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Springdale, Utah (May 15-19, 2009)
All you can say about this rally is that it was one of the greatest experiences you could have—this huge, magnificent woman known as Mother Nature wrapping her arms about you and creating, all sorts of different feelings and senses that each one of us individually owned.
Of course this Arizona Chapter took every advantage of this magnificent Zion Canyon area. When the last shuttle dropped us at our location, we returned to our camp and the chatter began. “Wow!” is all we can say here.
Many of our members then split off to do their own thing: hiking, biking and challenging the river that was so nicely placed in our campground. Some of us considered tubing; however, when the young man said we would have to wear helmets and body suits because the river was running a bit fast, needless to say you know how fussy we are about our attire and opted to go back to our shorts and t-shirts. Maybe next year.
You say culture? Does this chapter have culture or what! We then spent the evening listening to the Southwest Symphony playing Broadway favorites under the stars with a backdrop of red cliffs and mountains. It just doesn’t get any better.
I mentioned hiking. Well, we would like to give two of our members a big round of applause. Meg van Zyl and Jackie Allard took on one of the most difficult hikes in the park. It was eight miles total round trip. A walk in the park, you say? Oh, no! These ladies hiked up a 2,100-foot gain, approximately four miles high to reach Observation Point, which is so far up there they were able to look down on angels landing, which is a feat in itself!
Now, we didn’t stop at all this serious stuff. It was time to get goofy and, not wanting to let our chapter down, we moved on to a water balloon toss, which was a blast. But you really don’t think we stopped there! Oh, no! Next came a full-blown water balloon fight in which most everyone at the toss participated. One of our gutsy new members decided to toss water on one of our more prominent members and that member just got up and left. We were concerned that she perhaps had had more attention than she wanted, and we wondered if she would come back. But she did come back—walking across the park in complete diver equipment, from facemask to fins!
Needless to say, we had our wonderful potlucks and breakfast together, and we welcomed two new members.
Last, but of course not least, we want to thank our wonderful host Penny Kubla and her helper Sherri Wilson. We invite everyone to experience this rally next year. Zion is for all of us!—Marilyn Teresi
Lake Roosevelt, Arizona (April 22-28, 2009)
This was the second time Betty Tunstall hosted our rally at Lake Roosevelt. Betty is known for hosting very energetic rallies. As expected, no one was disappointed.
Registration day kicked off. Volunteers aplenty helped with that function and gave leis to all the ladies. That afternoon, we moved right into competitive games. Winners were announced at meet and greet that night and, with a nice selection of prizes, they had no problem picking something that just thrilled them.
Our members were allowed to sleep for a few hours, and then it was up and ready to go, starting with a wonderful bagel breakfast donated by Lynn Andrew. Of course there was an ulterior motive behind this donated breakfast. Yep, Lynn was there to push these ladies into the grueling activities to be performed next—fishing, kayaking, boating, quading or hiking. This is cruel and unjust punishment, what this woman expects of us; however, we keep performing for her.
That evening, at our meet and greet, we shared war stories and had a little libation. What a day! Betty, of course, had much more in store for us.
By the time Friday came along, we had had enough, and we ran away. Yep, we did whatever we wanted. Well, sort of. Sharon and Dee were available to take us out and show us around, Donna took us away on her quad, Lynn allowed some of us to go fishing with her, Dar volunteered to share her knowledge of kayaking and, yes, the woman in charge of energy (Betty and her pal Ruth) took some of us out on the pontoon. All in all, it was a fantastic day.
Later in the day—no rest for us very energetic women—park ranger Janet Lenon had a history lesson on the area and the lake waiting for us. We loved it.
Saturday found two new guests, Betty Woodward and Paula Jones, volunteering to teach the group about kayaking safety. Imagine that! Thanks, gals.
Carol Waymire was the very thrilled winner of the 50/50 Rubber Ducky Race. We hear she won $210. Later in the afternoon, Marge Rust presented the group with her adventures in Africa.
The winners of the week’s competitive games were announced by Sharon Dewey. They were Ann Matlock, Barbara Strong and Paula Noel.
Saturday night’s activities included an auction of items donated by M&M Miller, Darla Felsberg, Lynn Andrew, Jan Owen, Klondyke, Camping World and Betty Tunstall. The auctioneers were Sharon Dewey, Lynn Andrew and Pat Graves. The Piñata Hula Dance was the night’s perfect ending. Much thanks to Diane Apple for making and donating the piñata.
Sunday found everyone busy still—busy being the key word here—from breakfast time to evening with hiking to the upper cliff dwelling in the Tonto National Monument or other activities such as fishing, quading and pontooning. Everyone was exhausted that night and went to bed too early to see the constellations.
Betty Tunstall did a wonderful job keeping everyone involved, and we all look forward to her next rally whenever and wherever it may be.—Marilyn Teresi
Quartzsite, Arizona (January 15-20, 2009)
We woke up to cool, crisp mornings and watched the sun rise from behind the mountains and cast shadows across the desert floor as we gathered at the morning campfire with our coffee.
Days were spent with friends and new acquaintances enjoying the warm desert breeze under sunny, bright blue skies.
After spending the day exploring, treasure hunting, geocaching, playing ladder toss and horseshoes, shopping or just relaxing, we gathered for happy hour at the campfire and watched the spectacular desert sunset and the emergence of the stars, unspoiled by city light pollution.
Women who arrived at the campout early were rewarded with the incredible site of the full moon rising from behind the mountains. Those who got up early snapped pictures of the moon’s shadow as the sun began to rise, flooding the sky with brilliant color. Each night as the moon waned, the stars became brighter and appeared more numerous. This was the desert at it’s best!
It was another wonderful rally of RVing Women. Shopping the big tent and miles of flea market stalls, solving the puzzle that led to the treasure hunt clues, competing in the geocache poker run, exploring the surrounding desert, relaxing and visiting with other RVing Women—it was truly a Quartzsite happening!—Gin Richardson and Meg van Zyl
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Arizona DayTrippers is a chapter primarily for those RVW members who no longer own a rig or travel but want to stay active and in touch with their many RVW friends.
Winter 2008
The Arizona DayTrippers have been enjoying the beautiful winter season with monthly activities. In February, JoAnn Goldsmith led us as we carpooled to the Florence museum for a guided tour about the colorful history of early Arizona. Afterward we enjoyed lunch at a local restaurant.
In March, 13 of us went to see the Arizona State University women’s softball team finally pull off a 1-0 win over Creighton, Nebraska after 11 innings of play.
In April, we gathered for a BBQ dinner followed by an evening at the Centennial Observatory.
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Mossyrock, Washington (May 22-25, 2009)
Forty-six Cascadia Chapter rigs gathered on 45 sites at Harmony Lakeside RV Resort. This diverse set of vehicles contained an even more diverse set of individuals, including 60 to 70 people, countless dogs, several cats, and at least one bird. The resort is located on Mayfield Lake, which is actually part of the Cowlitz River made into a lake by a dam. Underneath the water are the remains of a town and of historic Indian villages. No one went diving to check out this piece of information.
The weather was perfect, warm and sunny from Thursday through Monday, for the first time in 30 years according to one of the residents.
Cascadia RVing Women took full advantage of our time in the woods. A few brought boats to try their hand at fishing, but no one bragged about any big catches.
Friday we kicked off the event with a delicious salad potluck, greeting old friends and welcoming a few new ones. With full stomachs we caught up on RVW business and reviewed the activities planned for the weekend. After the necessary break for dog walking, the poker players returned to the lodge for an evening of play.
We had a silent auction and live auction on Sunday afternoon and evening. This annual event provides funds for special Cascadia activities throughout the year. Donations came pouring in Sunday morning, and volunteers sorted and tagged them.
The crowd returned in the afternoon for silent bidding. Well, it wasn’t very silent because Cascadia women have too much fun to be quiet. When the silent auction closed, we moved to the playfield for an old fashioned, bring-your-own picnic. Folks feasted on everything from sandwiches and Coke to steak and wine. Some brought grills and tables, others brought a plate and a chair. Several large circles formed and stomachs were filled again.
After another round of dog walking, everyone returned to the lodge for the live auction. We had a well dressed group of supervisors—pointers, bookies, Ms Money Bags (treasurer Nancy), the Auctioneer (organizer Diane), and, of course, Vanna, the beautiful and fashionable assistant (Elaine). We had a wild evening of bidding that yielded over $3,000 to keep us rolling along until next year.
Another tradition of Memorial Day Weekend is the Cascadia Triathlon. Teams of two compete in three throwing events—Bocce Ball, Ladder Golf, and Hershoes. Hershoes is a new event this year and proved to be more difficult than either of the other two sports. It involves throwing a pair of high heeled shoes, one at a time, into a bucket on the stake of the horseshoe pit. Many hit the bucket, but very few actually got a shoe inside. Even fewer were able to hook the heel on the rim of the bucket for extra points. In fact, most of us scored zeroes in Hershoes.
Triathlon prizes were awarded at the Mexican fiesta potluck Saturday evening. The overall winners were The Twins, Kay and Shay. Second place went to the Twisted Sisters, Cheryl and Barbara. Coming in third were the Lazy Twosomes, Laurie and Christine. The prize for lowest score went to the Sheriff and Deputy, Barbara and Jan. The prize for best costume went to the Lazy Daisies, Diane and Nancy, the only team wearing costumes. The prize for best team name went to Barb and Jeanette, the Throws Like a Girl team.
After expending lots of energy on the triathlon, it was time for what we do best—eating. We had a Mexican fiesta with several pots of chili, lots of chips and a variety of salsas, crunchy salads and rich desserts.
Since it was Memorial Day, we took time to honor the veterans among us as well as mothers and grandmothers with children currently serving. Barbara led a moving yet informal ceremony where each veteran came forward and told us a bit about her service. All branches of service were represented. The group included career officers and enlisted women as well as those who served in the National Guard or Reserve. Occupations ranged from meteorologist to pediatric nurse to airplane mechanic to spook. We appreciate your service and honor your courage, especially those who blazed a trail for other women to follow.
Saturday evening was topped off with a dance, everything from line dancing to waltzes. Malka provided recorded music.
We christened three new rigs Monrday morning, said goodbye to friends, and headed on down the road.—Marne Parry
Lynden, Washington (Oct. 17-19, 2008)
Cascadia’s final event of the season was held at the Western Washington Fairgrounds. There were 59 people in 34 rigs. One new member, Donna Wiebe, joined the chapter.
Event captains Barbara Nelson and Jan Kegel coordinated activities that included a craft and trade show, catered banquet, and election of officers. They were assisted by Hi There Girls Kay Piehl and Laurie Alexander; and Bandana Divas Alice Burk, Cathy Clixby, Julie Hinton, Jen Littleboy, ¬Barbara Von Grohs, and Christine Taylor.
Following the Friday night finger food social, Barbara Nelson asked participants to share their three-item bucket list of things we’d like to do before we kick the bucket. Perhaps not surprisingly, almost everyone’s list included extensive RV travel.
Members reconvened Saturday morning for coffee and the general business meeting. The slate of officers submitted by the nominating committee was elected unanimously. Serving the chapter for 2009 are Marne Parry, president; Mary Schoenfeldt, president-elect; Nancy Gerou, treasurer; and Gail Alexander, secretary.
