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Volume 8 Issue 4 December 2006
Our Sponsors
Please let them know we appreciate their support and if you’re thinking of a new or used coach, please give them a call.
Paul Evert’s RV Country3633 S. Maple Ave. Fresno, CA 93725-2417 559-486-1000 Curt Curtis
John Bleakley Motorhomes 2 locations Douglasville, GA 1 location in Unadilla, GA 877-247-3594 Mr. John Bleakley
A special thanks is given to the Monaco Coach Corporation for their financial support of each of our caravans. Please let Sara Spicer know you appreciate her expert guidance and support
******************************** Contributors
Lazy Days RV 6130 Lazy Days Blvd. Seffner, FL 33584 888-500-5299 Mr. Don Wallace
Presidential Ponderings 2006 has been a very good year for Monacos in Motion and 2007 is shaping up to be even better. The Mexico Piggyback Caravan is now less than 60 days until the start and we are getting excited. As soon as that caravan ends it will be time to high tail it to Georgia for the Monaco International pre rally, and our semi-annual luncheon meeting. Our meeting will be on Wednesday, March 14th in the main dining room. Tickets will be sold on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning. Be sure to get your tickets early so you don’t get left out. We will have a slide show of the New Mexico Caravan and the Piggyback Caravan Applications are in this newsletter, and also on the web site, for the 2007 Maritimes Caravan and the Colorado High Country Caravan. Both caravans will have a drawing on February 15th. Rita and I wish each of you a Very Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays. John Newsletter We are putting each issue of Wheels on the chapter’s web site in two versions. One is in full color and an exact copy of the mailed Wheels. The other is less formatted, lacks some graphics, and is much, much smaller for those folks with dial-up modems but it still has the photos in color. In either case, the mailed version is black & white. Those with the ability to view the newsletter on-line get a much improved version. A survey proved that both formats were needed and we will continue to put both formats on the web site. Now the question. Who would like to download their own copy of Wheels? Who would like to read their copy of Wheels on-line in full color rather than waiting for the black and white mailed copy? This would save the club the cost of printing and mailing and give you a full color copy instead of the mailed black and white. Just drop me a note at: John@Johnham.us and I’ll add you to the list. If you are not on the e-mail notification list I will add you to that also so you will receive an e-mail when new issues of the Wheels are posted.
By Linda Barron On September 26, 2006 the pre-caravan planning of wagonmasters Kim & Shelly Pollock and Wayne & Barb McCray came to fruition as nineteen Monaco coaches met in Santa Fe, New Mexico to begin a 20-day odyssey learning the ‘language’ of enchantment. After settling in, our forty-one people from all over the United States met for margaritas and our first sampling of New Mexican cuisine.
The first four days were spent touring the city of Santa Fe and the El Rancho De Las Golondrinas. This 200-acre living museum was founded in the1700’s as a stopping place along the El Camino real (Royal Road to Mexico City). It was the last stopping place before the end of the Santa Fe Trail. Incredible original adobe construction and period residences are displayed.
with native residents, we met for dinner at the famous Apple Tree Restaurant.
Days 8-10 found us arriving in Chama at the Rio Chama RV Park via the scenic mountain road (SR64). Our first glimpse of the train we would ride the next day came as we watched it pass over the narrow trestle running along side our RV Park. That evening, with everyone in their western finest, we enjoyed an outdoor Chuckwagon BBQ and cowboy supper show. In the morning we boarded buses for the trip to Antonita, Colorado, where we rode the historic Cumbres & Toltec narrow gauge (3 feet between rails) Railroad over the incredible 10,015 foot Cumbres Pass and Toltec gorge. A large station at the midway point (Osier, CO) served a welcome hot lunch before our descent back to Chama. The Aspens were in full color providing a breathtaking transition to the coming winter. Chaco Canyon National Monument, Gallup and El Morro filled in days 11-16. Visiting El Morro National Monument with its inscription rocks, Pueblo Benito (Anasazi Pueblo), the Zuni Fall Festival and Wolf Preserve were some of the highlights. We spent a day at the Zuni Pueblo and enjoyed a traditional Zuni lunch at one of the Native homes. Gallup provided many opportunities to visit museums, galleries and shop for Native American crafts.
the tram ride to the top of Sandia Peak (ascension of over 4,000 feet) in the Cibola National Forest. From this pinnacle we could see all of Albuquerque and the Fiesta site. Each evening it was back to balloon park for the Glowdeo™ and AfterGlow™ Fireworks. Sunday, October 15 was the final day of the Balloon fiesta and caravan. It seemed so long since we first gathered in Santa Fe. We were a family now and parting is always difficult. Sweet rolls were provided and we sat in the cool morning air and watched the Farewell dawn patrol and Mass Ascension. Like a flame just before it falters, the colors were vibrant and lit the morning sky. Slowly we began leaving the park and heading for our next adventure or home. The ‘afterglow’ of the trip will remain for a long time.
