The Heartland LTVers gathered at the Mcnair Group Area at Carlyle Lake, Illinois, from October 8th through the 11th, 2020. Created in 1967, the 26,000-acre lake is recognized as one of the nation’s top ten inland sailing lakes and hosts several annual races and regattas. Carlyle Lake is home to an array of wildlife that can be seen throughout the year. Its waters and shores are a resting spot for migratory waterfowl and other birds. There are six established Watchable Wildlife Sites with viewing towers open to the public around the lake.
This campground is about a mile from the town of Carlyle, Illinois. There is a nice bicycle path that connects the campground to the town over the dam. A unique attraction is the General Dean Suspension Bridge which spans the Kaskaskia River on the edge of town.
We had a total of thirteen LTVs attend this event. In addition, we were visited by two couples who are looking to replace their vans with an LTV. Since LTVs are in such short supply, it is difficult for shoppers to see any model, let alone a specific model. I think we answered many of their questions and hopefully they will be joining us again as LTV owners.
The weather was as beautiful as the trees and surroundings. It was warm and sunny during the day and cool enough to enjoy a fire during the evening. Time was spent visiting and catching up with old friends and meeting new ones. One highlight was a visit from Dan Dwyer from Van City St. Louis and two technicians. They answered lots of questions and took the time to address a few issues on individual LTVs. A total surprise to all of us was that they brought a set of Timbrens that were raffled off. The lucky winners were one of the newest couples to join our club. The Timbren prize included installation – over $500 value!
Volunteers donned masks and gloves to help serve our shared meals. We tried to individually package as many items as possible. LTV provided the Thursday night meal of kabobs, rice, and salad. Friday night, several club members prepared soups to share, and Saturday night, we feasted on Amana bratwursts provided by LTV. Sides and desserts rounded out our meals. Saturday morning we were once again treated to a “cast iron breakfast” courtesy of Rick and Chrissy Schneider.
Since our Spring Rally was cancelled, we held our annual meeting during this event. We discussed some changes to MyLTV, club organization, finances, and proposed sites for future rallies. Our 2021 Spring Rally will be held at Lake Red Rock in Iowa, and the Fall Rally will be at Potawatomi State Park in Door County, Wisconsin.
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