Cheryl Edman presented a refresher on how to use the chapter’s automatic external defibrillator (AED) and reminded members of where the machine is located and how to respond during a suspected cardiac emergency. She also provided CPR information and brought two demonstration mannequins to practice on.
Saturday afternoon several members set up table displays to showcase their hobbies, crafts, and pastimes. Collections included genealogy, card making, oil painting, vintage trailer birdhouse construction, quilting, cross stitch, embroidery, woodcarving, a travel website, and an eBay business.
In a break from the traditional Saturday night potluck, the chapter provided a catered dinner for all members. Volunteers received special recognition for their efforts throughout the year and outgoing board members were saluted.
Several craft fair exhibitors donated items for a last-minute raffle, which raised $167 for the chapter—thanks to the donors and to Anne Mathieson who emceed the drawings and her ¬assistant Elaine (Vanna) Ploegstra.
This being the last rally of the year, there was a record number of players in the Texas Hold ‘Em tournament while others played Rumicube, Yatzee, etc.
Members gathered again on Sunday morning for coffee and to christen a new rig belonging to Dorothy ¬Milner and then lingered over farewells ¬before going their separate ways for the winter.—Jo Schilling
Hoodsport, Washington (Sept. 19-21, 2008)
There were several Thursday folks who came early to this rally. Friday brought in the rest of us. We were delighted to welcome seven new members: Betty Lou, Gail, Joan, Lana, Pam, Diane and Sue.
About 100 yards from the park, I had a blowout in one of my inside tires. We limped into camp and called for assistance. While a new tire was being put on, a call for help came from a campsite above. Jill had seen an elderly man fall off the roof of his vehicle. Cascadia Chapter members Diane Davis, a doctor, and Linda Almon responded immediately and stabilized the gentlemen while 911 was dialed. The man was airlifted to a hospital in Seattle. Many thanks to the prompt action by our Cascadia medical team.
On Saturday, we enjoyed a reading by Rebecca Redshaw, an author and playwright. Thanks to the ladies from Sequim for bringing her to us. The reading, from “Dear Jennifer,” was very much enjoyed by all.
Diane and Beamer were in charge of events and put on a wonderfully entertaining show to introduce our hi there girls and divas to us. They ceremoniously draped the scarves around their necks and were quite formal with the presentation, which made us all erupt with laughter.
I know there were several personal political discussions, a conversation about the antics of birds, and simply a lot of hanging out and connecting. It was nice to see Mary Benson and Kathy Oxner. Mary continues on her competitive quest for a Para-Olympic medal in Vancouver in 2010. She has been traveling the world and competing in World Cup events. Our continued good wishes, good luck, and support go to her.
The managers of the RV park got fresh oysters out of the bay, and we had a wonderful oyster, clam and seafood night at our Saturday dinner. The rest of the evening was spent with a huge 15-member Texas Hold‘em game and many board games going on in various places in the clubhouse.
Sunday morning found us christening new RVs with our apple cider champagne. It was sad to say goodbye.—Norma Dalla Santa
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Port Orange, Florida (April 23-26, 2009)
Thirty-two members and one guest gathered in Daytona Beach for our April rally, hosted by Shirley Beleff and Arlene Dawson.
When convenient, our recent rallies have commenced with a Thursday evening carpool to a nearby restaurant to reconnect. The Monterey Grill, a few miles from the campground, served our needs very well. The good food and good service was conducive to a good first visit for the weekend.
Friday turned out to be a picture-perfect early summer day in Central Florida, and we made good use of it. A local enterprise known as Cracker Creek was the setting, and many spent most of the day there. Later that morning, 13 women advanced on Spruce Creek for two hours of kayaking, enhanced by no boat traffic, minimal current, and many overhanging oak trees protecting us from the Florida sun. At noon, the rest of the group arrived for a pre-ordered lunch and a tour of an adjacent winter home of the original Gamble family (of Procter & Gamble). The day ended with a narrated pontoon boat ride on Spruce Creek, highlighted by the sighting of a very large alligator and chicks in an osprey nest.
Saturday was left open for individual choice of the many local attractions, including a long-established flea market, the local lighthouse, beach visits and lunches on the river. We enjoyed our usual Saturday evening potluck supper and followed that with a rare treat—we sat back and were totally entertained with a visit from
Shirley’s co-members of the Line Dancers of Crane Lakes. It was an hour that had us mostly out of our seats, either singing along as they danced or loudly expressing our compliments when they paused. A number of our attendees mixed in with the group and, with very little advance instruction, did us proud! The ladies of the dance club enjoyed our enthusiastic participation in their program, so a good time was had by all.
On Sunday, Shirley provided coffee, as she had each morning, and then suddenly we were all saying our good-byes again.— Arlene Dawson
Marathon, Florida (March 26-29, 2009)
There were 33 rigs in attendance for this rally, held in the Florida Keys. The weather was absolutely cooperative and picturesque—blue skies and sparkling blue water. What a combo! The temperature was perfect, in the low 80s.
Thursday was a day for leisurely exploring the islands. Remember, we were on island time! In the evening, we carpooled to the Island Fish Company for dinner. The food was scrumptious, and the conversation was animated. Everyone talked about the adventures to come.
Friday morning started out with bagels and cream cheese in the pavilion by the water's edge. Afterwards, some of the ladies went geocaching. Others went off to explore their way 59 miles down to Key West to window shop, people watch or stop in at the famous Sloppy Joe’s Bar to sip a margarita or some other beverage of choice. Many of us posed as tourists next to the dive bell at the end of Duval Street.
I highly recommend the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory. It has been voted the #1 tourist attraction in Key West for the past six years.
On Friday night, some of us boarded the Jolly Roger tall-mast sailing schooner for a Key West sunset cruise.
Saturday’s plans to go to the Dry Tortugas were cancelled due to eight- to ten-foot seas and 30-plus mile-per-hour winds. Three of our ladies did make the trip; the challenging weather conditions made it especially memorable.
Due to the weather, Saturday was opened up as another day to explore and relax. A few of the gals snorkeled in the water at camp, viewing lobsters, crab and fish in their own habitat.
Cooked jumbo shrimp, lobster and stone crab claws were delivered to the pavilion Sunday afternoon for our potluck supper. The different aromas of all the homemade dishes that accompanied the seafood made our mouths water for sure! A great weekend was had by all.—Lynette Birch
Vero Beach, Florida (February 12 - 15, 2009)
Continuing to relish our winter reprieve from air-conditioning and humidity and appreciating the effort involved in securing 30 sites in this busy time for Florida campgrounds, more than 40 RVW members attended the February rally in Vero Beach. Several ladies from other RVW chapters joined us while they escaped from the winter weather at their homes.
On Thursday evening, we visited Marsh Landing, a favorite local restaurant that is owned by one of our members, and enjoyed the weekly Blue Grass gathering there. Friday was left open for exploration of the area and nearby beaches. Instead of our usual evening potluck, our hosts Donna Gaber, Beth Waterfield, Ginny McCauley and Judy Costa scheduled the traditional meal sharing for a brunch on Saturday. They provided southern-style biscuits and gravy with scrambled eggs, while the group contributed many appropriate and tasty additions.
The happy hour on Saturday went into the evening with heavy hors d’oeuvres and games and cards, proving that two potlucks in one day are not too much for our group! As a parting memento, Donna Gaber gave each of us a stained glass red rose to remember that we spent Valentine’s Day 2009 with our RVW friends.
Too soon, it was Sunday morning again and time to say our good-byes until next time.—Arlene Dawson
Kissimmee, Florida (January 22-25, 2009)
If we had a competition in the Florida Chapter for the ideal rally of the year, we might already have our winner. Mary Ann Laviano and Marilyn Bell arranged a rally wonderfully balanced with scheduled events and time to enjoy one another’s company. Our attendance totaled 45 women, including newcomers and our winter visitors from other chapters. We gathered at Tropical Palms RV Resort in the Orlando area, and some took advantage of the park’s shuttle to Disney attractions.
Several of us caravanned to dinner at a nearby restaurant, and that provided a good opportunity to greet old friends and new.
Happy hour on Friday expanded into heavy hors d’oeuvres (we’re loathe to admit to two potlucks in one weekend). Our entertainment involved a luck-only card game that resulted in so many laughs and such fun that we have decided to do it again next month.
On Saturday morning, almost everyone was drawn from their warm beds (it was a cool morning for ¬Florida—under 60 degrees) to participate in the miniature golf tournament. The ladies produced a total of 16 holes-in-one. Prizes and accolades were awarded at the evening gathering.
Saturday evening brought the culmination of our weekend with our traditional potluck dinner. After dinner, we had a white elephant drawing; we always manage to turn such events into much cheering and many accusations of some being just too lucky!
Our rally hosts MaryAnn and Marilyn are relatively newcomers to RVW. They contribute generously to the group and keep us coming back for more!—Arlene Dawson
Sebring, Florida (December 4-6, 2008)
As we have for the past few years, the Florida Chapter of RVing women initiated our holiday season at Highlands Hammock State Park. And, as has become customary, the event attracted a large attendance. Forty-five women in thirty-three rigs gathered under the old and sheltering oak trees and enjoyed that balmy winter weather we miss so in July. Lynette Birch again brought us a load of firewood for the rare treat (in Florida) of a campfire, and our host Doreen Phillips quickly filled our event board as she arranged for the park restaurant to bring us their special Friday night fish dinner.
On Saturday morning, we welcomed Amos Slater from Charlotte RV Service to present a review of the basic maintenance of our rigs and to answer our questions, which were numerous. This is one of the new advertisers in the RVW magazine, and his clarity and apparent knowledge will no doubt lead to some members having the confidence to utilize their services. We hope to see him again.
Between the attractions of this large state park and the attractions of the local Sebring area, the attendees had ample opportunity to fill any free time. We go to Highlands Hammock State Park because it has an enclosed recreational hall that is available for our holiday potluck, which was scrumptious! As is fitting, the desserts threatened to outnumber the main course items.
After dinner, it was announced that we will once again host the ice cream social at the national convention, which will be held this year in San Antonio, Texas. That started another session of remembering what a fine time we had in Charleston and encouraging one another to get to San Antonio. The evening finalized with a game of gift exchange that seriously challenged knowing our left hand from our right!
The weekend went by too fast, as always. Doreen offered one last breakfast gathering on Sunday morning to allow all to wish one another fond good-byes and safe travels.—Arlene Dawson
Titusville/Mims, Florida (November 13-16, 2008)
Florida’s Space Coast was the setting for our November rally. Twenty-six rigs and approximately 38 women gathered at Seasons in the Sun for the weekend. Our group included old friends, two new members ¬attending their first rallies, and a visitor from Wisconsin. Geocaching and bird watching occupied many of the ladies during the day, while the rest took the opportunity to catch up with friends.
Friday morning brought a special treat with Nancy J. making apple and cherry turnovers for the group. Lunch and dinner on your own gave members a chance to enjoy one of our favorite restaurants in the area—Dixie Crossroads and their famous rock shrimp.
On Friday night, in nearby Cape ¬Canaveral, the Endeavor made its 124th space shuttle flight. The launch was one of just two dozen ever that have happened at night, and it marked the last of four shuttle missions this year. Our group gathered on the pool deck for an awesome, unobstructed view of the launch. Some members ventured down to the beach to witness the launch and then enjoyed looking at their photos as they waited in traffic to get back to camp.
