Arizona Chapter

Springdale, Utah

May 13 to 17: Fourteen women attended our May rally at Ferber Resorts Zion Canyon RV Campground to experience the sights and sounds of the magnificent Zion Canyon. The days were spent enjoying the park amenities, sightseeing, hiking and strolling through the quaint town of Springdale. Most evenings we gathered to share a meal and campfire at the river while being serenaded by Carole and her ukulele or listening to a symphony orchestra performance at the outdoor Tanner Amphitheater. Thanks to all that attended. We are looking forward to seeing you down the road.—Pennie Kubla

Parker, Arizona

April 16 to 19: You can always tell when a good rally is going to happen, when everyone comes a day early. Our co-hosts, Jan Clayton and Connie Mantis, were pleasantly surprised by the number of people who attended and tried to keep this rowdy group happy as we battled the buzzing of the speedboats on the Colorado River and the non-stop supply of river gnats—aren’t they a new source of protein? Our kayakers had plenty of leisure time to explore the river, and each of them returned to camp with this relaxed, whimsical look on their faces.

The staff at the Blue Water RV Resort where we stayed provided breakfast for us one morning and accommodated our need to use the clubhouse on very short notice.

The auction to raise money for our chapter’s support of the convention in Mesa was a great success. Marilyn Teresi, chair of the convention Fundraising Committee, worked hard to make us laugh while she dipped her fingers into our wallets and released the cobwebs. Thanks to everyone who spent some money and donated items.

Arizona Chapter President Mary Cordell held a chapter meeting so we could discuss upcoming business, which for most of us means the 2010 convention in Mesa. Meg Van Zyl, convention coordinator, and Mary Beth Stearns, entertainment chair, shared information and answered questions from the group regarding the various committees and their status.

We had several group eating experiences. Friday night the Arizona Chapter hosted the meet and greet at the Blue Water Cantina. Saturday we ventured out to the Roadrunner Floating restaurant for hamburgers. Both places are very casual and relaxed and just happen to have great views of the Colorado River and the local river rats.

We ended our food fun events with a submarine sandwich contest. Those who remained on Sunday were divided into four teams. Each team was provided with a 12-inch sub roll and was asked to create their best submarine sandwich. One team had a yummy turkey meatball submarine. Another team had a Hawaiian-themed submarine with ham and pineapple. The third team had a tuna sub with RVW spelled out in garnish on top. The fourth team had a combo meat sub with marinated peppers and little veggie kayaks. Mary and Patricia were called in at the last minute to help judge the contest. It was a very close deliberation, but the kayak submarine created by Dianne Walker, Jan Choti, Maxine Turnbull, Jan Owen and Carol Waymire won first prize. The proud team members received rainbow flags supplied by our own Flags, Etc.

As always, the weekend ended too soon. Thanks to everyone for such a great, fun time!—Connie Mantis

Tonopah, Arizona

February 12 to 15: Our February rally at Saddle Mountain RV Park was a working rally with time set aside for reviewing and planning for the 2010 convention in Mesa, sponsored by the Arizona Chapter with assistance from the Arizona Day Trippers. The weather was sunny and warm, a nice break from the cold, rainy weather we had been having.

We had a meet and greet Friday evening. Some members were reconnecting after months. Being an almost new member of the Arizona Chapter, I had the opportunity to meet many wonderful women for the first time.

Convention Coordinator Meg van Zyl updated us on plans for Convention 2010. Committee chairs are working on their assignments. This was a very full meeting with lots of information shared.

Larry Ann Holley made a special trip to be with us and to speak about the driving school in Drumright, Oklahoma. RVW Vice President Nancy Shoop also was present and talked to us about the maintenance and fulltiming camp, also held in April in Drumright. Judy Brown and Lanny McBrown were also present, representing the Arizona Day Trippers.

We also were pleased to have Jan Choti and Maxine Turnbull, of Flags, Etc. and Susan Cox and Dorothy Loll, of Badges R Us, join us for the weekend.

During free time Saturday afternoon, some members visited the nearby natural hot springs for a relaxing soak in the tubs. Those of us lucky enough to get appointments also enjoyed a massage.

Our Saturday dinner, provided by Saddle Mountain RV Park, was followed by a Valentine dance. We had the use of the park’s clubhouse with a very large dance floor. The music, a wonderful mix of country, classic, pop, jazz and soft rock, was provided by deejay Marilyn Teresi.

Sunday morning started with a breakfast of fruit and sweet rolls followed by a lively auction, one of the fundraisers held this weekend. Auctioneer Marilyn Teresi was assisted by Mary Cordell, our chapter president. The audience was enthusiastic and in the mood to take advantage of the wonderful bargains that were offered. Our weekend fundraising events netted over $1,000 for the chapter.

This was a great rally, thanks to all who participated. We look forward to doing this again.--Linette Davis

Safford, Arizona

December 3-7: Sleigh bells ring / are ya listening / in the park noses glisten / a beautiful night not a piece of hair in sight / walking in a winter wonderland. Everyone wore hats, and yep, this was one very cold rally. However, we are RVing Women, and it was a fantastic rally.

Connie Mantis and Marilyn Teresi, along with Patti Ferguson and Stephanie Tidsdale, hosted this rally. Stephanie and Patti couldn't be with us in body because their little dog Penny became very ill; however, they sure were there doing a lot of hard work to prepare for this holiday rally. They deserve a big thank you. Patti drove two-plus hours to get our turkeys and hams to us and then drove two more hours to get back home.

Cooking two turkeys and two hams looked like a real challenge, but Sandy Thuet came to the rescue. While we were running around looking for ovens, this crazy lady who is straight from the wilderness said, "Cook them on the Barbie.". Yes, she talks a little funny. She threw our dinners on the Barbie and sat all day watching, turning and basting. Needless to say, along with the special holiday dishes everyone brought, our dinner was a smash success.

Everyone got into the holiday spirit, crawling through shrubs and bushes to participate in our Christmas treasure hunt. We also had a bocce ball tournament. Some of the players had never heard of the game, but that didn't keep them away. Oh yes, we had our Ellen/Oprah interview; talk about leaving yourself out there in front of the group. Ruth was interviewed by star reporter Meg, and between the two of them we had great laughs.

This was not only our holiday rally, this was also the weekend we held our chapter annual meeting and elections. We started our meeting by giving special thanks to the members who are leaving our board: Connie Mantis, activity chair for two years;  Jolene Greeley, treasurer for four years; Dianne Walker, secretary for four years; and Marge Rust, membership chair for one year.

It always leaves a bit of a lump in your throat to say thanks and well done to retiring board members; however, as quickly as we said goodbye, we came back with a huge welcome to our new board: Mary Cordell, returning president; Mary Beth Stearns, secretary; Laura Lusk, treasurer; Linette Davis, activity chair; and Sandy Fernandez, membership chair. 

There were approximately 20 rigs in attendance, and most were boondocking. Penny, Katie, Lisa, Laura and helpers worked day and night lugging wood and tending fires  to keep us toasty. Another heart-warming thing for this host was that most members stayed around the campfire when it certainly was warmer in the rigs. We had storytelling, led once again by Laura Lusk. Members shared their libations (hot cocoa, tea, coffee, etc.) and stories of past road trips. And of course there was a lot of conversation about our upcoming 2010 national convention, which is being hosted by the Arizona Chapter.

Thanks to all of you, our hosts and members, for making our rallies great fun!--Marilyn Teresi

Parker Arizona

October 30-November 2: Our Halloween rally! How much fun was this! Our wonderful hostess Jan Clayton and her elf hostess Connie Mantis did a great job. This rally was what we call a loosey goosey rally.

We first want to say hello and thank you to all of the new members that showed up and, I might add, in a very energetic RVW spirit they were sharing all their toys, joining us at meet and greets and participating 125 percent in our Halloween festivities. Actually, this was the first rally I have been to that new members outweighed the old. We had several members bring some very fun guests, and we hope that they will soon become new members.

Water activities, boating, kayaking, fishing and eating one of the best hamburgers you can find while gazing across the Colorado River made this a perfect rally. Needless to say, all we had to do was to get in our cars and drive short distances and Mother Nature took over. This is some beautiful territory!

For our Halloween costume party, we had cows, motorcycle monsters, a very mysterious person with a cloak and very strange dagger, the bull and bear of Wall Street, a tattooed lady, Raggedy Ann, and many more creatures. Everyone did a great job.

We had an outstanding potluck in the clubroom, and Jan and Connie have agreed to host our future rally at Parker in April. The theme for that rally is Spring.

This writer wants to apologize for the delay of this article; however I do not believe it is ever too late to thank the members that host the rallies or the members that participate in our rallies. Our rallies are the heart of RVing Women, and it is up to us to keep it pumping.

Great job everyone! Thank you!--Marilyn Teresi

Arizona Day Trippers

For information about current outings planned by the Arizona Day Trippers Chapter, contact Lanny McBrown at jlmcbrownks@att.net, Kay Houchin at houchin190@hotmail.com or Judy Bozman at mollynme2@juno.com.

