ACCESSORIZING!!! RED BAY, AL 2009/2

Driving from West Memphis, AR to Red Bay, AL isn't a problem - unless you think driving 170 miles a day is strenuous. Borderline for us! When we arrived at the Allegro Campground in Red Bay, it was packed with coaches awaiting service and we were assigned a site in no-man-land area of the campground (where they replace cracked/broken windshields); however, this is what we refer to as "dry camping"(no sewer, no water, but 50 amp service). Hopefully, a site will become available before too long. As long as we are here it is at no cost, - we meet our neighbors and before too long, we're having a great time.

Accessorizing. We've opted for 2 recliners instead of the couch we had previously. We added another custom louvered wooden fan cover installed as well as our bedroom end tables, and our "Zephyr" closet shelf with support. What a difference this makes! We had an exhaust brake switch added as well as a couple of electronic adjustments.

It is SO dusty and dry in Red Bay; (cough, cough) but we enjoy so much about this area! It is so enjoyable we already can't wait until next year. (Catfish at Swamp Johns, daily lunch specials at The Pig, buying local country sausage/thick sliced bacon and brown eggs at the campground office, etc.). Small world: we met a couple at Tom Sawyer Campground in W. Memphis, on their way to RB, from Quebec City, Canada, and enjoyed seeing them again when we got settled in Red Bay. Waiting on service, we took a tour of the downtown Red Bay Museum. Red Bay has celebrated their 100 year birthday just a few years ago. In another journal I mentioned this was Tammy Wynette's home area, so the museum has dedicated almost a half of the second floor to her memorabilia. You don't meet too many old-timers in this area who didn't know her personally. In Florence, AL, I commented about all the pictures of Tammy and George, and was told the owner of the restaurant did Tammy's hair over for over 25 years. Anyway, Tammy's last husband, George Richie, and his new wife (an ex-Dallas Cowboy's cheerleader)still come in with their little girl. Whoa!

It's Homecoming weekend in Red Bay, so we have to leave before the homecoming parade begins downtown. We've accomplished everything on our list, and look forward to moving over to McFarland Park, a city park on the Tennessee River, in the beautiful town of Florence, AL. (home of W.C.Handy).

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.