QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF THE NORTHWEST ALPINE COACH ASSOCIATION. Volume 6 Issue 1 January 2014

Transcription

1 QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF THE NORTHWEST ALPINE COACH ASSOCIATION Volume 6 Issue 1 January 2014 President Terry McGuire 1st Vice President Tom Kunst 2nd Vice President Elaine Ellis Membership/Treasurer Doug Hallander Secretary Suzi Kukar FMCA National Director Fred Royce Talk Alt. FMCA National Director Dave Dahners Newsletter Editor Barb Smith Sunshine Lady Lori Gailey PRESIDENT S MESSAGE by Terry McGuire (terry_4444@hotmail.com) What an interesting Fall we ve had. It started in October with Patty and me having a lot of fun co-hosting the Winchester Bay Rally with Doug and Debbie Hallander. I think we had about 15 coaches attend, plus the Kukars (sans coach on their way to Mexico). The seafood meals were all very good; the view outside our front window was awesome; movie night on the big screen, complete with popcorn and movie candy, was great. The movie was Now You See Me. I don t think anyone had it all figured out before the end...and quite a few weren t sure even after it was over. Immediately after the rally we headed south to get some work done on the Aqua Hot in Gold Canyon, Arizona. The next day we met up with Lyle and Cathy Fuller in New Mexico and proceeded on to New Braunfels, Texas for the ACA Heritage Rally. There were many interesting things at that rally, but nothing more so than the storm that came through one evening. The lightning went on through the night and we were lucky enough (?) to be in one of the little valleys that caught about 16 inches of rain in about 8 hours. The Guadalupe River, which bordered the RV Park, got very angry, and actually had us landlocked in the park for a short time as the water covered the roads out in both directions. Our travels with the Fullers continued on to San Antonio to take in the River Walk and search for the perfect steak [did you find it??]. Then further eastward, stopping for one night in Louisiana at the Cajun Palms RV Resort. It was the evening of the annual St. Jude Charity Gumbo Cookoff. For $5 we got to eat all the gumbo we wanted from the 15 groups competing and then vote for the winner. We tried all 15. Patty chose a smoke flavored chicken and sausage gumbo while I chose the shrimp/seafood gumbo. Bellies full, the next day we moved on to the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. We stayed near Bay St. Louis, where

2 Hurricane Katrina made landfall. At Patty s urging, we made a one-day trip to Biloxi to check out the new Margaritaville Casino (and gift shop, of course). While we did check out several buffets at various casinos, our most memorable meals came from some of the little mom-and-pop joints we found. The Fullers are experts at using the internet to find those special little joints you should never miss. When we weren t searching for some interesting little restaurant, Cathy was cooking up something special in her coach; like jambalaya, or baby back ribs, or beef stew, or lasagna, or many other great meals. She apparently loves to cook. From Mississippi we made our way back to Texas, and after a short ferry ride with the coaches we were on Galveston Island. Here we found a lot of what was rebuilt after Hurricane Ike a few years ago, and a little of the remaining damage. Best meal was probably at the Fisherman s Wharf. A pleasant talkative waiter filled us in on the mark high up on a post that showed how high the water got inside the restaurant during Ike. He also told us about the owner, whose Westport yacht was being stocked for a voyage while moored right outside our window. Then we headed to Corpus Christi. The neatest meal was at a little family-owned fish and shrimp restaurant called Snoopy s, suggested to the Fullers by Basil and Sue Shannon. On the one warm afternoon, we sat outside where the intracoastal water level was right at our feet, and a very large tanker sailed by so close we could almost touch it. Unfortunately, the cold wet weather sweeping down through the entire country caught up with us there, limiting our sightseeing. As soon as the ice storms out in West Texas let up, we headed to Big Bend National Park. We spent a little time trying to skip stones across the Rio Grande, but none made it all the way to Mexico. The scenery was terrific, and the weather actually warmed to allow for some outdoor dining. We headed further west, spending a week with the Fullers back at their Casa Grande home base in Palm Creek RV Resort. After a few minor repairs to our Alpine, we headed back to the Northwest where it all started, near Winchester Bay (actually to Lincoln City.) The coach will spend a few weeks there while we are back in Yakima with our family for the holidays. Miles to date this Fall just short of 7,000. After New Year s, we re thinking of visiting some California wineries as we head to Lake Havasu for the Balloon Festival rally with ACA, then to Quartzsite for the non-rally get-together, and then... who knows, but we have tickets for the TPC PGA Golf Tourney in Phoenix.