Saturday’s activities included a hot dog barbecue hosted by rally leaders Reggie Eaton, MJ Cancro and Sue Goldfarb. In the afternoon, we enjoyed root beer floats, hosted by the Florida Chapter’s board of directors, and held our annual chapter election.
Saturday night’s potluck supper was yummy, as always. After dinner, we split into groups to play games and cards.
On Sunday morning, our rally leaders hosted a continental breakfast before everyone reluctantly got into their rigs and headed down the road. With beautiful weather and great friends, a wonderful time was had by all!—MJ Cancro
Ocala, Florida (Oct. 16-19, 2008)
Seeking out those first clear and dry days that signal the end of another oppressive summer for the hearty full-time residents of Florida, our chapter ventured a bit north to Ocala and the Silver River State park for our October rally. It was all we hoped for and more! Florida is often noted for the development of our state park system, and this park is undoubtedly one of our best. The weather also did not disappoint—cloudless skies night and day with a quiet atmosphere that can only result when the drone of air conditioners is absent
Our group of 20 attendees enjoyed the park’s amenities—numerous walking/biking trails, a museum, and a guided bird walk by a local authority.
The geocachers came prepared, as always, and returned to share their adventures. Some ladies took a tour of the nearby home of author Marjorie Rawlings and enjoyed the experience of standing on her porch and imagining her sitting at the typewriter—that is still there—as she created The ¬Yearling.
We lingered at our happy hour gathering and did what we really come together to do—visit with one another!
Indicative of the success of this rally, we have a host volunteer and a firm date to return to Silver River State Park next October. As expected, some late registrants were unable to reserve as the park was full for the weekend. Again, we would remind all that reservations at state parks in Florida are available 11 months prior to the date. Check our chapter website at flrvw.org for the October 2009 dates to be posted. It will be scheduled for the weekend after the closing of the national convention in San Antonio to offer a stopover for those on the way home from convention.—Arlene Dawson
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Lake Pardee, California (April 17-19, 2009)
The first annual Gloria Jarvis Memorial Wienie Roast, hosted by Irene Paulin, Jeri McLees, Mary Sue Ferrell and Sue Copeland and held at Lake Pardee RV Park, was a poignant and bittersweet event for all who attended. As FreeWheelers know, Lake Pardee was a favorite of Glo Jarvis and Sue Copeland, hosts of several past boondocking events at this park. With the passing of Glo last October, when she lost her battle with colon cancer, we decided a great way to honor her memory would be to hold an outing at her favorite place.
The park was packed with FreeWheelers. Glo had promised to keep an eye on the weather for us, and she did. It was a glorious weekend.
In keeping with the other traditions of the April Lake Pardee gathering, everyone was pretty much on her own. There were no potlucks or other planned events (except one), but members gathered at mealtimes, sharing camaraderie and friendship while bringing their own choices of what to eat. Several members indicated that they liked this option to the organized potlucks, especially given specific dietary needs of many of our group. Maybe other outing leaders will consider the idea for future events.
Following Saturday’s breakfast get-together, Mary Sue and Irene led a boondocking tips and tricks discussion. A lot of information was shared and will be available on the listserve sometime in the near future. One thing in particular came through loud and clear: read your manual. This will save you a lot of time, aggravation and grief.
The one planned event for this weekend was a Saturday evening weenie roast. The group bent over a roaring fire, a sight to see, to roast traditional hot dogs, bratwurst and sausages. Even a hamburger or two was heated, burned, dropped and eventually eaten. As always, the group outdid itself with the accompaniments. There was enough food to feed the whole campground, but FreeWheelers, living up to their reputations, cleaned their plates.
Following the roast, we paid tribute to Glo. There was a bit of angel dust available to throw into the fire by anyone who wanted to say something funny, not so funny, or nothing at all. We were pleased that Glo’s niece from Missouri joined us, as well as Sue’s daughter. Several long-term friends of Glo and Sue’s also came for the weekend and shared with us their memories of Glo and Sue from many, many years ago. There were tears and laughter as we shared with each other what she had meant to each of us.
In many ways, the weekend was a typical FreeWheeler event, with some arriving early on Thursday and some leaving late on Monday. In between, there were friends visiting friends, side trips to the surrounding area, dogs meeting old and new doggie buddies, afternoon root beer floats—50-plus women joining together for a time to renew and rejuvenate. In one way it was quite different, as we honored one of our friends who is no longer with us but whose smile and wonderful spirit touched and changed each of us in her own special way. Thanks Glo, for making sure your first annual was a success!—Jeri McLees
Isleton, California (March 5-9, 2009)
March outing started with a damp campground but, true to FreeWheeler style, there were no major problems that couldn’t be fixed by one of our various members. We had a full weekend planned, so there was a little something for everyone—the 45 women in 32 rigs who attended.
Friday and Saturday nights we had bingo in the clubhouse. On Saturday and Sunday, the park put on an awesome breakfast buffet for $5.
Saturday’s breakfast was followed with an outing leader workshop and a scavenger hunt. Beverly unveiled her birthday present and what a beauty it was—a stained glass window in her entry door that depicts a moose holding a root beer float.
Saturday afternoon, Barbara and Donna came to teach line dancing in the clubhouse. We ended the day’s activities with a chili cook off. We had 17 entries for the cook off. The winning prize of a four-quart slow cooker went to Sue Copeland.
Sunday was checkout for many of our attendees. Those who stayed had a great dinner at the Lighthouse Restaurant. We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful first weekend in March.—Joan Beason
Jackson, California (April 2-6, 2009)
Hosts Sharon Adams and Sue Stanton welcomed 47 rigs and 76 members and guests to the Jackson Rancheria RV Park for this rally in California’s beautiful Gold Country.
Thursday, we were on our own to visit the historic sites or the casino.
We had a potluck appetizer meet and greet in the clubhouse Friday afternoon. Sharon held a raffle for a Texas Train game, which was won by Merrily Robinson.
Saturday morning, we had a great potluck breakfast. After breakfast, our very own Rachel Harp gave us an update on new RV products and answered questions on maintenance. Her husband, Joel, performed maintenance on RVs during the day, which was much appreciated.
We then christened two new RVs belonging to members Judy Leonard and Casper Nordahl with lots of champagne and cheers. Everyone was then on her own to explore the Gold Country for the day. Some went geocaching, others went to the casino or to Daffodil Hill or Sutter Creek.
At 3 p.m., we had our daily root beer floats social at Beverly’s coach.
Saturday night we had a potluck and barbecue. Suzanne Sheumaker, a local writer and historian, gave us a talk on the book she and her husband wrote called “America’s ¬Living History—The Early Years.” Their guidebook focuses on 300 premier historic destinations in the US. It is wonderful, and she sold 20 books to members. Afterwards, the clubhouse was filled with card players and domino players.
Sunday morning, we shared a clean-out-the-refrigerator breakfast potluck. Joan Beason led a morning prayer session. We said goodbye to those that had to leave Sunday afternoon, but we had 24 rigs staying the night into Monday.
We had fabulous spring weather and lots of great camaraderie. We also collected 72 pounds of canned goods for our local food bank. Thank you all.—Sharon Adams
Hollister, California (February 6-8, 2009)
The theme for this outing was song and dance, and despite huge downpours of rain, we managed to make this theme come alive. The park was perfect for this kind of outing. It is asphalt covered, so we had no mud to deal with, just a few puddles where the asphalt dipped. We had the use of a very large, comfortable, heated clubhouse with a performance stage.
Rigs began pulling in on Thursday. By Friday, the park was filled with rigs loaded with instruments, women, four-legged companions and tons of yummy food.
The activities began Friday afternoon with a circle of about 20 women drumming and chanting and a few others taking it all in. The spirit of shared rhythms continued during our meet and greet snack time. Arleen, our chapter leader, handed out beads to our newbies and guests and organized a couple of ice breakers that had everyone talking to women they barely knew, kicking off the weekend with a wonderful spirit of sharing, inclusiveness and camaraderie.
On Saturday morning we had a fabulous potluck breakfast, which included Margaret’s blueberry pancakes. We announced all the activities people were planning for the day and made sure that each member was settled into exactly what she wanted to do. Some women went on walks, others took off to go outlet shopping, some went geocaching, and others stayed in the clubhouse to play games.
At 3 p.m., Beverly broke out the root beer and ice cream, much to the delight of many.
Line dancing started at 4 p.m. We had about 45 women, most of whom had never line danced before, join in for the fun, and we actually learned three new dances in one hour—probably a record!
Saturday night, we enjoyed a favorite, one and only FreeWheelers feature—the All-Girl Band playing love songs to honor the month of valentines and sweethearts. Half way through, we had a surprise visit from our dear friend Gracie and her faithful Nursie. The laughter grew from loud to outrageous roars!
Sunday morning wrapped up with a goodbye breakfast along with exchanges of emails and promises to send tidbits of information to one another. Several women, inspired by the music and laughter, began forming All-Girl offshoots. We have an All-Girl Accordion Band and an All-Girl Chorus starting up. We even heard some rumblings about an All-Girl comedy team.
Beth and Susan started a fabulous tradition in FreeWheelers with their biscuits and gravy Saturday morning breakfasts, the spirit of which lives on, and the All-Girl Band has now inspired an outpouring of talent to delight us all. So stay tuned for many more hours of wonderful music and talent along the way—not to mention the food!—Peggy Chinn
Iseleton, California (January 9-11, 2009)
The Freewheelers started 2009 with a “Recover From the Holidays” weekend at Delta Shores RV Resort in Isleton. There were 40 women in 26 rigs, plus 10 more day visitors. Many of us arrived on Thursday to get a jump on the weekend.
Friday dawned bright and brisk after below-freezing temperatures overnight.
We gathered that evening for a meet and greet get-together before dinner. We were happy to welcome two new members.
After our gathering, several of us drove down the road to The Lighthouse Restaurant for dinner. A few latecomers who were held up by a nearby traffic accident caught up with us at dinner and the camaraderie and laughter began.
Saturday morning was our first breakfast without Beth and Susan’s biscuits and gravy. They have officially retired from that task but went all out by bringing a bucket of powdered donuts. The Tinkers joined us for breakfast, and many of us placed orders for FreeWheelers appliquéd shirts, hats and pet wear.
After breakfast, we christened Merrily’s new fifth wheel. Later, a group organized for a walk on the levee road, and many of us got down to the business of putting our feet up. The weather was beautiful. A few of us even got a little sun while we sat outside talking and laughing until our cheeks hurt. Some folks played Scrabble and Taboo while some watched football on TV.
Even though we hadn’t planned it, we got a little lesson in RV electrical systems when Jeri’s outlets didn’t work, even on shore power. After much hunting, breaker flipping and fuse checking, we found out that the circuit breaker near her inverter had been broken off by something shifting in the storage compartment where the inverter is installed. Mystery solved. On with the fun!
Saturday evening, we joined the folks from the campground in the clubhouse for a potluck. Afterward, some of us played poker, some lounged on the couches talking, and some played billiards.
We weren’t able to use the clubhouse on Sunday morning for breakfast and had planned to eat outside.
