The Heartland LTV’ers gathered for our second rally at Grant River Army Corps of Engineers campground near Potosi, WI. The campground is located along the banks of the Mississippi River. Our rally kicked off on Thursday, October 4th. We had a total of 11 LTVs and 20 people. Unfortunately, three LTVs had to cancel at the last minute. Some of the attendees had been to a previous rally, but for most, this was their first experience to gather with other LTVers. We had a great time getting to know one another and sharing information about everything from maintenance, B20, storage & organization, to cast iron cooking and toilet paper!
Thursday night we shared a meal that featured pulled pork sandwiches provided by LTV. Half of the group provided potluck items. One “trick” I learned from the Ontario Sunrisers was to start the day with a large pot of coffee and breakfast treats. With the cooler temperatures we experienced, hot coffee was greatly appreciated. On Friday, most of us headed to the Potosi Brewery for lunch.
After our delicious meal, we took a self-guided tour of the “American Breweriana Association” National Brewery Museum. Before heading back to the campground, we sampled items at the bar (the root beer is very good!). Dinner Friday night included two large Instant Pots of chilli provided by LTV and other snacks.
Saturday morning, Rick Schneider, treated us to a cast iron cooking demonstration that included “hobo” hash, biscuits & sausage gravy. The group warmed themselves with coffee & pastries while we waited for our delicious breakfast.
I also used that time as an opportunity to perform a toilet paper experiment. I tested Camco & Thetford single-ply toilet papers against Scott Quick Dissolve & Nature Pure 2-ply tissues. I also used Costco’s Kirkland as a control. I used two squares of the single ply to one of the 2-ply tissues. Results: The 2-ply tissue dissolved more completely and the Kirkland tissue performed as good, or better than the RV specific tissues. This was not a scientific experiment!
Saturday evening we enjoyed a final meal of Amana bratwurst with additional potluck items. Each morning we provided a large pot of coffee and breakfast treats. We would have loved to have all sunny autumn days, but instead, we put up with a lot of rain and drizzle, but our members are troopers and made the best of the situation.
One indelible memory for everyone will be the frequent trains. There has been flooding in the area near the campground. According to my sister-in-law who lives nearby, trains were being re-routed to the tracks near the campground. When I say near, I mean really close! There were sometimes trains passing both directions! Not only could we hear them, but we could also FEEL them pass by! At least we didn’t need to worry about our campsites being flooded. They were actively pumping out several campsites in the main section when we arrived on Wednesday afternoon!
This was a great rally! We loved meeting new members and spending additional time others we have met before. Good friends + great conversations = A fantastic LTV rally!
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