A View From The Summit

Transcription

1 1 A View From The Summit Quartzite Rally VII Attracts 109 Rigs By Claudia Hansen When all was said and done, the first Alpine Rally of 2008 was a big success! We got off to a rocky start with our first meeting to ratify the new by-laws. It soon became apparent that there were several thoughts about the new by-laws and how our Alpine group should be organized. The frigid weather meant that long discussions were not on the agenda and committees were quickly formed to deal with the questions raised and the minutes were ratified. Every night we gathered for social hour and campfires and herewith follows comments heard around the campfire: From Rod & Patty Soomann, full-timers from Renton, WA, with a Alpine: We ve been to about five rallies. We like the desert rallies because we like to 4-wheel drive. We come out here to have fun and not go to meetings, what we really like is the social part where we meet old friends and make new ones. From Vicki and Reggie Jones and dog Abbie Rose of Alpine, CA, with and footer: This is our first Alpine, says Vicki. It s beautiful out here and we re pleased to get out of the house. We both own businesses and this is a And great a Goodtime way to was get had away. by all We meet a lot of really wonderful people. Max (from Western RV) has helped us with our Vickie & Reggie Jones Kay & Ted Watts Volume 11 Issue #2 March 2008 ACA MEMBERS, CHECK OUT IMPORTANT RALLY INFORMATION ON PAGE 4. GET YOUR MAPS OUT AND START PLOTTING YOUR COURSE TO FUN. TV. Says, Reggie, It s our very first rally, and Vicki adds, It s fun, we re going to do it again, we re surprised how many people showed up, there s nothing as big around here as this Alpine rally! Otto Reichardt, of Aquanga, CA, with an footer, adds, We re relatively close by and we like to come to Quartzite anyway. It s a great group! Otto s hint for keeping warm? I have an RV site on the Oregon Coast and I know to wear flannel lined jeans. Good idea, Otto! Santa Claus, also known as Paul Heil and his wife Alma, out of Florence, OR, with a 36 foot 07 Alpine, proudly noted that is their fourth Alpine rig! They are long-time RVers, they have been to all the rallies, and recall the Newport, Hilton Head and Yakima rallies as their favorites. Kay and Ted Watts, of St. Charles, Mo, have been to all the Alpine rallies since 2000, and Otto Reichardt Paul & Alma Heil currently RV in their footer. They loved the 07 Albuquerque rally and particularly recall the visit to the Acoma Tribal Butte and climbing back down the old way, and, yes, their legs hurt for a couple of days. They also laughed because the Acoma dog beat them all down that steep, steep trail. Kay s special tip for keeping warm at Quartzite: Wear lots of layers! Continued page 15

2 I m All In! Guaranty RV Rally Las Vegas By Donna Jamison Guaranty RV, with the support of WRV, Cummins and Allison put on a great rally for 63 Alpine coaches and their owners. Held at Outdoor Resorts a true luxury resort in Las Vegas the rally began with a potluck and a rousing game of Texas Hold em. Each table had a dealer skilled in the game ready to help the inexperienced players (and there were many)! The top prize of $200 and a golden bracelet went to Terry McGuire (a first-time player). Las Vegas resident and Hold em aficionado, John Stacy, took second place and the $100 prize. Not bad for a $10 buy in! Most Alpiners travel with pets, so the second day of the rally included a pet parade. Twenty-four dogs and three cats dressed in their Sunday best were paraded in front of five impartial judges. Prizes were given in several categories and every entry walked away with a prize and a ribbon. That afternoon we enjoyed a very special wine and cheese reception amongst the coach display another opportunity to gather together and renew our bonds. Friday morning we sent ten four-wheel drive vehicles on an off-road adventure they won t soon forget. The 4- wheelers climbed up over 6,000 feet, fought strong winds, freezing rain, hail and about 4 of snow. There were some REALLY big rocks and Randy Wellette got stuck on one of the rocks in the Guaranty Jeep. Friday was the Tournament of Kings at the Excalibur, hosted by WRV. We all had fun cheering for our King the King of Spain. No eating utensils were supplied so encouragement was second to licking the Cornish hens from our fingers. We all thoroughly enjoyed the evening Huzzah!! to Western RV Huzzah!! Saturday began with a bean bag tournament enjoyed by most of the rally attendees. Thirty plus teams started the competition and one by one they were defeated. First place and $100 was split by the team of Carol Schock and Carl Nicholsen; second place and $50 was split by Donna Jamison and Larry Smith. The usual hungry Alpine crowd was treated to a great lunch of beer, brats and burgers cooked by the Guaranty RV crew of Lindsay Hargett, Randy Wellette, Rich Ellis and Louise Nelson. Lunch was enjoyed by the pool in the warm Nevada sunshine. The grand finale of the rally was the catered dinner in the clubhouse where prizes were awarded, acknowledgements were given, and Carol Hinkley won a National Thousand Trails membership valued at $9,999 compliments of Guaranty RV and Thousand Trails. Thank you to Las Vegas residents John and Gail Stacy and Andy and Susan Lewis for their assistance to Guaranty RV for local contacts. Guaranty RV and Western RV have always supported Alpine rallies, but their support of Alpine owners this time was unprecedented. Once again, thank you Guaranty RV; WRV; Allison and Cummins Northwest for your help and support. Huzzah!! Special thanks to Jim and Kathie Hardy. Carol Hinkley and Jim Hardy Forget the 3 R s, here s the 3 B s Beer, Brats & Burgers Looks like a serious game of Bean Bag 2