Unfortunately, there was thick fog that morning. Not to be foiled by Mother Nature, several hardy women still gathered in the moisture to eat together before packing up to hit the road. We all headed home with a few more memories of our wonderful times together.—Teri Shugart
Bethel Island, California (November 14-17, 2008)
Our November outing and annual meeting, held at Sugar Barge RV Resort, was hosted by our chapter’s 2008 advisory board: Jeri McLees, Connie Mart, Margot Jordon, Susan DuShane and Peggy Chinn. Rigs bearing the RVW and FreeWheelers stickers began rolling into Sugar Barge on Thursday afternoon, greeted by the advance welcoming party, Jeri McLees and Sue Copeland.
On Friday, our community grew to a total of 52 rigs and a record attendance of 81 women. Friday arrivals were greeted as they came through the entrance by an enthusiastic welcoming committee that included almost as many fuzzy, white four-leggeds as there were white or almost white-haired women. The art and craft tables began filling up mid-afternoon with gorgeous works of art, and by the evening we had expanded to five large tables, which remained on display throughout the weekend.
At our meet-and-greet reception Friday, we honored our six guests and first-timers with the ceremonial beads, which they wore proudly all weekend.
Saturday morning began with our famous, but final, biscuits and gravy breakfast. After four years of dedicated service to this important tradition, Susan DuShane and Beth Gilliam are hanging up the apron and hot pads. We all honored their service and the spirit of camaraderie and active participation that they created for the chapter. Jeri presented Susan with an apron bearing her name and the title “Biscuits and Gravy Queen.” Beth was presented with a hot pad bearing her new title of assistant to the queen. The biscuits and gravy now become a memory, but the tradition of a delicious potluck of breakfast goodies and spirited kick-off of Saturday activities inclusive of all will live on in our chapter!
After breakfast everyone who contributed to the art and craft show was introduced to the group and had an opportunity to describe the work she had contributed to the show. We had a number of quilts, folk art pieces, wreaths and centerpieces, photographs, jewelry, woodworking masterpieces, and a crochet project yet to be started.
Our annual meeting at 10 a.m. on Saturday was the shortest and most lively in our chapter’s history. All business items (such as approval of minutes of last year’s meeting, treasurer’s report, etc.) were dispensed with by unanimous vote of approval. Adrienne Kristine volunteered to be our chapter’s presence on the RVW discussion ¬forum, and Sue Copeland will moderate a new Yahoo Group for those in our chapter who want to participate in an open discussion forum for social support and exchange of ideas with other FreeWheelers members.
We recognized the retirement from the advisory board of two members: Chapter Leader Jeri McLees, and Activities Director Susan DuShane.
The new slate of officers, elected online by overwhelming majority, was introduced. Those remaining on the board are Connie Mart, secretary-treasurer, and members-at-large ¬Margot Jordan and Peggy Chinn. Arleen ¬Huffman will join the board and assume the role of chapter leader, and Ann Meyer joins as a member-at-large. Ann will take on the responsibilities of activity director. Margot will continue as membership coordinator. Peggy will continue as communications coordinator and will manage the website and the Yahoo email list. Teri Shugart will continue as editor of the newsletter.
Everyone was on her own for the afternoon. The weather was perfect—in the 70s with clear blue skies. A few went kayaking, more of us went on long walks around the island, several gathered in the clubhouse for a craft project led by Babe Poe, and all around the campground the sounds of women talking and laughing rang through the air.
Beverly’s famous root beer floats started flowing mid-afternoon, drawing many back to the campground to prepare for our potluck dinner.
After another fabulous potluck dinner, we all sat back and enjoyed an evening with our very own (and growing) All Girl Band. To top off the evening, we celebrated several birthdays with cake and ice cream.
Sunday morning we gathered for our farewell clean-the-fridge breakfast. Everyone who attended this gathering had made new friends or found new sources of information, so there was a lot of exchanging of emails and phone numbers going on.
Before leaving, we turned our ¬energy and focus to remembering our dear friend Gloria Jarvis, who died on Oct. 15. Martha Yates played the bagpipes to call us together. The service was led by Joan Beason. Arleen ¬Huffman sang one of Glo and Sue’s favorite songs, “You Needed Me,” and then led us in a sing-along of “Put Your Hand in the Hand.” Marie Moore gave a tribute to Glo’s life and to the dedication of her life-partner Sue Copeland, and those among us who provided care and support for Glo and Sue during the last days of Glo’s illness.
A celebration of Glo’s life will be held in April at the outing that Glo loved so much, the Pardee boondocking gathering. We all left with sadness for the loss of our dear friend, but also with the deep and warm spirit of love and caring that we share with one another.—Peggy Chinn
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See the current issue of RVing Women magazine for information about upcoming events.
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Silver Lake, Michigan (Aug. 14-18, 2008)
This was the fourth get together this summer for our chapter. We had 14 RVW members attend and one guest from New York. There were nine rigs, six dogs and four cats.
We had wonderful weather and a relaxing but busy time. Thursday evening, nine of us went to dinner; some of us sampled breaded asparagus.
Activities on Friday included kayaking and visiting the Little Sable Light House on Lake Michigan. That evening, we all enjoyed a wonderful dinner at the Open Hearth Restaurant.
Saturday, we went for a dune buggy ride on the Silver Lake sand dunes. Later that afternoon, several took a dip in the pool and hot tub before our potluck dinner.
Sunday, we went to Ludington to do some sightseeing and shopping. We enjoyed a late afternoon turkey dinner lunch. We returned to the RV park for another swim in the pool and a potluck of delicious leftovers.
Each night, we enjoyed a bonfire, watched beautiful sunsets and ate s’mores. The weather was wonderful.—Nancy Wurm
Niles, Michigan (July 16-19, 2008)
At this, our third get-together of 2008, we had 16 members attend in 10 rigs. There were 13 pets enjoying the weekend, and we had four guests with two pets spend time with us. The campground was quiet and well maintained, with roomy grassy sites. There was a small lake for swimming and fishing.
The greatest challenge was the weather. It was extremely hot and humid. The rain came down in torrents on Saturday, but Great Lakers are troopers, and we had fun in spite of the challenge. On Friday folks either went kayaking or casino hopping. Most enjoyed a great dinner at The Nugget in Niles that evening.
Saturday found us braving the rain to visit two wineries and a u-pick blueberry farm. The rain stopped just in time for our potluck and bonfire.
Sunday we said goodbye at a community breakfast. One participant came from California. Illinois, Tennessee, Indiana, as well as ¬Michigan, were also represented at this get-together.
A big thanks goes to our hosts Carole Goodwin, Rene DeMar and Pat Bubel for doing such a fine job planning this event.—Pat Bubel
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Kirkwood, Illinois (May 15-17, 2009)
Aloha! The theme for this event was Hawaiin. We had palm trees, leis, festive attire and a Hawaiian-themed pot-luck dinner on Saturday. Twenty-one women in 14 rigs called upon our well-known spirit of adventure and rise-to-the-challenge attitudes to turn the 55-degree weather into a tropical paradise. Most of us arrived on Thursday, anxious for our first outing of 2009. Fortunately, the weather was cool, but dry, and we set up camp and got re-acquainted, or introduced, around a roaring campfire.
Friday, however, we endured a downpour of rain all day that began Thursday night. The grass was soaked with standing water, which came over the tops of our shoes. Not to be stopped by a little rain, several of us ventured out into each other’s campers and were enthusiastically greeted by hosts who ignored the dripping clothes, umbrellas and wet shoes in their campers. The potluck dinner planned for that night was postponed until Sunday.
Saturday was sunny with a very chilly wind. We welcomed the wind, hoping it would dry out the grass. Those with winter jackets were envied and the wind-blown look was in. The Ziploc omelet breakfast planned for early morning became brunch at the campground shelter. The shelter, located on the other side of the campground, was enclosed on three sides. The pots, propane and food were loaded into vehicles, along with the less mobile campers, for the drive over. The shelter protected us from the wind, and we had a wonderful buffet.
The wind showed no signs of subsiding, so we agreed that the Hawaiian-themed potluck dinner scheduled for that evening should also be held at the shelter.
In the afternoon, seeing that the small places protected from the wind wouldn’t be enough for all of us to gather, we constructed a wind buffer, a tarp strung between two RVs with rope and staked to the ground. As usual, it took only moments for the group to gather in the warm sun, protected from the cold wind, once again showing that where there’s a will, there’s a way to make a tropical paradise.
With the temperature dropping again, we moved up the hour of charm—the cocktail hour—to 4 o’clock at the shelter. We began with our Lyte Hearts annual meeting, followed by the Hawaiian Luau dinner. The decorations included banners, palm trees, posters and a cut out of a hula dancer with a hole for a face. Leis were distributed. Background dinner music was provided by Kathy Pearson and her harmonica and a selection of hula and tropical CDs. Only the sweatshirts and heavy jackets over or under the tropical clothing indicated the evening wasn’t in a warm paradise. Dinner was followed by a much-appreciated roaring campfire back at our campsites.
Sunday was warmer and much less windy, so out came the fishing rods and games. The fish caught were released since the fish fry was replaced by the cancelled Friday potluck. Some campers walked, others visited around the campfire. The afternoon brought dipping temperatures, so once again the hour of charm was moved up to 4 o’clock, followed by a potluck dinner. After dinner, we eagerly gathered around the expanded oblong campfire, crafted by Sandy Ferris, for adventure stories. Lee Suarez’s hilarious experience in Mexico kept everyone laughing. We hated to leave the campfire, knowing we would be going home the next day.
Our 13th annual get-together at Young’s Lake was an extended weekend enjoyed by all. We agreed that next year we will have a Hawaiian theme since, between us, we own a banner, posters, palm trees, leis, CDs and clothing. Maybe next year, the clothing won’t include sweatshirts.—Jeanne Carter
Lyte Hearts Chapter Honors Anita Thomas
The Lyte Hearts Chapter gathered once again at Young’s Lake near Monmouth, Illinois. Sunny and breezy weather created a perfect environment for the 26 women who met there to share laughter, games, fishing campfires and more.
Things were looking grim for our annual fish-fry until campers outside our group noticed our dismay and began to secretly fill our fish baskets when we were otherwise engaged. We had so many fish that all experienced fish cleaners, as well as trainees, were called into service. One of the more experienced cleaners was Anita Thomas.
Anita joined the Heartland Group, now known as the Lyte Hearts Chapter, at our first get-together and has only missed one gathering at Young's Lake during the 12 years we have been meeting there. That was the year she broke her hip trying to close the barn door.
Anita proudly announces her intention to keep attending RVW rallies until she has achieved her 100th birthday. She currently is striding boldly into her 90th year.
Anita’s spirit and attitude inspire the group no matter what the activity is. She comes each year with her beloved cat Angel by her side. She drives her trusty motorhome confidently and has no trouble parking it in the most difficult spots—a skill many of us envy.
Anita’s lovely smile and positive attitude brighten any activity in which she participates. She loves to play all sorts of table games, especially Mexican Train (which we play by Anita’s rules because there are so many ways to play). Lively conversation is never lacking at these activities when Anita is present.
The Lyte Hearts Chapter says, “Thank You, Anita for sharing your beautiful self with us throughout the years.”—Jeanne Carter and Kathleen Pearson
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Year-end Review 2007
It hardly seems possible that another year is about to come to an end and with it, another memorable year of RVing. It has been a very enjoyable and productive year for Mid-America. We have had three outstanding official rallies, as well as several when and where events.
