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November 2009 - Tiffin Motorhomes

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TIFFIN MOTORHOMES<br />

The Award-Winning Allegro Club Magazine For Leisure & Living<br />

Volume 6 Issue No.1<br />

<strong>November</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

3 Please don’t miss<br />

the Bus in 2010<br />

All-electric coach,<br />

hydronic heating<br />

top Allegro Bus features<br />

8-9 Getting you out<br />

of tight places<br />

Test reports laud<br />

maneuverability of<br />

Allegro Bay 37 QDB<br />

16 Lift the cloudiness<br />

with a little spirit<br />

Tech tip solves<br />

pesky problem<br />

of film on windows


SIDE ROADS<br />

Published by the Allegro Club, Inc.<br />

Presorted Standard U.S. Postage Paid<br />

Permit # 159, Birmingham, AL<br />

From the<br />

driver’s seat<br />

by Jimmy Johnson<br />

Somewhere, sometime between the<br />

Seven Feathers Shebang in Canyonville,<br />

OR, and the Allegro Club Freedom Trail Rally in Foxboro, MA,<br />

I sneaked a second to look in the Allegro Club’s rearview mirror.<br />

Wow.<br />

When I took Bob <strong>Tiffin</strong> up on his offer to lead the club beginning<br />

in May 2004, we had 2,000 bona fide, dues-paying members in<br />

32 chapters.<br />

Fast forward five years. The Allegro Club is quite robust and by<br />

all accounts much more rewarding for you, our members.<br />

There are 6,500 dues-paying members in 75 chapters. About<br />

7,000 RVers, generally two per coach, have enjoyed 35 rallies in 12<br />

states. It is fair and accurate to say “enjoy,” because our positive<br />

feedback on rally survey forms is running at 98% (including results<br />

from the Las Vegas fiasco in April). Gail and I have hauled our<br />

belongings in and out of 10 beautiful <strong>Tiffin</strong> coaches along the way.<br />

More rally numbers:<br />

* Rolls of pennies distributed for rally bingo games: 3,000.<br />

* Flashy gold World Wrestling Federation-style belts awarded<br />

to rally champions in back-your-wagon, hillbilly horseshoes and<br />

other intense competitions: 60 (estimated).<br />

* Numbers of meals served at rallies: 45,000 (estimated).<br />

In addition to rallies, other numbers add to our story. Club<br />

Office Manager Verbon Jones figures we have handled 25,000 calls<br />

and walk-in visits since 2004. Cynthia Skinner, a regular at rallies<br />

and the force behind new chapters, estimates she spends more<br />

than 100 days a year out of the office and has logged as many as<br />

200,000 miles annually for the club. I’ve been known to get around<br />

a bit myself, but please don’t ask Gail about my travel stats.<br />

We are fortunate. As president of the RV Manufacturers Clubs<br />

Association, I can tell you that many of our counterparts have not<br />

fared as well. Too many are no longer in operation.<br />

The real credit for the Allegro Club’s success is yours. You make<br />

our jobs in Red Bay rewarding and enjoyable. Thank you.<br />

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Allegro Club, Inc.<br />

P.O. Box 1429, Red Bay, AL 35582<br />

NOTICE OF RESPONSIBILITY:<br />

The Allegro Club, Inc., Red Bay, AL, has designed tours, caravans,<br />

and rallies for your pleasure and enjoyment and has attempted to<br />

select for you the best campgrounds, accommodations, restaurants,<br />

and transportation facilities for the prices charged. Allegro Club, Inc.,<br />

Jimmy and Gail Johnson, and the Board of Directors do not own or<br />

operate any of the campgrounds, hotels, restaurants or transportation<br />

facilities and, furthermore, assume no responsibility for delays, losses,<br />

accidents, or for damage to persons or property caused by any person,<br />

firm, corporation, or other legal entity providing the following services:<br />

campgrounds, hotels, restaurants, transportation (including but not<br />

limited to transfers and sightseeing) or any other services incident to<br />

these tours, rallies, caravans or any activities of the Allegro Club, Inc.<br />

The right is reserved to substitute campgrounds, hotels, restaurants<br />

and alter the itinerary or reverse the places to be visited. The right is<br />

reserved to cancel the tour or caravan prior to departure. In the event<br />

of a tour or caravan cancellation, the Allegro Club, Inc., Jimmy and Gail<br />

Johnson, and the Board of Directors’ liability is limited to a refund of<br />

money received.<br />

The Allegro Club, Inc., Jimmy and Gail Johnson, and the Board of<br />

Directors reserve the right to make any changes, with or without notice,<br />

that might become necessary with the understanding that there is no<br />

extra charge. After a tour, caravan or rally begins, any unused portions<br />

of fees paid are not refundable. The Allegro Club, Inc., also reserves the<br />

right to terminate tour, caravan and rally services for any client at any<br />

time for good cause.<br />

The mission of the Allegro Club is:<br />

1 ) To promote friendship, fellowship and camaraderie among all<br />

owners of <strong>Tiffin</strong>-built motorhomes;<br />

2 ) To provide pertinent information and assistance regarding<br />

<strong>Tiffin</strong>-built products, their maintenance and related safety topics;<br />

3 ) To promote brand loyalty to <strong>Tiffin</strong>-built motorhomes among<br />

current owners;<br />

4 ) To encourage ownership of <strong>Tiffin</strong>-built motorhomes among<br />

non-owners.<br />

The Allegro Club reserves the right to edit submissions for space and<br />

clarity. Manuscripts, photographs, illustrations and other proposed content<br />

are welcomed and will be considered for publication. Reproduction in<br />

whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Content, including<br />

statements of fact and opinion, do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints<br />

of <strong>Tiffin</strong> <strong>Motorhomes</strong>, Inc. or the Allegro Club, Inc. <strong>Tiffin</strong> <strong>Motorhomes</strong>, Inc.<br />

and the Allegro Club, Inc. are not responsible for content. Privacy laws<br />

and policies prevent Side Roads from publishing memorials, illnesses and<br />

other personal information without written permission.<br />

ON THE COVER<br />

An energy management system in an all-electric coach, hydronic heat<br />

(tag-axle models only), new stylish front and rear caps, lighter, livelier<br />

exterior colors and shock-and-awe interior amenities. That and more<br />

are what you’ll find on the 2010 Allegro Bus. Starting on Page 3, read<br />

all about the new models.<br />

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR<br />

Want to share an experience you had in your <strong>Tiffin</strong> Motorhome?<br />

