AMISH RALLY IN MT. EATON, OHIO

It’s Thursday night (August 7) and I left home a week ago. Time is going by too fast! I’m in a campground with no WiFi and no cable, although I’m able to get a few TV stations with my Converter Box. So I’m composing this in Word and will hopefully transfer it to my Blog somewhere on the road tomorrow. (That didn't happen!)
I arrived in Mt. Eaton, OH on Monday for a Roadtrek Rally. I know some of you are thinking, “What’s a Roadtrek” and “What’s a Rally?” My motorhome is called a Roadtrek and is manufactured by Home and Park in Kitchener, ON. A Rally is a group of Roadtrekkers who get together at planned events all over the U.S. and Canada. This is about the 18th one I’ve attended during the past seven years. I’ve made many wonderful friends, and I always meet several new people at each one. Mt. Eaton is in the heart of Ohio Amish Country and it’s a beautiful area with rolling hills and lush countrysides. And I do mean ROLLING hills! There are many heavily traveled two lane country roads where horses and buggies are a common sight. The speed limit on some of the roads is 55 but you don’t dare go that fast because you never know what you might encounter on the other side of the hill! I saw buggies of all sizes and shapes, Amish on bicycles, Amish on tractors, Amish on horse drawn wagons loaded with hay, etc. There were so many photo opportunities but nowhere to pull off the road to take a picture. The area abounds in Amish furniture shops, food stores, cheese shops, crafts, wooden objects, etc. The Evergreen RV Park where the rally was held is one of the nicest campgrounds I’ve ever stayed in. Quite a difference from the one I’m in tonight. This one is really the pits but at least I’m leaving in the morning!

An Amish lady works at the campground in Ohio and it’s quite a site to see her in Amish dress with her little bonnet driving a golf cart and using a gas blower to clean up the area. She gave a little talk at the potluck dinner the first night which was very informative and she answered many of the questions our group had about the Amish lifestyle.

Before I arrived at the Rally I stopped in N.Canton, OH at the Harry London Candy Factory. I had never heard of that brand but the thought of chocolate always piques my interest! They make Fannie Mae Candies, too, a brand that is definitely familiar to me – and my palate! It’s a huge factory and at the forefront are 4 huge vats that each contain 80,000 pounds of chocolate which translates to 7.8 million pieces of candy! It was an interesting tour and we were able to sample some of the candies.

Tuesday I drove to the Longaberger Basket Factory in Frazeysburg, OH. Longaberger baskets are quite expensive and can only be purchased through a consultant or at parties given in the home – sort of like a Tupperware Party. It’s also in a huge building and it was fascinating to watch all the employees in various stages of basket making. They do have a small store where you can purchase some of their baskets and other products with the Longaberger logo. And there’s also an Outlet Store which was inundated with consultants who were at their annual seminar this week. Some of their carts were overflowing with expensive baskets. I counted at least 40 checkout counters that were all manned, and the line was long but moving fairly fast. Their administrative offices are in a building shaped like a basket and with a handle. the factory but I drove there to take a couple of pictures. Very unique!

Last night at the Rally we drove to an Amish home for a family style meal. It’s not a restaurant, but they have a special building where they can host larger groups by reservation only. What a delicious meal and it was all homemade - bread, homemade jam, Amish peanut butter (a combination of peanut butter, marshmallow crème, honey, and maple flavoring), salad, mashed potatoes and gravy, stewed beef, noodles, green beans with ham, and apple, lemon meringue, and chocolate meringue pie for dessert! Anyone hungry yet? Afterwards the couple who hosted us talked to us outside, and Mr. Weaver proudly showed off his “modernized” buggy with lights and nicely upholstered seats. Family members and neighbor girls helped serve the meal. One of their daughters has left the Amish community but was also helping with the meal. Many Amish shun their children if they leave the community, but Mrs. Weaver apparently has accepted her daughter’s new way of life.
The weather continues to be beautiful with lows in the 50’s and daytime highs around 80. Great sleeping weather with the windows open! I don’t miss the heat and humidity in North Carolina at all!
I guess I broke my promise! I said this blog wouldn’t be as long, but there’s just too much to talk about! I said my goodbyes after breakfast this morning and many of the attendees are also going to the Rally in Canada, so I will see them there as well. There were 5 of us “solo-trekkers” at this rally – from CA, IL, MI, and WI. We’re a very diverse and interesting group. Very nice ladies! I’m signing off in a not-so-nice campground in Portage, IN. I’m about a half block f rom the railroad tracks, so hopefully there won’t be much train traffic tonight!