2008 SE Rally Times

PancakeBill

We have been attending an FCRV rally in Lakeland. We are leaving for the house in the morning. We have been on the road since Labor Day.

Wayne

>>Judway, Lakeland, FL?  Just a couple miles away, we are in a Carefree in Zephyrhils.  (Majestic Oaks)<<

Here are pics of two of the side trips last week.  The first group got restless when no sub showed up in St. Marys after a couple of hours.  The second group had better luck at the Folkston Funnel -- 5 trains in one hour!

I visit this forum many times each day.  Not only is it a pleasure, but I pick-up a lot of tips that are useful.  I feel like I am getting to know some of the regulars and am anxious to meet in person.  I watch the posting for rallys, but it seems we are always a few states away, in the wrong direction to attend.  I sure look forward to meeting up one of these days.

BTW Jeff:  What's up with the blue lights you featured in the picture?

Motosat TV and internet dishes have the blue lights that shine onto the dish.

geodrake said:

I visit this forum many times each day.  Not only is it a pleasure, but I pick-up a lot of tips that are useful.  I feel like I am getting to know some of the regulars and am anxious to meet in person.  I watch the posting for rallys, but it seems we are always a few states away, in the wrong direction to attend.  I sure look forward to meeting up one of these days.

BTW Jeff:  What's up with the blue lights you featured in the picture?

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Geodrake,

Where are  you located?  Sometimes you only have to tell folks where you are and a "mini rally" develops.  Do keep joining in the converstions cause one day paths will cross.  About the lights....They are  lovingly referred to as "Blue light specials."  The Motosat dish lights up allowing all of us  to keep in touch via satellite. I love the technology.  So much better than the historical acoustic phone couplers of the "olden" days. 

Geodrake,

What Betty said.

We were reminiscing at the SE Fall Rally about the 1st SE Rally.  Two couples agreed to meet, announced time & place.  At least 6 rigs showed up and the SE Rallys began.

Joel

What Betty and Joel said is about the way the QZ rallies started.  Fred & I decided to stay on the desert for one season.  Happened to mention that we were there on the forum and what we were doing and seeing.  Margi & Tom came for a few days in Nov., I think, and we told the others about what we were doing and the fun we were having.  A few others came and went and then at "showtime" in Jan. a few more came and stayed longer.  Each year the same thing happened, for longer periods of times.  Not just a day or two,  a week or more.  It just sort of exploded from there.  Many lives were changed in those first years!  That desert sure has some allure...... 

There certainly were no plans laid out ahead of time.  Things just sort of fell together with each person attending adding to the enjoyment of everyone else.  What a great time it was and is still being had by all who attend.


Daisy

Betty:
We are in a travel mode currently, making the rounds thru Illinois and Indiana visiting relatives.  Just a few days in each place.  Then we will return home (KC) till after Christmas.

We are volunteering at Patagonia, AZ Jan, Feb, and March.  I note that the Quartzside Rally is just two weeks after we get there.  I doubt that we will make it for the show/rally but perhaps later.  Will there still be Forum folks around, or do most leave after the show?

geodrake said:

We are volunteering at Patagonia, AZ Jan, Feb, and March.  I note that the Quartzside Rally is just two weeks after we get there.  I doubt that we will make it for the show/rally but perhaps later.  Will there still be Forum folks around, or do most leave after the show?

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George,

Historicallly several have stayed long beyond the  "end" of the rally.  Sometimes that is the best time.  Fewer crowds, you can get closer to the campfire and have the desert diehards to visit with.  The activities are usually posted daily so keep tuning in.

Thanks Betty.

Daisy.  Not sure if I remember when you started the desert thing, but I remember the first Rally we met you, down in CT, the talk of it.  It amazed us because we had never heard such a thing, and then following the talk of the Christmas Framily dnner at the cafe, the 4wd excursions, gem huntng etc.  It got put on our list for times to come for sure.

Hi Bill,

Biil said: It amazed us because we had never heard such a thing, and then following the talk of the Christmas Framily dnner at the cafe, the 4wd excursions, gem huntng etc. 

Coming from the east, it amazed us too!  It was such a different experience, something the NE can't even imagine.  We really did and still do enjoy it.  It made just a profound impression on us, that as you know, we have left New England behind us, and have our roots in the desert now, although a little higher ground than QZ.  Absolutely love it.....

