March 2016 Rally
Dates: March 17-20, 2016
Location: Perry, GA
Hosts: FMCA 93rd Family Reunion
Campground: State Fairgrounds and Agri-Center
FMCA held its 93rd Family Reunion and Motorhome show in Perry, Georgia, March 17th – 20th and it was a smashing success! The Cardinal Virginians had nine coaches in attendance, the most for any National Rally since I have been a member. It was a good one, too.
Coaches attending were: Rick and Cindy Roberson, Bill and Cheryl Brown, Jerry and Millie Cohen, Kamal and Deni Rojiani, Steve and Lyn Bowers, Baynard and Sherree Barton, Rex and Betty Monroe, Gene and Judy Matthews, Evelyn and me. My favorite first cousin in-law, Bob Schlesinger and his wife, Gilda, from St Augustine, Fl. also joined us. Those of you who went in 2014 on the Key West Rally will remember them.
Judy and Evelyn took the driver training class offered before the Rally so we had to get there early – Saturday March 12th – so we were there a long while. Gene and I made the best of it, though, getting in some good golf time. Judy and Evelyn must have had a good time at the school, too. They brought home the instructors after class to join our nightly happy hour and share our hospitality.
The Rally was held at the State Fair grounds and Agri- Center, a perfect place to hold such a large event. There were 2601 coaches on the fairgrounds and I estimate there were another 200 or so staying in surrounding campgrounds and driving in on day passes.
Bill and Cheryl Brown had an adventure getting there. They blew a tire on the motor home on I-81 and ended up spending the night on the side of the road waiting for a new tire and arriving at the Rally a day late. But the parkers made up for their misfortune, parking them inside the Rally area with the big-wigs – actually just behind the National President, Charlie Adcock! FRONT ROW!!
There were tons of seminars on just about any subject you could think of. Plenty of vendors to take your money and over 200 new coaches to look through. I don’t know how many coaches were sold at the Rally but I do know Kamal and Deni bought one of them. You can’t hide money. (Evelyn wouldn’t let me go look)
The trip back home wasn’t too bad. Judy and Evelyn drove part of the way, putting into practice what they had learned in the driving school. I don’t know about Gene, but I thought the valium and the beer helped.
Now we need to turn our attention to the GEAR Rally in Lewisburg in October. We are the closest Chapter and the Rally serves as our October Camp out. Timm and Sharon Seaman are Rally masters and have decided we will volunteer as handicap golf cart drivers at the Rally. Mark your calendars and plan to attend. GEAR is just a scaled down version of the National Rally and it is right in our back yard – an opportunity too good to pass up!
Reported by Dave and Evelyn Crabtree