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Old 05-30-2016, 07:41 PM   #1
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Ok who does this?


Here we are at the Michigan Welcome center on our way back home from Canada this weekend.
I love these places: I end up picking up a bunch of those little brochures and magazines about all the wonderful places you can visit (and we live in Michigan! LOL). We will typically go home with a pile of them looking for interesting places to visit or things to do. In the end I'm sure we go to less than 10% of them (and I'm being generous).

I'll even pick them up when we're not staying (like if we were driving through to FL and stopped in KY or TN at a rest area I'll be looking at them "Hey check this out!!" "come on, we have to go").

I'm not the only one right?? (After all if people didn't pick those up they wouldn't have them there...)

FYI It was this one. Its pretty new: A couple of years ago they rebuilt the freeways around the bridge to Canada and reconfigured how I-94, and I-69 join up there in Port Huron.

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Old 05-30-2016, 09:13 PM   #2
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I love to pick up the brochures. We have made trips just because of some of the ones we read. We look for reasons to travel and they give us good ideas. The only time we were in Michigan was on our way through Canada to visit Niagara Falls.

While we usually head south for gulf seafood, I'd like to pick up a few brochures and see what Michigan has to offer.

Phil
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Old 05-30-2016, 09:52 PM   #3
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Michigan does have a pretty good online travel resource at: Michigan's Official Travel and Tourism Site | Pure Michigan
You can also download/view the Michigan travel guide "book" here: Michigan Travel Ideas and Guides | Pure Michigan
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Old 05-30-2016, 10:44 PM   #4
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I even pick up ones I already have. Fortunately DW doesn't know where I keep them or they would be gone.
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Old 05-30-2016, 11:18 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by JamieGeek View Post
Michigan does have a pretty good online travel resource at: Michigan's Official Travel and Tourism Site | Pure Michigan
You can also download/view the Michigan travel guide "book" here: Michigan Travel Ideas and Guides | Pure Michigan
If you've been there, what's your thought on visiting Mackinac Island? Is it worth the trip?
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Old 05-30-2016, 11:31 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by Chance
If you've been there, what's your thought on visiting Mackinac Island? Is it worth the trip?
Been there many times. Its cool to visit the fort and The Grand Hotel. The town is very touristy with lots of food shops, etc. Outside of the little town is all parks. You can rent (or bring over on the ferry) bikes and bike around the whole island. There is a lot to do on the island. (If you didn't know: No cars on the island, just construction and emergency vehicles only. Thus your only mode of transport is walking, biking, horses, or buggy's pulled by horses.)

In the summer the vast majority of the staff of the many hotels, restaurants, etc. are college students. When the last boat for the mainland leaves there are a few bars that cater to the kids.

If you do plan to visit staying on the island is the best way to go since you get to see a lot more. One year we stayed in a little quaint motel type place called Hart's Inn. It was a really cool way to see the island. Hart's only has 8 rooms and I think my family booked 6 of them. It was a lot of fun. Of course there are other resorts and hotels on the island as well.

Hart's Inn courtyard and a few of the rooms:


If you don't want to stay on the island there are several campgrounds in Mackinaw city. Including a KOA (we've never stayed at that one) and Mackinaw Mill Creek. We've been to Mill Creek a few times. It is a very large and very busy campground catering to families.

Mackinaw City is also worth a stop to wander around and look. There is another Fort there, a few lighthouses and more tourist shops as well as the Ferry docks to get to the island.

Fort Mackinac on the island:
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Old 05-31-2016, 02:57 AM   #7
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Been there many times. Its cool to visit the fort and The Grand Hotel. The town is very touristy with lots of food shops, etc. Outside of the little town is all parks. You can rent (or bring over on the ferry) bikes and bike around the whole island. There is a lot to do on the island. (If you didn't know: No cars on the island, just construction and emergency vehicles only. Thus your only mode of transport is walking, biking, horses, or buggy's pulled by horses.)

