Cooler near the lake VII

[Woodbutcher]

Hi Brian, If you are interested in the Crossroads gathering you better hurry. Kurt is holding a few sites in loop A where the main event is . If you wait, you will be in the other loop, somewhat away from the action. Looking forward to meeting you and seeing your trailer in April!

[Gary and Cheri]

Brian,

Yes I attend near and faraway gatherings. You and I are currently on a thread on the Tears and Tiny Travel Trailers board which while some camping is planned here more discussion relates to building a trailer. Over at the Tear Jerkers board camping and organizing camping is the more dominate theme. Having said that you can find gathering on both boards.

In the St. Croix Tear Jerker chapter, Betsey and Lori are our directors and they guide and support much of our camping in the states of Wisconsin and Minnesota. To our south is the Land of Lincoln (Illinois) chapter organized by Doug (Pigcooker) and Steve (Woodbutcher). Yes, Steve of this thread. You can find much of each chapters gathering being listed on the tearjerkers.com web site. Scroll down the board to the chapters section and enter each to see what camping they are planning.

While I live in the St. Croix chapter you will find that I have already registered for two of the Land of Lincoln events both which are just under half a year away. Most of LOL's gathering are closer travel distances for me than those of my own chapter. To get reservations in the summer today you almost need to reserve your spot 5 to 6 months in advance. Spur of the moment camping can now leave you sitting at home as no sites will be available at the gathering.

Both Steve and I will be at the Indiana gathering called Crossroads of America. I'm on site 10 and Steve is on 11.

You will find that the common thread of camping attracts many of us to each other with the result that we genuinely like being around each other.

Gary

[Bkcreation34]

Thanks,

I sent Kurt a email and also replied on the site and hopefully I will get site number 25. Do you know how that works for payment do I do that on reservce america like I did for this event of cooler near lake? I know Kurt reserved them already so I will wait for him to reply back.

I am excited to see you all in April It is always nice to see new builds and creations of teardrops and CT and others. I really want to learn more of the cast iron cooking.

Thanks Brian

[Woodbutcher]

Hi Brian, If Kurt has a site that he has marked held available , you will pay him. If you want to come earlier then Thursday like many are you would need to get the earlier days from Reserve America. I worked with Kurt last night to get Joe B from Texas a site and that is how it worked.

We have several cast Iron cooks in the group and will gladly show you what we know. Just bring a hearty appetite. We eat well !!!!

[tearhead]

Welcome,Brian--yes, we do sign up for gatherings in other states. We have gone to several Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan events. You always get a warm welcome! Looking forward to meeting you at Cooler!

[Gary and Cheri]

Brian,

You brought up cast iron cooking. In March we will be starting serious talk about the great food people may volunteer to share at Cooler and much of it will be cooked in a cast iron dutch oven. Dutch oven cooking and tiny trailers just seem to go together, but is not a requirement at any gathering that I am aware of. It is just something different and thus fun to do. If you are thinking of getting into it and I would think that at least half of us are, you may want to watch some of these videos;

http://www.youtube.com/user/outdoorcast ... ture=watch

The frogcrawler (Dean) and the Treadrop Nanny (Joanie) are part of our California group of Tear Jerkers and they have gotten real good at cast iron. Watch a couple of videos to see if it looks like something you could get into. You will be amazed by how simple some meals are.

If you get into it you will want to google "Dutch oven recipes". There are numerous free cookbooks on the internet in PDF form. You definitely do not need to buy a book. I have 4 on my computer and enjoy paging through them to get ideas. Most recipes are for 12" Dutch ovens but I use a 10" deep as a 12" is too heavy and wide for my tear though many have them. I actually carry a 10,8, and a 6 in my tear. Got my Lodge 10 deep at Bass Pro Shop. Lodge is a good brand. What ever you get make sure the top fits without rocking.

Remember at a gathering cast iron is not required or expected, but it can be a lot of fun.

Gary

[Gary and Cheri]

Brian,

I am assuming you are the Brian K. now listed as being on site 25 at CRA. Site number 27 is the Duke from page 3 of this thread. Duke is picking up a brand new Camp Inn (avatar is him at the factory as it is being built) early this spring. He and his wife Laurie will be on site 05 at Cooler. Congrats on getting your site at CRA. I see there are still 5 left in the loop where everything is happening.