Our annual maintenance rally at Rutladers Outpost was its' usual huge success. The addition of the highly competitive washers and spades tournaments made the weekend even more enjoyable.
The Branson rally was great. It was so much fun meeting members from the other chapters. I know we had attendees from Michigan, Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana, not to mention those attending from our own chapter states. We had many compliments as to the friendliness of our chapter. One lady from Florida told me that we really lived up to our reputation. Ellie, Arlene, Dot and Nancy did a great hosting job. The food was fabulous, the activities were fun and well planned, and they even managed to turn off the rain at just the right times. I was also elated that we had twelve ladies at the newbie reception.
The Lanagan, Missouri rally and the War Eagles Crafts Festival were awesome. Marsha Thompson outdid herself with this rally. The hotdog luncheon, pizza and bingo party, plus all the other good food, were outstanding. There were so many beautiful arts and crafts to look at and to buy. My rig was loaded with things I just had to have. The campground was so much fun, with many activities offered. I hope we can do this rally again real soon.
We also had several when and where events: Salina, Melvern, Pomme-de-Terre, Bennett Springs. Who can ever forget Pat Mitchell and her modeling of cocktail dresses in the thrift shop, Marsha’s fish fry and, of course, Peg Ellis' fantastic green-colored salad. These were such good times, and I hear that there may be a couple more this year if the weather permits.
2008 will mark a milestone for Mid-America. It will be the tenth anniversary of the chapter. As they say, time flies when fun is being had! Norma Cartwright will be leading the chapter, and she is already working and planning on ways to make this a special year. I, for one, think the other nine years have been pretty special, too!—Kathy Wintle
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Sponsor Board
The MidAtlantic Chapter has introduced a Sponsor Board that displays all the partners in business that graciously supply the chapter with products and services. These donations go to the members as prizes during our rallies. We proudly display the board for all to see.
The Sponsor Board also boasts the title of “Shop Here First,” which our members refer to as a point-of-purchase to their needs. We also put product brochures and business cards on our information table. When making a purchase, we mention where we saw the information.
Thank you is too little to say for our sponsors. We will continue to support them, and with great appreciation.—¬ Bonnie Simkins
Lancaster, Pennsylvania (April 25-27, 2008)
This was our first official Cabin Fever Weekend. Having the company of 47 women and guests helped round off the best of this rally. The weather was still brisk at night and rain was forecast, but that never stops us. The rain did hold off on Saturday so we could explore the area. As usual, the food was good and abundant and the company at its best.
Thanks to Meg, Lee and others, there was a nice campfire on Friday night. That is always a good time to catch up and to also share camp stories. Saturday was a free day to see the sights and shop the outlets. Activities at the campsite included ladder ball and cards. An Amish vendor came through the campground with his horse and buggy to sell cakes, pies and jarred goodies to the campers.
Saturday evening we had a potluck dinner with broasted chicken as the main dish. The turkey chili was a hit, as were the many other dishes created.
For our Saturday breakfast, we had creamed chipped beef on fresh-baked biscuits from Lee, our kitchen maven. Sunday’s breakfast included light and fluffy pancakes and Amish sausage. We all had a great time, and we’re looking forward to coming back to Lancaster for our Thanksgiving rally.—Bonnie Simkins
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Abbot, Maine (Moosefest 4)
Moosefest 4, hosted once again by Pat Saxton, Claudia Combies, Marion Wilson, Teddie Grayson and Gloria Hollis at Balsam Woods Campground, began with a Friday evening meet and greet with shared munchies and a pot of Pat Saxton's Hot Stuff Chili. Carole Ogg read passages from here newly released book, Fields of Fire and was kind enough to sign copies of her book. We finished the evening with a roaring campfire.
Saturday morning, Teddie the Spatula and her able assistant, Gloria, cooked a stupendous breakfast of eggs to order with bacon, kielbasa, toast, bagels and assorted breads. After allowing some time to digest, many participated in games of ladder golf, washer
toss and the secibd annual Moose Poo Hunt.
Saturday evening's potluck was an old fashioned church supper with ham provided. An array of side dishes and desserts were brought by the participants. After dinner, we were treated to a concert by Lucie Blue Tremblay. The concert was a fundraiser to benefit the creation of an educational CD promoting breast health awareness. We were entertained with a beautiful voice and then educated about the importance of correct self breast examination. Lucie brought her breast cancer awareness chopper for all to view. More information on this project can be found at www.thebreastexamproject.org. Northeast Network RVW members were very generous in their support of this project.
Sunday morning we again had a excellent breakfast prepared by Teddie and Gloria. Prizes were awarded to winners of the proceeding day's events. That was followed with a prize drawing for all attendees that provided their RVW numbers. It was great fun checking for the lowest number. Everyone went home with a prize. Keep those membership cards in your wallets—you never know when a prize is lurking.
We said goodbye to some. Those who were making the Northwoods of Maine a vacation by staying later decided that a clambake would do us just fine!! Steamers and corn for all—what a way to end a get together and start a vacation, and oh, how we are looking forward to August 2008 for MooseFest 5!—Jean Alexander
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Bristol, Indiana (April 23-26, 2009)
Beautiful weather, great camaraderie, enlightening programs, relaxing happy hours, campfires, fantastic food—that in a nutshell characterizes our April rally hosted by Judy Wise, Harriet Miller and Monica Wehrle.
Twenty-two women enjoyed tours of the RV Museum and the Gene Stratton Porter Historical Site. We are certain that Gene would have joined the Ohio River Valley RVW group if she were alive today. We also visited the MennoHof Museum in Shipshewana and learned about the religious basis of the Amish and Mennonite faiths and cultures. At the Jayco factory, we watched trailers roll off the production line. And, of course, we did our retail therapy to the hilt!
Back at the campground, we learned some excellent maintenance tips from Pat Setser; we were brought up to date about the current events and thinking of the national board from Nancy Shoop, the Ohio River Valley Chapter’s representative on the RVW Board of Directors; we received an update on the programs that AARP is promoting from Terri Worman, a Chicago regional AARP representative; and we enjoyed the signature campfires and wonderful pitch-ins that occur when RVing Women gather.
One of the high points of the rally was a sumptuous repast at the home of LeAnna and Melvin Yoder. LeAnna, with an assist by her mother, prepared a fantastic thrashers meal for us and served us in the basement of their Amish home. As those from Indiana realize, homemade noodles are to be eaten on top of the mashed potatoes; gravy is optional. Just when we thought the noodles and meat and veggies had filled every possible spot in our bellies, out came three phenomenal homemade pies. Of course, we ate the whole thing! Needless to say, a fine time was had by all.— Judy Wise, Harriet Miller and Monica Wehrle
Nashville, Indiana (March 20-22, 2009)
The weather was perfect for all our activities at Abe Martin Lodge in Brown County State Park. There were 14 members in attendance. Some hiked, some biked, and we all shopped. The indoor water park was enjoyed by a few adventuresome souls.
The evenings were spent playing games of Mexican Train and learning Bunco. Tammy Haley made up a camping trivia game and tested our knowledge of RVing and tent camping. We also had a nice dinner at the Artist Colony Inn.
As we have all developed hitch-itch through this cold, snowy winter, we are really looking forward to our first camp-out in April and seeing all our returning snowbirds around the campfire. —Tammy Hanson
Winter Recap
Even with temperatures in the 50s, the Ohio River Valley Chapter knows how to have a good time!
On Jan. 17, seven women gathered at The Friendly Tavern in Zionsville, Indiana, a well-known local spot that soon became very crowded and noisy. We eventually moved our gathering to Plums Tea Room. As the conversation never seemed to come to an end, it was decided to re-schedule again for February, this time to begin at the Plums Tea Room and try the brunch menu we had read about.
The weather was in our favor on Feb. 14. We had 12 women (from three states) come together for a wonderful three hours of non-stop visiting. Sandy, from Illinois, and Kathy, from Ohio, each drove about 2.5 hours to join us.
Conversations ranged from the usual—weather, pets, economy and upcoming chapter activities—to the pending retirement of one member, the pending sale of a home so two members can become full-timers, the announcement that our chapter leader has decided to liquidate her possessions and become a full-timer, the anticipation of another member to go to an RV show and find the camper of her desires and an announcement of her upcoming college graduation by the youngest member present (at 43). Of course, with RVW board member Nancy Shoop present, we got a timely recap of RVW business as well.
We also had a telephone call from Florida where another 11 women from our chapter were gathered for a day of kayaking and a potluck. This shows how strong our organization is and that we can be together having a wonderful time no matter what part of the country we are in.
This also ties back into one of the most memorable conversations that was heard that day. Kathy was telling how over the past two years she had lost her job, lost her home and had to give up her pets and move in with her mother, but through it all, she maintained her membership with RVW. She stated this is an organization she believes in, one that has provided her with a wonderful group of women to gather with and share experiences with, both good and bad. RVW has been a real outlet for her during her challenging times. This is a real testament to RVing Women! We are a powerful group!
On Feb. 21, the Ohio River Valley Chapter had seven women gather, this time in Chicago, Illinois at the 41st Annual RV and Camping Show held at the Rosemont Convention Center. We checked out some of the over 400 motorhomes and trailers, had lunch together, and celebrated with wine and cocktails in the new class A Coachmen Mirada motorhome purchased by Shelly and Kathy that day.
We all agreed that they got the buy of the weekend for sure. Not one of us tried to talk them out of it because it was obvious that it was a fantastic buy.—Tammy Hanson
Lafayette, Indiana (July 31-August 3, 2008)
The rally at Leisure Time Campground was a howling good time with 19 rigs and 34 women in attendance. Two attendees came without a rig and stayed in a local hotel, just to join in the fun.
The weather was a little warm on Friday, but cooled down to the mid 80s on Saturday. Luckily, the campground had lots of shade and a pool.
On Thursday night, the early bird campers went to a local restaurant called Brunos.
On Friday, a group played golf (scores are classified information), while another group biked along the Wabash River. Others relaxed and visited at the campground. Linda Elliott conducted a wonderful outdoor cooking demonstration. We thoroughly enjoyed the homemade ice cream, cookies, tamale pie and chocolate/cherry cobbler. We followed her demonstration with a pitch-in happy hour and dinner. After dinner, the Skunks played the Polecats to a tie in Family Feud.
On Saturday morning, RVers had the opportunity to ask RV technician Pat Setser some general maintenance questions. Later, about 20 of us went on a guided tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright house, Samara, in Lafayette. Saturday evening, we had dinner at a local catfish place called Americus Restaurant, which was within walking distance of the campground. This was followed by an evening of howling with the wolves at Wolf Park.
Sunday morning, we had a hitch-up breakfast, followed by a discussion led by Ruth Russell of Elizabeth Gilbert’s book, “Eat, Pray and Love.” Campers bid each other farewell until the next gathering. Almost everyone was on her way home before noon.
We would like to thank everyone for helping make this rally successful. The mantra for this group was “How can I help?” We enjoyed hosting this rally.— Linda Thornton and Irene Stevens
Nashville, Indiana (June 5-8, 2008)
We came with rigs, but we should have brought boats. We had a 100-year-record flood while we were there. Our campground was high on a hill, but all exits out of Nashville were under water. Evacuations were being carried out just down the road from us.
