Bean Blossom and Bluegrass

Our latest adventure started a few weeks ago when Gladys and I were watching a movie one night that had a lot of bluegrass music on the soundtrack. That started a conversation about that genre of music, and we knew there was an Indiana connection, even though the Blue Grass state (Kentucky) is our neighbor to the south.  So we decided to do a little research.

Bluegrass Instruments: the banjo and the mandolin

It just so happens one of bluegrass music’s biggest stars was named Bill Monroe and while he was a native of Kentucky, he established a big bluegrass festival down near Bloomington in a town called Bean Blossom.

That’s only an hour or so from us, so we decided to check it out.  A quick day trip turned into a pretty great weekend. We drove down Friday to the Bill Monroe Memorial Music Park and Campground to catch some of the four-day festival.  Well, after Gladys heard a few bands on Friday, she was hooked, and so was I. Since this isn’t our first rodeo, so to speak, we packed enough to stay overnight, and I’m glad we did. We stayed most of the day Saturday to listen to more great bands.

Several people we met there talked about how the first couple of days of the festival (it started that Wednesday) had some outstanding acts. A lot of people had pitched tents and some had rented cabins. Some of the nice folks there allowed us to move into their RV “neighborhood” and we had a grand ol’ time.

So, why did a man from Kentucky who was credited for creating bluegrass music start such a big event in, of all places, Bean Blossom, IN? Well, when he was a teenager in 1929, Bill Monroe moved to the area to work at an oil refinery.  His brothers and some friends started a band, and they caught on pretty quickly. They were signed to a record contract in 1936. Monroe and his new band, The Blue Grass Boys, got pretty popular in the 40s and 50s and he himself performed all the way into the 1990s. He passed away in 1996 just shy of his 85^th birthday.

Monroe’s legend lives on at the festival he started back in 1967.  We had a great time listening to some of the old time groups and some of the younger guys who are keeping bluegrass music alive. We also enjoyed talking to some of the residents of Bean Blossom who remember when Monroe and his first band played at dances and parties and then became a big nationwide sensation. One longtime Bean Blossom resident said he couldn’t believe it when he was visiting family down in Atlanta and heard some of his hometown friends on the radio. It was like he knew celebrities!

What a big event, and what a great experience to meet some fellow Hoosiers. We saw some great acts, met some interesting people and this was all about an hour’s drive from home.

I’d encourage anyone, no matter their age, to pack up an RV (like my trusty Winnebago) and just head out on the road. Gladys and I have found out a great many times that you don’t always have to travel across the country to find an adventure or make some new memories. Sometimes, you can find all that just down the road.

 Winnebago Bill

*Disclaimer: RV.com, which is owned by Dometic Corporation, sponsors Winnebago Bill.  Neither Dometic Corporation, nor RV.com, provide this blogger with free Dometic products, and this blogger does not receive a commission on click-throughs from links on this blog to RV.com, Dometic.com, or any other site.  All references made to product brands are made in an attempt to provide readers with the knowledge necessary to recreate the experiences mentioned in this blog.

RV Museum: A Fun Look Back

One of the things Gladys and I get a big kick out of when taking trips in our Winnebago is what we often find while we’re in the process of getting to some other destination.  I’ll give an example of one of those places I wouldn’t have thought of. but that turned out to be one of the most interesting stops we’ve ever made – the RV/MH Hall of Fame in Elkhart, Indiana. 

Here’s how it all came about.

Gladys and I were on our way to Holland, Michigan to visit some old friends, Flo and Roger, a couple we’ve known for years.  Gladys and Flo went to high school together, but lost touch and years later at their 25-year class reunion, they renewed their friendship.  We ended up going to dinner, and Flo’s husband Roger and I hit it off from the get-go.  Those of you who are married will know what I mean when I say that it isn’t often that the friendship dynamics of married couples fit together than well.  So, when you find a couple you both like, you try to stay in touch.

Anyway, we were on the road to pay them a visit when we pulled into a rest stop in northern Indiana.  I struck up a conversation with another RVer, and he told me he had just been to the RV/MH Hall Of Fame.  He went on and on about how interesting it was. 