Have a comment or suggestion about Side Roads, the Allegro Club<br />

newsletter? Write to:<br />

Side Roads Editor, Allegro Club<br />

P.O. Box 1429, Red Bay, AL 35582<br />

Please include your name, address, email and phone number so<br />

we can contact you.<br />

CONTACTS:<br />

<strong>Tiffin</strong> <strong>Motorhomes</strong> Parts & Service:<br />

(256) 356-0261<br />

Allegro Club: (256) 356-8522<br />

allegroclub@tiffinmotorhomes.com<br />

Jimmy Johnson, Allegro Club president<br />

Verbon Jones, Allegro Club office manager<br />

Cynthia Skinner, Allegro Club membership coordinator<br />

2 SIDE ROADS<br />

President, Allegro Club<br />

www.tiffinmotorhomes.com


New product features for 2010<br />

A revolutionary energy management system that<br />

harnesses additional power, an all-electric coach, solid<br />

hardwood cabinet and drawer fronts and a lighter<br />

exterior color option are just a few highlights in the<br />

2010 <strong>Tiffin</strong> <strong>Motorhomes</strong> line.<br />

More good news: With adjustments for some former<br />

options that are now standard features, <strong>Tiffin</strong>’s MSRPs<br />

remain at <strong>2009</strong> model levels.<br />

Here’s a look at some of the major changes:<br />

The energy management system, standard on<br />

Allegro Bus and Zephyr for 2010, is billed as a<br />

“revolutionary new concept” for RVs by Precision<br />

Circuits Inc., which developed the feature. Previously,<br />

coaches operated either on shore power or generator.<br />

The new energy management system harnesses<br />

additional available power from the coach’s batteries<br />

for a short time and automatically sheds non-critical<br />

loads if power demand increases beyond capacity.<br />

The all-electric coach option becomes even more<br />

attractive for Allegro Bus and Zephyr models with the<br />

advent of the energy management system. An electric<br />

stove top, multiple AC units and electronics can<br />

severely tax the available power on conventional rigs.<br />

An added benefit: Since the all-electric coach does not<br />

need or have a propane tank, an additional storage<br />

space is available.<br />

The hydronic heating system standard on tagaxle<br />

Allegro Bus models for 2010 operates like a<br />

boiler in a large building, using water as the heattransfer<br />

medium for heating. Unlimited hot water<br />

is an added benefit. The curb weight (actual weight<br />

including all standard equipment, full fuel tanks, full<br />

fresh water tanks, full propane bottles, and all other<br />

equipment fluids, but before taking on any people or<br />

personal cargo) of 2010 Allegro Bus tag-axle models are<br />

lower than conventional models. The absence of two<br />

furnaces and a water heater make the difference. The<br />

hydronic heating system was introduced in the <strong>2009</strong><br />

top-of-the-line Zephyr.<br />

Solid hardwood cabinet and drawer faces on <strong>Tiffin</strong>’s<br />

new Allegro, Allegro RED (Rear Engine Diesel),<br />

Allegro Bay and Phaeton are an advance that is not<br />

found at these price points elsewhere in the motorhome<br />

industry.<br />

Rocky Mountain Brown is a new exterior color.<br />

Now brown, gold or maroon is the dominant color<br />

instead of black, lightening the overall appearance.<br />

(Continued on Page 14)<br />

SIDE ROADS 3


Roadside recipes<br />

by Gail Johnson<br />

As we begin to see subtle changes in the seasons - days are a little shorter, the sweltering heat of August giving way to milder days and cooler nights,<br />

the growing season coming to an end - our thoughts turn to fall and holiday events. Whether anticipating an active tailgate season at your favorite football<br />

stadium, planning to hit the road to take in an Allegro Club rally or already making plans for holiday celebrations, I hope one or more of these recipes<br />

will interest you.<br />

As always, I invite and encourage you to share your cooking successes with me. I am always thrilled to receive tested recipes or tips that you have used<br />

with your Sharp Convection Microwave. <br />

Chicken Ball<br />

Tasty appetizer, quick and delicious served with your favorite crackers.<br />

Ingredients:<br />

8 ounces cream cheese, softened<br />

1 envelope ranch dressing mix<br />

1 (10-ounce) can white meat<br />

chicken, drained<br />

1/2 cup chopped pecans<br />

Instructions:<br />

Blend cream cheese and dressing mix together. Break drained chicken into small pieces until it appears shredded. Combine with<br />

cream cheese mixture. Form into a ball and roll in pecans. Refrigerate overnight so flavors will blend. Serve with crackers.<br />

Claudia’s “Hot Stuff”<br />

This is a recipe shared with me at an early rally. Sorry I can’t give credit to the contributor. It is a good, quick Tex-Mex dish using chicken.<br />

Ingredients:<br />

12 corn tortillas<br />

1 can (10 ounces) boneless chicken, or cooked and<br />

boned chicken breasts<br />

1 can cream of chicken soup<br />

1/2 pint sour cream<br />

1 can chopped chilis, with juice (small or large,<br />

depending upon how hot you want)<br />

1 small can black olives, sliced and drained<br />

3 cups grated cheddar and jack cheese, mixed<br />

Instructions:<br />

Mix soup, chicken, sour cream, chilis, olives, and 1 cup of cheese in large bowl or sealed zipper baggie. Cover the bottom of an<br />

oblong dish with a small amount of the soup mixture. Cover this with a layer of tortillas. Cover tortillas with 1/3 of the remaining<br />

soup mixture and 1/3 of the remaining cheese. Cover with another layer of tortillas. Cover this with half of remaining mixture and<br />

cheese, and layer once more with tortillas, soup mixture, and ending with remaining cheese. Bake in 350˚ preheated oven until hot<br />

and bubbly, about 30-45 minutes.<br />

Black Forest Truffle<br />

An easy dessert and very elegant. I fixed it for a German-themed dinner earlier this year and I brought home an empty dish.<br />

Ingredients:<br />

1 box chocolate cake mix<br />

1 small box instant chocolate pudding mix<br />

Instructions:<br />

2 cups milk<br />

1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling<br />

1 (8-ounce) frozen whipped topping<br />

Chocolate curls, (optional)<br />

Bake cake according to box directions. Prepare pudding using milk and chill 30 minutes. When cake has cooled, cut into cubes<br />

with serrated bread knife. Layer the following in a glass bowl or trifle dish: cake cubes, cherry pie filling, half of pudding and half<br />

of whipped topping. Repeat layering. Place chocolate curls on top for garnish, if desired.<br />

4 SIDE ROADS


Pecan Muffins<br />

Easy and delicious little sweet muffin; great to fix for a tea or coffee party.<br />