....cut....
Thanks Jamie. It's been on our list of places to visit for some time but just haven't gotten to that area when the weather is nice. The no-car restrictions is one of the main reasons we want to visit. Cycling can't get much better than not having cars on the roads.

A couple of questions if you don't mind. When is best time of year to visit? We don't have school schedule restrictions, but prefer it not be too cold. And where do you leave the motorhome if staying overnight? Is ferry parking available, and is it safe for RVs to stay overnight unattended?
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Old 05-31-2016, 11:46 AM   #8
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Originally Posted by Chance
A couple of questions if you don't mind. When is best time of year to visit? We don't have school schedule restrictions, but prefer it not be too cold. And where do you leave the motorhome if staying overnight? Is ferry parking available, and is it safe for RVs to stay overnight unattended?
Mackinac Island has its own Visitor's guide website: https://www.mackinacisland.org/
The "book" guide is here: INSIDEMACKINAC.COM

Good questions:
  • Shepler's Ferry has overnight secured parking. Looks like you have to call them to make arrangements if you're planning on parking an RV there (when we stayed overnight we left the camper at home).
  • The other ferry The Star Line doesn't look like it offers secured parking.
  • In Michigan school lets out mid-June and doesn't start back up after Labor Day. Thus before mid-June and after Labor Day are good bets (you could have a good time after Labor Day hanging around in the Northern Lower-Peninsula around Petoskey or Traverse City looking at fall colors too)
  • We've gone in July and August and it wasn't too crowded. It isn't like an amusement park where people are packed in..just stay away from holidays. During the week it isn't as bad as weekends
  • Also have to keep in mind its an island; thus you get cool winds coming off the water--the interior of the island does get a bit warm. Still; its northern Michigan so you're likely not going to see 90 at all.
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Old 05-31-2016, 03:38 PM   #9
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I used to do it. Still do on rare occasion, but have found that after a quick flip through they float around in the way till we toss them out. I just find that so much more info can be found using google, and there's just not that much in most of these brochures.
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Old 06-01-2016, 12:59 AM   #10
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We stop at interstate welcome centers when it fits our travel schedule. Yes, we walk out with a few brochures if we'll be in that state for awhile. With aps like Tripadvisor, All-Stays, RVParky, Waze, and GMaps, we don't rely on them like we did in days past. The workers there are still good sources of information.

We had a great day a Mackinac Island last summer, and would recommend it highly. We stayed at Tiki RV campground in St. Ignace. It was basic, but all we needed.
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Old 06-01-2016, 02:40 AM   #11
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Jamie...yes, we do that...and by all means pickup a new State map...even though we have a Garmin and Google Maps. We are OLD SCHOOL and love to have those maps and brochures.

We are in Cortez Colorado tonight..our 3rd night out in the new 24.1 !
No problems..(other than the well documented January prob)...
Everyone might check the knobs/dials on the dash for the Ford a/c & vent fans...we could not get ours to adjust this morning...I pulled one off the device and found the plastic was brittle and had broken where it encases the adjustment/fan control...all 3 of them ! Will contact Thor warranty when we return. If that is all we have a problem with...we are good !

We came across southern Colorado today...LaVita Pass 9450' and Wolf Creek Pass 10500' approx...he handled her gently...we are close to 3000 miles on her now and she is running like a top. The smart transmission in this E450 is awesome in the mountains, even tho you must get used to how it operates on an extreme grade.
WE LOVE OUR AXIS 24.1 !!

and...just for chuckles...who said this coach couldn't get good gas mileage !!
downhill on Wolf Creek Pass !!!
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Cortez/Mesa Verde KOA, Colorado
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Old 06-01-2016, 07:59 AM   #12
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Kay,

Glad you are having a great trip.

Yep one of our plastic knobs fell off and I noted it had been broken earlier (before purchase) then just super-glued together and put back on.

The first picture above, what program/app is that coming from?

Safe Travels.

Doc
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Old 06-03-2016, 01:52 AM   #13
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Kay,

Glad you are having a great trip.

