We arrived by 11:00 or so, and we didn’t wait in line much for parking. While the parking crew was getting us ready, I heard them saying they were short volunteers, so Kevin said he’d help out. That turned into three long days! They really did need the help though. FMCA is an organization for RVers, and they are run by volunteers. Yes, there is a fairly small paid staff, but all the heavy lifting is by volunteers. The parking crew had to help more than 1600 RVs (mostly motorhomes) get through crowded interior roads and park in a spot that matched what they had requested at signup – 30 amp electric, 50 amp electric, dry camping (generators allow), handicapped, etc. It was a lot of work, but he seemed to enjoy it.
My volunteer job was driving a golf cart that picked people up and took them wherever they wanted to go in the grounds. There were also trams that went on defined routes, but most people preferred us since we went point to point. Kevin also drove a golf cart when his parking duties were done after the third day.
As for the FMCA rally itself, it was informative, wet, muddy, enjoyable meeting friends again, and the entertainment was quite good. The problem was that the headliner entertainment was in an arena with miserable accoustics! We heard Captain Sullenberger (Miracle on the Hudson) gave an outstanding talk about integrity and leadership. There was no mention of the current president, but one could see that Sully wasn’t a fan. He really demonstrated the best that our military academies produce. Sully for a President! (I wish). Like nearly all membership organizations, FMCA is going through a membership decline. They are trying to address an aging membership by adding some younger entertainers, and those were very good. Mostly they were local country or bluegrass batsman and I liked them all. The headliners were two dance bands playing mostly older music and the Spinners who would have been great fun if not for the lousy sound.
Since we had heard some of the seminars before, I did get a bunch of sewing done. I finished the individual strips for my planned kitchen rug, and it is now ready to be assembled. I hopefully will get that started soon.
We left this morning, and I was ready for something other than 10’ between motorhomes! We found it at Lewis and Clark State Park on Sakakawea Lake, but far up river from our Corps of Engineers spot from just before the river. It is lovely.
Note I didn’t take a picture of the FMCA spot – it was just gravel in a parking lot.
We are heading to Williston tomorrow to do more Lewis and Clark stuff, so more to come then.