2008 Moraine View Rally

[Scott S]

Like Roger said, we caravanned back to Tipton. What he did not say was that while we were stopped for the thunderstorm in Morton two hotel signs blew over and one of those electronic construction signs on wheels flipped over. Very glad we stopped!

Thanks everyone for a wonderful first AirForums rally.

Scott, Lise, Steven & Sara

[flamingo-kid1]

We're home safe and sound.. we had a nice time.. it was really nice to meet new people but I personally missed a LOT of "old" ones.

Why can't we just add new ones to the original list and get a HUUUUUGE rally going???

I especially enjoyed Jack's montage of old dogs :-)

[Air Apparent]

Jack and Patty - as ususal a great job organizing this event.

We enjoyed everyones company as it is a great bunch of people. I wish we would have had more time to talk with more of you. Got some great ideas. As Fred Flintstone would say "back to the quarry tomorrow".

We caravaned back with the Whitesells and hit a severe thunderstorm in Peru Illinois. We pulled off the road for about a half hour to let it pass. Clear sky the rest of the way.

Thanks all.

[Tom Nugler]

Looks like everyone who left today has made it home safely.
Sue got a voicemail from Airtandem. They evacuated the remaining campers to the bathhouse at around 2:30 due to a severe storm with 70-MPH winds and strong rain. Everyone is OK.
We caught up with Tikihut and another rig (P&J?) on I-55. Hung with them for a bit until we headed north towards Dekalb. We picked up heavy rain and lightning north of Ottawa. Only lasted about 10 minutes and then cleared to sun and blue sky.
Thanks to Jack for organizing and Rachelle and Gary for opening up "Area 51" for the hospitality center and morning coffee and sweets.
We had a great time seeing the regulars and meeting up with the new members.
Hope everyone has a safe, happy and dry summer.

Tom and Sue.

[CanoeStream]

Scott, it was a pleasure meeting your family. Thanks for jumping into AIR rallies with both left feet. It was a pleasure getting together again and great to connect at a higher level than usernames.

Jack, thanks for all your hard work arranging Airstream goodies from the Bill Thomas Camper Sales just west of St. Louis. It was great to include everyone in the Saturday night drawing. The Airstream Living by Bruce Littlefield grand prizes were especially nice. I did misspeak -- he didn't write an article for Airstream Life. He wrote the short article in July's Saveur foodie magazine (pages 33 & 34). We picked it up at a newsstand a week ago and I'd been reading it on our roundabout way to Moraine View. Thanks to you and Eric for the audiovisuals Saturday night too!

[jcanavera]

Yeah, a big thanks to Eric. Without his LCD projector we'd be out of luck for doing the Saturday night videos. After the Triumph the Insult Dog Star Wars segment, I don't know if I'll ever be able to attend a Start Wars movie with a straight face!

Glenn Thomas from Bill Thomas Camper Sales has really been good to us supplying the give away's and attendance prizes the past few years. Thanks Glenn!

Jack

[Caryl]

Jerry and Caryl had a great time at our first rally. Thanks again to Jack and Patty for the organization and to all of you for your hospitality and Midwest friendliness. What a great group and talented too.

We, too, got hit by the storm on I57 on the way to Chicago. Wow. We felt unsafe continuing and unsafe pulling over because visibility was almost zero and the shoulders were narrow. The underpasses were full of cars and cyclists so we crept along until we drove out of it. The Honda and Bambi were steady as can be. That was a real test of AS stability and Jerry's expert driving.

Thanks again and we look forward to continuing our forum contacts who now have faces! And mighty fine faces at that, I will add.

Caryl and Jerry

[marta5]

A big thanks to everyone for making our first rally an enjoyable one!

Special recognition goes to Jack and Patty, of course, for organizing the get together. Your hot dog dinner was delicious and much appreciated after a long drive! We really enjoyed the casual nature of the weekend.

Special thanks go out to Bob and Susan for making us feel welcome, Eric for his technical advice and Saturday night entertainment, and the fellow from Iowa with his grandfather's 1960 Airstream (I'm sorry I can't recall your name, you drove a Chrysler Imperial). I enjoyed our conversation about the Wally Byam club experience and you've inspired us to at least look into next years international rally in Madison, WI. Thanks also goes out to Susan, (Mrs RedShed), and Delores from Illinois. It was nice meeting you both!

We hope everyone arrived safely at their destinations last night, and hope to meet all of you again next year.

