The Western Sunsetters 2023 Alberta Rally was held at Black Sheep Campground near Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, from June 25 – June 28. Rocky Mountain House is a beautiful area in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains of Western Alberta.

There were seventeen LTVs attending from Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan–Some traveled from a previous Rally to attend the Alberta Rally. Six LTVs were first-time attendees to a Rally and were very enthusiastic about gathering information from the more knowledgeable owners.

On Sunday, the LTVs arrived throughout the day. Once their units were set up in their campsites, they gathered in the group area to meet, register and receive their information packages which were provided by the Rocky Mountain House Tourist Association. The evening gathering was shortened due to rain.

Seven golfers played golf at the Pine Hills Golf Course on Monday. Other activities during the day included visiting the nearby Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site with several demonstrations by local volunteers, bike riding on the nearby trails, touring around the town of Rocky Mountain House, and some were relaxing at the campground after long drives from the previous day.

During the evening, we had a wonderful gathering around the fire with lots of visiting and sharing of LTV stories and information, and we also got our attendees together for a group photo.

On Tuesday, a small group rode bicycles on the 12.5 km trail from our campground to Crimson Lake. Others toured the Town of Rocky Mountain House and area or relaxed in the campground.

This was also pizza night with the group. The pizza was delivered by a local pizza place called Nick’s Diner & Pizza in Rocky Mountain House. Many prizes given out during the evening were donated by local businesses in Rocky Mountain House. The blueberry pie donated by the local bakery, Rocky Bakery, was the first to be chosen, followed by the bags of coffee from the local coffee house Copper Creek Café and Coffee.

We had a bit of rain during the meal’s start, and then it cleared up for our gathering around the fire, which included a lot of visiting and then a question-and-answer session on LTV problems and repairs with lots of discussion and participation from everyone.

Our Rally ended Wednesday morning, with everyone saying their goodbyes and going to their homes or to other destinations. It was a successful Alberta Rally, with the attendees meeting, making new friends, and having a good time.

Our Rally started Monday, June 19, with members starting to arrive at 2:00 pm and proceeding to our registration van. They were given a name badge if they did not have one, a Leisure note pad and a “Find The LTV Guest” bingo card, which required them to seek out other people with specific talents, traits, or experiences. Later in the Rally, prizes were awarded based on their success.

At about 5:00 pm, we had 17 vans on site when another LTV pulled into our camping area. They knew nothing about LTV Travelers Clubs or MyLTV and were shocked to be surrounded by many other LTVs. We welcomed them, explained the Travelers Clubs and MyLTV, and encouraged them to become involved using the Leisure Vans website.

At 6:30 pm, we held a potluck supper at the gazebo in our camping area, and right after supper, Norm Lavoy filled everyone in on the future direction of our Western Sunsetters Travelers Club.

Ken Hokazono surprised Norm & Hazel Lavoy with a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a lovely plaque recognizing the 18 years they have spent heading up our Western Sunsetters Travelers Club. Our evening ended with a bonfire at our central fire pit.

Now there was an incident at our bonfire. The campground staff had just constructed the fire pit on a concrete slab. After the fire had been going on for a while, there was a large explosion, and all the firewood was blown out of the fire pit, along with many fragments of concrete. It had rained the day before, and water had penetrated the concrete, and when it was heated up, the moisture expanded enough to blow up. Luckily no one was hurt, but we were all very shocked.

On Tuesday, June 20, in the early afternoon, 27 of us loaded up in our vans and traveled 25 km to the Batoche National Historic Site.

Our guide met us, and we enjoyed a two-hour pre-arranged tour of this famous Metis site that played a major role in the Northwest Rebellion of 1885 and the lives of Louis Riel and Gabriel Dumont. We all arrived back at our campground at about 5:00 pm and enjoyed a pizza supper provided for us through the generosity of Triple E.

After supper, we awarded the prizes based on the success of completing the bingo cards provided the night before. Again we ended the evening with a bonfire, but this time without any explosions.

Wednesday, June 21, was a cool, windy morning, but 11 hearty soles headed to the Valley Regional Park Golf Club within walking distance of our campsite. It is a lovely 18-hole course in very good condition, which made up for the wind.

