July 7 & 8, 2011
We pulled out of Shipshewana at 8:00 A.M. Thursday morning. We had fueled up the night before when we spotted diesel for $3.86 a gallon. I thought I could catch I-94 west after a short drive on the Indiana Toll Road. WRONG…the ramp for I 94 west was closed and the detour ended $14.00 and 25 miles later when we found ourselves on I-94 heading into downtown Chicago. Suddenly we were facing another toll of $14.00!! We pulled out an old I-Pass transponder I had used in 1997 and held it to the windshield. The light went green and we continued on our way. The traffic in Chicago is never easy, especially in a Dodge 2500 with a 33-foot 5er.
We made our way north and jumped on I-90 west towards Rockford, Illinois. By the time we left Illinois at the South Beloit toll, we had paid another $12 in tolls at 6 other toll-ways. Never again will we be on the toll roads of Chicago. In 2002, we paid .35 cents for each toll stop, for a total of $3.50. But to spend $26 in Chicago and another $14 in Indiana is outrageous I believe.
It has been nearly 9 years since we had been this way. Though I had traveled it more than 30 times in 1996, I had a difficult time remembering the route. We did remember the Cheese Shack we stopped at in December 2002 just as we were leaving the Madison city limits heading north.
As we were getting closer to the Dells, the landscape looked more like parts of North Carolina than the area around Janesville. We stopped just outside the Dells at a really nice rest area. We noticed immediately the Prairie School influence. Wisconsin’s native son—Frank Lloyd Wright, made this architectural concept famous.
Just as every maiden voyage looks like all is good, before things go bad, this was not going to be the exception. Now that the Coachmen was relatively happy, it was time for the Dodge to act out.
We had plans to spend 2 nights at Country Roads RV Park while exploring the Dells on Friday. After checking in at Country Roads, the Dodge decided it didn’t want to turn over. I thought for sure the batteries were toast. The engine S L O W L Y turned over—groaning with every turn. The great folks at Country Roads came to our aid and jumped started the Dodge. I worked the rest of the afternoon trying to charge the batteries (our park neighbors had a battery charger) and checking wires and alternator connections.
Today there was NO improvement in the Dodge’s condition. I managed to get it started with a jump, but the engine continued to resist. I now have it at Blain’s Farm and Fleet in Baraboo were they are putting in a new starter for $199 plus labor…OUCH…
Tim and Mary
In the Dells of Wisconsin
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