Since we were in no real hurry, we made a stop in Elkhart to check it out.  Elkhart’s just east of South Bend, near the border with Michigan.

Some of what is displayed there is geared to people who work in the RV industry, but I have to tell you–the museum they have, the RV Founders Hall, is one of the coolest things you’ll ever see!

In it, they have rigs from the beginning of life on the road in the 1920s and ’30s up to some of the more modern types. 

There is a 1976 Cadillac Eldorado-based homemade motorhome that is really amazing.  They have a 1935 York Rambler Trailer that reminded me of a miniature railroad car on tires instead of steel wheels and painted a beautiful two-tone green and white with wood trim.  There’s a 1933 Runkle Housecar.  It’s built on a Ford V8 chassis and what’s interesting about it is how squared off it is.  I guess they really didn’t think much about wind resistance back in those days.  But, of all of them, I think my favorite was the 1931 housecar named The Tennessee Traveler.  It was another of the big squared off vehicles that made use of wood everywhere. 

Seeing them all made me realize how far the RV has come over the years and really made me appreciate our well-traveled Winnebago.  It may not be new, but it sure is a long leap up the evolutionary ladder from some of the ones we saw in the museum. 

When we got back on the road, we were talking about all those old RVs we’d seen, and I said there was something to be said for having the latest and the greatest.  You know what Gladys said?  “Aw, Bill, I’m kind of partial to the older models.  Just look at what I’ve got for a husband.”

Winnebago Bill

*Disclaimer: RV.com, which is owned by Dometic Corporation, sponsors Winnebago Bill.  Neither Dometic Corporation, nor RV.com, provide this blogger with free Dometic products, and this blogger does not receive a commission on click-throughs from links on this blog to RV.com, Dometic.com, or any other site.  All references made to product brands are made in an attempt to provide readers with the knowledge necessary to recreate the experiences mentioned in this blog.

RV Rally Bound

This week, Gladys and I are going to one of the most fun events we’ve ever attended.  In fact, it’s a disappointment anytime we have to miss it.

It’s The Good Sam Rally and it’s once again in Louisville, Kentucky – just a hop-skip-and-a-jump down the road from where we live outside Indianapolis.

It starts Thursday, June 21, and runs for four days.

If you’re serious about RVing, as we are, this is a “Must Attend” event.  Think of it.  It’s the opportunity to hang out with a whole bunch of people who love the same things you do.  When I say “a whole bunch,” I’m talking in the neighborhood of nearly 3,000 RVs in all shapes and sizes and packed into them are about seven thousand or so rabid RVers you can swap stories with.

There’s so much to do.  You can attend RV-lifestyle seminars, see the latest equipment from the manufacturers, and there are a blue-million opportunities to make new friends and scare up old ones you’ve met over the years in various places.

I’ve told you that Gladys and I are both country music fans, right?  Well, entertainment on the opening night of the Rally is going to feature Larry Gatlin and The Gatlin Brothers!  I’m not sure I have anything to worry about, but it’s become a marital joke between us that Gladys has a thing for Larry Gatlin.   The conversation goes something like this:    

“Bill, no offense but if that man ever made a play for me, I’d be outta here so fast it would make your head swim.”

“Gladys, if Larry Gatlin ever made a play for you, I’d help him carry your suitcase to the limo.”

Naturally, we both have a good chuckle over that, and of course, the roles are reversed whenever the name, “Shania Twain,” comes up.   The only difference is Gladys refers to me as “You Old Goat” instead of “Bill.”

One other thing when it comes to entertainment…there will be an Elvis Impersonator Contest with tryouts going on throughout the Rally and ending with the finalists performing on Sunday night.  This, I’ve got to see.  Now, if they ever have a Johnny Cash Impersonator Contest, I’ll be all over that.