[DPeakMD]

Originally Posted by marta5

... and the fellow from Iowa with his grandfather's 1960 Airstream (I'm sorry I can't recall your name, you drove a Chrysler Imperial)...

That was Scott S!

We had a fantastic time, too. Enjoyed meeting new folks and making re-acquaintances from last year.

Thanks to all who make this event such a success!

Glad everyone's made it home safely. Any word from Kevin (Overlander64) and how he's doing???

[RedSHED]

Here was our street when we came home. It stopped a couple inches past the light pole on the corner. (Our corner) Neighbors said there'd been a couple of dump truck loads hauled out already. House on right had a damp lower level but other than that was OK.

Was a good time (I know I've said this before) to be away from town. We'll be working with the neighbors for the next several weeks in all likelihood.

[till]

We're home safe and sound.
Great time!! It was nice to get together with everyone and relax for the weekend.
Yes, those of you that left on Sunday morning missed the Sunday evening bath house meeting. :P The storm blew through in about 20 min. No damage that I know of.

The two little boys slept just about the whole way home.
Glad to hear that every one is making it home safe.
Lori and the kids are planing for next year........

[P&J]

Originally Posted by Tom Nugler

.
We caught up with Tikihut and another rig (P&J?) on I-55. Hung with them for a bit until we headed north towards Dekalb. .

That was us, we were wondering who was back there.
Then you were gone.

Thanks again to those who put it all together, it was a great experience

Paul, Judy and Ed.

[woodedareas]

We enjoyed the entire event and made it home without any storms. I guess we just left at the right time. Jack & Patty thanks for all of your dedication to this event as I know it is very time consuming. We are looking forward to next year. Hope eveyone has a great summer. WE thought our Cavalier was having a problem with her heart but fortunately it turned out to be a sinus infection.
Regards

[overlander64]

My Cadillac and Murphy's Law conspired to keep me from attending the rally. I was within about 60 miles (Tuscola, IL) of Moraine View when my Alternator light began glowing. Pulled off at Tuscola and stopped at one of the truck stops and called Good Sam ERS.

About two hours later, the tow truck arrived from Arcola. The problem was that the motor club only told them to expect a late model Cadillac Eldorado -- the tow truck was not equipped to handle both the Cadillac and trailer so the truck returned to Arcola and notified Good Sam ERS to send another service.

About 90-minutes later, the second tow truck arrived. Same service, same driver, different truck. Disconnected the Minuet from the Cadillac and took the Cadillac to Arcola Auto Tech for repairs. Then the driver returned with their roadservice van and towed my trailer to Arcola Camper Stop. All of the Coles county garages were closed by the time that the Cadillac tow was completed so had to wait until Monday. As it turned out, the alternator and voltage regulator were both bad. The first round of parts were not correct. The correct parts weren't available locally so the needed parts were overnighted from St. Louis. The repairs were successful, and I was on the road to the WBCCI International Rally in Bozeman by 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

I would have much rather have been in Morain View as in Arcola -- the park is very nice, but there were only four total campers in the park and most of them were downtown at the Raggedy Ann and Andy Festival. It sounds like I really missed another great rally!

Kevin

[85MH325]

We missed you, Kevin! Thanks for the update. We were all concerned about you. Sorry you had the problems, but all's well that ends well.

Rog & Laurie

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by overlander64

My Cadillac and Murphy's Law conspired to keep me from attending the rally. I was within about 60 miles (Tuscola, IL) of Moraine View when my Alternator light began glowing. Pulled off at Tuscola and stopped at one of the truck stops and called Good Sam ERS.


Kevin

Wow Kevin. A real adventure. That Cady has really given you fits hasn't it. Sorry you didn't make it. I hope all holds together as you go west.

Jack

[Tom Nugler]

Has anyone posted any photos? Am I mssing some link?
I've looked in all the usual places on the Forum and can't seem to find a thing.
I even tried the link to 2008 Moraine View Rally on the Rally Calender page, but the link to photos brings up the 2006 gathering. Maybe a bug from the new software?
My pics are on real film this year. I could scan 'em, PhotoShop 'em and shrink 'em, but, I tend to get a bit too picky when I do that and it might take a couple of days to get anything posted.

Tom.

[jcanavera]

I haven't pulled mine off the camera yet. Been too busy catching up with home things to do and that day job that gets in the way of me having fun, but also pays the bills.

Jack

[85MH325]

I'm ashamed. I didn't even pull my camera out this year!

Roger

[P&J]

If anyone has pictures we would love to see them. I took a few, but they didn't turn out that great.
Judy