Other Rally participants headed north to the Duck Lake Interpretive Centre to visit its museum and art gallery. It was National Indigenous Day, so the center was busy serving drinks and bannock. Still, others went bike riding or visited the community of Rosthern, which was just a few kilometers away. At 6:00 pm we had an impromptu gathering at the golf course clubhouse, where we enjoyed beverages, snacks, and some excellent fellowship. Pretty soon, it was 8:00 pm, and the golfers from the Men’s League started arriving after completing their golf round, so we went back to our campground so they could utilize the clubhouse. Again we had a bonfire, and because it was the longest day of the year, we still had some daylight at 10:30 pm.

Thursday, June 22, was the departure day. We made our farewells and headed on to other adventures, happy that we had met with some old friends and made some new LTV friends.

Written by: Norm Lavoy 

The Great Northeast Travelers 2023 Spring Rally at the Saco River Family Camping Area in North Conway, New Hampshire, is now in the rearview. We had 39 coaches from seven states and the Province of Nova Scotia.

Many LTVs arrived a day early, and that early arrival came with beautiful weather. One of our rewards for planning and hosting an LTV Rally is watching the parade of LTVs coming into the campground on that first day.

On Monday, we began the check-in with familiar and new faces. The weather on this day was not the greatest, but we didn’t let that dampen our festive spirit. Under the cover of the campground pavilion, we had all of our social gatherings go on without a problem. Monday evening was a meet and greet/pizza party. Everyone in the group got to introduce themselves–it was especially nice to hear from the group’s first-timers.

The first night was capped off with a group campfire and great campfire stories.

Tuesday’s events started early, 8 am was a yoga session, led by Michaela, and after that was a doughnut breakfast. The doughnuts were donated by Leavitt’s Country Bakery, a local bakery with renowned baked goods.

Michaela also hosted a cooking show, and that was a nice way to spend a rainy morning.

On Tuesday evening, we all gathered at the pavilion for our first potluck meal. This event was a lot of fun, thanks to the planning and organizing by Larry and Judy Chin. They were the ones who suggested a potluck, and they followed through with putting together the menu, which was a lot of work. A big thank you to them, who knew that we had so many great cooks in our group, fabulous.

After we all were full from the many dishes available at the potluck, Cindy Pickleman took the lead on her show and tell. Attendees were asked to bring any gadgets they use in their LTV to make traveling easier or more fun. Thank you, Cindy; everyone seemed to enjoy the sharing of information.

Wednesday brought not great, but better weather. At 9 am the scheduled group bike ride was a go, led by Leigh and Tom Mundhenk. It was a short 8-mile trip, especially for those riding an e-bike. The brand new multipurpose paved trail now runs from near the campground to the Cranmore Mt. Ski area. Thanks to Leigh and Tom for taking the lead on this fun event.

The LTV open house was rescheduled for this day due to inclement weather the previous day. Attendees could go from coach to coach checking out modifications that some owners have made to their LTVs

Later, the group gathered at the pavilion to enjoy delicious food prepared by the Dueling Chefs food truck, and it was amazing to see how fast Bill and his wife Theresa could cook for 70 hungry campers; extremely impressive.

It wasn’t easy for Laurie, our team photographer, to get everyone together for a group photo in front of the LTVs but Laurie did a great job!

Later we had dessert and prize giveaways to thank all the volunteers that helped make this a successful and fun time.

The campfire gathering was looking good for our final evening of the Rally. The circle of chairs around the wonderful fire built by Frank Gordon was expanded, so there now was premium and general seating, when all of a sudden, the heavens opened up, sending campers heading for the shelter of their LTVs. Let it be noted that a few hearty souls, you know who you are, stayed fireside, determined to enjoy the last few moments of the day.

I hope to see you all at the next rally. Enjoy your summer!

Written by: Paul and Marilyn Goodwin

English translation follows below.

161 véhicules LTV et 338 participants

Du 2 au 5 juin 2023 se tenait le rassemblement annuel de LTV Québec dans le village de Brome au cœur des Cantons de l’est, au sud du Québec.

Depuis 2016, le club LTV Québec ne cesse de grandir. De 19 membres à sa formation, le Club compte maintenant 759 véhicules inscrits et près de 1000 abonnés à la page Facebook. Nous croyons être le plus grand Club au sein de la compagnie LTV/Triple E. Le fait que le Québec soit le seul grand territoire en Amérique du Nord avec une population francophone explique probablement la popularité de LTV Québec et la grande participation de nos membres.