Gladys saw in the show schedule that there will be a fellow named Bob Blumer from the Food Network at the Good Sam Culinary Experience demonstrating some “wow-inspiring dishes” and she and her Rally girlfriends will be there. (No word if Larry Gatlin will show up, so I’m taking a chance and letting her attend without me.)  Meanwhile, my RV buddies and I will be kicking a few tires and “walkin’ around, lookin’ at stuff.”  There are over a hundred seminars available – if you want to know how to eat with a left-handed spoon out of a hubcap, I’m sure they’ve got a seminar for it!

That’s what’s so fun about this gathering.  There’s something for everyone.  It’s nice for Gladys and I to do things together and to go our separate ways when we want.

If you get the impression I’m excited about the Good Sam Rally, you’d be right.  Check it out yourself if you’ve got a mind to.  If your serious about the RV life, I guarantee you’ll have a good time.  Just make sure you don’t get caught standing between Gladys and Larry Gatlin if she spots him.  You could get trampled!

 Winnebago Bill

*Disclaimer: RV.com, which is owned by Dometic Corporation, sponsors Winnebago Bill.  Neither Dometic Corporation, nor RV.com, provide this blogger with free Dometic products, and this blogger does not receive a commission on click-throughs from links on this blog to RV.com, Dometic.com, or any other site.  All references made to product brands are made in an attempt to provide readers with the knowledge necessary to recreate the experiences mentioned in this blog.

Traveling with Kids: How to Muffle “Are We There Yet”

One of the duties (or privileges, if you prefer) of being  grandparents, is when you give your grown children, who have children themselves, the chance to escape from their “rug rats” for a getaway weekend.  Your offspring give you a look of appreciation that knows no bounds.

Baking trays like this one make great lap desks for young artists!

That’s the way it was last weekend with our two children who have kids, Jack (along with his wife, Emily) and Sara (our next in line and her husband, Robby).  The two couples were meeting their remaining sibling, Rachel (the youngest of our brood) in Chicago for a few days of shopping, baseball, dining and general all-around fun (I’ve learned not to ask too many questions.  There are some things Dear Ol’ Dad is not supposed to be too curious about).

While they were going to Chicago, Pawpaw and Meemaw (Who comes up with these names?) volunteered to load the youngsters up in the Winnebago and head off to Raccoon State Recreation Area, about two hours west of our home outside Indianapolis.  There’s a beautiful lake and lots of activities all around that can occupy a crew like ours. 

When Jack and Emily, Sarah and Robby dropped off the kids, the parents all had the look of somebody who’d just made parole, and off they went.

Faced with a two hour trip, how in the world can you keep children of differing ages (three to nine, by the way) occupied?  It’s not like they’re going to be fascinated for long with tales of what Pawpaw and Meemaw did when they were their age.  And Gladys and I have a fundamental problem with having kids’ eyes glued to a television all the time or other electronic devices, for that matter.  So, while I took care of getting the Winnebago road-ready, Gladys started making a list of activities and stocking up on all we’d need.

Here’s what she came up with…

• Crayons and lots of paper – We’re not big on pre-printed coloring books because nothing fires a kid’s imagination better than a blank piece of paper.  And trays or cookie baking sheets with lipped sides make perfect desks for small laps – plus, the crayons don’t roll off.
• Books – Before electronic gadgets overwhelmed the world, people read books.  And even toddlers can look at pictures and turn pages.  Books are so involving, we always have a fresh supply geared to each of our grandchildren’s ages.
• Puzzles –  This is a broad category, of course, and that’s its beauty.  There are puzzles for every age and they are wonderful for developing a child’s problem solving abilities.
• Games – This is another broad category but we try to make sure that whatever game we pack along, they don’t have too many pieces that can get lost or pieces that are too small because they can be a choking hazard.  The best games are the ones that adults can play along with the children.
• Hand puppets – Sounds silly but you’d be amazed at what a child can come up with when they’ve got a toy they can project a personality onto.

Gladys also makes sure that everything we take along for the grandkids will fit into one big plastic tub with a lid. We make sure the children understand that the day isn’t finished until all entertainment choices have been put back in “The Tub.”  Having a place to store everything is a great way to teach them about being neat, a must for anyone who spends as much time as we do in a recreational vehicle.