Ingredients:<br />

1 cup dark brown sugar<br />

1/2 cup all-purpose flour<br />

2/3 cup butter or margarine, melted<br />

Instructions:<br />

2 eggs<br />

1 cup finely chopped pecans<br />

Mix all ingredients together well; drop into sprayed mini-muffin pans. Bake at 350˚ in a pre-heated oven for about 15 minutes.<br />

Cranberry Salad<br />

This recipe was shared by Esther Hoisington of Portland, OR. Looking forward to the holidays, it would be a delicious accompaniment<br />

to any meal.<br />

Ingredients:<br />

2 cups cranberries 1/2 cup sugar 2 cups tiny marshmallows<br />

Instructions:<br />

Grind cranberries; add other ingredients and mix. Refrigerate and let chill overnight.<br />

Next day, add:<br />

2 cups diced apples 1/2 - 1 cup chopped nuts 1 cup chopped pineapple<br />

Blend all ingredients well. Fold in 1 cup whipping cream (sweetened to taste) or non-dairy whipped topping.<br />

Key Lime Pie<br />

This is a recipe I brought back from our rally in Key West, home of the BEST key lime pie. This tart and delicious dessert will go well at<br />

the end of almost any meal occasion, from a warm weather football tailgate party to a holiday feast.<br />

Ingredients:<br />

1/2 cup fresh key lime juice (8-10 key limes)<br />

4 egg yolks<br />

14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk<br />

11 graham crackers<br />

3 tablespoons granulated sugar<br />

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted<br />

Instructions:<br />

Crush crackers or process in food processor until fine; melt butter. Place cracker crumbs on baking sheet and toast under<br />

broiler to enhance flavor. Be careful not to burn them. Beat egg yolks. Add milk and juice. Set aside and allow to thicken.<br />

Preheat oven to 325˚. Mix toasted crumbs with sugar. Add melted butter and blend. Press mixture into a 9-inch pie pan.<br />

Bake on center rack of oven until crust is lightly brown, about 15 minutes. Remove and cool.<br />

Pour filling into crust, spreading evenly. Bake for about 15 minutes until center is set, but still wiggles when gently<br />

shaken. Remove and cool. Cover and refrigerate until well-chilled. It’s best when topped with meringue. Use the<br />

egg whites from the above recipe. Beat until stiff, adding 6-8 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, and<br />

1/2 teaspoon vanilla. After spreading meringue on pie, place in oven on high heat for just long enough to slightly<br />

bake, 2-4 minutes. You may also use whipped topping.<br />

SIDE ROADS 5


<strong>Tiffin</strong> has your back for customer service<br />

by Bob Poiry<br />

Carol and I were camping with friends in<br />

northern Michigan for what was to be the<br />

last outing of the season as the weather<br />

was about to turn nasty. It had been a<br />

great weekend, chilly nights, light frost in<br />

the morning creating crystal-like tips on<br />

the grass, and sippin’ hot chocolate over a<br />

campfire. Perfect Fall camping.<br />

Looking north at the ominous skies, I<br />

saw a beautiful, behemoth, black motorhome<br />

facing us. It kind of took my breath away. I don’t<br />

know why I approached it slowly, it just seemed to be<br />

the thing to do, like stalking a crouching monster.<br />

My suspicions were well founded as it was an Allegro<br />

Bus, all 42 feet of it, tag axle and all. It was already<br />

near check-out time, but I had to see who owned it.<br />

Knocking on the door of this king-sized specimen<br />

of magnificence brought a response by owner Mike<br />

Kuehnl. After talking about his rig for a bit, he related<br />

the following story:<br />

He and his wife Carol had only owned the 2007 Allegro<br />

Bus about a year when traveling through Kentucky on<br />

the downward side of Jellico Mountain. Doing about 70<br />

mph, passing a semi-tractor trailer going downhill, there<br />

was a loud explosion and he realized the driver’s side front<br />

tire had just blown.<br />

He attributes being able to bring the rig to a safe, controlled<br />

stop to the tag axle. The exploding tire had also<br />

destroyed the panel around the tire. A road repair service<br />

replaced the tire. A tire dealer verified the sidewall had<br />

blown out because of a defect. This didn’t set well with<br />

The Yankee Doodler Cartoonist Bob Poiry<br />

Mike or Carol so he called <strong>Tiffin</strong> headquarters<br />

in Red Bay.<br />

After explaining his situation to a very<br />

nice lady, she connected him to a fellow<br />

who listened to his tale of horror again.<br />

This fellow, who Mike figured to be the<br />

service manager or something, told him he<br />

would cover the cost of the entire incident.<br />

Wow is what came to Mike’s mind. Then he<br />

learned he was talking to none other than Bob<br />

<strong>Tiffin</strong> himself.<br />

“It all goes back<br />

to Bob <strong>Tiffin</strong>’s<br />

reputation.”<br />

After getting over the initial shock, Mike mentioned<br />

there might be a chance of the same thing happening to<br />

the passenger side tire. Bob agreed and told him to have<br />

his dealer replace that one too and he’d cover the cost.<br />

Needless to say, Mike and Carol were definitely pleased<br />

they had purchased a <strong>Tiffin</strong> product.<br />

Not long after, Mike noticed fogging in some of the<br />

insulated windows of their motorhome. He made another<br />

call to Bob <strong>Tiffin</strong> who said this shouldn’t be happening,<br />

so he sent all new glass to Mike’s dealer and paid the<br />

installation charge. Mike and Carol agree the reputation,<br />

and great back-up service at <strong>Tiffin</strong> <strong>Motorhomes</strong> they had<br />

heard so much about, was well founded.<br />

Bob’s reputation carries beyond that. Carol and I were<br />

traveling through North Carolina and had an occasion to<br />

have a minor repair done on our Allegro. Carol had seen<br />

billboards along the highway for Todd’s RV & Marine<br />

in Hendersonville, NC. Since we were headed that way<br />

we stopped in. What a beautiful place to visit. Not only<br />

were we waited on right away by a service representative,<br />

our rig was in the service area for less than an hour and<br />

we were on our way.<br />

Our cost: $9.50 tax included. Can’t get lunch for that.<br />

Todd’s isn’t even a <strong>Tiffin</strong> dealer. It all goes back to Bob<br />

<strong>Tiffin</strong>’s reputation.<br />

6 SIDE ROADS


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - CUT HERE- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<br />

#<br />

Allegro Club South Florida Spring Rally<br />

March 15 - March 19, 2010 (Checkout March 20)<br />

Lee Civic Center / Fort Myers, FL<br />

This event is available to the first 120 eligible applicants.<br />

Cost Includes: 5 nights camping fee, most full hookups (see details below), several meals, entertainment and activities.<br />

When on hand, <strong>Tiffin</strong> factory technicians will perform minor repairs at no cost. North Trail RV will display the latest <strong>Tiffin</strong><br />

