GOSHEN, IN: 2014 RV-Dreams Fall Rally

The RV-Dreams Rally started on Tuesday afternoon with registration and continued all week with seminars during the day and fun activities at night. This was the second RV-Dreams rally we have attended, the first being in 2011.  If you want to see what went on, go to  http://www.rv-dreams.com/rally2.html.  There were a couple of schedule changes, but you will get an idea of how busy we were.  There were 160 attendees, including two from Hawaii and several from California, 50 people stayed in hotels and the rest had RVs on the grounds with various ages, occupations, and different types of rigs represented. About 15 couples were already full-timers and the rest are working toward that end or just gathering information in order to make a decision later.  One or both of us went to most of the seminars, and  we had several delicious dinners.  The weather was beautiful, except for tonight when a severe thunderstorm rolled through about 5:30 P.M.  There doesn't appear to be any damage from that storm and there may be more storms later tonight.

Yesterday we had free time from noon on.  We went to the post office and WalMart, and then took a long drive around the countryside looking at the many neat Amish farms, sharing the roads with horse-drawn buggies and bicycles, and watching the fall harvest in full swing.  Last night we enjoyed having dinner with Dee and Jim, ham radio full-timers who we knew back in the Raleigh area, who also happened to be in the area. 

At WalMart we purchased a GE HDTV portable antenna, so we now have TV reception again.  Another problem showed up today when the large awning wouldn't retract all the way.  Hank was able to determine that there is a loose connection in the wiring inside the awning arm and was able to move the wiring around a little and we succeeded in getting it fully retracted.  Hank will investigate further when we are in good weather.  We will be in central NC toward the end of October and we'll go back to Tom Johnson's to have the TV antenna repaired or replaced.  (See the previous post for details on the antenna problem.)

Saturday afternoon, we participated in one of the most popular rally features - RV Open House.  Attendees with RVs can volunteer to have their units available for others to visit during a two-hour period.  This provides an opportunity (especially for those who are inexeperienced) to see a "lived-in" RV and to ask questions of the owners.  We enjoyed showing Little House to the many who stopped by, and it was another chance to meet new friends as we answered their questions and shared information. 

Tomorrow, the rally will officially come to an end with a catered breakfast, and farewells.  We will leave the fairgrounds after we have Little House weighed at noon  to make sure we're not overloaded for the rig's capacity as well as tire and axle capacities. We'll then start heading southeast as we make our way to Mt. Airy, NC by Tuesday or Wednesday.