Gillette Wyoming - the day we were supposed to leave....

Finally a sunny day!  As you can see, our mud puddle is not quite the lake it was yesterday - still pretty muddy.  This idiot figured he was going to take a short cut and decided to break the rules - well, it took well over two hours for a tow truck to show up to help him actually get out!  He was trying to pull straight out and as soon as his rear wheels got to our muddy road the front tires sunk about a foot into the soft soil - there was a good reason that we were told not to do this and he found out the hard way.  When the tow truck came he first pulled him back into his parking spot and then had to hook up and tow him forward down the road.  That was when we decided to wait an extra day and just enjoy all the action.

This is a different way to escape.  It is easier for them to tow these monsters backwards than forwards - less chance to damage anything.  This rig blocked the busy road for several minutes, but at least he was free!

Another customer!

Yet another customer!  This little tow truck was getting $100 a pop to pull the rigs out.  Not sure how much he hauled in this morning, but it was significant.  This is all just in our little area - there were many more tow trucks and tractors all over the Cam-Plex pulling people out.

This is the guy that tried to pull straight out earlier today.  He chose to call his roadside service instead of shelling out the $100.  They pulled him back into his spot and he took off down our road to get out.  This was a narrow spot and also a mud puddle of sorts.  He once again got stuck!  It was really tight and with the mud he started to slide.  The tow truck came around and hooked up at the front and pulled him thru.  He got to the end of the road and got stuck yet again!  The same tow truck was waiting and hooked back up and got him out onto the paved road.  This is when we made the final decision to NOT try to leave this day!

The Cam-Plex people are trying their best to make a bad thing better for us.  Our mud puddle is being spread and packed in hopes it will dry out a little sooner.

It is unbelievable to us how some people think that nothing matters but them and their needs.  This coach is coming down the sidewalk to get to the street so they don't have to go thru any mud!  We have watched golf carts and cars do this all week long, but a coach is something else.  I am sure the sidewalk was not engineered to hold the weight of a coach!

In the field across the way from us they were trying everything to not have to pay the charge to get a tow.  Here (and several other times) three Jeeps are hooked up in line to pull a coach out!

Finally a wonderful Sunset!  After growing tired of watching all the fun and games this day, I made some of my Mac-N-Cheese and we headed across the street to enjoy a wonderful Happy Hour and Potluck with friends Darlene & Gene, Diane & Ray, and Paula & Jack.  Good friends and Good times - and hopefully some Good weather!!!!

FMCA 50th Anniversary - part three...

Oh Oh, here comes the next storm - we have had just about enough. 

The "mayhem" begins.... All of the sudden it went from just cloudy to all out storm.  The rain was hard and the wind was rocking us.  We thought this might be the big one!

It is very hard to see here, but there are bubbles all along the window rails on the West side of the Coach.  There are "weep wells" on all of our windows to help mosture to escape from inside the Coach.  The rain was so hard and the wind was so stiff that the rain was being driven up the weep well and into the Coach.    We have had this coach for 14 years and have been in many storms - never ever seen this happen before!  Every window on the side of the coach that the wind was coming from had these bubbles and they were all soaked by the time the storm passed.  We now have some not so pretty water stains to remember this storm by!  Wish I had a better picture - it was scary awesome for sure.

With the storm passing, we notice our neighbor's step - Lots of hail - sounded like it should have been bigger than this, but we are very thankful it was only a large pea size!  We had wind gusts up to 61 MPH during this storm and the temps dropped from 70 to 48 in a matter of minutes.  Not a fun experience!  We were ready to run, but there was no place to run to - no shelter at the Cam-Plex!  They lock the buildings that might have provided shelter.  Sure glad there was no Tornado!!!

This is our "mud puddle" after this latest storm - it is actually more like a lake at this point!

The waters have soaked in a little, but everything is still really muddy.  We are heading off for our evening entertainment - needed trash bags so we didn't sink in the mud!

