Sweetwater Summit

Even though the county was sweltering in 90* heat, there was a nice ocean breeze and a lot of shade trees at Sweetwater Summit Regional Park in Bonita. Those from the inland areas enjoyed the relief. Twenty one rigs (and 2 visitors) showed up for the Rally hosted by Wayne and Lynn Selden assisted by David and Jerry Galecki started off on Monday, June 19 with Happy Hour ! Later in the evening we gathered around the campfire to catch up with our friends.

Tuesday morning started off with a walk led by the Ranger who provided education about the park, and the surroundings.

The group returned to the shade trees and enjoyed the morning snacks. It was impossible to get anyone interested to stand out in the sun to play Bean Bag Baseball even though it was all set up and ready to go. That evening a good ol Shanty Shaker pot luck was held. Dang, we do such a good job at that ! At sunset, we gathered at the fire pit again. The evenings cooled off so we started sitting just a bit closer this time.

The next day's morning walk was led by Jerry Galecki and a good walk it was. Don Smith followed along as far as he could on his bike.

For a change up, the hosts served bagels and cream cheese for the morning treat. Even though the day was a bit cooler, still no takers on Bean Bag Baseball. (sorry Dave for making you drag it out). Mary Ann and Nadine did get some Ladder Golf going for awhile.

Wednesday's highlight was the catered meal by Mr Taco Man meal enjoyed in the Pavilion followed by entertainment at the sunset campfire. Friends of Wayne and Lynn's were staying at the campground in the new section. Gary, is a lifelong singer and accomplished guitar player. He serenaded the group to songs by James Taylor, Jim Croce, John Denver, Paul McCartney, Gregg Allman and so much more. The evening was cooler so we moved closer to the fire as the group got smaller and enjoyed relaxing to the sweet sound of Gary's encore.

Six-thirty came early for the golfers in the group as they headed off to their tee time. The morning was hazy, damp, and cool, a welcome relief to the daytime temperatures. The morning walk was led by Mary Ann.

Afternoons were spent chatting under the shade trees, reading a book or enjoying a refreshing nap.  Thursday dinner, most of the group headed to Chili's and some headed to the Chula Vista Marina for all you can eat fish. We gathered back at the campsite to enjoy Root Beer Floats for dessert. It was a fun, final night of the rally.

We hope you enjoyed the week as much as we did and thank you for coming.....Wayne and Lynn S; Dave and Jerry G

Two more $1000 donation patches from CARE. (thanks Carol R for sewing them on)

CARE Rally at Pechanga RV Resort

Submitted by John/Wendy Pumphrey

On Sunday  the Rudolph's, Sands', Anderson's and Pumphrey's arrived to get an early start on the fun! No sooner than they were all set up, plans were made for Dinner at the Casino.

 On Monday, David Anderson, discovered a major Propane leak, in their coach and isolated it. Soon after, the 4 couples decided they should eat, so they went to Richies. When we got back we set up our chair, to watch the arrival of the rest of the group. We ended up with 11 rigs, the Bakers,Kemps, Carles,Mc Clennans, Simons, Fosters, and Richard Melendez, a new member from Covina. That night several couples went to the Casino for Dinner and "gaming". We also had 4 couples drive in for the Potluck and Auction on Tuesday, the Herriotts, Harrisons, Paxtons and McCauley's.  The Pot-luck, was good, as usual. After eating and before anyone could "nod off", the real fun  began. The bidding was spirited and several couples found themselves, bidding against each other. The total amount raised, for CARE was $1297.00!!!  The second auction raised approximately $120.00, for the Chapter.

Thanks to Herb Sands for taking on the role of Auctioneer and to the Pumphreys for taking over as hosts.

On Wednesday we all went to Richies Diner, for lunch. Later that afternoon, we had a very entertaining Magician perform, for us and when the show was over, it was time to eat, again. Several couples brought out more snacks and we sat and visited.

