The Heartland LTV’ers walked in the steps of Abraham Lincoln at Lincoln’s New Salem Historic Site in Petersburg, Illinois, and at sites in nearby Springfield, Illinois, for their Spring Rally.
The rally started with check-in at the campground pavilion of Lincoln’s New Salem Historic Site on Monday afternoon. The Heartland LTV’ers flag was erected and whipped in the wind that afternoon. Those who fought that wind to get there were glad to find the peace of their campsite under the plush green shade trees.
After checking in, members visited with old friends and met new members during a meet-and-greet session at the pavilion.
LTV sponsored the main dish, goulash, for that evening’s meal, and members provided delicious side dishes and desserts.
A Heartland LTV’ers club meeting followed the meal. It started with the participants’ self-introductions. Future rally plans were discussed. Information was shared about the rally’s plans and the area’s attractions. Following the meeting that evening, the wind died enough for some to enjoy a campfire, and several small groups played games.
That night, typical of heartland weather changes, rain moved in, and temperatures dropped below normal. However, the warmth of the fellowship continued. Breakfast would be a Springfield favorite called a pony shoe, a smaller version of the area dish, a horseshoe. Volunteers helped prepare and serve the ingredients sponsored by LTV. It started with a split biscuit on the plate, topped with ham, scrambled eggs, hash browns, and sausage gravy. The hot breakfast was appreciated in the cool weather and offered a taste of the horseshoe favorites available at many area restaurants.
Randy Wiebe from LTV arrived to spend the day with us. He started with a Q&A session at the pavilion and then addressed questions individually throughout the day.
The entire group moved to the auditorium in the visitor center of Lincoln’s New Salem. The warmth was appreciated, as was an informative speech by the site superintendent, Troy Gilmore, with a segue into a video about Lincoln and the historic New Salem village.
Members were on their own for the afternoon. Many went through the museum in the visitor center. Some braved the elements and walked through the New Salem Village. The cabins and structures had been reconstructed on the original foundations from Lincoln’s time.
Some sought indoor historical sites in Springfield. One group toured the Dana-Thomas House, a Frank Lloyd Wright design, including original furnishings of his design.
That evening, everyone gathered at the campground pavilion for a Cinco de Mayo meal. We had LTV sponsored tacos, Mexican corn, salsa, and tortilla chips. Participants provided additional side dishes.
The rain had cleared, and that evening the session was an open house for the LTVs of some participants. Six participants graciously opened their LTV for the other rally participants to tour. There was an exchange of many ideas.
With the cold, everyone sought the warmth of their LTVs. Some played cards indoors. The next morning was cold too, and members gathered for another hot breakfast featuring cranberry oatmeal. The after-breakfast session featured Joe Parisi from Van City of St. Louis. He brought a new LTV Unity and put it on display at the pavilion.
It created a buzz as people looked it over, inside and out, and asked Joe questions. He then spoke to the group at the pavilion, discussing what is new for 2027 and the maintenance services they offer, and answering questions. He wrapped up the session with some give-away drawings.
Everyone was on their own for lunch and their choice of sightseeing for the afternoon. Some stayed at the park, and others found more to do and see in Springfield. Some enjoyed the historic diners along the historic Route 66 through Springfield. Some spoke of being impressed by the old neon signs on display at one of the Illinois State Fairgrounds’ gates in Springfield.
For the evening meal, Van City sponsored fried chicken for the group, which was supplemented with cheesy potatoes from LTV and additional delicious sides and desserts from individuals. For the after-dinner session, many braved the cold temps for a “suggest a book” session, where the mic was passed around for participants to share their favorite book titles and authors. Some provided connections to their travels. Following that, those interested in using their convection ovens gathered around a table to follow Sue Gerstenecker’s instructions: each mixed up a coffee cake and baked it in their LTV for the next morning’s breakfast. A few people remained to enjoy a campfire.
The next morning, everyone gathered for a breakfast featuring ham biscuit sandwiches and the delicious coffee cakes. There was an after-breakfast session where individuals took the mic to air what they loved about their LTV and what they hated. That concluded the rally, and many stayed to help clean up and pack things away. Tourist information for the fall rally in Amana was available. Many goodbyes and well-wishes were exchanged as everyone departed.
Written by: Dale Gerstenecker
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://leisurevans.com/blog/heartland-ltvers-2026-spring-rally/