Hutchinson Resident Enjoyed FMCA’s Visit
Dear Editor:
I am a resident of Hutchinson, Kansas, where FMCA held its recent convention. I just want to take a minute to express my thoughts about FMCA’s visit here and the impact it had on the people of our community.
You all made a significant financial contribution to Hutchinson by eating in our restaurants and making various purchases in our shops, gas stations, and entertainment facilities — which we very much appreciate.
But what I really wanted to tell you about is the emotional impact your visit had on some of us. I was having lunch with a friend recently and I said how much I hated to see you all leave. She responded, “Oh, I feel the same way. I don’t know what it is.” Neither of us had really met any of you. Later in the day another friend called me and said the same thing: “I wish they would all stay longer; I am so sad to see them go.” We all related to each other the fact that we kept finding reasons to drive by and see how many of you were still at the fairgrounds. When we saw yet another motorhome heading out of town with a car hooked on the back, we just felt downright sad.
Everyone I know feels sorry that the weather turned out the way it did. I hope you were still able to have a good time, despite the rain and mud.
Perhaps the sadness we experienced about your departure was because we so much enjoyed being able to see the license tags from all over the U.S. Many of us also were thinking, “Please don’t leave us here; take us with you!”
Thank you all again for coming, and please come back again someday. We’ll try to have better weather.
Pam Casanova
Hutchinson, Kansas
Patio TVs And Volume Control
Dear Editor:
I sincerely hope that Chic Cannon, author of “Patio TV” (October 2002, page 72) uses his outdoor TV only when at parking lot tailgate parties or other such places where he is not going to make others involuntarily listen to his TV. There was no mention in the article of the etiquette issues involved in using any sort of outdoor entertainment device, such as a TV or radio, and that’s too bad. While I don’t expect RV parks to be places of total silence, I certainly don’t want to be forced to listen to a soap opera or a sports program playing on a neighbor’s TV.
It seems that an increasing number of folks believe they have a right to “share” their music or TV programs with others in all places and at all times. It was this phenomenon that caused us to quit camping in public parks many years ago. The audio pollution got so bad that our backyard became a more peaceful place to relax. I hope this will not also become a serious problem in private campgrounds.
Lou Einung, F296968
Santa Maria, California
Fellow FMCA Members To The Rescue
Dear Editor:
On Wednesday July, 10, 2002, my wife and I were on our way from our home in Ontario, Canada, to a banquet in Virginia. We were traveling south on Interstate 390 in Rochester, New York, when our Shasta motorhome was struck from behind by a tractor trailer.
My wife, Dorothy, sustained six broken ribs on her right side and four cracked vertebrae in her neck. She was suffering extreme pain. She was hospitalized for several days at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester. The security people let me park the motorhome at the hospital lot.
We had our dog, Belle, with us, and since it was very hot, by 11:00 a.m. I would start up the generator and run the air conditioner inside the coach to keep her cool. But by Saturday, the generator began acting up. I looked in the back of the January issue of Family Motor Coaching, in the “Stoppin’ Spots” section, and found the names of Jim and Jan Wagner, F189125, of Rochester. I called Jim and told him my troubles. He lives about 15 minutes from the hospital and came down to meet me. We tried to get the generator to work, but it would run for only about a half-hour and then shut off.
Jim then said I could take the motorhome to his house and park it in the driveway. He said that Belle was welcome, too. Their backyard is fenced in, and he said they would love to look after her, as they had recently lost their dog. Jim also said I could use one of his cars to go back and forth to the hospital to visit my wife each day.
I stayed there until Wednesday, July 17, when I was able to drive my wife home to Newmarket, Ontario. There, she was admitted to the hospital and stayed another week.
I want other FMCA members to know about this great couple who were so caring and helpful to my wife, our dog, and me. I cannot say enough about Jim and Jan Wagner. These people were extremely kind and caring and helped us very much. I don’t know what I would have done without them.
There is an old saying: “We are all friends; we just haven’t met yet.” This is so true of this couple.
Glenn Phillips, F103189
Newmarket, Ontario, Canada
Tasty Treats At Kansas Campground
Dear Editor:
This experience was a “first” for me in my 12 years of solo motorhoming.
On my way to Colorado from Florida this past June, I was driving across Kansas and decided to try a municipal campground in Ellis. It was a pleasant experience. The campground was nice and clean, and next to a small lake, right in the center of town.
At about 5:00 that evening, a very nice lady knocked on my door and welcomed me to Ellis and presented me with a half-dozen warm chocolate chip cookies. I will certainly remember Ellis, and I hope to make a stop there again.
Claire Weston, F160774
Mount Dora, Florida
Great Tip
Dear Editor:
I would like to thank Family Motor Coaching and contributor Richard L. Lease, F292839, for the mention of the “Spray-On Paint Protector” in “Tech & Travel Tips” (October 2002, page 30). I have been looking for a way to protect my Monaco for the past year and was not pleased with the alternatives. Not only did the spray-on paint protector save me a lot of money, but it looks great. Custom Sprayed On Liners South (12722 Galveston Road, Webster, TX; 77598; 281-488-8633) did the job for us.
Jim Noland, F294018
Houston, Texas