So Indiana Rally - Fowler Park; June 9-12

First, a special hello to all of the new friends I met at the rally last weekend in Fowler Park. Hang on and enjoy the ride, I certainly do!

Thursday June 9th:  Oh yeah, camping again! I'm telling you this is the life. I love camping. However, getting ready to go is a bit bothersome. Why can't we just leave the van loaded? After inspecting to see if Norm had packed everything it was time to hook up & go.

Norm told me to double check his work to make sure he didn't miss anything. (Like I know what I'm looking for? I'm new at this stuff.)

Time to hit the road. I won't get into the fact that we were driving for a LONG time heading to the Indianapolis area (Fowler Lake) only to discover that we were suppose to be going to the Terra Haute area (Fowler Park). Suffice it to say I don't think Norm will let me Google the directions anymore. We arrived later than planned. The gates closed at 10 pm and we got there at 11. I don't know how, but Jules & Norm convinced the gate guard to let us in anyway. We set up camp and got to sleep by 2 am.

Friday June 10th:  Fun in the sun. Temperatures in the upper 90s and NO SHADE! You could cook an egg on the rocks.

Actually our hosts, Wagonmasters (that's what they call the folks that organize the rallies) Roger & Erin thought Norm & Jules were going to be bringing their paddle boat (whatever that is) so they were given a beautiful campsite on the tip of a peninsula. We had shade in the early morning only.

Norm said that the only way he is going camping again is with air conditioning. I told him when he finally gets it he won't need it anymore. He threatened to toss me in the river if I didn't quit bugging him.



Beautiful


I had to think about that for a while. A refreshing dip and getting Norm in trouble with Jules. Seemed like a win-win situation. I think Jules heard us though and said to knock it off.

This was our campsite all set up.



Barb - aka Mom



Our neighbors on one side were BJ and her mom (Barb).



BJ & me



Barb didn't mind my chatting with her, but I think she preferred to sit next to Norm.

I think BJ is as strange as Norm. She had a whole flock of Flamingos wandering around her campsite! I had to watch real close where I walked.  



Introducing myself to the group



Later in the evening we played a game called I Never. Everyone sits in a circle and says something that they have never done, like sky diving. If the others had, they had to pay a penny for it. We started with 40 pennies each and the last one wins all of the pennies.

Jules did real well! She made it to one of the last three.

Norm was out early as usual. I think he should just donate his 40 pennies and watch from now on.  

After the game it was time to head back to the campsite. A couple of cool beverages and time to get some rest.

Norm said Saturday was going to be busy with the Show & Shine.

Saturday June 11th:

The weather was much improved. The eggs needed longer to cook on the rocks. 

The Show & Shine is the time when all of the campers (if the owners want to participate) are open to the public to be viewed. It is a great chance to see how everyone decorates their campers.

It is also a great time to get new ideas. Like WHERE to hide that air conditioner!

 This is Dave & Patty with their camper & me. Dave hid the air conditioner inside the vent above their heads. From the outside you would never know the camper had air!

These were some of the other folks that we were camping with.



Anna & Bill





Mary - I hope her husband doesn't see this!



Pam



Amy

Kevin & Marsha



Lynda & Pam



Mary (Erin's mom) & Robin

Ernie (aka Abe Lincoln for the event)



Hunter, Cooper & Gus (hiding behind Hunter)



Karen (in the boat) & Rich



Trish



I had a wonderful time meeting everyone. It still amazes me how many people don't mind posing for pictures with me. I even got my picture taken in Trish's camper, on the bunk!

Its a good thing that I'm vertically challenged or I would have never fit!

I even met another gnome that everyone was saying looked a lot like me. Personally, I don't see the resemblance. (I thought I was vertically challenged...)

I know some folks think that rallies with games, contests, show & shines and the like are really not what camping is about. I think that is the great thing about the different rallies. Some have all the bells and whistles, some don't. Like their trailers, each is distinctive and different. I enjoy all of them. Any time spent camping is better than being at work. (Not like I have a job anyway, but it sounded cool when I heard it, so I stole the quote.)




Jules, me, BJ, Mary & Leroy

 

Saturday evening we had the "pot luck" dinner.

There were door prizes and a white elephant grab bag. Personally I didn't see ANY elephants, anywhere, white, pink or any other color for that matter.

But I did get a few cool new things.

After dinner there was a race wearing a very large ladies unmentionables.



Brian & Kevin (left) Walt & Rich (right)



I'm not sure that the owner would be happy knowing what they did with them. Besides, who borrows someone else's drawers? But it was funny watching the participants running in them.