3 More Quartzsite Adventures -Trip to the Desert Bar by Claudia Hansen It was a trip like no other, an invitation to 4-wheel ioverland, or drive on dirt roads, but an irresistible invitation for our group 40 to head for the Desert Bar. Danny & Claudia Gayhart led a hearty group of jeep and other four-wheel drive vehicles over land through the back roads, while the rest of us followed pretty good instructions on how to get to the Nellie E Saloon (aka the Desert Bar). What a place! It s up the road toward Parker and then five plus miles of dirt road and there where nothing else is sits, is this rockin bar! There was live music and dancing, beer, wine and a few mixed drinks, hot dogs, hamburgers (no cheese! said an adamant sign) and chili. First after parking you see a long, low building built to meander up a hill. To the left you see the church because every town needs a bar and a church! The church is only about three feet thick, you walk in and walk out in a half a second, but rumor has it that lots of people have been married on the steps! The Nellie E. Saloon first opened in 1983 and is named after an old mining claim. It was only a threesided shack (I know I bought a tank top and I saw a lot of t-shirts going out the door with ACA members), but this place has grown to serve hundreds of people every weekend when it is open from sun-up to sun-down. Our Alpine group hopped right into the spirit of things, with libations lined up at every table and then off to the hamburger/hot dog line. Once the music started, Alpiners were adancin and the band proclaimed us the best audience ever! We requested songs, danced, sang along and generally boogied until it was time to go. That was fun! proclaimed the group. As we all know, ACA members always have a great time whenever they re together.. The Desert Bar A few of the crowd The Desert Church As James Bond would say On the Rocks. Gentlemen or Ladies, start your engines! Thanks to Danny and Claudia Gayhart for another memorable trip to the desert! 3

4 March ALPINE RALLY CALENDAR 2008 North Tampa, Forida Pioneer Village ACE Jim & Jodi Girouard March April Ocean Mesa Campground at El Capitan (north of Santa Barbara) Tour of a miniature Horse Farm is planned. See page 6 for more details. Chico, Ca Almond Tree RV Park SoCa NorCal Jim & Stephanie Archer jwarcher@cox.net Rick & Sue Coleman Suzc3@verizon.net John & Barbara Knox jdknbak@verizon.net May May Week long rally Coming Home to Mother Toppenish, Washington Limited in size includes Ladies Driving Lessons see page 6 for details. Wahweap at Lake Powell, 7 miles NE of Page, AZ See page 6 for more details NoWACA SoCal Jamie & Donna Jamison and Larry & Barbara Smith nowacainfo@yahoo.com Mac & Anne McDougal mcdanne@cox.net John and Gail Stacy May Plymouth, CA 49er Horizon RV Park NorCal Paul and Peggy Parsons pandptasha@earthlink.net June July July September 2008 San Juan Bautista, CA Betabel RV Park Hinckley, Minnesota FMCA Pre-Rally Canyonville, Oregon at Seven Feathers Oak Glen Apple Festival September Montague, Ca Montague Balloon Fair NorCal National NoWACA SoCal NorCal Steve and Gayle Picha gpicha56@hotmail.com See article on page 5 for contact info and sign up sheet on page 16 Elaine & Jim Ellis jeellis@msn.com Carol & Don Schock yumatrailertrash@hotmail.com Dave & Donna Fernandez AlpineDriver@msn.com Ed & Donna Mathews ejm_mathews@msn.com Harold and Carroll Borland chborl@juno.com Fall 2008 Lancaster, Pennsylvania ACE Jesse & Shirley Rumberger jsrumberger@aol.com November Branson, Missouri Heritage Rally Brrr it is November but the Christmas lights will be spectacular. This Rally promises incredible entertainment and great food. More details to come. P.S. There will be Toilet Paper. National The Branson Rally Committee firemans@embarqumail.com reneegary@msn.com if you re interested in joining the committee. 4