The Log Cabin Tour was canceled due to flooded roads, but we were able to tour the Sock Factory. It was a hit with everyone, and we even received a free pair of socks. The factory was started by a single mom with five children. Now it is the largest factory for making personalized socks, including our Pacers and Colts.
Following the tour, we went to the Farmhouse Café, which served delicious food flavored with fresh herbs. We visited the nearby nursery to enjoy all the flowers.
Even though we had floods and unseasonably high temperatures, we had a good time. It was great to get together again with everyone—old and new faces alike. There were quite a few first timers, so as usual everyone helped get them a little more educated and familiar with their rig. The Saturday evening potluck was a success and was followed by a root beer float party.
After our hitch-up breakfast, many brave souls ventured toward home on the few roads that were passable. They reported that they had seen much devastation on the way home. We’re happy to report that everyone made it out safely. We have great expectations of a good rally next month.—Carol Miller
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Albany Shores, Oregon (May 16-18, 2009)
Fourteen members, two new members (Shari Edelman and Myrthlyn Thompson) and two guests joined us at Blue Ox RV Park for this rally. Lori Singles, one of our guests, joined our chapter after the rally.
On Friday we had our usual finger foods and beverages. Our Saturday morning breakfast was followed by a chapter meeting. Beckey Beckey, our national board president, updated us on national events and showed us samples of the new shirts available from our new vendor, Sheridan Designs. Sheridan Designs had sent a sample shirt to our chapter, which we auctioned off. We also had a presentation by one of our new national members, Shari Edelman, who manages River Bend Resort. She presented us all with discount cards available to RVW members. She also joined our Oregon chapter.
Our hosts, Danna Walker and Masanee Brown, chartered an old fashioned trolley for the group on Saturday.
We toured two of the historical districts in Albany with a stop at a store that sold antiques and chocolates. This town has many wonderful Victorian style houses, some of the oldest in Oregon. We had a tour of Montieth House, which was both a home and general store. We also stopped at White Spires, one of the oldest churches in Albany. This church has beautiful stained glass windows. Next was a stop at City Park on the Willamette River for a picnic lunch, then back on the trolley for more touring of the city.
Riding in a trolley car on a beautiful spring day was especially fun because so many adults and kids smiled and waved and waved.
Our last stop was at the Carousel Museum and Studio. With the help of many volunteers, sponsors and a national carousel company, the city of Albany is building a huge carousel and museum. We toured the studio and saw wonderful, spectacular carousel animals, horses and fantasy creatures.
The colors and carving were fantastic. Most of the carving and painting and engineering the platform and machinery are done by volunteers.
Games were held each night in the recreation hall. Masanee called bingo and Tully introduced two new games.
After our Sunday morning breakfast, those of us who were left did more exploring of the Albany area. At the suggestion of member Ruby Rhodes, we went to dinner at Novak’s, a Hungarian restaurant. The food was very tasty!
This fun event left us looking forward to the next Oregon rally.—Masanee Brown and Danna Walker
Dexter Shores, Oregon (March 20-22, 2009)
Fifteen members in nine rigs attended this rally, hosted by Alice Lovell and Pat Cole. The weather did not cooperate—we had rain, hail and snow—but it was great to see friends and get reacquainted again. A lot of visiting was done.
This was a carefree, lazy campout. We had a Friday evening appetizer dinner and a Saturday morning continental breakfast. On Saturday, a few members toured around the countryside. Others played cards in the clubhouse.
We shared a potluck dinner Saturday night. Lots of good food was set out, and more visiting ensued. Five members went next door to the Dexter Lake Club to listen to Timothy Patrick sing and do a little comedy. Others played poker in the clubhouse.
Our continental breakfast on Sunday was followed by more visiting and games in the clubhouse. Later, we all got together (even the ones on NutriSystem diets) and went out to dinner at Mack’s Dexter Lake Café. We had the restaurant all to ourselves, and there really wasn’t much room for anyone else. The food was great, and so was the company.
After breakfast Monday morning, members began loading up and getting ready to head for home.—Pat Cole
Sutherlin, Oregon (October 3-5, 2008)
Our final rally of the year, hosted by Joyce Pickens and Dixie Evers, was held at a lovely and extremely clean facility called RV ¬Haven. Twenty-eight women in 20 rigs participated. The land was previously a drive-in movie theater, so rallies are able to select movies to be shown. We watched “Little Miss Sunshine” and “Young at Heart” on the huge outdoor movie screen.
A membership meeting was held to introduce our new 2009 chapter officers: Masanee Brown is the new president and Pat Cole will be our new treasurer. Linda Waterman will continue as the chapter secretary for one more year. The group thanked Dee Hamer, outgoing president, and Shirley Mahan, outgoing treasurer, for the work and expertise they provided during the past two years. At the meeting, we heard a treasurer’s report and membership report. The schedule for 2009 events was presented and members volunteered as future hostesses.
Even though it rained much of the weekend, members kept busy playing pool, playing games, bowling, walking dogs, golfing, and casino hopping. ¬After dinner on Saturday evening, we had a drawing for gifts and a gift exchange. Lots of laughter ensued as people stole gifts from others and competed for a tub of dough. Winning the tub involved a catch: the winner had to entertain the group with an impromptu song and dance.
Members visited an alpaca ranch belonging to member Barb Hicks and found several baby alpacas to ooh and aah over. Group eating included a barbeque hosted by Dee Hamer and Dottie Allen for early arrivals, two breakfasts, and two potlucks. On Sunday evening, the group ate out at a delightful restaurant in Sutherlin called Pedotti’s. The dinner was followed by games and good-byes.
This event was a great culmination of a wonderful year.—Barb Pace
Diamond Lake, Oregon (Aug. 15-17, 2008)
Several members arrived Thursday afternoon. There were 12 RVs and 23 women attending this event. On Friday, most of us drove to Crater Lake for sightseeing, photos and a very good lunch at ¬Crater Lake Lodge. That evening, we had a meet and greet to welcome old and new friends. We shared finger foods, had a few gift drawings and played either cards or a beanbag game.
Saturday morning, our rally hosts cooked up pancakes and sausage served in the great outdoors since we did not have a clubhouse for this event. Everyone did her own thing for the day as the weather was hot. Some headed out for sightseeing, others played cards or games. Most scrambled to their RVs to turn on their generators because the power went out for about six or seven hours. Regardless of being without power, we had a delicious potluck for the evening, and then it was more cards and challenges for the beanbag game and a few more drawings for prizes.
Sunday morning, we all gathered outside for a breakfast provided by the Oregon Chapter. After breakfast, we had drawings for gifts and also auctioned off some gifts. Our treasurer Shirley Mahan did a great job as auctioneer. Some of the members shared their mishaps on the way to this gathering. We finished up the day by going to dinner at the ¬Diamond Lake Lodge. In the evening, we had a campfire and s’mores.
Rain, thunder and lightning greeted us Monday morning. We started a fire and had breakfast together. Before we knew it, it was time to take off and say good-bye to some new members and the friends we have made along the way. Thanks to everyone for their help in making this a fun event.—Cynthia Moore and Carrie Hammons
Sweethome, Oregon (July 18-20, 2008)
Foster Lake RV Resort was the site of this July event with 15 Oregon RVW members and five guests attending. Several members arrived early and stayed later, taking advantage of a weekly rate, while the rest of the gals arrived on Friday and left either Sunday or Monday.
The weather was very cooperative with warm days and cool nights—in fact, there were several air conditioners running mid-days. The facility was superb—pool, nice meeting room with kitchen, store and other amenities—and park management was very cooperative and helpful.
Friday evening, the group met for introductions and substantive snacks. Pam, Ann and their three Rottweiler rescue dogs traveled from Utah to join the group. After much chitchat and story swapping, the gals found their way to card games, more visiting, movies and TV for the remainder of the evening.
Saturday morning, the traditional continental breakfast was provided by the chapter. The members talked about different options for the rest of the day. This area, located in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, is rich in history. There are a number of covered bridges, museums and self-guided tours. Many of the gals carpooled to this place and that with a stop for lunch or a root beer float or to see what goodie they could find at a yard sale.
Many of the dogs in the group enjoyed a nearby dog park for an hour or two each day. They chased balls, played tag, and tried to socialize one little guy who had not experienced a daily dog party before. Lots of stories were swapped as the ladies lounged leisurely in lawn chairs under the pines in the middle of the dog park.
Saturday evening started with a salad extravaganza which was enjoyed by all, considering there were little to no leftovers. The usual games in the clubhouse occurred and several small groups continued visiting at various RV sites.
Several useful gifts for RVers were won by site number drawings and individual awning operation sessions were given to those still unfamiliar with how to provide their own shade.
The Sunday morning continental breakfast was enjoyed while the group discussed where to have dinner and decided the place practically next door with the lake view, outside dining and affordable prices was A-okay.
Some enjoyed the pool, others went sightseeing, and all loved the weather.
Monday morning the rigs were packed, goodbyes were said and the journey home began. Everyone seemed to enjoy the Foster Lake RV Resort so it could well be on the list for 2009.—Peg Ralston and Nancy Rockwell
Wilsonville, Oregon (June 6-8, 2008)
Twenty members in 13 rigs attended our rally at Pheasant Ridge RV Resort, hosted by Alice Lovell, Jackie Gettman and Pat Cole. Several arrived Thursday afternoon. Friday evening, we had our appetizer dinner and a drawing for prizes generously donated by ¬Saturn of Salem, US Bank, Roberson RV, Wagers Trailer Sales and H&H Paving Company. Later that evening, many of the members played games in the clubhouse.
We started our Saturday with hot cheesy-sausage bread, fruit, yogurt, muffins, bagels and coffee. Then we split up, with some going to view the floats in the Rose Festival Parade and others going to various places of interest, such as the End of Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, Korean War Memorial, Camping World and the candy factory in Aurora. Some went antiquing, and some stayed at the campsite relaxing or trying out the pool.
After our Saturday night potluck dinner and prize drawing, we christened Michaele Reeg’s new Travel Trailer. Micheale had just picked it up on her way to the rally. After the christening, we went back to the clubhouse for more games.
We had a parade of pet owners after our Sunday breakfast. The dogs stole the show. Samantha, owned by Ruby Rhodes, took first place; she was wearing a polka-dotted dress, hat and sunglasses. Second place went to Lacey, owned by Alice Lovell; Lacey was decked out in feathers.
An ice cream social sponsored by AFLAC/Secured Horizons was held in the clubhouse at 1:30 p.m.
Sunday evening, we got together and went out to dinner.
On Monday, we shared a breakfast of leftovers. Many of us had to head home; others got to spend another day or so at the resort. Pheasant Ridge is a beautiful park with paved roads and parking spaces, a nice setting for a great rally.—Patricia Cole
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See the current issue of RVing Women magazine for information about upcoming events.
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Sage, California (February 25-March 2, 2009)
Sixty-one women in 38 rigs attended the February women in baseball rally at the Tucalota Springs RV Park in the heart of the Temecula Valley wine country. We had wonderful weather in the mid 70s and a very exciting weekend of activities.
On Friday evening, the rally leaders provided a taste-of-the-ballpark dinner, which included hotdogs, nachos and chili. In preparation for meeting our special guests on Saturday, dinner was followed by the movie screening of “A League of their Own.”
