Search Results

The Alliance Paradigm fifth wheel features a pull-out storage compartment hidden behind the fireplace, providing convenient and discreet storage space. This innovative design allows owners to maximize space utilization while maintaining a clean and stylish living area. The storage compartment is designed for smooth operation, with a simple mechanism for opening and closing. Unfortunately, the Avenue model (which we have) doesn't have this feature despite a large empty space behind the heater. I discovered this space in our fifth wheel after removing the heater to access the wiring when upgrading our CD/radio. The problem was how to access this area in our rig without the drawer feature of the Paradigm. I started researching the possibility of adding a storage door to the outside of the trailer slide in order to access the space opposite the fireplace appliance. YouTube has been a great resource for many of the modifications I have made in the past, so it was the first place I turned to for information. After viewing a couple of videos it appeared to be a do-able project. My first step was to remove the fireplace appliance and move the electrical outlet mounted on the back wall to a more favorable location. A large wiring bundle for the TV, radio and speakers comes into that space and needed to be moved. I zip tied the loose wires and mounted the outlet to the shelf bottom above the fireplace appliance. The next step was a bit tricky. How far above the compartment floor would be the best place to cut the hole in the slide? After taking some measurements on the inside and outside of the space I determined the best location and door size. I wanted to be conservative with the size and opted for a 12 inch by 36 inch horizontal storage door which I ordered from Amazon. When the door arrived last week I inspected it and used the shipping container to cut out a cardboard template of the door. I marked the middle of the template and attached it to the inside of the fireplace slide wall compartment. This allowed me an opportunity to double check the location on either side of the future door opening. At this point I'm trying to think of what else I need to do before cutting through the trailer wall. I know that once I cut through that wall, I've "crossed the Rubicon". My first thought was to drill a small hole through the inside wall in the center of the mounted template. Once that was done I took the template to the outside and aligned it with the hole to level and mark the exterior wall for cutting. Everything looked good so I started cutting through the fiberglass siding with my Dewalt oscillating saw. No turning back now! The key to the process was moving slowly and letting the saw do the work through the exterior fiberglass, foam insulation layer and thin interior plywood backing. With the cutting completed I removed the cut out and clean up the edges for a test fit of the new storage door assembly. Voilà, a near perfect fit! Just a little more finish work needed to add some wood framing between the fiberglass and plywood to hold the door frame in with screws, some butyl tape to hold the insulation, and silicon caulk around the exterior edges. Mission accomplished! The new storage space will now hold all our E-bike accessories which we used to keep in the back seat of the truck in a large plastic box We now have an empty back seat! There's even room for our fishing gear in our new compartment..

Because there are no other RVICS couples at camp, Karen and I are teamed up to work the next three weeks together on our assignments. Adam, Cooperstown Bible Camp Director, needed some bunk bed safety rails built before the first campers arrive on June 16, so we started on Monday morning cutting 2x6x8 boards into the three component parts we would need to construct the attachment. I set up a jig to stop the 8 foot board at 18 inches before making my first cut. Slide the board over, cut again and the second support is cut. The remaining length is our 5 foot rail. The camp has a portable chop-saw I set up to cut the eight foot board into two 18 inch supports and one 5 foot rail. After cutting the rails, Karen used an electric router to trim all the edges and round them off. I adjusted the chop-saw to cut a 45º angle on the top and bottom ends on the outside of the vertical support. These also would be routered so all the edges were rounded smooth. Following the cutting and routering of all the pieces, Karen began the process of using an orbital sander to smooth over all the surfaces before the assembly would begin. Karen is really enjoying working with all the new tools. She was initially reticent but after a brief demo she was all in. While Karen is sanding the component parts I started the assembly of the bunk bed rails for 36 upper bunks. With the bunk bed rails assembled, Karen began applying a wood sealer to protect the wood. All of this has been accomplished in the first three days of our first week in camp. Adam, the Camp Director, is thrilled with the progress we're making. Because the camp's insurance carrier has required these rails on the upper bunks before campers arrive, this is an important deadline and it is our priority project.. We work from 9:00 until lunch at 12:30. The camp staff is doing training and another organization, Children's Evangelism Fellowship (CEF), is also using the camp facilities while we are here. That means the camp's kitchen is providing meals for everyone including us, saving on our meal prep. At 1:30 we return to our job site and continue until 4:00. A six hour work day for both of us and we feel it by the time we get back to the trailer. A shower and a nap before dinner has become my routine the last three days. Thursday, June 12 was installation day for the new bunk bed safety railings. We were able to finish 3 and a half girl's cabins and one of the two boys cabins before running out of the dry, completed rail assemblies. Karen and I would align the rails after I measured their location on the top bunk. We used clamps to hold them on the frame and checked the height. Once the rails were ready for mounting Karen would drill the pilot holes and I would follow up with the wood screw fasteners. The installation process was completed in about three hours. We still have nine more rails to install next Monday. They are in the cargo trailer drying over the weekend. All in all, this was a productive and successful first week of camp in the books!

We are currently at Cooperstown Bible Camp, an RVICS project. This camp was originally founded because of a burden the Saron Evangelical Free Church and its pastor, the Rev. Ludvig R. Lunde, had for sharing the good news of the Gospel with others whom the church members were not reaching through their church services. Having experienced the saving power of the Gospel in their midst, the members wanted to share it with others around them. The Saron Church had its beginning on March 7, 1895 when the need for a church home for their growing families was realized. The name chosen was Sarons Frimenighed, which was later changed to Saron Evangelical Free Church. Twenty-two members were received into this fellowship. Rev. Lunde purchased a truck and had a body built suitable to carry and seat several people and a small organ. One side of the truck could be folded out and used as a platform, from which services were conducted in neighboring towns and farmsteads. This venture led Pastor Lunde and the people to see the need for providing further Bible study, in order that people might be rooted and grounded in the Word. In a subsequent trade, Rev. Lunde acquired a large tent, in which to hold public services. A small tract of land, used at that time for a picnic area by local groups, was purchased and became the present Bible camp property. In the spring of 1925, the planks from the local lumber yard were used for seats. Gasoline lanterns hung from the center tent-supporting poles. A smaller tent was erected where ice cream and pop were sold. With these preparations, the first Cooperstown Bible Camp service was held on June 21, 1925. A total of 37 Evangelical Free churches form the foundation of the association and actively supply the members to serve on the camp board. The pastors of these churches are actively involved in the camp program and growth. For the next 3 weeks, we are working with Adam Glombowski, Executive Director and Alicia Glombowski, C3 Store and Office Manager of Cooperstown Bible Camp until June 24. Karen and I are the only RVICS team members on campus. Monday, June 9 is our first day of scheduled work and we are going to be constructing 36 upper bunk bed side rails required by the camp's insurance carrier. Adam has all the raw materials available on site so come Monday morning we will start the project. This camp is located southeast of Cooperstown, a city in Griggs County, North Dakota. It is the county seat of Griggs County. The population was 983 at the 2020 census. Cooperstown was founded in 1882. The city is named for R. C. Cooper, a bonanza farmer who built the first wood-frame house in the area in 1880. Prior to Cooper's arrival, most settlers or the era lived in sod houses, covered wagons, tents, or log cabins (especially near the Sheyenne River where trees were numerous). Cooperstown was laid out on October 26, 1882, soon before the railroad was extended to that point.

