Volume 2015 Number 1 HRRVC Chapter 309 Valley of the Sun January 2015 Newsletter 2015 Offers Camping Outings Special points of interest: Overlook of coming events for 2015 Quartzsite, Casa Grande, WIR & EIR Pyrotechnics at Havasu Inside this issue: Distant Drums Experiences 2 Great Soup 3 AZ/NM Rally Information Breakfast & Campout Information Western International Rally Form Eastern International Rally Form 309 Membership Form 3 4 5 6 7 A wide variety of outings are on the schedule for members of our Valley of the Sun chapter during the upcoming year. During January, Honns and Feits are Wagonmasters for the outing at Quartzsite. This year there is the full compliment of 40 units coming from five states to enjoy all that is offered during the five days in the desert. For the dry camping experience, the Olsons are leading a pre-campout experience on BLM land. February you may join with the Andersons as they lead an experience to see four days of fireworks at a Havasu City location. This is an exhibit of fireworks offered by different companies for the benefit of locations who may wish to purchase a show for their community. If you wish to be part of this experience, follow this link to, www.havasurodeo.com/ fireworks--pyrotechnics--- bbq.html. Then click on RV Spot, and indicate Armstrong for group Membership Roll & Newsletter Do you wish this be your last Chapter 309 Newsletter? If the response in no, and you wish to continue receiving the Newsletters, please renew your 2015 membership in the chapter. As of this writing, here are the 309 members who have renewed: Honn, Mason, Rose, Machart, Firlein, Hackett, Laursen, Elvin & Audrey Shaw receive their 30 yr. membership pin Akers, Peaslee, Olsen, Zeek, Loomis, Granzow, Foster, Feit, Simester, Shaw, Joy, Lange, Miget and Schweppe. This list is the record from our treasure as of 12/16. Name not listed use the form at the end of this newsletter and mail it along with your check to the address given. Thank you for joining us. name. It is dry camping, and the fireworks may have an effect upon any pets that travel with you. March will offer the chance to visit Casa Grande and all of the areas surrounding. Jody and Darrell Burtis are the Wagonmasters for that outing. April offers the Western International Rally to be held in Hemet, CA. an in July the Eastern International Rally, in Escanaba, Michigan. More information in the current Ramblings. In October has the State Rally, and December will see the Christmas Outing in Wickenburg. I would ask a favor, if you choose not to renew the membership, as the new AZ State Manager it would be of benefit in discovering the reasons for members leaving the chapter. You may share your thoughts by contacting me at: thomfeit@gmail.com
HRRVC Chapter 309 Valley of the Sun January 2015 Page 2 Fun at Distant Drums Start of the Schnebly Road. Slow going through the pine forest. Now the road is mostly rocks, both large and small. This is one of the smoother parts. While driving up I-17, Jerry and Maggie Loomis past another HR unit. The drivers exchanged friendly waves. At a pulloff just prior to that descent into Verde Valley, Jerry pulled in for a moment. Just then the other coach joined them. As the conversation began, it was to Jerry s surprise to discover both units were headed to Distant Drums. Of course Jerry and Maggie were coming to the Holiday gathering, Ron and Pat Granzow were just coming to Distant Other events during the campout included a visit to Fort Verde State Park as the buildings were being decorated for the Christmas season in the spirit of late 1880s. They are a wonderfully preserved series of buildings filled with period furniture, clothing and items from that period of a Western US Army fort on the frontier. Of special interest were the two guides who, complete in period costume, offered us a glimpse into the fron- area. Realizing the benefit of photos that recorded the buildings, the soldiers, and all that the medics would see. The orders were to document the area. Negatives were sent to Prescott for development. The result is a great visual history of the fort and soldiers. Driving the Schnebly Road, that former cow path from the forested area near Flagstaff, through the pines, pausing at the rim and then plunging down into Sedona. Here are those who came together at our Chapters 71 & 309 Christmas gathering at Distant Drums RV Resort in Verde Valley. We are also sporting a new HR RV Club banner. Drums to explore the area. From a vista point along the Schnebly Road, we paused to enjoy the rock formations along with the Verde Valley and Sedona nestled below. After both coaches were at the RV park, several of our members made house calls on Ron and Pat. The two joined us for several events and the dinner. They then became HRRVC newest members - 118807. Welcome to Ron and Pat, who winter in Surprise, AZ. tier life of an army soldier. It also became clear the difference in life styles between officers and enlisted men. We also were afforded a look into the medical field of the day. Back then, a medic had only the briefest of training on how to administer to the sick and wounded. But they had a larger role, that of photographer for the fort and the As we began the trip, it was clear this was to a challenge. Recent rain had washed away much of the soil, leaving flat rocks and ruts for the drivers to weave around. The rewards of seeing the stunning sights of red rock cliffs and forested area were awe inspiring. Kudos to drivers Jack, Jerry and Larry for taking us on that ride.
