Horse and Buggy Territory

We are in northern Indiana, specifically in Shipshewana. This is the RV capital of the country where many RV manufacturers are located. As we neared the area we saw an increasing number of trailers and motorhomes on the roads and we weren't surprised. Our 5th-wheel trailers were all made in the neighborhood. We aren't far from Ohio where our Airstream was manufactured. But we came here to appreciate the Amish culture and workmanship, so we are seeing lots of horses and buggies. Bicycles are also frequently the mode of travel.

Today we walked a block to E and S Bulk Sales, a nearby Amish market. This was one row of the parking lot. The other day we saw both buggies and trucks at the grain mill.

I didn't realize that buggies needed to be licensed until I really looked at the license plate on them.

Amish farms are well-kept and beautiful. And they don't have electrical lines running to them.

We arrived here Wednesday and when I looked through the events in the area I learned the flea market was only open Tuesday and Wednesday. Those days are shopping days, I read. We visited E and S Sales that day and it was packed. On Thursday we were driving around the area and I decided that was laundry day. Clothes lines in backyards were full of drying laundry. (Sorry about the Colorado State Parks pass in the lower left. I couldn't take the photo without it in the corner.)

We went shopping but we didn't do much buying, except for food. We ate both breakfast and lunch at the Blue Gate Restaurant. Believe me, we didn't need to eat much else on either day.

The people who operate our RV park obviously love birds. Two sites are blocked off with cones. The only reason we can figure out must be that a killdeer has a nest in each site. Look at this little bird.

The shopping area in Shipshewana is beautifully landscaped with lots of flowers.

Wait and See

Sight see, that is. But first, what are we waiting for? We are in northern Indiana to have some work done on our home. The first stop was Tiara RV in Elkhart. They are a dealer that sells DRV Mobile Suites and we came here so they could replace the valve on our black tank (read sewer). For the past couple of weeks, that valve has been leaking. If you understand RV plumbing, you will know what a mess that can be. If you don't understand, I'm not going to explain. Thursday we took our RV to them and they replaced the valve and the cable that opens and shuts the valve. We are happy to have that repair done.



Beginning Monday, we will spend a couple of days having repairs done at the Mobile Suites factory in Howe. Our one-year warranty will be up in October and we wanted to have these repairs done under warranty. So, we waited on Thursday while they worked on the black tank valve, we wait for the appointment on Monday, and we will wait while the factory does its work. We are parked in the Elkhart RV Campground and enjoying the sights in Amish Country.

Thursday, we visited the deli at Martin's Supermarket here in Elkhart, using their wifi to spend time on the internet. We also had lunch there. Martin's is a local chain and a great store. We love exploring new grocery stores. When we felt we had taken up enough time and space in the deli, we browsed at an RV surplus store and Menards. Wow, that is some store! A lot more than the big box hardware store we thought it was.





This part of Indiana has a large Amish population. The Amish don't have electricity or phones in their homes. They do have phone booths in places. See this one out in a field.



We saw a number of men and women traveling by bicycle. Riding in this kind of traffic doesn't appeal to me.



We visited the nearby community of Shipshewana today. There is plenty of parking, even for big dually trucks like we drive. There are also hitching rails for the horse and buggies many Amish use.



We had a great lunch at The Blue Gate Restaurant. I had Monterey chicken with baked apples and hush puppies. John had meatloaf with a baked potato and green beans. Both meals were delicious and way more than we usually eat at lunchtime.





Shipshewana is a city with lots of beautiful flower baskets and gardens in the downtown area. They provide a real feast for the eyes.











We also checked out Yoder's Meet and Cheese Market. Their products are interesting. We even bought fried pies home for dessert this weekend. I don't intend to try pickled asparagus, either plain for zesty, though.











I'll be sharing more sights from this area in the next few days. Waiting isn't bad when there is all this to explore.