We spent the next four days at two different Army Corps of Engineers facilities in Minnesota. With our National Parks Pass we get 50% off the fees, so it is a great deal. Our first campsite at Sandy Lake in McGregor, Minnesota is only $13 per night. The Sandy Lake Dam and Recreation Area is situated at the outlet of Big Sandy Lake in northern Minnesota, 13 miles north of McGregor, MN. The dam is part of the Mississippi Headwaters Project, one of the first reservoir systems in the country, and the Sandy Lake Dam structure dates back to 1895. Today the grounds have been developed into a park and campground that is noted for its clean, family-friendly environment and access to fishing and boating on both the lake and nearby Mississippi River. It offers the only public campground and beach on Big Sandy Lake. The area is also a part of the historic canoe route that connected the Mississippi River to Lake Superior and major fur trading companies. Artifacts from the area's long history are kept in a small museum located near the dam. This beautiful, well maintained park has mature trees, large grassy sites with picnic table, fire pit, and paved level landing pads. Our site#2 has 50 amp electric, no sewer or water and backs up to the river next to the dam. There is a potable water fill station and a dump station along with friendly, helpful camp hosts. Fishing access, boat launch and docks, volleyball net and horseshoe pits are available. No WiFi but we have a good AT&T signal for our hotspot connectivity. This is our home for the weekend before continuing west towards our next camp project in North Dakota. A Bald Eagle nest was spotted on the upper loop of the campground; a vigilant parent keeping watch over the young one. This campground also has a complimentary washer and dryer available so Karen took advantage of the free laundry facilities while we're here. Saturday's dinner tonight was grilled pork tenderloin on our portable barbecue. On Monday, June 2 we arrived at Gull Lake Recreation Area which offers something for everyone with boating, hiking, fishing and swimming at Minnesota's famous Gull Lake, the largest of the 10 lakes on the Gull Chain of Lakes. Visitors have the opportunity to see and hear an abundance of watchable wildlife like bald eagles, white-tailed deer, river otters, a variety of songbirds, and the legendary call of the loon. The campground sits on the Gull River at the outlet of Gull Lake. The area was formed by a receding glacier that moved southward from Canada and carved the landscape. Gull Lake is one of the six Mississippi Headwaters Projects of the Mississippi River Watershed operated by The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Our campsite #23 is tucked in the back of the campground. With our National Park pass we paid only $16 per night.. The campground is known for its well-spaced wooded sites, each with 50 or 30 amp electric hookup service, picnic tables, campfire rings, and a centrally located shower-house. A water fill and dump station is located near the entrance to the campground. This side of the park holds two canoe launches, a paved shoreline fishing platform, fish cleaning station, self-guided information booth, playground, a flush toilet restroom, and a handful of picnic tables and grills. Across the dam is the Ranger Office, boat ramp, vault toilet, and swimming beach on the lake. Volleyball nets, basketball hoop, horseshoe pits, and two more playgrounds are also perks of this side of the park. This campground is near Brainerd, Minnesota. Brainerd is a city and the county seat of Crow Wing County, Minnesota.. Its population was 14,395 at the 2020 census. Brainerd straddles the Mississippi River several miles upstream from its confluence with the Crow Wing River, having been founded as a site for a railroad crossing above the confluence. Due to the many lakes in the area, Brainerd is a popular summertime destination for those owning cabins in the area, better known as the Brainerd Lakes .

