When the idea for a Spring Flamingles Rally was first suggested last winter, nobody knew how many RVer’s would plan to attend. As new members, we (Eddie and Linda Quinn) spend the winter at Travelers Rest RV & Golf Resort in Dade City, and suggested it as a possible location. We booked it for April 1 – 4, and crossed our fingers that we would have the requisite six rigs to be eligible for the rally rate.
Our worry was for naught, because we hosted seventeen rigs and thirty-five Flamingles members at a very successful rally.
The rally was scheduled over a weekend so that members still working could attend. Rigs began to arrive on Friday, April 1 in the late morning, and by the time we held Happy Hour at 4:00 p.m., we had a full house. Our rigs were parked on Golf View area at Travelers Rest (affectionately known as TR), an area designated for short-term visitors and rallies. Registration and Happy Hour took place in the Golf View Pavilion, a sheltered area next to the sites.
Pat and Art Dubuc, chapter leaders, cooked pizza in the kitchen in Busch Hall, and everyone enjoyed a dinner of pizza, with salads supplied by attendees. At dinner we all introduced ourselves, our rigs and where we live in Florida — and for some where in the U.S.we spend our summers.
Breakfast the next morning was a delicious egg casserole, again prepared by Pat & Art — a perfect start to a soggy day. Around 11 a.m. the rain started, and it did not let up until late afternoon. In spite of the rain, we actually had a very enjoyable day.
We were assigned an indoor facility and spent much of the day chatting and playing games. By Happy Hour the rain had stopped, and for dinner Art and Pat served made-from-scratch pulled pork sandwiches, accompanied by delicious salads again made by the attendees.
Following dinner we were entertained by a movie, The Longest Ride, on a large screen TV and enjoyed popcorn popped in TR’s professional popcorn machine.
We awoke to sunshine on Sunday morning, and after a continental breakfast and a morning on our own, we reconvened in the early afternoon for a business meeting. Sunday Happy Hour was preceded by a group photo taken with picturesque Vanishing Lake as a backdrop. We enjoyed a barbecue dinner, hosted by TR residents Eddie and Linda Quinn, at the Snack Shack pavilion nestled in a wooded area next to the lake. Eddie grilled hot dogs, Linda supplied sauerkraut and homemake onion sauce, and salads were, as always, provided by the attendees. It was a perfect ending to a beautiful day.
Monday morning we meet for coffee back at the Golf View Pavilion to say our good byes and wish everyone safe travels. The unanimous opinion was that TR was a perfect spot for a rally, and we booked a fall rally for November 11 – 14. The plan is to find an equally congenial location on Florida’s east coast for a Spring 2017 rally.
It was our pleasure to share and host the rally at TR. We have stayed here for over 15 winters and find ourselves enjoying it more every year. Hopefully when we have the rally here in the fall, you all will bring your bathing suits, golf clubs, tennis racket, bocce ball score cards, shuffleboard expertise, tennis rackets and just about any outdoor activity you love and enjoy it here as we do.
Remember we have a really nice rails-to-trails for bike riding only 9 miles away.
We are very lucky to have Pat and Art as our chapter leaders because their work ethic was fantastic and it helps that they both are really nice caring couple. It also helped that Art loves to cook and is a really good chef. Yummy! Hope to see you all in the fall and stay healthy, safe and enjoy the summer.
By Linda & Eddie Quinn
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