Tuesday, June 25, 2013, Spartan Chassis Post-Rally, Gillette, WY

We decided to join the American Coach contingent of the Spartan Chassis FMCA Chapter for a post-rally after the FMCA Gillette, WY, Rally. Our last night, we went to dinner at Old Chicago Pizza and Tap Room. I'm not sure why we always lined up with guys on one side and ladies on the other, but it seemed to work - especially for the waitress keeping track of bills. From the front, there is Joani and me, Lacy and Terry, Pauline and Ray, Carmen (nearly hidden behind Pauline) and Jim and Linda and Steve. An excellent group - hope we get to see each other again soon!

Monday, June 24, 2013, New Awning, Gillette FMCA Rally, WY

While at the Gillette FMCA Rally in WY, a massive hail storm turned our (very old) awning cover into swiss cheese, we had arranged for a replacement. We finally got in touch with the awning people. They said they had no paperwork on us. No wonder we had not seen them yet. It sounded like we were starting all over and maybe wouldn't get an awning until later. They said they would send someone to look at our installation and we would talk. Of course, they called when we were at the store and Joani didn't have her phone. We were surprised to get home and see the installer was nearly finished. It was the price we had agreed to earlier and it looks great. What you can't see is that while he was finishing up there was another wicked looking storm bearing down on us. We only got a little rain and a very nice lightning show (Sam did not enjoy the thunder.)

No more Swiss cheese!

I put together a front license plate holder (the original Honda part is in Georgia - who knew I would ever need it?) and mounted our new tags. The coach tags are 1BD S91, so they follow each other just like when we are traveling down the road.

We refer to them as "One bad *ss 91 and 92".

Sunday, June 23, 2013, Flooding at the Gillette FMCA Rally, WY

The Gillette, WY, FMCA Rally is over; time to move. Probably a hundred coaches had to be pulled out of the muck. This is where's Ray's coach was. Thanks to Steve's expertise and a little luck, he was able to get out.

Jim was not so lucky. As soon as the front wheels got up on the road, the weight shifted to the back wheels and he was stuck. He got out with some help from a tow truck but had to pay a lot for about fifteen minutes of work. I suspect the tow truck drivers did pretty well with the amount of cash business they had today.

We moved to the Spartan Chassis International Club Rally at the other end of the same CAM-PLEX facility. It was less than a half mile making it the shortest of all of our moves from one site to another. The new site does have full hook-ups making it a bit more convenient than the previous rally.

Of course, all rallies have a happy hour - that makes for "Happy Campers!" Many different coaches are built on a Spartan chassis, so we were able to meet some new people. This rally, however, only included 18 coaches and was billed as a "Do nothing rally." At a do nothing rally there is nothing scheduled so you can use your time to catch up on maintenance, or relax, or play with the new toys you just got at the last rally.

The sunset looks pretty nice from this side of the park!

Saturday, June 22, 2013, Hail Storm at Cam-Plex, Day Four of the FMCA Rally, Gillette, WY

Day four of the FMCA Rally in Gillette, WY. We heard hail on the roof early in the morning, so we expected it to be a bit wet outside. It was a bit wet and then it cleared up and was a beautiful sunny day. While we were at Home Depot, I went to the car to check on something and I can't remember when I have seen such ominous looking clouds roll in. I got back inside the store just as the bottom fell out. We could hear the hail hitting the roof. Folks said they were expecting tornado sirens any minute. The rain was horizontal as employees tried to hold the doors in place. Sam was a nervous wreck. When we got back to the CAM-PLEX we started noticing white stuff on the ground. This is the building where the vendors were set up.  

That says it all!

Our street was a little soggy!

Back at the coach, I noticed something a bit different about the slide awning right away.

We were lucky that this happened at a rally and with 30 minutes before the vendors closed up and left! They are coming to our site in the morning to install a new one. Out in the middle of nowhere, this would have been a true hassle (and would have cost a lot more.)

Ray and Pauline, just four sites down, did not deserve this!

They are the nicest people you would ever want to meet!

 This is a bit more than "soggy".

The evening's entertainment was moved indoors. I know that had to be quite an effort for the volunteers. Marty Stuart and the Fabulous Superlatives put on quite a show. I'm going to have to add some of their music to my collection.

Friday, June 21, 2013, Day three of the Gillette FMCA Rally, WY

We are enjoying the FMCA Gillette Rally in Wyoming. These are the "Frustrated Maestros." They get together at all FMCA rallies, practice a little and play for everyone in the mornings and during other gatherings. They do a very good job.

This soloist was so good, I (Joani) had goosebumps from beginning to end.

He received a standing ovation.

A bit of New Orleans Jazz.

We attended seminars on Picasa, Blogger and the Android Smartphone, which all happened to be given by the same couple, Chris and Jim. We always learn something, even when we feel we already know the subject.

We love the Geeks On Tour seminars. We always learn something new.

Pauline and Ray and several others set up a special Happy Hour with burgers and all of the fixins'. We had a nice turn-out considering almost everyone had to fight the mud and the cold to be there. Even though it was the first day of summer, I think summer is a lot different here than it is in the south.

 What great people!

Good food, too! Thanks, again!

Thursday, June 20, 2013, Day two of the Gillette FMCA Rally, WY

There were a few seminars on Wednesday, (Gillette FMCA Rally in Wyoming) but the real rally starts with morning coffee and doughnuts (or, in my case, hot cocoa and doughnuts).

 This is what gets us up and out by 7:30 am.

Once the vendors open for business, the trouble begins. I try to keep a level head, but it's like a kid in the candy store. Everything is shiny and it all works so well when you see it at the booth. I need some restraint, but Joani is not the one to provide it - she was encouraging me!

The evening's entertainment was the Buckinghams. Looking around and seeing how many people were singing along and enjoying the songs, I guess they were a good choice (they were one of Joani's favorites when she was 12.)

 Do you remember the Buckinghams? (I sure do!)

I'm afraid I was a little embarrassed for this guy shaking his backside around at the audience. Maybe he forgot we were all in our fifties and up and he was more than sixty himself - he could have thrown a hip out!

It's amazing how many hits they had.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013, Day one of the FMCA Gillette Rally, WY

Done with sight-seeing for a little while, we settled in with 2,285 other coaches at the FMCA Gillette, WY, rally. (I believe that's the official count).

I have to feel a bit sorry for the local residents here who have nothing to do with this motorhome invasion. Joani overheard someone in Walmart say, "What is going on - it's a madhouse in here." It seems like every motorhome is now connected to the Internet through a wireless connection, so the cell phone towers are overwhelmed. That means a lot of frustrated campers, as well as locals. I'm going to use it as an excuse for not keeping the blog up to date.