2009 Is Coming!

Make sure that you check the blog for current information concerning the Hoosier Cruiser Chapter. As you can see from the calendar of events for 2009, the new year looks like another exciting one.
Here's wishing all Hoosier Cruisers a Happy New Year!

Hoosier Cruiser Ambassadors Hard at Work

Jane and Ernie continue to be outstanding ambassadors for the Hoosier Cruisers. They set up, man the display, and recruit new members. If you want to know about past rallies or events, talk to Jane and Ernie. They have never met a stranger and willingly share their camping experinces. After visiting with them most people are sold and sign up on the spot.

Check out the new display board that they have created for upcoming rallies. Can you believe that they have located over 45 locations where the Hoosier Cruisers have traveled for rallies. WOW!

If you run into Jane or Ernie, give them a pat on the back for all that they do.

Christmas Dinner

Approximately 40 members gathered at Ryan's Steakhouse in Anderson to welcome in the holiday season before many of them travel south.

Those is attendance enjoyed a harty meal and their last hurrah for 2008.

For those snowbirds who will be traveling to the south, please share pictures of dinners or events that include Hoosier Cruisers by sending them to Greg Wessel, gmwessel@hotmail.com. The pictures will be posted on the blog for other members to view.

Hoosier Cruisers attending the dinner in Anderson are already excited about the upcoming 2009 rallies. Check the blog for the upcoming rallies and mark you calendars.

May Rally 2009 - Update

Before we know it the May Rally for 2009 will be here. Rem and Judy have been busy preparing for the rally. It will be held at Add-More Campground in Clarksville, IN, on the weekend of May 7-10. This campground is located near Louisville, KY, where there are a "ton of things to do". Rem and Judy are in need of Assistant Rally Masters to help in implementing this rally. If you are interested please contact Rem Remley and Judy Hohl at remjudy@sbcglobal.net or Greg Wessel at gmwessel@hotmail.com.

Make sure to mark you calendar. Watch for you newsletter for additional information.

Catch the fever and join in the fun.

Winchester WOW!

The Andersons and the Wessels have been busy planning the October Rally for 2009. Both families visited the Winchester Speedway to see what is in store for the Hoosier Cruisers next year. The speedway is the world's fastest half-mile track and some of the best open-wheel drivers race in Winchester. The "Old Timer's Weekend" was held at the end of September. Fans were treated to 65 vintage race cars that were built between 1937 and 1980. These cars took some hot laps around the track, although the laps were made under the yellow flag. Just seeing these cars made the trip to Winchester worthwhile.








As you can see Frank and Greg were fascinated with the racing machines from the past.

In addition to the speed way, Frank and Jackie have been working to schedule several tours including Ghyslain Chocolate Shop, Frank Miller Lumber Company, Workhorse Chassis factory, Cardinal Ethanol plant, and Astral casket factory. There should be something for every one.

Although this will be the October Rally, it will probably be held at the end of September. This promises to be a "must attend" rally.

Hoosier Cruisers Donate to Riley Childrens Hospital

This year the Hoosier Cruisers initiated the 50/50 Raffle. The proceeds were earmarked to go to a state charity. Roy Connor, past treasurer, sent a check of $140 to Riley Children's Hospital. Our chapter is proud to support those in need in our state. Hopefully next year the amount will be even greater.

It's That Time Again

Hoosier Cruiser Dues are due for 2009. For those of you who were able to participate in the 2008 rallies, I am sure that you will not want to miss the upcoming rallies. Tentative rallies will include traveling to Louisville, KY, viewing antique autos, car racing, visiting the model aviation museum, and more.

Dues continue to be $15.00 and are payable to our new treasurer:
Norma Wamsley
23256 Greenleaf Blvd.
Elkhart, IN 46514

You won't want to miss a single rally. Please send your dues promptly so that our membership list will be accurate when submitted to FMCA.

Thanks,
Greg Wessel

Fantastic Rally in Spencer

The weather could not have been better with cool evenings and warm days. Gary Hand planned a rally that was full of adventure and new experiences. It began with dinner at the Hilltop Restaurant. The food was excellent and served family style. The rustic atmosphere and good fellowship made this a memorable evening.

The rally continued with Corn Hole Toss, a Luau, many campfires, a roast beef dinner, panning for gold, and golfing. It concluded on Sunday with a church service around the fire lead by Bettie Wessel who was assisted by the Hoosier Cruiser Choir, Jean Connor, Jerry Hardacre, and Bruce Bailey. Read on to experience the fun that the participants had.

The nights and mornings were pleasantly cool and that called for campfires every morning and evening. Dick Minniear showed us how to make the campfires even more beautiful with blue and green flames. If you take a foot length of copper tubing with holes drilled in it, put a length of garden hose in it, and place it in the fire you will have colored flames.

Have you ever played Corn Hole Toss? Well, the rally goers got the opportunity to participate in a tournament and all had fun even when their corn bags didn't go where they wanted them to go.

As you can see the Hoosier Cruisers enjoy a good party. Friday night members were invited to a Luau and you can see that they really got into dressing up for the occasion. Van even wore a Parrot Head for the dinner. The roasted pig and sides were excellent and no one left hungry.










