Traveling Supremes

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!

Hot Springs Getaway 2023 (Amended)

Join me 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 cut off 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!

Steve Merriman, Wagonmaster

Rejuvenate in the thermal waters of turn-of-the-century Bathhouse Row.

Nestled in the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains, Hot Springs National Park KOA offers a great place to stay when visiting this truly unique city. The campground is just minutes from Hot Springs National Park and the historic downtown area where you can rejuvenate in the thermal waters of Bathhouse Row. Explore the history of the national park, browse the galleries, and shop till you drop. Thrill to the exciting fun of Magic Springs & Crystal Falls or experience hoof-pounding exhilaration at Oaklawn racetrack. Rock crawlers are welcome at Superlift ORV Park, just a stone’s throw from KOA. Hiking, crystal hunting, fishing, and boating are also nearby. Your campground hosts offer shuttles to downtown (fee) and free rides to Magic Springs and Oaklawn (seasonal). This KOA offers the best breakfast in the area (February – November). Pool: April 15 – September 30. Max pull thru: 80 feet.

Hot Springs Getaway 2023

Steve Merriman, Wagonmaster

Rejuvenate in the thermal waters of turn-of-the-century Bathhouse Row.

Custer South Dakota 2022

After the 2022 Chama rally this year, three Traveling Supreme rigs went on to Custer, South Dakota. They were Jim and Tina Hoover, Steve and Lisa Merriman, and Duane and Patty Stowe. After three days on the road we arrived at Broken Arrow horse camp in Custer South Dakota. Many of the campers there bring horses for trail rides.

The next day we spent the day sightseeing and shopping in downtown Custer. It’s a quaint little town of about 2000 residents. We enjoyed a meal together at the Mount Rushmore Brewing company.

On our second full day in the area, we returned to downtown Custer and saw some good looking cars at a Studebaker car show. Then we headed out to see the Crazy Horse Memorial which is a short 15 minute drive from Custer. We viewed the monument which is a work in progress and is a long way from completion. We also enjoyed a meal at the on site restaurant known as “Laughing Water”.

On Wednesday, we took a day trip to Wall drug. It is located about two hours north of Custer. Wall drug was much larger than I expected. We enjoyed a meal and some shopping. After our meal, we took a scenic drive out to the Badlands.

Of course, no trip to South Dakota would be complete without going to see Mount Rushmore. It is a magnificent sight by day or night. You will see people from all over the world coming to see this symbol of America. After dark, during the peak season they have what is called the lighting ceremony. It is a 45 minute program. A park ranger came out on stage and gave a talk on the four Presidents’ faces depicted on the mountain. There were patriotic songs and at the end, all veterans past and present were invited to come down to the stage and be recognized. It all made you truly proud to be an American!

On our last day we drove up to Hill City and had a German lunch at the Alpine Inn. After lunch, the ladies did a little shopping in some of the quaint little shops in downtown Hill City. Then we were off to explore Custer state park and the Needles highway. This park is one of the largest state parks that I have been in! You could spend several days exploring this park but our time here in South Dakota had come to an end.

A car going through the very tight tunnel!

Vaya con Dios Amigos

James C. Hoover

Chama Gathering 2022

We had a cool gathering in Chama with twelve rigs in attendance including guests Darren and Tammy Phillips, past members of the club, who joined us. Susan and Ted Kercher also joined us from California while staying in a cabin close to the park, making thirteen total. Many came for the entire month, others including us came for 3 weeks while Don Spencer and the Newman’s for several months. It is always like coming home when arriving at Sky Mountain RV Park in Chama and getting to spend time with our extended family, TS Members. Those attending other than Susan and Ted and Darren and Tammy were: President Jim and Tina Hoover, VP/Wagon Master James and Gail Smith, Secretary and Treasurer Myrna and Billy Braly, Steve and Lisa Merriman, Don Spencer, Sue and Joe Kelly, Jerry and Hessie Smith, Dave and Deanne Phillips, Ron and Diane Garner, new members Max and Karen Newman and us, Polk and Linda Brian. The day we left Duane and Patty Stowe came into camp getting ready to travel north for another TS trip.

Naturally we get to enjoy visiting prior to and after the designated week of the gathering. One example prior to the week, we had an ice cream gathering at Sue and Joe’s rig with Jerry and Hessie helping host. Most everyone attends church each Sunday and it is a must to shop regularly at the local grocery which has everything. We did notice that some of the eatery places had closed due to Covid, to lack of help, or a surge of break-ins. We did get to enjoy Sarah’s singing in the grove of the park or in the newly erected club house. She is a long time helper at the park and a special person to all. One Saturday we were able to gather downtown to attend the Chama Days’ Parade and eagerly gathered thrown candies. One evening, many of the group attended an auction and dinner just south of town which helped the humane society. Some of us drove into Pagosa Springs at different times for shopping at Walmart and eating at special restaurants we’ve enjoyed over the years. Some played cards and the men did get to go cut sticks after the designated week was over. The Merriman’s hosted two fish-fry’s and some had campfires to enjoy. Also, we had a memorial for a longtime camper here and friend to all of us, Raymond Bullock, who passed away several weeks ago. He and Mary Ann have been coming for a long time and she too helps in the park and is loved by all. So you see we have kept pretty busy in additional to our RV visiting on a daily bases. Oh, nearly forgot, a few went to the doctor and we were all depressed that our, afore mentioned, Mary Ann, had a stroke and is in the hospital in Albuquerque. So, please lift up a prayer for her.

Our gathering began with a snack night on Monday which is always enjoyable and with varied dishes. We were able to use the newly constructed building which hasn’t been completely finished but is closed in which keeps us out of the weather (pollen and mosquitos). We also had a steak night on Thursday with each couple bringing their own steak, hamburger, or chicken for the grill and a side dish. Delicious as always!

We did have an Executive Members’ meeting during the week where the list of newly nominated officers was presented and they also attended the meeting as guests. The ballots have been sent to each of you and the nominees will be voted on at our business meeting in Galveston in October. Hope you can make it! Also, at the meeting, Myrna reported we have $5,960.53 unencumbered as a balance in our treasury. Two upcoming rallies which will reduce the budget some are: The Galveston Business Meeting Rally sponsored by the club will be Oct. 12 leave on 16 at Jamaica Beach RV Resort and then we will have our New Year’s Rally on December 28 to leave on January 2, 2023, in Many, Louisiana, at Toledo Bend RV Resort and Cabins. Check the web page for more detail. Again, hope you can make both.

Linda Brian

As a reminder, if you have not gone to the web site, travelingsupremes.com, and requested or signed up to receive notices when our Web Master, Susan Kercher, posts updates, please do so now. Sometimes sponsors of different rallies will send you a notice about a rally but sometimes information is sent to Susan for her to send out and if you are not signed up you will not receive the notice.

Linda Bria