Motorhome Heaven

Lowes Motor Speedway became a motorhome Mecca this week with 4,000 or so people with their motorhomes came to see the 2007 offerings by most of the motorhome manufacturers. Lots of people were wheeling and dealing for new coaches and boy oh boy it is tempting when you see these things and how comfortable they have become. It is certainly a far cry from what we had as our first motorhome. All electric units that are no different from home and when slides are totally opened over 400 sqft of living space. There was also a huge number of vendors of every little gadget you could think of to use on the road.
The displays were set in a huge field that probably was 40 plus acres with everything imaginable for choices. Although, I do think that the units displayed were on the high end without too many class C or B coaches. We of course started looking at the high end Prevost conversions that range in price from $1,000,000 to believe it or not $2,500,000......I did say looking!!!!
It's really hard to believe that some of the units are the price that they are, but they have all kinds of amenities that today cost an arm and leg. These units are really to live in not camp.
Yes the red carpet was out!
We do enjoy our motorhome and the urge to get a new one when you see these units gets to fever pitch, but sanity finally came through and although I love these things and the travel that they make possible, the prices are a bit steep.
One particularly nice thing about these conventions is that the manufacturers offer repair services to your coach without labor charges.... only parts have to paid for. This was exceptionally nice as the tire blowout damage we had on the way down was more extensive that we thought. We ended up having a wiring harness reworked and some step parts replaced right where we camped. Thank you Monaco.

FMCA Convention - Charlotte, N.C.

We have belonged to FMCA for 30 some years and have attended their conventions before but its really just a chance to rub elbows with the manufacturers and talk motorhome stuff.....Marge and I both hate doing that!!!!!
We had a rather bad start however.... our front right steering tire blew out on the way down and two new tires and a 4 hour delay was not much fun. It also took out some wiring under the coach but I was able to repair most of it. We may be able to have the Holiday Rambler people look at it down here.

Right Front Excitement

While some things at this convention started today, the main focus with seminars and information really starts in the morning. They have a lot of interesting things from safety driving courses to fnancial seminars and the displays open tomorrow afternoon. We were assigned a site and were quite lucky to have a reasonably open site instead of packed in between some of the 5,000 to 7,00o coaches that are here.

Our corner of the world.

Will send lots of motorhome info once we get it!

Tubing on the Manistee 2006

This was the 35th year we have been doing this....that is tubing or canoeing down the Manistee River and this year we had somewhere around 50 people. Each year this group of friends arrive at the CCC Bridge campground on the Manistee River for a few days of fun, family and a campfire that is enjoyed by all. The weather held and all of us had a wonderful time.

The only way to go!

Our friend Leslie and her niece and nephew

Loading up for the down river float

Just part of the group

Just the Taylor clan with spouses and children

Two of the original founders ....the Ritchies

Our future tubers!!

Jack....My Grandson enjoying his mother and his aunt from Colorado.

As mentioned this trip has been going over 35 years with 4 generations now of my family. We have gone from camping in tents and misbehaving to motorhomes and still misbehaving with all having a great time. The river has had a lot of water flow and the times we have had will always be remembered.

Next stop for us is the FMCA convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Trees Trees Trees

We're in the woods and we have to go to the library in Graying to connect, but we are enjoying ourselves greatly in this warm weather and a nice cool river to soak in. The Manistee River is a beautiful trout stream and the CCC Bridge State Forest Campground is absolutely one of the more beautiful campgrounds in Michigan. No services but spots located right on the river and with a campfire at night just a very beautiful, quiet, relaxing place to be. Will post some pictures of our annual tubing trip shortly.