Duane Paige & Laurie Hunt (21070)
Arizona and Utah State Directors
We started our year with an adventure to Tampa, Florida to join the Newmar Rally and experience the Florida RV SuperShow hosted by the Region Five, Florida State and Florida Chapters. The show is an RVer’s dream, and as with many events post-COVID, the camping arrangements did not go as planned and were “complicated.” But, thanks to the NKK Leaders’ energy, leadership, persistence and relationships with the Fairgrounds Staff, the Newmar Family was well taken care of despite the “complications.” Thank you to our NKK Leaders – Gary & Wanda Smith and Greg & Margie Harrop! In addition to making new friends, we had the opportunity to support each of the Florida Chapters – the Manatees, the Pelicans, and the Sea Turtles!
We have begun our Region One rally season, which has kicked off its busy schedule before the snowbirds fly north and east for the summer. We joined the Golden Aires Chapter Rally in Castaic, California and toured the amazing Nethercutt Collection. The artistry of their collection, for the fine artist, musician, engineer and master craftsperson, is a rare treat. The collection spans automobiles, music boxes, musical machines both large (theater pipe organ) and small (pocket watches), and even a railroad train! Thank you, California Golden Aires!
The weather has been a challenging theme for our travels thus far this year. Thankfully, we have a beautifully equipped coach’s cold weather features as we navigated through near gale-force winds (thank goodness for ComfortDrive!), torrential rain, a tornado, thunder & lightning, hail, snow, and freezing rain. We watched with anxiety as ice built up on our mirrors and wiper blades, providing us a chance for the first time to use our heated outside rearview mirrors, windshield overhead fans, defrosters, and heated floors. We wondered why they would equip a coach in this manner and who would travel in an RV in such conditions – now we know – we do! We arrived safely home after each trip to read about the weather in Texas and then in Southern California – we don’t like traveling in weather that makes the national news!
This spring, we look forward to further California and New Mexico Rallies. In July we are very excited to be going on the NKK Rally at Sea Alaska Cruise. Duane & I cruised Alaska many years ago and are really looking forward to doing a repeat with our Newmar family. I’m sure it will be no doubt equally amazing – friends, adventures, and happy memories!
The Arizona Sun Catchers and the Utah Pathfinders have their upcoming rallies on the calendar. The Sun Catchers will be rallying in Tubac, Arizona at De Anza RV Resort on April 1-5. And the Utah Pathfinders are making plans for a rally in Coalville, Utah at Echo Island RV Resort on June 2-5. We look forward to seeing you there!
Finally, we thank the leaders who stepped up and hosted our winter seasonal luncheons this year. A big thank you goes out to our hosts Michael & Carol Lowery for the Yuma Luncheon, Martha Wills and John & Kathleen Behrens for the Tucson Luncheon and Larry & Marj Miller for the East Phoenix Luncheon. Duane & I hosted the West Phoenix Luncheon this season for the first time with the guidance and support of Del & Lela Nordstrom. We were blessed to be joined with first time attendees who were invited by NKK members wintering in the same RV Park. What a great way to meet more of our Newmar family and enjoy great conversation while sharing a meal just in the way the Kountry Klub was meant to do!
Have safe travels and maybe we will see you on the road real soon! We can be reached at email azstatedirnkk@gmail.com, utstatedirnkk@gmail.com or cell 248-933-1405.
