***The Southgate Corner is an Amish Market that serves as a Harvest Host*** location.

GST Season IV - Chapter 7

Mardi Gras to Maine

“Changing the Game at the Crossroads of America”

There comes a time on every journey to course correct, replenish provisions, and mend the vessel. Indiana and its reputation as the center for recreational vehicles would become our ideal harbor.

In the two years that we have been on the road, we have accumulated enough miles to cross America a half dozen times. With that use comes the wear and tear of any storm, earthquake, or 56-58 MPH steady wind!

In 2022, during the National Rally for Grand Design RV’s, our fifth wheel trailer was evaluated and approved for some frame upgrades and scheduled for the install in the Spring of 2023. That is how our current course to Maine took us through Elkhart. The circumstance of our travel required us to rent a storage locker nearby in order to secure our motorcycles, E-bikes, and non-essential belongings and that provided us an opportunity to evaluate what was “essential.” 😂 Our repair was to take 3 weeks, so we used that time to explore options for more sustainable living conditions and traveling comfort while we continue on. After many phone calls and hours of deep dives on YouTube, we elected for a MORryde cushioned Pin Box and LiFePO4 (Lithium) Battery upgrade to Battle Born.

Now, to inform the reader of Pin Box Basics.. Our “Home” fully loaded, has a rolling weight of 18,000 pounds 😳 (equally distributed of course) but transferred through one point of contact: a Pin of approximately 2” in circumference and 3” long. Much faith and trust is placed in a fragment of metal that insures the $150,000.00 worth of belongings to which it is the Lynchpin! The upgraded cushioned Pin Box provides a shock absorbing platform between the behemoth and its tow vehicle. Our first 700 miles proved its value with unsurpassed ride and control.

The greater and more expensive solution that we sought was the battery upgrade. This is where the game was changed. Battle Born has established itself as the leader in lithium phosphate batteries for the RV community. The “Game Changer” GC3 upped the ante! With our solar array in place and functioning well, we simply needed the vessel to store the energy we are able to harvest from the sun. With a newly installed battery monitor we can now see our capacity, use, and charging in real time. This change will allow us to stay off grid in more locations as we move back towards the West 😎 but first, we head to Virginia on our way to Maine because we are...

“Changing the Game at the Crossroads of America.”

Thanks for reading along!

Travel safe and we will see you on the road.

John and Caroline 🍀

Points of Interest:

1. Hike: The Indiana Dunes national Park.

2. The 1933 Chicago World's Fair Century of Progress Homes is within the Indiana Dunes park and worth the brief stop.

3. Continue on to New Buffalo, Michigan for a stop along the shore of Lake Michigan where on a clear day you can see the Chicago skyline.

4. Tour the RV and MH Hall of Fame for a walk through RV and camping history.

5. Tour any RV manufacturing: We took the tour of the laminating plant for Grand Design, the Imagine RV for Grand Design, as well as a tour of MORryde manufacturing. There are several options for tours in the area.

6. Janus Motorcycle manufacturing in Goshen will gladly share their motorcycle skills and artistry with all that stop in for a visit.

7. Das Essenhaus in Middlebury is thee place for wonderful Amish fare.

8. Shipshewana is alive with horse and carriages and some iconic country scenery. (See video below:)

Scenic Motorcycle Routes:

1. Ride the backroads of Indiana to Lake Michigan. Take any path (avoid the toll roads when possible) and head to Lake Michigan. Any small town along the lakeshore will be worth the stop as Lake Michigan is beautiful from any vantage point.

2. Our motorcycle ride out in to the Amish Country and Shipshewana is beyond any travel we have experienced. The properties, horses, and people are to be admired.

3. Elkhart, Indiana encompasses 90% of RV manufacturing for the U.S. We took the time to tour the RV and Motorhome Hall of Fame, MORryde Suspension and Manufacturing, Grand Design Manufacturing, JC Refridgeration for a lithium battery install, and the Janus Motorcycle Shop in Goshen.

The RV Capital of the World is in Elkhart, Indiana.

RV Location:

Elkhart Campground

25608 County Rd 4

Elkhart, Indiana 46514

574-264-2914

*This campground has been family owned for over 30 years. Bob and his family have a large RV location that most often has open sites for drop in travelers. Call ahead to confirm. It is not fancy but does have laundry, a seasonal pool, mini-golf, playground, and enough space for a decent daily walk.

Harvest Host:

Southgate Corner

27751 County Rd 26

Elkhart, Indiana 46517

*A very easy in and out location. We enjoyed a quiet night, paved, flat parking in the back parking area. (See main photo)

Our final story of our stay in Indiana. Thanks for watching! 🍀

Elkhart, Indiana