<strong>Motorhomes</strong> for your viewing. Plenty of food, fun, and fellowship.<br />

Cost: Allegro Club member motorhome with two (2) people / $549 • Allegro Club member motorhome with one (1)<br />

person / $369 • Non-member motorhome with two (2) people / $749 • Non-member motorhome with one (1) person / $569<br />

• Each additional guest / $199 Total Cost: $<br />

Number of people Amount enclosed (full payment required) $<br />

Name:<br />

Companion:<br />

Mailing Address:<br />

City/State/Zip:<br />

Telephone number: Allegro Club #: Chapter #:<br />

Name of guest(s) in member’s motorhome:<br />

We wish to park with our chapter (listed above) or individual:<br />

Participants wishing to park together must send registration and rally fee in together!<br />

We will be in: q Allegro q Allegro Star q Allegro Bay q Allegro Bus q Open Road q Phaeton q Zephyr<br />

Motorhome length: License plate # : State:<br />

Tow vehicle: Make: License plate #: State:<br />

My chassis is: q Ford q Workhorse q Chevrolet q Oshkosh q Spartan q Freightliner q PowerGlide<br />

q Other:<br />

YES q / NO q This is our first Allegro Club rally.<br />

YES q / NO q We wish to park in the handicapped section. (Enclose Handicapped Certification copy with your registration.)<br />

YES q / NO q We will bring our pet(s). It is the pet owner’s responsibility to verify possible pet restrictions. Call (239) 543-8368.<br />

Get your reservations in early. First 96 are 50 amp full hookup, then 30 amp full and 50 amp and 30 amp w/o<br />

sewer (pump truck and dump station available on-site). No reservations will be taken after the deadline of<br />

February 1, 2010. Refund deadline is February 1, 2010.<br />

Travel insurance is an option available through Farm & City Insurance (800) 331-1520.<br />

Payment must be submitted with application. Send check or money order, or fill out complete credit card information below:<br />

q Visa q Master Card q Discover<br />

Credit Card Number:<br />

Expiration Date<br />

___ ___ ___ ___ / ___ ___ ___ ___ / ___ ___ ___ ___ / ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ / ___ ___<br />

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Month Year<br />

Signature:<br />

To register by phone, call (256) 356-8522, or FAX your registration form to (256) 356-9746.<br />

Or Mail your reservation form with check made payable to: Allegro Club, P.O. Box 1429, Red Bay, AL 35582-1429.<br />

Email your reservation to allegroclub@tiffinmotorhomes.com by scanning the completed form and attaching as a PDF.<br />

Attention: Early arrivals and late departures cannot be<br />

accomodated at this facility.<br />

No refunds in part or total will be given after the refund deadline.<br />

Upon cancellation, a $30 handling fee will be charged.<br />

Important: The Allegro Club has planned this event based upon claim<br />

assumptions, including a minimum number of participants. On occasion,<br />

circumstances arise which make the event impractical. Accordingly, the Allegro<br />

Club reserves the right to cancel the event for any reason, at any time, and without<br />

obligation beyond refund of any prepaid fees for the cancelled event.<br />

By registering for this event, you acknowledge and agree to the following<br />

statements: “I understand that neither the Allegro Club, <strong>Tiffin</strong> <strong>Motorhomes</strong>,<br />

Inc., nor any campground, restaurant, bus service, or supplier assume any<br />

responsibility, directly or indirectly, for the use or operation of a car or<br />

recreational vehicle going to or from or during the rally; or for injuries or<br />

illness before, during, or after the rally; or damage to or loss of property of<br />

any kind before, during, or after the event; and I also grant permission for the<br />

use of photographs, videotape, written or verbal testimonials, and other media<br />

from the rally depicting registrants and their guests for promotional purposes<br />

by <strong>Tiffin</strong> <strong>Motorhomes</strong>, Inc. and the Allegro Club.” SIDE ROADS 7


