Low Desert/Horn Rapids - Benton City, WA Rally
June 3-7, 2024
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Dates: | Jun 3-7, 2024 |
| Location: | Horn Rapids Park 11583 US Reservation Rd Benton City, WA 99320 |
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| Hosts: | Rick and Susan Zimmerman |
Twelve Born Free Leap'n Lions RV Club members came in seven coaches from four states to the Low Desert/Horn Rapids Rally in Benton City, WA. One attendee was from Indiana and two were from New York. The rally was hosted by Susan and Rick Zimmerman (NW Region VPs).
The rally began Monday in a county park that was once a prison for low-risk inmates during WWII. This first day was interesting for those who had never experienced all-day sustained winds of 34 mph. Some had never seen tumbleweed, let alone its rolling across the grounds. After a potluck dinner, each person relayed stories of their earliest camping memories. Rick then led a talk of the region's wide span of history that included teasers of what was to be seen during the rally.
Tuesday started with a tour of each other's coaches. This popular event helps each owner showcase what they love about their Born Free. An afternoon outing included wine tasting. Two wineries were visited within the Red Mountain AVA, which is a wine region in southeast Washington known for its world class Cabernet, Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, and other varieties. That night's dinner was catered by Porter's Real BBQ which was featured on Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives and included pulled pork, brisket, cole slaw, and gouda mac & cheese. Susan topped it off with her father's famous peanut butter pie dessert.
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On Wednesday the winds finally slowed down and the blue sky and warm weather were upon us. Most of the group visited the Hanford REACH Museum in the afternoon to learn about the region from the Ice Age floods to the Atomic Age and beyond. Some began the visit thinking it wouldn't take any time to see everything, only to ask for more time. We feasted on a catered dinner that night from Costa Vida who set up a taco bar with sweet pork, chicken, refried beans, black beans, corn and flour tortillas, guacamole, lettuce, pico, and salsa. After dinner, many of the group sat around a "campground approved" fire and shared stories near Simba, Jim Schrankel's coach.
A Thursday excursion included a guided tour of nearby active Ice Age paleontological excavation sites for Columbian mammoths. The location's "contents" arrived around 14-17,000 years ago during a series of Ice Age floods. The group learned about the history, discovery, and findings at the site, plus took a tour of the laboratory activities and displays of key paleontology, geology, and paleoecology specimens. The remaining time was spent out at the dig site where the center's staff are carefully collecting specimens to process and study. The final night's catered dinner was from Greek Island Cuisine and featured chicken souvlaki and signature sauces. A special treat, which surprised the attendees, was a unique steel drum band of local youth, Bram Bratá. They performed Mamma Mia! and other tunes. All of the attendees said they had never heard this kind of music and used words like "fabulous" and "amazing" as some were seen moving and dancing to the band.
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The NW Region VPs and attendees posted photos of the rally on the Born Free RV Happy Campers USA on Facebook. As expected, this rally was a great way to see old friends and make new ones while learning and exploring new things.
By Susan and Rick Zimmerman, NW Region VPs