28 May 2024 - Rally Welcome Reception

 

Doreen and I with Curtis Carlson, a dear friend and one of the 

original Alliance leadership team members.

Today was the Owner's Welcome Reception and Rally Check-in.  It was a culmination of a lot of work on the part of a lot of Alliance Owners.  Up to now the Rally attendees have arrived and set up their campers.  Some camped with us at the Elkhart Campground over the last week. Others traveled straight into this location.  Either way, they are here and ready for the Rally which officially starts tomorrow.

 The event today is where the Rally attendees received their welcome bags that were built earlier this week, and they are served a welcome "meal" and refreshments including a hotdog, chips, and miniature apple pie and beverages.  This year one of our Alliance owners, Norma Myers, who works for Pabst Blue Ribbon facilitated a huge donation of the various products under the PBR umbrella, pictured below.  We added sodas, water and Coors Lite, but everything else came from Pabst Blue Ribbon!

So we had an army of Alliance Owners processing everyone in.  A few more pictures:

Besides getting their bags and getting fed, we had an array of outdoor games they could play to win tickets that could be used to win prizes later in the week,  A few more pictures:

The event went fantastic.  It seemed like everyone was having a good time and they seemed to stay around and play the games and socialize with other Allys.  Doreen and I made a few runs back to our camper throughout the day to pottie Libety.  I also came back when MoRryde showed up to install a new handrail which we had ordered and when Lippert arrived to analyze some small issues we are having with our levelers.  One leg has a very small fluid leak and one "droops" after an extended period of retraction.  It sounds like they will be replacing at least two of the jacks sometime this week.

I will likely not publish a blog the next couple days as Doreen and I will be attending various classes and events throughout the day..    

 

27 May 2024 - Rally Setup and Shopping, a Throw-on

 

Photo credit:  Mike Ellis

Another early day as four of us headed to Sam's Club in a neighboring town to purchase food and supplies for the Rally Reception tomorrow.  About noon the Rally attendees will proceed to the reception area and receive their welcome bags that were assembled a few days ago.  They will also be served a lunch and beverage.  They can also play some games and win additional tickets for the raffle items.  The Alliance RV Owner's Group sponsor's this and it is so great to see everyone as they pass through the reception area.  

Some of the Sam's Club supplies

Just a small portion of the beverages

A few of us headed out for lunch and saw many Amish with their horses and buggies.  A common sight here.  

This afternoon the work continued on setting up the reception area,  While we worked on that many of the vendors were setting up their displays in their building.  We will see a wide variety of RV-related products and services offered.  Manufacturers of equipment used on the Alliance RV's will be here to hold classes and answer questions.  The goal is to better inform the owners so they can avoid problems or repair them if they occur.  

Rachel Ellis grilling everyone's protein

Mike Ellis selfie with some of the Owner's Group admin and their spouses 

This evening our group held a "throw-on" which consists of an informal "potluck" and the host provides the grill where you can bring the protein of your choice and "throw it on".  The food was delicious and so was the conversation! 

Liberty spent quite a bit of time by herself in the RV today so this evening before we turned in we took her on a walk around the Northwest area where we are camping.   Alliance coaches as far as the eye can see.  There are likely over 300 coaches here by now and there will be somewhere between 350 and 400 for the Rally.  It will be a great time.

26 May 2024 - Rally Setup, Lunch with Jennifer

 

Busy and rainy day here.  We started out this morning in the main event hall setting up the area for the silent auction while another team worked on filling and organizing the welcome bags.  

While we worked and throughout the rest of the day we heard that approximately 150 more Alliance coaches arrived here at the fairgrounds.  

We had to leave a bit early as we drove to Three Rivers MI and met daughter Jennifer, son-in-law James and granddaughter Lindsey for lunch.  Lindz was at a volleyball tournament the first time we met with Jennifer and the second time she was studying for her finals.  The good news is she nearly aced both her Spanish and Physics test!  Great job, Lindz!  Unfortunately we were so busy talking none of us thought to get a picture.

Later we were surprised by a dear friend with a 50th anniversary celebration.  Our anniversary was 30 March and we left on this trip the next day on 1 Apr!  So awesome!  The cake and cookies were delicious!

Tomorrow more setup starting at 0800 hrs, more Alliance coaches will roll in, more friends will be reunited and new friends will be made!  

Most importantly tomorrow is Memorial Day.  It is a time to pause and reflect as a Nation.  We will remember and honor all of our service men and women that have given the ultimate sacrifice serving in our military,  My flag will fly at half staff from sunrise until noon.

