Rallies – Traveling Supremes

HOT SPRINGS ARKANSAS RALLY – APRIL 19 – 26, 2023

KOA HOLIDAY, 838 MCCLENDON ROAD- 501-624-5912/Contact person -Lynn

We are very pleased that we have 9 rigs and 3 cabins rented for our group at this time, but anyone else may come join us. Below is the general DRAFT itinerary which is subject to change which we wanted all TS members to have in order to encourage you to come join us in Hot Springs.

WEDNESDAY – APRIL 19

5:00 PM “Meet and Greet Fiesta” at the KOA club house. We will contact each of you on what to bring.

Wagon Master Steve Merriman will go over the agenda for the week. Duane and Patty Stowe will share details about game night and the music night. Patty will have brochure packets for those attending.

THURSDAY- APRIL 20

10:00 AM – KOA Tour guide, Lynn, will show us around the city with her in depth knowledge.

This is a two and half hour tour in a van that will seat 12-15 people. Please text Lisa at 512-944-4146 to reserve your place. The fee is $25.00 per person which includes the $8 for the ticket up to the mountain tower for spectacular views. If we have more than15 reservations, then another tour will be scheduled.

We’ll lunch at Superior Bathhouse Brewery known for their fabulous homemade root-beer and floats.

The afternoon will be free to explore and there is shopping across the street. Also, points of interest: Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum $10.00, Gangster Museum $14.00, Bathhouse Row for a hot Bath or tour, Garvin Woodland Gardens- $22.00, or do the Walk of Fame Dinner will be on your own.

FRIDAY- APRIL 21

This will be a free day to visit any of the points of interest listed above. Also, keep in mind that this KOA offers a reasonable priced breakfast which you may order on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

At 5:00 PM there will be a salt water fish and shrimp fry in the club house with plates provided. More on this later, bring a drink and your utensils. Duane Stowe will be in charge of “Pickin and a Grinin”.

If you want to share your talent, please let Patty Stowe know by texting her at 361-548-7666. Bring your instruments and voices. It will be fun.

SATURDAY- APRIL 22

Option for breakfast in the club house on your own (you must order) the day is free.

5:00 PM – Games to be announced. You may bring board games and cards. Also, please text Patty Stowe if you want to play 72 to see if there is an interest.

SUNDAY- APRIL 23

Breakfast in the Clubhouse (optional) Order on your own. Free Time to explore, worship or just be,

Evening is free but the Clubhouse will be open if you want to gather to talk, sing, or play games.

MONDAY- APRIL 24

Lunch – 11:30 Purple Cow and free time for touring

TUESDAY- APRIL 25

Dinner at 5:00 PM at Fisherman’s Wharf and time to wrap it up and say our Good Byes! Also will be a time to go over any last minute details about the Tag-Along which follows to Branson.

WEDNESDAY- APRIL 26

Some will travel to Branson for a Tag along. Three nights at KOA to see some shows. (Paul and Tandy have information) Everyone is Welcome, even if you can’t make the Hot Springs Rally.

Safe travels. Steve Merriman

2023 Branson Tag-a-long

Tag-a-long with the Traveling Supremes following the Arkansas Hot Springs Rally! We will be staying at the Branson KOA Holiday, 397 Animal Safari Rd. Branson, Missouri from April 26-29 for 3 nights. We have secured a flat rate of $56.00 per night. The phone number is 800-562-4177 and don’t forget to mention the Traveling Supremes to secure the flat rate.

There are plenty of great shows to choose from and I know everyone will have a good time. Hope to see you there…Steve Merriman, Wagon Master.

2023 Hot Springs Reminder!

Traveling Supreme Members, a reminder about our upcoming Hot Springs Rally which is April 19-25th at the KOA Holiday, 838 McClendon Rd. Hot Springs (501) 624-5912. To be able to be parked together, you need to call by March 1 and ask for Lynn and tell her you are with the Traveling Supremes to get the special rate of $40 per site or $70 for the cabins. They will give a full refund (less $5) if you need to cancel within 24 hours, so make plans to join us in the state with the youngest governor in the nation. (Sorry I just had to put that at the end of the message. Linda)

2023 New Years Rally

TS New Year’s Rally Article 4 and last of the series for the New Year’s Rally

Sunday morning was left open for rest since this was the day after New Year’s night celebration and the late hour of 10:00 for us seniors.