Van and Sandy were the winners of the Corn Hole Toss tournament. The grand prize was a cruise. Little did they know that the cruise was across one of the lakes in the campground, and they had to do the rowing.

Hoosier Cruisers were treated to a new experience, "panning for gold". Vicki, campground owner, gave an introductory coarse in panning for gold. She explained how the gold and gems found in the area had come from Canada. They were moved by glaciers and the gold is called "placer gold". It is 22 to 24 karat gold.
















After practicing in the shelterhouse, members were transported to a nearby stream to try their luck.









Don Orman was the winner of the 50/50 drawing. The proceeds of this year's drawings will be donated to the Riley Childrens Hospital. The club will be donating approximately $150.

Great friends, great fellowship, what could be better!

Many thanks go to Gary Hand, who organized and implemented the rally. Thanks!

Everyone's Favorite Corn Dip from Jean Connor

Members were wowed by Jean Connor's dip, and she has graciously agreed to share it with the club.

CORN DIP

1 Can Mexican Corn, drained

1 Cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

1 Cup Mayonnaise

1/2 Block Pepper Jack cheese, shredded

Combine all ingredients

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes

Serve dip with tortilla scoops

Hoosier Cruiser Officers for 2009

Judy Asbury tabulated the ballots for election of officers. She reported that the following members were unanimously elected. Please contact any of the officers listed below for information concerning the Hoosier Cruisers Chapter.

HOOSIER CRUISERS OFFICERS - 2009

PRESIDENT ------------------------------GREG WESSEL
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT---------RICHARD HAHN
SECRETARY-------------------------------SANDY HAHN
TREASURER-------------------------NORMA WAMSLEY
NAT’L. DIRECTOR--------------------JERRY HARDACRE
ALT. NAT’L DIRECTOR---------------MELANIE BOYER
NORTH V. PRES.------------------ROSEANNE GARDNER
CENTRAL V. PRES.-------------------------GARY HAND
SOUTHERN V. PRES------JUDY HOHL & MARY REMLEY
*NEWSLETTER EDITOR ----------CHERYL SCHMIEDT

Sincere Sympathies

The Hoosiser Cruisers wish to extend their sincere sympathies to the family of Joe and Juanita Rush.

Wanted

Ernie and Jane are wanting names of those that will be in Florida this winter. We would like to continue Charlie Snow's idea of having lunch together in January and February. We need your Florida location, phone number and e-mail address.
Send to jeec50@gmail.com or call:
Jane: 765-617-6708
Ernie: 765-606-4067

What do seed corn, antique cars and chocolate candy have in common?

The September Rally offered a wide variety of activities and events. Participants could choose one or all of the offerings. Tours included a seed company, candy shop, museum, lapidary shop, tractor pull, glass making, antique cars, and great food.

Becks Seed Company uses scientific methods to continuously improve the yield and resistance to diseases of their crops. Robots are even used to stack the bags of seed.

Those attending learned how hybrid plants are made from inbred plants. When the seed corn is grown and then picked from the fields of seed corn, the corn must be inspected and sorted by hand.









Below, one of the Becks Seed workers plants individual seeds to be grown in the greenhouse. These plants will be used in experimental plots to improve the traits of the plants being grown.

Tipton was selected as the rally site by Rally Masters Bill and Judy Asbury, and Assistant Rally Masters Bob and Rosalie Gollner because the Pork Festival was being held. We had many opportunities to try several pork entrees. The pork chops and pulled pork was excellent!

You may notice that Jim and Steve are deep in conversation with a local sheriff. No, they were not detained by the law.











Jerry and Jim look on as the owner of the House of Glass creates a paper weight. He uses shards of colored glass with crystal clear glass to make the one of a kind ornaments.












We visited the Spencer Lapidary shop where the owner cuts and polishes rocks/gems into perfect orbs. He has been contracted by NASA and other companies to produce spheres.

The candymaker and owner of the Venus Chocolate Shop makes mouth watering chocolate. She uses recipes that were passed down to her from her father. Whether you tried chocolate clusters of chocolate creams you were left with the craving for more. At age 72 she works six days a week and said that she plans to live to 100.











As usual the rally participants enjoyed good food and fellowship. They were also treated by Rev. Bubba who retold several fractured Bible stories. Needless to say the crowd was rolling in the aisles with his antics.










Visiting the Elwood Haynes Museum is like stepping back in time. The mansion contained original furnishings and the 1905 Model L Haynes. Mr. Haynes made his first trial run on his new automobile in 1894. In 1898 Mr. Haynes and Apperson formed a partnership known as the Haynes-Apperson Automobile Company. He is also known for his contribution in developing and producing stainless steel and Stellite alloys.














Bob and Rosalie Gollner opened their private museum of rare automobiles. They are pictured in front of a Maxwell that Bob has restored.













Members were fortunate in being able to view very rare antique automobiles manufactured by the Cole automobile company. Bob Gollner was on hand to explain the the mechanics of the Haynes and Apperson vehicles.










The Gollners were gracious hosts and allowed Hoosier Cruisers to drive or ride in the cars that were part of the private collection. What a thrill to actually ride in autos that were produced in the early 1900's.

Many thanks go to Bill and Judy Asbury, and Bob and Rosalie Gollner for a spectacular rally.

If you are enjoying the blog, please leave a comment. Thank you.