It was really hard to get a good shot of our evening entertainment - Marty Stewart.  We were move inside one of the buildings, so no stadium seating!  Couldn't see well, but the music was awesome!

FMCA 50th Anniversary ...Part two.....

As we start day two of our rally, the storm clouds are forming already.  With Coffee and Donuts done, we head for the vendors and a few seminars.

Fortunately, our first seminar this day is in an adjoining building to the Coffee and Donuts.  This poor woman was trying to beat the storm, but didn't quite make it.  The heavens opened up and dumped water on our rally site!

Wow ... some sunshine!  This evening the "entertainment" is a dance, so we decided to relax at the coach.  The sunshine in the afternoon gives us hope that the bad weather is over.

If you remember from a day ago, we didn't have a mud puddle by our rig - it was just a road.  The last storm changed all that.  The best part of this day is that we finally got the Jimmy back from the doctor.  After a major surgery to replace the transfer case  (and the push button shifter which we will not speak of), we are good to go again.  Thinking all is well, we settle in to relax.

FMCA 50th Anniversary at Gillette Wyoming 2013

Time for our FMCA Rally to get underway.  We are very lucky this year to be able to NOT have to caravan between our Monaco International Pre-rally and the FMCA Convention.  To make it all that much sweeter, we have had full-hookups for the Monaco Rally and we get to sit in the same spot with full-hookups for the FMCA Convention.  Maybe a once in a lifetime good thing!

After a few rain storms, this beautiful sunset is surely a promise of wonderful weather for the duration?  Stay tuned....

The lot across the street from us is filling up!  Also notice the storm clouds... Yes they never go away for long.

Oh oh - here comes the next storm.  Notice the road in front of us is still just a road.

Our FMCA begins... When our club was started in 1963, this was likely the most popular motorcoach.  This one is an early 1950's Flixable - the state of the art Motor Coach.  It is likely the forerunner of all that we call "motorhomes" now days.  It was very interesting to see how the first motorhomer's traveled.

Each morning we are welcomed to Coffee & Donuts.  It is a way to get started and meet up with old friends and make some new ones.  The Frustrated Maestro's provide music to get our day started.  The last morning we had a pancake breakfast in place of the donuts - very nice!

This is our 50th Anniversary Celebration.  Founded in 1963 with just a few motorhomes, this organization has grown to monumental size.  I think I remember them saying there was close to 80,000 members now!  We hope they keep going strong so we can continue to enjoy gatherings like this.

Our first nights entertainment is the Buckinghams!  We are excited and the show did not disappoint.  Brought back lots of memories for both of us - but mostly me.

This is what we look like on 6/20 at 6:15 pm.  Just keep that in mind.

As you can see we are just a little ways back from the stage - but the sound was great and so the experience.

This was the best shot I could get.  The guy on the right and the guy in the center are origional Buckingham's - that makes them old , like us!

Our MONACO Rally continues......

Another view of our group.  We ended up with not quite 270 coaches - and only 27 coaches will be leaving before the FMCA Convention.  That is a pretty good turn out!

This is pretty much the essence of Wyoming!  We even have people riding horseback coming past our parking spot just about everyday we have been here.

Looks like we are in for another round of weather!  One evening we were a hairs breath away from having a Tornado Warning!  Of course, we didn't know that until the next day...glad it blew over!

This is a little blurry, but you get the idea.  This was our Ice Cream Social.  Every afternoon they entice us to come to the building for some goodie - in hopes that we will fall in love with a new coach!  To my amazement, they actually sold 10 or 11 coaches at this rally!

Finally some clearing skies - and NO WIND! 

Every evening before dinner, we have an open bar.  As you see it is quite popular!  Lots of choices including the hard stuff, wine, beer and soda.