3 For planning purposes, the May Rally is in Pendleton and an August rally, previously mentioned for Hood River, has been changed to the Portland-Fairview RV Resort. This will be a joint rally with the NorCal-SoCal-ACA group that is pre-rallying together before caravanning into Redmond for the National FMCA event. For those interested in continuing with the group, we are invited to join them at the FMCA rally. I m excited about trying this new rally format with other Alpine groups, and the FMCA National Rally is a bonus. NoWACA s business affairs are up to date. Doug has us all legal with the State and Feds. Our status with the FMCA is current and up to date. Remember, May is our one required business meeting, and is also our biannual election of officers. The ACA had an interesting audit by the IRS a few months ago and I ll fill you in at the May rally. So, as Patty shops for gifts for the grandkids, I am getting some of the year-end business and tax planning done. Though it s only been a couple of days since we left the coach, I m already thinking of getting back behind the wheel. Happy Holidays to everyone. And safe travels. See you in May. Lovin the Alpine lifestyle! Terry Save the Date For The 2014 NoWACA Roundup And Annual Meeting May 14 th to 18th Wildhorse Casino Pendleton, OR Watch for more information and signup sheets mid January Rally Hosts: Tom & Sue Kunst, Dave & Colleen Mara, Ed & Diane Doern, Larry & Rita Lewis

4 TREASURER S REPORT by Doug Hallander (dchdrh@easystreet.net) The Alpine is winterized and stored for the winter. However, the new year is fast approaching. I want to give you a heads up that I will be sending out 2014 dues statements via shortly after the new year. Since a few of you have already paid for 2014 I will put Paid as the amount due for those who have paid previously. Even though you don t need to send a check you might want to update your information. It looks like we will end 2013 with 69 members. Our cash balance is $6,161. After adjusting for funds committed to future rallies our net worth is $6,761. Debbie and I hope to see you next May in Pendleton. Have a safe and happy new year. Doug Northwest Alpine Coach Association Financial Transactions Summary As of December 15, 2013 Cash Balance - December 31, 2012 $ 6, Receipts Membership Dues , , Replacement Name Badges 0.00 Expenditures ( ) Bank Charges & Office Expenses (10.00) Membership Expense 0.00 Miscellaneous Expense 0.00 Name Tags / Placards 0.00 Net Logo Wear Sales 0.00 Web Site Expenses 0.00 (10.00) Net Rally Income / (Loss) Richland Receipts May , Richland Expenses (3,405.67) (128.67) Note: $150 expended in 2012 Bend / Sisters Receipts August , Bend / Sisters Expenses (6,728.67) Winchester Bay Receipts October , Winchester Bay Expenses (4,047.65) (1,187.65) Note: $ expended in 2011 $1,565 received in 2012 Pendleton Receipts May Pendleton Expenses (300.00) (300.00) Hood River Receipts August Hood River Expenses (300.00) (300.00) Cash Balance - December 15, 2013 $6, Deferred Rally (Income) / Expenses included in Cash Balance Pendleton Hood River Net Worth - December 15, 2013 $6, Current Year Change in Net Worth $1,311.81

5 NEWS FROM FMCA by Fred Royce Volunteering at Redmond Reunion President Terry s article tells us that NoWACA, NorCAL, and ACA are joining forces August 7-11 for a Prerally at Portland-Fairview RV Resort and continuing with members caravanning to Redmond for the FMCA 90th Reunion. The last NoWACA Talk issue also told us how to add to the fun by volunteering as Activity Golf Cart Drivers at the Reunion. Volunteers will serve about 6 hours in 3 or 2 hours shifts. Hopefully, most Alpiners and FAO s [former Alpine owners] will sign up. To volunteer, all you have to do is: 1. Mark your calendars. 2. Register for Joint Pre-rally. Form available next NoWACA Talk. 3. Register for Redmond Reunion. Form in future FMCA Magazine. 4. Provide NAME, FMCA #, CELL PHONE NUMBER, and ADDRESS by March 1 to: Fred Royce. Cell phone number: Address: fhroyce@olypen.com Given the people involved, this extended event has the potential to be the superbowl rally of the year!! You don t want to miss it. Fred FROM OUR SUNSHINE LADY by Lori Gailey (l.gailey@msn.com) Merry Christmas from your Sunshine girl! John and I would like to extend our warmest holiday wishes to all of you. We are staying home this winter and, while we felt a little sad when we winterized the coach, we ve settled in and are enjoying the cold and the white stuff that occasionally falls from the sky. When we joined NoWACA in 2010, our first ever RV club, we weren t really sure what we were getting ourselves into, but we d like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude for the friendships we ve found, and the fun we ve had along the way. In the last year, we ve also had the pleasure of meeting up with members during our travels, and it s truly enriched our traveling experience. For example, last Christmas we were in Mayport, Florida, near Jacksonville, where we had the opportunity to meet up with Larry and Barb Smith, who were on their way to Key West. We met up with them again in Pensacola in February, and they were traveling with Jay and Linda Emory, so that doubled our fun! Then, hosting the August rally gave us the opportunity to get to know so many of you in a way that simply attending a rally doesn t offer. If you are like us, planning will begin soon for our 2014/2015 travels, and we d like to encourage everyone to make the effort to meet up with members either on the road or when you are passing through a member s home town. I know we will be doing more of that, so don t be surprised if your phone rings and you hear our voice on the other end. Getting to know one another on an individual basis will make our group stronger and more vibrant, and can enrich our travels in surprising ways. I d also like to encourage you to host or co-host a rally. Yes, it s a lot of work, but it s also a lot of fun. The best part of hosting, and the best part of being a NoWACA/ACA member is getting to know our fellow members. Have a wonderful Christmas holiday season, and Happy New Year! Lori and John Gailey