Yep one of our plastic knobs fell off and I noted it had been broken earlier (before purchase) then just super-glued together and put back on.

The first picture above, what program/app is that coming from?

Safe Travels.

Doc
Hey Doc ! I think your idea of super gluing those knobs is a good idea.
We did save all the parts n pieces (3) !!! ugh !
One more, rather amusing thing happened...I was really excited to use the shower..since we all had made such a to do about THE ARC !
I complained to Ron that I didn't have hardly any hot water. He checked the hot water tank..and found when he de-winterized the coach, he forgot to turn the knob to fill the hot water tank...it barely had a trickle coming into it.
Lesson...re-learned !!

I will post more photos when we get in an area with phone service or I can download from my camera....like tonight !!!

That is a FREE iphone app named Photo Collage. I like it best for this type application as it is easy and straight forward.

I just re-read your post...you meant the photo of the Diagnostic...
It is the app which came with our OBD ...it came with a free app..just basics.. and we paid an add'l $15 for the complete app.
We, actually, did average a little over 10mpg in Utah n AZ yesterday !
K
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Old 06-03-2016, 02:33 AM   #14
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Kay,

Thanks for the info on the OBD.

Doc
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Old 06-03-2016, 11:37 AM   #15
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For OBD Apps you may want to try Forscan it has information specific to Fords. It can pull more data out of the vehicle than your standard OBDII software can (which usually is limited to about 32 items).

Forscan knows about all the modules in the vehicle (in the case of our Axis that is about 3 LOL--my old Focus Electric had close to 20 modules; haven't checked the C-Max but I'm sure its close to 20 as well).

(I have no links to Forscan other than a happy user.)
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Old 06-03-2016, 02:24 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by JamieGeek View Post
For OBD Apps you may want to try Forscan it has information specific to Fords. It can pull more data out of the vehicle than your standard OBDII software can (which usually is limited to about 32 items).

Forscan knows about all the modules in the vehicle (in the case of our Axis that is about 3 LOL--my old Focus Electric had close to 20 modules; haven't checked the C-Max but I'm sure its close to 20 as well).

(I have no links to Forscan other than a happy user.)
Thankyou Jamie ! We might check into that.
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Old 06-03-2016, 02:36 PM   #17
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I've been using "DashCmd" for my OBD app on my iPhone. I like it's graphics.
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Old 06-03-2016, 07:06 PM   #18
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Ok who does this?

What is OBD and how do you connect the app to it?
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Old 06-03-2016, 07:11 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by mrsempeel
What is OBD?
OBD stands for "On Board Diagnostics". Since the late 80s or so car's have been equipped with a plug, readily accessible below the steering column, that a diagnostic computer can be plugged in to read information (data, trouble codes, etc.) about the car.

The current plug, labeled as OBD-II, has been there since the mid-90's or so and exposes several vehicle networks. There is one common one that all OBD-II Scanners can interact with (regardless of manufacturer) and there are others that are manufacturer specific.

You can purchase OBD-II scanners at almost any auto parts shop these days, and little OBD-II adapters that can talk to your smartphone--which is what we've been talking about above.
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Old 06-04-2016, 02:14 AM   #20
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Originally Posted by JamieGeek View Post
OBD stands for "On Board Diagnostics". Since the late 80s or so car's have been equipped with a plug, readily accessible below the steering column, that a diagnostic computer can be plugged in to read information (data, trouble codes, etc.) about the car.

The current plug, labeled as OBD-II, has been there since the mid-90's or so and exposes several vehicle networks. There is one common one that all OBD-II Scanners can interact with (regardless of manufacturer) and there are others that are manufacturer specific.

You can purchase OBD-II scanners at almost any auto parts shop these days, and little OBD-II adapters that can talk to your smartphone--which is what we've been talking about above.
Jamie...I will check into Forescan when we get home...our software monitors alot of the codes, but not all..and states the Ford specific codes not monitored.

K
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