August 5, 2007
Warm Greetings MAB Members:
What a delightful rally we had at Cedarbrook RV Park and Campground near Mulberry Grove, IL.
thanks to our Hosts Tom & Judy Robinson and Co-Hosts Gale & Joan Schiller who made us feel right
at home. On Thursday evening, we had an ice cream social with three different kinds of ice cream
and about a zillion toppings, bananas, etc. and all the wonderful desserts that were brought by our
great MAB bakers (including Keebler, Nabisco, etc.)!!! Every morning we awoke to the smell of fresh
coffee, breakfast casseroles, both sausage and turkey, fresh fruit, yogurt with the trimmings,
bagels, various cream cheese spreads and, of course, the fresh pastry rolls and fruit juices. Well, I
don’t know about anyone else but a few pounds were put on and we all loved every bite.
After breakfast, a video seminar was given by Tom Robinson on Tire Safety. We learned about
preventative maintenance, proper tire pressure, and how to react when you do have a tire blow out.
Thank you Tom and he has more videos to show sometime.
Of course, then there was dinner on Friday evening with beef brisket (yum!) and side dishes made by
our members. We really do have some great cooks and by request I will put in a couple of the recipes
that were requested.
Then the most favorite of all was the fact that any time of day you could go to the fully equipped
kitchen and have yourself an ice cream cone or a dish of ice cream. To all the ice cream lovers, this
was like heaven! Then we would just sit and relax, visit, or play games. Thank you Ken Kipp for your
Kangaroo Racing Game. St. Jude thanks you very much!
Then, on Saturday evening we all went to The Depot in Vandalia, IL. for a wonderful dinner. This was
all followed by popcorn and roasting marshmallows around the campfire that evening. We must thank
Dick Clay (our very alert sheriff) for building our campfires. We all enjoy them so much!!
We also had the opportunity to visit with Levi Coultas on Saturday morning as he was able to join us
for some fellowship and, of course, even though Linda could not come she sent us some of her rocks
that she had painted and we all went wild over them. We do so appreciate her talent. Keep painting
Linda as you have devoted fans and customers in MAB!
SIGHTSEEING: We visited historical Vandalia, IL (about 9 miles away) and the Old State Capitol in
Vandalia where Abraham Lincoln practiced law and started his political career as a state
representative at the State Capitol from 1834 to 1839. This historic statehouse is the oldest
surviving Illinois Capitol building. It has been restored and the rooms furnished to appear as they did
in the 1830’s. It was here that Lincoln took his seat as a freshman legislator. It was the site of
several speeches by Lincoln including his first protest against slavery. Lincoln also received his license
to practice law here and the new city of Chicago received its city charter from the State Capitol in
Vandalia. During this time, he made his first contact with Stephen Douglas. The old statehouse is the
last of three that housed the Illinois General Assembly after the Capitol was moved from Kaskaskia in
1820. From the Old State Capitol Building, you can see The Madonna Of The Trail Statue that
marks the end of the Cumberland Road (also known as the National Road) the first highway built by
the federal government which opened up the interior of the country for development. From 1806 to
1838 - 638 miles were completed between Cumberland, Md., and Vandalia, IL. The statue is in
memory of the pioneer mothers of covered wagon days. We also visited the FAYETTE COUNTY
MUSEUM in the old Presbyterian Church building. It had many early American items dating back to
the time Vandalia was the state capital. It also houses the Artworks Gallery and is on the National
Register of Historic Places.
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Well, as you can see we had a wonderful time and, of course, we had time to just sit in the cool of
the club room or the patio and enjoy visiting and eating our ice cream cones!!
REMINDER: In the next issue of the Bounder Beacon will have a copy of the slate of candidates
running for BOA offices for the next two years. It will be a mail-in ballot of one vote per BOA
number. Please be sure to vote! Also, please remember that our own Tom Robinson is running for
North Central Region V.P.
AUGUST RALLY: August 16-18, 2007 will be held at the Rustic Barn Campground & RV Park, 3854
Dry Hollow Rd., Kieler, WI. Phone 608-568-7797 or e-mail camp4fun@pcii.net. to make your
reservations directly with Rustic Barn Campground & RV Park and then notify Nash’s or
Anderson/Holmes you are coming. Additional campground information is available at their web site www.
rusticbarnrvpark.com. Our Hosts will be Joe & Tommie Nash and Carol Anderson/Tom Holmes .
Camping rate is $21.60 per night, water and electric only, with dump station and free “honey wagon”
available. The schedule of events is as follows:
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings we will have continental
breakfasts with coffee provided by the hosts.
Thursday evening @ 4:30 p.m. will be “Happy Hour” Snacks provided by hosts. However, you should
plan to eat dinner on your own.
