Pulled out for Wisconsin

Well we left Titusville around 9:20 Monday with Linda sayin’ lets get movin’. I already figured this was not going to be a trip at our normal leisurely pace. We stopped at Flyin’ J as soon as we crossed into Ohio. Dumped the tanks, filled up on diesel and we were off again. We headed west & south makin’ our way deeper into Ohio. We had decided that Ohio didn’t deserve our money for riding’ their toll road. Not only do they class vehicles by the number of axles, but height as well. So according to their website we would have paid $23.70 to drive across the state. With a truck camper, I don’t think so!!!

We headed west through Youngstown on I-76 till it ran out at US 224. We then ran down US 224  all the way to Tiffin where we turned NW for Fostoria. We decided since we were in the area of Fostoria we’d call and see if the folks we bought the Lance from were home and up fer’ a drop-in visit. I called an got Maynard, told him we were in the area and wondered if they had a few minutes to see us. Of course he said to come on. We arrived and the first thing he asked when he greeted us was “Do you want to plug in?” I immediately told him no, no we can just stay a little while and we just came to visit. Well we visited with him and his wife Sue, I had a cup ‘O’ joe and a cookie, looked around at some of his ‘Solar gear’ and a fishin’ boat he’s riggin’ up with solar panels to recharge the batteries for the trolling motor. Then said our goodbyes and headed down the road. Thanks for the hospitality, especially on such short notice & we enjoyed visiting with the both of you.

Our next stop was what Brain at ‘Goin’ RV Boondockin’ calls Wally dockin’. We stayed the night in Definance, Ohio’s WalMart.

Tuesday was a super early day for us as we went to bed real early Monday. We made coffee after risin’ at 5:30 AM and a stop at Micky D’s fer some grub. At this point we made a miscalculation in our route. We were going to head up to get on the Indiana Toll Road, but decided we didn’t want to get into the Chicago ‘burbs’. So we swung southwest and headed for Ft. Wayne, IN and US 24 all the way across IN and into IL. Stopped for lunch at a City Park in Watseka, IN. We then picked up I 39 north to the La Salle area. Were spendin’ the night tonight at Hickory Hollow Campground, a Passport America park. We arrived here around 3 this afternoon and been chillin’ a little. We’ve only got about 200 miles to go so we’ve been haulin’ _ss for us.

Well that’s about all so I’ll talk at ya’ later. Hope to see ya’ down the road as we’re:

Dancin’ on the Wind.

Back in the Oil Valley

We’re back at Uncle Don’s old dairy farm staying by the Milk house. I’m going to put a 30 amp RV outlet in as soon as I can round up some tools. Can’t carry much in the way of drills and such when your travelin’ in a truck camper.

Since we’re in the ‘Oil Valley’ again I would like to relate a story I’ve learned recently. I’m intrigued by the insight & ingenuity the early oil pioneers showed here. This particular tale reminds me of Jed Clampett of the ‘Beverly Hillbillies’. Seems this fella’ by the name of A. C. Kepler and three companions obtained an oil lease of an acre of ground on the Hyde & Egbert farm that was already producing. Kepler dreamed he and a coquette, a loose woman, were out on that farm when an Indian appeared with bow & arrow. According to Kepler, the Indian was gonna’ kill him with bow & arrow when the coquette crawled up handing him a rifle. He shot the Indian who vanished and oil bubbled up from the ground. Visiting his brother who superintended the farm, he recognized the scene of his dreams, secured a lease, and bored the Coquette Well in the spring of 1864. The well flowed oil at a rate of 1200 barrels a day, settling to a modest 800 barrels a day for the first year. At this time oil was ‘On the jump’ and the first cargo of ten thousand barrels brought $90,000 during the wells first ten days of prodution.

Kepler also charged spectators 10 cents each, to view the flowing oil. Like he really needed the monies generated from this venue. He later sold his interest in the well for $145,000.

So much fer’ the story tellin’. We are here fer’ just 2 days then we’re gonna’ light a shuck fer’ The Land o’ Cheese Heads. That’s right Monday morn’ we’re headin’ fer’ Wisconsin to our good friends Barb & Noel. It’s there 50th Anniversary and they called to invite us and sure wanted us there so, Why Not?
So fer’ the next few days, it may not be excitin’ cause we’re gonna’ try an make a B-line fer’ Barb & Noel’s. There’ll be some backroads and some o’ them big blue roads and  I hope to get there in three days, or so.

That’s all fer’ now. Hope to see ya down the road as we’re;  

Dancin’ on the Wind.