News: Oregon

Oregon Trail Winnies and Itascas
State Club
By Bobbie Lindsay

DENISE PICTURE:

Coaches started arriving at Hee Hee Ilahee in Salem, OR to our usual spring weather in Oregon of sunshine and showers. We had 20 coaches and a social member, Ash V., drive in for the day.

Our hosts for the weekend were the Cascade Travelers chapter. They prepared a great dinner Friday night. They also had a variety of activities planned for all weekend. The highlight of Saturday was a lunch and cruise on the Willamette River in Salem aboard the Willamette Queen. This was a river boat experience reminiscent of the days when travel on the Willamette River was by sternwheeler boats. As we all boarded, there was lively music being played and, of course, there were a few people who got their toes tapping and participated in a fun Chicken dance down the isle. Captain Chesbrough, the owner/pilot, was most gracious and let several of us go up to the Pilots Bridge and steer the boat.

Theme for our Oregon State Rally in September is Lumberjack Romp. The members voted on a logo for our rally pin that looked like a rugged looking hombre logger.

Saturday after potluck, a bubble blowing contest was held amongst all the members. We were given mini bubble bottles and the hot air bubble contest was on! Five finalists were chosen and then narrowed down to two with Darlene Harris and Loran Levings being chosen for the runoff. Darlene's bubbles looked like Mt. St. Helen's had exploded again as her bubbles were going up fast and furious. Let's just say that Loran gave it a good try . . . as he had more soap on him and few bubbles in the air.

Sunday we all left for a safe journey home and good memories as always.

Perry McCart

Rogue River Ramblers
Local Chapter
By Bob Schlapfer

For the fourth straight year, we held what has become our traditional St. Patrick's Day Celebration and Friendship Rally at our favorite RV resort, Seven Feathers RV Resort in Canyonville, OR. This resort should be considered the standard of excellence not only for its great facilities, but also for its blending of environmental enhancements in a restored and beautiful natural setting. The Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe has done a wonderful job in creating this well-designed and well-managed RV resort and for providing outstanding support to all RV travelers. The excellent facilities make this an ideal location for groups, large and small.

As for our celebration itself, this was our annual Friendship Rally where we invite SOB owners and try to talk them into buying Winnebago or Itasca replacements for their current RVs. This year, we had a total of twelve rigs: 7 WIT, 3 former WIT, 2 SOB, and two recent WIT widows who do not drive their rigs . . . a total of 26 participants. Among the WIT members was our favorite Canadian couple, Jack and Lois Tressel from Surrey, BC. Friday was at one of the Seven Feathers Restaurants where we were continuously entertained by a charming young waitress named Bonnie. Mexican Train, a trip to the Casino, and March Madness finished out our evening.

Our hosts, Perry and Charlene McCart, provided a great breakfast on a sunny Saturday. After breakfast, the Rogue River Ramblers held our first chapter meeting of the year filling in details for this year's chapter activities and responsibilities. In a thrilling beanbag baseball game, the guys unmercifully thwarted a strong comeback by the gals when SOB, Tom Borgen, grand slammed to make it no contest in the final inning.

Perry and Charlene provided a mouth-watering corned beef and cabbage dinner Saturday evening with all of the usual Irish trimmings. Once again, the resort provided us with a case of Irish coffee mugs for those of us who love that traditional Irish beverage. Again, this year's celebration was somewhat subdued with less consumption of adult beverages, no rowdy behavior or singing of Irish songs, and no toasts as in the past. Father Time must be catching up to us. So much for tradition!

The absence of "Judge" George and his unique rendering of "justice" and the usual overachieving Sheriff this year at our "Getaway Breakfast" Sunday was another break from tradition and another sign that many of us are slowing down a little. It was always a highlight of previous campouts. We all have to recruit another "Judge." Sheriffs are easy to recruit and "the usual suspects" are not hard to track down.

With the approval of Doug Formanek, we will all do it again next year and maybe find time to sing some good old Irish songs and be a little rowdy. Someone might even find a pot of leprechaun gold at Seven Feathers Casino. Come join us!

Bob Schlapfer 541-772-3505

Rose City Winnie-Tascas
Local Chapter
By Patsy Graham

The May 2010 Rose City Winnie-Tascas campout was held at the Timberlake RV Park in Stevenson, WA. We had eight coaches represented and 16 members present at the campout. The RV park was located three miles off of Highway 14 on the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge.

Thursday we went to dinner at the Big River Grill in the little town of Stevenson. They had an excellent menu and the dessert special was peach pie. After dinner, we decided to skip cards and retire early. We were up in the woods in a quiet park and it sure cooled down that evening.

Friday a few of us went to the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center Museum located just before you get to Stevenson. The museum has exhibits from the Lewis and Clark Expedition and also depicts the history of the local Native Americans.
Friday we went to Joe's El Rio Mexican Restaurant in Stevenson that had flaming hot salsa. After dinner we to the clubhouse and played SkipBo. A fun time was had by all.

Saturday the guys cooked another terrific breakfast for the ladies. Some of us decided to drive over to Hood River and go to the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum. The folks that stayed at the park played a lawn game called bolo toss or ladder golf.

Saturday we had our "Ole Time Weiner Roast." The park employees started a campfire and kept us supplied with alder wood.

After dinner we had a meeting by the smoky campfire (no mosquitoes). The meeting lasted until the secretary could not see to take notes. Now the campfire was perfect for s'mores. Melted marshmallow dripped from many a face.

Sunday was the usual continental breakfast. We cleaned up the clubroom and said our goodbyes.

The June Caravan that starts June 2, 2010 will take us to Pendleton, Baker, Sumpter, Burns, Bend, Canyonville, Charlston, Florence, and Lincoln City.

Glenn Slack 503-723-7775

Winnie 'Gonians
Local Chapter
By Loretta Frye

Several coaches arrived on Thursday. The hosts for the weekend were Cascade Travelers. I think there were about 30 of us that went to Red Lobster for dinner. We had one guest who was Joan, Loretta's friend from Albany. Good food and good conversations. It was really nice to see some faces that we had not seen since Rally and the Southern Winnies were there. Welcome home, everyone.

For those of us who were already there, it was a day of rest and visiting, going to Wal-Mart, etc. Cascade Travelers did all the work and put on a very special dinner for us. Thank you. Some stayed after dinner and played cards.

The State Meeting was very well organized and went very smoothly sounds like our Rally is right on track. Afterwards, we went for a boat ride and lunch on the Willamette Queen. We carpooled to the dock and it was pretty scary for the people in the power chairs going down the steep boat ramp. The food was good; some of the women entertained us by dancing the Macarena. The boat trip was fun, not very far, but the weather cooperated and did not rain on us. Later, we gathered for a potluck and cards.

On Sunday a continental breakfast was waiting for us. Cascade Travelers did an outstanding job as host this weekend. Everyone had a good time and the boat trip was a great idea.

If you would like to read more about our weekend, the OTWI will have more information on it at www.OTWI.org.

Winnebago-Itasca Travelers