I joined the U.S.Navy during August 1972 and headed for Bootcamp in Orlando, Florida in January 1973 for basic training. It was there I met a young recruit from Minnesota named Paul Clasen. He and I, along with two other new recruits who were also Ocean Systems Technicians, were assigned to Company 030. Over the next nine weeks we worked through Basic Training and graduated together. From there we proceeded to Fleet Sonar School in Key West, Florida for "A" school to learn our military occupational specialty (MOS). After "A" school, I received my orders to Naval Facility (NAVFAC) Adak, Alaska. Paul was headed for NAVFAC Midway Island and the other two Ocean System Technicians (OT's) were ordered to Barbers Point, Hawaii. Over the last 50 plus years, Paul and I have kept in touch and during our travels this year Karen and I made plans to meet up with Paul and his wife Cynthia at their beach house in Herbster, Wisconsin. On Tuesday, May 27, we were on our way to the Clasen's on the south shore of Lake Superior for a three day visit. The trip to their home was complicated by a trailer tire issue that added another three hours on the original two and a half hour journey. We were on a 2 lane state highway in Michigan when this happened: The valve stem on the passenger rear side started to fail and our TPMS picked up the leak. Unfortunately I wasn't able to pull off the road quickly enough to save the tire. Insult to injury: we had a leaking valve stem on the spare! So I disconnected the truck from the trailer and drove both tires into town about 10 miles up the road. Got the spare fixed and drove back to the trailer to re-install the spare. Fortunately, we were able to get the tire issue resolved and arrived around 4:30 PM at the Clasens home in Herbster. We parked the rig in their gravel driveway and hooked up to 30 Amp service they have on the property. We've spent our time together catching up on our life stories, hiking the lakeshore, playing games and eating. Paul and Cynthia are avid Pickle Ball players, so we had them introduce us to the sport. We played mixed doubles and had some great fun and fellowship. Karen and I are sold on the idea of learning to play more often; I think some Pickle Ball equipment is in our future. Thursday evening we drove back into Washburn, WI with Paul & Cynthia to have dinner at the Fat Radish restaurant. I ordered Dan’s Boo-Yah a dish made of rich wine + citrus broth + vegetables + salmon + shrimp + New Zealand mussels + house salad + crostini which was delicious! According to Wikipedia, "Booyah (also spelled booya, bouja, boulyaw, or bouyou) is a thick stew, believed to have originated in Belgium, and brought to northeastern Wisconsin by Walloons (people who speak a French dialect and live in southern & eastern Belgium). It is now made throughout the Upper Midwestern United States. Booyah can require up to two days with multiple cooks to prepare. It is cooked in specially designed "booyah kettles" and usually meant to serve hundreds or even thousands of people." "The term "booyah" may be a variant of "bouillon". It is thought to have derived from the Walloon language words for "boil" (bouillir) and "broth" (bouillon). The spelling with an H has been attributed to phonetic spelling by Wallonian immigrants from Belgium. The Dictionary of American Regional English attributes the term to French Canadian immigrants; others attribute it to a derivation from the Provençal seafood dish bouillabaisse." Karen, Paul and Cynthia ordered the Lake Superior Whitefish Piccata (a lemon-butter-caper sauce) and served with Israeli couscous or on a bed of fresh herb & roasted red pepper quinoa along with asparagus. We all had delicious meals! After dinner we did some grocery shopping for the trailer. Friday afternoon we ventured back into Cornucopia for lunch and also purchased some frozen Lake Whitefish fillets. On Saturday we will say goodbye and head to Duluth, Minnesota for an appointment at the Discount Tire store to replace our blown trailer tire and switch out the spare on the trailer before continuing to Sandy Lake Corps of Engineers Park in Mcgregor, Minnesota.

Our Bay Furnace Campground site was our home for one night after our Pictured Rock boat tour. We continued driving west towards the Wisconsin border along the southern shore of Lake Superior. From Christmas, Michigan we passed through the citiy of Marquette and two villages named Ishpeming and Michigamme. We discovered an interesting stop on this route. A place to visit if you're ever in this part of the UP Northwest Michigan is " Lakenenland" . The "Lakenenland" is a scrap metal sculpture art park that is located on M-28 east of Marquette. It is free to the public and allows visitors to either drive through or walk around the park. Created by Tom Lakenen, the Detroit Free Press called Lakenenland "The coolest unofficial roadside rest stop in the state." The 37 acre park includes a Sculpture Trail, a winding road through the woods featuring more than 100 of Tom's whimsical, colorful and sometimes "tell it like it is" Metal Art sculptures showcasing his tremendous talent for turning junk metal and scrap iron into awe inspiring, entertaining works of art. There are all sorts of various sculptures made out of scrap metal.  There is also an old mine and old mining equipment set up inside the park. We eventually arrived at our unscheduled, overnight campground at the L'Anse Township Park. We were in site 5 which is a large site with power and a great view of the bay. The price was only $35. The park is situated on a sloping hillside which offers a beautiful view of Lake Superior and Keweenaw Bay.  Historically, this campground is the site of the first trading post and the original townsite of L’Anse.       We left L'Anse Park around 11 AM on Memorial Day and arrived too early to check-in at Porcupine Mountains - Union Bay Modern Campground near Ontonagon, MI so we opted to pull over by the lake and wait until 2 PM. We had a lovely spot for lunch on the shores of Lake Superior. We even had enough room to put out both slides and after lunch I took a nap! The Union Bay Campground is the park’s only modern campground offering electrical service, a modern toilet building, a sanitation station, boat launch, camp store and more. In many sites, you can hear waves crashing along the rocky shoreline of Union Bay, off Lake Superior. Several of the campsites are located along the shore. A sandy beach is located within walking distance along M-107. There are a variety of campsite sizes; some are ideal for tents or smaller campers, while others can accommodate larger RVs. . Our only negative are the Buffalo Gnats, also known as Black Flies. Our site #47 is away from the water's edge up against the tree line. It is HUGE, two to three times the regular RV size in width and depth. We will be here for the next two days. Karen and I have enjoyed this extended stay in the upper peninsula of Michigan. We're considering returning to the UP in the Autumn another year to see some of the same places when the colors start changing. It's not nearly as popular with tourists as New England, but there are some amazing fall colors here without the crowds! On Tuesday morning, May 27 we drove out to the Lake of the Clouds Trail and the Summit Trail. Spectacular scenery to behold in the late Spring, but imagine this place as the leaves start changing colors around September/October. The Lake of the Clouds is situated in a valley between two ridges in the Porcupine Mountains.[2] Surrounded by virgin wilderness and stunning vistas, the lake is a popular destination for hikers, campers, and fishermen. The lake is a prominent feature of the park, and can be viewed at the Lake of the Clouds Overlook at the west terminus of the former Michigan highway M-107. Lake of the Clouds is about 1 mile long, but according to the park signage at the start of the 0.5 mile trail to the viewing site, averages only 15 feet deep.