Saturday was a very special day as we welcomed Shirley Burkovich, Maybelle Blair and Katie Horstman, all members of the All American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL). These are women who were depicted in the movie “A League of their Own” and who have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Shirley, Maybelle and Katie had everyone sitting on the edge of their seats as they shared their memories and stories of playing professional baseball when it was scandalous for women to be doing such things. AAGPBL memorabilia was on display for viewing and rally participants were given an opportunity to win AAGPBL memorabilia consisting of signed baseballs and signed movie DVDs during a free raffle drawing.
Twenty of our canine friends participated in a Bow Wow Dog Walk and Paw-ty in the afternoon. Everyone had a doggone good time as we took a walk among the great oaks and sycamore trees surrounding our campground. At the end of our walk, the dogs enjoyed plenty of fresh water and treats.
Saturday evening brought out the gambler in all of us as we enjoyed an evening full of card bingo. We had lots of laughs and many winners. On Sunday, we had a competitive game of sit-down baseball. Under the shade of some great oak trees, two teams battled it out, taking the game into extra innings.
We enjoyed a potluck dinner on Sunday evening, followed by a Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire game of story telling that had us laughing until our cheeks hurt.
Our assigned clubhouse was a very busy place with lots of time for dominos, card games and jigsaw puzzles. Several rally participants hosted a nightly bonfire, which included roasting sugar coated Peeps and sharing lots of chitchat and laughter.
This was a very exciting rally with six new members joining RVW and SoCALjourners. Before we knew it, it was time to head home with a few more memories of our wonderful time together. Thanks to everyone for their help in making this a fun event.—Jan Boudreau, Denise Fairbanks, Irene Harris and Donna Abrego
Chula Vista, California (January 29-February 2, 2009)
A picture perfect weekend brought 39 women in 27 rigs to the Chula Vista RV Park for our bi-annual business meeting and changing of the guard ceremony.
The park is located next to a marina and a public park, which offered a myriad of choices for food and activities.
Our finger food appetizer social on Thursday evening gave everyone a chance to catch up on the activities of others—who traveled where and who is going where next.
We had an impromptu ukulele lesson from Alice during the Friday morning coffee klatch. Of course, we had a delicious potluck that night with introductions and a few wise words of wisdom from Constance Wray, a member of the RVW Board of Directors.
Saturday morning we met in the clubhouse for our annual business meeting and to introduce our newly elected chapter board: Nancy Rockwell, chair; Linda Brown, membership; and Myra Roselinsky, treasurer. Accolades were given to outgoing chair, Bev Laing, and secretary/treasurer, Judy Taylor, with thanks and well wishes for a job well done.
Saturday night was bingo night in the clubhouse and several of our members participated. Sunday was a perfect day for a picnic in the park, which 12 or so members did, enjoying the ambiance of the area and the camaraderie of good friends. Later you could find members gathered at Linda and Barbara’s rig for a grand Super Bowl party! Several members took off and did some geocaching in the local area, while others rode their bikes and explored the area. Chula Vista RV Park loves RVing Women and they look forward to our return.—Bev Laing
Rancho Cucamonga, California (December 29, 2008)
This was our second annual day trip to the Bass Pro Shop in our area. We started arriving early to take advantage of the great prices. Members stocked up on new clothes, shoes, cooking utensils and even a new heater. Located inside the store was the wonderful Islamorada Fish Company Restaurant. We all gathered later in the afternoon for lunch and to share our successful purchases and recent journeys. Among the 15 attendees were members and guests who had traveled from as far away as San Diego, Marina Del Rey and Palm Springs. The distance record goes to a member of the Texas Ramblin’ Roses, Sharon Souter, who stopped to have lunch with us on her way to vacation with another RVW member, Laural Maydahl. After our stay at the Bass Pro Shop, some members headed for REI to continue their shopping day. Three members had stopped at REI first and had told of the great sale prices being offered there. It was another fine day of celebrating good friends, great food and shopping the RVW way.—Linda C. Brown
Rancho Bernardo, California (December 22, 2008)
We gathered at the Soup Plantation for a late lunch after a busy day of shopping and other activities. There were four of us there who enjoyed a leisurely buffet lunch. Best of all was the extra time we had to get to know each other better. We stayed until the restaurant started serving dinner and then realized it was time to leave. Our hats off to Sandy McKelvey for driving over 120 miles in the rain to join us. That is commitment!—Linda C. Brown
Oceano, California (Nov. 8-11, 2008)
SoCALjourners held their November campout at Pacific Dunes Ranch. There were 34 members and four guests attending in 24 rigs. Our rally leaders were Joyce Denise, Maria Manetta and Judy Taylor.
Much of our weekend was spent enjoying the company of each other and the sights and sounds of the dunes and Pismo beach.
The very first night, we were feted to a hamburger cookout hosted by Linda Brown and Barbara Roeder with others who had arrived contributing side dishes. The majority of the campers arrived on Saturday and signed up for various activities.
A group of six decided on doing an ATV ride over the dunes on Saturday. They all arrived back safely. All reported an exhilarating and exciting ride. Not to be out-done, five others decided on a Hummer tour in the dunes. All but one vowed to never again do that. They were glad to be back in one piece.
Horses were available to ride on the beach. Several of our group enjoyed the guided tour by this mode of transportation.
Meanwhile, puzzles were started in the clubhouse and food made ready for a finger-food potluck dinner.
Breakfast on Sunday morning was a real treat, with Peg Ralston and Nancy Rockwell making their famous breakfast mushroom, sausage, eggs brunch. They worked much of Saturday creating this treat. We also had fruit, bagels, toast, juices, tea and coffee.
After breakfast, Bev Laing updated us on the status of chapter shirts and other items we could order with our chapter logo. She also told us about RVW brag tags and name badges. Bev will continue to be our contact person for chapter t-shirts and name badges.
We also had reports from the convention. Kathy Parker told us about all the wonderful tours and side trips the attendees were offered. Vikki Knight spoke about the open membership meeting. Both of these ladies were first-timers and were duly impressed. Linda Brown gave a report of the leadership meeting and also talked about ways to use the RVW website.
The afternoon was spent by some exploring and visiting the butterfly fields. Other activities included more horseback riding, soap carving with Joyce Denise, working on jigsaw puzzles (and looking for puzzle pieces Bev had hidden around the campground), sleeping, talking, reading and exchanging books.
We had an educational session by show-and-tell of new or unusual things to enhance our enjoyment of RVing.
Our newcomers, as well as old-timers, find these sessions enlightening. Linda Brown talked about power to the rig at campgrounds before hooking up.
Later, Irene Harris and Donna Abrego brought out the Pokeno game. Everyone enjoyed learning and playing this game.
One evening, we honored our veterans with a Pledge of Allegiance to the flag led by Joyce Denise. Cynthia Lawrence and Donna Abrego treated us by playing their guitars. Cynthia sang a few songs and led us in singing some old time camping favorites.
All the campers pitched in and put our meeting room back in order before saying good-bye on Tuesday morning. We all hated for this campout to end, but some are still working and duty calls.—Judy Taylor
Victorville, California (Oct. 17-20, 2008)
Kick back, laid back, no fuss, no muss was the theme for the weekend at this oasis in the middle of the growing city of Victorville. Our sites were next to the Mojave Narrows Lake at the Mojave Narrows Regional Park and Open Space. This was the perfect place to relax and have time to chat with friends. Many took advantage of the walking trail that went around the lake. Others visited the stables and the resident camel and baby.
After a short gathering on Saturday morning, where we welcomed newbies Ruth Wilson, Marilynn Ushman, Mary Sue Allen, Shelby Waldecker and Mary Farkas, campers began their search for red in the game called the hunt for "Red in (the month of ) October." Red envelopes with raffle tickets in them were hidden in the surrounding area and those with tickets had a chance to win special prizes at dinner that night. We all enjoyed the dinner gathering and the desserts provided by our rally leaders, Marcie Kaye, Kathy Wilson and Bev Laing.
Thanks to everyone for a great weekend!—Bev Laing
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Roadside Rendezvous
We, in the eastern part of the country, eagerly anticipate the upcoming National RVW Convention in Charleston and encourage those who have not had the opportunity to attend and witness what a professional and impressive organization we are and to become acquainted with some of the hundreds of amazing women who have the same amazing stories that we do.
I recently had an experience, in the company of only eight of those women, that has clarified for me what it is that draws us together and how it may have all begun
The setting was with the Solo Travelers Chapter. We gathered to enjoy the balmy winter weather in the rural area of north central Florida. Due to the widespread geography of the Solos Travelers, a structured and pre-planned rally is rarely attempted. So a roadside rendezvous is called and it all evolves from there—and, it did!
Upon arrival, as is typical, the eight attendees were eager to come together, meet new friends and catch up with those of previous acquaintance. Introductions were made, all pets were duly admired (we were one animal short of being outnumbered this time) and some planning was done. We planned a Super Bowl party and agreed that we would take advantage of the nearby scenic and historic town of Cedar Key.
On Saturday morning, the roosters at a nearby henhouse, along with the minimal effort it takes to organize eight people, ensured an early start to Cedar Key. Arriving there, we found beautiful winter blue skies and very few tourists competing for the narrow sidewalks. Eager to explore, we quickly decided on a lunch site. The ladies dispersed, some to the gift shops, some to the local museums and some to just enjoy strolling through the small town center. Upon rejoining the group, we enjoyed our seaside lunch, shared our impressions and Cedar Key experiences and departed back to our Old Town campground, with stops on the way to stock up on party fare.
All agreed that the owner of the campground, Joe Navatto, was undoubtedly one of the most hospitable we had ever encountered. Despite his posted price of $5 for firewood, he insisted on bringing a fire ring, wood and starter kindling to a location of our choice, all without charge. All weekend, Joe was visible in his golf cart, accompanied by assorted children and/or pets—including one of those hens. He was quick to offer assistance if needed or just to engage in friendly conversation.
Due to the lack of a recreation hall, Joe allowed us to use the two tables in the campground office to gather around our laptops on Saturday afternoon. Lyn and Judith conducted an impromptu review in navigating the RVW national website and ensured that those present were registered and using the Yahoo group site that the Solo Travelers have initiated for easier contact with one another.
We ended Saturday around Joe’s campfire, sinking even further into the relaxation sense of all’s well that the company of a group of RVing Women always seems to evoke.
On Sunday, Shirley was evidently in league with the roosters. Soon after the night’s mist had cleared, she gathered a few willing participants to take advantage of the developed walking/biking trail in town. The trail took us over the Suwannee River and summoned memories of canoeing and kayaking that same stream. A scouting party departed after lunch to look over a campground adjacent to the headspring of the river, with the plan of a canoeing, kayaking, maybe even tubing, rally in the Florida Chapter’s future.
We gathered at sunset to enjoy our Super Bowl feast and ignited yet another of Joe’s campfires. Gail’s contribution to the event was a very little television and a very long extension cord. So there, gathered around an eight-inch television (bereft of HD/LCD technology) perched on the end of a picnic table and not too far from the campfire, on a balmy winter night, eight enthusiastic (and, yes, betting) sports fans enjoyed as memorable a Super Bowl party, we are sure, as any of the other ninety-seven million reported viewers! Shirley and Ruth and the Giants won.