MARITIMES 2007 CARAVAN
June 16, 2007 – July 9, 2007 - 23 nights Newfoundland and Labrador – additional 10 days
Dust off the bagpipes, load the cameras, grab your kilts – we are off to the Canadian Maritimes in June 2007. Now even if you don’t have one drop of Scot ancestry you can adopt a new surname for the trip – we might suggest Carnegie, Bell, Campbell, or Macdonald! Be ready for some lobster treats – even McDonalds serve lobster rolls! Janet and Russ Payne will be planning the food and meals and putting you to work in the preparation. Please plan to loose some weight before the trip. Please also be prepared for walking tours of over one hour and the climbing of stairs.
We will gather just outside of Bar Harbor, Maine and then travel into New Brunswick with the first stop at the chocolate town of St. Stephen before heading to St. Andrews, Saint John, and the Hopewell Cape. We will be along the Bay of Fundy and will see the reversing falls and experience the spectacular tidal changes.
Off to Prince Edward Island where we will be staying in Charlottetown for four nights and traveling around the island using the cars. Anne of Green Gables’ Home will be a must here and getting on the island via the 9 mile Confederation Bridge and departing by a ferry trip will make the visit to PEI most unforgettable. We are planning on a harbor seal watching trip. No trip to PEI would be complete without experiencing the community lobster dinners and we are planning on this! Off to our campground in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Our campground will be in a city park in Dartmouth across the bay from Halifax and a ferry (fun ride) or bridge will take you easily to downtown. A day car pool trip will take us to Peggy’s Cove on our way to Lunenberg, a quaint fishing village. We will attend the opening night performance of the 2007 Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo on the evening of July 1st with its cast of 2000 performers! This will follow a huge parade and be followed by fireworks over the city – truly a day to remember! On the 2nd we will travel to the restored 1800’s Sherbrooke Village to visit its restored village and the next day off to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
We will be staying in the historic town of Louisbourg – right next to their playhouse – which we will be attending. We have a fort to visit as well as perhaps more lobster and hopefully some ceilidhs (only the Scots among us will know about this until we all experience it) to join. Cape Breton is the home of Scottish fiddling, bag piping, and Scottish dancing here in this hemisphere! We will travel the Cabot Trail and visit the Alexander Graham Bell Museum and of course go on a whale watching cruise!
On July 9th caravan members will have two choices – start the return trip by heading towards Moncton for the night after a stop at the Anne Murray Center or: delay the return for another 10 days and board the ferry to Newfoundland for 10 days of adventure. This portion of the trip will be “pay as you go” and we can all travel together and explore together. Because of the expense in getting to Newfoundland via long ferry trips, some may wish to stay even longer! Perhaps some couples will want to “double-up” for this adventure and we can leave some coaches behind with electrical hookups.
Initial cost estimates are $1650 US dollars plus a ferry cost of $102 and will include 23 events and all campground stays. This includes tickets to the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo, Anne of Green Gables Musical, Louisbourg Playhouse Production, 3 boat trips (including a tall masted ship tour, whale watching, and seal watching) and various other attractions and tours. This amount will include the $102.00 ferry fee from PEI to Nova Scotia which must be paid by each individual (you can use VISA) because of the logistics of paying and loading. Many of the rates have yet to be set for 2007 and we have tried to figure conservatively. We have figured all Canadian dollars as US dollars for now since the exchange rate will be changing. We prefer to give money back! Detailed day to day will be available on web site shortly. We would like indications of interest as soon as possible so reservations can be adjusted. We are planning on 15 coaches maximum.
Application for this caravan is included in this issue and is also available on the club web site at www.monacosinmotion.org The drawing will be held on February 10, 2007. Deposit of $800.00 will be due with the application and the balance will be due on April 1, 2007.
JeanAnn and Bill Miller 706-579-1213 Home 678-617-8855 Mobile billcanoe@alltel.net
Janet and Russ Payne 770-943-3432 Home 404-434-3114 _________________________
Mexico’s Copper Canyon Piggyback Caravan
February 13th to March 1st, 2007
NOTICE There are two spaces available on this caravan due to cancellations. If interested phone John Ham at 970-927-3273
Tracks to Adventure offered us an exclusive opportunity to “Buy the Train” where we would be the only ones on the caravan, except for the leader and tail gunner which would be Tracks staff. In addition they dropped the cost from $5750.00 to $4100.00 plus $50 processing fee for one coach with two people. This is a departure from our established selection method but is necessary due to the short lead time. Tracks has agreed to another caravan in 2008 at the deeply discounted price of $4550 and we will select participants in our normal way.