Le rassemblement 2023 a encore connu une croissance époustouflante passant de 121 véhicules l’an dernier à 161 cette année.

Des ateliers de formation se sont tenus tout au cours du Week-end. Le vendredi après-midi, LTV 101 consistait à informer les participants des meilleures façons de bien gérer l’eau et l’électricité. Étant donné que 33% des participants sont de nouveaux venus dans la famille LTV, ces formations sont des plus utiles. De plus, nous accueillons aussi des membres qui ont un véhicule en commande et qui désirent commencer leur apprentissage avant même d’avoir reçu leur VR.

Des représentants de Mercedes-Benz et de Ford sont venus nous entretenir sur les programmes des manufacturiers, qu’il s’agisse d’entretien préventif, de garantie, des particularités des véhicules ou encore des pièges à éviter lorsque l’on possède un VR.

Les ateliers du samedi matin commençaient avec une présentation sur le Winegard, son utilisation et ses fonctions.

Les communications en voyage suivaient avec les forfaits cellulaire, l’utilisation d’un VPN, la télé en voyage, etc.

Un autre membre est venu faire une présentation sur les outils à emporter en VR afin de pouvoir se dépanner sur la route en cas de pépins. Il a aussi suggéré les pièces de rechange à prévoir lors d’un long voyage, surtout en région éloignée.

L’après-midi était occupé par une présentation sur les améliorations et modifications effectuées par les membres suivit des visites des véhicules. Esthétique extérieure, améliorations intérieures, sécurité, mécanique, nos membres sont passionnés de leur véhicule et ne reculent devant rien pour les rendre encore plus performants et confortables.

Un temps libre était prévu afin des permettre de visiter les kiosques de nos commanditaires. Le distributeur de LTV au Québec Horizon Lussier était présent sur place avec une unité modèle. Nous tenons a remiercier Horizon Lussier pour son support au Club LTV Québec. Le manufacturier de Batteries au Lithium Volthium était présent tout comme les distributeurs de produits PAVREC, ROLEF, KOMO. Un représentant des Villages Relais du Québec présentait tant qu’à lui les villages membres.

Des cocktails ont été tenues les vendredi et samedi soir avec dégustations de bière des micro-brasseries Le Sage et Knowlton co. Les vignobles Breese, Côtes d’ardoise, Val Brome ainsi que Domaine Girouard étaient présents pour faire déguster leurs vins.

Au cours du Cocktail du samedi soir, Josiah Wiebe venu directement de Winkler a surpris toute l’assistance en rendant un hommage en FRANCAIS au Président fondateur Jean-Francois Trépanier, qui quittait ce soir-là ses fonctions. Ce geste a été fort apprécié de tous et toutes.

Les soupers gastronomiques préparés par La Table à MO ont été servis aux participants. Le Canard du lac Brome faisait bien sûr partie du menu. La distillerie La Chaufferie ont eu la générosité de donner une trentaine de bouteilles d’eau de vie à la prune pour un tirage spécial lors du dernier souper.

Bien que le Band de musique de Jean Wiedrick ont fait danser les participants jusqu’au couvre-feu, tout le monde était présent le dimanche matin pour le déjeuner et l’assemblée générale des membres au cours de laquelle un nouveau conseil d’administration a été élu. S’en est suivi des présentations sur la préparation des voyages et les récits d’aventures.

Les derniers ont quitté le site tôt le lundi afin de poursuivre leur voyage déjà entamé.

Les préparatifs sont déjà en cours pour l’année 2024, mais les organisateurs s’entendent pour limiter le nombre de participants à 150 VR.

English Translation

161 LTV vehicles and 338 participants

From June 2 to 5, 2023, the annual LTV Quebec gathering was held in the village of Brome in the heart of the Eastern Townships in southern Quebec.

Since 2016, the LTV Quebec club has continued to grow. From 19 members when it was formed, the Club now has 759 registered vehicles and nearly 1,000 subscribers to the Facebook page. We believe that we are the largest club within the LTV/Triple E company. The fact that Quebec is the only large territory in North America with a French-speaking population probably explains the popularity of LTV Quebec and the great participation of our members.

