Rally Day 2+ -We all met at 8 for breakfast, it was in the Jackman Long Dining Hall, which was big enough to hold all the people that came to the Rally. Everything was buffet style for breakfast and dinner all in the same hall everytime. They had all meals catered and they did a very good job. Every breakfast was scrambled eggs (different versions) with toppings like melted cheese and salsa, breakfast meat, pancakes or waffles, potatoes, cereal, fruit, juices, milk ect. it would very every morning with bacon or sausage, pancakes or waffles the only thing was they never had toast or biscuits, which I missed. Dinners were always salad bar, different kinds of vegetables each night, rolls, beans, potatoes (various kinds each night) and a couple different meats to choose from, everything was very good.
After breakfast at 9:15 they had a First Timer's Meeting which Vicki, Lee and I went to, Dave had to go back to the coach for conference calls. The meeting was just explaining what rallies are and about the seminars they have and just to tell you if you didn't have a good time it was your own fault. This was the biggest First Timer's meeting that they ever had. The seminars last from 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours. In the Columbia Hall is were all the vendors that had tons of stuff to sell you, you know things you can't live without if you live in an RV or in a home. We only spent about $4,800 over the 3 days while we were there, some people spent over 300,000 (they bought a new coach) see so we got out cheap. The one big thing that we did purchase was the new satellite dish on top of the RV. Dave now doesn't have to set up the tri-pod satellite dish everytime we park so that we are able to use our computers. This one is mounted on the RV and he can use his computer to tell it to lift up and find a signal when we park. The only thing now is we are stuck hauling this other satellite around with us for now until we can get it sold. We got some shirts, jackets, vests, cleaning materials, cups, cover catcher (for our bed cover) and also a plaque that is now in our window that has our names "Dave and Jeri Alton" Homeless, USA with a picture of a dog that has Valentine's name underneath it. We were going to wait until Christmas and ask the kids for it but we couldn't wait that long. But we still need new lounge chairs, the ones we have are from when we used to go camping with Vickey and Jim Alvis, so you know how old those are. 10 or 15 years and the material is really tearing now, but I still use them, we might just find a place to recover them, who knows. We also need one of those foot/feet scratch pads for when we walk back into the coach. Boy, did I get off coarse, back to the Rally.
Later in the morning Dave did get to the seminar about the Importance of Tire pressure with Lee, another device to sell you to monitor your tire pressure from inside the rig, which Lee purchased which was over 800.00. In the afternoon Vicki, Dave and I made it to the "Cleaning with a pro" with MARY MOPPINS. Then at 3:45 to 5pm was the "Wine Reception" come meet your new friends and enjoy our wine and cheese social. Then 5pm to 6pm was Cocktail Hour then dinner at 6:30. At 7:30 pm they had different entertainment every night. The 1st night was New Odyssey, didn't stay for that.
Rally Day 3-Breakfast then to the Seminar with Ginger, Vicki and Mary (new friend, who Ginger knew and lives in Somas, Ventura county) for "Microwave/Convection Oven Demonstration" which of course I needed, I have no idea how to use the convection oven. I had one in Simi and never used it, only the oven part. In the afternoon Dave, Vicki and I made it to the Corian-Care & Maintenance Seminar. At 3:45 was the Keg Party with accordion playing by Bob Vreegen then again cocktail party 5-6 dinner at 6:30 then the entertainment was a comedian named Mickey Dean, very funny.
Rally Day 4, last day-Breakfast but didn't make it to any seminars. All of us had repair workers at our coaches each day so we had to keep running back and forth to check on them. We had our batteries being checked then the satellite dish installed of course the whole time Dave had to keep working. Lee and Vicki had electrical problems and satellite TV problems, Ginger and Stan was step and door problems. Monaco provides the repair employees for all the coaches there that need repairs free of charge, so we would use them as much as possible. One of the guys there was the one that worked on our coach at Camp Monaco so he knew our rig which was nice. At 2pm they had a pet parade, Valley and I went and checked it out but she said she would kill me if I dressed her up and put her in it. What some of these people dressed their dogs and cats in were just crazy. Lucy and Ethel rottweilers and of course poodle's in totos ect. Valley didn't want to hang around because people kept asking me if we were going to walk thru, not. At 3:45 was a champagne social then after dinner for entertainment were 'The Drifters".
Friday morning we got going about 7 am, we would be traveling with Lee and Vicki for the next 2 days because we were both headed the same direction. I mentioned it before that we split up on Sunday when we were coming to Moab them to Colorado. Anyway, we left the fairgrounds then hooked up the cars and as we were driving to the freeway Lee got on the walkie talkie to us and said he had to stop because his leveling lights were flashing. We stopped in a satellite college parking lot where we sat for the next 2 hours. Dave and Lee tried to figure out what was wrong, Lee was calling the Monaco help line which of course you have to wait for a call back. Luckily where we stopped they had a little cafe so Vicki and I went in a ordered coffee and breakfast to go, little did we know we would be there that long. Vicki got hold of Camp Monaco and found out that the repair guy that they knew was still at the fairgrounds, he called her back and told us to drive back to the fairgrounds and they would take a look. Lee and Vicki told us we didn't have to wait for them but we weren't in any hurry so we stuck it out with them. The repair guy had no xtra panels for their coach and told them they would have to order it and it takes 3 days to come in. They were on a time schedule so they couldn't wait, so he suggested that when they get to Colorado to go to a dealership there order the part and have it installed, it was all under warranty so it would not cost them anything. So needless to say we got on the road about 11:30am them with no leveling system kind of like what happened to Dave and I the time we went to Sacramento and our leveling system went out on us. We drove to Baker Oregon and stopped there after a long day of driving. The next day, Saturday, September 23rd we left for Springville Utah, which I did drive for about an hour, it was a long straight highway and Dave put it on cruise control and we changed seats, which we know we shouldn't have done. He kind of enjoyed it after I wasn't so tense and relaxed. After a short rest stop the guys took over driving into Springville but while on the way, there was a big hole in the road and Lee hit it just right I guess because he told us his step light was flashing now and needed to pull over. Dave was leading so as soon as there was an exit we got off. Lee's step wasn't out but he couldn't get the light to go out, poor guy, now he has his leveling lights and step lights flashing at him, they were not happy campers. They have a 2007 Monaco Dynasty that they ordered last January received in March and moved into June 1st, and have had a lot of electrical problems plus some other problems. You spend 311,000.00 that damn thing better work, so needless to say they are really pissed off. I need to write to them to see if they got their coach fixed yet, if not I feel sorry for Monaco because Vicki is one you don't want to mess with.
Well I think I finally got caught up on the Rally news, I'll try and get back to writing again either everyday or at least every other day.
Bye for now