What the owners say: Testing the 37 QDB<br />

our Reviewers<br />

Richard and Judith<br />

Tracy of Leaburg, OR, are<br />

experienced RVers and<br />

over the years have owned<br />

several RVs, including<br />

pickup campers, travel<br />

trailers, Class C’s and<br />

Class A’s. They are very<br />

active in their local Elks Lodge “Kamper Klub” and make<br />

year-round excursions on their own or with others. Judith<br />

and Richard are eager to work through their punch list of<br />

initial problems so they can fill the tank with fresh well<br />

water, then throw Mr. Brody, their well-traveled cat, in the<br />

coach and drive any place in the country with confidence all<br />

systems will work correctly.<br />

Richard_e5@msn.com 541-896-3701<br />

turning r adius, road handling and stability<br />

I really like driving the rig. It is fun, not tiring. The turning<br />

radius is much shorter than our previous coaches, so getting<br />

into tight driveways and RV pads is much easier. A recent<br />

trip was comfortable, smooth, and not nearly as nerveracking<br />

as in our other coaches. The windshield is great<br />

but the rearview mirrors are useless in heavy rain.<br />

Power/torque<br />

Even with seven more feet of coach behind me, climbing<br />

hills and passes is a piece of cake with our “toad” Jeep. We<br />

have more than enough power to keep up with other rigs.<br />

Learning curve for maintenance,<br />

electronics, and other fe atures<br />

During the new-owner orientation with the dealer’s<br />

technician we were shown many of the features. At the end of<br />

this one-hour orientation the technician handed me a large<br />

blue canvas bag filled with about 10 pounds of instruction<br />

manuals, diagrams, warranties, special offers, as well as other<br />

documents and a video tape. I have gone to this library several<br />

times with moderate success. Trial and error has also worked.<br />

The dashboard layout and controls are much more intuitive<br />

and easily understood. However, I wish that the wiper<br />

control was on the turn signal arm instead of a small, hardto-locate<br />

(and turn) button that hides from view behind the<br />

steering wheel. The automatic leveling system is great.<br />

Noise level (both parked and moving)<br />

The front engine diesel (340hp) seems to be more quiet than<br />

8 SIDE ROADS<br />

the gas engine on our previous motorhome. The generator<br />

is very quiet. We have noticed that when parked, outside<br />

noise is barely perceptible. From the outside, one can hardly<br />

hear the surround-sound system playing at mid-level.<br />

efficiency of heating and cooling systems<br />

The first night we used the heat we woke up every time<br />

the unit cycled. But we have grown accustomed to the sound<br />

of rushing air. We must admit the heating is much more<br />

consistent and gentle than in our previous rigs. We have not<br />

yet given the air conditioners a try.<br />

spaciousness of living room<br />

With just the two of us and Mr. Brody we have plenty of<br />

open space, almost 360 degrees of window view. The tile<br />

floor makes clean-up very easy. We can have several guests<br />

seated comfortably plus walking around room, like being in<br />

a well appointed hotel suite.<br />

Attractiveness of interior decoration<br />

We were attracted to the interior color scheme and are<br />

happy with our choice. Simple is usually better and often<br />

more elegant. Drawer hardware is good quality and very<br />

stable. Disappointed much of the wood trim is pressed<br />

wood covered with wood toned vinyl or paper. Night<br />

curtains for the windshield are acceptable but need a<br />

wand to help open and close. Adequate closet storage<br />

space in the coach with the addition of some shelves.<br />

Workability of galley<br />

The galley is spacious and Judith likes the functionality.<br />

We especially like the fold-down table under the TV. The<br />

expandable table and freestanding chairs are versatile and<br />

attractive but the chairs are not built for strength. Feel the<br />

solid-surface countertops are durable.<br />

c o mf o r t and usability of bathroom<br />

The washer/dryer meet expectations. The light switch is<br />

inconveniently 5-6 feet from the door and the elegant robe hook<br />

is too high. A pocket door would have been more convenient. The<br />

Fantastic Fan ® is great except for the switch location. Shower size<br />

is generous and the heat pump vents warm the area.<br />

Livability of bedroom<br />

Plenty of closet and storage space. We appreciate the ease<br />

of walking around the queen-sized bed. A light under the<br />

TV would have made it easier to look into the drawers below.<br />

The Sleep Number bed is surprisingly very comfortable.


Allegro Bay<br />

our Reviewers<br />

Rod and Cheryl<br />

Mees discovered RVs<br />

in 2006. Three years of<br />

weekend, holiday and<br />

summer trips, most to<br />

historic sites, in a Class C<br />

convinced them to<br />

move up to Class A for<br />

space, luxury and those<br />

automatic levelers. They<br />

travel with Daisy and<br />

Laddie, their Shetland<br />

sheepdogs, but Cheryl<br />

has dreams of hauling the grandkids, too. After working out a<br />

few bugs at their dealership, they launched their first adventure<br />

for this report.<br />

rcmees@verizon.net 410-604-2652<br />

<br />

turning r adius, road handling and stability<br />

Although eight feet longer and twice the weight of our old<br />

Class C, the 37 QDB is much more maneuverable and easier to<br />

drive. Stability is good, an improvement over the old coach; I’m<br />

not blown around as much when passed by an 18-wheeler.<br />

Power/torque<br />

Although we don’t have air suspension, the ride is better than<br />

our old coach. I’m sure the larger wheels and more comfortable<br />

seats help, but I believe the chassis rides smoother too.<br />

Learning curve for maintenance,<br />

electronics, and other fe atures<br />

There’s a moderate learning curve moving from a Class C<br />

motorhome to the Allegro Bay. Much of it is a very pleasant<br />

experience, including the slightly more involved, but far superior<br />

fresh and waste water systems. There are simply more systems<br />

to learn like the icemaker and washer/dryer. These are the<br />

amenities we sought. <strong>Tiffin</strong> provided really great laminated<br />

quick-guides to many of the high-quality home theater and<br />

in-dash entertainment system features. Learning the dashboard<br />

was no different than on any other new vehicle. More accuracy,<br />

updates and an addendum specific to our floorplan would have<br />

helped.<br />

Noise level (both parked and moving)<br />

On the road, the overall noise level in the cockpit area is quite<br />

low. On level ground, when the Allison transmission is in sixth<br />

gear, the Cummins engine is quieter than the V10 under the<br />

same conditions. The interior is very quiet while set up at the<br />

park.<br />

efficiency of heating and cooling systems<br />

After our dealer fixed a ducting problem with the rear heater,<br />

we’ve found the heating system very good overall.<br />

Like all propane-burning 30,000 BTU RV furnaces, it’s a bit<br />

louder than we’d like, but we can live with it. The insulation<br />

seems to be very good. Even in the low 20s and strong winds,<br />

the coach heated quickly and the heaters ran surprisingly little<br />

to keep it warm. We’ve found the heat pumps to be quiet and<br />

very efficient.<br />

spaciousness of living room<br />

The living spaces in the QDB are wonderful. Putting the<br />

bathroom and washer/dryer into one space is a great design.<br />

The shower is heavenly, and the bathroom storage is more than<br />

adequate. The living room area is very spacious.<br />

Attractiveness of interio r decoration<br />

Most of the interior decoration is attractive. We prefer more<br />

understated designs and colors. The roll-up shade chains are<br />

cumbersome and get caught easily. The medium alderwood<br />

cabinetry is gorgeous. Storage area in the drawers and cupboards<br />

is excellent. The full-extension drawers are appreciated. The<br />

brushed nickel lighting fixtures are excellent, but the row of<br />

fluorescent lights on the ceiling does not match their elegance.<br />

Workability of galley<br />

The appliances work well, and the Price Pfister ® faucets are<br />

attractive. Under the TV the <strong>Tiffin</strong> designers provided a good<br />

sized flip-up table, which adds greatly to the food preparation<br />

counter space. We have the freestanding table versus the dinette<br />

booth of our old coach, and it’s a toss-up which we prefer. The<br />

table and chairs are certainly more elegant and enhance the<br />

feeling of spaciousness in the living area.<br />

c o m f o r t and usability of bathroom<br />

We like how the bathroom separates the living/sleeping areas<br />

plus the placement of the washer/dryer, which are quiet with<br />

the bathroom door closed. Suggest the sink drawer be above the<br />

cabinet and the light switch by the door, not over the sink.<br />

Livability of bedroom<br />

The opposing rear slideouts provide a huge bedroom and the<br />

closets accommodate long-term living. There’s plenty of room<br />

at the foot of the bed to get dressed or move around. The ceiling<br />

fan is a nice touch, too.<br />

SIDE ROADS 9


Jack & Ken’s RV Odyssey<br />

A smile wasn’t enough of an umbrella in Arizona<br />

When Jack Donovan and Ken Kaplan set out<br />

from the <strong>Tiffin</strong> <strong>Motorhomes</strong> plant in Red Bay,<br />