5 Hinckley, MN Rally Update GRAND CASINO July 8-12, 2008 Hinckley is an ACA pre-rally to the St. Paul 2008 FMCA rally. The reservation fee of $300 includes five nights camping with full hookups at the Grand Casino RV Park and one breakfast, one lunch and one dinner and of course no Alpine gathering would be complete without our traditional hors dourve night. The resort has a heated pool and spa; shuffleboard, horseshoes, game room and an adjacent 18-hole Grand National Golf Course. Also available is a free pet kennel. Following the pre-rally, we will caravan 75 miles south to the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, the location of the FMCA rally scheduled for July The WRV Service Team will be in attendance for minor repairs and the 2009 coaches will be on display with the exciting new floor plans. Hinckley has a museum dedicated to the historic fire that decimated the area in the early 1900 s. Seven miles from Hinckley is a country music venue called Midwest Country. This rally will be a fantastic compliment to a visit of the upper Midwest. Minnesota and its adjoining states have much to offer. Minnesota s landscape of forests, lakes and agriculture are abundant. For those of us going on to the FMCA Rally, no visit to Minnesota is complete without a visit to The Mall of the Americas in Bloomington. On the way to Bloomington you pass by historic Ft. Snelling at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers which dates back to the mid-1800 s. The headwaters of the Mississippi River are near Park Rapids, Minnesota. Duluth is the largest inland seaport in the country. Ships from around the world can be seen daily in the harbor. The history of mining, the Great Lakes, shipping and the logging industry are represented in this area. A trip further east across Michigan s upper peninsula will take you to the Soo Locks, the Mackinaw Islands and the Mackinaw Bridge to the lower peninsula. Closer to Detroit is the Henry Ford Museum and the Green Field Village. Adjacent to Minnesota, Wisconsin offers many more great opportunities to explore. The 2008 Oshkosh air show is July 28-August 3 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. From Duluth/ Superior, Door County and the Apostle Islands in the north, to the Mississippi River and the Amish craft regions in the south, ACA members will thoroughly enjoy spending time in the Dairy State. Please share our enthusiasm for this rally and plan to join us. Complete the enclosed registration form and forward to Louis Burch, 7915 Willow Ridge Drive, Justin, TX no later than June 7, For more information see the following websites: (the Oshkosh 2008 air show) While you re having fun at a Rally, be sure and remember to take pictures and send them to our favorite historian, the keeper of the ACA Holy Grail, Barbara Simonson at azbarbud@aol.com Interested in joining a region? More information on page 12. Regional groups are great if you can t make National rallies and want to connect with other Alpine owners. Most events are easy to get to and a great way to get meet other Alpine enthusiasts. Reminder: All ACA Members must be a member in good standing of the FMCA. Note that by being a member of FMCA in good standing, we are in compliance with their insurance liability. 5

6 NoWACA Coming Home to Mother By Barbara Smith & Donna Jamison With WRV s generous support, we will be Coming Home to Mother on Mother s Day Weekend, so please join us in Toppenish at the Yakama Nation RV Park for more fun and friendship. The rally fee of $225 includes four nights of camping and all meals and events except golfing. There is something for everyone, a VIP Factory Tour, Women s Driving School, Men s Gearhead session, Geocashing and best of all, show off your vocal talents with a night of Karaoke! There will also be a Charity Auction to Benefit Wishing Star Foundation. This rally is hosted by NoWACA and open to Alpine owners from all areas. If you d like to join us, please nowacainfo@yahoo.com. Hurry and reserve your spot, registration and payment must be received no later than March 31 st. SoCAL Upcoming Rallies by Anne McDougal March 28-30, 2008 Ocean Mesa at El Capitan North of Santa Barbara We ll convene Friday evening with everyone bringing heavy hors d oeuvres. Touring a miniature horse ranch is Saturday morning s planned activity. We ll have a bar-b-que that evening and a farewell continental breakfast on Sunday morning. The area is beautiful and provides ample opportunity for hiking, visiting Santa Ynez Valley wineries, strolling Solvang, or simply kicking back with Mother Nature. May 13-20, 2008 Wahweap Lodge & Marina/RV Park at Lake Powell 7 miles NE of Page, AZ Planned activities include a welcome social, tour of Glen Canyon Dam, Pizza Party, and Bar-b-que. Optional Activities include: Carpool to Zion National Park for lunch & a short visit. Antelope Slot Canyon Tour - $ Per person Colorado River Float Trip - $ per person Carpool to Grand Canyon Lodge on North Rim for lunch. Rainbow Bridge 7 ½ hour boat tour - $ per person Rent powerboats or personal watercraft. There are several hiking trails in the area with spectacular photo opportunities. Mid May temperatures usually are in the low 80 s. ACA Members Don t Have Gas (Sorry, I couldn t resist) More Hints on Getting Better Diesel Mileage This information was forwarded by Dale Wilson from an article she wanted to share, thanks Dale! This is a partial reprint of an article in Escapees by Nancy Brinton. Tires: Good tread, along with inflation pressure that is appropriate to the vehicle and road conditions, is very important. Filters: Be vigilant about the cleanliness of your air and fuel filters. Speed: Slow and steady wins the gas mileage race. Don t rush to get up to speed. Make your cruising speed slower than you might have in the past because mph can save you some money. The fuel economy website says, you can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.20 per gallon for gas. Cruise Control: Use it when you can; it s more reliable at maintaining a steady speed than your foot! 6

