Bill & Beth White – West Virginia State Directors
As we write this column, we are busy preparing for the West Virginia State Three Festivals Rally which is this weekend. Beth is creating “fabulous prizes” and preparing to cook her traditional ramp feed. Bill is gathering information for each festival with schedules and maps to share with the participants, so everyone can plan when they want to attend each festival. It should be a great rally. There’s good weather in the forecast; although we sure could use the rain, it can wait until Monday when all the festivities are over.
We joined many of you at the 2024 International Rally in Colorado a few weeks ago. The trip out was marred by a persistent beep caused by a faulty sensor on our leveling system. It really bothered Beth, but Bill just didn’t wear his hearing aids. We had to replace a tire on the tag axle on the way to Pueblo. We also couldn’t put up the footrest on the passenger seat, so the drive out less comfortable than usual. The wonderful Newmar Tech’s didn’t have a proper part to repair it, but one of them fabricated a part! Unfortunately, the fix only lasted a couple of days. With the footrest issue and the beeping all the way home, it was a longer trip than it could have been.
As usual, we volunteered with Bill working parking and Beth in registration at International. We had a great time there and enjoyed some wonderful meals with many of our Newmar family. Pueblo is a beautiful location, but our experiences were not like our last International there. Newmar did a fantastic job with the rally, but the homeless in the area have learned how to beat the park system. Some participants had some e-bikes stolen. It could have been a lot worse. We were parked in a great location at the fairgrounds though, right beside the entrance to the Carnival Lot. We had taken our little electric golf cart with us, and it was well used. We learned a lot in the seminars, and had our usual fun time, with old friends and making new ones!
We took a Jeep tour with a very informative driver, who told us all about the area; and we got to cross the Royal Gorge Bridge, which is closed to normal vehicles. While crossing, we got to see the railroad on another tour far below us.
Following the International, Beth got to hone her mountain driving skills as we drove four hours to Chama, New Mexico for the Aloha Aires stateside rally. The switchbacks were fun, a lot like some roads in West Virginia, and the mountain views were extraordinary. Never did see any elk, although there were signs for them; but the free-range cattle did not disappoint! We had to stop for one family that was out for an afternoon stroll. George & Terri James put together a great rally. We enjoyed the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad tour in the parlor car and got to view some beautiful scenery, as we traveled up to one of the highest train stops in the United States, where we had some more great food at a local restaurant. Beth and Terri made sure to get some retail therapy in the local shops of Chama, and Bill bought a cute little hand carved bear to decorate our new fireplace.
Once the Aloha Aires rally ended, we quickly headed back to West Virginia to complete preparations for our WV State Rally as we continued our beep, beep, beeping… all the way home!
We are already planning for the 2025 West Virginia State Rally, which we plan to have as a joint rally with the Aloha Aires and will be immediately following the Newmar Kountry Klub International Rally in Lewisburg, West Virginia. We look forward to showing you more of West Virginia beauty, before you head back home. More on this event, in future columns.
We can be reached by email: janelewbill@gmail.com.