AL, back in 2008, they were sales associates for<br />

a La Mesa RV dealership in southern California.<br />

Time and the economy can take their toll. They<br />

are no longer working for that dealership, but<br />

we can’t leave our readers stranded in Arizona,<br />

can we? This is the fifth installment of their<br />

cross-country odyssey in a 35 TSB Allegro Bay<br />

FRED to learn the RV lifestyle.<br />

7:30 A.M. on August 13 th , we waved<br />

good-bye to The Inn of the Mountain<br />

Gods in New Mexico. Ken was behind<br />

the wheel. Our goal for the day was<br />

Sedona, AZ, which is famous for its<br />

massive red rock formations, resort living<br />

and art centers. Sedona is named for the<br />

wife of Theodore Carl Schnebly who<br />

moved there from Gorin, MO, in 1902.<br />

At 11:00 A.M. we pulled into a truck<br />

stop in Deming, NM, with 1,535 miles on<br />

the odometer.<br />

Ken was only too happy to order huevos<br />

rancheros while I opted for the chili. The<br />

portions were so large I couldn’t quite<br />

finish mine although Ken had no problem<br />

cleaning his shiny tin plate. We decided<br />

to fill the tank too. After 51 gallons at<br />

about 8 mpg we were<br />

back on the road at<br />

noon with me behind<br />

the wheel. At 3:45<br />

P.M. with 1,811<br />

miles on the odometer,<br />

Ken took over the driving<br />

duties at a small grocery store in Tonte<br />

Basin, AZ. We enjoyed a beautiful view of<br />

the Colorado River. In the checkout line,<br />

we overheard the locals talking about the<br />

possibility of thunderstorms.<br />

We noticed some dark cloud formations<br />

on the horizon. Ken thought it would be<br />

fun to experience lightning and rain<br />

while in the motorhome. I was a bit<br />

worried Ken’s idea of fun was about<br />

to become a reality as the sky became<br />

darker with each passing mile. With<br />

Sedona only about 120 miles away, we<br />

headed directly into lightning flashes and<br />

booming thunder.<br />

The rain started as a mild drizzle<br />

and slowly but steadily increased to a<br />

downpour. That’s when we realized the<br />

windshield wipers would not function<br />

properly as a result of “Sparky’s” technical<br />

wizardry attempting to repair the copilot<br />

seat wiring earlier in the trip.<br />

While Ken was positively giddy, having<br />

the time of his life navigating through the<br />

rain, I was truly frightened. Even though<br />

we were traveling slowly, the lightning<br />

was striking the hills surrounding the<br />

winding highway. Ken’s chronic Right<br />

Drift Syndrome (RDS), which had<br />

followed us since leaving the <strong>Tiffin</strong> plant<br />

in Alabama, fueled my fear.<br />

I think I did an admirable job holding<br />

my tongue the entire week as Ken drifted<br />

toward curbs and other vehicles. Usually,<br />

I was quiet after the wake-up bumps on<br />

highway shoulders -- usually after he<br />

would ask me to bring him a bottle of<br />

cold water or look at the map. This stormy<br />

afternoon, however, I actually thought we<br />

were going in the ditch. I screamed an<br />

unprintable word or two out of sheer<br />

terror. I thought it unkind of Ken to laugh<br />

and offer me a pacifier while pushing<br />

onward toward Sedona.<br />

At 7:00 P.M., we finally pulled into<br />

Sedona none the worse for wear. I realized<br />

Ken had actually performed his driving<br />

duties most admirably in very poor<br />

conditions (driving rain, lightning strikes,<br />

malfunctioning wipers, skinny lanes due<br />

to roadwork) although I didn’t tell him so.<br />

At the tourist information center, we<br />

learned the Ranch Sedona RV Park was<br />

about five miles down the road. Now we<br />

had arrived in one piece, I could actually<br />

enjoy the beauty of the red rock formations.<br />

The rain had left the sweetest aroma in<br />

the air, which is something I have never<br />

experienced in San Bernardino, CA.<br />

The office to the Ranch Sedona RV<br />

Park was closed. Ken called the afterhours<br />

check-in phone number and<br />

received instructions. We found a nice<br />

spot and I directed Ken into the narrow<br />

but adequate space. We hooked up to the<br />

water and power, dropped the jacks and<br />

opened the slides.<br />

In the next issue of Side Roads: Jack and Ken take a Las Vegas detour, avoiding a return to work in California and piling<br />

on the expense account receipts. To write Jack and Ken: jackdonovan60@yahoo.com and kaplanken1@netscape.net<br />

10 SIDE ROADS


New Dealers:<br />

Big Country RV<br />

Locations in Bend & Redmond, OR<br />

800-537-7841<br />

www.bigcrv.com<br />

Bretz RV & Marine<br />

4800 Grant Creek Road<br />

Missoula, MT 59808<br />

406-541-4800<br />

www.bretzrv.com<br />

General RV Center<br />

In Wixom & Wayland, MI<br />

269-792-6210<br />

www.generalrv.com<br />

Paul Evert’s RV Country<br />

3633 South Maple<br />

Fresno, CA<br />

559-486-1000<br />

www.rvcountry.com<br />

Marlin Ingram’s RV (reopened)<br />

4504 Troy Highway<br />

Montgomery, AL 36616<br />

334-288-0331<br />

North Trail RV Center<br />

In Fort Myers & Margate, FL<br />

877-753-7229<br />

www.northtrailrv.com<br />

Bill Plemmons RV World<br />

Located in Salisbury,<br />

Rural Hall & Raleigh, NC<br />

888-746-2351<br />

www.billplemmonsrv.com<br />

Poulsbo RV (additional location)<br />

17611 NE Union Road South<br />

Ridgefield, WA 98642<br />

888-538-9400<br />

www.poulsborv.com<br />

RV World of Georgia<br />

2289 East Rock Quarry Road<br />

Buford, GA 30519<br />

770-945-2112<br />

www.rvworld of Georgia.com<br />

Reines RV Center<br />

10850 Balls Ford Road<br />

Manassas, VA 20109<br />

703-392-1100<br />

www.reinesrv.com<br />

Route 44 Collision Center<br />

RVs & Boats<br />

8 Harding Street<br />

Lakeville, MA 02347<br />

www.route44rvcenter.com<br />

Sierra RV Super Center<br />

9125 South Virginia Street<br />

Reno, NV 89511<br />

775-324-0522<br />

www.sierrarv.com<br />

Stoltzfus RVs & Marine<br />

1335 Wilmington Pike<br />

West Chester, PA 19382<br />

610-399-0628<br />

www.stoltzfus-rec.com<br />

Tennessee RV Sales & Service<br />

835 Huckleberry Springs Road<br />

Knoxville, TN 37924<br />

800-678-2233<br />

www.tennesseerv.com<br />

Mike Thompson RV<br />

Located in Santa Fe Springs,<br />

Fountain Valley & Colton, CA<br />

In CA: 888-325-1409<br />

Outside CA: 888-325-1478<br />

www.mikethompson.com<br />

<strong>2009</strong>-2010 Allegro Club Rally Schedule<br />

Allegro Club Smoky Mountain Getaway<br />

River Plantation RV Park<br />

Sevierville, TN<br />

<strong>November</strong> 2-6, <strong>2009</strong><br />

(break camp <strong>November</strong> 7)<br />

sold out<br />

Allegro Club South Florida Spring Rally<br />

Lee Civic Center<br />

Fort Myers, FL<br />

March 15-19, 2010<br />

(break camp March 20)<br />

In the planning stages:<br />

Southern California<br />

April or May, 2010<br />

Pacific Northwest<br />

August, 2010<br />

For additional information: allegroclub@tiffinmotorhomes.com or www.tiffinmotorhomes.com<br />

