| Author |
Message |
Michael Lewis (Puffbus)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 21, 2005 - 3:18 pm: | |
In the weeks prior to the Bus-N-USA meet, we tried to get the bus ready (for the second year) to travel and just could not, to our satisfaction, so we drove down. We also wanted a little family vacation and some fishing on the coast. Some of my (our) impressions...
I don't remember ever seeing that this was a FMCA "chapter" in any of the materials. I learned from our friends, Richard and Gwen that they were "charter members". They got some nice looking plastic nametags, however. Can't find this information on the website, either. Am I mistaken?
One of our issues with bringing down the bus was that we need power onsite. Our electrical is partially complete, but has a way to go. It looked like everybody had power and had I known that, I might have been closer to bringing the coach.
The site is awesome, and despite some light rain, held up well without serious puddles. The facilities are great for the purpose. I understand that they fed around 350 folks Saturday night, despite the overall bus count being down from last year..(as I understand). For the money, this is one heck of an event.
Met some great people who were generous in sharing their ideas and tours of their coaches. I would really like to see a "roundtable" of some sort, where we could gather on a spontaneous basis and just BS. Might also be a good place for the vendors to listen to potential customers needs and wants. Ultimately, meeting other people who are crazy enough to bend wrenches, clean, sand, weld and make sawdust to realize a dream, is what it's all about for me. The other aspect of connecting is the potential of trading skills. I know we missed meeting some people such as Brian "bigbusguy" who never seemed to be at his coach.
To Bob, Dick and Dave and the other vendors who support the event, a big "thanks" and well done! While I hope this is also a profitable journey, I know that bus blood runs in their veins, and the interest of the individual busnut is always first in their minds.
Will we be there next year..? You bet! Hopefully the bus will be ready enough (are they ever done?) and I can survive some upcoming chemotherapy. If so, I'm coming early and staying late.
Michael |
Brian (Bigbusguy)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 21, 2005 - 4:12 pm: | |
Michael ,
Sorry I missed ya . I was out from sun up to sun down and later looking and talking to every one there. You may have saw me I was riding around on that red 1950's bike.
Next time I will leave a time that I will be back at my bus so all that want to get a hold of me can find me..
It was a good meet and to the amazement of the Eagal owners just waiting for my buses air bags to leak down the start leaning it held up at ride height the time I was there.
I will be there next year hope to see you then.
Brian 4905 Klamath Falls Oregon
(Kanasas City for now) |
callen
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 21, 2005 - 6:26 pm: | |
Brian Eagle people aren't like that we take the Eagle rust jokes with a smile but if you needed jacks to level with one of us would have been there to help.P.S.I bet you never seen so many beautiful and proud birds in one group |
James Maxwell (Jmaxwell)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 22, 2005 - 2:44 am: | |
Yes, they are an International Area FMCA chapter with a stated "interest" in promoting converted buses. Another International Area "Bus" chapter is Converted Coach Chapter, 2 rallies per year.
Everyone who joined prior to the close of the 1st Annual Rally were offered Charter Member Status. |
James Maxwell (Jmaxwell)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 22, 2005 - 2:47 am: | |
Forgot to recognize the Jack Conrad Bash, which is also an FMCA Chapter function, which chapter I don't know. I don't know about the "Caverns" rally in Az. |
Jack Conrad (Jackconrad)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 22, 2005 - 5:37 am: | |
Our Bussin' rallies are sponsored by the Converted Coaches of the Eastern Area (CCEA) chapter of the FMCA. We did the first 2 years on our own with no chapter or club affiliation. As the rally grew, we found that it was becoming more then we could handle. CCEA stepped up and offfered to sponsor the Bussin' rallies. Jack |
niles steckbauer (Niles500)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 23, 2005 - 2:38 am: | |
Jack is the kind of person who needs to be an officer of the FMCA - Converted Coach Chapters - how about it Jack ? - your soon to be retired - not tired - We've already taken a vote - you're elected - niles |
Jack Conrad (Jackconrad)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 23, 2005 - 6:20 am: | |
Thanks for the offer, however, I am president of the SE Cruisers chapter, and FMCA does not allow a member to hold office in more than 1 chapter simultaneously. Jack |
James Maxwell (Jmaxwell)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 23, 2005 - 11:58 am: | |
Jack: There is always the SE Area offices. FMCA, on the National scene, could actually use an infusion of people w/ "conversion roots" Only 1 of the National Officers (Treasurer) comes from a converted bus background, and even he went to a manufactured wannabee. Most on the National scene and Area scene consider high-end Monaco, Fleetwood, Winnabego, etc. to be buses; I suppose that is how the term "coach" became so widespread.
Even in WBN chapter, I think manufactured outnumber actual bus conversions, even though conversions consistently outnumer manufactured at our rallies. |
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