The RALLY starts tomorrow

Yes the Gypsy Journal rally starts tomorrow, but the fun started when we arrived here at Elkhart CG. It has been exciting seeing other class mates roll in, and to see the ones that watched us roll in. Today I watched the vendors setting up in the indoor area for vendors.

 Tonight we had a good old class of 2007 happy hour.I can't even begin to name the names of all the ones meeting tonight at Mac and Netters rig, but we had to expand the circle (oval really) several times as more and more showed up for the 4 o'clock happy hour. The food kept coming until 6 PM so if anyone left hungry it was their fault.

 After spending several hours eating, drinking, and telling stories we were ask for some help by "the Nick Russell.  The other half of we in Nicks last few blogs picked his wife up today. They had been apart for 10 days, so Nick led several of us "class of 2007" troopers to their rig where we all attempted to "rock" the rig. Then we all started yelling "we know what you are doing". It was fun when Greg came out to see what was happening.

 Then we all had to see the EXTRA LARGE PANTIES draped across the front of someones RV. We all had to go knock on the door to ask the owner about the panties. We knew there was a story behind someone having a pair of panties draped across the front of their rig. (they had to be 6 feel wide). And the next time you see me you can ask me and I will tell you the story............

Elkhart Camping grounds

We are here waiting on the Gypsy Journal Rally to start on Monday, and we are not the only ones waiting. Several couples of the Class of 07 are here, along with many "adopted" class of 2007 members, and many more Escapees. Nick and Terry Russell have been having the GJR for several years now, they have one in the spring in AZ, and in the fall here or in Celina OH.

 I think there has been a lot of confusion about who gets what with the camping fees, we paid for a week and a day through the CG which saved us a few dollars over paying Nick for the four days of the rally and the CG the other four days we will be here.  I know some paid Nick and then decided to pay the CG for a month, which means they really paid for the same 4 nights of the rally twice. With this confusion I don't see things working out for another rally here, but then what do I know about it.

 Today was a laid back rest up day. We made a trip to the store to get some garbage bags for our big yellow, collapsible trash can we use outside, and to fill the jeep up with gas. Later we met 20-30 others under the big tent for 4 o'clock happy hour. It was really good seeing so many of the people we have met all across the country gathered under one big tent.

 After the "social hour" or happy hour Bob and Molly, Paul and Connie, Rich and Mary, and Marcia and I went to Hacienda for a Mexican dinner. We were all celebrating Connie's Birthday. It was good to spend her special day with the 8 of us that had spent so much time together in FL the past couple years. We had a lot of catching up to do.

 Later there were 8 couples that gathered in one of the rooms the CG has to play Hand and Foot. I am very sad to say it was the girls who took the guys to school. 3 tables of the girls won, and the 4th table had not finished when we left. I sure hope the guys of table 4 kept the girls from a clean sweep.

 Tomorrow will be filled with more people arriving, and more reunions of friends we have met in the three years that we have been traveling around in our house on wheels......

RV History

We are settled in at the Elkhart Camping Grounds site #505. Once we got set up the AM we met several others that were heading to the RV Museum so we decided to go too.

The museum is a self guided tour of some really neat older RV's, in the first part of the tour we caught Donna playing "Lets go Camping" in one of the displays.

They do have real older RV's there, not just the replicas Donna was playing with. I'll just show the pictures, if you want more detailed information about them come to Elkhart and see them for yourself.

Here is a neat old RV

This one the name says it all

Then I happened to come across three creatures in the woods

They just kept posing for the camera

Now this beauty was made by Paul Jones in 1988, and since Paul Jones is my dad's name I had some of them believing that my dad built it.

The built looking thing was one of my favorites.

The museum is well worth the $6-$8 bucks you pay to enter, so if your like RV's and Old things, the museum is a must do.

 I also have some GREAT NEWS to report, Jay Carter went through the surgery with flying colors today. The doctor said they got all the tumor and that he should make a full recovery, and if it comes back in the future they can always do the surgery again. That is the same thing they told me when they cut the cancerous junk out of me. So I guess Jay and I both will be getting regular C T Scans.

 Fay ask us to thank everyone for their prayers, and asks that they continue praying for them. I really think everyone knows there is a God and that he does answer prayers, even if they don't want to admit it........