Phone: (256) 356-8522 Fax: (256) 356-9746 or write: Allegro Club P.O. Box 1429 Red Bay, AL 35582-1429<br />

SIDE ROADS 11


Chapter Chatter: Burgers for everyone at Biloxi campground<br />

Campgrounds<br />

Restaurants<br />

Moose Country Allegros recommend<br />

Danforth Bay Camping & RV Resort<br />

in Freedom, NH, especially for some of<br />

the recreational opportunities including<br />

kayak and canoe rentals on Ossipee<br />

Lake, swimming pools, tennis courts<br />

and hiking trails. The chapter also likes<br />

Point Sebago Resort in Casco, ME, for<br />

its large lakefront, marina open four<br />

seasons, pull-through sites, lounge,<br />

golfing, hiking, bike trails and on-site<br />

terrace room dining.<br />

Majestic Oaks RV Resort in Biloxi,<br />

MS, is a well groomed park with landscaping<br />

and concrete pads. The staff<br />

grilled hamburgers and hotdogs with all<br />

the fixings for<br />

everyone in the<br />

park. “They did<br />

a really fine job<br />

and went out<br />

of their way to<br />

make sure that<br />

everyone had<br />

a good time,”<br />

report John and Cindy Saterfiel of the<br />

Pelican Allegros of Louisiana.<br />

The Niagara Frontier Allegros<br />

recommend Southwoods RV Resort in<br />

Byron, NY, citing very nice expanded RV<br />

sites in wooded areas.<br />

The Arkansas Allegro Diamonds give<br />

thumbs-up to Tom Sawyer’s RV Park in<br />

West Memphis, AR, which overlooks<br />

the Mississippi River and is described as<br />

quite beautiful.<br />

Silver Spur RV Park in Silverton, OR,<br />

is a nice park that has pull-throughs with<br />

parking for tow vehicles and a clubhouse<br />

with kitchen, report the Columbia River<br />

Allegros. They also recommend Olde<br />

Stone Village RV Park in McMinnville,<br />

12 SIDE ROADS<br />

OR, where you will find pull-throughs,<br />

a very clean and well maintained facility<br />

with a kitchen and a paved walkway to<br />

the Evergreen Aviation Museum which<br />

is worth visiting for IMAX films.<br />

Cajun Palms RV Resort in Henderson,<br />

LA, is recommended<br />

by the Pelican<br />

Allegros for<br />

their excellent<br />

facilities that<br />

include full<br />

hook-ups, and<br />

concrete pads, two<br />

ponds, a movie theater,<br />

an exercise room, a pool with bar, a<br />

covered area for food preparation and<br />

dining and meeting space in a huge<br />

clubhouse. The chapter plans to return<br />

mid-<strong>November</strong> for the resort’s Zydeco<br />

Festival. (The music stops about 8 p.m.<br />

so campers can sleep well.)<br />

The Mississippi Allegros ventured into<br />

Arkansas to visit Cloud Nine RV Park<br />

in Hot Springs, a small campground<br />

with gorgeous views from atop the<br />

mountain. The campground managers<br />

laid out sandwich meats, fruit and a<br />

decorated cake for the chapter.<br />

Maumelle Campground on the<br />

Arkansas River in Little Rock is a favorite<br />

of the Arkansas Allegro Diamonds.<br />

The sites are large and shady and the<br />

grounds are lovely.<br />

Pine Valley KOA in Queechee, VT,<br />

is an excellent park, say the Green<br />

Mountain Allegros, who plan to return<br />

next year.<br />

When in Memphis, barbecue is<br />

always a viable option. The Arkansas<br />

Allegro Diamonds chose Central BBQ<br />

and enjoyed “truly great food.” The<br />

chapter also lunched at Alcenia’s, a<br />

Memphis landmark soul food restaurant.<br />

No complaints.<br />

The American and Italian cuisine<br />

is worth an outing at Elaine’s in<br />

Wethersfield, CT, The Nutmeg<br />

Allegros attest. The chapter also touts<br />

The Vanilla Bean in Eastford, CT, for<br />

its delicious deli foods. The eatery has<br />

counter service plus inside and outside<br />

seating.<br />

For a quarter, you can drink all the<br />

coffee you want at the Silver Dollar<br />

Saloon in White Bird, ID, but the Puget<br />

Sound Allegros<br />

suggest you also<br />

sample the hearty<br />

breakfasts and<br />

southern-fried<br />

chicken dinner.<br />

New England<br />

to the Deep South, word comes from<br />

the Pelican Allegros of Louisiana,<br />

Oprah Winfrey may be right. Winfrey<br />

says The Old Country Store in Gibson,<br />

MS, serves the best fried chicken she<br />

ever ate. In Natchez, the chapter<br />

lunched at The Pig Out, reporting<br />

the barbecue was very good. Also in<br />

Natchez, Biscuits and Blues features<br />

live music, and Fat Moma’s Tamales<br />

drew praise. Nearby, outside Ferriday,<br />

LA, the food was excellent at Duck’s<br />

Nest 2. In Biloxi, the chapter favors<br />

McElroy’s Bayou Seafood Restaurant.<br />

In Henderson, LA, the chapter chose<br />

Mulate’s, but noted that Crawfish Town<br />

in Henderson, and Pat’s Fisherman’s<br />

(Continued on Page 13)


