RV travel

Check the dryer first

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Yes, those are leopard sheets...

Yes, those are leopard sheets…

There is something about coming off of a long weekend festival and heading to a campground for a little rest, relaxation and doing some laundry.

The campground was nice, great roads, only 15 bucks with the Passport America discount and the laundry was only about seven sites away. Ok, it was small, two washers and two dryers. One dryer had an “Out of order: does not spin” sign on the door with the coin slots taped shut. Ok, I got that. A couple of loads won’t be bad, waiting for the one dryer.

Two loads started, no sweat. First load into the dryer: coins in, heat level set for high, start buton pushed. Well, 30 minutes later the laundry is still wet. Long story short, this dryer had no trouble spining. It just didn’t provide any heat. The result was turning the Four Winds 22E into a clothes line.

When checking out that campground laundry, check the dryers first.

Tom Raper RV is now a Camping World dealer

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Our Four Winds with the new cargo trailer

Our Four Winds with the new cargo trailer

Sher and I bought our Thor Four Winds class C motorhome from Tom Raper RV in Richmond, Indiana in December of 2014. We got a great deal, were treated well and very satisfied with the transaction. Tom Raper has been in the RV business for decades and most in the Midwest recognize ads for Exit 149A on I-70 in Richmond.

I was surprised when I went to the Tom Raper website in the search for a cargo trailer and bam! there was the Camping World website! The deal was reported back in January by media. Sadly media also reported that founder Tom Raper passed away this April in Florida. Tom Raper RV is now a Camping World dealer.

We got another great deal on a cargo trailer, working with Mitch Crowe, our salesman from the Thor Four Winds deal. Once again Mitch took great care of us. Within a couple of hours we had purchased the trailer, had it correctly hitched to our motorhome and were on our way.

We went to Michigan to get some merchandise to sell at upcoming festivals and shows. The pesky April weather was chilly, and our furnace in the Thor would not work. Heading back south we detoured to the Tom Raper/CW dealership. Long story short, the service department with no hassel found the problem (a bad contact in the thermostat) and even took care of a couple of other minor issues. Hats off to technician Steve and Hank and Paul at the service desk.

I have talked to several Tom Raper employees from the sales, parts and service departments. All said they were pleased with the transition from Tom Raper to Camping World. This change sems to be a good thing for not only the staff but also the customers of this dealership. I was very pleased with the way they took care of our furnace issue and the help with the other minor issues.

Shady Trails Family Campground

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Entrance to the campground

Entrance to the campground

Sometimes you find a campground that, for your use, just works well. Shady Trails Family Campground is near Hillsboro, Ohio and close to Rocky Fork Lake. You can see a portion of the huge lake from the entrance to the campground, and there is a public dock and boat ramps a half mile from the campground.. Primarily filled with seasonal campers, this campground does have several nice spots for transient travelers.

The owners are starting their first season as the new owners of the facility. The facilities are not fancy, but the rest rooms and showers are very clean as is the small laundry room. There is a nice playground for the kids and a large shelter house for picnics and other gatherings. Propane, ice and firewood are available.

The park is hilly with decent roads. Extra long rigs will have to be careful negotiating some of the turns.The sites are level and each has a nice concrete pad for the picnic table. Most sites also have a fire ring. This facility is very pretty with lots of trees. The campgrounds offer nice tent camping sites, too.

The rates are very reasonable and extremely reasonable ($12.50 a nite midweek) with your Passport America discount. Shady Trails is open from April through October. It features full hooks-up including 30 and 50 amp, some pull thru and some accomodate double slides. Check the Shady Trails website for the number and other information.

I would recommend this campground for its price, beauty, very nice and helpful owners and the peace and quiet.  I have to also say that their free WiFi is very strong and fast. This campground is worth a look if you are in the area.

Short term sites on the right, seasonal on the left

Short term sites on the right, seasonal on the left

The camp office

The camp office

The remains of the historic Starr Piano and Gennett Recording studio

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The origianl Genett Parrot logo still seen on the wall of the remaining brick building

The origianl Genett Parrot logo still seen on the wall of the remaining brick building

Richmond Indiana is a very history filled town on the Ohio-Indiana border in the central part of the state. Both I-70 and Historic US 40 run through Richmond. One of the historic sites in Richmond is the remains of the old Starr Piano manufacturing plants and the Genett Recording studios.

Starr made high end pianos beginning in the 1870’s. The remaining Starr pianos are highly sought after by collectors and musicins alike. The Gennett recordng Studos were in business from 1920 to 1934. The records were made in a primitive concrete and brick building with little acoustical features.

Legend says that an Oriental rug from the Gennett mansion was used as a wall hanging to deaden the echo sounds during the recording sessions.

Louis Armstrong honored on the sidewalk next to the remains of the old recording studio. There are many musicians so honored.

Louis Armstrong honored on the sidewalk next to the remains of the old recording studio. There are many musicians so honored.

Many famous musicians of the times got their first recordings made at Gennett. Hoagy Carmicheal’s big band recorded there. Louis Armstrong got his start in the Gennett studio. The studio was known as the first one to record jazz, blues, country and gospel genres. The Great Depression signaled the end of Genett Records as it did many other record companies of the times.

The remaining portion of the brick factory now has a modern steel structure and metal roof system. Ths building is used for concerts and other civic events.

