2022 Pink Elephant Rally - May 6-8

[CindyL]

The 2022 Pink Elephant Rally is officially announced for the coming spring! The dates are Friday - Sunday, May 6-8, but people may come early or stay late. This will be a general camping rally with no official events planned due to the still-persistent COVID-19 virus other than morning coffee and evening campfires. Participants will be on their own for meet-ups, sight-seeing, etc. There are plenty of safe things to do in the area: hiking, biking, fishing, canoeing, wineries, interesting little towns, etc. We'll provide some more information about these things in another posting later. We'll make potluck dinner decisions later next spring, too.

The campground again this year will be the Lakeview Campground in the Volga River State Recreation Area (Iowa), which is a few miles NE of Fayette, IA, off Highway 150. The original home of the rally, Pike's Peak State Park, is still scheduled for site renovations in 2022, so returning there will have to wait another year. Lakeview is the northern, full-service campground in the park. Be sure not to register for the other campgrounds, which are the Albany Equestrian/Non-Equestrian campgrounds in the southern part of the park (unless you want to stay with the horses!).

Cindy and I will be arriving on Wed., May 4 and staying until Monday, May 9. We hope to again be in Lakeview site 026, which is the first site in the western loop of Lakeview. Almost all of the sites in Lakeview are full hook-ups for $24 per night. Sites 26 - 36 are pull-through and have concrete pads. The other Lakeview sites are back-in with gravel pads. Showers and modern toilets are also available. Non-reservable walk-in sites are also available.

The reservation window for the park opens 3 months prior to the date you wish to arrive. Since we are planning to arrive on May 4, the reservation system will allow us to register on Feb. 4. This is a popular park, so please plan to register ASAP or you may end up with a less desirable site in the distant Albany Equestrian/Non-Equestrian Campgrounds. UPPER IOWA UNIVERSITY HAS GRADUATION ON SAT., MAY 7, SO RESERVE EARLY TO GET YOUR SITE!

*** Here is the link for the reservations:
https://iowastateparks.reserveameric...&parkId=610134

When reserving your site under the "Pick Your Campsite" heading, BE SURE TO PICK THE LAKEVIEW CAMPGROUND - MODERN SITES. Caution:If you go into the system through the general map listing, there are multiple sites on the list with the same numbers due to the three camping areas. The Lakeview sites are the last set of sites in the list, going from H -041.

To help us keep track of participants, please make a note here when you register, your site#, and your dates.

Thanks and see you in northeast Iowa in May! Keep your fingers crossed for warm days!

Kevin and Cindy Anderson

PS: There is a winery at the entrance of the campground. I will post things to do in the area later. And we bought a larger coffee maker. (Cindy)

[BigSwede]

Would've been nice if both rallies in this neck of the woods weren't the same weekend. Oh well.

[HABBERDABBER]

What's the other?
You don't mention it, and I don't believe it's been posted about here on the Escape forum.

[CindyL]

I guess you mean Mille Lacs. Well, it was that way last year too, and we filled the Iowa sites. I am guessing that there are differences in activities to do in the 2 areas, so you can make your choice that way.

This was the weekend date we inherited.

CindyL

[BigSwede]

Originally Posted by CindyL

I guess you mean Mille Lacs. Well, it was that way last year too, and we filled the Iowa sites. I am guessing that there are differences in activities to do in the 2 areas, so you can make your choice that way.

This was the weekend date we inherited.

CindyL

Yeah, not a big deal but maybe something to think about for the future. Cheers!

[CindyL]

Campground reservations are NOW OPEN for the month of May at the Volga State Recreation Area (Iowa). The Pink Elephant Rally will officially be May 6-8, but we will be coming in early on Tuesday, May 3. If you want a spot, please be sure to go online ASAP! Be sure to wait for the corresponding day you want to arrive to register (e.g. We will go online on Feb. 3 to match with our May 3 arrival.).

When you register, please put a note on this thread with your dates and site# so we can track attendance.

Look for the inflatable Pink Elephant in front of the Bigfoot Silver Cloud. That will be us.

Thanks!

