Tom and I attended the 2023 Northwest Truck Camper Rally in June. The rally, hosted by Rugged Mountain RV and Stable Camper, was held at the Water’s Edge RV Park in the town of Cascade, Idaho.
This was our first truck camper rally so Tom and I weren’t sure what to expect. The event schedule was relatively brief. It indicated group meals in the mornings and evenings but most afternoons were open to “explore and socialize”.
Our campsite
The rally registration offered a choice between full hook-up sites for $230 or shared hookups for $150. We opted for the shared site since we weren’t towing anything and didn’t need the extra parking space. It was a great deal for 4 nights of camping at the beautiful Water's Edge RV park and all the included rally food and activities.
Mornings at the rally
We started each day by mingling with fellow campers during breakfast. The food, including donuts and breakfast burritos, was provided by the sponsoring vendors… except on Saturday. Every Saturday morning the Water’s Edge RV Park offers delicious fresh baked cinnamon rolls to all their guests. I would have happily ate an entire pan!
Afternoons at the rally
Our afternoons were open to explore the surrounding area, visit with vendors, and socialize with fellow RVers. We had plenty of time to do all of the above.
We enjoyed one afternoon fishing with friends at nearby Horsethief Reservoir. Tom, Paul and Liz had so much fun, they returned the following day.
While Tom went fishing the second day, I joined most of the other rally attendees for a private showing of the Mortons On The Move Go North movie at Cascade’s Roxy Theater. The movie follows Tom and Caitlin’s journey to Alaska. They did a fantastic job of highlighting their 6-month adventure in this 90-minute movie. Their experiences and enthusiasm for Alaska closely match our 3-month road-trip to Alaska during the summer of 2022. Tom and I had started planning a return trip before that summer was over. But, if we weren't already planning to return to Alaska, the Go North movie certainly would have inspired us to do so. After the movie we enjoyed meeting the Mortons, who happened to be in the site next to us, and introducing them to our dog, Alyeska.
In between other activities, Tom and I visited the various vendors at the rally. We toured the Rugged Mountain campers, which were designed and built specifically for RAM 5500 flatbed trucks. With three slideouts they are incredibly spacious!
Many of the rally vendors provided gift bags and raffle items. We won a handy multi-tool from DefianceTools and a bucket of cleaning supplies from Home Depot.
Tom has been wanting to get some quick-release turnbuckles to hold our camper on our truck. The rally was the perfect opportunity for him to meet with the reps from Torklift. Tom’s looking forward to delivery of his new FastGun turnbuckles when we return home.
When we weren’t exploring or meeting with vendors, we were walking down the rows of campers sharing experiences and socializing with the other rally attendees.
Evenings at the rally
Evenings at the rally were about socializing and eating with the whole group. The sponsors provided hot dogs and a great taco bar.
The last night of the rally included a chili cook-off and live music sponsored by Tag Trailer.
After dinner we gathered around the campfires and we even roasted twinkies. I’ve never been a fan of twinkies. But, I must admit they’re pretty good when roasted over a campfire!
While some enjoyed the campfires, others played lawn games including a new favorite, Kubb.
An unexpected source of entertainment, while sitting around the campfires, was the remote controlled truck campers. They handled the rough ground with ease. I think they're ready for the Dalton Highway in Alaska!
Closing the rally
After five great days at the rally, it ended with a short closing meeting. We exchanged phone numbers, said our goodbyes and packed up to hit the road!
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