Friday evening will be dinner out at a local restaurant (as a group)
Saturday evening will be a cookout with brats & corn-on-the-cob – Please
bring a side dish to go with this meal or a dessert to share
There will be a seminar on Water Filtration Systems and a craft for the ladies sometime during the
weekend. We will also have our own room available to us, the Holstein Room. Some of the
attractions available: Dubuque, IA is 10 minutes to downtown, the River Museum is a must see in
Dubuque; it is 20 minutes to Galena, – this is President Ulysses Grant’s Home, there are several
antique shops, and a charming town to walk.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS: From the South: North from Dubuque, IA on Highways 151/61/35 five miles
then left on Dry Hollow Road, about two blocks west.
From the North: From the Junction of Highways 151/61/35 in Dickeyville, WI follow Highways
151/61/35 south to Kieler, WI (3.4 miles) to Stop sign at CR “H” & Pebble Hollow Rd. Continue South
.5 mile to Dry Hollow Rd (Clarke Bank at the corner) Turn right on Dry Hollow Rd. campground about
two blocks West.
SEPTEMBER RALLY: September 20-22, 2007 will be at KOA Middlebury, IN located in northern IN
off I-80 Exit 107 south to intersection of Highways 13 & 120. Located nine miles from Shipshewana
and 21 miles from downtown Elkhart, IN. There are plans to tour an RV manufacturing plant and the
new RV Museum in Elkhart. Also, there will be a dinner at an Amish farm. We will have one Pitch-In
or Potluck dinner plus a host of other activities. Our Hosts are Herb & Sue Feltner and Co-Hosts Bob
& Jan Israelson. The Shipshewana Flea Market is only open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. “Shop ‘til
you drop” is more than just a saying in Shipshewana! If that is your plan, make your reservations
accordingly. Make reservations with KOA at 574-825-5932 or 800-562-5892 or
kamp@middleburykoa.com
OCTOBER RALLY: October 18-20, 2007 Geneseo Campgrounds, Geneseo, IL located off I-80 Exit
19 in IL four miles north on the historic Hennepin Canal. Our Hosts will be Dick & Joan Clay and Co-
Hosts Bob & Paula Young. We will have a talk and tour of the Hennepin Canal, a decorated hat
contest, so start working on your design ideas, and a book exchange/sale with proceeds going to St.
Jude Children’s Hospital. So bring those well read books you have lying around and share with others.
A reminder that there is a Swedish Village at Bishop Hill (1/2 hour away.) We will also have fun and
games! There will be another group at the campgrounds, so to eliminate confusion, contact Dick Clay
for reservations.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS: The campground is north of town on Route 82 on the Hennepin Canal.
WARNING: If you come through town from the south FOLLOW THE TRUCK ROUTE as there is a 10
Ft. underpass if you go the other way.
NEXT YEAR: Sue Feltner our V.P., reports our camping season for 2007 is about half over and we are
seeing some great places throughout our Mid-America area. It is time to start planning for our
camping season of 2008. We need Hosts and Co-hosts for the following dates:
May 15-18, 2008****************June 19-22, 2008**************July 17-20, 2008
August 21-24, 2008************September 18-21, 2008********October 16-19, 2008
All members are eligible to host and co-host these rallies so give us the opportunity to experience the
food and fun in your area. We would like to have our sites for next year by the end of this season in
October. Contact Sue Feltner with your ideas.
CONCERNS: We were saddened to learn that Phyllis Scoggins passed away on April 18, 2006. Our
thoughts and prayers go out to Ralph and his family.
Our sympathy is extended to Gail Leonard on the passing of her Uncle Jess.
Bob Hansen is dealing with a back ailment and Addie Weast a broken elbow and sprained wrist. Please
keep all these members in your prayers.
At the time of the August Rally, your President and Secretary will be just leaving from the FMCA
International Rally in Redmond, OR. We plan to do a great deal of sightseeing both
going to and coming from the rally. We hope you will have a good rally and we will be thinking of you.
NEW MEMBERS: Joining us at the July rally were Danny & Niecy Milner and Rick & Kathy Groves.
We welcome all our new members and hope they will become very active in our chapter and enjoy their
new adventure with us.
President's Column
INACTIVE MEMBERS: We are trying to create an active group in an atmosphere of learning about our
fellow members, our rigs and about the areas we visit. If you have not been to any of the chapter
functions in the last year or more, we would like to know why. Is there anything we have done to
offend you, or something we have not done that has offended you? Have we not had any rallies close
enough to you? Have you sold your rig, is the gas too high? Whatever the reason, I would like to
know. Please contact me at any of the modes listed in the heading of this letter, e-mail, phone, or
by letter. Your comments, if you wish, will be kept confidential and are very important to me.
E-MAILING THE NEWSLETTER: for those getting this by E-mail, please let us know if you have any
problem receiving it. For those still receiving it by USPS and have E-mail available and would like to
receive it electronically, please let us know.
Happy and Safe Boundering,
Carol Hardacre