The Southwest LTV Roadrunners RV Club met for its annual meeting and rally January 28–30, 2018, at Pechanga RV Resort located in Temecula, California. Before I lose you completely, let me give you a few details and statistics about our annual event.
The SW LTV Roadrunners RV Club covers a tristate region comprised of California, Nevada, and Arizona. We had an impressive attendance of 54 LTV rigs and 101 chapter members. Wow! Each state was represented, plus a few special folks from Oregon, Florida, South Carolina, Alaska, and British Columbia.
Fifty-four rigs of various LTV designs rolled into their sites on January 28th. Kirk and I had never attended a rally of this size, and we watched in amazement as the Pechanga RV Resort filled up with LTV vehicles as far as the eye could see. Each new arrival brought old and new friends to the meeting. What an impressive sight! A fabulous potluck was arranged for Sunday night, giving everyone a chance to catch up and swap stories. Great food + great friends = an even greater time.
Monday afternoon we got down to business. Aileen and George Ormsby were honored for their service as Chapter Head for seven years with a beautiful orchid plant and a gift card. They were very instrumental in getting our chapter up and going. They will be missed. Many good stories were shared about past trips, and I know a few tears were shed in the telling of the tales. They are an awesome couple. Hats off to them and all their hard work.
Our new Chapter Head, Dennis Thorig, and his Executive Board were introduced and approved by the members. We approved our first-ever chapter bylaws and discussed how to build up our general fund account. Rally sites for 2018 were shared, which include Chula Vista, Pismo Beach, and our EPIC Alaska trip.
Once the formal meeting was completed, we had a few breakout sessions. Leonard (aka Biker Dude) hosted a Tech Q&A. Several pertinent LTV topics were covered, and good information was shared. I know this was very helpful to all of us.
Dennis met with the Alaska travelers, bringing us up to date on the trip preparations. This will be a once-in-a-lifetime trip, with 22 LTV vehicles making the trek. We will cover approximately 5,887 miles, have 34 stops along the way, and will spend 62 days on the road. What a great job Dennis and his Executive Board have done arranging for this trip! Mega kudos to all! I know we will share more information on this adventure once the trip starts, so stay tuned.
I don’t want you to think this rally was all business. We are a fun-loving group; just take a look at some of the rally’s activities! Leonard led a group of hardy bicyclers on a challenging ride through the Temecula countryside. Several members tried their luck at the Pechanga Casino, toured the Old Town area, or made day trips to other close-by venues. We topped off Monday with another delicious potluck and a special surprise! Who knew our treasurer/secretary, Alan Girdlestone, was a “Las Vegas” caliber performer? Alan entertained us with karaoke versions of our favorite tunes. But, wait, it got better as the night progressed. Deborah Milliron joined Alan for several awe-inspiring duets. What talent they both have. We were so lucky that they shared it with us. We even had a floor show when Sweet Caroline was sung. What a fun night.
Tuesday the members were treated to a facility tour and wine tasting at the Wiens Family Wine Cellars. What a beautiful setting. Of course, Kirk and I sampled the various wines and found a few new favorites to bring home. Thanks so much to Susie and George Wiens for setting this up for us. When we returned back Pechanga, everyone had been so generous with their potluck dishes we had enough for an impromptu “leftover” dinner. One more night of fun!
Several brave (or crazy) members got up in the wee hours of the morning Wednesday to watch the total lunar eclipse and the Red Moon. Temecula provided clear skies for a perfect viewing experience. What a way to wrap up the rally!
Sadly, we had to bring the rally to a close. Kirk and I left with great memories, more new friends than we can remember, and a promise to see everyone in Chula Vista.
Kim Kearl
SW LTV Roadrunners RV Club
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