Our traditional lunch of cabbage for cash and peas for good fortune, with chicken and cornbread was delicious. A special thanks goes to Lisa Merriman for the pot full of scrumptious cabbage she brought. We had our judging for the “Pea Off” which was very close, one point, they were both good. The winner was new member Sandy Frazier but close second was Sue Kelly, who said she voted for Sandy. I apologize for not getting the picture for Sandy’s award presentation but I was busy counting votes.

After the great meal, we played pool which was located down stairs in the meeting room. We played modified 9 ball, and some had a great time. Others pleasantly played and were good sports, but Patti and Duane had a ball. No not any of us were pros and mostly the women didn’t even know how to hold the cue, including me, but played anyway to show support to their hubby. Winners of the tournament were Jim and Tina Hoover. They were presented a block of wood which had been carved out and had a 9 ball inside which Polk had made. Quite unique. He also had made several of the wooden puzzles we used on the second night of the rally. This is the only time in the history of the club have we had a pool tournament. We’ve done a lot of things but this is a first. Wish more of you had been here to enjoy the good fellowship and fun. Linda

Happy New Year Traveling Supremes…until next time!

2023 New Years Rally

TS New Year Article 2

We’ve had it all so far, under a boil water ban because of broken pipes in the area, our meeting room flooded with so much rain, it also stormed in the night, earlier when Polk and I arrived it was freezing and had to take precautions, and I postponed a tour to Fort Jesup due to a heavy fog. Well, to clarify, I felt obligated to delay the tour until the heavy fog cleared which did cause confusion, sorry about that, but we made it and finished the scheduled portion of the day.

After Fort Jesup, we went to the Depot to get a sneak preview of the future opening of the museum depicting the train route in the area. Afterwards many went to Nichols store and then off to eat Mexican. That evening we played bingo and winners were able to select white elephants gifts, some good and others, well questionable. Anyway we had fun.

2023 New Years Rally…Take 2!

Our New Year’s Rally Report will be sent in several articles, so be looking for them. I intended to be sending them to Web Master Susan each day through the rally but things happened and my computer wasn’t working with our hotspot. This was the least of our worries. Linda

TS New Year Article 1

Rain, Rain, go away, the TS New Year’s Rally wants to play. We persevered and headed out to tour with our umbrellas and had a good time.

We had 16 couples signed up but two had to pull out leaving us with 14 couples attending. Opening night was snack night and time to review and update the agenda and welcome new members, Raymond and Sandy Frazier from West Monroe, plus give out $180 worth of credit cards or coupons given to us by the different businesses we were visiting. Those attending were: Jerry and Hessie Smith, James and Gail Smith, Bill and Martha Bobo, Sue and Joe Kelly, Sue and Joe Moore, Ron and Diane Garner, Steve and Lisa Merriman, Duane and Patti Stowe, Jim and Tina Hoover, Les and Ida Cook, Burnell and Marie Moreau, Polk and Linda Brian and the Fraziers.

We toured the NASA museum in Hemphill, ate at Hemphill BBQ, cancelled a Mudfish Adventure due to the rain and had “puzzle night” which they seemed glad to come to an end. They were good sports and some were able to win prizes of candy bars, so not a bad day. Linda

New Members Sandy and Raymond Frazier from West Monroe, Louisiana

Puzzle Night

Hemphill, Texas NASA Museum

Stay tuned for day 2…

New Year’s Rally and more!

New Year’s Rally near Many Louisiana and MORE- Read All

Our annual TS New Year’s Rally is usually well attended and we encourage you to mark your calendar and make plans to join us at the Toledo Bend RV Resort and Cabins (318-256-0002) which is located on the huge man-made lake, Toledo Bend, just east of the Texas border and about a half mile from the Pendleton Bridge near Many, Louisiana. The rally will begin on December 28^th and we’ll leave on the 2^nd of January.

Be sure and tell them you are with the Traveling Supremes to get your $10 nightly discount with 8 rigs. They have cabins which are discounted to us for $100 instead of the $139.

