Yes, this year was a bust. I knew for a long time that I wasn't going to be able to attend your event, but consoled myself with the prospect of going to BJ's early spring Truckfest in St. Louis. That event unfortunately ended up getting cancelled too. I then toyed with the idea of just wandering off by myself into the U.P., but that didn't happen either.

Next year should be better! I have 11 months to get my signal lights working and some yellow stripes on my bumpers--Heck, I could maybe even have working wipers by next September.

Thanks Abe for hosting an event for us.

Jim

Cottage 1, 2 and 3 and Yurt B (handicap accessible) seem to be still be available - book 'em now, they are right near Yurt A which will be where the sheltered vehicle component repairs can be done, campfire stories will be told, and dancing girls will be invited to.
:D

Heck, if our FTE group can lock up those sites, we can have an endless amount of laughs and stack up the trucks near to each other.
(look for the Sycamore loop part of the campground)
Link to the campground booking map:
https://pennsylvaniastateparks.reser...mpgroundMap.do


.

Thanks, Tom, for checking out availability. The cabins are nice and sturdy.

Just waking up this thread, to remind you guys about this year's event. This is the time of year to tell your boss (or wife) what days you are taking for vacation in 2019.
So here are the dates from post #1 of this thread:

This is the place to find info and updates for the Central Pennsylvania Mountain Truckstock that will happen at Bald Eagle State Park in Howard, PA on September 19, 20, 21, 22, 2019.
Keep checking in here for more information.

It will be a blast. Hope you can make it, the more the merrier. Start planning early.

Thanks, Tom. Here is the original thread with all the info about the Bald Eagle State Park and the Nature Inn: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-plan-now.html

A new month, so a here is a new bump to the top for the September event.
Guys, the more of us that go the more fun it is going to be. Myself, I'll be driving an F3 more than 550 miles to get there and am really looking forward to convoy with other FTE members along the way as we get closer to the campground.
Tom

It appears that Yurt-B and Cottage 1 as well as 16 campsites are still available in the Sycamore loop where all the Ford Truck Fun will be happening. Other sites nearby in the state park are available too.
Reserve your spot soon. The closer we are together, the more trucks we can park alongside each other.
Cottages, B&B's, Hotel spots are also in the general area. But if we can raft up in the Sycamore loop it would be a hoot.
Tom

I'll be traveling east--maybe through Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. If Bob Jones is available and willing, I may proceed south through Wisconsin and meet up with him in Milwaukee. Then we could find our way through (or around) Chicago; and finally caravan through Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania gathering momentum as we go. With or without Bob, I'd love to pick up members along the way. Imagine the adventure following Bob for 600 miles!

Jim

You can meet up with Indybeer. He lives in Danville, Indiana. He is an old Penna boy and can show you the way and he can bring his newly painted truck back to it's home state.

Abe, Bob as you know, is renowned for his navigational skills, having proven himself in the Kentucky and Tennessee mountains. He is not tied to his phone or his GPS like so many of us are. His good wife and a map are said to be all he really needs to get from point A to point B. Indybeer could maybe be brought in as some sort of consultant for him, but we'd have to be very low key about it. There are, as you may have heard, some whispered rumors on the internet that Bob's wife has, on occasions, given him bad advice on turns resulting in brief periods of disorientation. Bob has probably heard these rumors too, and he is bound to be sensitive about any implication that he (or his trusty F2) are not totally reliable in the mountains.

Having Indybeer with us as a sort of local mountain guide (e.g. modern day Daniel Boone), would be a good thing for all concerned, but Indy would have to play it cool. We wouldn't want Bob to get upset (or teased) about not being able to find his own way to a Truckstock. LOL.

Jim

Bumping this thread to the top. We are getting closer to September. Should be a good time to see as many of you guys that can make it.
Get your accommodation reservations in early.
Yurt B seems to be still available, as well as many campsites in the Sycamore loop.
Tom

I really want to go. Right now work is spotty so it all depends if I can keep busy. We haven't gone on a trip in at least five years. The last was down to TN for an FTE meet. I won't know for sure until almost the date of the meet.

Jim, if we do go we might just take one of the ferries across the lake. I would like to go to Manitowoc and take the Badger but they drive your vehicle on the ship for you. I don't think any of the teenagers driving the vehicles would enjoy rolling the F-2 on board. The Lake Express they have you drive your vehicle on. Either one, it's not any cheaper or a real time saver than driving through the Chicago/Gary area, the area I refer to as the "Arm Pit" of the country. They only only advantage is you don't have to drive through the "Arm Pit".

That sounds like a great advantage to me! I've been through that area once. Left a friend's house in South Bend to go to a Cubs game. My wife and sister-in-law are Michael Jackson fans so we had to go see the 4 room house (2 bedrooms, kitchen, living room) in Gary that he grew up in. At the time it was empty and they are planning to turn it into a tourist attraction/museum. It is a corner lot and there were weeds along the curb 2 feet high so I pulled them. Anyhow I would not want to drive an old truck through Gary/Chi-town.

Bob, if it is a last minute decision and the cabins, and yurts and the Nature Inn are full and you don't want to sleep in a tent there are nice motels in Milesburg right along Route 80 about 6 miles from the Bald Eagle State Park.

It's likely I'll have room in the Yurt I booked for any last minute arrivals, Bob. They are supposed to hold six people and I'll save a couple of spaces for you. I'm traveling alone so I can stay anywhere where there is room and swap the yurt's space in a way that works for everyone that shows up.
The important things are that nobody will have to sleep with a Harbor Freight $3 tarp as a tent over their heads in the woods near the campground, and of course that we have fun.
Tom

Hey Bob. Two years ago, I took our friend Dave's (49f3dls) advice, and went around Chicago via Highway 47 from the WI border south as far as Gibson City--then Highway 9 east to highway 1. I followed Highway 1 about as far south as Paris, and then made my way east into Indiana close to Terra Haute. This route had LOTS of stop lights through the Chicago suburbs, but the traffic moved pretty well and was low stress compared to Interstate 94 that I had been on in WI. There weren't any tolls to bother with, which was another plus. There was, however, construction, and lots of double clutching at the lights, but I would take this route again, all things considered. I had my first flat tire just outside Gibson City, and spent my first night there.

On the return trip, I took the Ludington to Manitowoc ferry. I saw all these young college age kids (many of whom were girls) loading cars and wondered if they would be able to drive my truck. An older guy appeared from somewhere, however, and drove my truck onto the ferry seemingly without a problem. I believe they gave me the option of driving my truck on myself if I really felt I needed to.

Bottom line Bob, I'll take any route that you think will work best for you. My truck's handling is much improved from two years ago, and I could even do some freeway driving if we needed to. I should have my rear view camera operational by Truckstock time. Hopefully, it will make driving in traffic less stressful--I believe you know all about panel trucks and blind spots.

I have a campsite reserved and a tent. I'd be happy to sleep in my truck and give you and your wife my tent--or vice versa. With only 3 people and one tent on a site, your staying with me would likely be free--we'd just have your second vehicle to "blend" in somehow. I'm looking forward to another adventure and hope you can get away for a few days from your business and be a part of it.

Jim