I think this year the posts will have a movie theme.  The first movie that popped into my mind when I wrote Nine Days in Wisconsin was Seven Years in Tibet.   I really enjoyed that movie for many reasons.  First off, a young Brad Pitt is not hard to look at in this movie.  Brad’s character changes so much from who he was to who he becomes it is interesting to watch.  The contrast between watching the POW learn from the peacefulness of the Dali Lama gave me hope that peace can prevail.  After the ten days of cleaning and packing which produced so much stress before we came on this trip, we have just spent nine days in WI and a peace has come over us.  

We left IL a week ago Tuesday, today is Wednesday and tomorrow we will be in MN.   It was so hot the day we left IL I was physically sick, vomiting from the heat.   I did not drive at all that day and it took a while once we arrived and the a/c cooled down the RV before I felt better.  We were at Devil’s Lake State Park in Baraboo, WI.  We had been there before and it has beautiful rock formations and nice trails.  The second day, we did walk to the beach and Ernie did well.  It was a little less than 2 miles round trip and at the end he was dragging but when the RV was in site, he got a burst of energy and made it back.  After a few doggie treats he was completely revived and then slept the rest of the day.  It was very crowded there.  Every space was filled and there was some kind of revival going on across the road from us.  There were about 40 people, some climbing trees, some tossing around balls and one man in a suit and tie.  We didn’t know what to make of him.   And lots of women and children, not a lot of younger men.  After our three days I was glad to move on.

From there we moved to Lake Wissota State Park, we had also been there before.  The weather was cooler and we didn’t need the a/c and Jerry was sleeping with a large wool blanket at night, I was warm just looking at him.   Since I had not driven at all on the first leg, I started to drive the second leg.   When I started the RV, it made a grinding noise and I thought it was odd, but the other driver did not.  We had been gone three days by now so we needed to stop for snacks.   There were no potato chips, tortilla chips or saved shows to watch since there had been no internet, and I needed to work, so we stopped at Walmart, known for free internet.   I went in and resupplied the snacks and Jerry downloaded some shows to watch.   I made us some lunch and then I started working.  I was not done working, so Jerry drove and I worked while we were driving, there is surprisingly good internet while driving on highways.   When Jerry started the RV, the noise was now noticeable even to him.    We got to the campground about 4 pm and pulled up to the water fill up.  After the tank was filled Jerry started the engine and it would not turn over.  After about fifteen minutes we knew we needed help.  It is Friday afternoon coming on 4:30 in Chippewa Falls in perfect weather, and we have limited internet and those we find are not answering their phone.   I decided to walk back to the park office and ask if they know of any mechanics, they do not.  I explained about not having internet and the ranger very nicely allows me to join the office internet, however, it only services the immediate office area.  It is now about 4:45 and I find someone and tell them what happened, it is a commercial truck service and because it is considered after hours just to come out to check it is $1,000.   I DID NOT MISTYPE THAT.   Before they will even come out, I have to send my driver’s license and credit card to the office and they immediately charge me.  Those cards are in my purse in the RV.   I walk over and retrieve the cards and walk back to the office to send the information along with the VIN and a picture of the license plate.  Then he asks me to check some gauges on the RV.  Jerry’s phone has no service at the RV so you guessed it I walk back over, get the information and walk back to the office area to send the pictures of the gauges.  Dave, the man at the truck center says he will send out a mechanic and he should be there in about 40 minutes.  Back I go to the RV, 10,000 steps was easy as pie that day.  In the meantime, while we are waiting, read blocking the only water fill station on a beautiful Friday afternoon, I am practicing conflict resolution with many irate campers.  Around 6:00 the mechanic arrives.  He takes a look and says it’s the battery.  The battery is not easily accessible in the RV; it is behind the radiator sandwiched under the dashboard.  He spent about 40 minutes looking at different ways to get to it.  He took off part of the dash and no luck, he crawled under the engine and no luck.  He is somewhat frustrated and says can he try to start the engine.  He looks at the dash as sees we have an emergency start button and pushes that and turns the key and the engine starts.  He suggests we leave it alone and depend on the emergency start until we can find someone who knows how to get to the battery.  I asked him if he needed me to sign anything and he says no it didn’t go over an hour and he used no parts.   Basically, he did nothing, no more than 10 minutes after he leaves, I receive an e-mail bill and a notification of a charge for $547 for 1 hours’ time and tax.  For this the internet works.  Total cost of doing nothing – $1,547 – remaining calm in the face of absurdity – priceless!   We did have a good stay at the park and Erine was a star.  We walked 4-5 miles each day and the weather was beautiful.

When it was time to leave, we did need to use the emergency start and we are finding if the engine is off for less than 2 hours it will start but longer no luck.  We are now at Namekagon Lake in the Chequamegon National Forest very close to the border of WI and MN.  It is amazing here.  It is not very crowded and the spaces are large and covered with many trees.  We are right on the lake.

There is something odd about this town.  At intersections there are signs that point directions to businesses as well as personal property.  At the end of each side street are signs with the names of who lives down the street.  We have walked down a lot of the streets and on the mailbox, people put their name, or maybe they have a fancy sign on their lawn with everyone’s name and one even had their name scrolled on the façade of their house.  Now maybe it just the New Yorker in me but this seems like a stalker’s paradise, you have to put very little effort into finding your victim, the county has done all the work for you.

For the last few days Ernie has been licking his leg and has created a sore.  This morning, we took him to the emergency vet and the appointment and supplies were $247.  Are you keeping count?  This RVing is a very expensive hobby.  Tomorrow we will be in Duluth and we are attending a Blues Festival there that ends on Sunday.  It has been a bit rainy today and I hope the weather will hold in MN.   From there we have a stop and will be making our way to Voyageurs National Park for a week.  Friday the house will be live on the market, timing will be everything the next month.  I hope to remain in the forest for as long as I can finding peace.