We've been moving every day short distances to visit some of the iconic sights of the UP. The weather has been colder than usual for this time of year, but we've only had periodic, light rain to partly cloudy long days. Sunrise is around 6 AM with a 9:30 PM sunset. Plenty of daylight for traveling and sightseeing adventures. Thursday, May 22 - Tahquamenon Falls State Park, Rivermouth Pines Campgrounds The Rivermouth Pines Campground is located along the Tahquamenon River and features sunset river views; this was our home for one night after visiting Whitefish Point. The "Root Beer" waterfalls aptly described by our friend Jay True from Holland, Michigan due to the color and the foam. The centerpiece of Tahquamenon Falls State Park's nearly 50,000 acres is the Tahquamenon River with its waterfalls viewable from multiple accessible overlooks. The Upper Falls, one of the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi River, has a drop of nearly 50 feet, is more than 200 feet across and has a maximum water flow of more than 50,000 gallons per second. The river’s amber color is caused by tannins leached from the cedar, spruce and hemlock trees in the swamps drained by the river, and the extremely soft water churned by the action of the falls causes the river’s trademark large amounts of foam. We enjoyed a brisk walk to see the falls and then dinner afterwards at the Tahquamenon Falls Brewery and Pub. The brewery's rustic decor, stone fireplace, and wildlife art create a pleasant and enjoyable atmosphere. I had a smoked Whitefish salad with a bowl of cheddar cheese soup and Karen tried the grilled Whitefish filet. Both entrees were unique, tasty and satisfying. Friday, May 23 - Muskallonge Lake State Park It only took an hour and 15 minutes to drive to Muskallonge Lake State Park which is located 28 miles northwest of Newberry in Luce County. This 217-acre park is situated between the shores of Lake Superior and Muskallonge Lake and the area is well known for its forests, lakes and streams. Muskallonge Lake State Park was the former site of Deer Park, a lumbering town in the late 1880s, and prior to its lumbering history, a Native American encampment. Muskallonge Lake was a mill pond for millions of white pine logs that were brought in by railroad lines. By 1900, the virgin stands of pines were depleted, the mill was closed and the lumbering operation moved away. All that remains as evidence of the lumbering community are piles of sawdust and a few partly submerged pine logs in the lake. The park was also the old site of a Coast Guard Life Saving Station. Our campsite was quite large and convienently located across from a brand new restroom/shower facility. The highlight here was The Uglyfish Baking Company, According to their advertising, "We're a micro-bakery operating out of 1974 Airstream Argosy. We serve baked goods, coffee, espresso, ice cream cones, shakes and malts, and more. We also have a hot dog cart on site offering brats, Polish, jumbo dogs, and Italian sausage. Additionally, we have a small gift shop in a 1961 Arrow LIttle Chief camper. Our hours are 'Open to Close, Vacation Days as Needed.' In the summer, this means that we are open seven days a week, barring doctor's appointments or emergencies. We open at 8 AM. We are open until at least 6 PM and often later. Look for the open sign in the front window of the Airstream!" We stopped by and picked up two orange/cranberry muffins, one cinnamon roll and one Reese's peanut butter cookie. Saturday, May 24 - Bay Furnace Campground The campground is located in Christmas, Michigan near Munising on the south shores of Lake Superior, near Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. It offers multiple reservable single sites for tent and RV camping. Additional campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Each site is equipped with a table and campfire ring with a grill. Accessible vault toilets and drinking water are provided. This is a view of our $12 a night, first come, first served U.S. Forest Service campsite. No hook ups here, so we are using our LiFePO4 battery (400 A Hr) system for everything needed We got to the campground early enough to get set up before driving back into Munising to take a 3 PM boat tour out to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. We boarded our boat, the Miss Superior, for the 32 mile round trip, 2 1/2 hour tour. The Miss Superior , our ride out to the Pictured Rocks, and her sister boat the Grand Island tied up behind her. The brown is iron, the green is copper with black bands of magnesium streaked with the white of calcium. Our sister vessel, Grand Island slipped into a small cove between the cliffs for a close look around. This solitary tree grows on this weathered, rocky column supported by a root that is still connected to the shore across a chasm. See the people standing on the other side to the left? The rock formations and colors are otherworldly. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Munising, Michigan, is known for its iconic sandstone cliffs that stretch along Lake Superior. These cliffs, which range from 50 to 200 feet tall, are colorful due to mineral stains from iron, magnesium, calcium and copper to create a striking visual spectacle. The cliffs have also been sculpted into various formations, including caves, arches, turrets, and natural features like Miners Castle and Chapel Rock .  The natural weather elements of the lake have transformed these dramatic multicolored cliffs and unique sandstone formations with the forces of blowing wind, crashing waves, freezing rain and ice making them a beautiful sight to behold . Expansive beaches, hiking trails, and seasonal waterfalls made the trip complete.

The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum is located at Michigan’s Whitefish Point Light-Station. It is approximately 1.5 hours drive from the Mackinac Bridge. The museum features exhibits of shipwreck artifacts, artwork, shipwreck models and lifelike mannequins. They offer a series of maritime history programs featured throughout the season. Admission includes the Shipwreck Museum Gallery, self-guided tour of the restored 1861 Lightkeeper’s Quarters, the 1923 Lifeboat Station Surfboat House and 1923 USCG Motor Lifeboat House, which houses the Motor Lifeboat CG 36381. The bell of the famous steamer Edmund Fitzgerald is also on display and serves as a memorial to her crew in the Shipwreck Museum Gallery. The present light tower was constructed in 1861 during Abraham Lincoln’s administration. Whitefish Point marks the eastern end of a notorious 80-mile stretch of shoreline from there west to Munising, Michigan, known ominously as Lake Superior’s Shipwreck Coast. Of the 550 known major shipwrecks lying on the bottom of the lake, at least 200 of them are in the vicinity of Whitefish Point. The primary causes of shipwrecks here are bad weather and collisions; the 1975 loss of the steamer Edmund Fitzgerald with her entire crew of 29 has become a world-wide legend. The wreck of the Fitzgerald lies just 15 miles northwest of Whitefish Point. The SS Edmund Fitzgerald was a bulk carrier that sank in Lake Superior on November 10, 1975 during a severe storm, resulting in the loss of all 29 crew members. The ship, the largest on the Great Lakes at the time, was carrying taconite ore pellets and was named after a Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company chairman. The sinking of the Fitzgerald has become a legendary Great Lakes disaster, immortalized in song by Gordon Lightfoot .   Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald Music and lyrics ©1976 by Gordon Lightfoot The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down of the big lake they called "Gitche Gumee." The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead when the skies of November turn gloomy. With a load of iron ore twenty-six thousand tons more than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty, that good ship and true was a bone to be chewed when the "Gales o f November" came early. The ship was the pride of the American side coming back from some mill in Wisconsin. As the big freighters go, it was bigger than most with a crew and good captain well seasoned, concluding some terms with a couple of steel firms when they left fully loaded for Cleveland. And later that night when the ship's bell rang, could it be the north wind they'd been feelin'? The wind in the wires made a tattle-tale sound and a wave broke over the railing. And ev'ry man knew, as the captain did too 'twas the witch of November come stealin'. The dawn came late and the breakfast had to wait when the Gales of November came slashin'. When afternoon came it was freezin' rain in the face of a hurricane west wind. When suppertime came the old cook came on deck Sayin' "Fellas, it's too rough t'feed ya." At seven P.M. a main hatchway caved in; he said, (**2010 lyric change: At 7 p.m., it grew dark, it was then he said,) "Fellas, it's bin good t'know ya!" The captain wired in he had water comin' in and the good ship and crew was in peril. And later that night when his lights went outta sight came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Does any one know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours? The searchers all say they'd have made Whitefish Bay if they'd put fifteen more miles behind 'er. They might have split up or they might have capsized; they may have broke deep and took water. And all that remains is the faces and the names of the wives and the sons and the daughters. Lake Huron rolls, Superior sings in the rooms of her ice-water mansion. Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams; the islands and bays are for sportsmen. And farther below Lake Ontario takes in what Lake Erie can send her, And the iron boats go as the mariners all know with the Gales of November remembered. In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed, (**Lyric change: "musty" changed to "rustic") in the "Maritime Sailors' Cathedral." The church bell chimed 'til it rang twenty-nine times for each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald. The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down of the big lake they call "Gitche Gumee." "Superior," they said, "never gives up her dead when the gales of November come early!" Song: Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald The Light Station was operated exclusively by the U.S. Lighthouse Service from 1849 until 1923, when the U.S. Coast Guard established a Lifeboat Rescue Station here. The Lighthouse Service merged with the Coast Guard in 1939; the Coast Guard closed the Lifeboat Station in 1951, and took all personnel from the site in 1970. The exhibits were extensive and beautifully displayed. The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society owns and operates the professional underwater research vessel  R.V. David Boyd.  This 47-foot survey vessel is equipped with twin 692 Detroit Diesels and a Phantom S4 Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicle (ROV) capable of diving to depths of 1,400 feet. The Boyd is also equipped with the latest Marine Sonics Dual Frequency SideScan Sonar ,  digital underwater imaging equipment, digital interface surface recording technology, and navigational gear. The  David Boyd  carries a crew of at least three experienced seamen. The  Boyd’s  primary mission is to research and document historic shipwrecks of Lake Superior. The  Boyd  also assists federal, state, and local law enforcement or environmental agencies as required.  The vessel and crew have successfully participated in numerous search and recovery missions. The museum included many of the salvaged relics recovered by the GLSHS research team. This site was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, but there was no money for restoration. In 1980, Whitefish Township approached the fledging Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society for assistance in preserving this important property. The Society obtained a License from the Coast Guard in 1983 to commence museum operations; opened the first exhibits in 1985; and opened the present Shipwreck Museum Building in 1987. This is the interior of the White Fish Station Boat House where USCG Type TR Motor Lifeboat CG 36381 is on display along with a 15 minute video on the salvage of the Fitzgerald's bell. Whitefish Point is located at the extreme southeastern end of Lake Superior. It is a critical turning point for all vessel traffic entering and leaving this largest of all the Great Lakes. The Whitefish Point Light Station was established by Congress in 1849; since then, a life-saving beacon has illuminated these dangerous waters for mariners continuously. Today, the Whitefish Point Light is the oldest operating lighthouse on Lake Superior. With more than 200 shipwrecks lying in the immediate vicinity, the area is known as Lake Superior’s Shipwreck Coast. "Superior," they said, "never gives up her dead when the gales of November come early!"

One of the many cargo ships transiting the Great Lakes route just offshore of Aune Osborn Campground. Our campground was just below the Soo Locks on the St. Marys River. We are staying at the Aune-Osborn Campground right on St. Marys River in Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan. Across the river is Canada but we have no plans to cross over the border. There is plenty to see and do on the US side. Got in about 2 PM and set up at our campsite for the next two days then drove into the downtown area to get an ice cream and check out the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer Lock System. The Soo Locks, located on the St. Marys River, allow freighters to navigate between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence Seaway, and international markets. This essential transportation link moves nearly 86 million tons of cargo annually, including 95% of the United States’ iron ore. Before the Soo Locks were built, the St. Marys River at Sault Ste. Marie was characterized by a series of treacherous rapids and a 21-foot drop between Lake Superior and Lake Huron . This made it difficult for larger vessels to navigate.  The locks operate by raising and lowering boats the 21 feet between the levels of Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes using a series of gates and chambers. Water and boats are moved solely by the force of gravity. The Soo Locks date back to the mid-1800s and are a popular tourist destination, attracting an estimated 500,000 visitors annually. Entering the MacArthur Lock MUNTGRACHT is a General cargo vessel built in 2012 by ZHEJIANG OUHUA SHIPBUILDING - ZHOUSHAN, CHINA. Currently sailing under the flag of Netherlands; its gross tonnage is 9524 tons. We got to the facility in time to see the MacArthur Lock raise a Dutch-flag vessel up to the Lake Superior level from the viewing platform adjacent to the lock. The lockage process itself takes about 15-20 minutes, and a vessel's passage through the St. Mary's River system can take around 9 hours.  It costs nothing for freighters to pass through the Soo Locks. The United States Army Corps of Engineers, which owns and maintains the locks, provides free passage. This has been the case since the Corps took over the locks in 1881. The locks are funded by tax dollars.  21 feet higher than where she started. Now just waiting for the gates to open before proceeding on to lake Superior. Our metered parking for the truck had almost expired, so we didn't get a chance to explore the Soo lock Visitors Center. That would have to wait until tomorrow. We returned back to the RV park for dinner. While we are in camp we periodically will hear the sound of an approaching ship's horn as it transits the river.. The next day on the way into town we stopped to visit the Tower of History. Rising 210 feet above Sault Ste. Marie, the Tower of History gives visitors a 360 degree view of the entire Sault area from the Sault Locks and the St. Marys River to the Canadian wilderness.  An express elevator whisks you up the equivalent of 21 stories to the top for a panoramic view of up to 1,200 square miles, including the Sault Locks, the St. Marys River, and the Canadian wilderness. The Tower of History was built in 1968 by the Catholic Church as the Shrine of the Missionaries. The Shrine was meant to be part of a larger complex that would have featured exhibits about the early Missionaries such as Bishop Baraga. A community center and a new Church were also planned. The Church later cut the project in favor of other endeavors, and the Shrine of the Missionaries was donated to the Sault Historic Sites in 1980. It has been operated as the Tower of History ever since. This is the view down river towards our RV campground. The long building next to the river is a the Saint Marys Falls Hydro Power plant. From this vantage point we could some of the notable sites of the city. The Saint Marys Falls Hydropower Plant (also known as the Edison Sault Power Plant , Michigan Lake Superior Hydroelectric Power Plant , and the Cloverland Electric Cooperative Power House) is an 18-MW hydroelectric generating plan. The Soo hydropower plant was built to contain 74 generators under a single roof. This was done under the constraints of the Classical style , by building an industrial structure of 1,340 feet in length parallel to the St. Marys River and facing the structure with masonry . The sandstone facing of the power station was chiseled out of blocks pulled from the Edison Sault Power Canal , the feeder canal that chutes water to the plant. President William Howard Taft visited the plant in 1911. The power canal and hydroelectric plant were together named a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1983. The black hulled ship docked off the river is the Valley Camp Ship Museum. We didn't visit this museum on this trip. Built in 1917 and retired in 1966, the Museum Ship Valley Camp is 550 feet in length and now features a variety of displays. More than 100 exhibits populate the ship’s cargo hold. What once held coal, iron ore, and limestone is now home to displays showcasing maritime memories, shipwrecks, lighthouses, and local history. We instead decided to return to the Soo Lock site and see the Visitors Center exhibits. Exhibits include the history of the locks, the engineering ingenuity behind them, and their vital role in Great Lakes shipping and the U.S. economy . With freighter fans in mind, the visitors' center includes a Soo Locks viewing platform and its dedicated park rangers maintain a display of the day's ship schedule. Karen and I agree with Trip Advisor rating the Soo Locks as a #1 out of 34 of things to do in Saute Sainte Marie.