25 May 2024 - Arrived at Elkhart Co 4H Fairgrounds Campground

 

We departed the Elkhart Campground this morning at 0817 hrs and after a short 18 mile drive, at 0852 hrs we arrived at stop #16 on this year's trip, the Elkhart County 4H Fairgrounds campground.  This is where the 2024 Alliance RV National Rally will be held. 

Photo credit:  Bill Sexton

The crews that work the setup and reception of the large group are allowed to arrive a couple days ahead of time.  One of the largest groups is the parking crew.  They are expecting over 350 RV's to arrive.  We are part of the crew that sets up the buildings, chairs, tables, welcome bags, check-in and welcome "tent" where refreshments will be served.  We also help with the silent auction 

Our site.  Snug here but we are surrounded by good friends!

Next to us on this side are Mike and Rachel Ellis from near Little Rock AR

The Elkhart County 4H Fairgrounds campground is sized for large groups like this.  Most of the sites have full hookup and for those that don't, a pump-out service is available for emptying sewer tanks.  In a few days this place will be wall to wall Alliance coaches and owners, plus all of the vendors who will be holding classes on the products used in our Alliance coaches.  There will also be other vendors here selling RV products and services.  All of the Alliance RV leadership will be here meeting and greeting owners and answering questions.  The Rally runs Wed-Fri next week, but we have things to do here virtually every day.  We depart on Saturday 1 Jun and travel to our next location.

Just a few of the coaches that arrived today

A few of the golf carts ready to go!

Demo units have been positioned already.

Liberty ready to party!

This afternoon  Mike Ellis and I shuttled a huge Alliance Valor triple axle toy hauler from the Elkhart Campground down here.  Many of the Alliance staff actually stay right here in the campground in Alliance coaches during the Rally, including this one.  This Valor was likely about 45 foot long and definitely the longest RV I have ever towed!  You have to be very careful with how wide the rear end of the coach swings when you are turning.  The big ol' brown truck towed it like a boss!

This evening Alliance sponsored a welcome dinner for the work crews. We had Shepard's Pie with lamb or turkey, cole slaw, and dessert, all prepared in Dutch ovens by Ally's and it was delicious. 

Tomorrow morning we will continue with the setup.  Sounds like the weather might be nasty, so indoor work will be welcome.

24 May 2024 - Last Day at Elkhart, Liberty Spa Day, Boys & Girls Club Work Day

 

This morning Liberty had a spa day here in the campground.  One of our Alliance owners from Michigan, Gina Grote, does pet grooming on the road.  This worked perfectly for us as we just walked down a few campers and dropped her off.  While Liberty was getting her trim, shampoo and nails done, Doreen did the laundry we had before moving tomorrow.  

Photo credit:  Kevin Mase

While the girls were busy with that, I rode with a group of  Ally's to the Boys and Girls Club of Elkhart and participated in a work day there.  I believe there were about 32 Ally's that participated here in Elkhart and then another group of Ally's participated at the Boys and Girl's Club in Goshen  This was organized by "seRV with a Purpose".  They "give back, build community and help non-profits as you travel the nation".  The seRV mission is:  "To create meaningful opportunities that connect RVers to each other and nonprofit organizations through purpose-driven volunteerism that will forever change the communities we seRV™."

The Boys and Girls Club of Elkhart is in an elementary school building and we helped them with basically cleaning and organizing. We received a welcome from the Boys and Girls Club staff and then we got right to work assisting them with a long to-do list. 

 Previously they had a severe water leak in their art room so there was a huge mess to clean up there. 

I spent much of my time cleaning and organizing a storage room.  This involved transporting boxes of files and books to various rooms and organizing what remained.  

Photo credit:  Tom Boatwright

So it was a very busy morning but very productive.  It is so nice to see a bunch of RV owners come together and give back to the community, especially to an organization like the Boys and Girls Club of Elkhart.

After we returned we worked on various projects like helping Ralph and Michael replace their slide-out topper fabric which had begun to rip.  Working with these and awnings is much easier with a few more hands, especially in the rain!  These pictures caught me on the ground, but much of the afternoon was spent on a ladder! 

Also this afternoon we were pleasantly surprised when Mike and Rachel Ellis rolled in with their RV from Arkansas.  We had dinner with them at Little Rock a couple weeks ago and we hoped to see them here, but the sale of their house had some hiccups so it did not sound promising they would make it.  We are surely glad they did!

We've had a great time here at the Elkhart Campground, but tomorrow morning we move to the Elkhart County 4H Fairgrounds Campground in Goshen IN to attend the 2024 Alliance National Rally.