Cascadia Chapter

Black Diamond, Washington

June 18 to 20: Despite the sunny predictions of weather forecasters, another rainy weekend was in store for our intrepid campers at Lake Sawyer. Undaunted, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and the famous Black Diamond Bakery a few miles down the road. Thursday and Friday provided enough clear weather for evenings around the campfire, but on Saturday we again had steady rain.
The clubhouse was a bit cozy for our 43 women, so Meg came up with a clever way to avoid using an entire table for potluck food. We each placed what we brought in front of our place setting and then moved around the room filling our plates. When reaching our own place once more, it was okay to sit down and dig in.

According to registration records, the 43 women came in 23 rigs. There also were a number of day campers, and at some pint we lost count.
On Saturday morning, we gathered in the clubhouse for a very helpful workshop on RV maintenance led by Steve and Steve. They have been in the RV maintenance business for 30 years. The Steves provided excellent handouts on everything from tires to winterizing to buying a used rig.

That afternoon, in addition to visiting the famous Black Diamond Bakery, we found a large used bookstore and a surprisingly large local museum. Black Diamond was originally a coal mining community, so the museum had an excellent collection of tools, including several mystery tools. You were to guess what these tools were designed to do, then the museum staff would tell you what others thought; no one knows for sure how they were actually employed.

Several Cascadia teams held a scavenger hunt, knocking on doors to see who had a 2004 conference t-shirt or a red button, among other things. Winners were the team of Christine, Leanne, Suzanne, and Sherry. At dinner, because it was national hollering week, the scavenger hunt teams also competed in a hollering contest. Millie’s team came up with an authentic hog call, winning that event.
Sunday morning, we shared coffee and sweets in the clubhouse before christening a new rig and wishing each other “happy trails until we meet again.” Thanks to captains Meg and Karlene for a fun, soggy weekend.—Jan Secor

Mossyrock, Washington

May 28 to 31: For the past couple years, we have had beautiful, sunny weather for this big, annual Cascadia event. So, we were due for some rain. We got it a good part of the weekend, but we also got enough dry weather to hold our annual Cascadia Triathalon and enjoy a couple campfires, some hiking and fishing and a geocaching workshop.

The event began on Thursday and Friday with the usual warm meetin’ and greetin’ followed by eatin’. During dinner, we honored our veterans by introducing them and having them tell us a bit about their service. Poker and other games followed that evening.

Saturday started off with a workshop on blogs, Facebook, Skype, and other computer wonders by resident geeks Diane Milnor and Joan Tucker. Afterwards, several received individual tutoring as well. Be sure to check out the Cascadia blog. You can get to it from www.cascadiarvw.com.

The rest of Saturday, we hiked, fished, shopped the flea market, chatted, walked dogs and tried to stay dry. We finished the day with eating and gaming again. We didn’t have an auction this year. We missed Vanna and the fun of the auction, but those who set it up enjoyed the time off.

The rain let up. In fact, the sun came out briefly around dinnertime. In the evening, someone built a fire. Now all we have to do is learn how to sing.
Sunday it was raining again, but we were not about to let that stop us. In the morning, Cathy held a geocaching workshop. After a bit of instruction, we set off around the campground looking for caches placed the day before. We found them, signed our names, and then replaced them as we are supposed to do.

We hosted our Cascadia Triathalon on Sunday afternoon. The first award, for the best team name, went to the Incidental Bedfellows, Lynne and Geri. The award for best team costume went to Folk and Jazz, Pat and Jill.

Contests were held in three sports: Hershoes (in which one does a free throw of a high-heeled shoe into a garbage can), bocce ball and Cascadia Golf (also known as ladder golf). Winners were the Amazon Girls, Diane and Nancy, first place; the Incorrigibles, Mary and Ardyth, second place; and Two Dazed, Linda and Carol, third place.

Exhausted from our athletic endeavors, we ate again. We held a barbeque at the clubhouse with grills outside and eating inside. This was perfect for damp weather with light rain.

After dinner, we splurged with ice cream and lots of choices for toppings. Then, it was back to the game tables and the fire.

Monday morning we christened three new rigs. All in all, the 60 to 65 people in 34 rigs and the numerous dogs, cats and birds that came to Mossyrock for our Memorial Day weekend had a wonderful time. Come, join us next year.—Jan Secor

Randle, Washington

April 23 to 25: Thirty-eight women in 22 rigs came together for a fantastic rally at the Maple Grove KM Park. On Thursday and Friday, the weather was sunny to partly sunny with magnificent views of the mountains surrounding us. The volcanoes stayed hidden in the misty clouds, but the nearby hills revealed snowy tops, especially in the clear-cut areas.

Friday evening, we gathered in the clubhouse for our meet and greet and eat event. It was great to see everyone again, including the snowbirds that have come back. There were a few notable happenings. Our sheriff forgot her nametag so all of us were off the hook for the event. Several new members joined the group. Lee Brewer turned out to have lived in Washington longer than anyone else—74 years. She got to go first in the food line.

After supper and dog walking, we gathered for a Washington-themed evening of storytelling about our favorite RV parks and hidden spots in the state as well as tales of Husky/Cougar rivalries and Washington icons.

Saturday morning it was raining so nearly everyone attended the board meeting and general meeting. We learned a lot about how our chapter functions, including the fact that there are 199 RVW members in Washington State but only 62 of them have paid $5 chapter dues for 2010. Payment is voluntary, but everyone is encouraged to support the chapter by paying. Our bank balance is in the vicinity of $5,500, so more funds will be available to event captains this year and there will not be an auction next month. We also voted to send $500 to help sponsor either the vendor’s reception or the hitch-up breakfast at the national convention in Mesa, Arizona. Our secretary does a beautiful job with the minutes, so check out the website for more about the meeting.

A golf tournament was planned as this park has its own 9-hole golf course. Eleven hardy Northwest golfers persevered despite weather that was overcast and cold. They played a scramble game in which each player in a team of three hits from the lay of the best ball on each shot. Everyone finished. Prizes were awarded at dinner. The winning team included Linda Allmond, Barb Hatred and Carol Hoffman. This team, in fact, walked away with all the prizes: drive closest to the pin (Carol Hoffman) and longest drive (a tie between Carol Hoffman and Barbara Hatred).

Before dinner, we enjoyed a tasting of Washington wines paired with special hors d’oeuvres. Dinner was a potluck of foods grown in Washington or dishes with Washington names. Three dishes were chosen for best use of Washington ingredients. The winner was Christine Taylor with her Evergreen Apple Salad. Another prize was given for most creative name. The winners were Linda and Carol of golfing fame with their McNeil Island Prison Tortellini Salad. Runner up was Elaine Ploegstra with her Shredded Western Hemlock Salad Sans Droopy Leader.

The sun broke through briefly around sunset giving us a glorious rainbow. We also got to see a peacock that cries like a cat.

After dinner and dog walking, we played a Washington Trivia game and learned many important and valuable facts. We learned that the state tree is the western hemlock with its droopy leader, not the Douglas fir that lumbermen prefer. The state insect is the dragonfly. The state fish is, of course, the salmon. The county seat of Kitsap County is Port Orchard. Winners and the first ones finished were the team of Joan Tucker, Christine Taylor, Vicki Para, and Jan Secor. Prizes in hand, everyone went off to play games, talk, read or turn in early.

Sunday morning it was, at least, not raining. There was a heavy overcast that didn’t clear until afternoon, but we got to hitch up without getting wet. The park served a $3 breakfast of either pancakes or biscuits and gravy, which many of us enjoyed. By noon most of us were on the road. —Jan Secor
 

Ferndale, Washington

March 26 to 28: Wednesday was warm and sunny, perfect weather. Thursday it rained off and on all day. Friday the wind blew cold and strong enough to rock our motorhomes and trailers. It is spring in the Northwest.

Fifteen rigs with 28 women gathered at the Cedars RV Resort just north of Bellingham and 20 miles south of the Canadian border. Three of our Canadian members were able to attend.

We started the weekend with what we do best and enjoy the most—eating. The finger food potluck satisfied our hunger and gave us time to greet old friends and make new ones.

Then, we got down to business with our new president Mary Schoenfeldt and president elect Cheryl Edman keeping order. Already up for discussion was where we will rally next year as the popular spots fill up early. In 2011 we will definitely get to Canada, probably in June.

Following supper and business, our weekend team talked about our "got game?" theme and introduced us to the Cascadia nome and matching mini-nome. These characters will be available to share any adventures had by Cascadia members: borrow a nome, take some pictures, return the nome and share the pictures.

Following the nome introduction, our weekend team led us in a game of Cascadia JeoParDy. We learned how much or maybe how little we know about our chapter as teams earned points toward the weekend’s prizes. The whistleblowers were at a definite disadvantage in competition with the bell ringers.

Saturday morning, most everyone headed to Mt. Baker Lanes for some bowling. The winner of the highest game and the  highest series was Barbara. Recognition was also given for first gutter ball, first strike, lowest score, first split and other accomplishments.

The afternoon was open to devise whatever activity appealed to you. Included were visits to the nearby casino, shopping, rig polishing, sightseeing and games of dominos, Texas Hold’em, etc.