I'm thinking our first desert event was probably the winter of 95/96, or the following year.  The first one ever was the winter of 94/95 in our then brand new Bounder MH.  Had to buy a new one as the old junker we used to get down there was pulling down the real estate value.  We were then parked at Hasslers RV Pk, and had the only phone connection.  Wires were going all over that cg.

I, too, remember meeting you at the CT rally and what a good time that was as well.  I was always sorry we didn't have a chance to see you again on our numerous trips back east.  Hopefully,  you'll be able to get out here and experience ail this personally VERY soon.

Daisy

Jim Dick said:

There was another rally in CT which we organized and was held near Mystic, CT Can't remember just which year it was. It was before my digital camera days so any photos I might have are stored somewhere between FL and CT.

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Jim,

The CT rally is the one that I referenced above, North Stonington, CT from 9/4/97 to 9/8/97. Mystic is relatively close to Stonington and I do remember the name. In fact, I think we went there one evening or afternoon to eat and sightsee. The dates were taken from my log book, which I have no reason to doubt. Relying on my memory is somewhat more dubious.

Richard

Edit:
Between the time I started replying to Jim's message, it looks like the thread has been split up and my reference to the post above not longer is valid. Perhaps this message should be moved to the thread which was split off.  Richard

Happy New Year to all our 2008 SE Rally friends.

This greeting is late because of all the Christmas - New Years - family visits, cleaning, decorating, shopping, returning, celebrating, enjoying, and related activities we've been engaged in since before Thanksgiving.  Also, because the longer I'm retired and the less I have to do the more behinder I get.

Really wanted to let all of you who sympathized and empathized with Mary Ann about her shoulder injury from the hiking fall in Yellowstone (June, but she was still in rehab at Rally time) and her hip injury from the fall from the ladder as she was helping clean the coach for the trip to the SE Rally, that she is fully recovered from both and we're both doing well.  The interesting thing, to us, was that the right hip pain that was causing the limp at the Rally eventually turned into a left hip pain/limp, then, after some therapy, went away.

As to our travels, our longest coach trip has been from Pittsboro, NC, the moho's winter home, to Siler City, NC, about 30 miles west on RT 64, and return, for the monthly "exercise the coach" trip.  As usually, we ran the generator with the heat pumps on for a load but this time we had to run the dash air conditioning to keep the driver and Navigator from over heating......probably was a good idea to exercise the AC anyway.

I've been keeping up with you all by lurking the site.  As soon as I send this, I'm headed to the other end of the house to get on Mary Ann's PC and set up an account on the Forum for her to use.  Hopefully she'll become a more active visitor.

We're currently planning to just hang around here (Cary, NC) until about April, then hit the road again -- so far, destination unknown.

If there is a more correct place to post a communication like this, or a better way to communicate with a specific group of Forum members, please let me know.

Until we meet again, all good things to you.

Don Nesbitt
Cary, NC

Don, good to hear from you and to hear that Mary Ann is all healed.  Looking forward to her participation here.

We're currently planning to just hang around here (Cary, NC) until about April, then hit the road again -- so far, destination unknown.

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One of the stops you should be planning is the 2009 Southeast Spring Rally. I haven't figured out just where or when, but Nancy & I will be in Texarakana May 18-23 for an American Coach rally and are thinking to have the SE Spring rally in that general area sometime in May.


The best place for your sort of post is The Shade Tree, which is just a purely social area.

RV Roamer said:

One of the stops you should be planning is the 2009 Southeast Spring Rally. I haven't figured out just where or when, but Nancy & I will be in Texarakana May 18-23 for an American Coach rally and are thinking to have the SE Spring rally in that general area sometime in May.

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Gary

Marlene & I had a great time at the SE spring rally and would love to attend the 2009 rally if we have the right geographic/time setup. We will be traveling to Perry, GA and back home in mid-March for the FMCA International Convention. We then head back out for meetings in Cincinnati the first full week of May. Anything on the way to either or back from Perry would be great. Just a hope ;D

Could be anywhere in the very late April to end of May time frame, Bernie.  I've got too much on my plate right now to work it any closer than that, but will get to it soon.

Inputs such as yours are helpful, though.

Gary,

We will be at the lot until the end of April.  Potters Creek COE park is about eight miles from our lot and there is much to do in the area within an hours drive.  The COE park is on Canyon Lake and is very nice.  We were here in April last year and the weather was good.  Think about it when you have time.  We would love to do the SE Rally again.

Where do you all meet? My DW and I are looking for rallies to drive to. We have never been to any.