My First Rally

No, I do not have an RV yet but I just got back from the R V Women Pre-Thanksgiving rally.    At the suggestion of the rally host, I booked three nights at the Garden Spot Hotel that was in walking distance of the    Old Mill Stream Campground  were the event was being held.   Several women that had put their motorhomes/travel trailers/fifth wheels in storage was staying at the hotel as well as the Motel 8.   We were told that the event started  a few years back by two ladies that did not have any Thanksgiving plans.  The first Rally was attended by  twelve ladies,  this event was the largest to date with 70 women participating.  They even had a waiting list  for campground space.

I arrived on Thursday and went out to dinner with all the early participates to Dienner's Country Restaurant.  I would say about 25 women were there.  Food was good but the companionship was outstanding and  because of that, I would have paid more than the  $10.25 price.

The next morning, started with breakfast in the club house of the campground.  The event started at 1pm,  ladies and their rigs came in all during the day.  My daughter arrived right after breakfast so she was there for the start.  An announcement was made that we were new and that we would like to see some of the ladies rigs and talk to them about their R V's.  It really was fun going from R V to RV and talking to them  about all the accessories they had and why, seeing the motorhomes actually lived in and how happy everyone was.  I was please when the chapter RV tech, Tonie, wanted to know what RV I was considering, when  I told her she said that she  had been to the plant and  has spent time there,  she thought that I had made a good choice and would buy one if she was in the market.  We also talked about what items I should have them put on while building and then took us into and outside her motorhome showing us what she had added and why.  To say that I was lost from the beginning would be an understatement but I took lots of notes.    She will be in the area taking some motorhome repair classes and would be happy to stop by Nexus to check on my motorhome for me.

Lunch was on your own so most people went shopping,   My daughter and I spent time accepting invitations and visiting ladies in their motorhomes. They were so generous in their explanations that I became overwhelmed.    One lady pulled up by herself driving a 42  ft diesel pusher Winnebago Tour.  Some campers saw that she was having problems backing into a very awkwardly laided out space and ran over to help her.  We almost fell out when this women that I am not sure was 5 ft  got out.  She told us later that she never thought she would have anything like this, she always drove a small class C but she met a rich man a few years ago while at one of the R V Women rallies at the campground we were in, married him  and now  she finally got her dream.  Anyone that wanted a tour that had not seen it previously was invited in.  She said they wanted something that entertained 8, dined 4, and slept 2.

Everyone was to bring a snack for Friday night, my daughter brought  both apple cheddar  and double cirtus scones.  They were a hit.   Several women came over and said that  if there were any leftovers, would she bring  them back for breakfast.  I did get one that night and one the next morning but that was it.  They were delicious.

Tonie, the group RV tech, gave a talk on winterizing and a little bit about batteries and the Atwood quick recovery hot water heater. as well as what RV items had recalls.  She also said that she was available until Tuesday to assist anyone that needed assistance with their RV winterizing or repairs.

 On Saturday, there was breakfast with everyone and  a group went to the Wolf  Sanctuary, some went shopping but TeAntae and I  checked out more R V's and found a great salad restaurant  called SaladWorks, that evening was the Thanksgiving dinner.  There was also a hotdogs by campfire at one of the sites.  You were to BYOC (bring your own chair).  We opted out only because I was sooo cold.

Several ladies brought plates and tableware from their motorhomes for my daughter and I.  They said that we should not have turkey on a paper plate.   There was wine and other beverages as well. i.e., spiced mull cider with rum (lots).

A couple of the ladies made centerpieces that were given away  by drawing names.

There was so so so much food with none going to waste.  This is a sample of the dessert beverage table

The ladies lined up .....

and then we chowed down.

Afterwards was games.  I never sign up for things that I do not know anything about but unfortunately I did this time.    My daughter had to go home  because she had to work early Sunday but I was stuck.  I had never heard of a Minute to Win It which was on NBC hosted by Guy Fieri.  I was told I did not need to know trivia or any special skill set.  The write up said that it was to help digest the food.  What they did not tell me of how humiliated I would be.  The first game was stacking 5 dice on a tongue depressors and holding them there for 3 seconds without them falling. 

 I was one of the winners of that and then it went downhill.

The next was stacking three paper cups with a playing  card in between.  We had to pull the card out making the paper cup fall down on top of the next.  I only got one.

The next challange was moving a cookie from your forehead to your mouth without dropping it.  They said that if your cookie hit the floor and broke you were out.  I concentrated on the cookie hitting the floor. You had to really distort your face to get that cookie down the side of your face, I am ugly enough and did not need that as well.  Anyone that had won at least one game went on to the next round.  Unfortunately, I had to participate in another game.

They  set up three paper cups, we were to blow up a balloon and let out the air to blow the paper cups down the table.  I did poorly with that one as well, I was only successful with one cup.  I really think I had a defective balloon.   It finally got down to 6 that had won four of the games and one that had won all of them.  One more game  was played to declare the overall winner,   prizes were given out to all that had made it that far.     By this time I was exhausted from laughing and went back to the hotel.  My daughter called her voice was a whisper  from laughing so hard those two days, I am not much better.

On Sunday morning, there was the farewell breakfast, and a group picture,  most of the ladies was staying on a few days, I needed to head home.  The new officers were introduced, the campground gave away  campground space rentals for a week,  names were drawn for those. 

One lady had just got her first RV, she was called up front and one of the other  ladies pulled out a large wide mouthed plastic coffee container that had a handle  to present to her but first proceeded to demonstrate how to use it if she was desperate, had no hookup and her black water tank was full.  I wish I had pulled out my camera for that one.  After every thing calmed down,  the host asked if anyone would be willing to host some get togethers next year, lots of hands went up and they will get back to her when they locate campgrounds.  They also like to meet and have lunch throughout the year,  plans were made to meet in Thurmont, MD, for lunch in February.    Here is a list of rallys that have already been scheduled:

I went ahead and reserved my campground space for the Theme weekend rally because  I was told that most of the ladies that attend that one reserved their space last year, and the event keeps growing so space  will be limited.  I will have a new R V and will be officially retired on June 1.  What a way to celebrate.  I hope I do not embarrass myself backing in....well that is a bridge I will cross when I get there.

I had wanted to show you the results of my Nuno felting class and what I have made since but they are in the car.  Next post.