Hungry again, the group gathered at 5 p.m. for baked potatoes with lots of toppings, salads and birthday cake for Shannon, brought by Malka. Afterwards, Mary Benson, our very own Canadian Para Olympian, shared her experience, illustrated by pictures that Mary Schoenfeldt took during the event. It was really exciting to hear about the Para Olympics from someone who participated.

After dog walking, the clubhouse was turned into a carnival with several games around the room. The games ranged from those of pure chance to those requiring quite a bit of skill. A couple of us opted for NCAA Women’s Basketball, though this required dodging bean bags that went astray from the bean bag toss.

Sunday was National Eat Something on a Stick Day. Chef Leanne rose to the challenge by creating pancakes and sausage on a stick. It looked a bit like a corn dog but tasted much better. This was coupled with a ham and shredded potato quiche. Delicious!!

The weekend point totals for participation in games and winning shots at the carnival resulted in a tie between Anne and Lana. A ladder golf play-off was held, with Anne ultimately winning the grand prize, a Costco gas card. Lana, as runner-up, received several lottery scratch tickets. Everyone who participated received a prize based on the number of points she accumulated.

The final event of the weekend was a christening in the pouring rain of Have Fun, Malka and Shannon’s new rig. Thanks to our event captains, Leanne, Marcia, Sherrie and Suzanne, Cascadia kicked off another camping season in fine style. You can follow our adventures at www.cascadiarvw.com.—Jan Secor

Florida Chapter

Mims, Florida

November 12 to 15: Fall and cooler weather had finally arrived in Florida when we held our third rally in Mims. There were 43 members and guests present.

The rally started with a happy hour on Thursday evening where the schedule for the weekend was announced.

Friday was cool and crisp with a cloudless blue sky. Members went geocaching, bird watching or just out to lunch for rock shrimp at the world famous Dixie Crossings Restaurant. The day ended with cocktails and a choice of playing games or visiting around the campfire. Night owls had the opportunity to see a night launch of a satellite from the Kennedy Space Center. There were good views of this event from poolside at the campground.

Saturday was non-stop activity. Rally leaders Patty Petruff and Joella McGaw provided a variety of gourds, paint, stickers and jewels for a fun gourd arts and crafts event. Both creativity and artistic talents were displayed. Next up was the ice cream social hosted by the Florida Chapter board. Root beer floats were dished out.

The annual meeting and elections followed. Next year's officers are Nancy Carbonari, president; MJ Cancro, vice president for communications; Mary Ann Laviano, vice president for membership; Stephanie Brooks, treasurer; and Connie Anderson, secretary. Arlene Dawson was thanked for her two years of service as president.

Judith Robinson, our national board representative, reported on the San Antonio National Convention and the 2010 and 2011 convention plans.

A potluck on Saturday evening provided ample time for socialization as well as enjoying great food. The Florida Chapter has many outstanding cooks.

The rally ended on Sunday morning with continental breakfast and all members looking forward to the next rally.--Patty Petruff 

Dunedin, Florida

July 16 to 19: July can be pretty hot in Florida. Dunedin RV Resort has a great pool and recreation hall for us to enjoy on hot summer days.

We had 26 ladies in attendance, including two guests that learned of the rally from the website and decided to drop by. One of our guests, Sue Ann Wolfe, enjoyed herself so much she went home, joined RVW, purchased an RV, and made a reservation for our next rally. She is now one of us.

In addition to our drop-in guests, we had a first timer, Sally Francisco, in attendance and some other women who had been with us only a few months, so we felt this was a good time to team up and get to know each other better.

At our first happy hour, we had everyone in attendance pull a buff (as in Survivor) out of a bag and hold it behind her back until everyone had their buffs. Then, all together, we showed our buffs and that determined which team each member belonged to. We had four teams. Everyone immediately jumped in and got together with their teammates and started planning and scheming. The weekend was going to be all about your team and your buff. The teams chose their own names to go with the design of their buffs. We had the RVing Princesses, the Black Ties, the Blue Buff Dreamers and the Feral Femmes.

Silly Summer Camp was our theme this year at Dunedin. We had several silly games planned for the weekend, and everyone was kept in suspense as to what the next game would be. We had a large chart to keep score as the weekend progressed. Each team member would obtain a point for attending an event and had to participate in at least one challenge during the weekend. Everyone came to every event! That included coffee hour, happy hour and lunch out on the town. Oh yes, the buffs had to go everywhere as well for that special extra point. Additional points were given if you had a team name, mascot, song, dance--whatever the team could do to come together and be creative. These women were trying everything to get extra points. They made costumes and created songs and skits to just ham things up and get that point.

Throughout the weekend we had six games, with names such as Chinese cuisine and thin air. Our last game was circle of friends. For that game, we called in a guest referee to add all the points and watch for any hankie-panky. All went well and our weekend ended with the team that had been trailing by several points coming from behind and winning it all. Congratulations, Black Ties!

We have some great women among us. Sometimes when you plan a rally you wonder,  "I'm not so sure this is going to go over very well." Well, you'd be surprised what RVing women will do. They love to laugh and have a good time. All we can say is thank you to everyone in attendance that made this a great rally.--Debbie Redden and Cathy Skora

Lakeland, Florida

June 25 to 28: Our June rally at Sanlan Ranch was a laid-back weekend led by first-time rally host, Louise Urquhart. There were 18 people attending. Some went geo-caching, some walked the trails at SanLan Ranch, some went shopping, and others just hung around and relaxed. Debbie and Kathy found their 1,000th cache.

We went to a restaurant on Friday night called Catfish Country. Everyone enjoyed their meals except for one true southerner who said, "It ain't right."

On Saturday, we had a covered-dish supper which was decorated in a July Fourth theme. After supper, we played a card game called Screw Your Neighbor which got a lot of laughs and a lot of "it ain't right" protests.

It was a fun weekend. Many said this would be a good place to come back to in cooler weather. Thanks to Carol Edeker and others for your help and to Louise Urquhart for hosting this rally.--MJ Cancro

Freewheelers Chapter

Jackson, California

May 6 to 9: Host Sharon Adams welcomed 53 rigs and 81 members and guests to the Jackson Rancheria RV Park for a beautiful weekend in the foothills of the Gold Country. On Thursday, we were on our own to visit historic sites or the casino. Sharon set up a book exchange table at her rig.

We had a meet and greet in the clubhouse Friday evening. New members and guests were welcomed.

We had a potluck breakfast Saturday morning. We then christened Margaret Evans’ new trailer and Beth and Susan’s new fifth wheel with lots of cheers and champagne. Afterwards, everyone was on her own to explore the Gold Country for the day. Some went geocaching, to the casino or to local historic towns to do some browsing and shopping. Our very own Tinker Gals brought their t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, etc. for sale from Sheridan Designs. We chose our polo shirt color for the upcoming Arizona convention. Mary Sue and Irene had their picture rugs for sale and Sue had her magnetic jewelry for sale.

Saturday night we had a bring-a-dish-to-share potluck and bring-your-own-meat barbecue. Our All Girl Band entertained us after dinner. The clubhouse was filled with card players and domino players later in the evening.

Sunday morning, we had our clean-out-the-refrigerator breakfast potluck and said goodbye to those that had to leave; 22 rigs stayed until Monday.

We collected 76 pounds of canned goods for the local food bank at his rally, and we had fabulous spring weather and lots of great camaraderie. We hope the guests that came to check out RVingWomen will join us. We will be at the Rancheria again the first weekend of May next year.—Sharon Adams

Ione, California

April 16 to 18: This was a gorgeous time of year to be at Pardee Lake Recreation Area, about 40 miles southeast of Sacramento. This is a place where the grass is lush and green and wildflowers and wildlife, especially birds, abound. The weather was ideal for our weekend outing, primarily dry camping, hosted by Sue Copeland, Jeri McLees, Irene Paulin and Mary Sue Ferrell.

There were a total of 67 women in 44 rigs attending, of which 25 were solos. We enjoyed our first real campfire of the year under perfect weather conditions after a Friday evening meet and greet.

Saturday morning, we had a breakfast potluck with the highlight being a special return of Susan and Beth’s delicious biscuits and gravy. Following breakfast, those interested in gadgets and gimmicks visited two rigs to see examples of a quick release water attachment, windshield wiper protectors and an easy attachment for putting water in batteries. The group then retreated to the picnic table area for a show and tell about things that make life easier with our rigs. Mary Sue brought out her bag of essentials for connecting to all electrical hookup possibilities, such as up to 50-amp or down to 30 and 110 and 12-volt adapters.

An important lesson was learned by several who had checked the viability of their battery for dry camping while plugged into 110 at home. The lights seemed to work at home, but the batteries did not work when these rigs were camped under the trees at Lake Pardee. Cheryll Clark, who had a hookup site, went above and beyond when she loaned her coach battery to another FreeWheeler who discovered her batteries did not work.

Other dry camping lessons included a reminder that dumping black water tanks needs to happen whether you are dry camping or hooked up and, yes, one can use propane to boil water for instant coffee and not need the generator for a coffee pot. Propane can also be used to heat a small RV or trailer with an upside down orchid pot placed over a low flame on the stove—with a vent opened slightly of course. Gadgets for easier handling were also demonstrated. There is no better place to learn about dry camping than with other RVW members to help you!

