What Event Did We Plan Our Entire 2025 Year Route Around?

Our entire 2025 year full-time RV traveling route was planned around this one event!

Kevin thought it sounded like fun and I agreed.

Elkhart County 4H Fairgrounds in Goshen, Indiana. Why are we here? For the 6th annual Alliance Rally! Alliance is the brand that built our 5th wheel. The rally is held here at the fairgrounds and Alliance manufacturing is about 20 minutes away. It officially starts Wednesday but has arrival day as Tuesday but you can arrive today, Sunday. There are a lot of us “Allies” here. We followed the directions and went to gate 7 and went on the long road to the check in stop. Then a guy led us to a spot. We are second from the end of the row and have full hook ups. The guy watched as I guided Kevin in backing in HOWE (footnote 1). (There is a dirt path behind us and a grassy area just big enough for the trucks to park and then the large horse arena). I was lining him up equal to the RV next to us. Soon the golf cart parking guy talked to Kevin and said the Alliances along this row got off and started angling. So he set us straight in which is nice because it makes our yard bigger. 🙂 

It turns out, we are very close to a set of major train tracks. I looked at the train through the bushes and rubbed my hands together in glee. Well, at that exact time, a couple passed on their bikes. They stopped and came over and asked if I was excited about the train. Yes. Really? they asked. They were here last year and this year requested a site away from the train. Thankfully it doesn’t bother Kevin, even at night. I am deaf so it doesn’t bother me at all. LOL While setting up, Kevin visited with our neighbors. They have a bumper pull Alliance and are traveling to Alaska. The guy was having trouble with his Starlink (footnote 2) and Kevin was able to help him get it working. 

We walked around this very nice fairgrounds and saw a funny thing – sheep in the hog barn! In the Swine Barn are 2 Rams…Ram trucks. HAHA  We had a good chat with my family about it.

Memorial Day: We head to Shipshewana, Indiana. Background: it is famous for the Amish in the area. We were there in the fall of 2023 when we had the Amish redo our fridge (it has worked perfectly since). Today is the town’s big event Shipshewana Flea Market. Kevin wanted to go. The traffic into town was more stop than go but that was fine, we weren’t in a hurry. We went to the south east side and finally got parked. Cost $5.00 parking and free to get in. I thought flea markets were where people brought their stuff and traded/sold it. But this one wasn’t that way. This is booths of new things for sale. We bought things in the first 2 booths we looked at! HA Kevin got some little tools, 2 pairs of work gloves, a screen for the bathroom sink drain, and a few other gadgets. The other place was tops for ladies and wow, they are beautiful! We bought one top and a dress. 

At the Pampered Chef booth, there was a chair with the sign, “Spousal Waiting Chair” and we sure got a kick out of that. 

I saw the traffic is still stopped and suggested we just walk to the downtown area. Good idea, as there was zero parking. The walk was just a few blocks and we went to Blue Gate Restaurant. This is where Kevin’s brother recommended when we were here in 2023 and yes, it is so delicious. A buffet. We got there a little after 11:00 a.m. and good thing. Just before noon it was filling up with a line. Rated: Every Time We Come Here – And We Do! 

In searching for things to do around here I saw a play called “Ned & Nancy See America – The Musical.” It is about a guy who retires, gets an RV, grabs his wife and off they go. Well, what could be more fun for us than that?! We went upstairs to the box office and asked about an ASL interpreter for us if we came 2 1/2 weeks from now. The lady then called the day manager who was so accommodating and nice. She said they haven’t used an ASL interpreter for this play but would work to get one. She also took us into the small theater so we could pick out seats that would work with an interpreter. We bought our tickets and added the buffet as a package. This is going to be fun! Later, I think it was Saturday, Kevin got a call from the higher manager saying they just couldn’t find an interpreter. However, they would let me borrow the script and we are to go there and pick it up the following Tuesday and also pick better seats. So nice! I appreciate the effort. 

We continued our walk around the area. At Yoder’s store we bought two shirts for Kevin that he likes even better than his Pennsylvania Amish shirts. We found a fabric panel with an Amish buggy on it and that will work great for my Fabric Places Quilt block. 

In the evening we sat outside around our propane fire pit. People would walk by and visit. Each afternoon/evening, I would send Kevin out on his own to meet and visit with people. He found some great people and spent a lot of time with about 8 others who gathered in one site each evening. I didn’t want him to have to worry about interpreting for me. I know when he does, he is focused on the signs to use and doesn’t retain much what he hears. I want him to be able to enjoy being here fully. My policy went all week long, even at sessions I would say he didn’t need to sign. Just take it in and enjoy. 