The 2023 rally has again seen breathtaking growth, from 121 vehicles last year to 161 this year.

Training workshops were held throughout the weekend. On Friday afternoon, LTV 101 was all about educating attendees on the best ways to manage water and electricity. As 33% of attendees are new to the LTV family, these workshops are most valuable. In addition, we also welcome members who have a vehicle on order and who want to start learning even before receiving their RV.

Representatives from Mercedes-Benz and Ford came to talk to us about the manufacturers’ programs, whether it’s preventive maintenance, warranty, vehicle specifics, or pitfalls to avoid when owning an RV.

The Saturday morning workshops started with a presentation on the Winegard, its use, and its functions.

Travel communications followed with cellular plans, VPN use, TV while travelling, and more.

Another member came to give a presentation on the tools to bring in VR in order to be able to troubleshoot on the road in case of glitches. He also suggested the spare parts to bring on a long trip, especially in remote areas.

The afternoon was occupied by a presentation on the improvements and modifications carried out by the members followed by visits of the vehicles. Exterior aesthetics, interior improvements, safety, mechanics; our members are passionate about their vehicles and stop at nothing to make them even more efficient and comfortable.

Free time was planned to allow us to visit the booths of our sponsors. LTV distributor in Quebec Horizon Lussier was present on site with a model unit. We want to thank Horizon Lussier for its support of the LTV Quebec club. The lithium battery manufacturer Volthium was present, as were the distributors of PAVREC, ROLEF and KOMO products. A representative of Villages Relais du Québec presented the member villages.

Cocktails were held on Friday and Saturday evenings with beer tastings from Le Sage and Knowlton micro-breweries co. The Breese, Côtes d’ardoise, Val Brome and Domaine Girouard vineyards were present to have their wines tasted.

During the Cocktail on Saturday evening, Josiah Wiebe, who came directly from Winkler, surprised the whole audience by paying tribute in French to the founding President Jean-Francois Trépanier, who left his functions that evening. This gesture was greatly appreciated by all.

Gourmet dinners prepared by La Table à MO were served to participants. Brome Lake Duck was of course part of the menu. La Chaufferie distillery had the generosity to donate around thirty bottles of plum brandy for a special draw during the last supper.

Even though the Jean Wiedrick Music Band kept the participants dancing until curfew, everyone was present on Sunday morning for lunch and the general meeting of members during which a new board of directors was was elected. This was followed by presentations on travel planning and adventure stories.

The last ones left the site early on Monday to continue their journey already begun.

Preparations are already underway for the year 2024, but the organizers agree to limit the number of participants to 150 RVs.

Écrit par / Written by: Guy Choiniere

The Midwest LTVers gathered for the 2023 Spring Rally from June 12 – 16 at the Medora Campground in Medora, North Dakota. Medora is a small town on the western side of North Dakota and near the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. We had 48 LTVs and one couple with an order placed for a Unity Murphy Bed for a total of 97 people that attended the Rally. There were many familiar faces; for some of the group, it was their first Rally. The spring weather was great, but the Cottonwood tree seeds were flying all around.

There was a lot to do in the Medora and western North Dakota area, including touring the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, eating at the Pitchfork Steak Fondue Dinner, seeing the Medora Musical Show, shopping, and touring around the small town of Medora.

We started each day with breakfast treats, fruit, hard-boiled eggs, tea, coffee, and a morning meeting with the sharing of all things LTV-related, Rally updates, the daily schedule, and announcements. On Tuesday morning, Nathan Sorenson, the local expert, and LTV Owner, provided an excellent overview of the area’s attractions, history, things to do, and hikes around the area.

Also, the guest speaker was Don Klassen, LTV Territory Sales Manager. He had an informative presentation on LTV updates and floorplans, and answered questions. On Wednesday morning, other LTV owners spoke about modifications made to their coaches.

Don Klassen

On Thursday, our theme was safety, and Stacey and Shari Froemming provided information regarding various safety topics, including an excellent section on medical safety information. Also, Kelly Westphal had an overall safety presentation, including watching a video on an RV on fire. We ended the morning session with a discussion and break-out groups of LTV owners based on their specific chassis and floorplan.

The activities during the day included making birdhouses, hiking, pickleball, golf, bike rides around town, playing games, going to the Flag Day Parade, seeing the area attractions and businesses, chatting about our travels and plans, and meeting new LTV club members.