FreeWheelers have expanded their interests from eating and talking to shopping and playing games.

For the shoppers, Sheridan Designs had a small selection of their items and Sue Copeland had an assortment of her custom-designed magnetic jewelry.

We had our first-ever Washer Toss competition with eight teams competing in a double elimination tournament. The winning team included Cheryll Clark and Christy Stevens; in second place was the team of Jini Squire and Kelly Morris. We also had a picture contest fundraiser organized by Jeri McLees and Nao. Submissions  of photos (high school to college age) were collected from 24 attendees. Contestants had to match the picture with a name. Merrily Robinson won by correctly matching 21 out of 24.

The beautiful weather continued as we gathered around the fire pit to cook hot dogs that accompanied many delicious side dishes. Once the sun set, we gathered around a perfect fire and continued a tradition of remembering special people past and present with fairy dust which, when sprinkled on the flames, make pretty colors. Sue Copeland gave us an update on Carol Watters, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Six days later Arleen, our chapter president, reported on the listserve that Carol had lost the battle.

Finally, thanks to those FreeWheelers who contributed t-shirts for charity. We will be donating the 70-plus t-shirts to Maryhouse, a daytime shelter for homeless women and children.—Mary Sue Ferrell

Red Bluff, California

March 4 to 7: The weatherman threatened to rain on our parade but relented at the last moment and allowed us some sun and temperatures that were warmer than predicted for our FreeWheelers Chapter weekend. Not even March winds arrived to spoil our fun.

By noon on Thursday, RVs were pulling into the spacious sites at Durango RV Resort. Twenty-seven early bird rigs were in place by evening. Their occupants enjoyed of a sumptuous wiener and s’mores roast in the clubhouse. Many said they hadn’t laughed so hard in months. Several members enjoyed the hot tub while others sat in front of the roaring fire pit. Those who didn’t want to brave the evening chill stayed inside to play games and chat.

By Friday evening, 45 rigs and 71 FreeWheelers and guests were enjoying the festivities. Beverly Hiltachk, though feeling less than perky, arrived on Friday afternoon in time to serve her famous root beer floats. At 5 p.m., margaritas and tapas were served at the meet and greet. Arleen welcomed a record number of guests (11) and new members (3) with strands of FreeWheelers beads.

You know the saying that you “can’t teach old dogs new tricks.” Well, the FreeWheelers taught the hosts that breakfast before 9 a.m. is not acceptable. Only a few brave souls showed up for Saturday breakfast at 8:30 a.m. Some of us spent Saturday going in to Redding to see the Sundial Bridge and Turtle Bay Exploratorium. Other groups went to the Sacramento River Discovery Center in Red Bluff. We met at 3 p.m. at Beverly’s rig for root beer floats again. One thing the FreeWheelers do well is eating!

By 6 p.m. Saturday evening, the grill was blazing and the meat sizzling as we met for our evening barbecue and potluck. A drawing was held after dinner, thanks to donations from Sheridan Designs, Harps RV, Durango RV and Bev Smith. About 20 of us watched Duplicity with Julia Roberts, the winning choice from five movies offered by the hosts, while another group chatted and laughed uproariously in front of the fireplace in the clubhouse, occasionally disturbing the movie.

Sunday dawned with clear blue skies, a perfect day for those who were able to stay. About 30 of us partook of omelets, bacon, scrambled eggs and sausage, homemade cinnamon rolls, fruit and donuts. We said goodbye to many friends after breakfast; we look forward to seeing them again at upcoming outings.

Taking advantage of the weather, the members who were lucky enough to remain sat in the sun, strolled along the Sacramento River trail, played cards and generally lounged around doing much of nothing. On Sunday evening, 20 of us went to Luigi’s Pizza and Pasta for dinner.

We have booked Durango RV Resort again for next October.—Bev Smith and Faye Mendenhall

Hollister, California

February 5 to 7: This was a magical, musical event, beginning on a rainy Thursday afternoon when about 15 RVW rigs pulled into the Casa de Fruta RV Park. This campground has a wonderful music hall--a large clubhouse that includes a kitchen, ample tables and chairs, and a stage. The early birds gathered in the clubhouse to stay warm, re-connect with old friends and welcome some newcomers. 

On Friday, the rest of our group rolled into the campground--a total of 45 rigs and 70 women. We were distressed to learn that one of our advisory board members, Jini Squires, had an accident when she was on her way to join us. Her trailer flipped over on the road and was totaled. She was not injured, but she was not able to join us for the weekend. Thanks to excellent Wi-Fi connections, we were able to stay in touch and confirm that she was okay.

Friday night we had our traditional meet and greet. We welcomed several new members and guests, adorned them with beads to signify their newcomer status to the group, and promised to make sure that they were integrated into our group throughout the weekend.

 Saturday began with a potluck breakfast. Despite the rain, women found fun things to do during the morning while the All-Girl Band practiced in the clubhouse. Peggy and Karen and their trusty helpers Brenda and Janet stuffed the oven with potatoes that everyone brought for a potato roast potluck dinner. What a sight to behold--a standard oven stuffed with about 100 potatoes of all sizes and shapes! The aroma filled the clubhouse and beyond. I am not sure if that aroma inspired the line dancers, but about 30 women gathered to either participate or observe the rest of us doing stomp, stomp, wiggle, wiggle in unison as we learned three fun, relatively easy line dances.

Saturday night was our big potato roast. The call to dinner began with Martha playing her bagpipes, filling the campground with that wonderful sound to let women know it was time to gather in the clubhouse. The rain thankfully gave us a reprieve for this migration. Women brought fixin's for the potatoes, and everyone enjoyed a potato potluck dinner. Our evening entertainment began with a surprise performance by the All Girl Accordion Trio. Then our ever-popular All Girl Band took the stage, playing many of our old-time favorites. There were lots of sing-alongs and a few brave dancers, to boot.

Gray skies and drizzles appeared again on Sunday morning, but not for a moment did this dampen our fun and joy in being together. We cleared out the fridge for a farewell breakfast and waved our goodbyes as rigs made their way out of the campground to their next stop or home again. Casa de Fruta is a perfect spot for a rainy and chilly weekend gathering. The large clubhouse is warm and spacious, and the Casa de Fruta folks are wonderful campground hosts. We will return next year, the first weekend in February.-- Peggy Chinn and Karen Kane

Bakersfield, California
(co-sponsored by the SoCALjourners Chapter)

January 15 to 18: Alternating between sunny and bright to foggy and cold, we had a fun time meeting new gals from the southern California group. Badges R Us was there and we rekindled our friendship with owners Susan Cox and Dorothy Loll, whom we met at the convention in San Antonio. The new in thing is to have a badge with your dogs' names on it with little paws on either side. Very cute. Many Freewheelers will be sporting those, so take a look. You can reach Badges R Us by phone or online.

Business was pretty good. The SoCALjourners, the Solos and the Fulltimers were not used to seeing the display of attire and accessories, so there was a lot of interest. Thanks to the cold weather, we sold a lot of RVW founder sweatshirts. Other favorites were the antennae balls and the picnic/wine totes for potlucks. Friendship shirts, as always, are a big hit. Jan Harris' words will live on forever!

The entertainment night was a kick. First off, no one can sing like Arlene Huffman, and she brought her karaoke for all to enjoy. I sang and created a lot of laughter amongst the gals. Rachel Harp was on as usual and provided a lot of entertainment and motivation for all to join in. She danced and wiggled herself to every song, much to everyone's delight. The Hot Flashes performed again and were better than ever. Their witty renditions were thoroughly enjoyed by the audience. Who got that all on YouTube?

Harp's RV was in attendance. Rachel and Joel brought son Nick to help out. Nick is looking very well after his illness last year. He was a major addition to the Harps' busy schedule and could be seen under, over and in many rigs doing repairs and enhancements. He is one capable young man and was surely an asset to the weekend for Rachel and Joel.--Sheri Tinker

Manteca, California

December 11 to 13: We had a great holiday rally at French Camp. Our group met for our PJ morning breakfast at 9 a.m. Early in the afternoon, Winona and Harumi began cooking the turkeys and stuffing, along with whatever everyone else brought to prepare.

Everything turned out delicious!

We had a fabulous Christmas dinner and gift exchange in the large, tented gazebo room. Propane heaters kept us nice and toasty. The ladies were all feisty this year, what with stealing gifts back and forth, and there was a little issue with Casper and Jeannie over a homemade pillow that Winona had made.

Sunday morning, we had a clean-out-the-fridge breakfast before reluctantly saying our goodbyes. Weekends like these are the special times we get to really know one another, so those who were able to make it were richly blessed. Thank you to all that pitched in to help.--Denise Andreoli

Bethel Island, California

October 30 to November 1: It was a dark and stormy night. Wait! No, it wasn't! Despite predictions for a bit of rain and wind, Mother Nature apparently knew that the FreeWheelers were coming to Bethel Island and decided just to give in and provide us with glorious weather.

The weekend began on Thursday where 21 of our expected 46 rigs arrived to a big FreeWheelers welcome for our early birds, including one very cute little six foot tear drop trailer. We who arrived early settled in, met up with friends and shared hugs, stories and various dinner gatherings.

