iRV2/GNR Meet and Greet

[Ding-a-ling]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Olive:
if holes are not filled in someone could get seriously hurt. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
And that's not even addressing the matter of the ground squirrel holes.

Watch out for them - they're covered with grass and you could easily twist an ankle in one.

 

[John Canfield]

Frank - very nice to meet you and Betty yesterday & Mike and Colleen today

 

[glenda1908]

Driver,
I just read your post...pretty scary. I remember the wind being rather "blustery" at times. Sorry to hear about your parking and leveling experience. I hope all is well now.
I have a bunch of name tags and pens for folks to put their name and screen name on. Also have the door prizes on board and tickets for the drawing. We will be pulling in on Thursday in the VA row. Look for the irv2 banner. I will try and hang it as soon as possible so we can be located. We should be towards the head of the VA row. Nice to hear we made the Rally Program.
I got an email from Rosie at Winnebago today asking me if I knew who the head of the Skinny Winnie row was. Can you try and find that out. Somehow we got connected with that group of View owners and I'm not sure how??? I told Rosie I would try and find out for her. Thanks. See you soon.

 

[Duner-WO]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Olive:
Unless you run into a problem like DriVer did with his jacks, You really are not to dig into the rally grounds. That is why they tell you to bring wood and also have wood here for leveling. .... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think digging a hole or two in the grass is a fact of life out here in the rolling hills of Forest City.

When they led me to my spot in C8, two or three of the parkers came up and said they had a shovel for me to use to dig a hole and more wood if I needed it. I did not even ask, they told me I would be needing to dig a hole. So I pulled ahead 20 ft and carefully cut a 3'x4' outline in the sod. Then cut in and under this very large divot that would engulf my rear dually about 6 in deep. In the front I have 14"x14" wood pads I put down. My first attempt to raise the front pushed the blocks in the sod about 2" deep. So I had to get two more and stack on each side to get the front end up about 10" high. Last time I had to go thru this exercise was at 7000 ft in the High Sierra Mountains.

Anyway were now settled in and the rally grounds are now filling in. We're now almost surrounded by 40 footer's. Good thing Winnie doesn't make 45'ers. (PSSSST, heard yesterday on the tour that Engineering may be designing 40+ for 2009).

Took a great John Deere factory tour today. Can you imagine 48 acres under one roof!!! They consume a massive amount of steel and iron...their big tractor weighs out at over 20 ton. Their 13.5 liter had some big honk'n 2-piece pistons. Really neat stuff to see.

 

[DriVer-THOR]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by glenda1908:
I have a bunch of name tags and pens for folks to put their name and screen name on. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Glenda, We'll be bringing a table and cover and we also have a Sharpies to use to write down people's screen name and name as they enter the tent. Looking forward to seeing you again.

Sorry that I can't help you with the View Owners.

 

[glenda1908]

Driver,we are headed your way. We will be in Davenport tonight and FC on Thursday. Thanks for the help with the "gathering"! I heard from Rosie this morning and she found the person she needed to talk to with the Skinny Winnies. Hope the weather has calmed down. We were told to head to the red barn if the siren went off! Layed there in the coach one night and prayed that it didn't! Sure was windy though. See you tomorrow.

Glenda

 

[jcar6109]

glenda1908 when you go thru Cedar Rapids on I380, you will be going past my house. I'm at work now but we are planning to be there on Sunday.

 

[glenda1908]

John, I'll wave anyway

...maybe even blow the airhorn

 

[DriVer-THOR]

Lots of Coaches - Slow Movin' ....

Right around 1pm today when the parking tent opened up there were 2 solid lines of motorhomes all the way out to Highway B14. They were able to move that crowd into the campground pretty quickly and this afternoon there's a steady stream of motorhomes coming in. Pretty soon I expect we'll be buried in here up to our ears in Winnebagos and will loose our view.

Tomorrow at noon I am told will begin the toad moratorium where you are not allowed to move inside the campground in a car other than service or vendor vehicles.

Tomorrow I expect that we will be going to the registration building and pick up our "Goodie Bag". Within is the schedule and layout of the vendor area.

Currently 93? and

.

Expecting it to rain tomorrow and through the weekend with heavy downpours expected by late Friday. By Tuesday it appears to clear up and hopefully we'll get through the week pretty nicely.

When you come to the WIT proceed to County Road B14 and take a left into the fairgrounds. Follow the signs. There will be folks there who will assist you coming in. Do not enter through the main gate. B14 or 330th Street is located south of the campground - you can't miss it.

Roxy says it's hot and to let her inside.

 

[DriVer-THOR]

<span class="ev_code_RED">Rock'N Reunion</span>
50 Years On The Road

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

This is to announce a change of time for the iRV2.com Site Gathering.

The "Party" is scheduled to begin at 3:00pm to 3:50pm on Monday July 21. We ate the last event scheduled for that day so I believe we can run a little bit over.

Some of the attendees are making batches of snacks. Colleen is making a batch or her excellent trail mix and we will have a quantity of plactic cups for those interested. We are bringing our own beverages in a cooler bag.

I believe that there will be chairs in the tent and I'll update that information over the weekend.

See you there!

PS: From Monday to Wednesday you all are invited to come to the Workhorse display for FREE Pop-Corn!