After the dinner & games it was time to sit back and enjoy. A lot of campfires, conversations and generally hanging out with new and old friends.

Jules and Norm rode their bikes around to the different campsites visiting. Norm told me if I didn't have a bike I could walk. I tried putting a stick in his spokes as he rode off but I missed. Jules was kind enough to give me a ride.

 We hung out with Ray & Sandy for quite a bit that night.

Sunday was very peaceful, although we did have to pack up & go home. We stayed at the campground after church services and had a late breakfast. We planned on heading home around 2 PM. It was interesting that there were still folks stopping by that had missed the show & shine or had heard about the event after the fact. Jules & Norm always let people that stop by look around in Bob.

Unfortunately, all of the rallies eventually come to an end. On the way home we stopped for gas and some young folks had followed us into the gas station. They had been travelling the same road and stopped for gas too. NO silly not that kind of gas, none of us ate, the cars needed fuel. When they asked if they could take their picture with Bob of course we said yes. I had to jump in that shot too.

That was it for our rally weekend. Our next rally will be the Northern Indiana Rally, in South Bend, in July. From what I'm hearing it should be a doozy. I've heard they have "naughty gnomes" that attend. I'm not a naughty gnome, though I have known a few. I am really looking forward to seeing if I know the gnomes from days gone by. Norm said he is going to keep a close watch on me so I don't get a bad reputation like the other gnomes. He's boring that way.

Until I write again,

Travis

Jason's Birthday - Finally Celebrating it! - May 2011

As you have read in my past entries, Jason's birthday was in April. Things were very busy for the family and it seemed that every time we planned to celebrate Jason's birthday something else would intervene and ruin the plan. Well, we finally got to celebrate it properly.

One thing that I have learned hanging out with Jules and family is that they don't let birthdays go unnoticed. Even when someone prefers to just ignore the fact that they are having a birthday the others won't let it just be another day. It is always viewed as a special day for that person. This time it was Jason's turn to try and ignore a birthday.

Brock would have none of his dad's shenanigans and like his grandma insisted that the special event be celebrated properly.

The evening started with dinner at a local restaurant. Of course we did honor Jason's request that there be no photos in the restaurant. (We had to give in somewhere or it would have made the whole celebration a brutal ordeal for him.) Instead we had a fantastic time.

After dinner we retreated to the pink house for a casual evening of family and giving Jdub (that is what I call him) his gifts. Since I am now with the family, as a direct result of Jason introducing Norm & me at Christmas, it makes it all the more fitting that he be featured here for his birthday.

The rest of the family had been debating long and hard about what gifts to get Jdub. They decided to pool their resources, since birthdays have a spending limit, and get something for him that he had wanted for a long time. Yep, a couple of cards. They call it being frugal. I think they were just being cheap.

Watching Jdub open gifts is a thrilling time as you can see by the look of shear joy on Norm III's face. How he could contain his excitement is beyond me. I personally was giddy the entire time.

Ok, they weren't all that cheap. They did get Jdub a gag gift. It was a little McDonald's figurine thingy. Actually, Jules got it for Bob, but they had to give Jdub something to unwrap. While he was trying to figure out why in the heck the family would have given him a McDonald's figurine, Norm & Norm III snuck out to bring in the real gift.

Can you hear the theme music in the background as THIS was being unveiled? Seriously, a 42" LCD TV! Can I sign up now for my birthday?

Jdub has done so much for the whole family since joining it that we all felt he deserved to get a luxury toy that hes been waiting to get since he started working on their house. Plus, he didn't get to go to Vegas like everyone else. (Someone had to watch the dogs.)

Jdub was VERY surprised and happy! Now all he has to do is convince Joni that he needs to actually be left to USE his gift, rather than finish his honey-do list for a few weeks.

He is such a great person. At least he let me slide when I first found out about his birthday last month and didn't have a card or anything else.

I almost ruined the night too. I had been commenting on how much I felt that I too deserved a giant TV.  Brock decided I needed to let his dad have his day and to quit whining about what I wanted. I made the mistake of telling Brock to pipe down. After knocking me off the table with one pillow and piling on a few more Brock was about to jump on and pummel me when Jdub grabbed him. I obviously realized shortly thereafter that Brock was right. It was Jdub's day, and he certainly deserved it.
Happy Birthday big guy!

Travis

Vintage Trailer Rally - My First! - May 13-15, 2011

Hokey Smokes!! Was that a fun time or what?

I can honestly say that I had no idea what I was in for when Norm & Jules said they liked vintage camping and going to rallies. But signing up with them meant taking the good with the bad. So far, ALL GOOD!!  First thing I did after arriving though was to hook back up with Norm & Jules after my wandering around with Mike & Jessica for the past month. They were such gracious hosts! Thanks guys!