Getting ready for dinner.  Each morning we are fed a hearty breakfast, and each evening we enjoy a delicious dinner.  This night I think it was Roast Baron of Beef and Baked Salmon!  Tomorrow is Prime Rib - our last dinner is sponsored by Monaco RV and we will have real plates, silverware and glass wine glasses!  It did not disappoint!!!!

Gillette calls itself the "Energy Capital of the World".  They have several Coal Mines here in Campbell County and over the years have excavated millions of tons, so maybe they are right.   This truck is called a "Unit Rig".  Built in 1976, it is 18 feet high, 23 feet wide and 66 feet long.  It's load capacity is 170 Tons of Coal.  It weighs 235,000 lbs and has a 1600 horsepower engine.  During it's working life, it hauled over 10 million tons of Coal.  I think the trucks they use today are even bigger than this.

How is that for some big tires!

The tires are Bridgestone, each weighing 8,500 lbs.  In 1991, each tire cost $13,000!  They are 12 feet high and 4 feet wide, 60 bias ply off-road tubeless.  In 1991 this was the largest tire in the world!  Doubtful that is still true today.  The scoop is a monster, but not nearly as big as what they use today.

Engine 5802 - Built by General Electric in 1972.  The 3000 horsepower engine has gone over 2,400,000 miles and hauled over 11,580,000 tons of coal.  It took a bunch to fill the fuel tank - 4000 gallons capacity!

Here comes FMCA!  These are likely the people who will be parking all the rest of the attendees.

This is the field in front of where we are parked.  Check back in a few days and it will be full of coaches!  Still enjoying some wonderful weather - guess the first few days were not going to be the normal.  We can handle this for a long time!

A beautiful Wyoming sunset!  A fantastic way to end our Monaco Rally.  Now, a couple days to rest us and get laundry done, then the FMCA Rally will begin.  It has been absolutely wonderful having full-hookups and not having to move between rallies.  Probably a once in a lifetime experience - sure hope it happens again!

 

The first "half day" of our rally.....

The first "real half day"  of our rally - this is just a small representation of the 270 Monaco Coaches in this rally.  The skies are cloudy, but the weather is wonderful.

As we get ready to enter the Pavilion for the Monaco Welcome Party, we notice the skies are darkening and becoming quite ominous.  Once inside, the PA system is warning us of approaching weather.  They are saying that high winds and hail are possible shortly and if we left awnings out we should return to our rigs to secure items that might be in jeopardy.  With tables of wonderful snacks and adult beverages waiting, I don't believe ANYBODY left the venue.  We knew we were ok since we made sure all windows were closed  in the rig and only the small awnings were out.  We enjoyed good company and wonderful food and drinks for over an hour before we thought we should check on our home.  We decided to tour some of the new coaches on display before deciding to return to our rig and check things out.  There was one new Dynasty on display that was quite enticing - maybe even causing some residual thoughts.  Once we left, we got a little wet, but nothing of any consequence.

Looking a little dark after the first round of rain, but the worst is over for this night, we think.  A little lightening and thunder, but all in all nothing happening tonight.

Over all a great start to our Monaco Pre-rally here in Gillette.  Seeing lots of old friends and making some new friends.  More to follow tomorrow.....

Monaco International Pre-rally Gillette Wyoming

Entering the CAM-PLEX in Gillette Wyoming.  I almost forgot to take a photo - we started out on the road about 10-12 coaches from the front of the line.  There were two lines of coaches.  Here we are almost to the front of the line!

As usual, the parking crew did a wonderful job getting us parked.  We actually have an excellent spot.  We are on the end of the row that is closest to all the doings! The road is not too noisy and we are exactly across the street from the private RV park - High Plains RV park.  Directly in front of us will be some of the show coaches and just a short walk to our left is the building where our meals and entertainment will be held.  Don't think we could be in a better place!  We have 30 amp full-hookups - and the 30 amps seem to be good and strong.  This will be our home until the 23rd of June, when our rallies are over and we will be moving to Hart Ranch in Rapid City South Dakota.