Last Rally for a While

I hate backtracking, especially when that means traveling the highways on the south side of Chicago.  The teeth-jarring toll-charging Interstates. You see, our original plan looked like the map below where #1 is the INTO Rally in Lebanon, TN, #2 is the Escapade in Goshen, IN, #3 is a week with the Quad Cities Computer Club, and #4 is the Fleetwood Rally in Duquoin, IL, and then we would be headed west.

Something happened to #4 and they combined with the Glamarama rally in Goshen … same as #2.  So, we had to drive from #2 to #3, then back to #2.  On some of the worst roads in the country.  Now we’re planning to head back west, and it would be logical to go thru #3 again, but I do not want to travel that road again!

Other than that, the rally was ok.  You would think that having a double-rally would give us bigger audiences but that didn’t happen.  The Glamarama rally already had a Tech-guy covering some of the topics we normally do (Smartphones, Websites, Windows 8, and GPS/Mapping software), so they didn’t schedule us for anything more than we had already agreed to do for the smaller Fleetwood rally. The good news is that we had a booth and we had lots of time to chat with people – reconnecting with old friends and making some new.

Here’s old and new in one photo!  From left to right: Jason Wynn, Cherie Ve Ard, Chris Dunphy, Nikki Wynn, Gary Bunzer, Me, and Jim in the inset.  To learn more about these folks, see GoneWithTheWynns.com for Jason and Nikki, Technomadia.com for Chris and Cherie, and RVDoctor.com for Gary Bunzer. 

We also had the pleasure of presenting a seminar for Harvest Hosts.  We arranged this several months ago when we heard they wanted someone to do the seminar for them because they needed to be in Arizona at this time. We think Harvest Host is something that every RVer should join and use. With a $40/yr membership, you get to stay at wineries and farms all over the country – no charge, except what you pay for wine! We’ve stayed at two so far, and they were both delightful. Presenting the seminar rekindled our own interest and we’ve pinpointed a winery about 4 hours from here to be our first stop after we leave.  We’ll be headed south in order to avoid that route by Chicago!

Right now, we’re staying in an RV service center to get our slide fixed … again! This time we’re at Master Tech in Elkhart, IN. We’ve heard really good things about them by several RVing friends recently.  And, they’re proving to be good for us as well.  The problematic slide was fixed in the first few hours we were there, it just needed some adjustment between the front motor and the rear motor so it came in and out evenly.  We blame the roads for knocking the slide off its gears.

But then we said “Just take a look at the other slide as long as we’re here.” I thought maybe it just needed some lubricating because it made such a grinding noise when it went in and out.  They noticed that the refrigerator was a little lopsided and it is in that slide – to fix that, they need to take the refrigerator completely out, remake the wooden frame for it, then put it back in.  They worked on that all day and still aren’t done.

Meanwhile, they also noted that the slide-toppers – the awnings that just cover the tops of the slides – were in pretty bad shape.  They could order new toppers and they would be here in a day, then take a day to install.  <<sigh>>  Yeah, we know they need to be replaced, and yeah, we might as well get that done when we’re at a good place.  So, what started out as a few hours and a few hundred dollars has turned into several days and a few thousand dollars.  Ah well, it feels good to get these things done.

In my last post, I mentioned how I wanted to write a bit more about our work and I was starting a separate blog for that.  Here’s what you’ll find there now:

• Private Learning Sessions

• Geeks on Tour at a Rally?

• Web Albums, Blogs, or Both?

• Using this Website

• Our Cloud Computing Class Evolves

Lots more pictures in our Monthly Photo Albums

Saturday Fun

Yesterday was the last day for the Heartland Vendor Mart, so we broke down the booth and drove over to Wally World to get some fine box wine for dinner.  The pork chop meal was good and conversation with our table-mates was great.  After dessert, the entertainment was Dueling Pianos.  They did a bunch of familiar tunes and had everyone laughing with their antics and audience participation.

