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

[Taz1005]

Hi Walt we are in site 44. What site are you going to be in? Can you provide more information on the restaurant like the address that would be great

Amanda and Vance

[Jon Vermilye]

I won't make it in time for coffee, but will arrive this afternoon.

[WaltP]

Taz and Evirk
I just now talked to the restaurant and you are all okay to come if you still wish.
They asked if we could please move it up to 5:30 to make it easier for them to handle a large group. That means we should be on the road a bit before 5:00.
We'll meet in camp to carpool.
If you want to go on your own, that's okay but please wait for the group to go in.
Walt

[Taz1005]

Thanks Walt. This is our first time down at Hungry Mother. Is the restaurant in the park? What is the name and location of the restaurant in case we drive ourselves.

Also what site are you in so we can introduce ourselves.

Amanda and Vance

[nanylou61]

Walt is in 38. I think!

[nanylou61]

The restaurant is the Harvest Table.
13180 Meadowview Square
Meadowview, VA 24361
30 miles from Camp Burson
30-minute drive time

[nanylou61]

Originally Posted by Taz1005

Thanks Walt. This is our first time down at Hungry Mother. Is the restaurant in the park? What is the name and location of the restaurant in case we drive ourselves.

Also what site are you in so we can introduce ourselves.

Amanda and Vance

The restaurant is the Harvest Table.
13180 Meadowview Square
Meadowview, VA 24361
30 miles from Camp Burson
30-minute drive time

[Taz1005]

Thank you the information

[WaltP]

Good Morning
If anyone's watching, coffee's ready. Site 38.

Walt

[Jon Vermilye]

I started a page of photos of the rally, and will add to it as the weekend progresses.

[WaltP]

Good morning all.
Coffe is on again this morning at site 38.

[CamperBill]

Great Rally!

We appreciate Walt's efforts organizing this gathering and meeting all of the fine folks there! The leaves were beautiful and we're already discussing a return trip!



The Virginia Creeper ride was great!















We stopped for lunch at the Creeper Trail Cafe'












See the Lighthouse stained glass scene in the Casita's door. We ordered a stained glass mountain scene for our Ollie's door from Holly! Can't wait to install it!




Donna and Deanna made wonderful Strawberry and Peach cobblers with their Dutch Ovens!













Hungry Mother SP is a beautiful park:



Our dinner Saturday night at Harvest Table was great fellowship with fine food!

[Radar1]

Originally Posted by WaltP

Good morning all.
Coffee is on again this morning at site 38.

Thanks for the coffee Walt!
We made it home safely last night, had good weather and light traffic so did not need to stop overnight anywhere.
Enjoyed the bike ride, I always had the Virginia Creeper trail on my bucket list and now I can say that I did it!

Recognize anyone in this photo?

[WaltP]

John: glad you two came and nice you had an easy trip back. Hope to see you back here and at some other rallies in between. Also happy that pic didn't damage your phone.

Walt

[Jon Vermilye]

Thanks for organizing the rally. Had a great time even if I missed the bike ride.

[WaltP]

Yes, good to see you again Jon. Hopefully next year for the bike ride. It was a real treat.

Walt

[cpaharley2008]

Thanks for the picture posting.........perhaps next year.

[WaltP]

Okay, a brief recap.
I guess I can't refer to this as a mini rally any longer. We had about 40 people and close to 20 rigs. For the first time we had a couple of scheduled activities: biking the Virginia Creeper Trail on Friday and a group dinner at the Harvest Table Restaurant in Meadowview, owned by the author Barbara Kingsolver and husband. As far as I could tell I think this was the most successful one yet and everyone seemed to have a good time.
For the first time the campground filled up and I think some may have been turned away.
Everyone agreed moving it up till the end of October worked well and should be repeated. Next year it will be Oct. 22-25 and as always some will come early and others stay late.
As the posted pictures show, we pretty well hit the peak Fall color week and the trail ride was stunning, as was a drive up The Back Of The Dragon.
Speaking of the ride, it really is true that the 17 miles of the Creeper Trail is ALL down hill. There are a couple of short, mild uphills in the two miles from the bike rental to the trail and a couple just walked those. Basically if you can ride a bike around the block comfortably you can do the trail. There's even a really nice restaurant along the way, The Creeper Trail Cafe, where we had a nice lunch.
Communications during the year proved to be difficult and I'm not sure what can be done about that. some have suggested setting up a Facebook group, although I know we have some who don't use FB.
Reservations for next year can be start 11 months before, which means November 22, 2019.
Thanks to all who came. You contributed to a fun time. I hope to see many of you again and also some new faces.

Walt

[LarryB.]

Yes, the rally was a huge success. Both the bike ride and the dinner were GREAT!!

"Borrowing" Bill's restaurant picture and using one of my pictures from the bike ride, I added space for us to identify ourselves:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/5DsKGBFNjgGaktCw6

If you would send me your name and the corresponding number from each picture via email or PM (see links below my signature), I'll replace the blanks and update the photos. Feel free to identify anyone that you know.

[Evirk]

Walt-


Thanks for all the effort to bring the rally about. Eva and I were thrilled to be able to attend if for only a day. And thanks so much for squeezing us in for the dinner at Harvest Table.


We met so many nice people and it was so very helpful to get those "tours" of everyone's traveling homes. We learned a LOT. We came to the rally to actually see some fiberglass trailers and try to figure out what we really want in a camper. The visit exceeded expectations.


We have a line on a used Casita 17 Spirit Deluxe which, after our visit, is exactly the trailer we decided we wanted to get. If the used one doesn't pan out we now have the confidence to purchase a new one and not worry that we will want to trade it in a year. Not sure how it will all play out, but you can count us in for next year at Hungry Mother!


Again, thanks Walt for everything, and thanks also to those kind folks who were so gracious to a couple of newbies. We met people we really hope to meet again.


Cheers


Eva & Kirk