Every day of the rally at 3:00 pm and after, we had additional information and educational sessions, including learning about making a charcuterie tray or grazing table, honey presentation, birdwatching, and bird feeding, how to remove the Alcoa Lug nut covers using the tool, learning about the On The Go Water Softener, and learning about the InstantPot and Convection Oven.

Charcuterie class

Instant Pot class

The evening meals ranged from grilled brats, Mexican Fiesta, and a potluck with 50 food items. There was plenty of food at the Rally! On Thursday evening, after the meal, Joe Wiegand, the Theodore Roosevelt impersonator, joined the group. He provided a wonderful presentation full of the history of Teddy Roosevelt in story form. Thank you to Dan Preszler for connecting us with his friend Joe.

We were so fortunate to have a great group of volunteers who helped with grilling, organizing the tables of food, serving food, cleaning up, and anything else we needed help with. Our LTV family continues to grow at each Rally. Again, this was the biggest Rally in the Midwest LTVers Travelers Club in recent years. It was a great time with these wonderful LTV owners. We hope others will consider joining us at a future Midwest LTVers Rally!

Written by: Kelly Westphal

Wow…what a Rally! Evergreen Leisures 2023 Spring Rally at Old Mill RV Resort on the Oregon coast included 101 Leisure Travel Vans with nearly every model imaginable, including a 2023 Wonder Murphy Bed Lounge and a 2023 Unity Rear Lounge, out on their first voyages.

We even had a surprise guest–Dean Corrigal, Territory Sales Manager for Leisure Travel Vans and star of every Leisure Travel Van video ever seen drop in unexpectedly on Thursday evening! Dean, being Dean, immediately began helping the Johnson RV Team in the kitchen as they prepared a Mexican-style dinner for 200. Soon people were asking, “Is that Dean in the kitchen?” Needless to say, it was, and he was a hit!

The Old Mill RV Resort proved to be a fantastic venue for the Rally. Located adjacent to Garibaldi’s historic commercial and recreational fishing port, Old Mill was able to host all 101 of us, plus provide access to their huge lodge/conference facility and commercial kitchen. Shasta, the Resort’s manager, was a gem to work with and critical to the success of our Rally. Thank you, Shasta!

Since the weather on the Oregon coast is always unpredictable, a venue with indoor facilities capable of hosting over 200 people was essential. Despite the warm 60–65-degree sunny weather, 20-35 mile per hour winds in the afternoons made outdoor events impractical. But no worries, the lodge could host potlucks, seminars, dinners, and lots of fun and comradery.

The early risers in the group rose at 5:00 am on Thursday to venture out on a deep-sea fishing trip and returned with freezers full of cod and crabs.  Others hopped aboard the Oregon Coast Scenic Railway for a ride to Rockaway Beach or a meal aboard the Dinner Train. Visits to the Tillamook Cheese Factory, Air Museum, and local lighthouse were favorites. The intrepid even dared the winds to bicycle from Garibaldi to the Tillamook Factory—oh, what you’ll do for Tillamook’s famous ice cream!

Food, Glorious Food

As always, food was in abundance. Potluck dinners on Wednesday and Sunday evenings produced an amazing variety of delights and demonstrated the cooks’ versatility and the kitchens’ capabilities in our LTVs. On Thursday, Johnson RV’s Chef Micky Albert prepared a Mexican buffet for 200 plus compliments of Johnson RV (they clearly understand we’re food people) and Tillamook ice cream for dessert with all the toppings. Friday, our group descended on the local eateries for fish and crabs fresh off the boats. Saturday night was back at the lodge for pizza and salad, compliments of Leisure Travel Vans, and let’s not forget the coffee and donuts in the morning to get the day off to a great start (my personal favorite), an absolute necessity before the morning power walks through the fields, marina, and town with our canine friends.

Learning and Sharing

As always, there’s learning and sharing to be done. Seminars were conducted on Friday and Saturday, with Johnson RV’s Ryan Laroche briefing the group about LTV electric systems and answering questions about everything from valve stems to heating systems, followed by hours of hands-on assistance with vans throughout the park. Mitchel and Emily Boyer and Steven and Mercedes Cooper from AM Solar spoke about options for increasing the off-grid endurance, solar, and battery performance of our Vans, and Todd and Anne Padgett of SkyMed International introduced us to the benefits of premier emergency travel services, as well as lunch, on Saturday and Sunday.

