Monday was our first full FROG rally day, starting off with a big buffet breakfast: scrambled eggs, ham, sausage gravy on biscuits, mixed fruit, sweet rolls, coffee and juice. We had 6 more such breakfasts to look forward to in the coming week! We were at the vendor building when it opened for browsing – lots of nice add-ons and upgrades all of which I resisted. I was mildly interested in the keyless door entry system, until learning that it would not mate with the curved door of the Airstream. That saved Tom $300!
Dinner tonight was on linens and china with candlelit centerpieces for over 700 people! We started with an assortment of Amish cheese and crackers, and at our tables were served Maryland Clam Chowder and a Baby Spring Mix Salad. The main dish was Bison Tenderloin Filets and Floridian Sunshine Shrimp accompanied by Sweet Potato Hash and Country Style Green Beans and Amish Brioche Dinner Rolls. Dessert was a little known recipe of South Carolina Tart! One big event that started today was the Forest River “you bring it here and we’ll fix it” policy! No kidding – just bring your Forest River product to the rally with a list of what needs fixin’ and a crew will arrive at your campsite sometime during the day and take care of repairs. You might think that this is just for new camping units under factory warranty . . . . NOT! Any product, any size, any age, any repair. Johanna got a new rear window installed, a new door for her refrigerator, a new outdoor step, and a dozen other little things taken care of. In the process they found some delamination on the outside of the trailer and are going to install new side walls. This is a major job, and they aren’t able to do it while she is here, but arrangements will be made to get the camper to the factory, replace the walls, and return it to her. NO COST! NO SHIT! Here are some pictures Tink took of the workers on the Tink R-Pod We had pouring rain on Monday night! Our Airstream is sitting high and dry on a lush, grassy mound and the rain was not a problem. By 10:00 Tuesday morning the sun was out and all the FROGS came out to play! Breakfast at 8:00 was a repeat of yesterday’s Amish spread, with a few different offerings. My favorite was the baked French toast casserole.
Tonight we were own our own for dinner as Forest River was taking a night off from serving. However, the 22 campers of the R-Pod Village had that meal covered with a preplanned pot-luck, and the Dairy Bar with its beautiful covered pavilion with plenty of picnic tables and seats was chosen as the congregation area. Travis and Carie, AKA Moose Pod, made an R-Pod Cake! Johanna and I have a cousin, Star, who lives 10 miles away in Elkhart, and last year at this event we were able to link up with Star and her husband, David. This year Star was able to join us for the pot luck dinner and we had a nice opportunity to extend our chat from last year! As kids our brother/fathers had taken us on several extended camping trips together to Yellowstone and even California; 8 kids, 4 adults camping in the rough. From dinner at the Dairy Bar many of us moved to Tink’s R-Pod where she cranked up her little red campfire – a propane affair that sits up off the ground and puts out a cheerful fire and a little bit of heat. Tom and I left by 9:45, but Tink said the party didn’t shut down until 11:30 that night!
Still needing more chat-time with Cousin Star, we made a date for Thursday lunch at the home she grew up in that we often visited as children. That is going to be a story all in itself, so check back later this week for a full report.
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October 2021
We don’t go camping any more . . . we go ‘streamin’ ! The “SIlvermine and His” is our 2018 25' Airstream Serenity with Salsa interior and front twin beds., and ‘streamin’ is the name we use to describe our adventures. Stream along as we document everything from weekend trips to longer summer excursions and full-blown vacations. You know what they say: if you’re not in an Airstream – you’re just camping!
Tom & Ella Brown |