We departed Jackson for Holland located on the "mitten's" western shores adjacent to Lake Michigan. We arrived at the Ottawa County Fairgrounds and found only one other rig in the RV campground. We had stayed here three years ago on May 28, 2022 for two nights and visited our friends Jay and Elaine True, who are now living in Holland, as well as our good friends Nancy and Richard Swain who were living in Michigan at that time. This time around we arrived a little earlier in the month hoping to see the tulip blooms throughout the city. We caught the tulips on the tail end of the blooming season and also experienced some nasty weather on the evening of our arrival Thursday, May 15. We experienced wind gusts of 80-mph and heavy rain whipped across the county fairgrounds while we hunkered down as the shore power went out. There was actually a tornado warning that came through on the emergency broadcast system which said to go to the nearest storm shelter. This was unnerving, but we stayed put and survived with no issues. Phew! Fortunately we had our batteries in the RV to power everything and the storm only lasted an hour. After the rain stopped I went out to turn off the 50A breaker for the night and we went to bed. The top half of this large tree, near the mobile home of the campground host, fortunately missed their home during the storm. This tree uprooted just east of our location in the campground, was blown over then knocked down two other trees in the storm. In the morning, we went outside to survey the damage around the RV campground. I was amazed at the number of downed trees either completely uprooted or snapped halfway up. One of the larger trees on the perimeter of the fairground fence fell onto the neighboring road partially blocking Post Street. We had some minor branches fall around our rig but suffered no damage from the storm. I checked the power pedestal for our site and we had power again. Thank you God for your protection! On Friday morning, May 16 we joined Jay and Elaine True for a late breakfast at a Dutch-based bakery/restaurant called deBoer Bakkerij North just down the road from our campground. We had a great visit and much of the conversation centered around the unseasonable thunderstorm that hit the area. Later that same day we had dinner with a couple we met while traveling in Alaska. Gary and Mickey Vander Veen own an Alliance Avenue RV like our rig so we connected as fellow "Allys". After meeting them last summer, it was fun to catch up with them in their hometown; they graciously invited us to their home and we had a wonderful meal as we got caught up on life. In between visits I had a chance to start the kitchen Island cabinet modification after multiple trips to Lowe's for a hinge jig and the proper hinge type. The doors needed to be cut down and new hinge mounting holes drilled. I got a good start and took my time thinking it through but needed another day to complete the project at our next camping venue. Saturday morning, May 17 we left Holland and headed to Custer, Michigan about 96 miles north near Lundington. We booked a Harvest Host and found out that we would be their first guests. We planned on two nights at the TwoSprings Farm. After arriving and setting up we ventured into Lundington to do a recon and picked up some information about the vehicle ferry that travels across Lake Michigan to Manitowac, Wisconsin. The trip takes four hours and they can accommodate our truck/RV if we decide to ever make the crossing. This information is good to have in our back pocket for future trips to the area. Sunday morning we attended Trinity Church, an EV Free congregation, in the morning then returned back to the farm so I could get to work finishing the island cabinet project. After a few hours of fitting and adjusting I got the door in just right...hallelujah! We had a great stay at TwoSprings Farm with our welcoming hosts, Tim and Gabrielle! They had plenty of room to accomodate our large rig in the beautiful countryside. Our hosts graciously invited us to their home and served us a delicious dinner as we shared life stories. From the farm, it was an easy drive to the larger town of Ludington, MI. We recommend large rigs approach this farm property using the driveway opposite the red barn. On Monday, May 19 we continued north to Friske Orchards and Farm Market in Ellsworth, Michigan. This picturesque Harvest Host location features orchard scenery, incredible eats and treats, an expansive selection of Michigan made products. We visited this multi-generation family farm destination and took advantage of the famous scratch bakery and brick oven pizza. We ordered the "John Deere' and another specialty pizza with asparagus and pesto. Visit their Facebook page for more information at https://www.facebook.com/FriskeFarmMarket . We stayed one night before leaving on Tuesday for the UP. That's Upper Peninsula for all you non-yoopers out there! Our destination was Sault-Ste-Marie on the Saint Mary River which separates the US from Canada. The Aune-Osborn Campground is right on the shipping channel south of the famous Army Corps of Engineers Soo Locks. We are planning on spending a week exploring the UP so stay tuned for more adventures about this unique part of the Great Lakes region.

