Indiana Members

[NLOVNIT]

Have you used the search feature on Tiffin's forum to find a service center? It's under the Owners tab

[Tom and Patty]

Well summer is pretty much gone now.
We were not able to travel as much as we wanted.
Patty got diagnosed with breast cancer so we were sidelined for part of June , August and September.
Radiation went well and we are very positive. She starts hormone treatment in another week. That will be to starve off the cancer cells that might remain.
We have been blessed with very good Drs from IU Health. Her radiologist has been written up in 3 women’s magazines as one of the best in the US.
But all was not lost we had a couple of weekends…recorded here. I did some much needed work on the bus, replacing the plywood on the bay floor that was rotted from a poor installation of the bay slides. Thankfully the bus is all stainless steel so no rust!
It’s back together, need to load up the bay and travel for work if they will let us in this damn Covid re-emergence.
We can always escape south for the winter for a week or two.

Travel safe everyone!
God bless.

[NLOVNIT]

Good to hear from you Tom. Glad Patty is on the mend. Keep a positive attitude. I'm a 28yr BC survivor so there's life beyond the treatment.

Looks like the bus kept you busy. Lookin' good.

[Indy Glenn]

Glad Patty is on the mend.

I think I mentioned here that my Angie had lung cancer 2 years ago.....and is now cancer free......scary stuff......She went through the VA, which is mainly IU and the care was and remains second to none.

We wish you both a healthy future.....and attitude IS everything.

Your upgrades look great.....

Take care everyone......

g

[Tom and Patty]

Lori and Glenn thank you for the wishes. You help us stay positive.

On the travel side, looks like we will head down to Houston for a meeting with my largest customer to strategically plan 3-5 years out. Then up to Fort Smith AR, Cushing OK, Beloit KS and over to Columbia MO to see potential and present customers. Maybe stay out longer if the weather stays decent…as in above 20.

Stay safe, travel safe!

[Indy Glenn]

Good to hear from you Tom and that travel is back it your plans......

We are wrapping up 2 weeks at Follow The River campground, just outside Vevay, IN (Pronounced VeeVee). It is a nice campground, family run, neat & clean. Perhaps some of your have been here?

We camped with friends we normally camp with and haven't camped with in almost 2 years.....it was a good, lazy 2 weeks.

Us boyz, being bourbon drinkers, did a run over to the Bourbon Trail. My goodness.....we were there 2 years ago and had a nice time....this year the distilleries were so crowded. I know bourbon had gained in popularity but sheesh.....!

We head home today & as always, it will be good to get home.

Hope this finds all well .......take care,

g

[Tom and Patty]

Glenn, thanks for the reminder of Follow the River. I could probably work from there.

[Indy Glenn]

Hello Hoosiers......and Honorary Hoosiers........

It's almost November 1st and just checking in.....I hope all is well on your end, wherever you are!!

Tom - how is Patty doing with treatment?

Not much new here.....I am fighting a chassis battery issue. Changed out the chassis battery last May with an Optima Yellow Top AGM gel, it was time - it was the original battery & 5 years old. The new Optima Lasted 5 months. Replaced it with another Optima, lasted 1 month !! These are not throw away batteries......& warranty service has not been say, optimal....

So I have an appointment at Newmar on Tuesday. My inverter is charging the house batteries well, I just can't keep the chassis battery charged but then again, a new chassis battery should not need to be trickle charged as there are no parasites - when I turn off the ignition, it's done....So we'll see....motor home ownership - - gotta luv it....!

What have YOU been up too???

Halloween plans? We are going to spend it "outside" with a group of neighbors that do it up big for the neighborhood kids....yes - there will be beer involved and perhaps some bourbon.....

Anyone spend a Halloween Weekend at a campground??

Take care, be well,

g

[NLOVNIT]

Hi Glenn & all. Hope you can get your battery gremlin fixed. Nothing like a dead battery to put a dent in your plans.

I guess the season is coming to a close for many of you. Time to think about winterizing - or going south.