7 ACA Members - We Need You! Candidates are needed for President, Vice President/Regions Director and Treasurer. We need at least two candidates for each position. This is a commitment for two years. We are especially in need of members to volunteer from the Mid USA and the East Coast who are willing to fill these vacancies. The requirements are that you must be in good standing with ACA and with FMCA. Commit to two rallies, one in the Fall and one in the Winter, starting with our Heritage Rally in November in Branson. If you are holding an office in an ACA region you are not eligible. So come on people, step right up and contact one of our Nominating Committee members listed below. Lowell and Sandy Potvin Chairpersons camplittlecreek@aol.com Suzan Lewis dalmationlover@embarqmail.com Dale Sullivan dmsullivan@hotmail.com Carl Nicholsen knicholsen@comcast.net Welcome to our Newest ACA Members the first to join in 2008! When you see them at a Rally, be sure to welcome them. Dick & Jan Fisher Fort Benton, MT Rick & Judy Fisher Chatsworth, CA Roy (J.R.) & Carmelita Guinn El Pasco, TX Carl Hello & Shelly Herrington Salem, OR John & Mary Knight Charleston, WV Bob Orvis & Sheria Irly Pasco, WA Tom & Wyma Pearson Fayetteville, AR Rick & Francine Peterson Gardnerville, NV James (Bob) Williams Grand Junction, CO Glad to have you join our group, we look forward to seeing you at future Rallies. Check out the Rally schedule on page 4! From Our Humor Department by Polly Blankenship COUNTIN SHOES I started counting deserted shoes along I-5 to fight boredom. All manner of shoes, mostly right ones, were littering the concrete shoulder like lost puppies. I can see kids tossing shoes, accidentally or on purpose, out an open window. But how do you lose a size 13, leather clodhopper or a bright red, 6 inch spike high heel without trying? I try to imagine, hmmm. There she is: a young woman raising her shiny red-heeled foot to an open window on a sunny day, saying Glenn, do these make my feet look fat? And there you are - a perfectly good red high heel wasted by an idiot! Countin wayward shoes and imagining how they got there makes the miles melt away! Editors note: Polly is a published author, her book Howl at the Moon is a good read. Thanks Polly. 7

