Valpo Rally Great Fun!

The August Rally was held at the Porter County Fairgrounds and was well attended. Bill and Sandy Berrier, Rally Masters; and George Laurel Dodrill, Assistant Rally Masters planned a rally that was packed full of tours. All camping sites were full service and provided sewer and 50 amp electricity. The fairgrounds provided first class accommodations and were appreciated by those who attended. Those participants want to thank the efforts of the volunteers who made this another successful event.

The Taltree Arboretum contains a diverse array of plants from around the world. It also hosts a collection of living plants that are native to the area as seen in the summer prairie. In 2010 it will also house a miniature railroad display with landscaped gardens and include a new railroad depot that will be a visitors center.

Task Force Tips is a world renowned manufacturer of the best fire nozzles on earth. The fire nozzles are tested in a water booth as seen in the picture. The plant is highly computerized and even the parts and tools that are in bins are selected by machine. The flags in the factory are an indication of the world wide distribution by this company.

Everyone who had dinner on Friday were treated to half a chicken that was prepared by Wayne Brandy. The chicken and fresh sweet corn complemented an already outstanding day.





As you can see we visited the jail in Valparaiso and a couple of our members got caught. Luckily we all were given "Get Out of Jail Free" cards. The sheriff said that the cards were as good in any of the states as they were in Indiana.

The Hoosier Bat factory makes bats that are used by the Major Leagues, colleges, high schools, and children learning the sport. You can recognize a Hoosier Bat by the three rings that are at the top of the grip. If you look closely you can see that some of their bats are made from three different types of wood. The grip is ash, the middle is hickory, and the top is maple. The factory makes custom bats for major league players and is able to produce 200 bats a day.

During the evening meals members celebrated Ed Casada and Chuck Swickard's birthdays.

Saturday, the club took a tour of the Illiana Garden Railroad Society Bull Moose Line. It included several G scale model railroad layouts that were displayed in a well kept garden. A miniature town and countryside made the whole setting seem real.



The Ox Cart Ramblers provided Bluegrass music for the attendees enjoyment. They played a great music that made you want to stomp your feet. If you would like to see and hear a clip of their music click on the picture below.