Volume 2015 Number 1 Page 3 AZ/NM State Rally Dates and Location Set Seeking a location that offers amenities, interesting surroundings and a location that would welcome rally groups were all part of the requirements for our 2015 Rally. After visits to several possible RV parks around Arizona from Tucson to Phoenix to Lake Havasu, we have selected the Leaf Verde RV Resort in Buckeye, AZ. You may see the park at www.leafverde.com. The rally will begin on Wednesday, October 28 with arrival on Oct. 27th. Rally concludes after the final dinner on Friday, Oct. 30. Exit is set for Saturday, the 31st. Since we are using the facilities prior to their season on Nov. 1, we shall enjoy the large meeting hall, outside lounge area with fire pit, swimming pool (temp at 88 degrees), outdoor BBQ area and more. Plans are already underway for programs, craft sessions, and excursions to area sites. Did you know US 80 was the first all-weather coast-to-coast route available to auto travelers and it passed through downtown Buckeye? Well, that is just a taste of what is to come. Join us in October, more information and registration form to come The pool at Leaf Verde RV Park. Some water exercises will be offered during the rally. Soup anyone? Just the ticket for a cold winter night just might be the bowl of bean soup that Ray Nichols made for us at the Distant Drums RV Resort in December. For those who have attended several rallies, you may have seen the electric pressure cooker in demonstration. It was done in EIR, and Ray will do a program at the upcoming WIR in April. For our Chapter 309 Christmas outing, he demonstrated how the cooker works, and how to prepare a variety of dishes include his famous bean soup. The treat was that evening as we enjoyed the product. It was a wonderful way to end the day, just as the weather began to have a chill in the air. I do believe this product may join with other kitchen items in our RV. History running through Buckeye, AZ ways as the earlier Dixie Overland Highway. In the west, U.S. 80 also followed the Old Spanish Trail, the Lee Highway, the Jefferson Davis Memorial Highway, the Bankhead Highway, and the Lone Star Trail Wanting to insure travel through Buckeye, city One usually thinks of Route 66 when remembering those US highways of old. But US 80, between Savannah, GA (later Tybee Island) on the Atlantic and San Diego, California on the Pacific was the first all season highway. Much of U.S. 80 was cobbled together using such roadfathers worked to assure that the US 80 would pass through town, in parallel with the railroad tracks. The old U.S 80 through Buckeye, late 1940s. Not quite the same today.
Chapter 309 Breakfast Gatherings We meet on the first Tuesday each month: Jan. 6th, Feb. 3rd, Mar. 3rd and April 7th. Meet at Coco's Bakery & Restaurant, 2026 N. 7th St., Phoenix. We begin at 9:30 am. Brief announcements, then a speaker, if you choose you may order breakfast. January 6th ~ Ellen Bilbrey, Chief of Marketing and Public Relations, AZ State Parks February 3rd ~ Coach Care - Cummins (at their Avondale location) 651 North 101st Avenue Avondale, AZ 85323 623-474-2600 Exit 99th Ave from I-10, south on 99th Ave, past the Pilot Fuel Station. Special Time: 10 am. March 3rd, & April 7th ~ TBA We welcome suggestions. Topics need not relate to RV or camping, but of general interest for our members. Contact Thom Feit with suggestions. Visit our website www.azhrrvc.org Chapter 309 & HRRVC SCHEDULE 2015 January 20-25: Quartzsite Adventure - Rice Ranch RV Park. February - open March 12-15: Casa Grande, AZ April 22-26: Western International Rally, Hemet, CA May 1-6: Chapter 419 MS, Goshen, IN July 21-25: HRRVC Eastern International Rally, Escanaba, MI October 27-30: AZ/NM State Rally, Buckeye, AZ December 8-11: Christmas in Wickenburg Come join the fun HRRVC Chapter 309 Officers President Nancy Joy 85873 602-684-7278 Gnjoy97530@aol.com Directors Larry Laursen 19685 989-859-8446l ljlaursen@aol.com State Manager Thom Feit 114992 317-507-3557 thomfeit.az@gmail.com Officers of Chapter 309 & 71 being installed by AZ State Manager Feit Vice President Ray Zeek 104190 602-432-1137 zeekstrophy@gmail.com Secretary Kay Honn 88530 520-825-0043 knhonn@yahoo.com Treasurer Mary Schweppe 114012 602-999-9998 maryschweppe@cox.net Membership Barbara Laursen 19685 989-859-1058 bjlaursen@aol.com Thom Feit 114992 317-507-3557 thomfeit@gmail.com Charity Marcia Foster 87266 480-917-9506 jacknmarc@gmail.com Historian Jack Foster 87266 480-917-9506 jacknmarc@gmail.com Sunshine Gidget Zeek 104190 602-620-4320 zeekstrophy@gmail.com Region VII Director Joe Richey 18084 409-781-2249 jndrichey18084@aol.com HRRVC Christina Crist 547-295-9800 christina.crist@hrrvc.org PO Box 3028 Elkhart, IN 46515 Newsletter editor: Thom Feit