Me & Norm reunited



Ok, for those that might not know, a vintage trailer (camper) rally is just what it sounds like. A bunch of people with vintage trailers (they don't like their campers to be called old...) that actually use them still to go camping. Someone "organizes" a camp outing at a nearby campground and invites ANYBODY with an old camper to come join in for the weekend. Whoever shows up gets to enjoy. Its really cool! They are very welcoming to "newbies". Since this was my first rally I was a newbie. I did find out that the only requirement is that you arrive with the intention of having fun! 

  Norm & Jules currently own three vintage campers. These are two of them;



1958 Hiawatha



1965 Aristocrat Lo-Liner



Clearly they are not your typical neighbors in a campground. But that is what is so cool. There are a bunch of like minded people that get together with their old (oops, vintage) campers and hang out.

Anyhow, back to the festivities.  I met up with my cousin Gunther and we were catching up.

There was another gnome, T-Roy, that said he was embarrassed a bit when he saw that he and I were dressed alike. He said he would make sure that didn't happen again so we all exchanged numbers to check wardrobes in the future. The goose was another "newbie" named Gertie. She was with Joni, Jason & Brock.

On the first night we had what they called a progressive cocktail party and crazy hat contest. You start out at one camper and the owner provides a tasty beverage of their choosing along with an appetizer.

After a few minutes of chatting, drinking and eating its on to the next camper. This was our first stop. BJ's 1958 Yellowstone. Everyone names their campers too. BJ named hers Bee Bee because of a bunch of bee bee dents in it. Norm & Jules named theirs Bob (the Burger) and Walter (the Hippie).

The more people that attend one of these could make the "progressive" part of the party a real challenge!


Next it was on to Norm & Jules' campers. Joni & Jason were staying in Walter while they are in the process of re-doing their 1970 something Shasta. Norm & Jules were staying in Bob.

 

It was great fun and the food was fantastic! Joni & Jason had mini hot dogs wrapped in bacon and baked with brown sugar. Mmmmmm!

 

 Norm & Jules tend to have "shots" but this time the shot glasses were filled with cordial. Its a homemade concoction that the recipe has been passed down in Norm's family for generations. It is very similar to brandy. Definitely NOT shot material! But very tasty! The cordial for this rally was blackberry.

After Norm & Jules' it was off to Kimberly & Gibb's and Mike & Jessica's.  

 

Great friends, great times!

Homie (Mike) won the crazy hat contest for the guys and Joni for the girls.

It was getting a bit cold and obviously was having an affect on the participants. Gunther, myself and T-Roy didn't notice the cooler temps. We had enough tasty beverages to ward off any cold weather! We should have made it a bigger point to sample multiple appetizers rather than multiple beverages.

It wasn't too long after that we started loosing tired campers to their bunks. 

If you would like to view all of the pictures from the rally (There are around 160) click this link.  Marengo Ridge Rally 

Saturday was a much tamer affair. During the day things were pretty easy.  Getting up and started is always tough after a night like last night.

Even Brock would agree.

I suggested that we go out to breakfast in town rather than me having to cook it, since I had volunteered to cook it the night before. Everybody thought it was a great idea, so we went.

After breakfast we went back to the campground. I had a chat with a guy that was hanging around Norm & Jules camper.

He said that he owned the camper. Clearly the guy is a clown and didn't know that I am family with the actual owners.




The Busch / Watson campsites



 Norm said you always know where he and Jules are camping, at the corner of Canned Ham Trail & Aluminitis Avenue. Aluminitis, he said, is some sort of sickness people get when they start buying vintage trailers. I guess owning three makes them incurable.

Norm's new sign

We rode bikes for a little bit and checked out some of the area.

Later it was time to start getting ready for the evening's "pot luck" dinner. Everyone brings a dish to pass so its pretty much "pot luck" what you will end up eating.  I made chili. 





After dinner we sat around and talked for a while. It was a great time. (I know, I said that already, but it really was!)

Then it was time to head off to sleep. A full tummy tends to do that to me.

Norm says its a food coma. I think he just likes to sleep.  I know Brock does.

Sunday morning, after breakfast it was time to pack up to head home.

I can say that I haven't spent a more relaxing, enjoyable weekend in a very long time. I am really looking forward to the many other rallies Norm says we are going to attend this year. He said that since this was my first it was better that it was a small event. According to what he is saying the rest promise to be much larger. I can't wait!

See you in the campgrounds!

Travis