This will be a 17 day caravan beginning on February 13, 2007 in El Paso, Texas and ending on March 1, 2007 in Nogales, Arizona. We will spend 4 days and 5 nights aboard the train, 4 nights in beautiful Mazatlan, and visit Chihuahua, Los Mochis, and San Carlos. The Caravan will include 49 tours and events, and 9 meals. Complete details can be seen on Tracks web site, www.trackstoadventure.com, then choose the 17 day Copper Canyon under Mexico on the left margin, and then “Itineraries” under any date.
Again, this caravan will be available on a first come, first served basis. Kindly phone Tracks to Adventure at 800-351-6053. They will require a $500 deposit and the balance will be due on, or before, December 15, 2006. We need a minimum of 17 coaches and a maximum of 22 coaches. Full refund, minus the $50 processing fee, will be available for cancellations prior to December 15, 2006.
Colorado High Country A 4-Wheeling Adventure
Caravan Leaders: John & Rita Ham and Wade & Linda Myers
Dates: August 22nd to September 6th, 2007
This will be a 4-Wheeling adventure of a lifetime that will explore the beautiful backcountry of Colorado under the guidance of 4-Wheeling experts. Please note that this will not be extreme, hard core 4-Wheeling, but will require a minimum stock 4-wheel drive vehicle (without running boards) and a CB radio. The Hams and Myers will guide you through and you will have lots of fun.
This caravan will follow the Continental Divide through Colorado as you explore the scenic backcountry beginning in historic Leadville, Colorado at over 10,000 foot elevation. From Leadville we will travel to Taylor Park, which is north of Gunnison. After running several 4-wheel trails we will move to Ouray, called the Little Switzerland of America, for more trail riding. Our camping will be at elevations up to 10,000 feet, and we will 4-wheel to elevations of 14,000 feet.
Our activities will be centered around 4-wheeling in the beautiful Colorado mountains. During this caravan you will see enormous meadows of wild flowers, visit old mining towns that are now ghost towns, and much more. You will see the Colorado High Country as few tourists have.
Application for the Colorado High Country Caravan is included in this issue and also on the club’s web site at www.monacosinmotion.org
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Club Website
We have a fabulous chapter web site located at www.MonacosInMotion.org. Stop by and check it out.
This issue of Wheels is on the web site and you can view it, or even print it out, in full color. There is even a less formatted web version for those folks with dial up modems. Sign up now for electronic delivery of your newsletter, you will get it much earlier and save the chapter the cost of printing and mailing.
Kim Pollock is our web master and doing a great job. Kim has an abundance of talent and is putting it to our advantage. Please thank him when you have a chance. Chapter OfficersPresidentJohn Ham 199 Rainbow Dr, #9999 Livingston, TX 77399 Tel & Cell: 970-927-3273 E-mail: John@JohnHam.us Vice-PresidentEd Tilman 3566 Old River Trail Powhatan, VA 23139 Tel: 804-598-3068 Email: connietilman@pocketmail.com SecretaryBarbara McCray PMB 215903 3590 Round Bottom Road Cincinnati, OH 45244 Cell: (409) 200-1748 E-mail: campin@direcway.com Treasurer Bill Miller 11085 Big Canoe Big Canoe, GA 30143 Tel: 706-579-1213 Cell: 678-361-6378 E-mail: billcanoe@alltel.net National DirectorJack Sangalli 1461 Valle Vista #26 Pekin, IL 61554 Cell: 309-453-1205 Cell: 863-465-5261 E-mail: jssangalli@yahoo.com Alt National DirectorDick Tucker 4488 Drum Castle Ct. Virginia Beach, VA 23455 Tel: 757-460-2601 Cell: 801-209-9628 E-Mail: tucker4488@aol.com
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We
received beautiful portfolios detailing our 700-mile trip. Travels would
cover 8 cities, 4 pueblos, 2 National Parks, 2 National Monuments, a narrow
gauge railroad, tram ride and five glorious days at the Albuquerque Balloon
Fiesta. 
By
8:45 on day 5 all diesel motors were humming and rearing to get on the road to
Taos. The mechanical wizardry of Wayne McCray helped all coaches to depart, in
waves and on time! We arrived at Taos just in time to carpool to the feast of
San Geronimo at the Taos Pueblo. After tasting some of the Pueblo’s delicacies,
watching pole dancing and milling around 
Three
days in Taos included visits to Bandelier National Monument (where Jack Sengalli
gently removed a rattlesnake from the narrow path we were treading) and the El
Santuario de Chimayo church.
The
Ancient Way RV Park in El Morro was a favorite with many of us. Set in the
Ramah-Navajo Indian Reservation it is rustic and primitive. Dinner at the lodge
and was followed by a demonstration of Navajo weaving and performance by a
Cowboy Poet.