Friday dawned bright but with a bit of drama as one of our members, Connie Mart, encountered a serious health problem. However, in usual FreeWheelers style, many of our members kicked in during that day and the whole weekend with both large and small things to provide whatever was needed. Shirley Leister went on a hunt from rig to rig looking for baby aspirin; Phyllis Amon and Marilyn Alessio hustled about getting our member to the nearest Kaiser facility and spent the day there until the danger was passed.

Jeri McLees and Nao took over the care of Connie's fur child, Gracie. Throughout the weekend, Jeri also provided ongoing updates and coordinated many of the details of what to do with pets and rigs. When they finally let Connie out of the hospital, Beth Gilliam and Susan DuShane hopped in the truck to take her purse, clothes and Gracie back to her. And finally, June Alexander and Kate Earnhart got Connie's rig to a safe place to store it until Connie could get back to the fun. Everyone did what she could to make Connie feel safe, supported and loved.

Fortunately, the rest of the weekend was devoid of further scary stuff, and we had a great time. The remainder of our folks rolled into the park to our welcoming committee that included Peggy Chinn, Sue Copeland and a revolving group of smiling faces.

Friday night, the advisory board hosted the evening happy hour with great snacks and wine. We welcomed some new members and guests with special Halloween beads and caught up on what we have all been up to, along with some great convention stories.

Saturday morning started with breakfast and more chatting, and then we moved right into our annual meeting. We recognized two new members of our advisory board, Connie DeCoud and Jini Squire, and thanked the two outgoing members, Connie Mart and Margot Jordan. We had a lively discussion about our proposed guest policy (yes, we still want one) and whether we wanted to add an activity fee to each outing sign-up (no, we don't).

At noon, we held our pet costume contest and enjoyed tarantula bunnies, pumpkin dogs, a stuffed animal and a host of fur children adorned in various skirts, hats, saddles, pants and ears. Yes, we even had an attempt at devil horns using aluminum foil and two Chile pepper lights (nice try, Debbie). In the end, Rachel Harp and her Mugsy won with a saddle, cowboy and hat. We are so easy when it comes to our pets.

In the afternoon, we had craft and collectible shows and sales at various rigs throughout the park. I saw folks carting lots of goodies back and forth. I'm not sure that Merrily's rooftop vent cover counts as either a craft or a collectible, but what the heck!

At 6 p.m., we had one of our terrific potlucks. I still say FreeWheelers cooks are the best cooks in the whole RVW organization. When we were all full and happy, the evening's entertainment began with a celebration of Pat White's retirement from the CHP after 26 years. Good job, Pat! Then we moved to our own version of FreeWheelers Idol. We had an esteemed panel of judges like you have never seen: Beth "Ellen DeGeneres" Gilliam, Jeri "Paula Abdul" McLees and Teri "Simon Cowell" Shugart. We had our emcee/chapter leader Arleen Huffman up front and our funky DJ Marlene Morrison spinning the CDs.

Women competed in karaoke performances for prizes. We had first-time karaoke singers, duets and solos, and we even had one wonderful a cappella rendition of Big Spender by Jeanne McKracken that wowed the crowd. As the evening went on, courage built up so that we even got our wonderful Sarah Gonzales up doing "My Way."

The judges were mean or kind, depending on who was talking, but wonderful. In the end we awarded the solo prize to Sheri Tinker and the group prize to Nancy Hoffman and Connie McKenna. A special award was bestowed onto Sarah for having the guts to get up and have fun with karaoke.

On Sunday, the group gathered one last time for the hitch-up breakfast and slowly off we went amid hugs and waves, sad to go but knowing the next outing is just around the corner.--Arleen Huffman

Clio, California

July 10 to 12: Our weekend at Clio River Resort started out perfectly with a hosted fishing clinic and derby at Sardine Lake led by Robbie and Laura. They provided the poles, bait, equipment, boats and fun. I think they provided the fish too, as we caught about 50 altogether.

On Saturday, Martha and Christy gave a talk on geocaching followed by a treasure hunt for caches that were hidden around the park. We had drum circles Friday and Saturday and a salad potluck on Saturday night.

Irene and Mary Sue brought a new game from their Lazy Daze group and we spent many evening hours with that activity. They have promised to bring it along to future events.

In between all the scheduled activities, there were lots of hikes, birding, shopping, sightseeing and talking. We also welcomed two members from the SoCaljourners. Many of us who stayed beyond the weekend went to dinner Sunday evening at the Sardine Lodge.

The new hosts at Clio River Resort have told us we can have more sites next year, so we have already reserved the park for the weekend of July 9 for 40 rigs.

Thank you to everyone for making this weekend so much fun.-- Margaret Evans and Merrily Robinson

Fulltimers Chapter

For information about current outings planned by the Fulltimers Chapter, contact Carol Miller at cacm46@aol.com or Flo Hurlburt at flojo0052@yahoo.com.

Quartzsite, Arizona

January 16 to 23: About 50 RVs with 70 or so women gathered a mile into the desert from mile marker 99 outside Quartzsite, Arizona for an "unofficial" rally. This rally was a bit of an experiment, being a gathering without chapter leadership--there was no chapter or person taking responsibility to organize the rally. Hence, there was no schedule, no white board, no events. Okay, there were a few meetings--the Fulltimers and Solo Travelers chapters held official meetings, thanks to Lynn taking the clipboard in hand and gathering the troops.

So how did the rally go? We had a great time. Several women at the rally are natural leaders. Pat and Jackie organized a golf tournament where five teams competed at the Piss 'n Moan desert golf course nearby. The tournament started with tee prizes. Each team was supplied with a desert golf club. A select few were modeling custom Taylor-Maid single club golf bags and a few had actual pull carts made by our own Pat Taylor. My team was the Saint Andrews team with Pussy Woods (Sandy), Peachy Rodriguez (Renee), Shankapotomus (Max), and Jack-e Nikle-arse (Stacey). We came in second.

The Best Ball Scramble rules were found lacking by Pat Taylor who created a new Best Ball format as we played along. The shot of the day was the first drive by Jack-e Nikle-arse whose 110-yard drive landed within one inch of a dog feces obstacle. The team player of the day, Rita Watkins, won a lovely blue 30-year-old golf bag. Team Colorado won the beautiful Crystal Bowl/Goblet for coming in at first place. The grand prize was so worthy it made the top shelf of the local dump.

Individuals and small groups went into Quartzsite to check out the RV events in town, often coming back to camp showing off cool items bought at the big tent or ham radio group's flea market. Several folks went to Parker to shop and to Tonopah to the El Dorado Hot Springs. Stacey brought a small group of women over from the ­Rainbow RV camp that were also camping in Quartzsite. Sisters on the Fly, another women's group, were also at Quartzsite, so we visited with them, too. We also had evening campfires, weather permitting. Other activities included a hike up to Palm Canyon, with Sandy serving as guide.

While we were there, we survived the very rare storm of January 2010. On January 19, a monsoon hit Quartzsite with wind gusts up to 80 mph blowing tons of rain everywhere. A tornado actually touched down near Blythe, California, only 15 miles away. There are some incredible stories of how each of us spent our time hunkered down in the storm. The wind knocked a few trailers off their supports, water gurgled in through the window rails, and several women watched as the awning was blown off of Leila's rig. The washes in the desert turned into small rivers. Roads were closed due to flooding.

Boondocking in the desert is a lot of fun, especially if you are equipped. That includes having sufficient water and generators or solar panels to keep your batteries charged. Sandy helped me and a number of others add solar panels to our rigs. I managed to have the complete solar set up for around $400.

The official, unofficial, Quartzsite RVW 2010 rally was considered a smashing success, disregarding the hurricane winds, rain and displaced rigs. Needless to say, the gals were out there making sure that all were safe and sound during the storm and helping each other get put back together post storm. There was never a dull moment because someone would have an idea to do some activity and then make it happen. One suggestion that was made to improve rallies like this is to have a central information kiosk for anyone to share information and ideas.-- Stacey Vilas and Rita Watkins

Great Lakers Chapter

Lyte Hearts Chapter

Mid-America Chapter

Osage Beach, Missouri

May 23 to 25: Forty-eight RVW members came in 29 rigs to the second 2010 Mid-America Chapter rally at Osage Beach RV Park. We always have those who cannot wait until the weekend. They began to arrive on Tuesday and were greeted by a couple of days of wet and stormy weather, but activities in the area and the always-popular card games refused to dampen their spirits. By the official opening time of the rally, the weather was great. Activities began with a pizza party followed by a seminar on Holding Tank Health 101 presented by Marty Hall from All Pro Water-Flo Company. Mid-America folks then enjoyed card games. The RV park provided a clubhouse to accommodate the catered meals and activities.

By Saturday, summer had come to this section of Missouri with bright sunshine and temperatures hovering around 90 degrees. The first activity of the day was taking advantage of the area’s excellent outlet mall and other opportunities to shop, shop, shop. Purchases included clothing, kitchenware, RV accessories and even some livestock in the form of small, handsome crabs.

Saturday afternoon activities included a single elimination shuffleboard tournament followed by a catered chicken cordon bleu dinner with all the trimmings. Shuffleboard champions received their awards, and attendance prizes were won by several gals. That evening, we carpooled to the Main Street Music Hall for a delightful variety show that included a Sarah Palin impersonator.