LTV owners Janice Burke, Frank Ward, and Randy Blaisdell also conducted seminars. Janice introduced the group to the benefits and opportunities of membership in and opportunities for hosting Boondockers Welcome and Harvest Hosts. Frank, a long-time Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA) member, highlighted the benefits of membership and upcoming events in the Pacific Northwest Region. Internet Options and Entertainment Systems was presented by Randy Blaisdell and addressed the pros and cons of accessing the internet while on the road and leveraging the capabilities inherent in our LTVs.

Nights for Celebrating

Thursday and Saturday nights were for celebrating! At great peril, we gave Dean Corigal a microphone, and he graciously spoke to the crowd and took questions for over a half hour. Then with Dean’s help, we honored our very own Dan Taylor for his years of contributions. Dan is a master woodworker who spends untold hours producing ornate wooden sink covers and plaques as gifts for our Rallies. He’s never accepted payment and has successfully dodged photos and appreciation for years—no more. We caught him on stage this year, along with Dean accepting recognition and helping to present his creations. Thank you for everything you do, Dan!

We were also able to recognize Liz Englund this year, another of our behind-the-scenes contributors.  Liz crafts customize journals that she contributes as gifts for our Rallies.  Each is journal handmade and bound and ideal for documenting our members adventures.  Thank you, Liz, we love your work!

Saturday night, we distributed more of Dan Taylor’s magnificent wood works and discovered we had 50+ first-time Rally attendees with us, ranging in age from 39 to 85. Only one had ever received a ticket while driving their LTV, and two first-time attendee vans were less than 60 days old. We finished Saturday evening with a Square Dance.  It’s a bit unusual for a Rally, but it only took a few minutes for everyone to get in the spirit and begin having a great time, and we’re happy to report no injury!

While we’re always sad to see a Rally end, we do so knowing our friends are off to more adventures and that we’ll see them again in the Fall at Fidalgo Bay, near Anacortes, Washington, to trade stories of our exploits. Updates on the Fidalgo Bay Rally will be coming soon at LTV’s Evergreen Leisures site and our member’s email boxes.  

Our many thanks go out to the Rally’s Wagon Masters, Norm and Elaine Thiesen, Randy and Beth Blaisdell, and the many volunteers who made the Rally a success–they truly appreciate the kind words, compliments, and fun Facebook posts–thank you for your support! Special thanks go out to Bill and Ellen Hull, Fran Bunch, and Richard Sefcovic, who saved us from a kitchen disaster. To Lee Stone for volunteering as our photographer and Gordon Swank and Bill Hull for getting the coffee started at an unseemly hour, even before the donuts arrived. For Johnson RV, AM Solar, SkyMed International, and Leisure Travel Vans, thank you for your sponsorship and for making these Rallies possible. Thank you to Shasta and Joe of Old Mill RV Resort for accommodating a rowdy crowd of over 100 LTV’ers. We hope to see you again next year. Finally, for Dean Corrigal, we loved having you at our Rally–you’re an LTV star and a great addition to any crowd!

Written by: Beth and Randy Blaisdell

53 Leisure Travel Vans from the Western Sunsetters Travelers Club gathered at Seal Bay RV Resort near Courtenay, British Columbia, for a three-day Rally from May 29 – June 1. Seal Bay RV Resort is one of the nicest places we have ever gathered, with full-service spacious lots, a wonderful and attractive clubhouse, and some of the cleanest bathrooms ever seen.

On our first night, everyone gathered at the clubhouse for a meet and greet. Old acquaintances were renewed, and new ones made. The evening ended with a bonfire in the large fire pit which had beautiful Adirondack chairs surrounding it.

Tuesday, we were lucky enough to have Ian Moore, the owner of Big Boy’s Toys in Nanoose Bay, come to our Rally with a brand new 2023 Unity Twin Bed, which attracted a large crowd. Ian also brought his Service Manager Adam Peacock who spent most of the afternoon visiting coach owners to answer questions on issues or inquiries they had. Also, we were fortunate to have Dean Corrigal from Triple E in Winkler, Manitoba, and the star of many LTV videos join us for most of the day. Many people knew of Dean from viewing the LTV videos, but it was a delight for many to meet him in person. At 3:00 pm, Big Boys Toys hosted a wonderful wine and cheese party with excellent wines from 40 Knots Winery in Comox, British Columbia, and cheese from Natural Pastures Cheese Company in Courtenay, British Columbia. The evening we ended with another bonfire that was well attended.