 

[Duner-WO]

Hey DriVer, are things ok over there??? That was one heck of a storm that passed thru.

Over here in section C8, I saw the lightning strike in your direction and almost instaneously heard the crack of thurnder. I figure it was no more than 600 feet away.

I had my rig unplugged from the pedistal just in case of a lightning strike in the area.

Hope all is well,

 

[DriVer-THOR]

"News Flash"

At approximately 14:00 HRS were struck by lightning!

I was less than 2 feet away from my CB radio which took a direct hit. The back of the radio had a brilliant flash and then started smoking and filling up the cabin with smoke. The power plug blew up and melted. There is a burn mark on the carpet leading up from the front of the doghouse. There is a sooty deposit on the lower metal part of the dash.

My initial findings were that the twin 50A breaker in the pedestal tripped. The #3 Circuit in the 110volt panel tripped.

Our TV switch box smells burned and the antenna power amp will not energize. The TV clicker's red IR lamp is lit and won't go off.

So far most of the other circuits appear to be working however the coach will be making a trip back to the service center for complete evaluation.

Colleen Roxy and I were all within 4 feet of the strike and although shaken we are all OK. Roxy is shaken but not stirred!

I have to go and check my generator. Initially there was 1 phase on the gen that wasn't holding when I tried to run the coach on gen.

It's working on 110V now from the pedestal after I reset the 50A-2P breaker.

The Surge Guard is not displaying a fault.

 

[DriVer-THOR]

Some time later ....

We attracted quite some crowd over here and the biggest event was looking at my Fire Stick CB antenna. It took the direct hit! The wrappings around the antenna appear to have unwrapped and the antenna looks exactly like it took a direct hit.

The generator won't hold one of the phases and when I try to force it closed is stalls out the generator. Amazing that the gen is affected because the transfer switch was using shore power.

My Cobra CB is fried! I expect that my switch A/V center is fried and my 10 disk CD changer is not playing over the radio. It connects via the antenna on 88.3 MHz.

Still am smelling burnt plastic in the over head cabinets over the windshield.

The cabin is clearing nicely at this time and we have A/C. That was tentative there for a minute since I did not see any digital display on the thermostat.

Duner came by to check and as you all know he posted right before I announced my News Flash. I got witnesses!

 

[MrG-WO]

Sorry to hear about your incident. I'm part of the 60 or so rigs stuck in thw waiting line to come in. The storm halted all movement on the grass till it dries better. Now appears we will be on hard surface road till morning. What a storm and when that bolt hit so close, I new someone was in trouble. hope service can get you in. If need be I can give you my service # (339) and you take my place. JG

 

[Duner-WO]

I was in DriVers coach when Brian Funke called back. It's good to have friends in high places. Brian has got him in for service at 11 AM tormorrow.

Poor Mike & Colleen, and the dog Roxy. All of them just sitting there no more than 3 ft from the CB and the path of the lightning. I don't know how DriVer could post anything that soon after, .... my nerves would still be rattled.

My dog jumped about a foot up off the couch when that bolt hit and we're over about 600 ft from them.

There must be 700-1000 rigs here now, what kind of luck to be the one to take a direct hit. I noticed DriVers neighbor had his batwing antenna cranked up which was a little taller than the CB antenna that was hit. How fickle Mother Nature is!

Well we know now that DriVer will be the talk of the town for the next week.

 

[Frankie-WO]

Geez ,thats front page material!!! Glad you guys are allright.If it was me I would probably still be cleaning out my black tank

 

[Indy Itasca]

WOW, we got in just before the storm and leveled as best we could. We are in c10 and not sure if we saw "your lightning" hit but we did see several others. Man that was one freaky storm.
WE are parked so close to our neighbor, that with his slide out and mine both extended I can easily touch his coach out my window.
hope tomorrow is a better, dryer day.

 

[glenda1908]

Driver, glad to hear you are all okay, but what a scare.

You have had some real "talk about" experiences for the 50 year anniversary.
I think we were one of the last, if not the last coach they let through the gate before they locked it. We got in, parked and set up and the sky opened up. We pulled into Customer Service, un-hooked the car, and signed up for some service before we drove to the grounds, so I am glad we were able to get in and park. I have tried twice to hang the irv2 banner, but the rain beat me to it. I will hang it in the morning if the weather permits. It will be on the back of the coach so it can be seen from the road.
Driver, I am glad you made the announcement about the time change. I thought we had settled on the 6:00 time so as not to conflict with the seminars. I guess the folks at Winnebago decided we were "important" enough to rate our own seminar.

When I saw the time in the rally book I thought oh no, everyone is going to miss it and show up at 6:00. I hope everyone is reading these posts.

Hopefully the word will get out about the time change over the next few days. See everyone Monday...if not sooner.

 

[DriVer-THOR]

I understand that CBS News is going to be here Tuesday. I think I have enough material for them for at least an honorable mention.

 

[DriVer-THOR]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by MrG:
What a storm and when that bolt hit so close, I new someone was in trouble. hope service can get you in. If need be I can give you my service # (339) and you take my place. JG </div></BLOCKQUOTE>MrG, I want to thank you so much for your kind and generous offer. You sir are a gentleman and I am looking forward to meeting you at the "iRV2 Party" this Monday afternoon at 3:00pm in Seminar D.