Mackinaw City Forums Rally

[U.PenAir]

OK, here is the recipe for mulled wine:

1 large bottle Burgundy wine
2 cups water
1-2 cups sugar
8-10 whole cloves
10 whole allspice
2-4 cinnamon sticks

Mix all ingredients together and warm. This can be done in a crock pot or on the stove. I put the spices in a tea ball but you can use cheese cloth or sub ground spices. Feel free to add nutmeg, ginger, orange rind or anything else that sounds good!
Enjoy

[bfred]

Hi Gang;
Can't believe we missed another good rally. Had another committment I couldn't get out of. Am part of a FEMA search and Rescue team and had to attend a very boring exercise. Isn't it great to be retired? I promised Ralph I would retire,retire so we could drink and be merry the rest of our lives. Pretty soon Ralph.
Laura, what are you doing with all those heavy clothes? We yoppers don't put on long shirt until the temp. reaches -0. We also have a cure for your cold. Drink vodka and orange until you see two of you, eat a pasty, go to sleep and wake up cured.

[airedale]

I had a really bad cold the whole weekend Buck, I was trying not to get any worse, infact, Im still fighting it over a week later! I was cold, what can I say, and we were fighting with rain the whole weekend, leave me alone Uncle Buck!! LOL

[Airboss]

Yeah Buck you missed another good time with great friends!! Good idea on drinking and being merry!! Im GAME!! Pass me a cold one,,,

[wheel interested]

We're back! Brad and I got in several hours ago. After the rally we went to Taquamenon State Park and then up to Porcupine Mountain State Park and then back to Wilderness on the way home for another stay. This time the temperatures were divine! In fact it was 72 degrees Monday night, no wind, no thundering waves, no trees rustling just absolute quiet except for woodland creatures!

Laura thank you very much for a great rally. I had so much fun and loved spending time with everyone. We will have to have a rematch on the trailer trivia game. ...You all do realize that I don't do mornings...because Laura and I are up 'til 4 in the morning playing games!!!!!!!!!!! One end of a day has to give out...I'm far too old to do mornings and evenings and keep up with the young'uns.

Ralph thanks for all the prizes. I especially love my binoculars! And for the COFFEE! And Steph the rally signs and magnets came out so very nice, thank you for doing that for all of us. I like having a souvineer to remember all the rallies.

Jim and Verna, great meeting you and seeing your fulltime posh home. Those leather recliners are so comfortable. Glad you could make it before heading on South. Hope Michigan fall wasn't too nippy for ya. We meant to say goodbye but you two were tripping over the bridge by then.

Shandra and Jeff your greyhounds are gorgeous especially all coated and mufflered up and your spicy cooking was YUMMY!!

Jess and Grady it was so interesting hearing about Alaska. You and the family really are hardy folk. I bet you weren't cold... Now I wish we had eaten at SeaBiscuit, so next time you know where I will be heading for sure. We would have loved to have stopped on our way and we did manage to miss seeing the bike so please can we have a raincheck?

Rhonda and Dave thanks for making the trek out for Saturday night. I know it was a long drive for you guys but it was great seeing you again and watching all the kids play together. Hope Becka's eye didn't swell up too much more from that run-in...BAD stove.

Buck, what can we say? You will just have to try harder! Next time, we hope.

Missed you Ryan, but I know your schedule wasn't your own so we still have the pleasure of meeting the Mrs. ahead of us.

I will try to get some more pictures up asap. Jess your pictures are great...(except for the one with that look on my face......but hey, that's certainly not your fault.) LOL The kids look like they had a blast (tee hee) on the island.

[Mikethefixit]

Laura
Looks like ya had another good one. What U endured, with the cold and rain is what we are getting to old to tolerate.
From the pic's it appears a good time was had by all as usual.
We will be looking forward to spring and camping with you again. Sorry We had to miss this one.

[AirsDream]

I'm sad that I missed this one - that's just a beautiful park ... and all the nice folks ... and you guys know how to eat and drink to avoid starvation and that killer dehydration! And I'm beginning to think no one's ever gonna' get to meet the Mrs. Then again, maybe she's just a figment of my imagination!

I have a killer travel schedule for the next several weeks, so last weekend, I took the poor trailer and winterized her and put her in the barn, pulled the battery, etc. She sure looked sad as I headed for home! Sniff. It's sure a long time until spring. Sniff.

[airedale]

Carol, glad to see your back home! I tried calling you today, No answer, oh well!

Roger, we had a great time, we will camp together soon, dont worry

Ryan, we did miss ya, but be sure to come with us next year!

[wheel interested]

Now where do I begin? Perhaps I should start with my gratitude for the creator of coffee. Without whose aid I might still be stumbling around trying to get to breakfast...thanks Ralph.



Remind you of anyone? Laura and I saw this while shopping on the island. And Laura thank you for helping with the breakfast sandwich assembly line, goes to show no fuss no muss ideas as good as they sound theorhetically should all be field tested for glitches in advance. No doubt about it that is a small Airstream oven...

[wheel interested]

Starting in the corner we had Steph's and Dave's Airstream.



First on the beach was Laura's Airstream.



Then Brad's.



Next was me. And a picture of Orie.



Then there was Ralph's Airstream.



Jess and Grady with the skeleton flamingos!



And on then to Jeff and Shadra and their cool greyhounds.



Jim and Verna were out of the wind and sand up in the Pines campground, sorry Jim I forgot to go grab a picture. Maybe you will post one for us.

[wheel interested]

Potluck was super! I ate and ate and ate.

[wheel interested]

Now the kids had the right idea. Eat and run. Much healthier than eat and eat. It was fun just watching them have such a good time with each other.

[wheel interested]

And the sky put on a show.

[wheel interested]

As the campfire warmed us outside, Jess' mulled wine warmed us inside. Laura called for an assistant and the raffle started. When Laura said, "Now we are going to have a raffle for the kids," some one unexpectedly chimed in immediately, "We don't want any more, we have enough." I laughed so hard!

[airedale]

Great pictures Carol, keep them coming!

[wheel interested]

There were also a few Halloween goblins roaming about. I missed that shot of the headless zombie, I was shaking in my boots.

[Airboss]

Wow great photos Carol!! I better get mine up soon... Those of the sky are really great. Im glad you and Brad had a great time in the U.P. also. Always nice to hear our friends made it home safe!! Yeah no more raffles for kids.. I have had enough and dont need any more of them.. Sorry girls but you 3 were enough for me,,,

[U.PenAir]

Carol, as always, great pictures! Sorry we didn't see you in the UP. We did pass Ryan on the way down. Small world, huh?

[wheel interested]

Thanks Ralph and Jess.

As I post tonight, Brad is in ICU with multiple pulmonary embolisms, he has some lung tissue damage and they are thinning the blood. He actually is in better spirits than I. I am ill with worry. I was going to keep posting to occupy myself but I think perhaps I will just take a break and come back later to finish. Concentration is evading me totally.

[PINKBIKE]

Carol,Our thoughts and Prayers are with You both, Chandra and Jeffrey