2022 Mississippi River Rendezvous September 23-25

[CindyL]

Some images to whet your appetites. We toured the arboretum in Clinton this morning, had lunch at Appleby's, stopped by the Wide River winery just north of Clinton, and finished up with Eagle River Park in Clinton.

Cindy

[CindyL]

The winery

[CindyL]

Eagle River Park

[CindyL]

Not sure why these are sideways. Turn your device. I will investigate why this happens.

Cindy

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by CindyL

Not sure why these are sideways. Turn your device. I will investigate why this happens.

Cindy

I fixed them. Take pictures in landscape mode, not portrait OR rotate to landscape before uploading to the EscapeForum... or FiberglassRV. There's nothing within the software you can use to rotate the pics once uploaded.


Thanks for sharing them though!

[CindyL]

Thanks, Donna. Apple says I took them with the camera upside down. I will watch this in the future.

Cindy

[DGLP]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

It’s been pretty dry this summer and the mosquitoes depend upon vernal ponds without feeding fish in them . The backwater is full of tiny fish and the larvae do not last long when the mighty bluegill is around. I always bring my thermacells. After a Canadian bear hunt I am a believer.
Iowa Dave

Dave, does it make sense to bring a gazebo for mosquitoes and bugs? We also have a Thermacell but the gazebo will fit over a picnic table and give us even more protection. Great for visitors too!

[Iowa Dave]

It never hurts to have a screened in area for any number of reasons first off the bugs , second wind especially if it isn’t too windy and you have panels for devices like the Clam or similar quickly erected cover and finally for the shade on hot days and strangely for a little warmth if it gets cool and you have a campfire in a can or similar small fire pit. I’m not advocating wood campfires in a tent but a small fire bowl fire where there’s no sparks can be pretty nice when it’s cool or raining. We have the escape screen room on the 21 so do not own a clam but I had a screen room for 20 years when we had the tent trailer. Didn’t have the propane campfire then but it was good shelter and we could get a picnic table inside and did for a week at a time at Yellow River State forest in NE Iowa. Mosquitoes not withstanding this is the peak season for those pesky German yellow jackets that are attracted to food smells, especially sweet things. Always check the opening on your soda can before taking a sip, those yellow jackets can give you a fat lip and you don’t even see the punch coming. I have about 50 sting stories from encounters of the obnoxious kind. You’ll get company when you have protection. Have you seen the wacky forecast for this week at Thompson? 48 degree mood swing
Iowa Dave

[Chasing Trials]

Originally Posted by DGLP

Dave, does it make sense to bring a gazebo for mosquitoes and bugs? We also have a Thermacell but the gazebo will fit over a picnic table and give us even more protection. Great for visitors too!

I'm bring one. Just bought it, never set it up yet?

[DGLP]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

It never hurts to have a screened in area for any number of reasons first off the bugs , second wind especially if it isn’t too windy and you have panels for devices like the Clam or similar quickly erected cover and finally for the shade on hot days and strangely for a little warmth if it gets cool and you have a campfire in a can or similar small fire pit. I’m not advocating wood campfires in a tent but a small fire bowl fire where there’s no sparks can be pretty nice when it’s cool or raining. We have the escape screen room on the 21 so do not own a clam but I had a screen room for 20 years when we had the tent trailer. Didn’t have the propane campfire then but it was good shelter and we could get a picnic table inside and did for a week at a time at Yellow River State forest in NE Iowa. Mosquitoes not withstanding this is the peak season for those pesky German yellow jackets that are attracted to food smells, especially sweet things. Always check the opening on your soda can before taking a sip, those yellow jackets can give you a fat lip and you don’t even see the punch coming. I have about 50 sting stories from encounters of the obnoxious kind. You’ll get company when you have protection. Have you seen the wacky forecast for this week at Thompson? 48 degree mood swing
Iowa Dave

Thanks Dave. We'll be prepared!

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by Chasing Trials

I'm bring one. Just bought it, never set it up yet?

I’m sure a couple rookie campers with 50 or so years experience will give you some assistance in your setup if you need it. Don’t be afraid to ask for tools or other camping needs if you need to borrow something. Last week, the folks next to us needed a drop cord and I had one. They plugged into our 20 amp outlet and showed a movie two nights in a row. Lucille Ball in “The Long Trailer” and the second night Robin Williams “RV”. Two classics in the “on the road “ camping genre’ with popcorn.
Iowa Dave

[Iowa Dave]

There are two large “chain” grocery stores in Clinton Iowa. They are both good. The Fareway store is a little more remote and is in NW Clinton. The HyVee is right in the main business district. Do Not buy apples or Tomatoes before you stop by and see Iowa Dave and Rita. We will have those two things and they are better than reasonably priced cause they are free.
My stuff is not perfect, far from it, but it is raised without chemicals and for me answers the question posed by Dr Paul Ehrlich in his speech at Iowa State University on the first Earth Day in 1970, lo those many years ago. Stop by
https://www.fareway.com/stores/store/98/ad/weekly
Iowa Dave

