It amazes us when we realize this winter Texan get-together all began back in the mid-1990s. That was when the Griffins, Schurmans, McIntyres, Yanceys, Bensons, and Jake Schneider would potluck in Ruby Benson Baechler’s front yard, camping at Gilbertson Park in Elgin.
Jumping ahead to 2014, the weather couldn’t have been better than it was this year at our annual campout! Our registration sheet shows 106 people camped, visited or just stopped by. Temps were in 70s & 80s much of the week, only a small shower one day, but not enough to dampen our spirits. Some camping units came earlier than ever with 3 or 4 arriving on Saturday, most coming Sunday through Wednesday. Campfires were held nightly thanks to our official fireman Lavern. We filled our circle by the shelter house except for one spot. Bensons, Gibbs, Marge Reishus & Ann Johnson were able to find camping units to rent. Some rented motel rooms at Brick City Inn or West Union....while others drove in for a day or a few hours. States represented were Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Texas, Missouri, and South Dakota.
Doesn’t there always seem to be some mischief or excitement of some kind to entertain us?!! This year we felt lucky to have Roger & Darlene Andrews join us and we thank Lavern for traveling to Frederika to pull their 5th wheel over for them. Roger’s had some health issues preventing them from going to TX last winter. Their 5th wheel hadn’t been used in over a year. One day we heard Darlene screaming. Seems a bull snake was stuck in the 5th wheel slide-out (on the INSIDE). After much screaming & photography of the LIVE snake, it was finally extracted, thanks to Myla...she’s SO brave!
We were happy that John & Marge Whited still travel from Denison, Iowa each year. They might be the really SENIOR campers of our group & this year they had a new mini-camper rather than a pull-behind. They are always game to whatever we choose to do each day. Here’s a special welcome to Dave & Marylyn Mason who came for their first year, hoping they found enough fun that they’ll be back in 2015.
Sunday night we enjoyed Irene & John Quail’s hot dogs with chili & slaw, always tasty .. thanks to them for doing this! Evening meals were usually potluck in the shelter house except for the night we went downtown for pizza. The entire week, we had wonderful food, plenty of desserts, good Iowa sweet corn, and those delicious Illinois peaches courtesy of the Gibbs. Following the evening potlucks & even some afternoons people played “nickel”, “dummy rummy”, poker, & Mexican Train dominoes.
The fellows enjoyed golf at the course between Elgin & Clermont. Some traveled to other courses in the area as well. Ladies traveled to various towns & some fellows joined us. Happy hour was held most afternoons about 4 o’clock. It is nearly impossible to record the many trips taken throughout the area but here is a recap, possibly missing some!
Tuesday a group went to McGregor shopping, then stopped at Maggie’s Café for lunch, before continuing on to Elkader for MORE shopping. On Wednesday, a scheduled tour to Country View Dairy between West Union & Frederickburg was taken. This is a Mennonite-operated farm where they make their own yogurt. There were 27 people on this trip! Following the dairy-yogurt tour, we went on to Hawkeye as many wanted to return to K & K Gardens there. Thursday a couple carloads went to Horsefalls in Lansing.
It seemed the highlight tour of the week (surprised us!) was Friday when approximately 30 went to Calmar to tour the Northeast Iowa Dairy Foundation. Even those who weren’t farmers in their “former” lives enjoyed this, especially the robotic milking parlor. We had been told we would have home-made ice cream here. Little did we know we would be making our own. What fun, we’re keeping that recipe & hope to use it in south TX some Sunday afternoon!
Friday we were able to do a repeat trip to Peggy & Steve Kittelson’s Woodland Designs by Clermont where kaleidoscopes are made. Some of the ladies shopped at the 3-story fabric store in Monona. A small group traveled to Spillville to see the Bily Clocks. If you are in NE Iowa and have not seen this, you missed something! Schurman’s daughter Kay & granddaughter Reba came to tube the Turkey River one afternoon with Myla and Lavern. We gave Myla a “star” for her Senior Certificate Award she’d received previously.
Smaller groups took trips during the week including West Union shops & the Amish in Fairbank. They stopped at Dusk to Dawn south of Readlyn only to discover it is not open on Saturday afternoons. We found an Amish Bakery east of Clermont which is smaller than the Fairbank one, but delicious just the same. That group went on to the Amish Greenhouse only to find dried-up plants except for the climbing tomatoes. That was the day Tom’s sister Bev hit a deer doing some damage to the hood of her car!
Bensons grilled 45 chickens (90 halves) Saturday night. That was the day Marc Frana came to entertain us for good listening & some dancing. Seems as we have grown older, maybe wiser, we enjoy the listening as much as the dancing! Thanks to the Slycords who served fried onions for our happy hour that evening. We welcomed many extra visitors on Saturday including some of the Benson-Schmidt kids & grandkids.
Sunday morning we broke up camp with some eating buffet at SkipAway Lodge, some at the popular Turkey River Saloon downtown.
Looking ahead to next year, we’ve had a request to make a return trip to Decorah and possibly do another Mississippi River cruise, so we’ll be looking into those for 2015. We have talked to Fuzzy Oakland, the well-known Clermont resident who knows everything you need to know about the history of Clermont. He may (or may not) join us for a day tour or an evening talk (who the heck knows at this point!), then maybe provide & cook some sweet corn for us with a steam engine. That’s what he told us anyway.
Put this date on your calendar .. Next year we’ll be camping Aug. 2-9.
We are open for other ideas from our friends! Just give us a holler via phone or email!
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