Plans are being made for some touring but mostly we enjoy the New Year’s night gathering with “Dirty Santa” better known as stealing someone else’s gift. We’ll have opening snack night and we’ll be eating out at the Fisherman’s Galley which is a steak and seafood restaurant located less than a half mile from the park. I will be sending the agenda to those of you who will be coming which includes the guys attending a short seminar to make a fly-fish bait and we have a New Year’s day competition planned as well as the traditional New Year’s day meal and a “Pea Off”. So come join us for a lot of good fun.

The Fisherman’s Galley Restaurant

Below I’m resending the information about two other rallies sent to you previously by previous Wagon Master James Smith about Mardi Gras and one from our present Wagon Master Steve Merriman about the Hot Springs Rally. Mark your calendar, they are located close to help save on the cost of travel, so plan on coming. Note the cutoffdate for the Mardi Gras Cajun Palms has passed but someone called just yesterday and registered so you can too. Linda and Polk Brian New Year’s Host.

Toledo Bend RV Park

REMINDER if you have not signed up with our club’s Web page in order to get emails from Webmaster Susan Kercher, please do so soon. If you are not signed up, then emails about upcoming rallies posted to the web page will NOT come to you. Only those emails sent from the roster will be coming to you.

Mardi Gras – Here it is, folks! For all those who have never been treated to a Mardi Gras celebration In Louisiana—lend me your ears! We will be going to Lafayette, LA for 2023 Mardi Gras parades and festivities on February 16-23, 2023. Call Cajun Palms RV Resort, 337-667-7772, tell them you are with the Traveling Supremes, and MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS SOON! We have 15 spaces reserved but there is an October 17, 2022 deadline for sign-up. This is a very popular resort which fills up fast so if you think you might go, make a reservation. They have a very reasonable cancellation policy. We plan to go to some parades, eat our fill of Cajun food (someone’s famous gumbo and someone’s bread pudding?), and tour around South Louisiana.

Hot Springs – Join Steve and Lisa Merriman and Duane and Patty Stowe the week of 19-26 of April, 2023 in Hot Springs, Arkansas at the Koa campground. We have secured 15 sites together with both 30 and 50 Amp hook ups for a flat fee of $40.00 per night. We also have use of the cabins for a fee of $75.00 per night. We have full use of the club house and kitchen as well. On Fri, Sat and Sun the club house doubles as a restaurant from 7am to 10 am for menu items. Cancellation policy is a full refund minus $2.00 up to 48 hours prior. Lisa and Patty are working on an agenda which will be presented at a later date. The cutoff date for reservations is the 1st of March. The address for the Koa campground is 838 McClendon Road, Hot Springs, Arkansas, 71901. The contact person is Lynn at 501-624-5912. Don’t forget to mention you are with the Traveling Supremes to get the special rate!

2023 Toledo Bend Rally-Cabins

For those of you thinking about attending the New Year’s Rally without bringing your RV, Linda Brian has secured a cabin rate of $100 instead of the $139 per night rate normally charged. The rally starts December 28, 2022 departing January 2, 2023. Call 318-256-0002 to make your reservation. Be sure to mention Traveling Supremes to get your discount.

New Years 2023

New Year’s Rally (December 28 and leaving on January 2^,, 2023) plans are rapidly coming together for our next TS rally which will be held just west of Many, Louisiana, at the Toledo Bend RV Resort and Cabin near the Pendleton Bridge going into Texas.

An email will be sent at a later date to those of you who are registered, giving you the agenda and what you will need to bring. We’ll be having “Dirty Santa” so gifts are needed and one “white elephant” gift for Bingo, more on this later. We’ll have some quality entertainment by local members. A few tours have been planned for those who wish to go, one at the location where Fort Jesup was and one in Texas where the Columbia shuttle crashed. Plus other destinations of interesting things for you to see and do as well as eating out, yum! Some of you may even want to make a bait for fly fishing in the seminar we’ve set up for those interested. If you don’t fish, you can give it to your son as something special for him to cherish from dad.

We think we also have something really special planned for you, which in all these many years of being in the club, hasn’t been done, but we think you’ll enjoy and have lots of fun and good fellowship while doing it. Yes, it is a competition!

