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Roger here... First an editor's note. We have wasted a great deal of time fussing with Blogger, loading pictures from multiple devices and Live Writer. These are recent issues for us that have made the publication of posts far more difficult than they were in the past. Unless we figure out how to simplify things, our traveling posts will be far fewer than in the past.
Rant over. Now it's Rally Time. We have attended two RV Dreams Educational Rallies in the past. The first was in South Carolina (near Myrtle Beach). The second was in Kerrville, Texas. Howard and Linda Payne organize these rallies for RVers who want to spend extended time traveling in their RVs. We learned a great deal at the rallies, and we also made some good friends. Last week we arrived in the mountains of western North Carolina for a RV Dreams Reunion Rally (for people who had attended any of the past educational rallies). Instead of attending seminars, the focus of this rally was having fun with friends we'd met at previous rallies. Fun it was!
The Rally Campground at the Tom Johnson RV dealership in Marion NC had a huge covered pavilion, full hook ups, and a beautiful setting with mountain views and expansive stretches along the Catawba River to walk the dogs.
ASHEVILLE
We spent most of one day walking around Asheville while many of the other attendees toured the Biltmore House, which we had previously seen. We stopped at the visitors' center and picked up a walking tour map. What a cool city for a three-mile stroll. Lots of interesting architecture, parks, shops, and places to eat.
Speaking of eating. We took a walk down memory lane having hand-made chocolate sodas and egg salad sandwiches at the restored Woolworth's food counter.
I had forgotten how delicious chocolate sodas were. You do not find them much any more.
We decided to drive back to the campground via the Blue Ridge Parkway. We enjoyed the quiet and scenic drive,
but it began to cloud up when we meandered through the mountains so most of the pictures we took were not worth posting.
ZIP LINING...
I have always wanted to go zip lining. Howard found a perfect place for our group at the Navitat Canopy Adventures in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Dianne has a fear of heights and opted out of the trip, but I had a blast. Our group was able to zip on three very long lines (one of them 350 feet above the forest canopy). We were in the Blue Ridge Mountains, so the views were spectacular. This is definitely something I will do again.
BLACK MOUNTAIN FOODIE TOUR...
One of the afternoons we drove a short distance to the scenic town of Black Mountain. We had signed up for a walking tour of the town, which included sampling stops at four different restaurants, a wine shop, and a fudge/ice cream shop. The restaurants paired wine/champagne/lemonade and hard cider with tasty specialties from the chefs.
We were served roasted pork belly on a risotto at the Red Rocker Inn.
Bright red outdoor furniture seems to be a trend in this area.
The black bean quesadilla at Louisa was yummy. They also serve mimosas at breakfast (or, for the guys, a manmosa --- champagne and Pabst Blue Ribbon.) We did not sample that one.
The Monte Vista Hotel served a really good tostada paired with a sparkling wine and a strawberry.
While wandering the town prior to the tour, we had already bought two bottles of wine at the wine shop. We enjoyed re-meeting the owner, an Ole Miss graduate, during our tasting visit.
I am sure that there was enough walking between stops to work off all those calories... not!
HIKING IN THE MOUNTAINS...
Friends of ours, Bill and Nancy, from South Carolina arranged a group hiking trip to Linville Falls (a stop along the Blue Ridge Parkway). Our wives (and Bill) refer to us as long-lost brothers due to our similar idiosyncrasies. We are both organized and anal retentive to a fault. We both love the outdoors. We both love hiking and biking. We both sold our homes so we could travel. We even (unknowingly) wore identical shirts and shoes on the hiking excursion.
We even developed identically deformed pinkie fingers.
The relatively short hike to the water falls was great. It was exhiliarating to be able to resume our hiking activities in such a spectacular setting.
Moss on a log.
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| MOUNTAIN LAUREL |
Wildlife :-)
SOUTH CREEK WINERY...
On the last day of the rally, Dianne and I traveled a few miles to the South Creek Winery, where we sampled the red wines and...
... shared part of a bottle of cabernet franc on the patio while listening to live music.
