TR2020 was truly unique, amidst the crazy Coronavirus pandemic... In the weeks and months leading up to Memorial Day, no one could predict what Serb Fest would look like by the time we got to late May. In March, hopes were high that lockdowns would be lifted comfortably ahead of TR… that things would be back to ‘normal’… That nothing would impact our beloved weekend. By mid-April, with lockdowns extended to May 1 across the country, TR was put squarely in the crosshairs of the pandemic. Uncertainty was thick and it was becoming clearer that even if we were lucky enough to have State Parks and Inns open, many would not be comfortable attending. By mid-May, for a few short moments, it appeared that Serb Fest on Memorial Day weekend would indeed be canceled based on a voicemail message I received from the Department of Natural Resources. But the universe had other plans. Moments after firing up some TR tunes in the car, the phone rang – Turkey Run Inn was on the line to confirm our reservation – that the park would be open. At that point, many made the very difficult decision to forgo the trip. And a handful decided to take the risk and venture into the uncertainty of what Central Indiana might look like under the lens of “social distancing”. Ultimately, the weekend become abbreviated and postponed slightly to Sunday-Tuesday. Scott Berger (myself), OLAF and families anchored the attendance list. Amy L, Bryce and the Decker’s joined. And the Berger’s recruited a new family from Wheaton a week before TR, putting the total attendance at 19 people. Pretty astounding to have had nearly half the normal attendance under those conditions. To say the least, those who were unable to join us were very much missed, but in the spirit of Turkey Run, the “skeleton crew” of 2020 made the best of it... and it turned out to be a fantastic weekend!

The park was pretty busy Sunday, but truthfully, everyone kept their distance from group to group. Shortly after the Berger’s arrived at 11:30a, quite a backup formed at the Park entrance. Some had to wait upwards of an hour to enter. Katie Decker and the kids even abandoned their car to enter the Park on foot… though, after getting lost making their way to the grill site, Mark ultimately beat them. In the meantime, the Berger’s set up camp and consumed several cold beverages while awaiting the others to arrive. We initially started at a remote grill adjacent to the playground and field, but by 3:30, we migrated back to our traditional grill site. After an opening meal, the group assembled for the annual wife beater photo and embarked on a hike. Typical route – Trails 3-10. While there were lots of people on the trails, it wasn’t nearly as crowded as the number of cars in the parking lot would suggest. Typical evening activities followed until being shut down by a Ranger after taking over the Shelter due to a light rain.
Ultimately, it wasn’t the time of night that got us shut down, but rather the fact that we blatantly ignored the caution tape and signage clearly indicating that the Shelter was not open for public use yet. The Ranger, rather passive aggressively said, “Hi folks, I wasn’t aware of any decisions to reopen the shelter, are you?” Of course, we weren’t, so we began packing up for the night.

The next morning, Memorial Day, we made our way to Sugar Valley canoes for the annual beer float. This was one activity that was in question due to social distancing concerns – particularly on the bus ride… But everything ended up working out. Our group occupied the majority of the bus and we all sported masks for the ride. The entire operation was probably running at less than 50% capacity. Plenty of room to spread out and still have fun. The group depleted the entire supply of beverages, which suggests that we either had a really good time… or we under-packed. I’d say it was somewhere in between, but definitely leaning hard towards simply having a really good time! Perhaps the biggest shocker of the weekend is how well-received the Natty Light hard seltzer was on the kayak trip…. A mango/peach concoction, this is Natty Light’s ‘Aloha Beaches’ variety. At 5.2%ABV, it packs a punch… and it’s incredibly refreshing! If still in production next year, I fully expect it to make a return! Following the float, a few people hit the road for Chicago. The remainder of Monday night and Tuesday morning was relatively low-key... I’d even say, relaxing… A slightly different vibe from the action packed late nights of a typical Serb Fest… or the chaos of chasing countless toddlers around. All in all, the weekend worked out quite well! But again, we all undoubtedly look forward to a return to normalcy next May for TR2021! Let the countdown begin!

BOSKOVIC FAMILY
STEVANOVIC FAMILY
DANILOVIC FAMILY
ZELENKOVICH FAMILY
Scott Berger	23 (25)
Julie Berger	16
Grant Berger	11
Carter Berger	9
OLAF	20 (21)
Julie L	13
Sara L	13
Jack L	12
Jimmy L	9
Mark Decker	3 (6)
Katie Shannon	3 (4)
Cameron Decker	4
Aaron Decker	4
Amy Lund	5
Bryce Thal	2
Griffin Leininger	1
Colleen Leininger	1
William Leininger	1
Olivia Leininger	1
XX (YY) :: XX Indicates # of trips to Serb Fest, YY Indicates total # of trips to Turkey Run
* Indicates a Demerit that has resulted in -1 Trips

The more beers we drink, the faster they'll get here! - Scott

I’ll drink luke warm beer, I don’t give a shit... but only in the morning.. - Griffin

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