8 From our President Franklin Halasz Beloved Members of the ACA: Franklin & Dessa Halasz A camping club Dessa and I belong to has, at the beginning of a formidable set of rules, "Rule #1: Have Fun!" ACA rules are not so formidable or restrictive, but somehow we seem to have forgotten Rule #1. We've become preoccupied with bylaws, executive compensation and expense documentation. Dessa and I didn't join ACA for that stuff, and I don't think you did either. We joined because ACA had the best rallies, at the lowest cost and the preponderance of members are fun to be with; and we joined because all the members had the intelligence to buy our kind of motorhome. We also expected to receive useful tips on maintaining and enjoying the Alpine motorcoach. Recently Dessa and I had the opportunity to attend the rally at Outdoor Resorts in Las Vegas held by Guaranty and WRV. Guess what? The fun was still there. It was a delightful time. It was also proof that an enthusiastic committee can put on a good rally without a paid administrator. Speaking of enthusiastic committees, the Hinckley rally committee is well on its way to a fine rally. They have asked me to remind you that while Hinckley may not be a renowned destination town it is in the middle of some interesting country and you should plan on stopping at several points of interest on the way, whether or not you go on to the FMCA convention. They need your help, most importantly your pledge to participate, but also your ideas for activities while we're there. Please let them know you'll attend. It's not too early to sign on for Branson, too. We'll be there for the Christmas shows (hoping the weather won't be too Christmasy yet), so even if you've been there before it should be new and different. There is contact information in this issue of the newsletter; if not, let any Board member know your intentions. The next paragraphs will concern administrative matters. Those who are only interested in the product - fun - can safely skip them. Formal meetings of the Board of Directors are open, minutes are kept, and they are available to the members upon request. Those minutes will show that Gale Johnson retired of his own accord. To my knowledge, everyone in ACA thinks he has been a marvelous rally director. The Board did not ask him to resign. I don't know all his reasons, but one was that complying with the increasingly stringent IRS requirements was becoming too burdensome. There are several administrative issues that the Board has not yet addressed. One is follow-on rallies: as a direct consequence of Gale's retirement, we need more members to step forward and assist with planning and carrying out our future ralliesto their credit, a few of the members who took issue with Gale's methods have volunteered to help us move forward. We will continue to operate with volunteer rally organization for some time to come, so we will always need people to step forward. With over 400 coaches, we should be able to do it. In the absence of a permanent Rally Director we'll need one or two persons to take charge of the rally equipment at the end of each rally, store it, and get it to the next one. We were lucky enough to have Giles Lenzmeier volunteer to do that at Quartzsite, but someone else, who will be at Hinckley or the FMCA convention and who plans to go to Branson, will have to do the same. Before we can even think of a replacement Rally Director, we need revised and strengthened Policies and Procedures (P&P's), Standing Rules, or whatever we're going to call them. The Bylaws committee favors minimal bylaws, which have to meet FMCA standards, supplemented by P&Ps that are not subject to FMCA review. That makes sense to the Board too; but the existing P&P's were not designed to flesh out minimalist bylaws. It's about time for someone to chair a P&P committee. If the Rally Director is to be compensated, we'll need to prepare a contract as well. Surely among our nearly-1000-obviously-intelligent Alpine Coach owners there must be a lawyer or two who would be able to take that job on. What else? Our previous Bylaws provided for geographically-based Regions (SoCal, NoWACA, ACE) that could have events of their own. In fact, any group of ACA members can get together and put on an ACA-sponsored event, simply by requesting Board approval. ACA-sanctioned events are covered by the FMCA's chapter insurance. But some organizations within ACA want to have their own bank account and their own officers and FMCA's chapter insurance will not extend to that. So the groups mentioned above are now forming their own FMCA chapters. We wish them well, and hope their members will also remain ACA members (it costs very little to have dual citizenship, and FMCA doesn't care how many chapters an FMCA member joins). Okay, if you're still reading this, you are the sort of person whom we need for all the administrative details. Consider running for the Board! Contact the Nominating Committee! Or call me - I'm worrying about this stuff all the time already. Don't forget Rule Number One, though. Volunteers can have fun too. Sincerely, Franklin Halasz 8

9 Andy & Suzan Lewis Andy Lewis Special Projects Director A lot has happened since the last newsletter, most of which has been covered by the other Board Members and the special issue. With Gale Johnson retiring, there is a void that needs to be filled and many of you have stepped up to aide in the recovery of the rallies for the rest of this year. Elections will be here soon and the nominating committee is looking for members to run for different positions, so please step up and run for office. We are still waiting to hear from FMCA about the bylaws that we presented to them, so that the bylaws committee can work on fixing those areas that FMCA does not accept. Hope all your travels are great and please, be safe. Earlene Bloomquist Membership Director Hi Everyone, I would like to thank all of you who have sent me s, cards and made phone calls to me after my knee surgery that I had on Jan. 24, I so appreciate your prayers and best wishes for a speedy recovery. I am doing much better than I was doing at Quartzsite. Again we want to thank Gale and Joan Johnson for all the awesome rallies they have done for us and wish them nothing but joy, love and happiness from Jerry and I. Earlene & Jerry Bloomquist My reminder for this month is a BIG one. Your 2008/2009 Annual ACA Dues which are $35.00 and due by June 30, Please remember that if you have not paid by June, 30, 2008 you will be put on the inactive list until I have received your dues. Mail your dues to the following address. Alpine Coach Association % Earlene Bloomquist 5808A Summitview #337 Yakima, WA Also in our new By Laws all ACA member MUST be FMCA members in good standing to belong to ACA. By being a member of FMCA in good standing, we are in compliance with their insurance liability which covers our ACA Rallies. If you are not a member of FMCA by the time your dues are paid, your money will be refuned and you will be removed from the ACA Membership. I hope you all understand how very important this is and that we don t want to lose any of you from ACA. If you have any questions about this information please contact me or any ACA Board Member. Hope you all have a wonderful spring. Travel safe! Need to Contact a Board Member? Frank Halasz Andy Lewis Earlene Bloomquist President Director Special Projects Membership Director Cell Cell Cell fhalasz@swcp.com Firemans@embarqumail.com jebloom@earth-comm.com Basil Shannon Renée Perrault Claudia Gayhart Secretary Newsletter Editor & Treasurer Immediate Past President Cell Phone Cell Cell Basil_shannon@yahoo.com Reneegary@msn.com gayhartdc@netzero.net If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Alpine Coach Association Board Members. Contact Information for ACA: Alpine Coach Association 5808A Summitview #337 Yakima, Wa Phone: Ext 399 9

