Camp Project Completed

Week three wraps up our Timberlake Ranch Camp project commitment. We worked on painting one of the lake front cabins then moved to one of the staff homes to prepare it for occupancy next week. The men installed LED ceiling lights in the basement living area, attached a stair rail and carpeted one of the bedrooms. The women painted exterior doors on 3 cabins and another 3 exterior doors on the Front Street building. We had a great team; we so enjoyed working together as well as having fun during our down-time. We marvel at how quickly our hearts are knit together with each RVICS team!

In anticipation of our departure from Nebraska, I scheduled an appointment at the Grand Island Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM dealership to have the truck's oil and filter changed. While there, they rotated the tires and checked an engine trouble light we were getting on the dash. During the service, they also did an overall examination of the brakes and found that we still have about 50% of our brake pads. I'm thinking about getting the brqkes and tires replaced before we travel to Alaska. The jury is still out on that one.

Wednesday morning started with a little excitment. Christina, our newest RVICS team member injured her right hand and needed some first aid. I got to use my medical kit from the truck to bandage her up. Steve and Karen drove her to the local ER. She had a 4 cm gash on the heel of her hand that required 9 stitches to close up. Fortunately she is feeling much better and is on the mend.

That evening we were treated to a "thank you" dinner put on by the camp staff at one of their homes off campus in Central City. We gathered at 5:30 PM with the other volunteer team from SOWERS and enjoyed a Mexican themed buffet. We sat around with the staff and shared stories about everything from our spiritual journeys to life as an RV nomad.

With Thursday afternoon free, Karen and I started prepping for our departure on Friday morning. We drove into Central City to top-off the diesel fuel and get more DEF, picked up more cash from the ATM and stopped for the last time at the local Dairy Queen, of course. We got back to camp and prepared dinner; barbecued Tri-Tip steaks with a baked potato and broccoli. With the weather in the high 70's, we finally had a nice evening to eat outside.

We are hoping to get back on the road by 10AM so we can arrive early in the afternoon at our next Harvest Host destination. Wahlmeier Farms Vineyard is a family-owned vineyard and winery that opened in November 2020. They feature a Western-style barn that contains their processing and tasting room, located off the beaten path with a 3.5-acre vineyard. They make and sell several styles of wines, as well as jams and jellies.

The farm is located in Jennings, Kansas about 207 miles from Timberlake Ranch Camp. With a stop to eat lunch, we will need about four to five hours for traveling time. Our goal is to arrive before 3 PM, if posible.

Jennings is a small town with a population of 78 (2022) and was laid out in 1888. It was named for Warren Jennings, a landowner and was located on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad lines. Jennings was a popular area for Czech immigrants to settle and start their farms.

We'll post again once we reach our Sunday destination at FamCamp located at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado next week.