2012-0602 3rd Annual Alumapalooza (And Our New Segways!)

This time I took more photos than I know what to do with! HA! Here's the scoop...we went to the 3rd annual Airstream Alumapalooza put on by Airstream Life magazine and held at the Airstream factory in Jackson Center, OH. I'm not sure the total number of Airstreams and attendees but I believe it was just under 200 of the iconic travel trailers. Our friends Tom & Ella Brown who have a 2010 Airstream Bambi went as did our other friend (and Ella sister) Johanna "Tink" Bryant who has a 2009(?) rPod. Tink and Carie & I stayed at the Wapakoneta KOA in Wapakoneta, OH rather than staying at the Airstream factory's make shift campground with no showers and limited electric. And let me say the Wapakoneta KOA is top notch!!! The campground is one of the cleanest, well kept campgrounds we've been to and the owners and workamper staff are very friendly. The owners (will get their names and fill in the space later) work hard to make it a beautiful campground and it shows. http://wapakonetakoa.com/ and http://koa.com/campgrounds/wapakoneta/   While cruising around the small town of Jackson Center on our new Segways (!) we came upon the towns annual carnival and a cool auto show was just gearing up on Main St. so snapped a few pictures of that, too. Carie & I decided to get Segways rather the scooters because they are more versatile and can even be used indoors at many places. The main reason for the Segways is due to my having a hereditary condition where my feet blister badly after walking any distances so the Segways are sure opening doors for me to do and see things I couldn't otherwise do! And of course I couldn't just get me a Segway and not one for Carie. That wouldn't have gone over well!  HA!   Here's the pics...enjoy!

Tink and our campsites

Some Airstream...just afew  ;-)

Carie "gliding"...

More Airstreams!

Airstream motorhomes...nice!

The car show:

Carie & Alan - The happy Segway couple!!!   :-)

2012-05-05 5th Annual Blue Ridge Rally

This T@B rally has become the largest T@B rally in the country at this point. The organizer is Sharon Sigmon (See her blog, too - Post Cards From The Road http://web.me.com/sharonsigmon/Postcards/Welcome.html  ) and she chose Raccoon Holler Campground in Jefferson, NC for this years event  http://www.raccoonholler.com/   Sharon has been doing this rally for five years now and it grows every year and should even more so in future years due to the T@Bs being built once again by Little Guy Teardrops. This rally is turning into a rally not just for T@Bs but also former T@Bbers who now have other brand campers such as R-pods and Airstreams. It's interesting to see how this rally is evolving and growing every year. This is mine and Carie's 3rd BRR. The rally went from Wednesday, May 2 to Sunday, May 6. Carie & I arrived on Thursday. We had a blast and I think this BRR was the most fun we've had at a BRR yet. There were cocktail hours, a finger food meal on Thursday evening, a pot luck dinner Saturday night with a hillbilly theme that was a hoot! Games and fun all around! Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of the events as I was too busy having fun. I REALLY need to pay more attention to the camera aspect when I'm trying to write a blog!  LOL!  I did get some good pictures of the rigs and some attendee's, though.

Welcome to Raccoon Holler and the 5th

annual Blue Ridge Rally!

T@Bs, T@DA's Airstreams & Rpods scattered about all through the forest!

Noreen, Eileen & Diane smile for the camera.

(I think that's Nancy's "Spencer" the min-pin in the background)

Noreen & Eileen

Ray and Geo discuss technical T@B issues

Ella, Tom and "Charlie Button" puttering about their campsite

A game of cornhole...This game was a big hit and

almost constantly had 2-4 rallyers playing! The object

is to toss the corn filled bags into the hole in the

boards. One in the hole is worth 3 points, one on

the board is 1 point.

Sandy & Kevin relax under their shade tent

Kevin with a "hillbilly wine glass" full of his killer

moonshine marinated cherries in the marinating process!

Trish and Liz discussing the effects of my

margaritas from the night before LOL!

Beth, Deb & Bob

Tony & Jeane's T@B. (Tony is off to the right

in this photo)

Happy rally campers enjoying the beautiful weather

Carie & Alan's T@B set up beside Mike & Cheri's

2012-03-17 Alum Creek

Carie has been unable to join me the first few time out this season due to her schedule with school and working at H & R Block but she made this trip to Alum Creek up near Columbus. We combined this trip with my 2nd cousin's basketball championship game on Saturday night, the Fairmont (high school) Firebirds. It was a lot of fun! We also met new T@Bber Anne Walker who lives only a few minutes from Alum Creek. We had some birds visit our camp feeder this trip, too!

Carie & Anne

 Tufted Titmouse

 Female cardinal

Black-capped chickadee

Early Season At Whitewater State Park

Pat & Jennifer Bremer met us...well, me at Whitewater State Park in Brookville, IN for camping on Friday, Saturday & Sunday. Carie couldn't make it due to her schedule. Not too many campers this weekend as we figured there wouldn't be but there were a couple of die-hard TENT campers (!) and one BT Cruiser class C RV and also a lot of horse campers. This park is big on horse camping and they were sure out and about this weekend. Silly me, though, I didn't get any pictures of the horses and riders and didn't even think about it.  :-| 

 Pat & Jennifer through the smoke screen.

 Happy Camper!