INTANGIBLE SOUVENIRS

The year 2018 ended on a positive note and we now reflect on our memories of approximately 4,000 miles traveled throughout the southeast and northeast part of the United States and Canada, from April through October.  Diesel prices were a little pricy in places like New York and Vermont - the highest we paid was $3.68 for diesel.  You know what that means to an RVer....we stay longer and enjoy the areas we travel even more.

Tiffin Motorhomes - Red Bay, AL

Bruce Deaton's Paint Shop - Red Bay, AL

New Stovetop - Installed by Brannon Hutcheson

We always start with a trip to our motorhome's birthplace, Red Bay, AL., aka Tiffin Motorhomes, and upon completion of our appointments we headed in a northeasterly direction.  By the time we leave we have addressed any issues or problems.   For us our time passes very fast while we are in Red Bay since we feel comfortable visiting all the little towns within a 50 miles radius. 

 Cities in Alabama like Russellville, Florence, Tuscumbia, Muscle Shoals, and then Tupelo, MS are usually on our list of places to shop or eat at local restaurants we've visited in the last 10 years.

We had a schedule and had several RV manufacturer rallies as well as the 97th International Family Motor Coach Assn. Rally at the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry, GA, where we would teach several painting classes called ARTitude Adjustment by Marty Whitney.  

Georgia State Fairgrounds - Perry, GA

Georgia State Fairgrounds - Perry, GA - Home of Annual
International Family Motor Coach Association

In June we met and traveled for 4 months with our friends, Clay and Frances Croom and Clay's 86 year young mother, Lynette Croom.  Oh, and I better not forget their Puggle, Sadie.  This worked out well for us and how could we forget the fabulous side trips and awesome meals prepared in 3 different Instant Pots and a Blackstone Griddle?!   There was always something delicious to eat.

A highlight in RV travel is visiting places you had heard about all your life.  The huge Cummins camping facility (345 acres) in Columbus, IN (Ceraland), which is an acronym that stands for "Cummins Employees Recreational Association", and was established in 1963.

Cummins Ceraland Park and Campground - Columbus, IN

Ceraland Campground - Columbus, IN

Elkhart, Indiana - State Fairgrounds and Campgrounds

Elkhart, IN - Tiffin Allegro Club Rally

We had a very exciting and successful Tiffin Allegro Club Rally at the State Fairgrounds in Elkhart, IN with 3 different ARTitude Adjustment classes by Marty Whitney.  We met our friends in Shipshewana, IN - always an interesting place to visit and eat wonderful food.  Do you see a pattern?

The agricultural ways of the Amish in Shipshewana have never changed.

Visit to RV/MH Hall of Fame

Old historical Amish Octagonal Dairy Barn in Shipshewana

Shipshewana IN natural unspoiled farmland beauty

 The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - Cleveland, OH

Niagara Falls,

Looking from Canadian Side of Niagara Falls - Ontario

View of Niagara River

The Anchor Bar (Home of the original Buffalo chicken wings in Buffalo, NY, 

The Anchor Bar - Home of the original Buffalo Chicken Wings

Order of chicken wings at The Anchor Bar

The Finger Lakes (all of them), 

the New York State Fair, 

Stowe, VT, 

Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Factory.

We were in the Burlington, Vermont area to attend a Tiffin Allegro Club Rally at the Exposition Center in Essex Junction, VT -  always a wonderful experience and opportunity to meet RVers from all over the USA as well as teach three more ARTitude Adjustment classes.

Essex Junction - Champlain Valley Expo Center
Site of Tiffin Allegro Club - Burlington, VT

2018 Tiffin Allegro Club - Over 300 Tiffin Coaches in Essex Junction, VT

2018 Tiffin Allegro Club Rally - Essex Junction, VT

 Our heads swim with the details of every one of those small, beautiful and meaningful towns, villages and mega cities, and all the friends we made along the way. 

Our back yard in Webster, FL - our Winter base

Finally Home! - Florida Grande Motorcoach Resort
Webster, FL

 This was an exciting journey and although it was most enjoyable, we were happy and blessed when the time came and we were on the way home to get ready for our next adventure.

THIS IS HOW WE ROLL!

Tiffin Allegro Club Rally 5 14-18/2018
Elkhart County 4H Fairgrounds
Goshen, Indiana 

We planned for months to attend and be a part of the Tiffin Motorhomes Allegro Club Rally at the Elkhart County 4H Fairgrounds in Goshen, Indiana, May 14 - 18, 2018.

Registration for Tiffin Allegro Club

 Before rally registration even began, we found out about an on site Saturday morning 4H pancake and sausage breakfast in one of the 4H pavilions.  After eating, we attended a huge Amish auction in 5 of the nearby pavilions (only held twice a year).  It was an amazing and entertaining auction, and we're both happy we were able to attend!

There are numerous RV manufacturers, vendors and suppliers in northern Indiana and organizing a rally of this size must have been a huge undertaking.  The rally program was filled with experts and knowledgeable speakers on everything from "black tanks" to "chassis maintenance".  In addition, nationally recognized entertainers, several ice cream socials, pet parade, bingo night, veterans night, and too many door prizes to count!

Girard Awnings

Freightliner Chassis

We arrived at the beautiful Elkhart County 4H Fairgrounds on Friday, May 11.  The facilities consist of 384 acres with over 60 structures.  