After a catered continental breakfast, farewells were made Sunday morning for those who had to leave. Several stayed until the next day and enjoyed a scenic boat cruise on the lake Sunday afternoon. It was a great time to be with our RVW family. We all appreciated the superior efforts made by hostesses Arlene Thiel, Ellie Key, Nancy Ames and Dot Meeks. —Barbara Schneider

Melvern, Kansas

April 30 to May 2: The Mid-America Chapter annual maintenance rally, hosted by Jan Russell, was held at the Corps of Engineers Lake in Melvern. Fifty-seven women attended, including two new members and four RVW members from Nebraska.

On Friday night, we were welcomed by Mother Nature with cool temperatures and wind gusts of up to 45 miles per hour, with tornado warnings bouncing around us. By the weekend, however, the sun came out and we enjoyed crisp but calm weather.

Friday night we had a catered outdoor grill with hamburgers, hot dogs and all the trimmings. A business meeting followed the dinner.

On Saturday, A-Z Mobile RV Service technicians were on hand, as they have been for practically all our maintenance rallies, to repair and service RVs while rally-goers cleaned, chatted and caught up on each others’ lives.

Marsha Thompson served a delicious breakfast on Sunday morning, and then we all dispersed, until next time.—Barbara Schneider

Mid-Atlantic Chapter

Egg Harbor, New Jersey

July 16 to 19: As always, our Red, White and Blue weekend had fabulous attendance with women ready to compete in several events. Known throughout the East Coast, this weekend is a hot time for bocce ball. The competition runs for three days, and we have women cheering and keeping score, measured down to a hair on some calls (all in good fun). This year's bocce ball champs worked very hard trying to overcome the tree roots on the court.

The MidAtlantic Chapter has been getting involved in community awareness. At this Red, White and Blue event, Caryn and Lisa coordinated an auction where winners draw for prizes. All the proceeds went to the local food bank.

The time we spent in Egg Harbor was super, as always. Our hosts, Katie and Ruth and many helping hands made this weekend a great success.--Bonnie Simkins

NorthEast Network Chapter

Abbot, Maine

MooseFest 7: On the third weekend of August in the quiet village of Abbot, Maine, a well-known group of RVing Women once again participated in a MooseFest. All the usual suspects arrived, eagerly anticipating the gathering where Pat Saxton, president of the Northeast Network, sets up her rig and oversees the festivities, with Claudia Combies managing the details in the background.

This writer especially looked forward to the MooseFest Friday meet and greet that provides homemade chili, which our illustrious leader prepares each year no matter the weather. We have dealt with all the weather conditions in the past--cold, rain, blustery, etc.

This year, the goddess smiled on us and provided sunshine the entire weekend. This created heat and humidity, which brought out the mosquitoes in droves, but we managed to persevere and enjoy.

Dottie Bemis and Pat Hayes hosted the campfires where we sat and talked, sharing stories and travel advice and experiences which mostly had us laughing at ourselves and the travesties of driving an RV over the back roads of America. We all gasped at the tale of Pat Saxton noticing her truck swinging wide from behind her rig as she barreled down I-95 in Maine, after one of the bolts securing it to her RV had snapped. We laughed as Cordy Mack explained her ill-chosen decision to leave a two-gallon jug of water on the counter as she roared down the highway, only to have one of her cats come meowing to her and Jane Larsen multiple times. As neither speaks cat, Jane attempted to console the animal, pulling her up in her lap where it immediately relieved itself and continued to do so as Jane struggled to walk to the back of the rig where the water jug had rolled off the counter, broken on impact and flooded the poor cat's usual means of privacy!

After a Saturday night potluck, music was provided by Jane Larsen on her keyboard. Her talent never ceases to amaze and entertain. All within hearing played name that tune, with a number of ladies singing along to the old but popular tunes. Dottie Bemis and Rachel Brett Harley gave us their own renditions of various songs where humming replaces words long forgotten.

One thing about MooseFest, whether the meal is formal or a simple potluck, nothing can replace the camaraderie and friendships formed over the past years. RVing Women come together to laugh, talk, even cry, but mostly they gather to be with others who share their love of the road, the outdoors, the sights and mutual experiences. They come together as family.--Doris Garden

Ohio River Chapter

Springfield, Illinois

 July 15 to 18: The Land of Lincoln provided the Ohio River Valley Chapter with a great weekend of fun and education. Anita Kessinger was the hostess for the intimate group of five rigs, eight members and four dogs who came to the Double J Campground just south of Springfield for our July rally.

We visited the Lincoln neighborhood and original Springfield home, Lincoln’s New Salem, the Lincoln Museum and Tomb, and the old state capital building.
The weekend also included one out-to-eat event, a pitch-in cookout, and a farewell pitch-in breakfast. In good old Ohio River Valley fashion, we also had several socials to get our evenings off to a great start.The weather continued to be hot and humid throughout the weekend. The campground pool provided some welcome relief, and we were all thankful that our air conditioners were up to the task.

We all agreed that the highlight of the weekend was our tour of the Lincoln Museum. If you are ever near Springfield, we highly recommend a day’s stop to visit the outstanding Lincoln venues.—Tammy Haley

Danville, Indiana

May 13 to16: Experiencing the best of both geographies, 22 members in 11 rigs set up camp at the Hendricks County 4-H Fairgrounds in Danville. Sandwiched between a two-day horse auction at the fairgrounds, our rally featured the city.

Following early arrivals and happy hour on Thursday, Friday was declared museum day with world-class museum options in Indianapolis, including the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, the Indianapolis Museum of Fine Art, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame and Museum, the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, the NCAA Hall of Champions, and the Indianapolis Zoo. At that evening’s potluck, we shared stories of our museum adventures.

On Saturday, two workshops were held: the Feng Shui of RVing, led by Ruth Russell, and RV Maintenance Q&A, led by certified RV technician Pat Setser. That evening, we chose up sides for either dinner at the Mayberry Café in Danville (famous for its Andy Griffith Show theme and its homemade pies) or the season opener of the WNBA Indiana Fever at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis (they lost to the Washington Mystics).

Sunday’s pancake breakfast and chapter business meeting capped off a perfect opportunity to reconnect with old friends and welcome new ones. Thanks to rally hosts Pat Setser, Ruth Russell and Libbi Jacobi. —Ruth Russell

Rising Sun, Indiana

April 23 to 26: We had eleven hardy women braving damp and stormy weather at the Little Farm on the River Campground in Rising Sun. Our first evening was a brats and beer party that was moved indoors but still was a fun introduction to our German-themed weekend.

Saturday’s weather actually made a great turnaround long enough for us to take a Creative Spaces/Rural Places Studio Art Tour. We piled into cars and headed out to many of the county’s local artists’ venues and homes. One of our favorite spots was a small local winery overlooking the Ohio River. We sat on their deck enjoying a local artist’s glass blown jewelry and doing a little tasting all the while. We visited some quaint little towns and continued to see other local art all along the way. We hung out in one artist’s garden for some time enjoying its decorations and beauty.

Some of our group made quick trips to the local casino, but we had no big winners returning to the campground.

Our Saturday evening was highlighted with dinner at Rising Sun, a  restaurant that has been in existence for over one hundred years.

Sunday started with a reflection time followed by a continental farewell breakfast. We were pleased to have visiting RVW members Carolyn and Deb from both Carefree and Alaska joining us for the weekend.—Tammy Haley

Indianapolis, Indiana

February 27: Ten non-snowbird Ohio River Valley Chapter members got together at the Loon Lake Lodge in Indianapolis for lunch. The restaurant was appropriate for us outdoor women, as we were seated among the trees and surrounded by animatronic critters. Accompanied by growling bears, chattering raccoons and hooting owls, we discussed our latest adventures and plans for the up-coming year.

Half the group had just returned from a snowmobiling trip in Yellowstone, and we passed around pictures of that escapade.

Most of the attendees were from the Indianapolis area (including two new ladies attending their first RVW event), but one woman braved the threat of more snow and drove over from Illinois.

After lunch, most of the group went on an exploration of the nearby Gander Mountain Store and stocked up on clothing and camping gear.

The luncheon served to wet our appetites for getting out in the wild for real. We are ready to escape winter and make use of those new duds and camping toys.--Linda Elliott

New Albany, Indiana

January 23: Seven women traveled from Indianapolis, Indiana to spend a couple hours playing and shopping at the Bass Pro Shop in New Albany.  The store has an arcade-type area. We were able to practice our target shooting skills as we aimed at rhinos, big cats and king cobras.  We were joined by three additional members from Kentucky for a nice casual lunch at a nearby Cheddars Restaurant.  The food and conversation were both abundant.  At this point, one member returned to Indianapolis while the remainder traveled on to the Louisville Boat & RV Show.  What a show! As it also included boats and other sports toys (ATV's, etc.), it was much larger than the RV show in Illinois that many from this group attended last year.  We stopped by the Tom Stinnett RV display and spoke to our friend Carol Neuman. We did not see so many extravagant items, such as fireplaces and whirlpool tubs, in the units this year. The new feature of very nice outdoor kitchens appeared often.  