With our new refrigerator installed in the RV we finally got on the Ohio Turnpike section of Interstate 80. We decided to take this toll road because the surface is in much better shape...at least until we reached the MIchigan state line. Oh my...their highways make Ohio look pretty good! We bypassed Ann Arbor and proceeded to Jackson, Michigan to mooch dock on Alan and Pat Willis' 2 acre property. They have 30 A electrical that I used while we visited. We provided some beautiful Ribeye steaks from Costco that we needed to eat. Alan did the barbecuing on his back deck and we finished the evening with a trip to "The Parlour" in town for an ice cream sundae. On Wednesday, May 14 we made plans to drive to Battle Creek, Michigan for lunch at Clara's on the River. And after lunch it was going to be off to the MOO-ville Creamery in Nashville Michigan. But first, I needed to spend the morning working on some needed improvements following our refrigerator upgrade. Three new projects were created for me after the installation of our new appliance. They are the following: 1) We gave up the bottom drawer under the old absorption refrigerator, so I had to construct some additional storage shelves in the pantry to make up for the lost storage space. 2) We now had a unfinished space above the new refrigerator. I wanted to use the removed bottom drawer cabinet face and materials I saved to create a more finished look above the refrigerator similar to the narrow flat storage cabinet above our microwave. 3) And finally, this was the most ambitious of the "honey do's" on the list; resize the cabinet doors under the kitchen sink of the island that faced the new freezer drawer. We discovered that they would not allow the kitchen slide to retract into the trailer without touching. So I needed remove the doors from the island cabinet, resize them to fit inside the cabinet opening face and replace the hinge hardware to accommodate the modification. I worked on the first item while we were in East Harbor, Ohio before we got the new refrigerator, so that was already completed. Item two was completed at the Willis' property on Wednesday morning by noon. I had to cut down the cabinet face of the drawer to match. Our afternoon trip to Battle Creek took about an hour driving time. Battle Creek is famous for being the "Cereal City" due to its strong association with the cereal industry and the invention of Kellogg's Corn Flakes . Our destination in Battle Creek was Clara's on the River which is located in the old Michigan Central Railroad Depot. The Depot was built in 1888 to support the growing transportation needs of Battle Creek and the U.S. Army training center at Fort Custer. It was heavily used by soldiers departing for overseas duty in World War I and World War II. A walk through Clara’s on the River is a walk through the history of Battle Creek. The two signed Bradley Hubbard brass lanterns hanging in the foyer were part of the Depot’s original decor. In the foyer you will also find a glass display case, which holds many of the first cereal boxes ever printed in Battle Creek. After lunch it was off to MOO-ville a short drive north of Battle Creek. Alan told us that we had to visit this very unique place on earth and I'm glad we had a chance to experience it. MOO-ville Creamery is family owned and operated. "We milk 200 cows with robots in Nashville, Michigan. We believe in producing high quality Milk and process it as little as possible. We bottle our own milk, make ouf own ice cream, cheese, and butter, all under the MOO-ville logo. We welcome you to visit us where you can see how our Holsteins are cared for. We DO NOT use growth hormones." This creamery produces a milk product called "Cream line". It is described like this: Cream line milk is simply milk that is allowed to be milk. Like the milk found on most store shelves, cream line milk is pasteurized. We do not, however, homogenize our milk. Homogenization is, in short, the process by which the cream (or fat content) in the milk is permanently mixed into the body of the milk, eliminating the separation - or cream line - that is characteristic of fresh-from-the-farm milk. The process of homogenization uses very high pressure to break down the fat molecules into particles so small that they can be dissolved into the rest of the milk. They lose buoyancy and thus, the cream never rises to the top of homogenized milk. We believe that homogenization diminishes the flavor and decreases many of the health benefits of milk. Studies have shown that when fat molecules are forcibly broken up by mechanical means, an enzyme called Xanthine Oxidase is released and allowed to penetrate the intestinal wall. Once it gets through the intestinal wall, Xanthine Oxidase gets into the bloodstream and is capable of creating scar damage to the heart and arteries, which may in turn cause the body to release cholesterol into the blood as a means of protecting the scarred areas with fatty tissue. This can lead to Arteriosclerosis. When un-homogenized milk is consumed, Xanthine Oxidase is normally excreted from the body without much absorption. Our milk is also free of controversial growth hormones including rBST*, and is free of animal byproducts. Cows were meant to eat plants not animals, thus the food they eat here contains no animal byproducts. We ended our self-guided tour of the milking barn with a purchase of their signature ice cream. I also purchased some of the A2A2 whole milk to try out. Both items purchased were yummy! It was great to spend more time getting to know Alan and Pat, seeing their home and touring around the area where they live in Michigan. We will definitely be back to visit again. Thanks for the hospitality and we'll see you again next year at our RVICS project in Texas!

