July 31, 2011

From Polk, NE.

While we were in Minnestoa we had an enjoyable time with Joe and his family, and also got to see the other Grandparents for a good visit, and to catch up from "way up North"! We had an uneventful trip back to Nebraska. The weather had gotten hot, humid, stormy and generally uncomfortable! The summers we grewup with; last year was a nice exception. This summer isn't that way!

In the midst of the heat our NEW front AC went out and we had to depend on the one in the back of the motorhome for all the cooling. It performed with the reliability we have come to expect. Took the rig back to Grand Island, NE and found it was only a capacitator that had failed, and the RV palce had a replacement, and it was all under warrenty, so we drove back to Polk in the late afternoon.

July 3, 2011

At Dakotah Meadows Campground in Prior Lake, MN;

Before leaving to Minnesota we were delighted that Dave & Peggy from LSC found time along their journey to spend a couple days at Polk, NE. We went out to eat a few times, and to Church on Sunday (this church only meets for service once a year, and that was the weekend).

After having new tires put on the front of the motorhome we discovered a water leak that we thought to be only a pipe sweating, but it got worst; we took the motorhome into a repair place and they found the original 1994 water heater had 3 cracks in the tank and needed to be replaced. That was done in an afternoon and we were back to our camp site by evening.

We left for Minnesota on June 29th. After eating lunch at the city park in Norfolk, NE I couldn't get the motorhome started, called our Good Sam Road Service for a start then proceeded to the campground in Adrian, MN. After parking I tried to start the motorhome again and it wouldn't turn over. Our next door neighbor suggested that the two of us might be able to find out what was wrong. We charged the starting battery, and when I tried to start there was a spark at one of the battery terminals. We removed the cable, cleaned the clamps and terminals, reinstalled the cable, tightened it down , and the motorhome started right away.

Once we got into Minnesota we noticed every Rest Area was closed. When we got to the news we found out the State of MN government was preparing to shut down because of bickering at the Capitol. On July 1 that is what happened. Also closing all the state campgrounds for the busy, profitable July 4th weekend. Oh Well!

The temperatures for the last couple days have been pushing 100 which is 20 to 30 degrees higher than we were used to in Nebraska so we have been doing a lot of sweating. A stromy cold front has just passed through with projected temperatures in the low 80's.

We are looking forward to spending next weekend with Joe and his family at a campground near Coon Rapids, MN then head back to Nebraska again.

Enjoy your summer,

MJ & CJ