We made good time on the 465 loop around Indianapolis. Apologies to my friend Dennis. We'll have to catch you next time we're through. I did look up Fishers, IN, on our mapping software to see that he lives NE of the loop. I'm not sure where the EDS account is here. One of the weird things about RVing is that you pass quickly through so many places that you miss some people and local attractions. The good news is you know you'll be passing through again. We took the loop east to Hwy 31 on the north side during lunch rush hour. But the traffic was nothing as bad as Austin.
We got to Peru, IN, our intended destination by 1:30 (that is if there's no DST here!?) so we deiced to forge ahead and try for New Carlisle, located just west of South Bend. We made it by 3:30 taking Hwy 2 eight miles west of the Hwy 31 bypass around South Bend. Road construction in front of the campground caused us to miss the turn. Bob had to u-turn through the construction cones on the divided highway and come back. It is hot here; 90 degrees and very muggy. We paid $165.36 for one week with an option to stay longer. We are at Mini Mountain Campground, 32351 State Road 2, New Carlisle, IN 46552, St. Joseph County, (574) 654-3307. I have started making note of the county when I know it since the severe weather warnings are always designated by county.
When I asked the owner about the central modem in their ad he said they didn't have one. Then he pulled out his 2005 Woodall's Campground Directory to make sure it didn't say he did have one. Our 2004 copy says he does, so obviously he decided not to continue to offer that convenience. He put us in site ME-16 in The Meadows (translation, hot sunny field.) He asked if we wanted shade but I said not really since we just got a wash and the trees make the rig really dirty. But we were less than happy when we saw the section we're in. But we're hot, tired and hungry so we go with it. Bob expertly backed into a 90-degree angle slot after the lady owner had a dually truck moved that was parked across the road. There was a crowd of five or six people watching us and listening to us on the two-way radios. So I was proud that we backed in and hooked up like pros in spite of being brain dead. I did mess up getting the leveling blocks under both axles correctly but hey, nobody's perfect. We don't often need the leveling blocks so it is not an automatic process yet.
One of the spectators said he was from Pearland, TX, just south of Houston. But we were tired and hot so we didn't chat long. We didn't even finish setting up completely. We just got in the truck and went back to the loop in South Bend to hunt for lunch. We ate at Top Notch Cafe and Bakery, American, Italian and Greek Cuisine. It was a great place. We saw salads the size of Montana being delivered to the table next to us so we both quickly opted for salads. I had the Top Notch Salad. The cucumbers and green peppers tasted fresh out of a local garden. My Poppy Seed dressing over crab, olives, and Feta cheese was outstanding. Bob had a Chef Salad that looked great too. The prices were very reasonable. We splurged and shared German Chocolate Cake from the bakery for dessert.
There was a Chicago Tribune!! (big paper day on Friday!) in the machine outside and we were in heaven. Civilization at last! On the news later tonight we heard that the wreck we saw at Hwys 31 and 20 around South Bend was the result of a high-speed police chase. We got there just as it happened. The traffic backed up forever. Thankfully we didn't get caught in that mess. Back home we finished setting up. We have 10 clear TV channels-definitely civilization-except no Internet.
It's 7:20 p.m. and 79.2 degrees. The farther north we go, the hotter and muggier it gets. Severe thunderstorm warnings are in effect this evening. Huge dark clouds are looming. The owner said they lost three huge trees, one on top of a travel trailer, last Saturday. The South Bend Tribune headlines said a man was killed in South Bend by a tree falling on his home.
Now it's 75 degrees and 71% humidity at 10:16 p.m.