[splitting_lanes]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

There are two large “chain” grocery stores in Clinton Iowa. They are both good. The Fareway store is a little more remote and is in NW Clinton. The HyVee is right in the main business district. Do Not buy apples or Tomatoes before you stop by and see Iowa Dave and Rita. We will have those two things and they are better than reasonably priced cause they are free.
My stuff is not perfect, far from it, but it is raised without chemicals and for me answers the question posed by Dr Paul Ehrlich in his speech at Iowa State University on the first Earth Day in 1970, lo those many years ago. Stop by
https://www.fareway.com/stores/store/98/ad/weekly
Iowa Dave

We should be arriving in the early afternoon on Thursday, after we swing through a grocery store in Clinton. We’d be happy to pickup apples and tomatoes from your garden. What site will you be in? We’ll be in 68

Rick and Mary

Edit: I see your in 46, or thereabouts. Right near Fudge Brownie. Must be a conspiracy. Lol

[fudge_brownie]

Janet is already eying up the tomatoes.

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by fudge_brownie

Janet is already eying up the tomatoes.

We are in the mid forties, I think 46 but I am just the driver. The navigator runs the show.
Paul, I’m going down to pick right now. I have a variety that best suits you. Celebrity.
Iowa Dave

[Chuck B.]

Greetings! I have a deposit on an Escape 19, delivery in Sept 2023. I learned of this rally from the two ambassadors I talked with.

I plan to drive down from Madison, WI for the day, on Saturday. How do I make best use of the time there, and all these terrific RVers and Escapes gathered in one spot?!

Questions:
Is there a check-in point?
Are there organized activities, such as "Happy Hour Trailer Tour"?
How would I find Escape 19 trailers and their owners?
Do I wander the campgrounds, hoping to find folks around?
What's the best way to say "hello" -- just knock on the door?

Thanks! I look forward to meeting some of you this weekend, and to being part of this forum community as I become an actual Escape owner and RVer.

Best,

Chuck

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by Chuck B.

Greetings! I have a deposit on an Escape 19, delivery in Sept 2023. I learned of this rally from the two ambassadors I talked with.

I plan to drive down from Madison, WI for the day, on Saturday. How do I make best use of the time there, and all these terrific RVers and Escapes gathered in one spot?!

Questions:
Is there a check-in point?
Are there organized activities, such as "Happy Hour Trailer Tour"?
How would I find Escape 19 trailers and their owners?
Do I wander the campgrounds, hoping to find folks around?
What's the best way to say "hello" -- just knock on the door?

Thanks! I look forward to meeting some of you this weekend, and to being part of this forum community as I become an actual Escape owner and RVer.

Best,

Chuck

In post #77 fudge_brownie has written the schedule.

You’ll have no problem finding Escape 19 trailers, just wander around and knock on the door. This is a social gathering and everyone is very happy to talk about their Escape.

Enjoy,

Perry

[CindyL]

Originally Posted by Camp@Home

How're the bugs Cindy?

The gnats are bad. I am sitting here in my camper (Bigfoot Silver Cloud) with an order for a new antibug lotion ready for Amazon when I get home, as we are going to Brown County in a couple weeks, spray on my arms, a blanket over my legs (and spray) and a plan for a gnat trap to pick up at Hy-Vee when we try out the Candlelight Inn in Clinton tonight (They have a special for a twosome on Tuesdays.). I am my own gnat attraction. They home in on me and leave huge, itchy welts; they don't bother Kevin. We had to change our regular campground in Naples, FL in the winter as the noseeums eat me alive. They drove me in from the screen house here last night (It is not bug-free. They just usually are too dumb to come under the camper. Now, we have a few inside the camper.)

I already have a couple of bites on my legs and one in a place I won't say.


Everyone watch out for the turtles as you drive in! I have not seen them in the past, but this year, when the sign says "Turtle Crossing," it means it! We have seen several crossing the causeway, and Kevin moved one off the road today as we were biking.


Cindy

[mfschu]

I recommend you check out the DE IMMIGRANT WINDMILL in Fulton, Il. It's the same thing you'd see in the Neatherlands. Well worth the hour or two to check it out. Unfortunately Mary and I will not be able to attend this years rally but we'll be thinking about you and hoping you all have a great time.

https://www.cityoffulton.us/city/ful...-windmill.html

[Iowa Dave]

I found an immature bullfrog that had been run over at our campsite. He was very flat and very dried out. I gave him his last rites and sailed him back into his ancestral home. Rita is deftly installing our screen room on Cindy’s advice. Hopefully we’ll avoid the bugs. If not there’s always beer and air conditioning.


19 screen room properly installed on Escape 21 Classic #6 with skirt and spa steps for entry. 22 Sailrite dot snaps, some Velcro, a few grommets and a past master on the Husquavarna Viking sewing machine and Botha boom Botha bing you got yourself some bug protection. Thanks all to my wife Rita
Iowa Dave