I made several trips to dealerships looking at smaller Class C's to see what I liked. Nothing I saw met my standards. I guess I got spoiled by my Phaeton. I've ruled out anything on the MB chassis. First, they just don't have enough CCC for me. I've got lots of stuff coming from a 41ft Phaeton & some of it there's just got to be a place for in a Class C. Plus, after always being on edge regarding DEF issues, I'm sticking with a gasser. That leaves Ford. I'm quite interested in Phoenix Cruisers but never made it to a dealer who had one nor to the factory for a tour. One thing PC will do is customize, a lot like Newmar does. That appeals to me. We'll see what next year brings. I'm in no hurry & I'd like Ford to get the bugs worked out of the new engine before I commit (the V10 had its issues but once dealt with, it became a reliable/bullet proof engine), as well as prices to come down out of the stratosphere.

Happy Halloween to all of you!

[NLOVNIT]

Glenn - Interesting....2 other threads, just today, about Newmar owners with dead chassis batteries.

https://www.irv2.com/forums/f103/eng...ng-558996.html

https://www.irv2.com/forums/f103/cha...ad-558950.html

Is it a Newmar thing?

[Indy Glenn]

Originally Posted by NLOVNIT

Glenn - Interesting....2 other threads, just today, about Newmar owners with dead chassis batteries.

Is it a Newmar thing?

Huh-----Interesting....

Not sure. Both of these other motor homes were a little newer than mine and I had zero problems for 5 years.

So not sure..... I'm heading to Newmar to have my inverter looked at as when we were in Michigan, I left the inverter on after I plugged in the rig, I generally turn it off, and it got super hot...... should not have gotten hot!

The inverter in charging house batteries just fine. Perhaps it's my BIRD system.

I had the two batteries tested at my local Auto Zone, per Optima, neither would take a charge - leading Auto Zone to saying the batteries being bad from the get-goat....

The Auto Zone guys also said Optima batteries are not what they use to be. Not sure about that......but what is concerning is Optima, where I bought my 1st Optima battery on their web site, has refused my warranty claim saying they need to test the battery. I asked for them to send me packaging materials for a very heavy battery, they said they would & they will pay shipping. That was two weeks ago...so i guess I call them tomorrow. Remember the old adage, "If something is good, I may tell you about it if asked, if something is bad, I'll tell everybody!.

It's all good - just frustrating - FWIW - I bought my second Optima battery at Auto Zone - after being tested & determined a bad battery, they refunded my money immediately. Hmmmm "The Zone" has gained a new customer....

Take care everyone.....

g

[purduepete97]

We just got back from a week out East. Gettysburg, DC, then Shenandoah and New River Gorge national parks on the way home. That takes us to 11 national parks and IIRC 8 new states this year.

Just one more trip for us - to Prophets town for a Purdue football game - then time to winterize.

I did do a dumb thing on our way to DC. Pulled in after dark, plugged into power, realized we weren't level enough side to side. So I put blocks behind the low side tires and backed onto them. What I didn't know was the power cord was being run over and slowly pulled right out of the female plug at the rear of the trailer as I backed up. . . [emoji51]
Somehow I didn't electrocute us or start a fire or permanently damage anything. I just had to cut off 3 inches of damaged power cord and do a quick rewire of the female plug.
It held up for the rest of the trip, but I will install a replacement before Prophets town.

Hope all are well!
Pete

[Tom and Patty]

Hello all!
Happy Halloween! Your house looks great Lori!
Glenn, Patty is doing great. She started the estrogen blocking therapy and so far so good. Blocking estrogen is supposed to starve out her cancer cells if any remain. Thank you for asking.
Pete, don’t feel bad. I literally ripped the 50 amp cord out of the Alpine twice in one year by doing stupid stuff🤬

We are in the bus in Katy Texas for work. Katy Lake RV Park has some canopied sites and we procured one. Clean, well kept and lots of concrete. But the do let us wash the RVs. That is nice.
Thursday we are headed to Fort Smith AR to see a potential customer. Then on to OK, KS, NE . Probably start home after those stops.
Glenn, the battery fix will be a simple one I am confident. Let us know what it is.

[NLOVNIT]

Stay in TX as long as you can. Weatherman is forecasting frost up here in the next couple days. Just a week ago, we had several days in the 80's!

Good news for Patty. I was on Tamoxifen for 5 years after chemo. If Patty doesn't already have hot flashes, she'll get 'em with that therapy. Get used to having the thermostat set low, Tom. Wear a sweater.