Saturday, February 12, 2011

LOVE her the MOST

I decided to head over to Richmond to what I had come to think of as the best of the 5 RV shows in Virginia.   Notice I said
 had come to think…………

The show is about an hour away and
I decided to make
a splurge day of it
so first I stopped at the
Tip Top
A GREAT Diner


and had a fabulous
eggs, bacon, home fries and biscuits breakfast. 
YUMMMMMM!!!!! 
 

Then made a quick stop at Subway
to pick up one of their $5 footlongs
to eat HALF of for lunch
knowing from experience
about RV Show food.
I have a TERRIBLE time
trying to decide what sandwich, which bread
and then what to put on it.
Don’t you think that's just
TOO MANY CHOICES!!
Actually I wish there were fewer choices in life PERIOD.
Don't get me started on the CEREAL AISLE.

But despite the choices, I made it to the show.
 
I had hoped to find a few particular things
at the vendor booths but it took less than
15 minutes to walk by them all.
Few seemed to be selling RV equipment.
Mostly what I saw were sales for
Virginia campgrounds
and things that didn’t seem to be
AT ALL RV RELATED
……..like the horrible ZCoil shoes
and some sort of cookware.

I almost literally ran into the Geico Gecko.
Didn't think to get his autograph....
 
We have Geico insurance
And they have been just splendid for years
and through several uses of their claims service
including the recent Winnona BOO BOO..
(yes this is definitely an endorsement and no I don't get a cut)

Of course this iS Virginia
so there had to be
BLUE GRASS MUSIC. 
AND bare feet.

Went inside lots of the RVS….
this picture is for Gin & Syl………
the 2011 Winnebago Tour
an exception to most of what I saw
in that it had an attractive interior
which appeared to be well made.
Just TOO BIG for me.
Although notice that one would be owner with hand on brow
is SWOONING!!
 

Ate lunch while watching a presentation
on the history of RVing in the US
David Woodworth had some GREAT slides of
RVs from his own collection. 
He has 27000 pieces of camping equipment
and hundreds of vintage RVs
that he keeps in a storehouse in California.
He rents model T's at his B&B the Tin Lizzie Inn
located just outside Yosemite National Park
and has taken his daughters
on RV trips in one pulling a vintage trailer.
A VERY interesting VERY talkative guy.

 
 

Anyone for a class A vintage 1918??
The driver's seat is looking out
the window, after, of course,
Pulling back the draperies!!
I think you can see his face in the first photo.
This one is parked and yes, that is the FRONT
and those are the HEADLIGHTS!

How about a 5th wheel??
 

Do you know how the 5th wheel got its name??
 
Because the hitch fit in the trunk
INSIDE the spare tire.
The 5th wheel!!

The slide show was a lot of fun
But so were the other folks at the show.
Not positive but it appears to be a Yorkie riding in style
 

What a look I got from Ms. Dogwood Winnie
What?  You don’t want your picture taken HON?
Lighten up, you'll be famous.
 

But in everything we saw from
Truck Campers to
Diesel Pushers,
I couldn’t find anything
I liked as well as Winnona. 
She just has all the things I want
 in my home on the road
including two fabulous pantry pull out shelves
which I couldn’t find in any other coach. 
The Fleetwoods had two
but the long narrow cabinets
didn’t pull out.  
ARE YOU KIDDING? 
How in the world
would you find the things in the very back?
Take everything out????
My arm won't even reach that far.
Went inside many 5th wheels
but the only one I really liked
had a floor plan similar to Howard & Linda’s.
Now do bear in mind that I was just looking at
what I’d want to live in,
NOT at any of the mechanics.

The dealers seem to have decided
that central Virginian’s are no longer
interested in coaches costing $300K and up
(wonder what was their first clue?)
and this was the first show I’ve been to
where there were NONE.
But even in the most expensive coaches on the floor
the inside seemed cheap
and plywood was far too evident.   
The wood was dark, the fabrics were dark
and thus the coaches were very dark  inside.  
What’s up with that?? 
I wasn’t the only one commenting about the darkness inside.
 (yes I WAS eavesdropping)
 

I was pleased to find that Winnebagos still had very solid
workmanship and design although none of them said
 “Trade Winnona in for me”.

I left the show thinking that I probably won’t go to any more shows unless I just “happen”
to be at Hershey or Tampa when they are scheduled.  

But it really is GRAND to go to a show
and compare everything to what you have and
come away being SO HAPPY
that your home is one you
love the most.

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