Even though there were no new purchases made from this group, it was a very enjoyable time with friends and it always is a learning experience when looking at different rigs.  This sure made us have an itch for winter to be over so we could get our rigs out and start enjoying them!--Tammy Hanson

Parke County, Indiana

October 15 to 18: For many of the Ohio River Valley Chapter members that were unable to attend the RVW national convention in San Antonio, the Covered Bridge Festival in Parke County was our weekend respite. Early arrivals on Thursday found the Cherokee Village Campground very muddy from the week's rains, but we managed to forge on to campsites with limited difficulty. Our newest member provided soup while the rest of us pitched in. Due to rain, wind and cold, we all had dinner in one of the larger rigs. In keeping with the corn theme of this rally, the hosts distributed homemade caramel corn to each attendee with their agenda.

Friday we went into Rockville for the flea market and went on various covered bridge routes scoping out fun and exciting things to do. While we were out mulling around, some of us noticed the rain was showing density in the form of sleet or snow, not what we had envisioned for our fall outing. We heard from our friends in San Antonio who said it was 90 degrees there.

Friday evening, the group went to the famous Turkey Run State Park Inn for dinner, followed by craft time led by Tammy Hanson in the lodge. This was started off by having everyone create a candy corn character followed by other crafty items.

Once again, there was no campfire due to the cold, wind and rain.

On Saturday, the weather showed some improvement, and our group went to different Parke County activities. Everyone was given a small bag of candy corn and peanuts as a survival pack for the afternoon. One group went to a huge corn maze. After 45 minutes of walking and creating our own game of naming anything related to corn, we were ready to get back to camp. Before dinner, the group was entertained by dividing into two teams and competing in a scavenger hunt. Of course an ear of corn was on the list!

Saturday evening, it cleared enough to have a big fire and cookout. The evening ended with the much-anticipated making of the ole Girl Scout stand by, banana boats. As guests left the campfire, they were provided with a crossword puzzle, corn themed of course, to complete with their Sunday morning coffee.

Throughout the weekend, Ohio River Valley Chapter member and RV technician Pat Setser (contact her at www.recserv.com) did repairs and winterizations on various rigs. This made for many happy campers. On Sunday, we all planned our getaway through and around the various muddy areas of the campground knowing we would not be back together (with our rigs) until Spring.--Tammy Hanson

Waveland, Indiana

September 17 to 20: Ten hardy souls took the boondocking challenge and gathered at Shades State Park in Indiana. The late September weather cooperated to its maximum degree, providing us with cool days and really cool nights. Our rally included old friends, one visitor, three dogs, and two day-timers who drove by on their motorcycles to see us for a while.

Thursday evening we ate dinner at the Cozy Corner Cafe in the small town of Waveland. While service was slow (only one waitress), the food was excellent and we all had a great time.

Friday morning we met for coffee and bagels. After that, a group went for a rugged hike in Shades State Park, passing waterfalls and rock bridges and walking in streambeds. Our friends on motorcycles dropped by for lunch, then headed home for other endeavors. That afternoon, several of us went for another hike through the Pine Nature Preserve. Imagine our surprise when this hike turned out to be pretty rugged itself, including traversing a rock bridge that was about two feet wide. Yikes!

Friday night happy hour preceded an old-fashioned wienie roast with all the fixings and conversation around the fire.

Saturday morning, we again met for coffee and bagels. A group of us went into Crawfordsville, the Montgomery county seat. We toured the General Lew Wallace Museum and learned that not only did General Wallace write the 19th century's bestseller, "Ben Hur," he was also a famous Civil War general, an artist, a sculptor, an architect and an ambassador. His wife Susan was an author, poet, suffragette and friend of Susan B. Anthony.

We also toured the old rotary jail  in Crawfordsville, Indiana, built in 1882. It is one of only nine rotary jails ever built. The jail was in operation until 1973 and is the only one that still rotates.

We returned to camp after a nice lunch in the old bank vault at the Blue Moon Cafe. Linda, our resident outdoor expert, used the camp kitchen and fire pit to help us prepare a community camper's vegetable soup and cornbread.

Because Shades State Park has no electrical lighting anywhere, the night sky was especially brilliant. Several of us joined a star gazing blanket ­brigade by lying on a mat in the middle of our camp to watch the beautiful constellations and shooting stars.

Sunday morning, we had a hitch-up breakfast hosted by Tammy. Our breakfast included wonderful baggy omelets--omelets cooked in Baggies in boiling water on the camp stove!

We said "so long" to our friend Carol Miller, who is going full time in her RV this month. The rain started to fall softly as we were packing up to go.

This was a great rally with lots and lots of outdoor time, activities, cooking and conversation between friends old and new.--Tammy Haley and Tammy Hanson

Loogootee, Indiana

August 20 to 23: Twenty-eight women parked their 16 rigs on a peninsula of West Boggs Park for a weekend of fun and camaraderie. The weather was perfect: warm during the day and cool at night, with rain only at night.

On Friday, twenty-four women went to the Blue Springs Caverns, one of only two cave river tours in the country. Other activities including biking and visiting the Gastoff Amish Village and the French Lick Casino.

Thursday and Friday evenings offered dinner out at a Mexican restaurant and Stoll's Amish Buffet. Salads and spuds with a topping pitch-in provided dinner on Saturday. Women gathered around campfires every night.

On Saturday, the park presented a Women in the Outdoors program. Two of our group attended and received many new outdoor Dutch-oven recipes, including a wonderful recipe for peach pie.

Mornings began at the coffee pot for those who chose. The conversations veered in many directions. Perhaps the most notable was a new-to-fulltiming woman noting how one makes personal hygiene decisions differently (how often to shave legs). That subject somehow moved into what it was like to take the baths in Europe and the Orient. Descriptions were visual and laughter was raucous. The feelings were not unlike the description Sue Monk Kidd makes during an interview about The Secret Life of Bees. "When women bond together in a community in such a way that sisterhood is created, it gives them an accepting and intimate forum to tell their stories and have them heard and validated by others. The community not only helps heal their circumstance, but encourages them to grow into their larger destiny.

Sunday morning dawned with a breakfast of scrambled eggs. This was our first rally at this beautiful lakeside park. We expect to return in the near future.--Linda Elliott and Susan Trippet

Lafayette, Indiana

July 31 to August 3: 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

Oregon Chapter

Gold Beach, Oregon

July 12 to 15: Indian Creek RV Park in Gold Beach, offered a perfect weather rally. The 25 RVW women attending gathered on Friday evening to discuss their options—jet boat rides, golf, tennis, basketball, lawn games, board games, fishing, billiards, ping-pong, shopping, boating, reading, walking and visiting. Some activities included eating the  biggest ice cream cones we have every seen.

The sweet sound of Native American flutes played by Tey Morris and rally host Brenda Foster could be heard down by the stream. There was enough of a gentle breeze to interfere with prolonged playing, but both had a delightful time playing to the rhythm of the rushing water. Brenda encouraged all participants to bring their musical instruments and offered to give Native American flute and drum lessons. Brenda’s motto is: “Don’t leave this earth with your song still inside you.” Tey, a new RVW member, is also a member of a performing marimba band, and we learned that she plays multiple instruments. Such talent!

Our first monthly recycle fundraiser brought in $90 for our chapter. A table full of donations was offered. Our auctioneer, Dixie Evers, made the items so tempting that one donor bought back her own donated item.

A delicious potluck dinner was served on Saturday night in the outdoor gazebo, followed by dog walking, conversations and board games. Our chapter’s potluck dinners have outdone many of the restaurants we have frequented. We have some mighty serious cooks. The menu is always well balanced, by chance, and the non-cooks really enjoy the culinary talents of fellow members. Ann Pearson and Pam Mayne’s famous homemade peanut brittle fed the after-dinner board game players and kept them sugared and wired. We heard laughter and conversation coming from the gazebo long after the deer, ducks and wildlife went to bed.

Five new rigs were christened by Dee Hamer and a large group of colorful cohorts who toasted the new-to-them rigs with champagne and good wishes.

Sunday night, we dined at the Riverview Restaurant overlooking the Rogue River. We looked for eagles, otters, and the like, but none appeared—although they had made an appearance the evening our host dined there to check out the restaurant. Mother Nature makes no promises.

Everyone had a wonderful time. Four ladies stayed an extra day before heading home.—Brenda Foster

Blue River, Oregon

June 11 to 14: When we arrived at the picture perfect Holiday Farm RV Resort in Blue River, we knew it was ideal for a rally, offering the best in a beautiful peaceful setting and yet also offering lots of outdoor activities. Our group consisted of 33 dynamic women from our home state with 13 additional guests for a total of 46 adventure-loving women.

Since the resort was small, with only 43 campsites, the size of the clubhouse presented a challenge for our get together. We managed, however, with additional tables and chairs, to come together for our Friday night snacks and games.
On Saturday, we had our annual business meeting. A small group golfed at Tokatee Golf Course; this is an excellent course with beautiful views. In the evening, we had a potluck—we ate too much, of course—and enjoyed games after.