Tuesday Alliance Rally: While walking around, we passed a couple we had met at Wilmington, Ohio, the night before we left to come here. They stopped us and we visited with them for a long time. We ended up spending a lot of time with them, until, Alliance wanted their Paradigm in the shop the next morning to fix a broken frame. They had to leave early. We exchanged contact info and hope to meet up when they come back to pick it up. There is just something wonderful about meeting someone and having a good idea you will remain friends.

At 2:00 p.m. there was a new comers session. It was held in the large room where the meals take place. There are 360 rigs here at the rally; 50% people were first timers to the rally. At 4:00 p.m. there were games and the vendor hall opened. Kevin enjoyed time with new friends. That morning, I had a little bit of vertigo. It was enough that I didn’t go to the Alliance factory tour. I was sad to miss it but we both knew walking around there would be tough with vertigo. Kevin went and was so impressed with the company, he said, even more so than before.

Wednesday Alliance Rally: Coming to this rally, everyone gets 3 minor repairs done. When Kevin checked in, they couldn’t find our list. Then another lady told the lady to check the computer. Sure enough, Alliance will do our repairs when HOWE is at the shop getting the wall crack fixed. This is scheduled after the rally. At breakfast a guy sat with us. Kevin was getting drinks and I told the man I am deaf. Suddenly he started signing with me! And good signing. He said his wife is fluent in American Sign Language. Her mom was one of the first hearing person to get their PhD in deaf studies. Wow!!! ASL was used all the time in their home. She soon came over and it was heaven. I could understand her signs very well. What a blessing to me!!! We met up a few more times and exchanged contact info. 

At the vendor hall we found a couple who make vinyl signs. We wanted some made. Kevin got his ham radio call sign and I got a quilt block with a heart around it. The lady built it on the computer and it is cute. The next day we put it on the back of HOWE. Even had a ham radio guy stopped his truck and come over to show us a good placement. His idea was the same as ours. The vinyl was easy to apply. 

Later we played Bingo in the event center and Kevin won an Alliance hat. It is all free to play which is nice. One of our new friends, who is fluent in ASL was the volunteer caller and she signed the letter and number as she said it. Oh, that was wonderful!! Kevin spent the later evening with his new friends sitting around outside. So happy for him.

Thursday Alliance Rally: We rarely see an Alliance in a campground. Here we look, we see an Alliance, get all excited, and then remember we are at an Alliance Rally. 360 Alliance rigs here! HAHA 

That night was Casino Night. Free play money to play and what fun we had! We only played Black Jack. I watched for a long time and then finally jumped in. One point I doubled down with a pair of 2s. The next card was 9 and then 10. The other one was 10 and then 9. Two Black Jacks!!!

Friday Alliance Rally: The weather has been very comfortable. A few days were cloudy and one day had a little rain in the afternoon. At the closing, we were told AllyCares charity raise $41,000; Alliance will match it. That is great. Kevin spent the evening with his friends.

Overall Impression of the Alliance Rally: Parking was well coordinated. Fairgrounds are excellent; well maintained. Sessions were more just the vendors talking about their stuff; I would have like to have people share experiences such as places, how to, etc. There was a panel for becoming full-time and one for boondocking so that was good. Vendors were good. I would have like to see more “fun” things to buy for your RV. Food: good caterers, always good temps and tasty. Need to have second area for serving so people get their food faster. Instead of potluck, how about having block party. Assign 4 rigs next to each other for the meal, each picking either a main, side, dessert, or appetizer. This is a time to get to know your neighbors and no one gets left out. I will suggest this if we get a survey. This was our most favorite rally. It was definitely a great event to plan our entire year around! 😃

*The blog posts are taken from my daily travel journal. Would you believe – it takes me a 1/2 day every week to whittle down a week’s worth of journal so it won’t be too long for the post each week. HAHA Thank you for reading!

1. “HOWE” is what we named our Alliance Avenue 36-ft 5th wheel. See: Home On WhEels and we pronounce it Howie. We live and travel in it full-time around the country.

2. Starlink is satellite internet. It works even when you are out of cell coverage area. You can make phone call through it, too. The company named the user terminal “Dishy McFlatface” and every calls it “Dishy” for short. 🙂