National Vice President Served Great Lakes Area
In the obituary for Don McGrath, past national vice president, Great Lakes Area (July 2005, page 32), it was stated that Mr. McGrath served as Midwest Area vice president from 1996 to 2000. Mr. McGrath was national vice president of the Great Lakes Area during that period.
FMC regrets this error.
Campground Available Near Agricultural Show
Dear Editor:
The Farm Progress Show is one of the United States’ biggest expositions of agricultural machinery, equipment, technology, and practices. In 2005 the show will run from August 30 through September 1 at its new Progress City site, a 620-acre campus in Decatur, Illinois.
This is an invitation to any FMCA members who might be attending the show and would like to park their motorhomes at our H.O. Dick Trucking Company facility in Bethany, Illinois. They will be welcome.
We hosted a Midwest Bus Nuts rally in June with 28 motorhomes in attendance. We have 25 hookups with 20-amp electric; city water; and a dump site. This is all on hard surface in a gated area. We are right on State Route 121 at the north edge of Bethany, which is approximately 25 miles southeast of Decatur.
Dry camping is free and electricity is $10 per day. Reservations are preferred; we can be reached at (217) 665-3531.
Hollis & Barbara Dick, F175262
Bethany, Illinois
Another Shaker Community Of Note
Dear Editor:
The May 2005 “Baker’s Dozen” column (page 134), titled “‘Tis A Gift To Be Simple” by Lowell and Kay Christie, listed 13 Shaker communities. The writers omitted one of the most important ones, Union Village near Lebanon, Ohio.
Union Village was the first Shaker community in the West at the time, begun in 1805. It had either the largest or the next-to-largest population at one time of all Shaker communities. It also started all of the other western Shaker communities: Watervliet, Ohio, in 1806; Pleasant Hill, Kentucky, in 1806; South Union, Kentucky, in 1807; West Union, Indiana, in 1810; North Union, Ohio, in 1822; White Water, Ohio, in 1824; and White Oak, Georgia, in 1897.
Often writers do not emphasize Union Village. For that matter, it is believed that Shakers in the Mount Lebanon, New York, community were afraid that Ohio’s Union Village might become the head Shaker community. But too many sites closed, and so did Union Village in 1912.
Mary Lue Warner, Archivist
Otterbein-Lebanon Retirement Community, formerly Union Village
Lebanon, Ohio
“Chivalry” For Solo Female RVer
Dear Editor:
Recent comments in this magazine regarding women driving motorhomes alone have prompted me to write. I was driving our Monaco Knight 36-foot diesel pusher, towing a Saturn Vue, to Connecticut, where my husband was to fly in to meet me and our two small dogs.
An ABS light illuminated on the dash, so I pulled over and saw smoke near the passenger rear tires. After checking and spotting fluid, I assumed the coach had a small brake leak. I called Snyder RV in Salem, Virginia, and Gerry Snyder and his crew had me on the road again in five hours. It was a gear on the rear axle leaking fluid onto the brakes. For such immediate help, my hat’s off to Gerry.
Three days later, a driver’s-side inside rear tire blew out after I hit what truck drivers call a mouse trap (metal sticking up on a badly worn road) on Interstate 81 just south of Hazelton, Pennsylvania. Camping World’s Roadcare came to the rescue. Kudos to them for their fast and efficient tow service. They also found a service facility, Merola’s Garage in Pardeesville, Pennsylvania. Although it’s a tractor-trailer repair shop, the owner, Jerry Merola, agreed to help a solo lady RVer. It wasn’t just a tire replacement — he had to repair and rebuild the entire wheel well and fix the brake lines and torn wiring. Jerry is a gentleman who went above and beyond to prove that chivalry is not dead, but alive and well.
Jan Timoteo, F288190
Jupiter, Florida
Praise For RV Travel
Dear Editor:
We have just returned to Las Vegas after traveling to Florida and Wisconsin, and I just want to urge all of you who are able to go see America. It truly is “America the Beautiful.”
Each state has its own beauty, but we were especially overwhelmed with the beautiful red landscape near Green River, Utah. Maybe because it was springtime, with everything in bloom, we were especially impressed, but the beauty is probably there through each season.
We are so thankful for the RV lifestyle — what a perfect way to travel. I’ve been doing it for 45 years and absolutely despise having to fly and stay in motels. Give me an RV anytime!
T.J. & Nancy Romeis, F309116
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Wyoming Resort Recommendation
Dear Editor:
We would like you to know about a campground we recently spent time at in Cody, Wyoming. It is the Yellowstone Valley Inn, owned by Ron and Kyla Jordan. It is located at 3324 Yellowstone Park Highway, Cody, WY, 82414; (877) 587-3961 outside Wyoming or (307) 587-4656 within the state; www.yellowstonevalleyinn.com.
The new owners have put in all-new electric, both 30- and 50-amp; the sites are level; the place is clean; the restaurant serves good food; and the staff is helpful, courteous, and thorough. We are delighted to have found it and want other FMCA members to know about it. It can accommodate “big rigs” and has pull-through sites that are 60-plus feet long.
Ed & Ellie Coutant, F316500
Longwood, Florida
“Recall Corner” And The Model Airplane
Dear Editor:
We own a 2004 Gulf Stream Friendship. We read in the November 2004 “Recall Corner” (page 24) about a problem with the hydraulic hose fittings on some units. We checked the compartment and discovered that fluid had leaked throughout the main bay.
We were able to take the coach into La Mesa RV for the repairs. Our service adviser, Rich Cassone, was able to repair the problems under warranty. He noted, though, that service centers cannot replace personal property. We had a radio-controlled airplane stored in that bay. It was being built for a national show and was ruined by the fluid soaking into the balsa wood.
Mr. Cassone gave us the name and number of Gulf Stream’s customer service department. We spoke with Erica Howard, who immediately began the process for reimbursement. Gulf Stream paid for the airplane and helped us with a number of smaller items that needed attention.
All in all, what could have been a very serious problem was taken care of very well, thanks to Family Motor Coaching magazine; Richard Cassone at La Mesa RV; and Erica Howard at Gulf Stream. Kudos to all of you.
John & Janice Wyatt, F351454
Port Orchard, Washington