Chris scheduled an Asian Reflexology massage this morning with Jean Damon, so her husband Dave and I took a walk over to where a Soap Box Derby track was set up at the fairgrounds.  These are local trials in preparation for the finals held in Akron, Ohio every July.  The kids were having a blast!  This is serious business for some.

Goshen Soap Box Derby

 

The Heartland Rally attendees were all invited to a factory tour and luncheon today followed by a visit to the RV/MH Hall of Fame and Museum.  Our friend Al Hesselbart, the historian there asked Chris and me to help out when all the Heartlanders toured the museum.  We were glad to do it.  If you get the chance, it is a great place to visit in the Elkhart area.  Don’t wait too long though, if they don’t get some serious industry support soon, they may have to close their doors as early as September.  That would be a real shame.

Back at the fairgrounds, we joined the Heartland Owners Club members for another catered dinner.  The entertainment tonight was a hypnotist/comedian, but we didn’t stay long.  The PA system sounded bad where we were sitting.  Besides, we were beat from being on our feet all afternoon.  All in all, a very satisfying day.

Before I forget, Happy Fathers Day to all the dads out there.  Most especially my own wonderful dad in Fort Lauderdale. I love you.  For my son, Devon, Happy Fathers day too, father to my grandkids.  And to Chris’ dad, Tom Van in Dunnellon, a very happy day.

I now return control of this blog to Chris.

Made in Indiana

.I've seen TV specials lately about how so little of the things found in an American home are made in America.  It would be interesting for them to take a look at a typical RV ... not only would they find most of the components made in America .. they're made in Indiana.  Elkhart county is known as the RV capital of the world.

We're here for the Heartland Owners Rally next week.  Heartland is a make of RV that is - you guessed it - made in Elkhart, Indiana.  And, as long as we're here - we're taking advantage of being in the RV heartland.  We stopped by Gulf Stream RV in Nappanee - where our motorhome was made. It's hard to see in this picture, but those are new chassis in the background waiting to have motorhomes constructed on them.  There is no factory tour here like at some other manufacturers, and there is no service center either.  We were disappointed at that, but we learned the reasons. 

 To withstand economic downturns, the company only makes motorhomes to order - so there isn't any inventory on hand to look at.  And, their service center was literally blown away a couple of years ago in a tornado that passed thru town.  We were hoping they had some kind of standard maintenance service procedure we could have done - they said 'good idea, but not here.'  Rather than rebuild their service center, they've identified other places around the country to recommend.  They did recommend a place called RV1 in Elkhart, just a short distance away.  So we called and made an appointment there.

Indiana is also the home of many Amish people.  Such an interesting sight to see horse and buggies in a  modern day parking lot.

The Amish are also known as fine craftspeople and we know many RVers who have had custom furniture made here.  Specifically, our friends Nick and Terry Russell of the Gypsy Journal RV nespaper, have discussed at length the wonderful work of a guy named Carlyle who is in Nappanee and has a business called Focal Wood Products.  Here's Nick's blog post and picture of the furniture Carlyle made for him.  And, here's another picture from the CoolRVers who had some furniture made by Carlyle.  (btw - if you want to read about traveling to Alaska, click the link to CoolRVers - they're doing that trip right now.)

Picture of custom table and computer desks in the CoolRVers motorhome.

So - we have ordered a dining room table and computer workstation as well as a computer workstation for Jim in the living room area.  It should be ready by the end of the month.  Oh Boy!

Right now we're parked in the Elkhart County Fairgrounds in Goshen, Indiana.  We were delighted to find that there are other people we know here as well.  Walter and Amy Cannon of RVSafety.com and Howard and Linda Payne of RV-Dreams.  This should be a great month of work, *and* fun.

Walter knows who's really in charge in this motorhome!

We had a fun evening with Howard and Linda who came over to the Geek Mansion :-) to play Wii

Further your computer education**Subscribe to the Free Geeks on Tour Newsletter**