The two-hour trip to the lake flew by with hardly any “Are we there yet?” questions.  And when we settled in after a full day of exploring the park and it had gotten dark, the kids were able to continue playing with the entertainment choices we’d brought along.  They liked our new Patty O’Room with roll-down sides and were fascinated with something else new I’ve installed.   Even Gladys hadn’t seen this yet because I put it in when she was out rounding up all the fun stuff for the kids.  It’s a 7-color LED light strip that attaches to the awning.  You can program it to change colors and there’s a wireless remote control that comes with it.  As my granddaughter, Carrie, put it – “Pawpaw, it’s like being in a rainbow!”  I must admit I probably played with it more than the kids did the first night.               

Hey, nobody said Pawpaw doesn’t get to have a toy on this trip, too, right?

 Winnebago Bill

*Disclaimer: RV.com, which is owned by Dometic Corporation, sponsors Winnebago Bill.  Neither Dometic Corporation, nor RV.com, provide this blogger with free Dometic products, and this blogger does not receive a commission on click-throughs from links on this blog to RV.com, Dometic.com, or any other site.  All references made to product brands are made in an attempt to provide readers with the knowledge necessary to recreate the experiences mentioned in this blog.

Kickin’ Back, Watching the Race Cars Run

The last time I made an entry to this blog, I mentioned that Gladys and I were heading to Florida for the Daytona 500.   Looking back, it turned out pretty different from what I had hoped it would be, but I’m not complaining.  Someone once said, “My worst day RVing is still better than my best day working.”

As you probably know, the race was postponed by almost a day and a half by rain.  The winner wasn’t decided until after midnight on Monday night. 

The Patty O'Room that was almost traded for a luxury coach!

We’d found a really nice RV park a relatively few miles from the track.  Months ago (when Gladys told me we could go to the race), I’d booked a spot for the week, even though I pretty much knew we wouldn’t get there until probably half way through the week. 

Now, don’t get me wrong, I love my Winnebago because it’s just right for Gladys and me, but I have to tell you I was having some serious “luxury coach envy” when we pulled in the park.  Seems like everywhere we looked there was a luxury rig parked.  But one of the things I like most about the RV life is that the people you run into, no matter how fancy their motor homes, are usually just as “down-home” as the next guy, not putting on airs and as friendly as you please.  And that was the case here.

We made friends immediately with our new neighbors, Frank and Missy, and ended up riding to the track with them on race day.  As you may know, it tuned out to be a long day with rain preventing the start of the race.  Gladys and I, along with our newfound friends, ended up going back to the park with nothing but damp clothes after a day of waiting, waiting, waiting.

The next day was more of the same weather for a time and I sheepishly confess we stayed at the park and ended up watching the race on television in our friends’ luxury coach in HD.  There’s something to be said for sitting in dry comfort with good snacks and cold beverages.  Not exactly the kind of Daytona 500 experience I’d been expecting, but, you know what, I can’t think of a thing to complain about.

 The next night (we’d decided to take our time leaving to let the traffic clear), we invited Frank and Missy (they were staying, too) for a cookout at our Winnebago under our awning.  We wanted to be able to play host to them since they’d been so kind to invite us to join them over the past two days.

After the dinner dishes were cleared and it was getting dark, I turned our awning into our own private screened patio so we could enjoy a few hours of comfort playing pinochle.  From experience, I know how it can be in Florida when the sun sets – it’s like ringing the dinner bell for the mosquitoes.  

If you’ve never seen one of these contraptions, it’s a nice little idea.  The side screens unroll down from the awning and – Bingo!  You’ve got a screened-in porch.  I noticed Frank had his eye on it and even asked about it.  I told him that while I’d like to take credit for the purchase, Gladys was the one who saw it first.  I think the name caught her eye  — Patty O’Room!  It gave Missy a chuckle, too.  I figure women must like puns…at least those with the same sense of humor as Gladys.

