Goshen, IN to Davison, MI

Yesterday, after spending two nights at Camp Keystone, we traveled home. We can't say enough nice things about the people in the service center and how we were taken care of. They were great! We had to scrap our plans for Nashville, IN after the Opry House burned to the ground last weekend - so we decided to come on home and get ready for our next great adventure. We had the perfect farewell from this beautiful Amish country when we pulled up behind this typical Amish black buggy with the familiar orange triangle on the rear. Carol's love of horses was rewarded when she saw this beauty looking at her from across the fence. She just had to take the shot and it came out great. See the little baby horse to the left? We swear we heard it calling "Hey, momma. Lookey here. I'm way over here!" Lived most of my 69 years in this state and still can't figure out what the "Pure" in this sign means. Beautiful state - we love it - but, Pure? We are now set up in our home park in Davison, MI. We will take a few days to unload it and then take it to storage until we leave for Texas in January.

Goshen, IN MOC Rally and Camp Keystone

This is the last day of the Rally. This morning, we started the day at a pancake breakfast (how could I have eaten so many pancakes) and then we took the Montana over to the Keystone Service Center and set up at Camp Keystone. This is a small area at the Service Center with water and electric hookups for rigs coming in for service the next day. The Service Manager comes knock knock knockin' on the door at 7:00AM and we wanted to be here waiting instead of leaving the fairgrounds to be here by 7:00. We then returned to the Rally for an ice cream social and to say good bye to the ones we had missed earlier. This was an ideal ending to a really great rally. We saw lotsa old friends, made a ton of new ones and learned a lot about our rigs and the new Montanas. Gotta go to a Montana dealership in the morning while our rig is in service to, once again, look at our "dream" rig and see how far it would set us back. We will not be going to Nashville, IN after all, this week. Since the Opry house burned to the ground, there is no real reason to go there, especially since we had all of the brake work done on our rig and now are due for an alignment and new tires. We will slowly work our way home and start preparing for our western swing in January.

Goshen, IN Factory tour and exercising trotter

Today started out with a tour of the Montana factory. This is our fourth or fifth time we have toured this plant and it never gets old. Watching how these beautiful rigs are assembled reminds us how nice our rig is. We also saw a new prototype of a new model and it was secret and great! We couldn't photograph it but it has a very novel floor plan. We also saw what we would really like to be our next unit. It is a 2010 Montana 3465SA. This is longer that our present unit by four feet and also considerably lighter. It also has a much larger cargo carrying capacity. The interior is laid out really nicely. THIS IS THE ONE! We thought our present one was our last but this would fit under our tree so nicely. Our campground is located on the Elkhart County Fairgrounds and it includes a paddock and trotter track. They exercise the ponies and, as we were driving out of the fairgrounds, we happened to be alongside one being stretched. Pretty neat or, I guess, Way Cool! The day ended with a White Elephant swap and a Wine and Cheese thingey. Carol had some Traverse City wine with her friend Bev and I had ice water and snacks. Tomorrow is the last day of the rally, starting with a pancake breakfast and ending with an ice cream social. Gotta get home so I can get back on some semblance of a decent diet, eh? So many great people here. Gonna be sad leaving them but looking forward to running across them along the road on our travels.

Goshen, IN MOC Rally Rigs and Pot Luck

We have, I believe, 76 rigs now on site. Yesterday I took some pix of some of the rigs. It is amazing how awesome it looks to see all of these Montanas and Big Skys all in one place. Last night was our pot luck dinner. I never saw RVers who did not know how to cook and eat and last night was proof - It is now Saturday afternoon and I am still full. The evening's entertainment was put on by fellow MOC members. A group of gals called themselves "The MOCettes" and they were backed up by "The MOCtunes" on harmonica, guitar, electric piano and violin. It was a great evening enjoying the company of old and new friends and great music.

Sunday with the grandkids and Monday travel to Goshen

Sunday, while camped at Waldenwoods RV Resort in Hartland, MI we were visited by our daughter Richelle and her husband Tim and several of our grandchildren - Brianna, Meagon, Ryan and Sarah. Later we were joined by another daughter, Jeannette, and grandson Devin. The kids wanted to swim and, since it was rather cool, we told them that they could roll up their shorts and wade. Soon, they had all "accidently" fallen into the lake and so played with their clothes on. Carol put their wet clothes in the drier but travel home for them was in their DRY swimsuits. A great time was had by all, especially Grampa and Gramma! Monday we traveled to Goshen, IN for the Fall Montana Owners National Rally. After being the wagonmasters for the last one we are really enjoying kicking back this time and enjoying the people. We were planning on going to Nashville, IN after this rally, also called "Little Nashville." We just heard that the Little Grand Old Opry house in Little Nashville burned to the ground last Sunday so we are not yet sure where we will go now. We'll figure out something, though, no doubt!

Hartland, MI to Goshen, IN

We traveled from Hartland, MI to the Montana Owners Club Rally in Goshen, IN today. About 30 miles from Goshen, we started hearing a squeeking and, upon arrival at the campground, were advised that there was "metal on metal" in our left rear trailer brake. Two mechanically inclined members (I can't even spell it - Carol calls me the "Master of Disaster") took it apart and discovered it was wiped out and disabled it. We can now tow it to be repaired, if need be, and still have three trailer brakes and the truck brakes. There is a real nice crowd of people here at the rally. There are about 30 members here for their first rally, which makes it really nice. Tonight was a great "Meet and Greet" and we got to see many old friends and are making new ones now, too. After being the WagonMasters for the last National Rally here, it is nice sitting back and enjoying the people here this year and letting others do the work. The seminars start tomorrow and Carol and I are looking forward to seeing what they have to offer. Since we have been to many of them in past years, we will also just kick back and maybe do some touristing while we are here with Jim and Bev Schlee, who we traveled the Upper Peninsula with a few weeks ago. Great friends, grand entertainment, we made it here safely - life is good, Thank You God!

Hartland, MI

We finally made it to Waldenwoods RV Park yesterday. Our air card has been out of service and the tech support says that it may take up to 8 days to correct. I keep trying to get on-line and finally did so hopefully it will be OK until I finish this post. We will be here until Monday, when we leave for Goshen and the MOC Rally. Sunday, two of our grandaughters, Brianna and Meagon, are coming out to the CG for the day. Others may too but we shall see. The weather has been clear and cool, and downright chilly at night. GREAT sleeping weather, though. Our grandson Devin played a football game last night but, after bringing the Montana to the CG and several trips back and forth between here and home, we finally got it loaded and crashed, sleeping through his game. Hate it when that happens!

Grand Blanc, MI - COME ON TOMORROW!!!!

Tomorrow we set up the Montana at Waldenwoods Campground in Hartland, MI. That is near our home and we will be able to load it and have some grandchildren over and then Monday we leave for Goshen, IN for a Montana Owners Rally. The rally will last a week and then we head to Nashville, IN, "Little Nashville," to see the Little Grand Ole Opry and enjoy ourselves in the shops and aura of small town Indiana. The sad part will be in two or three weeks when we winterize the rig and store it until the first of January when we head to Texas and Arizona.

Grand Blanc, MI Won't be as long as it has been!!!

We just made reservations for Waldenwoods Campground in Hartland, MI for September 17-21 and then on the 21st, we head to Goshen, IN for the MOC rally. While in Waldenwoods, we will be able to pack the Montana and have some grandchildren out for some of the time. How great is that? A week in Goshen followed by some time in "Little Nashville." Looks like another great time is about to happen!!!