6 RALLY DIRECTOR MESSAGE by Elaine Ellis I m saddened as I m writing my last article for NoWACA Talk newsletter. At the Annual May 2014 meeting I will be turning over my position as Rally Director to two very capable members Debbie Hallander and Renee Perrault. It has been my pleasure to serve as Rally Director, and without the very willing members I could not have done the job. I want to thank the membership for their willingness to volunteer to take on the task of Wagonmaster. It s important that we have members who give willingly of their time to put on the great rallies we have. Without that component we would not have the wonderful club we have today. With that said, I m sure the membership will continue to support Debbie and Renee, as I do. I want to thank you all for your support over the soon-to-be past two years. Jim and I want to wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and a happy 2014! Safe travels, Elaine UPCOMING RALLIES January 8-12, 2014 Indio, California FMCA Western Area Rally See FMCA.com for info arearallies@fmca.com January 16-20, 2014 Lake Havasu City, Arizona Lake Havasu Balloon Festival Renee Perrault & Gary Arnold reneegary@msn.com Beth & Norm Cannon bethinhavasu@yahoo.com January 20-25, 2014 Quartzsite, Arizona Get Together in Our Spot no host rally for info: langord@mac.com January 30 - February 3, 2014 San Felipe, Baja 4th Annual Baja Rally Suzi & Bill Kukar suzikukar@aol.com for details Barb & Larry Smith typsmith@olypen.com May 14-18, 2014 Pendleton, Oregon NoWACA Roundup, Sue & Tom Kunst tomkunst@charter.net Annual Meeting & Elections Colleen & Dave Mara maracv@aol.com Diane & Ed Doern doernea@aol.com Rita & Larry Lewis riverhouse750@frontier.com August 7-11, 2014 Portland/Fairview, Oregon Joint FMCA Pre-Rally Nancy & Tom Polk tomgorving@gmail.com Info to come Wilma & Vic Egg August 13-16, 2014 Redmond, Oregon High Desert Sunrise see FMCA magazine or website FMCA 90th Family Reunion ACA HELP LINE The ACA Board reviewed the cost and use of the Help Line ( ) over the past 12 months. The cost has gone up and the use has gone down. Therefore we have voted to discontinue the Help Line. Its use was less than 18 calls over the last 12 months. The help line was established for members who did not have access to the Internet. Two ACA members, Chris Cratch ( ) and Frank Halasz ( ) have volunteered to take your calls when you do not have access to the Internet and IRV2. Many thanks to Chris Cratch for managing the Help Line since its inception. Tom Cook, President ACA, 759cook@gmail.com

