Tuesday was a laid-back day. After I posted to the blog, I walked with fellow Alpine Coach Association (ACA) members, Marcy and Greg Vaughan, to the Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA) Orientation for First-Time Attendees while Donna stayed back to get some work done. We learned a little history of FMCA, which was founded in 1963, and they walked us through the high points of the 126-page event catalog.

Around noon, I called Paul Maddox, an HWH hydraulics specialist. He was here at the convention. We had corresponded through the IRV2 forum previously. He came over to our coach and confirmed my diagnosis of a leaking solenoid on the right rear jack. He had replacement solenoids. I opted for a re-manufactured unit – it carries the same warranty as a new one from HWH and costs much less. He installed it and we were up and running again in no time. With the leaking solenoid, my right rear jack would slowly retract itself after I deployed it. This has been going on for a few months. I’ve been using blocks under the tires to raise the rear when necessary. Now I can level the coach properly with the HWH system and the coach is much more stable.

On Tuesday evening, Donna and I attended the FMCA volunteers’ dinner. We were served buffet style and had plates of rigatoni with a bolognese made with chicken instead of the traditional beef. We also had a green salad on the side and chocolate cake for dessert. Donna passed on the cake, but I couldn’t resist.

FMCA volunteers’ dinner

There are roughly 500 volunteers helping to run this event. FMCA has been planning it for two years and it seems like they have all of the bases covered.

Motorhomes continued to arrive all day Tuesday. One difference here from RV parks in general is the lack of fifth-wheel and travel trailers. FMCA is a motor coach association and that’s what we have here. Thunderstorms rolled in before dinner. Once again, we hunkered inside and watched TV.

I was up at 6am yesterday. It was my first work day in over a year. At 6:30am, I took the wheel of a six-passenger golf cart and began making my rounds. My duty was to offer rides to people needing help to get to various points of the fairgrounds. Priority is given to those in the handicapped area, but anyone can get a free ride.

My shift started out cold and slow. The temperature was in the 50s. Other than a few FMCA officials going to a meeting, the only people out were walking their dogs. Around 8am, business started to pick up. By 9am, I was ferrying people around nonstop. My shift was scheduled to end at 9:30am, but it was 9:45am before I could make my way back to the golf cart staging area. Every time I tried to return, someone would flag me down for a ride in the other direction!

When I came home, I was cold and tired. Donna made a hot breakfast for me. I took a nap until noon. This getting up early and going to work stuff is hard! We went to a seminar at 1:30pm. The seminar was about how to escape a fire in a motorhome. Fire is one of the biggest dangers in an RV. We learned a few tricks and tips. Donna practiced evacuation through the emergency fire escape.

Donna preparing to make her escape

Donna climbing out feet first, belly down

Fire fighters spotting her as she lowers herself

The coach they used for the demo has a larger fire escape than our coach. But it also had a north-south bed with a small gap and a cabinet under the  emergency escape window. These obstacles had to be dealt with to get out the window. This brought home the fact that emergency escape needs to be planned and practiced.

The emergency escape window in our coach is at the head of the bed, which is oriented east-west, making it easier to get out the window. One of the things we learned was to open the emergency escape and periodically treat  the rubber seal with a non-petroleum based lubricant such as 303 Aerospace Protectant. We heard a horror story of a fire in a motorhome at Lake Havasu where the occupants perished because the escape window was stuck closed. I checked our window this morning and it opened easily. I’ll treat the seal on it today.

Last evening, I joined Tom and Nancy Polk at Vic and Willi Egg’s site for happy hour. Donna made a caprese plate that I brought for a snack. Donna was back in our coach talking to her sister on the phone. A thunderstorm arrived before Donna could join us and I beat feet back home.

I turned in early last night after drinking two cocktails. The early start to the day did me in. This morning, Donna is at the microwave-convection oven cooking seminar. Today, the show begins in earnest. I plan to go to the vendor area and poke around.