FMCA Virgin Report

So this last weekend was our FIRST ever RV rally....kind of....which really means that we only attended for one day and didn't actually camp on-site.  Since the rally was only 20 minutes from our house it just seemed weird to pack everything up and drive 20 minutes to camp.  We DID however get to spend an entire day at the rally and had a tremendous time....here is why:

1. WE RAN INTO UNEXPECTED FRIENDS.  The biggest surprise of the day was running into Denise and Roger.  Denise worked for me at OSU and I blame her for initiation into the RV lifestyle.  She would describe all of the amazing travels her and Roger would make in their RV and it got Paul and I SO excited that we bought our own RV two years ago and have never looked back.  Denise always brings a smile to my face as she loves people, she gives a great deal back to the community, and she is just fun all around!  We also ran into Doug and Ann, Butch and Jodi and several others that we have met during visits at Pacific Shores in Newport.  Finally, we got to spend time with our favorite salesperson who is now a good friend, Susan Graham from Premier RV Sales in Junction City, Oregon. 

2.  WE GOT TO TRY OUT COMFORT DRIVE.  Newmar was giving test rides in an Essex, Dutch Star, and Ventana.  These were hour-long test drives and included a free jacket at the end of the test drive!  Who can beat that....of course, to keep our slobbering to a minimum, we chose to drive the Ventana.  I do have to admit that the Comfort Drive was quite amazing.  I was most impressed with how you just let the wheel go and the coach would back up in a straight line...something I can never seem to accomplish with my backing abilities.

3.  WE HAD FUN WALKING THE GROUNDS.  We spent time exploring the vendor booths, all of the show coaches there from dealers, and just walking about the 200+ rigs that were camping there to see all of the creative decorating/living that people do.

Needless to say, based upon our experiences here, we will certainly be attending the FMCA rally in Redmond, Oregon, next summer where roughly 2,000 coaches are expected...can't even imagine!