Nappanee, Indiana

Our motorhome was made in Nappanee, Indiana, at the Newmar plant in 2004.  Dean made appointments to get a leaky window worked on at this plant.  They have a RV parking area with full hookups and an overflow area with just electric, all for free.  We stayed in the full hookup area for 9 days.  There were some beautiful rigs that were parked in the RV lot, waiting for service.  We felt like the grandparents of all these newer rigs.  

The Newmar plant  is located next to Amish Acres, an old farm converted to museum, theater, shops, all about the Amish.  I went over on the first day and signed us up for the thresher lunch and the matinee play 'Plain and Fancy". The food was very good and the play very entertaining.

On Sunday we drove to the RV Hall of fame in Elkhart.  It was interesting.  There were historic old recreational vehicles which we enjoyed poking around in.

After the RV Hall of Fame we stopped at Linton's Gardens which is a large nursery plus walking areas and shops.

We never tired of seeing the Amish in there horse drawn carriages.  Also, many were on bicycles.

In the area was a Quilt Gardens driving tour.  The quilt gardens were beautifully landscaped gardens with colorful flowers.  This one was in Nappannee.

On Memorial Day we went to the parade in Nappannee.  The parade consisted of veterans, fire engines, one band, motorcycles, and lots of locals.

On Tuesday,  we had to get up early for our 6 am appointment.  We loaded up Chica and took off for Shipshewana and the biggest flea market in the state.  It reminded us of a nicer, cleaner Quartzsite.  We had lunch at Goshen, which was our least favorite town since there was a lot of traffic and road construction.  When we got back we were told that the rig needed one more day so the next morning we were up very early again for a 6 am pickup.  We walked around the town, went for breakfast, shopped and then came back to the plant and waited for the rig to be finished, which it was that afternoon. 

On Thursday we took a tour of the plant and then I went back to Amish Acres for the farm tour.  I learned a lot about the Amish during this tour.  We rode around on a wagon and then did a tour of the house and outside cooking areas.

This old Tom turkey wanted to join the tour.

On Friday, we took the rig of to have a new cabinet installed in the dining area.  I Love my new cabinet.

Since I broke the handle to our washer/dryer,  we drove to Elkhart to pick up a replacement.  We were so fortunate that Splendide had a distribution center close.

We returned to the Newmar free rv park and stayed until Sunday when we drove to Shipshewana to have new coils installed on the refrigerator.

Then we said goodbye to Indiana, drove into Michigan, stayed one night at fairgrounds in Charlotte, MI.  and drove into Ontario, Canada on our way to Niagara Falls.  Loved the Amish area of northern Indiana with the beautiful farms and horses.