10 Basil Shannon Secretary From the Secretary's desk on wheels Basil and Sue Shannon Shannon Since Frank has moved up to become president, I have been asked by the board to be the secretary until elections are held later this year. Frank is a hard act to follow but I will do my best for you. Sue and I love our full time lifestyle so much that we call ourselves the Traveling Circus... small show, just two clowns out having fun. We look forward to seeing you at the next rally in Hinckley, Minnesota. Look for the pink flamingo light in the windshield. Renée Perrault Newsletter Editor & Treasurer Here s an article that Claudia Gayhart, our Immediate Past President wanted to share with the members. Thank you Claudia for this very valuable information. REFILLING PLASTIC BOTTLES Most types of plastic bottles are safe to reuse at least a few times if properly washed with hot soapy water. But recent revelations about chemicals in Lexan (plastic #7) bottles are enough to scare even the most committed environmentalists from reusing them. Studies have indicated that food and drinks stored in such containers including those ubiquitous clear Nalgene water bottles hanging from just about every hiker s backpack can contain trace amounts of Bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic chemical that interferes with the body s natural hormonal messaging system. The same studies found that repeated re-use of such bottles which get dinged up through normal wear and tear and while being washed increases the chance that chemicals will leak out of the tiny cracks and crevices that develop over time. Most experts agree that the amount of BPA that could leach into food and drinks through normal handling is probably very small, but there are concerns about the cumulative effect of small doses. Health advocates also recommend not reusing bottles made from plastic #1 (polyethyleve terephthalate, also known as PET or PETE), including most disposable water, soda and juice bottles. The good news is that such bottles are easy to recycle; just about every municipal recycling system will take them. But, using them is nonetheless far from environmentally responsible: The nonprofit Berkeley Ecology Center found that the manufacture of plastic #1 uses large amounts of energy and resources and generates toxic emissions and pollutants that contribute to global warming. Another bad choice for water bottles, reusable or otherwise, is plastic #3 (polyvinyl chloride/pvc) which can leach hormone-disrupting chemicals into the liquids they are storing and will release synthetic carcinogens into the environment when incinerated. Plastic #6 (polystyrene/ps) has been shown to leach styrene, a probable human carcinogen, into food and drinks as well. Safer choices include bottles crafted from safer HDPE (plastic #2), low-density polyethylene (LDPE, AKA plastic #4) or polypropylene (PP, or plastic #5). Aluminum bottles and stainless steel water bottles are also safe choices and can be reused repeatedly and eventually recycled. 10 Renee Perrault & Gary Arnold Thank you to everyone that has sent in articles for this newsletter. I even had a couple of brave souls who tried last months recipe Spinach Squares. Please remember that the two National Rallies that are being planned are being worked on by a committee of volunteers. If you plan on attending Hinckley or Branson, please let the committee know. An early head count is imperative to helping them plan costs, if we over commit on spots, the club is out the money if we don t get the anticipated amount of coaches. With my Treasurer (beancounter) hat on, that could be a lot of beans lost! Start talking to your ACA friends and get your group on track to come to Hinckley or Branson. The committees are working hard to make sure you ll have a memorable time. Help them make it successful so the standard that Gale and Joan set is not compromised.

11 ALPINE COACH MART Davis Davis Cabinets Custom Cabinets and Accessories Helping to make your Motor Coach a Motor Home East 10th Ave P.O. Box 545 Junction City, Or Phone:(541) Fax (541) ts Advertising Information Alpine Coach Mart Ad price is $10 for 3.5 x 2 inch (business card side). Advertising is limited to Alpine Coaches and related furniture or equipment. To place advertising, contact Renee Perrault at News01alpinecoachassociation.com Retail advertisers, please the above address and our new 2008 rate card will be promptly sent to you. ACA MEMBERS - Please remember to support our advertisers, they help make our newsletter possible. When your traveling on I-5 make Junction City a stop to shop. Tell them you saw their ad in our newsletter.

