Arrived in North Carolina

We left Nashville County RV Park Tuesday morning. Going thru the hills towards Cookeville, TN the truck started losing water pressure and began to heat up. We went to the first truck stop we saw. After checking it out, Bob talked to the service department and they sent us 2 miles back to an International/ Cumings truck repair. They needed the vin# off the motor which was removed by the military before we bought it. After MUCH frantic searching Bob found the certificate from the government to use to apply for a title. YES!!! Jim, from the service center called Cumings with the #. Good, but not good enough. They needed the # off the back of the water pump. The only way to do that was to land at a RV park that would allow us to work on the truck. We headed back 6 more miles to Twinlakes and Catfish Pond RV Park. Bob proceeded to take the waterpump off the truck. Guessing it was the original pump because it had bonded with the motor and did NOT want to leave it! After trying various procedures it finally came apart. Finding several different series of #s on the part, Bob called them in to Jim. Jim called Cumings and called back with the news that those #s worked, Cumings was shipping the part, Jim would have someone deliver it to us in the morning. We received the new waterpump by 11am. Bob had it on the truck and we were on the road again by 1pm.
We were traveling along with a "new noise". Trying to figure out the noise, going down some of the larger hills, Bob noticed the air pressure was dropping, had gone from 120 to 90 and kind of holding there. BUT this was NOT good! We have AIR brakes!! At the bottom of the large hills was a truck stop with a service area. We pulled in there and Bob proceeded to check it out. He found the problem, got a new hose and connectors and within an hour or so we were on the road again. Thanking the good Lord for keeping us safe and putting those truck stops where we needed them.

Nashville,TN

We arrived at the Nashville Country RV Park in Goodlettsville, TN Saturday Oct. 31. We spent Sunday afternoon exploring the antique shops in downtown Nashville. The only thing we managed to find was a framed picture (from an old calendar) of a 1909 WHITE steam car. President William Taft chose this automobile as the first official automobile of the president of the United States. Learn something all the time!!!
Monday we did something we have never done before. We did a bus tour ----of Historic Downtown Nashville, Fort Nashborough, State Capitol, Bicentennial Mall, Music Row, Studio B,and Vanderbilt University.
Then we were given time to go on self guided tours at the New Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, could have spent hours there. From there we went to the Ryman Auditorium, the "Mother Church of Country Music" for another self guided tour. The last stop was at the Legends Corner on Honky Tonk Row for a drink and live music. It was well worth the investment to us since we were dealing with limited time. No hassles with trying to find a parking place or trying to find the right streets.
Our driver on the trip back to the campground was a lady our age and she told us of her experiences as a singer in Nashville. The glamour and glitz of the stars achievements in the music business is not all that glamourous when you hear stories from an insider. Tusday was another sunny day-- two in a row I think for the first time since we left Michigan---and we headed for North Carolina for an ATHS truck show on Sat. where they predicted sunny weather all week..

Car Show in Reed City, MI

Since we are doing very little of interest now, I thought I would post one of our highlights from this summer while we were in Reed City (Hawkins). We posted very little from Hawkins since that was virtually an "internet dead zone".
While in the area I spent some time trying to find old pictures of the Oseola Refinery and their semitrucks. My father drove for them sometime in the 50's, possibly early 60's. I have one picture of my dad with his truck but was looking for more and any information as we may do another "home" with an International like he drove.
During this time we went to a concert at the Crossroads in Reed City on a Thursday night. We got talking to some people there that had been involved with the refinery. We showed them what we were traveling around in now. A son-in-law (who was involved with the car show that coming Saturday) saw the picture of our "home" and asked if we could bring the whole rig to the show.
My best friend's husband had just finished restoring his '64 Falcon. So I called them to see if they were going to the show. Nelson, her husband, had to work but with lots of encouragement, his wife, Joyce(my best friend) was talked into bringing the car to it's first show. Hopefully we have started a tradition. Maybe Nelson will even be able to go with us and relish in the attention that his car received. People were impressed with his car and told of the memories they had of one just like it.
We managed to set-up next to each other which was great because she still lived in the area and knew everyone. I had been gone for 45 years and knew very few. Through
out the day I met a man my dad and youngest brother had worked for in Baldwin at a gas station. Then one of the daughters of another driver came over with her husband whose dad had also been a driver and introduced themselves. What a great time!!! Hearing all the old stories!!
Around 4 pm they were giving out rewards for the show. Life even got better, "Green
Ache-rs" placed in the top 25 and received a plaque! WOW! Who would have thought!!

Tennessee

Here we are in Tennessee back on the Natchez Trace--we traveled north on it this spring from Louisiana to Missouri on our trip home to Michigan. Now we are back after leaving MI. going through WI. and then Ia. and into MO. We left Savannah Mo.--traveled to Tightwad where we stayed for two very rainy days and then headed to Owensville Mo. through California Mo.and Jefferson City-- the state capital. It is amazing the different towns we have traveled through on the backroads of the country.We got to Lost Valley Resort the day after they received 5 inches of rain. We were there 2 weeks and I think we had at least 5 more inches. Our Canadian friend Chester stopped for two days on his way for 6 months at a house he rented in Mexico. It was rainy so we went to the hottub and mostly stayed at the trailer and caught up on things with him. It will be real interesting to hear about his stay in Mexico. We arrived in Tn.and the Trace with the trees still green and now the colors are really coming out. The campground we are at is 800 acres with a 3 mile long lake and we are only about 2 miles off the Trace. We are staying here another week and then plan to head towards Nashville for afew days and then on to North Carolina for a truck show and then south for Florida. We are having fun traveling with the ltlgrntruck to new places and states so no destination is firm --- just plans as we go.

