[rheavn]

Bill,
I hope you can arrange coming to the rally. I think a lot of people would be interested in seeing the roof air you had installed to complement your basement air units. Bring the boxer too!

[encantotom]

Bill, it would be wonderful if you could make it. Les, are you going to be able to join us?

i know one other member has sent me a note saying they are going to try if they can as well.

tom

[Express1]

I don't know how big we want to encourage this to become. Maybe I'm being selfish, but I kind of like the small gatherings. We are now way beyond any previous mini-rally attendance, and we've got six months to go almost exactly. I'm not saying put a cap on it, but do we want to advertise more than we have? I think word of mouth, and this website have done a pretty good job of getting the word out. Too many people and we will have to start getting more organized, and who wants that?

What? there is a mini-rally somewhere?

[encantotom]

hi all,

first of all, i am not trying to organize anything. in fact, what has made our previous two mini ralleys so much fun was the casualness of the whole thing and i think that is what a few folks that had attended them was trying to get across.

let me just go over how the get togethers we have had in austin, texas and creede colorado went. others that were there can add to or correct as i am sure i have forgotten something.

one of the nice things is that from what i can tell, we are all planning on being in spearfish for an entire week. the other two get togethers were only really 3 days or so. the extra time will be really nice to get to know each other and for all of us to be chauferred around by those with off road vehicles (ha ha).

the fond memories i had of both creede and austin were not the places, though they were very nice, but the people and the hanging out. yea, people went off on their own or in small groups to go do things and we did as well. but we spent alot of time just talking newells, life, family and everything in between.

we had one night reserved at the rec center to have a formal potluck and at the one in austin, michael did his presentation on the history of newell and we had a great dinner and visit. other nights we would informally potluck at whoever wanted to and it was fun. i dont really want to eat dinner with just darlene and i when we are together with so many friends. (sorry darlene)

in creede we went out to a local community theatre one night and that was fun.

the last thing i want this whole thing to become is work for anyone so i would suggest not making it formal....

the other thing we did was "tech sessions". i would like for us to do more of them while we are there. there is much to learn from each other.

in creed richard did one on air conditioning systems (russ, you sure you cant come?). in austin richard did one on cornea transplants, we did many informal sessions where we would gang up on someones problem and either fix it or figure out what needed to be done. from little stuff to bigger stuff. darlene fixed tuga's window blind, i worked on clarkes air condtioner, others worked on steve M's alternator, richard changed a suspension valve on matts, and on and on. if someone has an expertise to share either with or without material, others will be interested.

we all toured each others coaches..and i dont mean just the inside. i spent more time looking in bays and compartments and looking at systems than i think i did inside. i know we found a problem with forest's hot water heater just by doing an inspection on it that he was too new to it to catch yet.

then just the hanging out part is sooo much fun. sitting in the coaches, or outside next to a campfire or in lawn chairs.

i personally volunteer to drive behind richard or clarke as they take a casual 50 mile bike ride. i will have extra water in the car for them.

i would also suggest that each of you bring any spare parts you want to trade or get rid of. i will also bring my ddec 1/2 dedicated engine scanner for anyone that wants to use it. (not the silverleaf).

i will bring my homemade rootbeer still. i make amazing root beer if i dont say so myself. i have made many many hundreds of gallons for large affairs. i have a mini version i carry in the coach.

we have alot of time yet to think about it yet.

the SPONTANEITY of the whole thing is what is so great. just a crew of us who say.....lets go meet somewhere...and we bat it around some and then do it. the south dakota location is one that i have wanted to go to anyway for a long time so that will be awesome. todd, i am going to need a guarantee that there will be no mosquitoes, so please send that to me in writing. after growing up in iowa where the mosquitoes are big enough to carry off small children, and in arizona where there are essentially no flying bugs at all that bother you, i can tell you i like the no bothersome bug places....

well, i am off for a week from work and got up early to take advantage of the day. some of the kids are here and i am making my famous (to my kids anyway) pancakes in a little while if any of you want to come over......

our son scott is home on leave from the air force and it is great to have him home....yea our newellguru scott that set most of this site up.

our daughter in college was here last nite as well. nice to have the kids even if they are adults home once in a while laughing and teasing each other....

happy friday

tom

[Fulltiming]

Now that's the kind of rally I'm talking about. If anyone is interested in me doing my Newell History Presentation, let me know and I will bring my projector and laptop.

[folivier]

OK, I just got a new Zipdee window awning to install over the dinette window (only window that doesn't have an awning). Probably won't have time or help to install it before the rally. So if anyone wants to help?
I also found an old/new style Dometic a/c circuit board if anybody wants it to test and fix (this is for the new thermostats). And I'll be bringing up a Demco Aluminator towbar if anybody needs one?
Cindy and I may be persuaded to cook a gumbo....

[Fulltiming]

I will be happy to help with the awning installation Forest.

[encantotom]

matt, why dont you grab tuga and come up for this? it wouldnt be the same without you and tuga?

and of course your better halves....

tom

[whatsnewell]

I don't know how big we want to encourage this to become. Maybe I'm being selfish, but I kind of like the small gatherings. We are now way beyond any previous mini-rally attendance, and we've got six months to go almost exactly. I'm not saying put a cap on it, but do we want to advertise more than we have? I think word of mouth, and this website have done a pretty good job of getting the word out. Too many people and we will have to start getting more organized, and who wants that?

What? there is a mini-rally somewhere?

Darn, Matt found out about the mini-rally.... Seriously, come on Matt....make a reservation and come up and join us for the week!

[ron skeen]

I don't know how big we want to encourage this to become. Maybe I'm being selfish, but I kind of like the small gatherings. We are now way beyond any previous mini-rally attendance, and we've got six months to go almost exactly. I'm not saying put a cap on it, but do we want to advertise more than we have? I think word of mouth, and this website have done a pretty good job of getting the word out. Too many people and we will have to start getting more organized, and who wants that?

What? there is a mini-rally somewhere?

Darn, Matt found out about the mini-rally.... Seriously, come on Matt....make a reservation and come up and join us for the week!

Be sure and bring Cannon with you. Hope to see you both there or sooner.l