We’ll usher in the new year which may be closer to New York time, eat out some, have a “pea-off” (pea-off not a pee-off), have the usual New Year’s day meal of peas for good luck, cabbage for good health and green backs (money) and we plan on having door prizes from a few of the local merchants. So, we want you to come join us for a good time!

When you call, be sure and tell them you are with the Traveling Supremes so you will get the discounted price. There are cabins for those who don’t want to bring your rig. Following the lead of our new Wagon Master Steve Merriman’s example, I’m negotiating with them to get the price down for the cabin. Hope it works.

The cancellation rules are: 14 days prior to the rally date if you cancel you will lose $25 dollars of the $50 deposit as payment for the cancellation fee and after 14 days, you will get a voucher not a refund. So if you opt to wait on registering, but know you are coming, please let me know so you can be included in the count for reservations and tour numbers and purchasing of food prior to the rally.

Hope to see many of you at our rally.

Linda and Polk Brian

TS BUSINESS RALLY 2022

Galveston, TX

October 12-16, 2022

We arrived in Galveston on Wednesday, October 12, at Jamaica Beach RV Park to find several members already there soaking in the sights, sunshine and cool breezes at the beach. Eventually we had 5 rigs—James and Gail Smith, Jim and Tina Hoover, Steve and Lisa Merriman, Polk and Linda Brian and Duane and Patty Stowe. In addition, we had two more couples who did not bring their rigs but stayed in a local hotel or bed-and-breakfast nearby—Jerry and Hessie Smith and Myrna and Billy Braly.

We had a Meet and Greet at the air-conditioned Clubhouse, but opted to do our remaining activities outside at the beautiful Pavilion in the Park. The Clubhouse was three flights up, so you can see our reasoning! After snacks and finger foods, we tested our brain power with a couple of puzzles Gail had for us. There was also a Lazy River and an adult pool/hot tub at the RV Park for our enjoyment! Also a HUGE tortoise lives on site at the miniature golf course at the Park!

On Thursday, a breakfast of fried eggs and sausages was provided by Polk and Linda Brian. We had planned to take a short walk or ride across the highway to sit or stroll on the beach and enjoy the nice weather and people-watching under James’ canopy but a sudden rain storm cancelled that plan. However by the end of the week, I think everyone had made at least one visit to the beach, some even sitting around their own campfire to watch the sunset.

That evening we met back at the Pavilion for a scrumptious Shrimp Boil, provided by TS Club and cooked by James and Gail Smith.

The Annual Business Meeting followed, as well as the installment of our new 2023-2024 officers. They are:

President: James Smith
1st Vice-President/Wagonmaster: Steve Merriman
2nd Vice-President: Ron Garner
Secretary: Lisa Merriman
Treasurer: Diane Garner

Those who were absent were contacted prior to the event, and all new officers accepted the responsibilities as presented to them by the nominating committee and accepted the positions. A big thank you was given to all outgoing officers and Jim Hoover was treated to a dinner for himself and Tina as his gift from the incoming President James Smith and the entire TS membership!

Ron and Diane Garner, James Smith, Lisa and Steve Merriman

On Friday everyone left the park and headed out for a tour of the Galveston Seaport Museum and the Elissa sailing ship, which Myrna Braly had set up for us. After the tour, a dutch treat lunch was enjoyed at Fish Tales on Seawall Blvd.

Saturday began with another Brian—prepared breakfast of French toast and sausage at the Pavilion. Aren’t they the best? This was a busy day at the park with a Fall Festival and golf cart parade and Halloween costume contest for the kids. We took a free day exploring Galveston on our own. Many visited local mansions and Star Drug Store. We found several of the oak trees on the carved tree tour. Others went to the Greek Festival at a local church. Others sat out to enjoy a Caribbean-style ocean breeze outside the rig—so relaxing! Dinner at the Sandbar Grill, at West End marina, not far from RV Park, capped off a perfect day. (Seafood, of course).

We reluctantly said Adios on Saturday and most headed toward home, though some were staying on for a few days, and some continued their travels elsewhere. Now we are looking forward to our future New Year’s rally at Toledo Bend when we can visit again! Hope to see you all there!