There were many activities in the rally pavilion. They included games, relay races, videos, and eating. I was able to renew past fun that I have had playing corn hole. I had a blast participating in the relay races. We both enjoyed a variety of catered meals including: two full breakfasts, a southern feast with chicken and ribs and a hamburger barbecue. The last meal was a Hawaiian Luau. The roasted pig photo is a little disconcerting for some --- including me -- but the food looked and tasted a lot better on the plate.
We enjoyed our meals with new friends Bob and Lindy from Minnesota and...
... old friends (at least for me) Greg and Diana.
Ironically, Greg, Diana and I attended the same small high school in Pendleton IN. We rediscovered each other at a previous rally in Kerrville TX.
Dianne here -- The pet photo of the day was inspired after our Texas friends, Barb and Greg Jones, made a visit one afternoon to see their dog, Izzy, who we've been dog-sitting for the past month.
Izzy was so glad to see them that she jumped into their car, sat down, and refused to get out. She's saying "Take me HOME!" That day finally happens tomorrow, and she'll be one happy pup!
Roger here.... The opening photo is of the "ahhhhhhh!" at Balmorhea State Park in West Texas ---- where we are at this moment ---- but first, the RV Dreams Rally.
Now that we are on the road again, our posts should be more frequent. The RV Dreams Rally that was organized by Howard and Linda Payne was everything we expected --- so much information and SO MUCH FUN. Every day was filled with so much information about our lifestyle (some we knew and some we had forgotten). It was a great rally for both newbies and people like us who have been on the road for a while. I don't have pictures of the seminars (that would be boring if you were not there), but I do have pictures of some of the off time and some of the fun.
First the off time. Every day the puppies needed a walk. Here are some shots of the walking area at Buckhorn Lakes RV Resort.
The picture above shows the large fenced dog area that will soon be available. Our kind of place.
During the rally, we had a full afternoon of free time. Five of us, all Retama Village residents who were at the rally, traveled to the Hill Country Wine Area, and enjoyed an afternoon at our favorite Texas Winery, Grape Creek Vineyard. We shared a couple bottles of wine, a couple different cheeses, and some chocolate. Ahhh! Say hello to me, Kathy, Marian, and Mike. (Dianne took the picture).
After the wine.... Dianne and I traveled a short distance from the campground to have dinner at Mamacitas in Kerrville, TX.
Great atmosphere... Delicious Mexican food... a bifsteca (steak) with charro beans, peppers, tomatoes, and rice. (Two suppers with the take-home box).
Now the fun time.... The catered meals at Buckhorn Lake rate with the best catered meals we have ever eaten. Take a look at the pork chop dinner on the last night. With aluminum foil... another supper. We are set for two days!
The theme for one evening was the Newlywed Game - full-timer style. A couple of the questions give you a sense of the fun.
The last night of the rally was Hollywood Night. Many of the attendees dressed up as celebrities. We did not... this time. Howard was Bruce Willis, complete with sunglasses (sorry, no picture). Linda was Elizabeth Trailer:
The rally ended with a delicious breakfast, another tasty meal. Linda sang farewell with her rendition of a Rascal Flatts song, "My Wish."
Howard and Linda weighed our motor home just before our departure. This is an important safety issue. We were relieved to know that our motor home's weight was evenly balanced and that we only needed to slightly adjust the air pressure in our tires. It was nice to have this task done before hitting the road for six months.
Now for the ahhhh-time.... We have not been traveling for a while. We definitely miss our adventures in nature. Today, all that returned. We drove five hours west on Interstate 10 before arriving for a one-night stay at Balmorhea State Park in West Texas. (Texas is a big state.)
The natural springs at Balmorhea create an oasis in a dry part of the southwest. The opening picture (taken from our campsite) and the next two photos (also taken from our campsite) explain the drops in our blood pressure.
Bandido and Tequila enjoyed exploring the new campsite.
Dianne and I enjoyed the empty campground and the mountain views.
Our journey tomorrow will take us through El Paso, out of Texas (finally), and into New Mexico.
The pet pictures of the day show Tequila taking time to smell the wildflowers at Buckhorn Lake.
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