Kevin and Cindy



https://iowastateparks.reserveameric...&parkId=610134

[Ronn]

Originally Posted by CindyL

Campground reservations are NOW OPEN for the month of May at the Volga State Recreation Area (Iowa). The Pink Elephant Rally will officially be May 6-8,

Regretfully we will not be able to attend this year as we have a family conflict that weekend. We really enjoyed last year's Pink Elephant rally, not going this year is a disappointment. We are hoping to see many of you at other rallies this year.

[CindyL]

Kevin and I have been talking about some rally activities since Covid seems to be easing. We are tossing around the ideas of adding a wine tasting on Friday night (The first rally had one at Pike's Peak, but there was a shelter house there and then Covid and their plans for renovation of Pike's Peak hit.) and as part of our Bring Your Own Potluck on Saturday night, we will bring hotdogs and condiments. We have a large hotdog roaster.

The campground has a winery at the entrance.



CindyL

[cpaharley2008]

Gee, if this event was 2 weeks later we could stop by on way out or back to Chilliwack to pick our new E19 in May....maybe next year!

[CindyL]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Gee, if this event was 2 weeks later we could stop by on way out or back to Chilliwack to pick our new E19 in May....maybe next year!

Next year, assuming Iowa gets finished with campground renovations and no other issues, it will be back at Pike's Peak State Park on the Mississippi River.

CindyL

[cpaharley2008]

Thanks, it is on my radar screen now.....

[CindyL]

Kevin and I are renting a shelter house for Friday and Saturday nights, Friday for a wine tasting and Sat for a modified group meal. You bring what you wish to eat with the hotdogs and fixings we will provide. We also will have coffee at our camper every morning. The campground still has 7 full hookups and 5 electric only available. Please let us know if you are coming, where you are from, and what site you have.

CindyL

[Steven M]

Thanks for the heads up on site availability, Anita and I will be there Thursday til Sunday site 31. See you there.

[Chasing Trials]

GEE! I will be on the leg back home from my 1st long road trip to NM. Stopping in Prairie De Chen!!!!, to visit with my Brother & my 96 yr old Father(I just JUST was out there a week ago! Moving him into Assisted Living from Independent). And picked up my 2013 E19.



Early mid April, Heading out to KY see/temperament test, & pick my new aussie puppy, then on out to NM, & then back to Prairie. For a quick visit, & then on to KY pick up my Puppy on the way home. Not sure if the breeder would hold puppy that long(8 weeks on April 28). So close.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by Chasing Trials

GEE! I will be on the leg back home from my 1st long road trip to NM. Stopping in Prairie De Chen!!!!, to visit with my Brother & my 96 yr old Father(I just JUST was out there a week ago! Moving him into Assisted Living from Independent). And picked up my 2013 E19.



Early mid April, Heading out to KY see/temperament test, & pick my new aussie puppy, then on out to NM, & then back to Prairie. For a quick visit, & then on to KY pick up my Puppy on the way home. Not sure if the breeder would hold puppy that long(8 weeks on April 28). So close.

We have always had good luck with our "pound puppies". They seem to appreciate a good home and loving attention more so than some specialized breeds we have had.

[Chasing Trials]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

We have always had good luck with our "pound puppies". They seem to appreciate a good home and loving attention more so than some specialized breeds we have had.

I have rescued, before, but I know what I want now(can't handle 7 dogs anymore, I used to breed to get what I wanted) from a dog to train & DO Agility & Obedience Trials. These aussies pups are from a RESPONSIBLY Totally Health tested Kennel(Hips, Elbows, Eyes, Hereditary Drug sensitivity, DNAed, etc. Who train & Title their dogs. Even having "papers" on a dog, doesn't mean much, with all the puppymill "purebreds" dogs out there.


You are in the heart of poorly bred "Purebred" puppymill country.

[Jimrules]

We’re booked in site 20.
Staying Friday and Saturday night.

[Traverson]

We are in site 34 for Friday and Saturday.

[jsoseman]

Jeff and Katie Soseman escape 17B site #22 Friday to Sunday!

[Nrgtic4]

We loved attending the Rally last year, but unfortunately Pete and I can’t make it this year. Heading out cross country with the trailer in a few weeks to San Francisco to help out with a new grandchild. See you next year!