Searching for a Midwest HitchHiker Club

[southpaws]

We live in Illinois and are looking for a HitchHiker Club accessible to us.  We have read so much about the neat things the clubs are doing and there is not one in Illinois.  It looks like the closest ones are #28 Lasso E in Earlsville, Iowa and #19 Northwoods HitchHikers in Neilleville, Wisconsin.   Is there anyone reading the forum that belongs to one of them or can point us in the right direction?  It would be great to have an e-mail or website connection.  

Craig

[WD40]

Craig, you could always start a new HH Club near your home for the HitchHiker owners of IL.
I am sure you could find others near you who would love to have a HH Club near by.
Doug

[southpaws]

Doug,
We have thought of that, but it would be alot easier to see how people run the clubs for ideas on everything. We were hoping that somebody from the groups where on here. There isn't any website or email addresses on HHAI listing. I seen there were two clubs in Missouri,but the listings show they are on the west side of the state. It would be nice if all of the clubs would put where they are going for the year, so people could pop in if they are in the area.

Craig

[Big Greg]

Craig, it's pretty easy to start a HHAI chapter.  A few of us met at the 2007 HHAI rally and again in Branson, MO.  We were most or full timers so didn't spend too much time in one spot so a local chapter didn't work well for most of us, or there was no local.  We decided to start the Haulin' HitchHikers and contacted HHAI and they educated us on what to do and assigned us Chapter 33.  We don't have any local activities (our first meeting was even cancelled when last years HHAI rally was cancelled) by search other out around the country and get together or travel together.  I'd be glad to tell you how we started our chapter.  Bill Teetz is the prez, Dave Wood the VP and I'm the secretary/treasurer.      Greg

[Ancient Mariner]

Craig, you might have to bite the bullet and go to one of the Missouri get-togethers even if it is clear across the state.

We've been to a couple of Mid-Atlantic HitchHiker Get-Togethers as well as an informal gathering of a group from the forum.  Had a great time at each one.

While I'm not a member, I do know that the MAHH has members from all over New England and states as far south as Virginia.  Their gatherings throughout the year vary greatly from upstate New York, Central Pennsylvania, Southern Jersey and Virginia.  And you never know who will show up from where.  I would imagine that most of the chapters operate the same way.  There's just not enough of us in any one local area to really make it convenient.

As for the forum get-together, it was one of the first (even before the B&B and before anybody even thought about a G&G).  Somebody (Bill T.?) put up a post about getting a group together for a couple days at a campground in north western Virginia and pretty soon, there was a group of about six HitchHikers, and an SOB showing up.

The difference between the two was that MAHH has somebody coordinating the get-together.  They draw money from the club funds and provide breakfast donuts and bagels and coffee most mornings.  They arranged a dinner at a local restaurant, taking a head count, making reservations, etc.  And they usually sponsored an evening campfire.  The informal get-together was pretty much informal.  There was a wine and cheese get-together the first afternoon, you showed up where ever anybody had lit a campfire and we all toured each other coaches to see what the different floor plans had to offer and what modifications each of us had made.

[southpaws]

I guess I need to go at this from a different angle. I'll wait on the clubs to list there events for the year in Thumbs Up and see if we can make one or two of there get together.

Also is there anybody in IL., In., Mo. that would be interested in getting together? 

Craig

[Big Greg]

Craig, check the forum User Map and see if anyone is near your location.  I will often do that and if someone is nearby I'll contact them and get together for a visit.   Greg

[LeRoy FJ]

Craig,

My name is LeRoy Jungbluth.  I belong to Northwoods HitchHikers.  We have 25 members.  Two are from IL, two are from MN and one is from FL.  Our President is from IL.

We have five outings scheduled for 2009: May 8-9, Wautoma, WI; Jun 12-13, Austin, MN; Jul 10-11, Kieler, WI; Aug 7-8 Bancroft, WI; and Sep 11-12, Redgranite, WI.   These are the official dates.  We normally start our outings on Wednesday and end on Sunday.  Because I live in Northeast WI, most of these outings are more than 200 miles from my home.  Depending on where you live in IL, the outings may be closer for you.

Presently, I am in Yuma, AZ and our President is in Tucson.  I hope this is some help to you.

LeRoy

[Jeff Collingwood]

So are we.  We are at 14517 E 29th Lane, in the Foothills area.  Feel free to give me a jingle if you want to come over for a visit.  760-525-4306.
...Jeff....

Presently, I am in Yuma, AZ and our President is in Tucson.  I hope this is some help to you.

LeRoy