[A/S] Ft. Wayne, IN - June 7, 2005

[hhamp5246@xxxxxxx]

Hi Gang,

I woke up yesterday morning with a start; I remembered that last year
Airstream cut off our water and electric at 7:00am. I looked and it was 6:30, I
wanted to go back to sleep but I also wanted to shower before the water was cut
off. I dragged myself out of bed and showered and made coffee…… when I left at
9:45am they still hadn't disconnected the power or water. <g>

I forgot something that happened yesterday…. Before we went for pizza I
wanted to show Tony the new, special edition, Quicksilver Airstream trailer and the
newest motorhome design, the A-Series… the A-39. Susan had taken to me the
forbidden parking lot to see them both earlier so I took Tony back. Only the
security guard saw us, at least I thought so when I noticed he got in his
little golf cart. "Hurry, the guard's coming" I urged Tony…. We hid behind the
Quicksilver Bambi and heard the golf cart wheels on the gravel as it sped by. I
got some photos inside and we started for the awesome motorhome dodging and
weaving and hiding… The guard was flying around all the completed trailers and
motorhomes hot on our trail so we abandoned the project and when he wasn't
looking we casually strolled back away from the area and were well away when he
saw us again. I turned and smiled and waved and he waved back. Gosh, I wonder
if I missed my calling as a spy or maybe some other job requiring covert
operations. <g>

Back to this morning, I said goodbye to my friends who also stayed over that
last night and Tony and I pulled out. He led our little caravan of two and I
realized when I'm following someone I have no idea which direction I'm going in
…. thank heavens for the compass in my truck's digital display.

We drove through farm land on a two lane highway most of the way. We passed
countless white farms. White houses, garages, and varieties of barns from small
to very large. Very few had any landscaping and most were very close to the
road. A carry over, I suppose, from the days when the road probably wasn't
even paved.

We drove past corduroy fields with rows of tiny crops, about ankle high. It
was a glorious day; the humidity was apparently chased away by that fierce
thunderstorm the night before. I listened to Delbert McClinton the whole way.

Eighty or so miles after we left the Airstream plant we arrived at the Johnny
Appleseed City park right next to the Ft. Wayne Coliseum. I stayed here
last year and I really enjoy being here. As soon as I parked a man walked over
and asked where my other dog was…. <sigh> He was here last year and remembered
us. Some Airstreamers we know had arrived a bit earlier and I'm parked near
them. Tony is across the way backed up to the woods. This place is almost all
woods and the campground hosts told me both satellite spaces were full….. I saw
sunlight on an empty space and knew I could get a signal so I backed in here
and got it… it was important because last night was the season premiere of "Six
Feet Under" on HBO.

Tony and I took Tucker for a nice walk along the bike trail that meanders
beside the St. Joseph River, but it was very hot and humid so after a mile or so
I said I wanted to come back and get some water and cool off…. Well, not
really we got in the truck and went to a hobby place because I needed more wood for
the walls and then we hit Walmart.

I made dinner and we went to Tony's trailer after, for ice cream. We were at
his picnic bench when another camping couple came by. The husband's dad used
to have an Airstream and had taken the trip to Asia, way back when with Wally
Byam, the founder of Airstream. Seems dad was a surgeon and when they went
from China to he actually stayed to do some surgery on people who were in need.
He caught up to the caravan in Moscow.

Tom and his wife Scottie, who live in Florida, recently sold their 25'
Airstream and they came back here to see mine. While we were talking he said he was
a race car driver and used to drive for Carroll Shelby.

Now he still races in places like Sebring, and I Googled him…..seems he races
a '64 Merlyn MK6. He is on his way out west to race, stupid me asked if he
was towing the car with his motorhome. He smiled and told me the car is
waiting for him when he gets to the race locations. His name is Tom Yeager….. After
they left I got online at 9:30 for the rest of the evening.

This morning Tony came over at the appointed hour, 9:30am, and said he didn't
know if I meant 9:30 east coast time or 9:30 central time. My heart almost
stopped. "Central time?"
Seems we had crossed into the central time zone at some point but not really…
seems Indiana doesn't have Daylight Savings time or something. Anyway, that
meant I was sucking my precious minutes during peak hours before 9:01 when the
unlimited minutes start.

I called Verizon and the nice lady gave me some bonus minutes to cover it.
Phew…..

We took off for Elkhart; only just with the truck… we left the trailers here.
We ran into some friends in Camping World and then went to the RV Surplus
Salvage store, a huge warehouse full of RV stuff because Elkhart is where many
RV manufacturers build their trailers and motorhomes. I thought I wanted some
things but then I didn't. I got nothing when it was all said and done. I did
get some stuff at Camping World though. We did also hit some thrift stores both
in Elkhart and again in Goshen.

Goshen, the Maple City, a city on the way home is really quite nice. Nice
downtown and nice homes. I saw a sign for a farmer's market which was opening
in 10 minutes so I wheeled into the parking lot.

There are lots of Amish in this area and a horse was tied to a post in a pole
barn, the buggy next to him waiting to bring the owner's back home after the
market closed. The horse, a retired Standardbred looked to be quite old, his
lower lip was hanging low…. Like his head.

We walked Tuck on the river walk and played some Frisbee, then went in and
got some veggies. Many of the sellers were Amish and their produce was all very
appetizing. The whole complex was quite artsy, it's called The Mill Race
Farmer's Market… the mill being a huge brick building that was part of a lumber
yard along the Elkhart River. We saw some people on bicycles and further
investigation led to the discovery that there are numerous greenway trail networks
around there.

Then back here, we were both beat and burned out so we went to our respective
trailers and I'm hunkered down for the night…. except for Frisbee of course.
The campground has a nice field overlooking the coliseum and the Ft. Wayne
Wizards ballpark.

Hunter