On to Indiana for Service

Our plan when we left WashPA was to travel to Duncan RV Service in Elkhart, Indiana to take care of a few maintenance items.  We were in need of new house batteries  (many things in the rig operate on battery power) and we needed to have a vent cover replaced.  We also had a windshield chip and a small plumbing issue when we made the appointment.  Then a week before we left our fridge stopped fridging so we added that to the list.  As I write this, most of the items have been taken care of, but the battery tray was corroded and needs to be cleaned up and painted before the new batteries can be installed so we will be here a couple more days.  We have been staying at Duncan where they have water and electric hook ups, (the standard industrial campsite) but we will need to get a hotel room for a couple of days while the batteries are disconnected.  Oh well, we will take a mini vacation:)

A scary scene as we crossed Ohio.  Looking up and seeing a big rig coming right at us.  Well, not really, it was being towed.  Great picture Nanc.

The Glass Doctor came to Duncan to repair two new chips.  The insurance covered it so it was the cheapest job we had done.  Our tech, Dan, was busy getting items checked off the list.

After checking the fridge Dan determined the cooling unit was dead.  This was not a real surprise to us as RV units are not the most reliable.  We decided to go with a new Norcold cooling unit.  They have had ten years to make it better since the old one was built.  This is a big point of discussion in the RV community, but we felt this was the way to do it.  Here is Dan with the fridge out on the floor and the old cooling unit removed.

This is the hole were the fridge fits.  One reason we went with the new cooling unit rather than a totally new fridge is that no one makes one to exactly fit the old space.  That means a new one would not only be more expensive, but we would also need some wood work done that would also add to the expense.

Dan did a good job of covering the floor and doing a neat job.  We went to Lowes for something else and when we saw what a new home fridge cost, what we paid was not really out of line.  That said, it was not cheap and time will tell if we made the right decision.

The fridge is once again doing its most important job of keeping the beer cold. 

Since we are spending the weekend in Northern Indiana we decided to check out South Bend.  They were having the 2013 Art Beat with artisans' booths and entertainment over several blocks.  It was a great day of strolling and people watching.

Another event in downtown was the South Bend Jazz Festival.  Here are three of the acts we heard. 

For dinner we checked out the Fiddlers Hearth where we had a great meal and an evening of Irish music.  Anytime we get to hear live music is a good time and this day was filled with music.  So while we did not plan on being here for this long, it turned out to be a fun day.  One of the joys of fulltiming is being able to have a totally flexible schedule.  Our next reservation is not until the end of September in New Mexico.  Ahhhhh, the life of a fulltimer, PRICELESS!!!!