We drove on Monday, May 5 from the Harvest Host in Finleyville north to Erie, Pennsylvania to visit our friends and fellow Alaska traveling companions Sean and Kathy Earley. They have a new home in Summit Township, outside Erie, PA. Sean and Kathy grew up in this area and jokingly refer to their hometown as the "mistake on the lake" or "dreary Erie" due t0 the frequent gloomy weather. This Spring has been unusally cool, but despite the dreary and unpredictable weather during our visit we had a great time reconnecting and hanging out for a few days. This is the Earley's new home in Summit Township next to an old schoolhouse Kathy's brother purchased and converted into an apartment complex for retired folks. Across the street from their home is the old school's maintenance building that was converted into one more apartment and four storage garages. The Earley's park their Alliance here and provided us a place to "mooch dock". Here's a local weather factoid: during the Winter months Erie, Pennsylvania is known for receiving heavy lake-effect snow, particularly from neighboring Lake Erie. This is due to the lake's shallow depth and the cold air moving over the relatively warm lake water, leading to increased moisture and snowfall. Lake-effect snow events can produce very heavy snowfall rates, sometimes exceeding several inches per hour, and can accumulate significant snow totals in a single event. We did our share of sightseeing while at the Earley's with Sean as our driver and tour guide. Our first day was out to Presque Isle State Park, Pennsylvania’s only “seashore.” Presque Isle offers its visitors a beautiful coastline where the neck of the peninsula is attached to the mainland four miles west of downtown Erie. The park creates Presque Isle Bay, a wide and deep harbor for the city of Erie. Misery Bay and Perry Monument History During the War of 1812, Little Bay was the temporary home of the fleet of ships commanded by Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry. Six of his eleven vessels were built in Erie at the mouth of Cascade Creek. The shores and waters of Presque Isle protected the fleet during construction. On September 10, 1813, during the Battle of Lake Erie, Commodore Perry and his men defeated the British at Put-in-Bay, near Sandusky, Ohio. Perry’s first flagship, the Lawrence, was heavily damaged during the battle, requiring him to transfer his flag to the brig Niagara. He then re-engaged and defeated the British fleet using the Niagara as his flagship. After the battle, Perry and his men returned to Little Bay and Presque Isle Bay to repair their fleet and seek medical treatment for the wounded. They stayed in the protection of the bay because of threats of another British uprising. During the winters of 1812-1814, many of Perry’s crew suffered from poor living conditions and the harsh winters. As legend has it, many of the crew died and their bodies were buried in the adjacent pond known as Graveyard Pond. In remembrance of their hardships during those winters, Little Bay was renamed Misery Bay by the surviving sailors. The hull of the Lawrence, then eventually the Niagara, was sunk in Misery Bay to preserve and protect them from the weather. The Lawrence was raised during 1875, but was destroyed by fire in Philadelphia during the Centennial Exhibition of 1876. The Niagara was raised during 1912 and rebuilt for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Lake Erie in 1913. A replica of the Niagara sails from its dock at the Erie Maritime Museum. The Perry Monument on Crystal Point was built in 1926 to commemorate this significant battle during the War of 1812 and the valor of the sailors in Perry’s Command. In addition to going out to eat, we also shared meals in their new home. One of our days together we visited the Pennsylvania wine country and sampled some great wines from this region. We tasted at two wineries; Mazza's and South Shore Wine Company, also owned by the Mazza family. At South Shore we tasted in their 19th century cellar, home to an effervescent collection of bubbly bottles produced in traditional, contemporary, and experimental methods, alongside standout emerging varietals and lightheartedly sweeter selections. At about 42º latitude this region grows different varietals and makes different blends than we are familiar with in California, but we tasted some lovely wines and purchased a few bottles for our home on wheels. The Mazza family restored the 19th century facility and its impressive Civil-War-era stone cavern. Our four day visit ended on Thursday, May 8 and we returned to the road beginning our travels heading west from Erie, back through Ohio and landing at East Harbor State Park. We arrived at our campsite C53 for our four day stay and during the set up Karen detected the odor of ammonia inside the RV. After doing some investigating and watching some YouTube videos, I determined we had a coolant leak in the condenser of our RV refrigerator. Unfortunately not a good problem to discover. RV absorption refrigerator failures, primarily due to cooling unit problems, often result from leaks, overheating, or corrosion, leading to a loss of cooling and potentially dangerous ammonia leaks . These failures can be caused by the RV being off-level, external factors like high temperatures, or internal corrosion of the tubing. A strong ammonia smell or yellow residue, along with a lack of cooling, are key indicators of a failed cooling unit.  That yellow powder below the heating unit is ammonia precipitate, the cooling refrigerant in an absorption-type RV refrigerator. This meant our unit was kaput and would need to be replaced. This whole issue was discovered late on Friday afternoon, of course, so we would have to wait until Monday to get the actual work done. Instead of having fun exploring Sandusky, Ohio and the surrounding area we spent the four days finding a mobile RV technician, shopping for a refrigerator replacement, removing the old refrigerator and installing the new one. We purchased a cooler to store our food and replenished the ice daily to keep our food cold. Long story short, we purchased a residential refrigerator for one quarter of the price of a new absorption refrigerator. Because of our solar system and LiFePO4 battery system upgrade I installed after we purchased our trailer, we have plenty of battery power to run the new appliance without shore power. Saturday morning, after talking with a local RV mobile technician, was spent shopping for a replacement refrigerator. Rather than replacing with another absorption refrigerator in the neighborhood of a $6000 expense, we decided to convert to a residential instead. We found some residential size refrigerators that would fit, but still hadn't found one that Karen liked. By 3 PM in the afternoon, we decided to head for Cleveland to at least get in another baseball game. The Cleveland Guardians were playing the Phill ies at 6:30 PM at Progressive Field. Progressive Field is an urban ballpark in the truest sense, both architecturally and aesthetically, built within the physical boundaries of three main streets in downtown Cleveland It was Veterans Appreciation Day and I celebrated with a micro-brew, peanuts and my beautiful wife on this warm Saturday afternoon. On Sunday we attended a local church fellowship near East Harbor called "the Chapel", then continued our search for a new refrigerator. We found one that Karen liked and would fit our space with the least amount of modifications at Best Buy in Sandusky.. Our new residential refrigerator was found at the Sandusky Best Buy. This counter-depth unit's dimension would fit our trailer, but I would need to remove our bottom storage drawer to accommodate the new height. The problem we had to work around was it wouldn't be delivered to the store until Thursday and we had plans to leave for Michigan on Tuesday! Thankfully our salesperson was able to provide us a working option. If we would be willing to drive to the Richfield, Ohio Best Buy warehouse location, an hour away from the store, we could pick it up on Monday. Okay that will work. So Monday morning we drove the one and half hours from camp to pick up and deliver the refrigerator to the technician's shop in Norwalk, Ohio that afternoon. From there we returned to the campground, hooked up the rig a day earlier than scheduled and drove back to the technician's repair lot to start the removal and installation at 4:30 PM in the afternoon. It was a lot of driving and a long day of running around. Ryan, our technician, worked until 9:30 PM to get everything done. He worked on his day off so we'd be able to get back on the road Tuesday morning. He was gracious enough to let us mooch dock that night at his repair facility. We settled up the next morning and left for Michigan. This metal strip was located at the bottom of the refrigerator exhaust chimney near the heating elements. It got hot enough to melt the metal strip and posed a fire hazard if the safety switch breaker hadn't tripped the unit off when we turned it on. Here's my perspective on this whole event. Our old refrigerator lasted three and a half years with full-time use. These units were never designed for full-time use so we can't complain too much. We have an extended warranty for our RV that should cover all but $200 of the $5000 for the new appliance purchase plus technician expenses. We are still dealing with the warranty company but I'm hopeful we will get most of our money back less our $100 deductible. Bottom line, Karen is happy to have a new, larger, stainless steel refrigerator with a bottom freezer drawer and side-by-side pantry style doors above. We lost only a few food items to spoilage and kept our original travel schedule intact. No reservations in Michigan had to be canceled. We thank God for His provision!