Tom Johnson Camping Center Rally Park, Marion, NC

Date of Stay:  Saturday May 23 – Tuesday June 2, 2015 (10 nights)

Rate:  $25/night (rally rate) and $27/night (regular rate for two nights)

Website:  Tom Johnson Camping Center Rally Park
   373 Resistoflex Road
   Marion, NC 28752
   828-724-4105

Description:  The Rally Park is basically a field of nicely cut grass with gravel roads.  There are (50 A)FHU pedestals in the field for the sites.  Some sites are more level than others but all are flat enough.  The dealership is large and across a small creek from us.  The Catawba River borders it all.  Across the street is the service department and a separate campground for the dealership.  The Rally Park is large enough so that the 60 rigs here used every other site for space and there were still several vacant spots.  There is an open pavilion and large community campfire ring for rally events.  Tawanda spent a day in the service department since our “check engine” light came on about 30 miles before our arrival (fuel filter change).

Trash and Recycle:  Leave your trash bag out in the morning and they will pick it up.  No recycle.

Activities:  The first ever RV-Dreams Reunion Rally was held here and we signed up fairly early for eight days of good times with RV friends from the past RV-Dreams rallies hosted by Howard and Linda Payne.  We met up with Tricia and Dan at a nearby rest area so we could arrive and park together.  Bill and Nancy, Bruce and Laura, Gail and Rick were already there.  Many of the people we had met at the Spring 2014 rally were there (Pat and Bridget, Red and Pam, Tracy and Lee among others) along with several others from the 2010 rally (Roger and Diane, Jim and Dee, Mike and Terri, Jim and Linda, Denny and Char, Jim and Pat… Miss Alfie).  There were several catered meals, a potluck dinner, and a game day organized by H&L plus many events that had to be preregistered for such as wine tours, foodie tours and white water tours.  I actually signed up for zip lining even though I’m uncomfortable with heights.  It was great to just hang out with all these wonderful folks too.  Gin and I took a nice ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway up to the Linn Cove Viaduct.  I joined a group of about 20 folks for a hike to Linville Falls along the BRP and then D&T, B&N and I hiked the Viaduct Trail under and around the viaduct.  Very nice.

 

Parked next to D&T, B&L and G&R

 

Empty space between us made for a nice buddy patio

 

Tom Johnson Service Center and their other campground

 

Dinner at the Pavilion

 

David and Nancy in the Frisbee relay

 

Hoola Hoop relay                                      Nancy at the water balloon relay

 

Water balloon relay

 

Mountain laurel and rhododendron along the BRP

 

 

Chestoa View Trail along the BRP

   

 

Views along the BRP

 

Grandfather Mountain and the Linn Cove Viaduct

 

Ready to go zip lining!                                  Still alive on the platform!

   

Bruce, Rick and James were all very comfortable in the trees…

   

Rope bridge in the trees        Zippin’ (guide took a picture of her feet)       I’m a bit nervous   

River Plantation RV Park, Sevierville, TN

Date of Stay: Tuesday April 22 – Tuesday May 6, 2014 (14 nights)

Rate:  $34/night (rally discount)

Website:  River Plantation RV Park
   1004 Parkway
   Sevierville, TN 37862
   865-429-5267

Description:  Reviewed earlier here.  We stayed on site 429 which is a back-in on the Little Pigeon River.  Sites are FHU 50A with cable.  They recently paved the outer loop of roadway which helps a lot with dust.  This is a very commercial area but we were here to enjoy a week with our friends Tricia, Dan, Nancy and Bill and then a week with the RV-Dreams Rally.  We attended a Dreamers Rally here three years ago and this park is a great place for a big get together.

Activities:  We arrived a week before the Rally so that we could enjoy some time in the Great Smoky Mountains with T&D and B&N.  I enjoyed hiking with them on the Abram’s Falls Trail near Cade’s Cove.  We also did about 9 miles of the Appalachian Trail between Clingman’s Dome and Newfound Gap.  Meeting several through-hikers on the trail was inspirational.  Tricia, Gin and I rode through Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail one day and on another day, B&N took the four of us to Gatlinburg to sample some moonshine at the Ole Smoky Distillery.  We all enjoyed campfires at B&N’s signature site and later at Howard and Linda’s.  Since we had already been to a couple other RV-Dreams Rallies, we didn’t go to very many of the seminars.  We did however, enjoy the evening meals and entertainment.  The closing night was Kentucky Derby themed since H&L are great fans of the race so everyone wore Derby hats.  If we are in the area for fun and not for a rally, we probably would not stay here again.  We found a nice park that is quieter and geared more for adults at Up the Creek RV Camp.  It is closer to the Smokies too. 

Trash and Recycle:  A few dumpsters throughout the park.  No recycle in the area.

 

River Plantation site 429

 

Hiking to Abram’s Falls

 

Wild flowers along the way… bleeding heart, trillium and Sweet Betsy

 

Tricia and Nancy at Abram’s Falls                   Dan at Abram’s Falls

 

Horses took their own trail there                  Nice bridge at the start/end of the trail

 

Dan and Tricia…           Bill and Nancy from the parking lot of Clingman’s Dome

 

 

Going up to the Observation Tower at Clingman’s Dome

 

 

Some gorgeous views from the Observation Tower!

 

The Appalachian Trail

Trail Magic for the through-hikers

 

Syl, Gin and Tricia along the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail

Gin and Syl at Clingman’s Dome parking lot

 

Rally registration                                        Pot Luck Dinner

 

Derby Hats…  Nancy, Linda K and Bill                        Syl and Gin