We will miss the Carters here at the Gypsy Journal Rally, but we know they won't be forgotten.......

The BIG Move

 Today we are making a big move, 16 miles to Elkhart CG from Elkhart County Fairgrounds in Goshen. We will be very tired after the long trip, but I'm sure we will manage it OK.

Yesterday was a rest up day for me, a cold front moved in yesterday and I knew all about it. We started the day by going to Shipshewana Flea Market, and by 1PM I had done all I could do. Marcia drove us back to the rig where I crashed for the remainder of the day. I sure hope no other fronts come through during the rally.

 We are looking forward to being with so many friends at the rally, there will be too many there to mention everyone by name, but I know several class of 2007 mates will be there along with many "adopted" class mates. I think we have as many or more adopted class mates than we do class mates, but I guess the more the merrier.

 As soon as it warms up enough to roll up the water hose we will make the journey to Elkhart, waking up to 48 degrees isn't my ideal of fun, but it should get up to 75 by this afternoon so that will be great. I'm really looking forward to returning to FL where the highs and lows are a lot closer together.......

Goshen

We arrived at Elkhart County Fairgrounds in Goshen IN today and was greeted by Bob and Molly. It sure was good to see them again, it has been way too long since we saw them in Fl. They told us about the gang having a potato bake at Elkhart CG in Elkhart IN so Marcia and I had to invite ourselves.

It was great seeing so many friends that we have met since we sold the house and moved into the MH. The potatoes were good too, and someone (Ann I think) made a cake in a crock pot and it was sooooo good. I told Marcia she had to get that recipe!

Corey was able to get dad to Andrea's in spite of all the delays caused by Miss Jaelynn and her potty breaks. They said she had to go potty about every other exit, and that makes me so glad my kids are all grown up, and we can give the grand babies back for mom and dad to deal with. Maybe Corey will need to get a MH to haul her around in so he won't have to stop so often.

 Dad will be in good hands with Andrea until we pick him up next week, and we will join our friends at Elkhart CG on Thursday....................

Goshen Bound

Today we did the factory tour here at Newmar, and this one as do all factories tours, impressed me. The tour guide was very nice, but she wouldn't be my pick to give factory tours. We did see how they put all the pieces together to make Newmar RV's.

 We saw several gassers being built, and a couple fifth wheels, there was even a few high end coaches in the factory being built. It was interesting to find out Newmar makes about 15 RVs a week and employees about 500 people. You can't buy direct from the factory, and each RV is sold before it is made here.

 We also went to Focal Furniture today, and yes our bank account is a lot lower after leaving. We had to order what we wanted, although he did have almost what we wanted. We will drive to rig to his shop as we leave Nick's to have the computer desks and the valance installed. It will all be oak like the rest of the wood in the Kountry Star. Pictures will come after the installation.

 We are going to miss the free parking here at Camp Newmar, but it is time to move on. The etch-a-sketch shows us heading to Goshen, the Elkhart County Fairgrounds for a couple days before we go to Elkhart CG where the rally will be. It will be fun seeing some of our friends again.

 Our friend Jay will have the tumor removed on Thursday or Friday, and Fay is recovering from her heart attack and the surgery she had today. They had to put two stints in, and I hope that helps her because she has had her hands full the past couple of weeks, and she will still have her hands full with Jay during his recovery.

Until the next time...........

Camp Newmar

Today we arrived at Camp Newmar, or the factory where our Kountry Star Motor Home was built 5 years ago. It is a large place as you would expect an RV factory to be. They have 40 + rv sites with full hookups for Newmar Owners to use while at the factory getting things done, and we happen to be in one of them.

We have added a couple more states to the map, but I'm sure this map won't get colored in quite as fast as the first one did even though the newer map has one state colored in that the first one doesn't. ( WI ) We will have fun filling it in though.

We are looking forward to seeing some friends in the up coming week, many will be in Elkhart for the Gypsy Journal Rally (aug 30 - sept 1) Depending on how things go at Camp Newmar we will move to Goshen or Elkhart when we leave here.

We hope to do the factory tour tomorrow, and check on getting a couple parts, and maybe even get a few questions answered. I need to charge up some batteries tonight......