12 Alpine FMCA Pomona by Mike Gamble At the conclusion of the fun and entertaining rally in Las Vegas, many of us trundled down (in less than ideal weather) to a California State Park called Glen Helen, in which Dave Fernandez had arranged a huge parking lot, where we could assemble our 25 Alpines for the short trip into the Pomona Fairplex, home of the Los Angeles County Fair, where FMCA held it s winter convention. FMCA was well organized, as usual, for the large turnout of members. They had trolleys to take you anywhere on the fairgrounds, and a dozen venues for seminars, that seemed to be going continually. Most had to do with topics important to motorhomers, but some concerned how FMCA does business and is organized. There was a building dedicated to the suppliers who were prepared to work on misbehaving equipment, and most of us got into that one, and got crucial things repaired. There were two buildings that were dedicated to booths of suppliers and vendors who were willing to sell equipment on the spot, or sign you up for a service. (We signed up for CoachNet, a service that WRV now makes available to all purchasers of new Alpine Coaches.) The Los Angeles County Fairgrounds is also home to the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Museum and Hall of Fame. That s exciting for anyone who s interested in drag racing, and how it became a national sport. There s also a group of volunteer model railroad folks who have assembled a huge layout of several trains that are a delight to young and old, as they roam around their miniature landscape. Our group managed to get together each afternoon for a potluck and cocktails; and we invited the folks from WRV and Guaranty, (who were supporting the convention, and working on our coaches) to come eat with us. They brought delicious stuff too, and even had some spare tables; we all had a great time! It was exhausting, because there was so much to do, but it was, for most of us, a very informative event. Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Regions Kind of like Steve Martin Wild and Crazy Guy or Cindi Lauper Girls just want to have fun ACA Groups are just one big wild party, kind of like Spring Break in Florida. OK, maybe not, but the regional ACA groups are a lot of fun.there is always something going on and if you are traveling the country, you should keep track of the various events and try to participate. Never know what you might find..but you can be sure that it will be entertaining and you ll meet new friends or see some old friends. We have great events scheduled for 2008 with more being added, there is something for everyone. Take another look at the Rally Schedule on page 4 and map out your route to fun across the country. For answers to questions and advice from other Alpine Coach owners visit and click Alpine Coach Owners Forum. ACE East Coast Fulltimers Midwest NorCal Northern California Northern Nevada NoWACA Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana SoCal Southern California Southern Nevada TEXANS Tom & Peggy Bacome pjbacome@aol.com Maureen Dahl wandern.two@verizon.net Ted & Kay Watts themowatts@aol.com John & Barbara Knox jdknbak@verizon.net Cell Larry & Barbara Smith typsmith@olypen.com John & Gail Stacy gjstacy@cox.net Louie & Linda Burch labsr@aol.com Cell:

13 NorCal by John Knox A Northern California chapter of Alpine Coach Association is now a reality. Ten coaches met at Lodi, CA Jan 25 and& 26. We adopted By-Laws using the SoCal By-Laws as a guide. With that accomplished, we elected officers. They are: President John Knox 1 st Vice President Pat Abernathy 2 nd Vice President Publicity Peggy Parsons Secretary Barbara Knox Treasurer Gale Picha Membership Chairman - Pat Abernathy Saturday afternoon the Oak Ridge Winery and the Flag City RV Resort presented us with a complimentary wine and cheese tasting party. It was a very nice way to celebrate the establishment of our Chapter. Pat Abernathy put on her Membership Chairman hat, whipped out her laptop and designed a Membership Application form and the RV Park printed copies for her. By Sunday morning she had all of us signed up. That part wasn t hard as everyone enjoyed the rally and are eager for more. Saturday evening we had a potluck dinner. After dinner Steve Picha gave a slide and movie presentation about RV Caravan trips to Mexico and Alaska. Great photography, very interesting and a great way to kick back after a good dinner. Sunday morning there was a continental breakfast and we said our goodbyes as we look forward to future rallies. NorCal will be much the same as the other ACA regional Chapters, we plan to be active with six to ten rallies per year. We currently have five more rallies on the schedule for See the Rally Calendar on page 4. If you would like a flyer and Rally Registration Form for our next rally, Chico, CA April 3 5, send us an or give us a call. All coaches joining NorCal by the end of the Chico rally will be NorCal Charter Members. If you would like to join but can t make Chico, give Pat Abernathy an or a call. Safe travels and may the good times roll! Pahrump -Alpine SoCal Rally by Gail Stacy There were 22 Alpines gathered at the beautiful Terrible s Lakeside Casino & RV Park in Pahrump, NV, from February 15-18, If you have never been to this park, and are looking for a place to stay while exploring Death Valley, I highly recommend that you try this park. It is one of the most beautiful we ve ever been to. We were joined by Lindsay, Rich and Louise from Guaranty RV, who brought 2 used and 3 new Alpines for us to see (and hopefully buy). This was a pre-rally to the Alpine Rally in Las Vegas, NV and the subsequent FMCA International Rally in Pomona, CA. The highlights of the rally were: Lunch and a tour of Sheri s Ranch Brothel I think we had the PG rated tours conducted by some of the ladies who work at the Brothel. At least, I didn t see anyone blushing too much. A really good catered dinner followed by our membership meeting. A truly wonderful BBQ sponsored, planned and cooked by Guaranty RV. After a farewell continental breakfast, most of us traveled from Pahrump to the Alpine Rally at the Outdoor Resorts in Las Vegas, where we had two days to rest up before the fun started there. 13