Heritage Park - Part of the beautiful 384 acres at
Elkhart County 4H Fairgrounds - Goshen, IN

There are over 60 structures in the Fairgrounds

We were busy from the moment we arrived until our departure on May 18.  I was honored to present several ARTitude Adjustment painting classes (It's FUN art...not FINE art!).  I'm not sure who had more fun - me or the class.  Both classes were sold out.  One class was making domino pendant necklaces using alcohol inks, and they all turned out beautiful! 

ARTitude Adjustment - Alcohol Inks
Domino Painting Class - Tiffin Allegro Club

ARTitude Adjustment - Chalk Couture Class
Tiffin Allegro Club

 The other class was to apply a Chalk Couture transfer to a Tiffin Motorhomes Owners Club coffee mug (which had to be baked in an oven after the class).  With the help of my able-bodied assistant (ABA) RV,  and our friend, Frances Fonner, President of the FMCA Tiffin Travelers Chapter, we had smooth sailing and lots of laughs.

Veteran and Patriotic Observance Night
Tiffin Allegro Club

Evening Entertainment at Tiffin Allegro Club
Goshen, IN

An RV rally is not only a time to get together with friends but an opportunity to meet new people and have LOTS of fun and eat LOTS of delicious food. 

Friends enjoying fellowship between seminars
Goshen, IN

You can triple the LOTS of food if you are in Amish country!  Our delicious meals were catered by Das Dutchman Essenhaus from nearby Middlebury, IN, and in addition, every night was excellent planned entertainment.  The day before we departed,  the award winning bakery, Rise 'n Roll Bakery, Mishawaka, IN, provided more than 100 dozen doughnuts/baked goods/, etc.  

The filled-to-capacity Goshen, IN rally was attended by 310 Tiffin Motorhomes from 37 different states and 1 Canadian Province.  At the Goshen rally, RV/MH Hall Of Fame Inductee and owner of Tiffin Motorhomes, Bob Tiffin, and his wife, Judy, numerous Tiffin employees and technicians, and many dedicated and well trained volunteers ensured attendees of the Tiffin Motorhomes Allegro Club had a fantastic time and enjoyed a spectacular program.

2018 Tiffin Allegro Bus - 45' OPP
Tiffin Allegro Club - Goshen, IN Rally 2018

Allegro Club President Kelly Moore and Co-President Sally Moore, along with Cynthia Skinner, Membership Coordinator of Tiffin Motorhomes Allegro Club Office in Red Bay, AL,  plan 3 national rallies a year (which are sold out within minutes of internet registration). The Tiffin Motorhomes Allegro Club has extremely successful rallies and we will look forward to attending the next one in October in Essex Junction, Vermont.  

Almost Heaven... WEST VIRGINIA

Our schedule is about to slow down for a couple of weeks... hopefully.  We drove from Louisiana to Panama City Beach, FL,  to see our grandson play in a baseball tournament.

Panama City Beach, FL

While the outcome of the game was disappointing, we thoroughly enjoyed spending quality time with some of our family.

Congratulations to Kenneth Burke
Clay High School Class of 2017
Green Cove Springs, FL

We then drove to our motorhome to Atlanta, and our "home on wheels" would remain there while we drove our car to Green Cove Springs, FL,  to celebrate several other milestones in our grandson, Kenneth Burke's life.  We witnessed Kenneth signing a partial baseball scholarship to Inspiration Academy in Bradenton, FL, where he will attend his first year of college.  We also attended Kenneth's 2017 graduation from Clay High School.

After graduation we drove back to Atlanta to hook up to our motorhome to begin our trip to Lewisburg, WV, to attend a Tiffin Allegro Club Rally and enjoy 3 days of fun and fellowship with other Tiffin motorhome owners.

This was our view every morning for coffee!
Almost Heaven...West Virginia

 310 Motorhomes were parked ...In The Rain
West Virginia State Fairgrounds - Lewisburg, WV

 We had an opportunity to present 3 classes of Attitude Adjustment... Its's FUN art...not FINE art - the art therapy and painting class I teach to RVer's all over the United States - and particularly at our winter domicile in Webster, FL - Florida Grande Motor Coach Resort. 

Attitude Adjustment - Red Poppy Pillow Covers

Attitude Adjustment - Alcohol Ink Coasters

Attitude Adjustment - Painting WV Scene on Canvas Shopping Bag

Approximately 310 motorhomes and more than 600 people attended the Tiffin Allegro Club Rally at the beautiful West Virginia State Fairgrounds in Lewisburg, WV.

Seal of the State Fair of West Virginia

 Attendees were from 36 different states and one province in Canada.  The program was jam-packed with interesting topics/seminars,  including Attitude Adjustment (ARTitude Adjustment) ...It's FUN art...not FINE art! art therapy painting classes.   It is still hard to imagine how much pre-planning an event of this size requires.  Most meals were catered, ice cream socials, displays of new coaches, lots of door prizes, entertainment every evening, and patriotic tributes to our veterans.

Catered meals and entertainment were in the West Virginia Building
State Fairgrounds of West Virginia

A Tribute To Our Veterans
Tiffin Allegro Club Rally
Lewisburg, WV

After such a busy rally we made arrangements to stay a few extra days to see more of this picturesque and scenic historic part of our country.  Lewisburg has one of the largest historic downtowns on the National Register - 250 acres....and The Greenbrier is only 8.5 miles down the road!