Wednesday was a free day to do whatever tickled your fancy. Some went sightseeing, others to museums, and some went shopping, hiking, or bike riding. Our campground bordered the Seal Bay Nature Park, which had a 7-kilometer trail. Others just hung around the campground, relaxing and visiting. Wednesday evening at 5:00 pm, the chapter provided the Rally registrants with a BBQ of burgers, chips, and watermelon. After the BBQ, we held a draw for the LTV merchandise Triple E sent to us as well as a few prizes donated by some of our registrants. Again we ended the evening with a bonfire.

Thursday was departure day, so goodbyes were made and promises to meet again. Some were heading home, others to explore more of Vancouver Island, and a few would stay at Seal Bay for a few more days. Special thanks must go out to Tony and Georgia Smith of Campbell River, Britsh Columbia, who have been working on the planning for this Rally for the past 12 months and then executing it flawlessly. Without people like them, we wouldn’t be able to experience rallies. Also, thanks go out to the many members who helped in any way, whether it was preparing coffee and muffins in the clubhouse for all every morning, tending the bonfires, cooking and prepping for the BBQ, etc.

Written by: Norm Lavoy

The Carolina LTVers Spring Rally was held at Camp Margaritaville in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and in attendance were 45 rigs. In addition to North and South Carolina attendees, we had owners attend from Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virginia. We had Wonders, Serenitys, and Unitys with model years spanning from 2014 to 2023! We also had all experience levels of owners, from people on their first RV trip to tenured LTV owners.

Camp Margaritaville is a tourist’s heaven and home to Dollywood. It is also close to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Camp Margaritaville resort offered several amenities, including a pool, a lazy river, an arcade, duck bowling, a billiards room, corn hole, pickleball courts, and a restaurant. The resort was within walking distance of several restaurants and had a trolley service to take you to the main trolley station. Depending on where you were going, the trolley was either a quick trip (i.e. to Dollywood with no stops) or a long ride to go 5 miles (with stops every few blocks). It took us an hour to go 3 miles from the park and an hour and a half to get back to the campground.

Due to all the nearby attractions, our agenda was limited. We were all located in the same loop in the RV Park, so most attendees took advantage of walking around and talking to their neighbors. We had a pavilion in our loop where we held the opening session and BYO breakfast meeting. It also had a beautiful view of the mountains and impressive sunsets. We had an opening session on Monday evening to review the limited agenda and do introductions. We also had a group dinner on Tuesday, a continental breakfast on Wednesday, and a Q&A session on Wednesday afternoon.

We could not have asked for better weather, with the upper 70s and low 80s during the day and 50s at night. Our attendees did various activities, from floating down the lazy river, going to Dollywood, attending shows, riding bikes to Pigeon Forge, hiking, sightseeing, and biking in the National Park.

Cades Cove is closed to automobile traffic on Wednesdays, so it is a great time to ride bikes. Parking can be an issue there, so you have to go early. We were told that starting June 1st, a shuttle from the trolley station will take you and your bike there for a fee. Traffic can be very slow in the National Park, especially when bears are out.

The Pickleball courts were also popular in the mornings, with both players and curious onlookers. We even had a few first-timers on the courts! With the sport’s popularity growing quickly, it’s another necessity to put in the rig.

Victoria Bouldin facilitated the Q&A session and was well-attended. Every one of the 80-plus seats was taken. The topics of discussion included whether to change to lithium batteries, how to make your rig feel like a home away from home, pets on the road, and trip planning. Victoria also put together a nice list of resources for LTVers.

We are lucky to have so many nice owners attend this Rally. We reconnected with friends from our past Rallies and met new owners attending their first Rally and the first Carolina LTVers Rally. Many owners commented they liked the casual atmosphere of this Rally and learned many things from fellow owners.

Enjoy this video of the Rally.