Also think about the Chicago area Hip Hop in June as that is less than a hour away from south east Wisconsin. http://www.tearjerkers.net/new_forum/vi ... =48&t=6257

Gary

[Gary and Cheri]

We are currently at 17 reserved campers.

1. BrwBier (Bob) - 013
2. Gary and Cheri (Finnegan) - 009*
3. Wanna Be (Lynn and Trooper) - 084
4. Dan and Suzi Galvin - 032
5. Tearhead (Pat and Mark) - 008
6. Outtahand (Kevon and Annette) - 011
7. gdpipkorn (Grant & Diane) - 017
8. Woodbutcher (Steve)+(Marley) - 010*
9. Ptomaine (Tom and Henry) - 012
10. sherryk - 006
11. RioWilson (Mike and Michelle) - 022
12. flygal6 (Carol, Sue and Brutus) - 016
13. Duke and Laurie - 005
14. Glenn and Opal - 014
15. DWE (Dennis and Cheryl) - 034
16. Bkcreation34 (Brian) - 033
17. cs_whypt2 (Dianne, Luke and many dogs) - 088

With several very good sites still available. Site 004 is on the main loop while 086 and 087 are a short 30 foot maintained path from the second loop. My first year at Cooler I was on this second loop and you are still feeling like you are a part of the main loop. Very good sites.

Gary

[Bkcreation34]

Brian,

I am assuming you are the Brian K. now listed as being on site 25 at CRA. Site number 27 is the Duke from page 3 of this thread. Duke is picking up a brand new Camp Inn (avatar is him at the factory as it is being built) early this spring. He and his wife Laurie will be on site 05 at Cooler. Congrats on getting your site at CRA. I see there are still 5 left in the loop where everything is happening.

Also think about the Chicago area Hip Hop in June as that is less than a hour away from south east Wisconsin. http://www.tearjerkers.net/new_forum/vi ... =48&t=6257

Gary

Gary,

Sounds good I will look into the one in June. Yes that is me Brian K : ) How fast do these events fill up do you think if I wait till next week the sites will be still there or do you think chances our slim. They seam to fill up pretty good. This is my first year with doing reserve america and events I only did one and that was the one last year up north with camp inn.

[Gary and Cheri]

Brian,

If I told you to take your time before making a reservation they will be gone in a week, but if I told you that you better hurry then there will be plenty of sites available for the next several months. Your guess is as good as mine. I have never been to this park, but it is the closest park to Chicago and I suspect popular. That's just a guess though.

Most people are not thinking camping right now but watch what happens when the weather turns warmer.

Gary

[Bkcreation34]

Sounds good

[dan galvin]

Well it is a little after 1 am on my last midnight shift
Suzi and i went to green bay last august on the way back we stoped at kohler sp for 3 days they have
done some nice upgrades loop B is getting more elect sites so if you cannot get into loop A loop B has them
on the other side of the road.
also if you think you are going to a gathering make the reservation you can cancal it i think up to a week without
costing you anything
Food for thought
Have a great weekend
Dan G

[cs_whypt2]

Hello All -

Luke and I and the dogs are on site #88.
We do not have a trailer right now and I do not think we will have one this season. We will be in a tent.
Hopefully there is no snow or rain...

Dianne

[cs_whypt2]

Hello Dan Galvin -

It costs $5 or $8 to cancel. But that is not that big of a deal.

Dianne

Well it is a little after 1 am on my last midnight shift
Suzi and i went to green bay last august on the way back we stoped at kohler sp for 3 days they have
done some nice upgrades loop B is getting more elect sites so if you cannot get into loop A loop B has them
on the other side of the road.
also if you think you are going to a gathering make the reservation you can cancal it i think up to a week without
costing you anything
Food for thought
Have a great weekend
Dan G

[Gary and Cheri]

This is great Dianne. Now we are up to 17 campers and there is still plenty of time for more.

As to the weather IT WILL BE GREAT!

Gary