7 NoWACAns Deep in the Heart of Texas by Patty McGuire This year, along with Lyle and Cathy Fuller, we decided to attend the ACA rally in New Braunfels, Texas. After leaving Winchester Bay, Oregn we hustled our bustles to meet up with them in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Together we caravanned across Texas to the Lazy L & L Campground which is located on the banks of the Guadalupe River. For the second time, the hosts for this rally were Dean and Jan Sandmire, and they shared many local items with us, from candles to coffee, peach preserves to pickles, and sauces to sausage, we got to experience it all. The rally was very well attended by 47 coaches from all over the country. People enjoyed seeing old friends and making new at the hosted affair featuring Tex-Mex snacks of fresh tamales, tacos, chips and salsas of various heat levels. Little did we know what weather was heading our way. In his President s message, Terry talked about the 16 inches of rain we received that night. I didn t like it! Admittedly I am a Nervous Nelly and hoped that it didn t get any worse. The following morning when I took Abbey out to do her morning business I was greeted with clear blue skies. Later at the membership meeting we were told the rain total and that the river had flowed over its banks. I don t want to go through that again. Halloween night was Crazy Hat night along with a yummy catered dinner and a dance. To watch the Sandmires it is easy to see they have done the Texas two-step a time or two. Others soon followed and fun was had by all. Friday was a free day to do one of the activities available in the area. Hiking, shopping or golfing were some of the many things to choose from. Some just took it easy. I saw some women working on quilts and men working on coaches. There was installing, repairing and even some leak fixin. Yep, some found leaks they didn t know they had. Terry and I joined 14 others for a day of golf. The golf course had experienced the same storm, but received only 10 inches of rain. It added some challenges to the day, as if I needed more challenges. Because the ground was so spongy, the carts were delegated to stay on the cart paths. Even then on a few occasions the water was flowing across the path deep enough to almost get our feet wet. Several of the tee-boxes were littered with debris which we had to clear in order to continue. Even with all that we had a good time. I am happy to say I finished all 18 holes. Not with a great score but I hung in there. Families in Texas like to spend their Saturday nights at the rodeo so we did, too. Not quite an hour s drive from the campground, as long as you didn t get lost turn too soon Terry (inside joke!), was the Tejas Steakhouse, pro rodeo and dance hall. Our group took over a large outdoor area and was treated to dinner of the house specialty. A cut of steak that you will not find anywhere else and it was cooked to perfection. The owner told us that on a normal weekend they serve over 500 orders of that meal. While we waited for the rodeo time to approach we enjoyed watching the families arrive all decked out in their finest western wear. Even the little cowpokes had on their Levis, boots and 10-gallon hats; well maybe only ½ gallon. We all moseyed our way into the grandstands which lined one side of a covered arena. Many of the kids chose to climb on the fence in order to get a better look. My favorite was watching all the little dudes getting a chance to show off their skills. There was the always-entertaining Mutton Busting (little cowpokes clutching tightly to the backs of running sheep) and what I called, Chase the Calf. The announcer called for all kids 12 and under to come down into the arena. It looked like ants running to a dropped cookie crumb. While the rodeo clowns led them in jumping jacks and stretches the cowboys were releasing four calves with ribbons on their tails into the arena. Object of the game chase the calf and grab the ribbon. Long after all the ribbons had been captured the kids were still chasing those calves. Most of you don t know that I married a cowboy. Terry enjoyed it all, including the drill team and barrel racing. He said when he thinks of Texas, a rodeo like this is what he imagined. For our free time, the Sandmires provided daily suggestions, and highlighted go to Buc-ees and don t forget to visit the restrooms. Buc-ees is the largest convenience store in the country. We entered the store and were in awe at the sheer size of it. Buc-ees has all your needs covered. Need a hunting license or fishing gear, covered. How about souvenirs or vacation apparel, covered. Do you need a new bbq, covered. There was even fresh produce or if you want a steak to put on that new bbq you can have the on sight butcher cut one for you. There was no shortage of snacks or coolers of beverages. Then it was time to check out those restrooms. Clean, big, fully enclosed individual stalls approximately 30 of them [everything s bigger in Texas]. Wow! No wonder they brag about them.

8 Monday night we went as a group to the Wurstfest in New Braunfels. There was lots of polka music to enjoy while we walked around eating potato pancakes or pork chop on a stick, not to mention several different types of sausages. And, of course, plenty of beer to drink. On departure morning each coach was given a box containing more than a dozen cookies from a local bakery called Naegelin s Bakery. It is the oldest bakery in Texas starting business in What a nice touch to have cookies to snack on while cruising down the road. Jan thought of everything. Coming to this rally was definitely worth the several days of driving and lots of miles. The Sandmires were gracious and generous hosts and showed off their beloved State of Texas well. So these four NoWACAns headed towards the gulf coast for several more days of travel and who knows someday these NoWACAns might once again find themselves Deep in the Heart of Texas. Patty McGuuire FOR SALE 2000 Alpine Coach 38 foot with two slides. Most available factory options included, such as booth seating, leather driver and passenger seats, and garden tub. The 350 Cummins engine has approximately 98,000 miles. There are day/ night shades, reflective windows, fridge with ice maker and generous storage throughout. The storage bays are equipped with full custom built sliding trays for easy access. There is some pass through storage area for those longer items. The microwave is a dual microwave/convection oven. The stove unit includes an oven and three burners. There is a full-length closet slide in the bedroom and additional half-high hanging space in the bath hallway. The hallway hanging space is plumbed for a washer/dryer. There has been no smoking or pets in this unit. The glass shower doors are as clear as the day they were installed, and all plumbing fixtures are thoroughly wiped down after each use. The kitchen floor was professionally replaced with laminate wood flooring. Upgrades in 2009 include four new rear tires, Koni shocks and new house and chassis batteries. New front tires were installed May 4, A new Samsung TV was installed in December The Alpine is currently in Yuma and is listed for $43,500. An extended warranty plan is available for an additional cost, prorated for the time remaining on the contract. Many additional photos available. Contact Karen or Rod Sprague: ksprague1@gmail.com or jrodsprague@gmail.com Got something RV related to sell? Send your classified ad to nowacainfo@yahoo.com to be included in the next newsletter. Deadline is March 1.