Our northern visit meant Doctor's appointments. It seemed the two of us were visiting a doctor nearly every other day or two. Fortunately, all of our appointments were good and thankfully, all our tests were normal.
Once again our good friends Lee and Pam set aside their "campsite" for us to set-up camp. You may recall last year Lee and Pam became owners of a Super-Modified race car. Well, this year they were well into the "race mode" when we dropped in on them. They are working hard to adjust to the sheer time commitment of owning a race car. Weekend runs to the track, many out-of-state, and late nights preparing the car for the next race are the S.O.P.s for them. While we were there, they were testing a new motor.
This beauty puts out around 900 Horsepower!
The original engine puts out a mere 600 Horsepower!
It'll take a few more runs to "dial" in the motor and get used to its differences.
Here's how the new engine looks in the car...
Below you can see (in the rear) the old engine and the new one.
Pam works just as hard as Lee on making the car race ready.
Pam preps and cleans and signs-off on the trailer and race car for cleanliness before heading to the track.
Mind you, all of this attention to detail is under the watchful eyes of another "half-pint" member of their family..... "Mindy!"
Just in case you don't see the "eyes" here's a better picture for you....
Nothing gets by "Mindy!"
They literally squeeze the race car into the trailer and off they gooooooo.
The car ran well at the race. The motor ran strong but anytime you make a major change to a fine tuned race car there's an adjustment period for both the driver and crew to "dial" it in. We wish them luck as their first year of racing as owners comes to a close.
Topping off Lee and Pam's summer was a issue with their motorhome. Oil was being forced into their cooling system and on one trip they had to leave the motorhome for a service while on the road. They had to return home without it only to have to return to pick it up. The problem turned out to be much more complicated than originally diagnosed. On their return trip from another race their coach was overheating and once again, oil was getting into their coach's radiator. It's not a pretty site....
Above, looking at the rear of their coach, you can see the (gray) oil that was pushing out of the radiator cap and all over the rear engine "hood." They ended up trying to drive it to the Cummins Service Center in Concord, NH. It unfortunately began to overheat too much and had to be towed.
We'll find out how they made out and what the problem was and let you know later.
Working on their excavating business during the day and the race car by night didn't leave Lee and Pam much time for socializing. In bits and pieces, we got together to catch up with all we've been up to over the past year.
Pat and I had the opportunity to visit the horse barn where Ashley works part time while attending college. (Going for her Master's degree currently!) Both Pat and I were amazed with Ashley's ability to handle the horses she cares for...in addition to a feisty pigmy goat!
Ashley is truly one gifted young lady!
Beginning her semester at B.U. is one good reason Ashley needed to get her own transportation.
Ma and Pa (known to all of you as Angela and Bill) were kind enough to loan Ashley their car until she could get her own wheels.
Well that she did....
We all had to go with her to pick up her new (to her) 2002 Subaru. We wish her lots of safe and carefree driving.
She wasn't toooo excited!
Then, Bill and Angela and son Bill Jr., Pat and I enjoyed another very special time with Ashley....
we got to meet Ashley's beau, Eric.
He is a wonderful young man and passed the "family test" with flying colors.
We'd like to thank Bill and Angela's son Bill Jr. for taking our photo.
Pat and I headed a little further north to Sunapee, NH for a weekend with our friends George and Judy. They've renovated the kitchen of their northern home and are getting it ready as a comfortable retirement home.
The highlight for me was to do some star gazing with Georges new Celestron 8" Schmidt Cassegrain telescope. George works nights and has had little, if any, time to take in some observing. In short, we managed to do some star testing but the night sky was not very helpful so we had an early night. However, all indications are that he has one outstanding optical instrument.
The next day George and I set out in his MB Kompressor to Camping World to check out his son's new travel trailer....
Good luck Mike and Candice!
While we were there we just couldn't pass up looking at a couple of other units...
George really liked this little beauty!
.... and a personal favorite of mine....
One of the great things about the northern states in the summer is the great weather and feeding the humming birds!
From there we headed to the home of our cousins Maryanne and Matt. We enjoyed a terrific time with our Aunt Ruthie, and their families, Angela and Bob, Rick and Pat, Bill and Angela and their daughter Dawn, her son Cody and Ashley. Maryanne and Matt's son Matt Jr. and daughter Amy dropped in as well.
We also got to enjoy celebrating Pat's birthday....
Above, Ashley presents Pat with her very own candle to blow out!
We had a great time and visited with our very special Aunt Ruth.
We enjoyed visiting with everyone and Ashley dropped in on us for one last farewell before beginning our southern trek.
The time flew by and we had a planned stop over in Hamburg, PA so we could drive into Intercourse, PA early the next day... to pick up "Lilly!"
Our stop over was in the parking lot of Cabela's
Cabela's is a great stop over and we enjoyed an early morning light breakfast when they opened the doors and then headed out to pick up our two-plus pound pet that will change our daily routine literally overnight!
I'm sure "Lilly" will have much more to tell you!
All right all you "snowbirds," its time to start packing and planning your routes south.
It's the first day of Fall and October is days away! So, come on down!
