Rally Comments

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I think we who attended the first POG rally should recognize those who helped pull this fantastic rally together. Jim, Thanks for keeping it on track and for helping make it happen.

Jeff, I don't know how you do it, but thanks for pulling the experts together so we could pick their brains and get some help and advice from them. I think we all benefitted highly by having Lester from Ken Robertson's company, Nelson and his crew from Millenium, Dave from Liberty, and Owen from Creative. We were a small group so we had an excellent opportunity to really get all our questions answered.

But let us not forget to thank Helen who was involved in just about everything and paid attention to the details. Great job!

We've been to a number of rallies, but have never been to one where all attendees were so enjoyable to be with, and never has there been one that provided us with so much technical knowledge.

For those on the west side of the country I urge you to pick a site and date for one this fall. There is no reason why you can't duplicate what just occurred in Florida. Depending on dates and location there is a possibility Jerry Winchester and I could duplicate our seminars and I am sure there are others among you who could also put on a seminar on topics of interest for owners.

If nothing else, a rally will allow everybody to meet, and that alone is more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

I hope others who were at POG #1 can post their comments.

[Jerry Winchester]

I would echo Jon's comments. Having Lester there off and on over a three day period was outstanding. MangoMike and I were in the middle of removing the Webasto head from my AquaHot unit when Lester showed up and absolutely started holding a mini-clinic on the machine. We had pulled it COMPLETELY apart, down to only having the blower to remove and he recapped the seminar Mike gave and then added a few extra things we should be looking for. Between the information and demonstration Mike gave and having Lester look over our shoulder when had this deal strung out over the table, I feel very comfortable trouble shooting and repairing this unit.

And the work we did on it at the picnic table under the awning of my coach would have cost $200-300 dollars if a technical would have been doing it.

Having never been to a bus rally, I didn't know what to expect. But I can now say what a diverse and delightful group of people we spent the week with in Florida. And I can't say enough about how accommodating the folks were with respect to opening up their coaches and letting us look them over from top to bottom. When Lester was giving the impromptu class on Cruisairs on MangoMike's coach, there were three other people (other than Lester) laying in the front bay watching every thing happen. When was the last time a maintenance place would even let you in the shop?

And thanks to Mike and Jon, I now know more about a Liberty coach than I ever wanted to. Especially the water system Someone else can harpoon him later.......

Special thanks also go out to Helen Raymond who worked like a sled dog during this whole event. And danced like a wild woman when the right song came up Ken and Ellen did a bang up job with the entertainment on Thursday night, matching bowling shirts and all.

I am also sure Jon can't wait until Monday so he can call IBP and order his LED marker lights

But I can tell you if Jon didn't have it on his coach, you didn't need it. I made a list of things to get out of my hanger or go buy to include in my "essential" items to have on the coach after watching him produce piece after piece that one of us needed. We no more got settled on Tuesday morning than he started in on me about us fixing my awning. This was something else I had never done or had apart, but thanks to Jon and Lew, we disassembled the Zip Dee awning and replaced the rafter arm.

But having Jon parked between me and MangoMike was a source of never ending entertainment. The 10pm LED light show, the signs that found there way to the back of the coaches (I am sure the photos will get posted), the leis hanging from the mirrors now confirms my suspicion that MangoMike wears his clothes out from the inside. The man is in constant motion. Between the cooking, swimming, harassing, maintaining and general hazing, he was everywhere. And his wife was a saint. Between the air-conditioning problems, the water problems and the battery problems she had to be.

And I am sure it was just a coincidence that I had a new rafter arm and all those Webasto parts with me...

[MangoMike]

Well I'm not quite as elloquent as some of you POG members - so I've done a picture book of the Rally. Enjoy Here - www.prevoman.com

Mike

[rfoster]

Hey Mike - Nice job on the pictorial and comments - I though Webasto and cooking were your only talents, but I was mistaken you are a man of many talents.
My wife is wanting to know what is with the Fast Label? I told her that you were a good teacher with learning aids, handouts and experience. that i learn fast from a smart guy like you. I wore my Mango Mike Cap everday this week! I am waiting till cooler weather for the oilmans fire fighting hat.
Hey recipes? Crab Mayonainse, Crab Cakes ? no hurry I'm fat enough, but the wife could use a few pounds. They were the best.
Roger

[Jerry Winchester]

You know, I wore my Mango Mikes cap Monday at our law firm's golf tourney at Redstone and the guys kept looking at me like Lew in an FBO. At least they didn't think I was a poofter

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Lew doesn't even know what an FBO is.

You need to draw a picture.

[MangoMike]

Fast Roger. Easy title. Hot wife, flashy cars, big bus, exotic cap...

WebastoMike

See you in Hattaras

[Jerry Winchester]

Like you need an excuse to turn MangoBucks into diesel fuel into noise?

I think if Jon and I are up for a trip to New Mexico (to the balloon festival) then so are you steak boy.

[lewpopp]

I can understand you guys showing your pleasure of the hands on rally.

When I owned a GMC for 20 years, we had week long rallys with a full schedule of seminars for both men and women. We would be seen walking from one seminar to another with note books etc. A site to behold. Of course it was never as sophisticated as POG. Not so sophisticated as to say it was one of those Proud's get together.

I expected manytimes, there would be a test to see if all were paying attention. That GMC stuff was a "Cult".

[Jerry Winchester]