ALLEGRO CAMPGROUND 2009

If you've been following RV THERE YET since last year, you might remember how we make our annual pilgrimage to Red Bay, AL, home of Tiffin Motorhomes, the manufacturer of our coach. We make an appointment a year in advance and when we arrive we present them with several pages of service and warranty issues, adjustments and items we'd like added for our comfort....since this is our home. While the facilities provide water, sewer and everything you need, it is dusty and close quarters, so what you do is meet other people from all over the country - many of them full-timers like us, and you trade ideas and see what they've done to their coaches to make them more comfortable. On a daily basis, we are offered delicious fresh homemade country sausage, country thick sliced bacon, huge fresh farm eggs, and there's even a local restaurant owner that drives up and down the rows selling his famous bar-b-que. And I almost forgot the lady that sells fresh baked bread and the 90 year old farmer that sells fresh produce out of the back of his truck. All of these things add to the flavor of our annual Red Bay trip.

When your apppointment time arrives, you leave your parking area about 6:30 a.m. every morning and return to your parking space at 3:00 p.m., the end of the shift for the technicians. Each day you report to a specific bay (there are about 60 bays) and whatever needs to be done will be accomplished before you leave. A huge lounge is on site where coffee and comfortable seating is provided. Animals are allowed on leashes (since many RVer's have animals), and it gets lively sometimes. You sometimes spend hours in the lounge so you meet people from all over. Many people decide to get new coaches, refurbish old coaches, etc., and you can make arrangements to go through the factory where the 2010 models are in production. A bright spot for us is that you meet the people in the community and enjoy all there is to love about this small but special community. The cost of living doesn't compare to most places we travel - a delicious lunch is usually at the Piggly Wiggly, or Swamp John's for catfish dinners, and you meet people who can take care of just about anything you need on your coach, from beautiful finished carpentry, expert diesel service, to state of the art electronics. You might even meet someone who knew Tammy Wynette, from the Red Bay area, and certainly knew someone who wrote songs for her.

Since we were going to be in Red Bay on Labor Day, I had looked forward to the festivities which would be held in the Coon Dog Cemetery (liar's contest, buck dancing, bar-b-que); however, we had an opportunity to leave on Saturday, 9/5, after our coach was completly detailed - inside and out - (and all our service items had been compleeted), so we headed northwest to Tunica, MS, a town less than 20 miles from Memphis, TN. and we will recuperate and take life a little easier before we head toward the Branson, MO area.