The resort also had a beautiful grass and pond area perfect for fishing and for playing ladder ball, horseshoes and badminton. Many of our gray-haired ladies (including me) played horse, a basketball game that I continue to lose.

On Sunday, some of the ladies had to leave this pristine, wooded area and head home. Most of the remaining women went to Sahalie and Koosah Falls—twin falls that spill off the edge of basalt cliffs around 100 feet high.

Sunday evening, most of us walked to the historic lodge restaurant and enjoyed an excellent dinner, great stories and good conversation.

We had coffee at the clubhouse on Monday morning and bid our farewells, giving out hugs and agreeing that this was wonderful weekend place that we need to come back to again.—Gina Masciantonio and Shirley Mahan

Warrenton, Oregon

May 14 to 17: What a wonderful weekend the Oregon Chapter had in May! We met in Warrenton, a few miles south of Astoria at the northwest corner of Oregon where the waters from the great Snake River, which starts in Wyoming, and the Columbia River, which starts in British Columbia, finally reach the Pacific Ocean. At Astoria, the river is several miles wide. Those two rivers collect great quantities of rain and snowmelt over the hundreds of miles it takes them to get to the ocean.

Kampers West RV Park where we stayed was full of RVers that had come for the clamming. A number of us stood around the fish cleaning station and watched buckets of gooey neck clams being cleaned.

Our two faithful Utah members prepared the main entré for the Saturday evening dinner, with the rest of us bringing side dishes and dessert. On both Friday and Saturday evenings, there were a lot of card games played with a lot of kibitzing going on.

Some had to go home after breakfast on Sunday. The rest of us drove into Astoria to the outdoor market held every Sunday from Mother’s Day through the Labor Day weekend. May was pretty early for any kind of local produce, but there were upwards of 100 booths selling clothing, jewelry, handmade potholders and aprons, original artwork— including wonderful photos of the area—large bouquets of flowers, jams, jellies and honey, chainsaw sculptures and recordings by a local musician. There were numerous food vendors selling everything from snacks to full meals and fancy drinks such as mango fizz lemonade. Before we went back to the campground, a number of us climbed on the 1911 trolley and rode along the river listening to a narration of the history of the various buildings. That evening we gathered together again and went out to dinner at a local restaurant.

On Monday, we brought our breakfasts down to the clubhouse and visited a little before taking off for our homes.—Beckey Beckey

Charleston, Oregon

April 16 to 18: The Oregon Chapter held its second rally of the season at Oceanside RV Park in Charleston. The attendance was great, with 21 rigs and 36 people. Hosts Shirley Mahan and Gina Masciantonio were presented with a challenge when we discovered the clubhouse, a yurt, would not be available until 7 p.m. on Saturday. Change is good, they decided, and we started activities on Friday afternoon for the early bird arrivals. We began the weekend with a wonderful tour of the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, part of the University of Oregon. The institute teaches and conducts research in marine biology on the Southern Oregon Coast. It was established in 1924. We were given a walking tour of the labs and facilities. Our guide explained the nature of the institute's research as well as the range of diverse habitat all along the Oregon coast. We viewed numerous specimens. Some were a little stinky, such as the newly arrived deceased whale.

Friday night, we got reacquainted with Oregon RVW members and planned the weekend events.

Saturday began with sunshine. We had missed it, and it seemed to be a long time coming. Ten members went to Pottery by the Bay for a demonstration of how the pottery sold there is made. Of course purchases were made by several participates. Other members and pets walked along the beach and allowed the sunshine to renew their spirits.

The afternoon brought more sunshine for a wonderful tour of the Coast Guard facilities and boats. We were allowed to go on the Intrepid, which was their largest boat. It was obvious they were very proud of it. Our guides explained in detail how rescues are performed and the safety measures needed to keep from falling overbroad, etc. We moved on to view one of the smaller, aluminum boats. It was amazing to think about how Coast Guard crews have to manage life in very small quarters.

The park had a clam chowder contest in the clubhouse, so we were unable to have a Saturday night potluck. One of our members, Barbara Davey, was chosen as a clam chowder taster. Her New England background served her well as she tasted 10 chowders and helped choose the winner. Our potluck was replaced with dinner at the Fish Grotto. Twenty-six members attended, and conversation abounded. Board games began at 7 p.m. when we were able again to use the clubhouse.

The wonderful weather continued with Sunday sunshine. Three members braved deep-sea fishing and caught their limit. Others visited the beautiful gardens at Shore Acres, went to the local Home Show or tried their luck at the Mill Casino. One lucky member actually won $4,200.

Sunday evening found most of us weary, but a few still had energy enough to play games in the clubhouse for a short while. Everyone retired early.

Monday began with clouds and a little drizzle. The rain was kind and waited until we were all packed, unhooked and ready to go. Good byes and see you down the road were said at breakfast. The weekend ended with smiles and warm hearts.—Shirley Mahan and Gina Masciantonio

McMinnville, Oregon

March 19 to 22: Twenty-five women in 15 rigs, some with new/used rigs, joined us at Olde Stone Village RV Park. We had beautiful weather except for one partly rainy day.

Our weekend started with finger foods and games Friday night.

 After a wonderful breakfast Saturday morning, most of us trekked over to the Air Museum where they had the Spruce Goose on display and then went to an IMax showing of Hubble. Some also had the opportunity to hear a presentation on female airplane pilots and daredevils. We also visited the historic downtown district and stopped in at the Serendipity Ice Cream Shop. There were plenty of quaint shops to browse, like the Garage Sale store and New to You and the Olde Book Store.

We got together at the campground on Saturday night for a ham dinner, with members providing all the sides and desserts. Games and some ­catching-up gossip followed.

Sunday started with a breakfast of strawberry waffles, bacon, sausage and eggs. As hosts for the first time, we had a lot of fun and more help than we knew what to do with!  Thanks to all for your generosity, time and work (we even mopped the clubhouse floor). Some fools tried playing basketball and found out that we need way too much practice and more Ben Gay, but we had tons of fun. We had dinner Sunday night at the Golden Valley Brew Pub where great food at good prices topped off the day.

Most left Monday after breakfast and a flurry of farewells and promises to get together in Charleston for our April clam chowder cook-off.--Pam Mayne and Ann Pearson

Lakeside, Oregon

September 11 to 13: Our first event at North Shore RV Park in Lakeside began with beautiful weather--cool mornings and sunny afternoons. What could be better! There were 34 people in attendance in 18 rigs and two tents.

The weekend began Friday evening with hors d'oeuvres to share. We had a moment of silence to remember September 11. Shirley Mahan and Karen Castner, our rally hosts, previewed the weekend festivities, as well as activities in the local area.

On Saturday morning, we had a simple continental breakfast of cinnamon toast, fruit and coffee. A short business meeting followed, with our president, secretary and treasurer giving us an update on finances and plans for the 2010 events calendar. A major decision was made to support only parks that did not have animal restrictions. At least 95 percent of our members have dogs or cats of every size and breed.

The games began after a short break to walk those four-legged members.

The cookie league tournament consisted of ladder golf and beanbag toss. We had 24 participants competing for prizes, which consisted of a medium-size cookie for semi-final winners and a big cookie for winners of the finals. The ladies can be competitive!

After the cheering and tossing, everyone availed themselves of other afternoon activities. Some went to the salmon celebration in Coos Bay, presented by Native American Indians. Others explored the area. Thanks to hostess Karen Castner’s boat, some members took rides on the beautiful Ten Mile Lake. Others fished the lake, either off the dock or in Karen's boat. And there were those who just relaxed and hung out.

Saturday evening we had our traditional potluck with everyone bringing entrees, salads and desserts. We even had cupcakes presented for Tully's birthday. As always, the food was outstanding. I will never understand how main dishes, salads and desserts all show up in balance.

We had two local women who were interested in RVW join us for dinner. They were welcomed with open arms, and we hope they will join the Oregon Chapter.

After the normal break for dog walking, the board games began in the clubhouse. Others, tired from a busy, delightful day, relaxed in their rigs.

Sunday morning was cool and overcast. A continental breakfast was again enjoyed by all. A couple members had to leave, and hugs were given and goodbyes said.

After breakfast, our cookie league tournament finals began. The competition was intense, with cheering turning to yelling and screaming. The winners enjoyed the big cookies and the smaller trophies that were presented during the winners' ceremony. The laughter and smiles were even bigger than the prizes.

In the afternoon, Karen again offered boat rides. Some members explored the area or did more catch-and-release fishing.

Going out to dinner is our Sunday evening normal event. We went to the local Lakeside Lodge. I am not sure they were used to seeing 20 RVing women, but they handled that challenge well.

With full stomachs and warm hearts, we returned to the campground. Clubhouse games continued for some and others returned to their rigs for an evening of TV and relaxation. As is typical for Oregon, the late evening was met with rain--not too much, but just enough.

Monday morning was damp, but the rain stopped so we could begin loading and getting ready to depart. Of course, coffee and leftovers were enjoyed beforehand, and everyone assisted the hostess with clubhouse cleanup. All too soon, it was time to leave. The smiles and camaraderie were only matched by the wonderful comments. Everyone had a great weekend marked with warm feelings and lots of laughter. We all left looking forward to our next outing.--Shirley Mahan and Gina Masciantonio