Missouri -Show me state

I'm beginning to think the clouds and rain is over US. We seem to take the bad weather with us irregardless of what weather is in the forecast! We actually woke up to frost on the windshield Thursday,the 30th of Sept in Nekoosa,WI. We quickly left there and went to Frenchman's Landing at Eastman, WI. What a welcoming bunch of people. The managers and work campers made us feel quite at home. We felt like we had known them forever.
After lunch with John and Linda,the workcampers,Bob and I spent the rest of Friday afternoon in town visiting the Villa Louis mansion in Prairie du Chein. What history in that little town!
When we got back to the campground we found a sticky note inviting us to an impromptu supper at the office. We were visiting with some people from Manitoba parked by us when Linda stopped by to see if we were coming up for chili. The people from Manitoba were, also, invited. What a lively group we became. Nothing better that good food, good people and good conversation!
The next day we left early enough to stop at a benefit breakfast for the first responders with John and Linda. Then we pulled ourselves away from our new friends and headed towards Madrid and some old kewpie friends.
We managed to meet with June Anderson and her son,Bob, Monday afternoon. Not only does she have a vast collection, June is a walking encyclopedia about Kewpies and Rose O'Neill. And ORGANIZED!! She has always been a wealth of information and always willing to share it. After a fun filled afternoon, the 4 of us went for pizza at Polk, MO where one of their main toppings is sauerkraut. Hmmm, maybe we'll try that the next time.
We left Madrid the next morning headed towards Savannah,MO and Mabel Dray's collection of Kewpies on display at the Andrews County Museum. I was impressed with the Kewpie Mountain, of course, and all the other rare kewpies in her collection. The museum had a lot of information about Mabel's brother (Harry F. Duncan--Founder of "Little Tavern Resturants")and his collections and about the "the rural way of life"in early Savanah. Definitely worth the time.

Quietwoods Resort, Brussels, WI

Bob, Grizz and I got to Quietwoods Wednesday pm. We found a secluded area near the pond and setup our home. The campground is quite large. After going on a few small walks, we discovereed we had not even begun to see it all. There were numerous seasonal campsites in the woods that we walked by. Definitely looked like heaven to us-- if we were ready to settle down in one spot.
Rob arrived before 7 Friday night. After dinner we just kicked back and tried to catch up on each other's lives. Rob is in the "full-time working" world now. After doing work and college for so many years, this is a change for him.
Saturday Rob, Bob and I went to Door County in Rob's truck. Of course, we left our cameras back at the campsite. Saw a lot of people, as all of the towns were having some type of fall festival. Fish Creek seemed to be the most populated. It rained on and off all day, but did not dampen our enjoyment of sightseeing.
Sunday after breakfast Bob and Rob loaded up the kayaks and headed to Little Sturgeon Bay. The rain had ceased and the wind and sun were out drying up the area.
The guys paddled against the wind going to the bay but had a free ride coming back as the wind was at their backs and pushed them. The day came to an end all too soon. Rob had to pack up and head back to the real world.
We were leaving Monday, but since it was windy and rainy again, we decided to just kick back and do Nothing. By Tuesday morning, after being contained inside for too many hours because of the wet outdoors, Grizzly was chomping at the bit to get "on the road again".
We did spend some time Monday on the computer trying to decide where we are headed.
We headed to Nekoosa, WI from Brussels on our way towards Iowa. Since we have not done Iowa in our travels, we will try to make a trek into that state for a few days and visit some "Kewpie" friends.
Bob discovered frost on the truck's windows this morning so I'm suggesting a more direct route south to warm weather. I'm not sure why cold weather is a problem, I can stay in bed until it warms up. But am definitely in favor of going south......

on the road again

The ltlgrntruck is finally on the road again. We spent the summer in Hawkins just laying around and doing not much, Jan completed her Kewpie rag quilt and I did some maintinence on the truck. Labor Day..Sept 7 we went to a car show.... Cars for Cancer with the truck and had a great time. We saw some really neat cars and showed about 500 hundred people the truck and trailer.We got about 300 to sign our book but missed a lot as it was really busy. The show was for a good cause and there was over 500 cars there. We left Hawkins on the 17th and stayed in Fife Lake overnight at Jan's son's and left fer St. Ignace in the morning. We arrived at the Mac. Bridge just in time to wait for two hours to cros behind the 900 farm tractors that paraded acros the Big Mac bridge. This was the second year that the antique tractors have crossed the bridge. Last year there was about 500 so they almost doubled the number. Friday & Sat. Was the North American Show Truck(NAST) big show in St.Igance, What a show. All the trucks must be working trucks and the ask for last years mileage and the currant mileage. These people put a lot of time and work and money in these trucks. Sat. night about 8 P.M. they turn all there lights on and parade across the Big Mac. What an amazing sight...all the big rigs in a line all lit up. We are having beautiful weather and the fall colors are just starting. We are camped at Bay Mills Casino at Brimely in the U.P. and will head for Marquette tomorrow. We plan on visiting my son Rob this week in Wisconsin and are still undecided on the next destination. I suppose the weather will help us make up our minds. Hopefully we will have better internet access from now on so we can update the blog more regularly now.