FMCA Convention in Perry Georgia

We figured out that this year was our 26th time presenting seminars at the FMCA national conventions. Back in 2004 we were there presenting seminars for Coach Connect, a company who installed WiFi in RV parks. After they went out of business we were invited back to FMCA on our own and Geeks on Tour was born in 2006. See this blog post for more history.
This year, the convention was held at the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry, Georgia. Here was our seminar line up this year:

1. Technology for Travelers
2. Smartphones: What does this button do?
3. Google Photos: What to do with all those photos?
4. Smartphone Photography
5. Create your online travelogue
6. See descriptions of all our seminars on this web page.

We got off to a bad start waking up at 6am to a freezing 29 degrees. We had always needed to be at our table by 7am on the first day to take registrations. We were there by 6:45 only to find the building wouldn't open till 8 ... grrrr, I mean brrrrr.

We survived that and gave our first seminar to nearly 400 people. We had to squeeze our normal 90 minutes of material into a new 60 minute format ... I talked fast! But we got some great feedback, like this:

That's what it's all about!

FMCA has always been limited to motorhomes, but they just recently opened up membership to trailers as well. I had a brilliant idea to convince my friend Alex, to join FMCA with her Casita trailer and come with us to the rally and help out at our table.
To my surprise, she said yes! And, she was  great help. We stayed at her place near Gainesville the night before and then followed each other up the road to Perry the next day.

Alex with her Casita and our Roadtrek on the way to Perry.

Alex helping out at our table

 It was a very busy week, and lots of fun seeing old friends and making new ones. Sometimes it's both old and new! One woman attended several of our classes and she came up to me more than once saying, "How do I know you?" "You look SO familiar." We couldn't come up with anything, but on the last day, she gave it another try and asked, did you go to high school at Nova?
OMG - Yes, I sure did. And so did she. Nancy was the captain of our drill team, the Titanaires, and I was co-captain - way back in 1970. Will wonders never cease? She now lives in Georgia and enjoys traveling by RV - and learning more about using her smartphone!

Here's a little Google Photos movie to sum up the week.

Oh geez, I almost forgot ... I have to tell you about the funny way our trip started.
So, we parked at Alex's house overnight before traveling up to Georgia. On tuesday morning, I considered leaving Jim alone and riding with Alex to give me quality time to catch up with my old friend. I was a little uncomfortable though and told Alex that I'd like to start out on the road with Jim, then arrange to meet up at a Walmart somewhere and I'd switch to ride with her the rest of the way.
When I told Jim he said, "I'll be fine, you go ride with her"
OK
I went back to Alex's house, thinking she was inside. She wasn't there - her husband said, she's out in the truck. Oh - ok, but I'd better use the bathroom before we go.
Well, when I came out, both Jim and Alex were gone!
Alex thought I was with Jim, Jim thought I was with Alex, and both of them left me!

Thank God for cell phones! I was able to call Jim and make him come back to get me.

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What Does This Button Do?