Thursday morning, we started packing up, to "head out". Wendy and I, would like to thank Michael Formico, for his work, at planning the Rally. It was very easy to step in, as Hosts. We would also like to thank the Rudolph's and Sands, for their assistance and as usual, many other members who helped, when they saw something that needed doing. John/Wendy

If you missed the Rally and would like to make a donation to support the CARE facility in Livingston, Texas, mail a check to the Treasurer, Carol Rudolph made out directly to CARE Inc. The chapter will get credit for the donation.

Esapades 57 in Tucson, AZ

Escapades 57 is a done deal. Twenty seven Shanty Shaker rigs made the trek to Pima County Fairgrounds in Tucson, AZ in record setting temperatures. Most of the group were parked in FHU thanks to the Awesome Parking Teams coordination. A few were out on the grassy Polo field with partial hookups and a few others ended up in boondocking.  Despite being spread out over the Fairgrounds the group still came together for Happy Hours and meals.

 Sunday morning marked the opening of the Marketplace with various  RV related vendor products as well as the first day of Chapter Row. The “Row” is where members can visit representatives from various Chapters and BOFs (Birds of a Feather…as in flock together)  and hear about their activities and the area they represent. A big thanks to Diana and Bob Simon for representing Chapter 25 and recruiting some new members.

On Sunday afternoon Opening Ceremony was held.  After the cursory introductions and accolades were given, we heard from Kay Peterson, Co-founder of Escapees.  She is full of spunk and can barely be seen over the podium. She told a story about eating a buffet with her late husband, Joe, where she returned to the wrong table after getting her food. She asked her husband if he thought the waitress thought she was senile. He replied, "well, thats better than being stupid" By the way, Kay just celebrated her 90th birthday.

The evening entertainment was a group of Native American dancers that was enjoyed by all who attended. Plus Peggy McCauley won a door prize, a dash cam ! 

Monday, and every day, started with coffee and donuts in the Hospitality area followed by seminars for your learning pleasure. Topics included RV Satellite TV, LED lights, Driving Safely, Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems, Free Camping on Public Grounds, Technology for Travelers, Troubleshooting RV Refrigerators, Towing Tip, Using Social Media for Fun, Geocaching Basics, Google Photos and so much more ! These seminars are one of the many things that make attending an Escapade so worthwhile.

Speaking of the Hospitality area, did you notice the table decorations?  They were made by Matt and Carol Matteson from our Chapter. Very cool !

Monday evening entertainment by Woody and the Longboards had us dancing in the aisles. Hearing the oldies by the Beach Boys and the Eagles bought back fond memories of the 60s and 70s. The evening left us nostalgic and exhausted. The Morlans, the Millers and the Regniers won door prizes this evening too. Great night for the SS !

 

After another long day of seminars, we gathered around the chapter’s new propane firepit for some relaxation and star gazing.

On Wednesday evening, a huge barbeque was held. Five guys grilled 50+ hamburgers and 80 hot dogs. Awesome side salads, fruit, veggies and desserts were provided by members and a few guests. Garth and Judy Carle and Don and Tracy Braun drove in for day from Prescott to join in the SS fun. We had 60, yes, 6 0 people attend.  It was a great meal before heading off to see the Escapades Got Talent show.

Thursday afternoon was the Closing ceremony and last chance to win a door prize. Good luck hit the Chapter again !  John and Wendy Pumphrey won the Rose Parade HOP  (HOP= Head Out Programs: trips organized and hosted by Escapees)  Congratulations ! This is the second time the Pumphreys won a HOP. Several years ago their name was drawn to win a trip to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta.(time for lottery tickets??)

A group of SS then headed to Happy Hour and Dinner at Chueys Restaurant. After dinner, it was time to start with the goodbye hugs as most were leaving the Fairgrounds the next morning.

Marty & Peggy working at Registration Desk

Bruce helping with Transportation

 917 rigs and 2,652 people attended the 57^th Escapade. The next chance to attend this fun event is May of 2018  in Sedalia, Missouri Put it on your calendar now !