When in Richmond be sure to seek out the old Starr Piano buliding. You just might hear echos of music from the past. Read more at the Starr Gennett Foundation website.

The remaining structure from what used to be a huge manufacturing complex on the White River in Richmond.

The remaining structure from what used to be a huge manufacturing complex on the White River in Richmond.

The remaining smoke stack from the Starr Piano factory.

The remaining smoke stack from the Starr Piano factory.

A different perspective of the old factory

A different perspective of the old factory

1916 era monument to National Road “modern imporvements” in Ohio

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Photo on the Eagles Nest historic marker showing travel on the National Highway

Photo on the Eagles Nest historic marker showing travel on the National Highway

The Eagles Nest monument on the National Road (US 40) was erected around 1916 after a 29 mile stretch of the then umimproved and often nearly impassable road was replaced with concrete. The stretch of highway ran from Zanesville to Hebron.

The monument is a large granite rock with some interesting inscriptions carved into the surface. The photos show some of the details of the inscriptions, including a Conestoga wagon and mileage to Cumberland, Maryland, the starting point of the road.

The day we stopped here the conditions were very muddy and wet. What a reminder of some of the early muddy conditions that the early travelors faced as they traveled across country.

 

The Eagles Nest monument

The Eagles Nest monument

Conestoga wagon etched into the granite

Conestoga wagon etched into the granite

You are 220 miles from the start of the National Road in Cumberland, MD.

You are 220 miles from the start of the National Road in Cumberland, MD.

A German WWII Buzz Bomb in Greencastle, Indiana??

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As Sher and I were driving west on the National Road (aka US 40) I about drove off the street when we went through Greencastle, a town west of Indianapolis. There mounted on a large concrete “V” shaped base was one of the infamous WWII German terror weapons: a V1 Buzz Bomb. This flying bomb was the first ‘cruise missle’.

Complete with accurate paint colors is the Buzz Bomb on the town square in Greencastle

Complete with accurate paint colors is the Buzz Bomb on the town square in Greencastle

I recognized it immediately and I’m sure I startled Sher when I said “What the heck is that doing here?”

It turns out that the Greencastle requested this relic for the monument they erected to honor those from their county (Putnam) who gave their lives in WWII. There is, according to the plaque, only one other V1 in the states and it is at the Smithsonian in DC.

No Sherman tank or artillery piece for Greencastle. No they have one of the rarest of artifacts from WWII as their memorial. Wow.

Another view

Another view

From the rear

From the rear

The story of the Greencastle V1

The story of the Greencastle V1

We took Anheuser-Busch brewery tour in St Louis

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Mash tank in the brew house. The production areas were not only spotless, but the building interior painted and beautiful.

Mash tank in the brew house. The production areas were not only spotless, but the building interior painted and beautiful.

Just now Sher and I took the free tour of the Anheuser-Busch brewery, home of Budweiser beer. We were able to park in the designated tour parking lot. We had time to visit the welcome center and gift shop before our tour started after a short 20 minute wait.

This tour is just amazing. Two tour guides narrated the tour with mic’s so you could easily hear. It takes about 50 minutes and does require a lot of walking. The first stop is the Budweiser Clydesdale stable. Talk about pampered animals!

The tour will give you a concise history of the company and you see the actual brewing vats and learn the brewing procedures as well. It was striking how big the facility is and how much beer is brewed there each year.  Hope you enjoy the pictures below!

Storyboard of the brewing process. We got a sample of Bud Lite at this stop.

Storyboard of the brewing process. We got a sample of Bud Lite at this stop.

Luke, one of the Budweiser Clydesdales in rotation to pull the famous Budweiser wagons

Luke, one of the Budweiser Clydesdales in rotation to pull the famous Budweiser wagons

One of four Budweiser wagons in the stable rotundra

One of four Budweiser wagons in the stable rotundra

Beechwood aging tanks, the last step before final filtering and packaging. Each tank holds 3600 barrels of beer!

Beechwood aging tanks, the last step before final filtering and packaging. Each tank holds 3600 barrels of beer!

Exterior of the Brew House, built in 1891 - 1892.

Exterior of the Brew House, built in 1891 – 1892.

World’s largest wind chime

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You see some out of the ordinary things on US 40, the National Road. Casey, Illinois has some of those things. The world’s largest wind chimes broiught us to a halt a we drove through this little town. The “coming soon” foundations for the allegeded largest rocking chair was a hoot. I wondered how long the chair has been “coming soon”.

World's largest wind chime

World’s largest wind chime

And it will arrive when??

And it will arrive when??

 

Travel on the National Road (US 40)

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This is a section of the very old road! Watch for the signs which will occasionally lead you to a short stretch like this one.

This is a section of the very old road! Watch for the signs which will occasionally lead you to a short stretch like this one.

Sher and I are traveling on the National Road, aka US 40. We will be sharing photos of some of the things that we “discovered” along the way. Our first leg was eastbound from Richmond Indiana towards Columbus Ohio. We traced from Columbus east for a while and then returned to Indiana for family business.

The last couple of days we traveled west from Indy towards St. Louis. It is a treat to cruise along at 50 mph and really take in the sights. (Saves gas too!)

 

 

 

 

In Brownville, Ohio you can see one of the remaining original mileage markers.

In Brownville, Ohio you can see one of the remaining original mileage markers.