still some stressors...I hadn't sold my car yet.

so July 7th we were back in Enola. The Creator answers prayers. I got a call from a lady who wanted to buy the car for her son who was going to college. Perfect .

Next Agatha goes North

The foreskin of this trip

To start, there were many waves of energy over many years  that lead me to this place. 

A place where I sold, gave away or put into storage ALL MY STUFF. 

 I realized too late that I have way to much stuff.  

I think of our friend George Carlin- now he could understand stuff...stuff,  stuff, stuff,  

I came to an understanding... exactly why do we spend so much time of our life accumulating stuff? In primitive cultures, it shows wealth..  yes we are pretty primitive in the larger sense.. the stuff we have is no longer treasured by the younger generations, who prefer Walmart or Pier One collections.  

 No one really wants more stuff, so there is no way to get rid of it.

 We have finally met the saturation point. 

I bought a Winnebago Adventurer RV...look it up..it is massive.... 

I packed up a few things, a grumpy old Hobo, and a Dog.

This is the story of the adventure.