14 AHHH It s Good To Go Nuts! Here are some healthy nuts the next time you want to reach for a snack. Walnuts great source of the healthy omega 3 essential fatty acids, which protect the heart, promote better cognitive functions and provide antiinflammatory benefits for asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, eczema and psoriasis. 1 Cup chopped walnuts is over 785 calories so moderation is the key. Pecans excellent source of over 19 vitamins. Also has been found to significantly help lower blood cholesterol when consumed as part of a heart healthy diet. ¾ cup of pecans a day may significantly lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and help to clear the arteries. Careful, calories for 1 cup chopped, 822 calories. Macadamia Nuts High in protein, fiber, healthy monounsaturated fats, potassium and magnesium. Studies show that people who added macadamia nets to their diets for just one month had total cholesterol levels of 191 compared to the 201 for those eating the typical American diet. 1 cup 989 calories. Nuts are highly concentrated in both their calories and their nutrients, so only a small handful at a time otherwise all the good benefits are wasted when you re unable to get out the coach door! One more thing..if you re not nuts but have a sweet tooth try Dark Chocolate it s rich in antioxidants and can lower blood pressure. 3 pieces of Dove dark chocolate, 126 calories. Go for it! Thank you Suzan Lewis for providing some of the information for this article. 14

15 Bacon Quiche Tarts From Mary Ann Ratliff "Flavored with vegetables, cheese and bacon, these memorable morsels. 'The tarts are an impressive addition to brunch, but they're quite easy to make,' 2 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1 Tbls. Finely chopped onion 5 teaspoons milk 1 8 ounce package refrigerated crescent rolls 2 eggs 5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled ½ cup shredded Colby Cheese 2 Tbls. Chopped green pepper DIRECTIONS: 1. In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Add the eggs, cheese, green pepper and onion; mix well. Separate dough into eight triangles; press onto the bottom and up the sides of greased muffin cups. Sprinkle half of the bacon into cups. Pour egg mixture over bacon; top with remaining bacon. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Serve warm. WHAT S YOUR THING? What s your favorite thing to do? What s your hobby? With over 400 coaches there are bound to be people with your same interests and hobbies. So, what are yours? Wouldn t it be fun to share information or learn a new hobby at a rally? Here s some that I ve heard in passing. Men: Women: 4 wheeling Knitting Flying RC Planes Quilting Woodworking Making Jewelry There are plenty more hobbies out there to share and talk about, please send your hobbies to: reneegary@msn.com and we ll see who s doing what! Remembrance Our fellow ACA member, Roseanne Krieger lost her 6 year battle with cancer, she was 59. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her husband Bob and their family. Quartzsite continued from page 1 Wendy Meilinger From Wendy Meilinger, traveling in a , This is our 6 th Desert Rat Rally and I hope it isn t going to be too windy. I like to look at all the different mountains and I like sitting in the sun. Paul and Kay Goecke, of Guernsey, WY, are new to the Alpine rallies with their footer. Kay says, This is our maiden voyage. I m having a good time! I was leery about boondocking, but I ve found I have all the comforts of home. Sherril and Dave Haxby, of Scottsdale, AZ, RV in their Alpine. Says Sherrill, This is our first introduction to the rallies and I just love it. We like all the events, meeting people, hey I might have to quit my job so we can go full-time! There were lots of hard working volunteers that made the rally special and kept things going as smoothly as possible. Andy Lewis made certain there was an orderly rush to the food Louie Burch made the garbage run, and Tom Benedum conducted a heartfelt church service in the desert morn. By Sunday afternoon most rigs had hit the open road, others planning to leave on Monday. 15

16 Alpine Coach Association Registration Form JULY 8-12, 2008 Grand Casino 777 Lady Luck Drive Hinckley, MN See details on page 5 Wagonmasters: Louis & Linda Burch Ray & Chris Schemanske cell: cell: labsr@aol.com cschemanske@yahoo.com Registration must be received by: June 7, 2008 Make Check Payable to: Mail Check and Form to: Alpine Rallies Louis Burch 7915 Willow Ridge Drive Justin, TX CUT OFF HERE RETURN WITH YOUR CHECK ACA Pre-Rally at Hinckley, MN July 8-12, 2008 Names: Phone: Address: Coach Length: City-State-Zip: Total number of persons attending: Dog ( ) Yes ( ) No Will you be caravanning with group to FMCA? ( ) Yes ( ) No You must register to attend the FMCA directly with FMCA. TOTAL Rally fee for coach with 2 persons $ Rally fee for coach with 1 person $ Each additional person $73.50 Total Amount of Check Enclosed $ 16 REQUESTS FOR CANCELLATION MUST BE MADE PRIOR TO JUNE 15, 2008.