Quartzsite and Jurupa Happenings

Despite some very cold and windy weather, 6 brave SS rigs gathered for a few nights in Greasewood Dry Camp at Quartzsite, AZ for the annual shopping spree. (Seldens, Catheys, Millers, Morlans, D Smith, Parkers) Jim and Sharan along with Ed and Abby were there for a night but the Harrison's rig broke down and was towed to Phoenix for repairs. The Brauns and the Carles stayed in a park with hook-ups and a few others were out in the boonies. (Huskeys, JJ Kent) One evening, several of us gathered around our new propane fire pit and had carry out pizzas from Silly Als. We enjoyed catching up with everyone and admired the beautiful sky with Don Smith and Mike and Marcy's rig in the foreground.

The following week was the rally at Rancho Jurupa County Park in Riverside, CA. Unfortunately, the  hosts, Sharan and Jim Harrison's rig was not repaired yet so they were not able to attend the rally they planned. 😢 The dozen rigs there still enjoyed the sunshine and various activities.

The logical place for lunch on Tuesday was Tio Taco's. If you like to check out unusual restaurants, this is the place. It is a collection of junk art sculptures and other weird collections. After we enjoyed our lunch on the outdoor patio, it was time to stroll the grounds and check it all out. The place is hard to describe but here are some pictures to give you an idea.

Since the weather the next day was still bright and clear, a small group decided to take a hike up the mountain. John and Jeanne Hawkins brought their 14 week old poodle puppy, Cody along. Cody was frisky for a while but John had to carry him back down the path. 🐶🐾

That evening we enjoyed Hobo soup with side dishes. The soup preparation was supervised by Richard and Janice Huskey.

On Thursday, a group went on a tour of the historic Mission Inn Hotel and Spa. Here is a blurb from their website.

The Inn began as a 12-room adobe boarding house in the late 1800s when wealthy easterners and Europeans flocked to Riverside in search of both a warmer winter climate, and to invest in the area’s profitable citrus industry. By the 1890’s, Riverside was the richest city per capita in the United States.(REALLY?) The consistent influx of tourists to Riverside made Frank Miller, the Master of the Inn, recognize the dire need for a grand resort hotel. And so the evolution of The Mission Inn began. The first wing of the hotel in opened in 1903. The Mission Wing was built in Mission-Revival style architecture and incorporated different structural elements of the 21 California Missions. Mr. Miller went on to add three more wings to his hotel: the Cloister, the Spanish and finally completed it with the Rotunda wing in 1931.

The sunny, warm days turned to cool evenings around the campfire enjoying time with friends.

NIGHTLY CAMPFIRES

CRAZY SENIOR CITIZENS

PEACEFUL & RELAXING

Rancho Jurupa Park is situated along the Santa Ana River and located behind Mt. Rubidoux just west of charming historic downtown Riverside. It has two 3 acre lakes surrounded by green meadows. The park is well maintained with large spaces (concrete pads and full hook-ups in the Cottonwood Campground). It was fun, Jurupa !!

Beginning to look like Christmas !

What a great time we had at the annual Chapter Christmas Party. Our host facility, Rancho Carlsbad Estates outdid themselves on the decorations. The room was so festive ! Looking around at those wearing red and holiday sweaters certainly kicked off the season to be jolly !

 As expected, the pot luck was outstanding but the dessert table was even better. Yummy !

The room was buzzing with chatter as Christmas music played in the background. A nice surprise was seeing Garth and Judy Carle, as we hadn't seen them since their move to Prescott, AZ. Richard Sturtz, who lives in Eureka, CA was there. Tom and Angie Rhodes left Las Vegas at 6am just to come to the party ! If you were not there, know that you were missed!

After dinner, there was a drawing for two different Godiva Chocolate gift Baskets, a few bottles of wine, a gingerbread RV created by Diana Simons and many Shanty Shaker decals. Another unexpected highlight was being entertained by an acapella womens singing group called Harmony Galore. Here is just a very small sample that put smiles on our faces.

Who knew we even had our very own Santa !

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL !!