Thursday June 16, 2016 Charlotte, MI

There was a thunder storm and a lot of rain during the early morning hours.  We were up at 6 AM.  I had to be at the office to check in with the service writer at 7.  I made the coffee and at 7 went to the office and Chris McCord wrote up my service order.  While I was doing that Gerri got the coach ready to move.  Even though we had an appointment the techs usually finish jobs from the day before first and then take in the new customers.

Michigan State Capitol in Lansing

We waited in the waiting room until 9 and then continued our days plans. First we drove to Lansing and continued our quest for pictures of state capitol buildings.  This is our third this trip.  It also is the third with rain and remodeling.





                                                              After the capitol building we drove on to Frankenmuth, MI to visit our friends David and Iva Starke.  We met them at a Spartan Chassis owners rally in Door County, WI several years ago and have met them on the road before in Salem, OR.  David grew up in Frankenmuth and they are here for about a month every year.  Frankenmuth is a German settlement and the businesses and homes reflect that heritage.  We had an early lunch at the very large Bavarian Inn Restaurant. https://www.facebook.com/Bavarian-Inn-Restaurant-53798181606/?pnref=story and then visited the Bronner's Christmas Wonderland.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronner%27s_Christmas_Wonderland  Bronner's is quite possibly the largest Christmas store in the world as the sales floor is 4 acres.

Although short our visit was great, a good meal with good friends.  We headed back toward Charlotte at 2:30  wanting to get back before the office closed.  We got back at 4:15.  Chris updated me on what had been done and what else was recommended as a result of the inspection.  We may be here most of tomorrow while they finish up the work.

After parking the coach and hooking up the power, I went to a nearby park and found two of the four caches in the park.  I didn't try to look for another two.  The grass was too tall and wet.  I don't know if they have chiggers this far north but I have met enough chiggers for now.

The delay here may cause us to change our plans on visiting the Barnharts in Buffalo, NY.  We had planned to be there Saturday afternoon and visit Jeff and his family that night.  Jeff is flying to Austin on business Sunday morning.  We will still go that route, since we have reservations ahead all the way to Saint John, New Brunswick.  I called Jeff and let him know of our possible changes in plans.  We made tentative plans to visit them on our return trip the last week of August.

Watching TV and reading along with a snack of sliced turnips and celery with peanut butter brought us to an early bedtime.  The peanut butter was with the celery, not the turnips.  BTW, the sun came out at 7:15 and then set at 9:20.  We have to be out of the coach at 7, so we will be up by 6 to get ready.