2012-10-10 Chicken Creek

Our spot for the Chicken Creek Rally

 We had a beautiful view of the lake.

Like most of the Midwest in 2012, Oklahoma was in a drought and the lake 

appeared to be about 20 feet below normal

 If the lake were at normal levels, the shoreline would be up to the bush in the center

of this picture, only 20 feet from our RV

 This was not the largest rally of the year, but there were plenty of new friends to make here

I love RVing for a lot of reasons but one of the best reasons is the company we choose to keep

Everyone is so nice and cooperative and NOT into drama !!!

How different from much of our working life.

 Denny was our resident Pyromaniac

He made sure that the fire was stoked well into the evenings

This was our 1st major stop since June where there was 

not a fire ban because of the draught

No fires is Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and South Dakota

 This is our Hosts of the Chicken Creek Raly

Wes and Tanya ... Amazing people !!

They are not retired like the rest of us and had to work the rally around their work schedules

So organizing and carrying out the event was quite a lot of work

AND this is the 3rd year they have done it and plan on next year as well !!

 Sunsets on the lake were very nice

There were several Pot Luck dinners where we brought side dishes and our plasticware

Wes & Tanya supplied the beef ribs and brisket as well as the smoker and the time to cook

They also smoked the Buffalo that Big Greg, Stan & Mel bought at the G&G rally at Custer's Gulch

 Mmm ...mmm...mmm One night we all went to Sam and Ella's Chicken Palace

Didn't see any Chicken on the menu but the Pizza was awesome  !!!

Evidently Oklahomans have a sense of humor, just say Sam and Ella's quickly )

 Here is a pic of all the attendees that belong to the Nuwaowners.org forum

 These are the members from our club

The "Haulin' HitchHickers' chapter 33 of the HitchHickers of America International

Well, no more rallies for 2012, only memories

And some very good ones for our 1st year of full time RVing

Next we will mosey back to Kansas City for Thanksgiving with family

We have missed our family being on the road

And now we will miss our RV family for awhile

Cya soon

2012-10-5 Columbus Balloons

Coloumbus Kansas is a special place for Susy &  I

This is where we picked up our Home in December of '06

We bought from H&K Camper Sales and they treated us VERY well

We arrived just before sundown and they had our unit

already setup in the Veterans Memorial Park

There was a light snow on the ground and the RV lights were on

giving it a special glow

and the RV was nice and toasty inside

They even taught us how to pull a 5th wheel

We had the park all to ourselves except for 1 duck that was swimming in the lake behind the RV

Gee, the park doesn't seem as big now days

Now that we are on the road full time we know that this park is

Not the biggest nor the nicest but it has our hearts

 There are only 6 RV spaces in the park

and we were pleasantly surprised when 

it filled up with our friends
Greg & Judy, Jeff & Susan,Stan & Connie

Ron & Roberta and Mel & Dee

 It turned cold and threatened rain, so it was iffy whether

the 'Baloon Glow' would actually happen. but it did!!

Jeff & Susan offered to drive their Big Truck so we could all fit inside and

stay nice and warm while waiting

I've never been up close and personal with a hot air baloon before

so it was pretty neat to watch them fire up those burners

Man I'd hate to have their propane bill :)

 The next day the baloons were up up and away

They actually flew right over the RV park

Next up: Chicken Creek here we come

This will be our final rally for the year

and some of Wes' Great smoked Beef & Buffalo

Yum!!!

Cya soon

2012-09-28 Chanute KS

RVers can be very social
Most every dry day there is Happy Hour

Brent is one of our newest friends
He and his better half Ava had been at the factory
Checking on the progress of the new baby
they would get in a couple of days (38 foot Champagne)

The next day most of us went on a factory tour
Just to make sure we had enough energy
We started out at the Grain Bin. It's almost a ritual with HitchHiker folks

We had around 40 people go to breakfast and even though Judy called ahead to warn them
It was a difficult job for the waitresses but they handled it like troopers
It was a pleasant surprise when Jeff helped out by refilling our coffee



Next we did the NuWa factory tour

While waiting for the tour to start
There were several different approaches to biding our time
 We spotted a couple of love birds while we waited
John and Glynda sittin' in a tree
K.I.S.S.I.N.G.
( couch doesn't rhyme )

Good time to check eamil or catch up on some current events

Although Nu Wa is planning on shutting down production in December
There is still some work going on
There were several complete or nearly complete HitchHikers lined up

Nu Wa is now handling several other brands
So we we able to view those as they were being redied

We saw Brent &Ava's HH going through final prep
The full body paint is beautiful !

One of the main reasons we bought a HH is the method used to build
the sidewalls, including the vacuum sealed Blue Dow Chemical insulation that is used

The frame is made by Young's and is the highest quality in the industry

This Champagne was getting a customization to the computer area that the customer wanted
Another reason why so many full timers go to Nu Wa
If it is possible, Nu Wa will do it like YOU want


What are Bryan and Lee doing ??

Could it be they found the HitchHicker of their dreams

Unfortunately not but their is always hope :)

Did I say we like Happy hour
There is more conversation goes on at Happy Hour than anything else
Surely we solved at least 1 world problem this week

Chanute has started building a new Veterans Memorial
The 'Haulin HitchHikers' club donated and will have
an inscribed brick in the structure when its finished

Hopefully the next time we are in Chanute there will be more to look at

While we were in Chanute they were having a fall festival
The girls roamed around the shops while the guys checked out the
antique car show and of course the Beer Garden.!!

Next stop is Clolumbus Kansas for a Hot air Baloon festival and then
Chicken Creek Oklahoma and the Chicken Creek rally hosted by Wes and Tanya Williams

Its gonna be Great!!

Cya Soon