Pine Forests, Roadside Bars, and Breakfast as the Best Meal of the Day

 Here is the end of yesterday's story. We had stopped at the Two Rivers Motel and Cabins and learned that we had a bad (very bad) wheel bearing. Not having a clue as what we should do we asked owner Tim (co-owner with Jen) who we might call. Tim said he would take a look and try to fix it. When he and Jen lived in Madison, he had been a mechanic. Tim took off the wheel, looked at the bearing, and decided he might try to fix it if the camper were his, but thought we would be better off having someone who specializes do the work. So now what, how do you get a camper 40 or so miles to a specialty shop?

Tim decides to take off both tires, drop the entire axle, get the entire thing in the back of a pickup and send his dad and me off to a specialty shop he had located.

An hour or so later we arrived. Got the axle unloaded and the mechanics took over. Half an hour and $229 or later, the bearings were pronounced fixed.

We headed back to the campground; Tim and I managed to position the axle so it could be reattached, and the job was complete. Tim does not want any money even though he had spent a lot of two days on what he seemed to think was an interesting project. It was interesting, but the mosquitoes were really bad while he was crawling around underneath our camper. Cindy offered to pay, but he refused any compensation. We left money on the bed this morning.

Driving through the Upper Peninsula consists of a lot of pine trees, a few lakes, and periodic bars/taverns. The experience is much like the surroundings of our lake place in Wisconsin with fewer options along the road. Much as the absence of towns has alarmed us when we needed a skilled mechanic, it would be difficult for most to appreciate the lack of humans. 

We stopped at one of the places we found along the way for breakfast. The manager/cook turned on the Open sign when he saw us drive up and we had a great breakfast. We were the only customers the entire time. It is the slow season. Great food and adequate coffee.

We are now established in a half deserted campground in Newberry, Michigan. 

Better late than never. 

Be Optimistic - Life is an adventure

Cindy is more optimistic than I am. This helps. When you are safe and can afford what recovery involves, think of challenges as adventures.

We started a trip yesterday. We have campground reservations in the Upper Peninsula of  Michigan - Newberry. A 7 or so hour trip. On the way, we had to make a stop at the place we have our camper maintained because we could not get the anode screwed into our water heater. Turns out they could not either so there will be no hot water unless we heat it on the stove. Not serious, but acceptable. 

We decided to stop along the way and found a little place because we planned to stay in a motel one night anyway, and we found an interesting place near Trout Creek, MI. We headed into town from our motel to find some food, and as we pulled into a pizza place, a woman sitting outside a bar across the street yelled at us to check our rear tire because it looked like a bearing was going out. This turned out to be the case and we were now stranded 40+ miles from anywhere. We limped back to the motel to start seeing what we would have to do and the owner says he would fix it for us. He seemed very confident and capable, so how could he be so lucky? We could stay one more day (no more vacancies after that). 

Today, he decided that the fix would be more challenging than he had anticipated. He said if it was his camper he would fix it, but he would also help us get the section of the axle that needed to be repaired to a shop that would guarantee the work. His father would drive the piece there in his pickup. So, that is the situation to this point. I am riding along. Pretty cool adventure. More to come. 

Winter Retreat Ends

Our winter retreat to Kauai has come to end. A great year. First time I had no visits to an emergency room or physician. This was the year for those who could form our family to join us. A few intense storms. Time to go back to Richfield and start my plants.

I am adding a link to KONG radio in case I miss Ron Wiley and the songs from KONG All Day Long. 

 

Mahalo!

Another Big Rain - Kona Low

It rains often here and occasionally it rains a lot. There is a unique meteorological phenomenon called a Kona Low we have experienced several times this visit. Always reminds me of the Alberta Clippers we used to experience in North Dakota, but that was snow and high  winds. A Kona Low brings high winds with gusts to 60mph, but rain. Lots of rain at rates of several inches an hour. Some of the other islands had 20 inches plus and that leads to flooding and mud slides. 

We had heavy rains here list night and phones were sounding the alarm every few minutes warning those in low lying areas to be aware and everyone to stay off the roads. I have written before about one-lane bridges on roads that uniquely allow access to parts of the island. I see today that the bridge I described was closed and because this is the only road to get to and from certain places, people were caught on the wrong side. The weather is fine right now, but this is projected to turn again soon.  

Orchids

 You see orchids here that have been added to many areas in which gardeners have done their work and offered for sale by retailers. I know some grow orchids in their homes and the retailers are allowed to ship to those who are interested. I always wonder how orchids grow in the wild because I only see them tied into the crook of trees by someone and not growing without human assistance. Most orchids (I think) are epiphytes and collect water and nutrients from their roots which are just hanging there and not in soil (see image below).