“Spring is in the Air” This familiar phrase has always brought with it feelings of a new start … a rebirth of nature … a season of hope and anticipation. Perhaps this year we should replace that familiar saying with “Vaccines are in the Arm”. This alternate phrase can also give us feelings of a new start … a reconnection with nature and society … not to mention, hope and anticipation of a return to a “NEW” normal. I drove 10-1/2 hours from Nappanee (IN) to State College (PA) to get my first Pfizer shot. I know Chapter members that flew and/or drove from Florida to Pennsylvania (and the other direction, as well) to get their 1st and/or 2nd shots. This diligence and action bodes well for our plans to gather together at local, state, regional and International rallies this year. Yea!!!
As I mentioned in the above paragraph, I was at Nappanee (IN) in March. This trip to the “Mothership” (Newmar Service Center) turned out to be one of the most impressive customer service experiences we have ever had. From the gorgeous “camping” area at the Service Center to the Customer Lounges and Parts Store, this facility is impressive. Even more inspiring is the first time you experience the massive (50+ bays), “well oiled” (maybe a little O.C.D.), pristine (could eat off the floor) service area. Covid restrictions prevented the usual in-person visits to the service area, but the view from the second floor of the Customer Lounge is still memorable.
My 7 days of FWS (full wall slide) rebuild began at 5:45 am with a Covid temp check and meeting the team of service techs … in my rig … to review our needs and convey their plan/timeline. I then enjoyed the pre-dawn parade of 20+ rigs from the camping area, across the street, and disappearing into the service building. Daily communication (email) kept me abreast of the service progress and helped me plan my return trip for pick-up. I cannot state how positive this entire experience has been … from beginning to end … with one “minor” hiccup.
For safe keeping, I store the spare floor tiles at my sticks ‘n bricks. Upon my check-in with the service techs, they asked where they could find the spare tiles since they anticipated damaging at least one tile during the FWS rebuild. Well … the tiles, stored at my house, certainly weren’t where they needed to be. So … 1,000 miles round trip, 18-hrs of road time, and two days later, I had transported those four floor tiles from my home to the techs’ hands. In the end, they returned 3-1/2 unused tiles to me for safe-keeping (for next time ???). Moral of this story … you might want to make sure you pack your floor tiles in your rig BEFORE heading to Nappanee for structural repair. I am still VERY IMPRESSED with my Newmar Service experience.
By the time you read this article we will have just finished our first West Penn Travelers rally in Bedford (PA). Our hope is that it was smooth, enjoyable, and worth repeating. I want to give a huge thanks to Sallie & Tom Watson for all their hard work and creativity as co-hosts of this rally with Roxann & me. Many of us from W.P.T. will be soon heading to the Penn’s Friends rally in the Eastern part of the state, as well as preparing for our attendance (and duties) at the International Rally in West Virginia. We will see many of you at the Pennsylvania State Rally in Wellsboro (PA), but … unfortunately … work commitments are preventing Roxann & me from joining many of you at the Regional Rally in Maine. Please have some Lobster for us.
That’s all for now! We will have waved to many of our snow-birding NKK cohorts heading north in May as we headed south to Charleston, Savannah, and Orlando for freedom, friends and food. May you all be enjoying the freedom, family, and fellowship that this new season … and vaccines … bring.
Keep your black tanks down, your antennas up, and a fair wind behind your TOAD.
You can always reach Roxann and I via email: jyon@atlanticbb.net or by leaving a text or voice message at 814-935-4414.
Jon C. Yon (24213)
West Penn Travelers – President