On Monday, a few had to leave, but before departures our techie, Gail, reviewed the workings of her GPS for those still comfortable with maps and clipboards. It didn’t appear that any converts emerged, but admittedly this navigation thing is a definite challenge to those traveling without co-pilots.
The lucky lingerers passed the day with a visit to an antique shop and a winery followed by a lunch that included the local delicacy, soft-shelled crab.
Super Bowl leftovers served very well for supper.
Rounding off the weekend, a single female traveler, also visiting the campground, was approached and given a welcoming introduction to RVW.
So, a few women came together with no more notice or information than that contained in a few emails and with the expectation of welcome, acceptance, relaxation and friendship that we have all come to know as RVing Women.
Could such a gathering be reminiscent of how RVW probably started—a few women, having a love of travel and independence, gathering together, finding commonalities beyond their expectations and, upon leaving, thinking, “When and how are we going to do this again?”--Arlene Dawson
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Conroe, Texas (May 7-10, 2009
For the Texas Ramblin’ Roses, the May rally location was actually Plan B. The park that was our original destination was blown away by last year’s Hurricane Ike and has not been rebuilt. Rally hosts Wanda Rodgers and JoAnn Brenek had to seek a new location.
We relocated to the KOA/Conroe. We had hot temperatures, but we also had a lovely breeze most every day. We had a happy hour at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. We looked around and sure enough, everyone seemed happy!
Thursday night we took our own supper meals to the rally room to all eat together. Friday afternoon many of us took naps, worked on a puzzle and visited everyone we could get in a conversation. Friday we repeated the bring-your-own-dish dinner. A few brought food to share with others.
Saturday, many loaded up in cars and trucks—as you know many Texas women drive pick up trucks—and drove to the nearest winery. We participated in a wine tasting and took a tour of the facilities. That activity produced another happy hour.
The Saturday evening meal was a bring-your-grill-choice event. There also was a barbecue cook-off taking place on the grounds of the KOA. Need we tell you how wonderful the aroma was?
After we ate, guests introduced themselves. Two of those important guests were the mothers of two of our members. We presented them with red roses and sang Happy Mothers Day to the tune of Happy Birthday. Then we had our members raise their hands if they themselves were mothers, and they also were presented with roses.
Before the weekend ended, we talked more about the convention and came up with even more fun things to do.
Thirty-six women, including seven guests, attended this rally. Four women joined our chapter and, as usual, a good time was had by all.—Janice Lee Ives
Fort Worth, Texas (March 12-15, 2009
This weekend found us rallying in the rain. The rain poured as we began arriving at the RV Ranch on Wednesday, and it kept raining until midday Saturday. But the rain actually added to our good time, as 58 women in 39 rigs gathered in the clubhouse and laughed and shared and played games the entire weekend.
We started officially with a sack supper on Thursday. Bev Archer led a demonstration and instruction on how to play Texas Hold’em. We kept playing all weekend.
Armed with umbrellas and rain gear, about 35 of us caravanned on Friday into the Fort Worth Stockyards to watch authentic cowboys orchestrate a cattle drive of longhorn steers down the main street of town. We also visited the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, the White Elephant Saloon, the famous Stockyards Hotel, Billy Bob’s Texas and, of course, we did a little shopping. Several decided to buy cowboy hats in anticipation of hosting the national convention in San Antonio in October.
After a finger food and toothpick treats potluck in the evening, our president, Janice Ives, and all the committee chairs for the national convention updated the chapter on the plans and activities in the works for October. More volunteers were recruited, and enthusiasm grew for the big event. Our chapter is really excited to be hosting the national RVW convention.
On Saturday, another caravan headed for Fort Worth, some to the stockyards for the cattle drive, and others to the famous National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. A few also visited the Kimball Art Museum. Fort Worth offers a lot of attractions.
Our Saturday evening catered barbeque dinner was fabulous—much too much good food. Afterwards, we enjoyed a soap-carving, spit and whittle contest with a western theme led by Judy Amstutz. It revealed some real talent and artists among us. The judges had a difficult time selecting the most creative, the most realistic and, lastly, giving a prize to the “woman who really tried.” Her cow patty carving was one-of-a-kind.
On Sunday morning, we shared Danish pastries, donuts and coffee provided by Patricia Dalton and Mary Grace Hornell for a hitch-em-up breakfast and said our goodbyes to those who were leaving. About half the group stayed over until Monday. It was another great rally. Our hats go off to the our hosts, Mary Grace Hornell, Patricia Dalton, Judy Amstutz and Sue Tyrone.—Judy Amstutz
Montgomery, Texas (December 4-7, 2008
Our annual meeting and rally was held at the Lake Conroe KOA. In December 2006, when we founded the Texas Ramblin’ Roses Chapter, we knew we would grow quickly, but our growth over this two-year period has exceeded our expectations. We now have over 150 members! Our December rally was well attended, with 41 RVs and a total of 74 women, including six guests. The rally was organized and hosted by Wanda Rodgers and Gayle Pierce.
The Lake Conroe KOA is a wonderful facility with a huge indoor swimming pool that several of the women enjoyed. Our assigned clubhouse was a very busy place, with daily happy hours and snacks and lots of time for dominos, card games and jigsaw puzzles, accompanied by lots of laughter and general visiting.
We enjoyed a potluck dinner Friday evening. Saturday morning, we held our annual meeting and election of new officers. Our newly elected officers are Janice Ives, president; Barb Conley, vice president; Linda Krajewski, secretary; and Susan Penton, treasurer. Outgoing officers who have worked so hard to get our chapter going for the first two years are Marge LeClaire, president; ¬Scottie Scott, vice president; and Page Graves, treasurer.
In appreciation for all her dedication, leadership and hard work as our first president, Marge LeClaire was presented with a certificate of appreciation from the chapter, along with a large bouquet of flowers. Marge did an excellent job leading us to becoming such a great chapter. Scottie and Page were also honored for their hard work and commitment.
Saturday evening’s dinner was a real treat. Wanda Rodgers, who is an outstanding cook, prepared a wonderful meal for the entire group. She actually thought it was fun to cook for 74 women! Kitchen helpers Delma Cummings, ¬Carole Frey, ¬Martha Joy Hammond, Susan Mooney and Constance Wray assisted with the preparation and actual serving.
After we all feasted, we enjoyed a Christmas gift exchange. Each person brought a $10 gift for the tree, then drew a number to establish the order of choosing a gift. We had lots of laughs and teasing as gifts were stolen and participants had to pick another gift from the tree. One or the guests had her gifts stolen so often that she had to select from the tree four times.
The final event of the evening, other than the card games, was the Christmas sing-along led by Gayle Pierce with lots of help from Sherry Coody, Martha Joy Hammond and Constance Wray. Great musical accompaniment was provided by Linda Plumb and Susan Mooney. We had some wonderful harmony and a lot of fun.
During the evening, we experienced the true value of the purpose and culture of RVing Women. One of RVW’s primary goals is to provide a support network for members. Our chapter members demonstrated their generosity and friendship and the spirit of RVW with a special presentation to one of our members. During Hurricane Ike, she lost her home and most of her belongings at Smith Point. She evacuated in her RV and has been living in it until she can rebuild. Voluntary contributions in the form of gift cards from major stores were attached to a small Christmas tree and presented to this member to assist with rebuilding or living expenses.
This is an excellent example of the benefit to all of us of our RVW organization. RVing Women help each other and respond whenever there is a need for assistance. The rebuilding process for our member will be slow and time-consuming. Much of the area is still considered toxic and construction is not yet allowed. Anyone interested in helping can contact Marge LeClaire at amgrowng@msn.com or (941) 400-8554 for more information.
Throughout the rally, there were many discussions regarding the upcoming 2009 convention in San Antonio, Oct. 14 to 18. Our chapter is very excited about hosting the convention and will be working with Convention Coordinator Judy Hashem to make the Texas convention one of the most memorable.
We hope to see all of you in San Antonio next October.
Y’all come on down and join us for some Texas hospitality and fun!—Gayle Pierce
Onalaska, Texas (Nov. 13-16, 2008
North Shore RV Park was the site of the second preventative maintenance rally presented by Wilma Bryant. There were 30 rigs and a total of 64 members and guests, including a visit from Beckey Beckey, president-elect of RVW. Rally hosts Wilma Bryant and Marge Le Claire distributed schedules for the weekend that included time for learning and lots of time for fun.
Topics covered included deployment and care of awnings, cleaning and maintenance of levelers, batteries, air filters and diesel vs. gas engines. A question-and-answer session ended the last class. All agreed that Wilma had done a great job and that they learned a lot.
Time was set aside on Thursday to enjoy Lake Livingston, the largest lake in Texas. Some brought kayaks and fishing gear and set out for the water. Games were enjoyed in the clubhouse that evening.
Friday morning, Wilma held the first maintenance session and kept us engaged for two hours. After lunch, all were encouraged to tour ¬Livingston, visit the Escapees Park and headquarters, and browse at Trade Days in Pedigo Park. At social hour, Marge introduced Linda Scott, a fulltimer who led the group in an activity to get to know one another better. It proved very successful. Dinner at Florida’s, the local restaurant famous for ribs and catfish, was enjoyed by the group.
Saturday morning, Wilma continued her session for another two hours. We had some time for chapter business at the social hour, as well as enjoying snacks and good conversation. A wonderful potluck dinner was enjoyed by all. Janice Ives gave an update about the convention and gave us some homework to prepare for next October. Games ended the night.
Everyone returned to their rigs and began to prepare for the departure after breakfast on Sunday morning. Once again the goals of RVW were met in that we participated in an enjoyable event and also learned something in the process.—Marge Le Claire
San Antonio, Texas (Oct. 17-19, 2008
This was our first real planning event for the 2009 convention. There were 86 women who gathered at Braunig Lake RV Resort, the venue for the next convention. Many arrived early and/or stayed late to enjoy the area. On Friday, Pat Reader organized a golf outing at the Pecan Valley Golf Course. Those who stayed back took the opportunity to visit downtown San Antonio to do some shopping. A potluck dinner and games brought the first day to an end.
Saturday morning, we had a breakfast prepared and served by the resort staff for a nominal fee. The rest of the day was set aside for touring the facility and for going into San Antonio for exploration. Some of the women visited the Frontier Days Festival, a fundraising event to fight kidney disease. There were representatives from several Native American tribes who demonstrated ceremonial dancing and smudging ceremonies. The cakewalk was fun for all.
Marge Le Claire distributed the duties of the officers of the chapter for consideration by all. The members of the nominating committee will be seeking candidates for election at our annual meeting in Conroe.
Our rally hosts, Barb Conley and Nancy Russell, made arrangements for a really delicious barbecue consisting of brisket, sausage, beans and slaw. Everyone was impressed with their Texas Pride B-B-Q Restaurant. If you are coming to Convention 2009, you will have an opportunity to enjoy the wonderful dishes they prepared.
Janice Ives presented a list of convention committees and asked for volunteers. We are pleased with the results of this first organizational meeting. We are convinced that this will be a wonderful place for the next national convention, which will be held Oct. 14 to 18. We encourage all to make the trip and also to consider helping us to make this the best convention ever. If you would like to help, contact Janice at glassives@aol.com.—Marge Le Claire
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