Friday April 3, 2009

I overslept this morning and Bobcat beat me down to the rally hall for coffee. We had another good group, with Bobcat, Bob from Canada, Bill, Jim B and later Larry all having coffee.

Thursday, I told Jim about Bill and I going over to the KOA in Montgomery on Monday and seeing the Mor Ride truck and display trailer at the Carriage rally that was going on there. Jim knew Gary Wheeler, the Mor Ride representative and called his cell phone. He invited him over to Rayford to give a short seminar on the Mor Ride suspensions and brake parts. Gary (Mor Ride) arrived about 8 o'clock. There was no one in the office yet, so he drank some coffee with us while waiting. It's good that he came as there are a few people that may want to talk to him about his products. He is going to put on a small seminar this afternoon and will be available all day for questions.

Stella and Judy went to get their hair cut and to the grocery store. Jimmy, the wash man, came and started on Jim's trailer. I told him to wash mine too, as well as Tom, Jim G. and Bill's trailer so we could get a reduced price of $85. He did a pretty good job on mine, but I really think I got just as good a job in Donna and had the trailer waxed too for an additional $25. Jimmy told me that the wax that was on the trailer wasn't very good, but of course, this is coming from a guy that's trying to sell me a wax job for $200.....

We watched as about 20 rigs pulled in and got set up all afternoon. I went around introducing myself to everyone as they arrived, and gave them a rundown of what was going on during the weekend. I met Gene Roblyer, the cook for tomorrow's breakfast. I agreed to meet him between 5:30 and 6 in the morning for him to start breakfast.

Gary Wheeler put on his seminar, which was very interesting and several people talked to him afterwards. Bobcat did schedule to have the independent suspension and disc brakes installed at the factory some time in May. Ray LeTourneau wanted Bob's old axles to be put on his trailer and they scheduled that work too.

The group split up to go eat tonight. We went to the Crabby Daddy's restaurant with Jim and Nancy and Gary Wheeler. We had a very nice meal but were a little late in coming back to the park for the round table discussion. When we got back, we had a nice discussion about problems and issues on various Heartland products.

After the round table was over, we returned to our trailers and I set up another campfire in my fire pit. About 20 people came by and sat outside with us until about 11 o'clock. It was a very nice ending to the first night of our rally.