Written by: Jerry and Debbie Stephens

The Ontario Sunrisers LTV Chapter held their Spring Rally at Green Acre Park in Waterloo, Ontario, from Tuesday, May 23 – Friday, May 26. In total, 26 LTVs registered to attend, including three attending their first Rally. We arrived on Tuesday and had a check-in process followed by a meet and greet session with prize draws and a potluck appetizer get-together by the pond. That evening we had a campfire with a very large ring of people, which gradually got smaller and closer to the fire as the night proceeded.

Meet and Greet

Campfire

We had coffee, pastries, and fruit by the pond on Wednesday morning. At 10:30 am, 17 bicycle riders started on a 24-kilometer trail and bike lane ride (thanks to Sharon and Phil for planning the route) through the University of Waterloo grounds and into downtown Waterloo.

Fruit and pastries

We stopped to see the historic Brubacher house built in 1850 by John E. and Magdalena Brubacher, who were Mennonites from Switzerland and Pennsylvania. They lived in the house with their 14 children until the early 1900s. Our next stop was the Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery to see some amazing art pieces. We had a lunch break by Silver Lake in Waterloo Park and then took the bike lanes along King Street to see the historic downtown area of Waterloo, followed by a different bike trail route back to the campground. In the afternoon, a smaller group of bikers did an 8-kilometer ride on the trails closer to the campground.

That evening we had a catered dinner in the recreation hall by Kennedy Catering. We had apple bourbon chicken, two salads, roasted potatoes, and vegetables. After dinner, several game tables were started, with Bid Euchre and Catch Phrase being popular.

Catered dinner in the recreation hall

Catchphrase game table

Thursday morning was a little cold at 1 degree Celcius, but we had a nice blue sky for the RV, and group shot photos. As people had their coffee, we did a show-and-tell discussion where people brought along unique items they had purchased for their LTVs. This was a big hit as people brought very useful items that we could now add to our shopping lists.

Show and Tell

Our next activity was to travel to the St. Jacobs Farmers Market–Canada’s largest year-round farmers market, where the favorite item was to get apple fritters, followed by beer flights at Block Three Brewing in St. Jacobs. Next, we walked down the street to The Village Biergarten for lunch on the patio. When we arrived back at the campground, the Canadian Geese had moved in and done their “business” all over our group campsite. We were entertained when the campground staff came with their yard boss machine to clean up the mess so we could hold our question-and-answer session. That evening we had another campfire and cooked some smores.

Famous Apple Fritters

Block Three Brewing

Friday morning was 2 degrees Celcius so we decided to have another campfire so it was warmer for chatting and having coffee. We said our final goodbyes and were happy that everyone seemed to enjoy this rally at Green Acre Park in Waterloo; we’ll return to this campground in the future. Our Fall Rally will be in Wiarton in late September, but until then, safe travels wherever your LTV takes you.

Written by: Joel Smith

35 LTVs attended our Spring Rally in beautiful Eureka Springs, Arkansas, on April 19, 2023. The four-day event provided many new friends, great food, a wealth of LTV/Sprinter/Transit technical information, and shared experiences.

Eureka Springs was incorporated in 1880 and is located in the Ozark Mountains of northwest Arkansas. This little historic town is a tourist destination. The city has steep winding streets filled with Victorian-style buildings, and it has no traffic lights.

Day One

The Rally kicked off with our evening’s meet and greet, giving everyone a chance to meet our new attendees and an opportunity to catch up with the lives of our seasoned club members.

Day Two

This day was filled with many activities, coffee, and pastries, and we started the day with a tech talk and Q & A. After a lunch break, the ladies did a craft project. That evening the club provided a taco bar followed by a presentation/discussion on apps for RVing.

Day Three

This was group picture day, followed by a tech talk for new LTV owners. Our afternoon was free to explore Eureka Springs. That evening, we were given a spectacular sunset over the Arkansas hills as we conducted our club meeting. Then it was on to our popular fun evening activity–BINGO!

Day Four

On the final full day, we spent much of the day with a tech talk covering 2020 and new LTVs. There was a lot of mingling among owners out in the RV park. That evening we had a happy hour with a plentiful spread of delicious finger foods. Many of the owners afterward hosted campsite gathering around the park.

On Sunday morning, we said our goodbyes.

We want to say thank you to our club members and the support of Leisure Travel Vans for helping make our rallies successful!

Written by: David Clinkenbeard