 Now, I know you wouldn’t think a guy in his well-worn Winnebago would be the object of envy by a man driving a luxury motor coach, but I have to say, after seeing his coach, I’m glad I had something Frank didn’t! 

Before we parted for the night and said our farewells, I offered to trade him straight up:  our Winnebago – with the screened-in patio thrown in – for his rig.  We all had a good-natured laugh about that and promised to stay in touch.

As it turned out, this journey down for the Daytona 500 was one of our most memorable trips ever.  Probably because of the nice people we met.

Safe travels to you no matter where the road leads you. 

Winnebago Bill

*Disclaimer: RV.com, which is owned by Dometic Corporation, sponsors Winnebago Bill.  Neither Dometic Corporation, nor RV.com, provide this blogger with free Dometic products, and this blogger does not receive a commission on click-throughs from links on this blog to RV.com, Dometic.com, or any other site.  All references made to product brands are made in an attempt to provide readers with the knowledge necessary to recreate the experiences mentioned in this blog.

When Momma Ain’t Happy, Ain’t Nobody Happy

Okay, I have to confess, I love the Daytona 500.  And this year I’m finally going to get the chance to go back after not seeing it in person for almost 10 years.

About six months ago, my wife, Gladys, gave me the green light, so to speak, to start planning for the two of us to take a trip to Florida to see the race.

The air conditioner that made Momma happy!

She had only one condition, and she put it in her unique way, as always.  She said, “Bill, get that roof-top air conditioner replaced or you’re going to be one lonely old fudd when you’re sitting in that motorhome in the Florida sunshine…’cause I won’t be going with you!”

Now, I don’t know if you’re married, or, if you are, if you’ve been married as long as I have, but, let me tell you, there’s one thing I’ve learned being married to Gladys all these years:  “If Momma ain’t happy, ain’t NOBODY happy!”

So, I started checking up on roof-top air conditioners.  If you’ve ever replaced one, you know they’re not cheap.  But my father taught me that you’ll never regret spending what’s necessary to get something that does the job and lasts a good long while.  And he never steered me wrong.

I ended up buying a Dometic Brisk Air and fitting it with an air distribution box.  The guys down at the RV dealer I go to when I need my Winnebago worked on said I couldn’t go wrong (Hey, they’ve met Gladys…they knew who was really calling the shots on this one).  So, I had them put it in, and Gladys and I took a trip back in the early Fall on one of those unseasonably warm weekends to try it out.  Worked like a charm.   Of course, I can’t say for certain it was the A/C unit, but I swear Gladys was even more pleasant that she usually is. 

We shoved off for Florida four days ago.  We’re in no rush, so we decided to stop in Nashville on the first leg and kick back for a day.  Gladys loves country music and as you know, there’s no better place for it.  I’ve always been a Johnny Cash fan, but somehow it seemed appropriate to have Willie Nelson on the stereo blasting out “On The Road Again” when we pulled out the next day, heading toward Atlanta.

An occasional extended trip like this is good for Gladys and me.  It’s nice for the two of us to just get away from it all and have an adventure.  I know, I know, you’re thinking: “You’re retired!  What in the Sam Hill do you have to get away from?”  But when you’ve been married as long as we have, with your kids grown, a couple of them married and now grandchildren underfoot a lot of the time, it’s easy to forget that it started out with just the two of you.  A trip like this is nice because we get to spend time together, just like we did in the beginning all those years ago.  And, while — if you’ll forgive the analogy — there’s probably more “miles of life” behind us than we have in front of us, it makes it all the more special when we get the chance to act like kids again. 

I like seeing that smile on Gladys’ face. 

Of course, it might just be because of the new air conditioner.

Winnebago Bill

*Disclaimer: RV.com, which is owned by Dometic Corporation, sponsors Winnebago Bill.  Neither Dometic Corporation, nor RV.com, provide this blogger with free Dometic products, and this blogger does not receive a commission on click-throughs from links on this blog to RV.com, Dometic.com, or any other site.  All references made to product brands are made in an attempt to provide readers with the knowledge necessary to recreate the experiences mentioned in this blog.