VA | 2019, Oct 24-27: Fall Rally at Hungry Mother

[KenEllen]

Forgot to add the two of us would like to go to the dinner.

[Carver 59]

We are new to this site but not to Hungry Mother sp we would love to join y’all for dinner please sign us up we will be in Bronson 21 Thanks
Carver 59 Casita 92 Randy & Tammy

[WaltP]

Welcome Randy. Good to hear from you and I look forward to meeting you there.

Walt

[Terry L]

Looking forward to attending this year. Site 27S, Burson campground. Arrival on Wednesday.

[Jon Vermilye]

I hope to make it, but my schedule is currently too loose to make a reservation. Hope there will still be first come sites if I can work it in.

[Michwill01]

I have a reservation for site 26 at Burson.

Michelle

[WaltP]

Originally Posted by Michwill01

I have a reservation for site 26 at Burson.

Michelle

Wonderful. I look forward to seeing you again.

Walt

[WaltP]

I just got home from a 4 week trip and will get back to work tomorrow on seeing if we can arrange that dinner at the park restaurant.

A little background on our late Fall rally.
Five, or maybe six years ago now, I put out a note to see if anyone was interested in getting together for what I called a mini-rally in late Fall.
I think we had about six get together at a National Park campground in NC, chosen by Jean Clark (Borderbrae). It went well and the following year we repeated it at Rocky Knob CG on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
For the past four years we've been meeting at Hungry Mother State Park, with about 14 rigs and 20 people. I'd say about 60% repeats and 40% first timers,
It's always been pretty laid back with no formal agenda other than getting together for dinner on Friday night.
There is no covered pavilion available but so far we've lucked out with the weather.
Last Fall we decided to move it a week earlier to late October and have dinner at the very good park restaurant. Then, wouldn't you know, the restaurant decided to close earlier and I'm trying to arrange for them to do a dinner just for us. I hope to get that resolved soon now.

[Michwill01]

And include me in the dinner!

[WaltP]

I'm going to add one little thing that seems popular at many rallies. I remembered I have a good, large coffee urn in my attic and I'll get it out and provide coffee in the mornings, maybe with some pastries of some kind.
I do have a Fast Up canopy but am also thinking of buying a CLAM Jr. so one way or the other, the coffee will be under cover.
If anyone has a favorite source for a CLAM Jr with sides, please PM me.

Walt

[R Wilburn]

Rob & Anne site 23. Would like dinner also.

[WaltP]

Originally Posted by R Wilburn

Rob & Anne site 23. Would like dinner also.

Wonderful. I haven't kept track but it seems like we'll have a larger group this year.
I talked to the restaurant manager Friday. He was encouraging and promised to call me back that afternoon with some details. He didn't but I'll try again tomorrow.

Walt

[sdb]

Came last year and had a lot of fun. Plan to come again in October. Looking forward to the dinner



Mitchell and Susan

[WaltP]

Originally Posted by sdb

Came last year and had a lot of fun. Plan to come again in October. Looking forward to the dinner
Mitchell and Susan

Great. Looking forward to seeing you there again.

Walt

BTW, I seem to have messed up on the reservation and currently only have a non specific site.
If anyone cancels in a site 32 or higher please let me know in a PM.

Walt

[sdb]

Walt -
Thanks for your note. We are in site 43 for that weekend. Also we have a couple of other Casitas that may be interested.
Susan and Mitchell

[WaltP]

Originally Posted by sdb

Walt -
Thanks for your note. We are in site 43 for that weekend. Also we have a couple of other Casitas that may be interested.
Susan and Mitchell

Wonderful. The more, the merrier.

Walt

[WaltP]

Well folks, I'm sorry to report that the dinner arrangements have not worked out.
While we're together next month we can discuss whether we want to try for it next year so I can start working on it a lot earlier.
So for this year let's plan on a group dinner around the fire and hope the weather cooperates, as it has every year so far.
See you all next month.

Walt

[WaltP]

Hi again folks. I have some updates.
I've been talking with Lily Kingsolver, a ranger at the park and learned some new information.
First, about the bike ride on the Virginia Creeper Trail that we've talked about a little here.
The trip runs about 19 miles and is almost all gentle downhill. Everyone I've talked to says it's extremely easy and a lot of fun. It goes from Whitetop down to the town of Damascus, a very attractive, friendly tourist town. We will be close to prime Fall color time so it should be spectacular. Here's what Lily has to say about the arrangements.


We can take everyone for the group rate of 20/person with bike rental or 15/person without bike rental but that adds the extra step of bringing everyone back to their cars at the end of the ride so that makes it a little trickier. It's easiest on us to drive everyone together.

Those rates are much lower than the individual rates charged by the outfitters.

Although I prefer my own bike, I think we need to agree to use the rental bikes. Lily says there will be a wide variety to choose from and they are kept in good condition.
The park will provide a van and arrange for the bikes. Departure time will be 8:30 and we'll be back in the park about 3:00-3:30. It will have to be on Friday, because Lily and all the staff will be busy with their Fall Festival Saturday. More about that in my next post.

Walt

[WaltP]

OKay, something else I learned from Ranger Lily Kingsolver.
The park's Fall Festival is that Saturday and some of us may want to at least look in on it.
Here's Lily's comment.

The Fall Festival will include games and crafts for kids, pumpkin carving, hay rides, a wildlife show by a local rehabilitator, and a campfire with folk stories. It'll start at 1 on Saturday and finish up with the campfire, which starts at 8.

[WaltP]

And lastly (for now) some of you might wonder about Lily's surname. Yes, she is a daughter of the well known author, Barbara Kingsolver.
You may even know that there is a family restaurant, run by the parents (mostly the father I've heard) about a half hour from the park. I asked Lily about it and she says

The Harvest Table does take reservations and would probably be able to take a group that size, I'm sure you could call them now and make a reservation for that weekend.


So now I'm asking, should we try for that Saturday night rather than the potluck? And how to go about arranging it? If we do, it should probably be quickly.

Thoughts?