Chapter chatter<br />

(Continued from Page 12)<br />

Wharf in Breaux Bridge were also on<br />

their favorites list. These folks like to<br />

eat out.<br />

Looking for Basque/American<br />

cuisine? The Battle Born Allegro Club<br />

found it at HeyDay Inn in Wellington,<br />

NV. It’s western, rustic and charming,<br />

plus the food is good and plentiful.<br />

A trio of recommendations from the<br />

Columbia River Allegros: Markam<br />

Inn in Markam, OR (very good food;<br />

large variety of entrees); Wooden<br />

Nickel Pub in Silverton, OR (good<br />

food); and Golden Valley Brewery &<br />

Restaurant in McMinnville, OR (very<br />

good food).<br />

When is a pharmacy a restaurant?<br />

When you can get a great milkshake<br />

there, and the Capital City Allegros<br />

say that’s the case at Byrd’s Pharmacy<br />

in Troy, AL. That was a snack. That<br />

evening, they enjoyed a “scrumptious”<br />

buffet at Sister’s Restaurant in Troy.<br />

The Mt. Tomba Inn in Cromberg,<br />

CA, has an extensive menu with steaks,<br />

seafood and fowl, report the Battle<br />

Born Allegros.<br />

Destination Attractions<br />

In St. Louis, the Show-Me Allegros<br />

toured Fast Lane Classic Cars. Barbara<br />

Poage’s observation: “Really some<br />

beautifully restored cars and if you were<br />

in the market I think it might be very<br />

difficult to pick one. I saw several that<br />

appealed to me. Now all I have to do is<br />

win the lottery.” The chapter also went<br />

to the St. Charles Historic District.<br />

St. Charles was Missouri’s first capital<br />

and the birthplace of the interstate<br />

highway system. Allegro Club chapters<br />

are so highly regarded, the mayor of<br />

St. Charles spoke to the Show-Me clan<br />

about local history.<br />

Try the riverboat cruise in Memphis,<br />

recommend the Arkansas Allegro<br />

Diamonds. The narration of historical<br />

facts and stories went over well. A visit<br />

to Graceland was a hit too.<br />

The Show-Me Allegros toured the<br />

Ozark region around Branson, MO,<br />

including the Table Rock Dam and<br />

Lake Taneycomo, but the College of<br />

the Ozarks claimed the most attention<br />

in the chapter’s report. Each fulltime<br />

student works on campus to cover a<br />

portion of tuition and other expenses.<br />

Scholarships supplement the<br />

campus work program for the<br />

1,400 students.<br />

Settlers’ Green Outlet<br />

Village tax-free shopping, the<br />

Mount Washington cruises,<br />

golf courses, plus year-round<br />

camping, skiing, snowmobiling<br />

tracks and county fairs make the<br />

Freedom, NH, lakes region and<br />

White Mountains a serious draw, say<br />

the Moose Country Allegros.<br />

The Battle Born Allegros want you<br />

to visit Graeagle, CA, for its golfing,<br />

fishing, hiking and quaint antique<br />

shops.<br />

In Natchez, MS, the Pelican Allegros<br />

found a popular place for an afternoon<br />

stop, according to their chapter report.<br />

“A visit to a local winery to help stimulate<br />

the economy with the purchase of<br />

some muscadine wine. Unfortunately,<br />

the wine did not last as long as it<br />

should have.”<br />

On Father’s Day weekend each June,<br />

Queechee, VT, holds a balloon festival,<br />

including a balloon glow one evening.<br />

Weather permitting, the balloons<br />

ascend 2-3 times during the weekend.<br />

The Arkansas Allegro Diamonds<br />

tout several attractions in Little Rock,<br />

including the Clinton Presidential<br />

Library, the Heifer International<br />

Headquarters and Museum, and<br />

musical comedy at Murry’s Dinner<br />

Playhouse.<br />

The Wilds is a semi-natural habitat<br />

park for exotic animals, complete with<br />

bus tours for people who want to watch<br />

the wildlife. The Erie Shores Allegros<br />

say it’s “a very nice display and worth<br />

the time to visit” in Cambridge, OH.<br />

In the Uptown Gallery on Court<br />

Square in Troy, AL, the Capital City<br />

Allegros enjoyed learning about Mr.<br />

Brantley’s ghost in what used to be<br />

Brantley Mercantile.<br />

Oregon Gardens in Silverton,<br />

OR, offers a nice layout<br />

and display of plant life<br />

and ponds to spark ideas<br />

for landscaping. The<br />

Columbia River Allegros<br />

lucked into a brewfest with<br />

good food and music (and,<br />

we assume, beer) at the gardens<br />

in April.<br />

The Battle Born Allegro Club<br />

recommends Clio’s Rivers Edge RV<br />

Park in Graeagle, CA. The full hookups<br />

park is “a very comfortable and lovely<br />

RV park in the mountains. The chapter<br />

plans to return this year.<br />

Quirky Occurrences<br />

The Moose Country Allegros have<br />

broadened the definition of RVing.<br />

During one recent outing in Freedom,<br />

NH, chapter member Dave Adams<br />

provided his 1959 Piper to give rides<br />

over the mountains and lakes of<br />

Northern New Hampshire. At another<br />

campout in Casco, ME, Steve Nicoli<br />

gave rides in his speedboat. What’s<br />

next: space shuttle rides?<br />

SIDE ROADS 13


More good news from Red Bay<br />

The recession has sparked many changes in the<br />

<strong>Tiffin</strong> product line and dealer network. General<br />

Manager Tim <strong>Tiffin</strong> and National Sales Manager<br />

Jerry Williamson say <strong>Tiffin</strong> has weathered the<br />

market conditions well, positioning <strong>Tiffin</strong> as an even<br />

stronger competitor among the remaining top Class<br />

A manufacturers.<br />

“<strong>Tiffin</strong> <strong>Motorhomes</strong> will not be the same company<br />

coming out of the economic downturn as it was a<br />

year ago,” <strong>Tiffin</strong> said. “We have taken advantage<br />

of the market picture and continued to pay very<br />

close attention to our customers. You will see more<br />

dynamic product development, even closer working<br />

relationships with our dealers and an unrivaled<br />

commitment to customer service.”<br />

<strong>Tiffin</strong> and Williamson see their current dealer<br />

lineup as the strongest it has been and the best in the<br />

industry.<br />

“A change in the economy opens opportunities for<br />

improvement,” Williamson said. “We’ve always been<br />

very selective, especially looking at how prospective<br />

dealers are going to treat customers. When we are<br />

getting calls from customers about a great service<br />

experience at a dealership, we know we are on the<br />

right track. There will be more opportunities to add<br />

dealerships to meet the needs of our customers, but<br />

our standards will remain exceptionally high.”<br />

Demand for <strong>Tiffin</strong>’s PowerGlide chassis, available<br />

on Allegro Bus models for the past two model years,<br />

has definitely increased. Near the end of the <strong>2009</strong><br />

production, 90% of Allegro Bus orders were for<br />

PowerGlide.<br />

Overall <strong>Tiffin</strong> production increased in July and<br />

August from three to six motorhomes a day. While<br />

the plant was producing 13 coaches a day before the<br />

economic slowdown, production is not expected to<br />

exceed eight a day in the foreseeable future.<br />

Midsection, eye-level TVs have become the<br />

standard in most <strong>Tiffin</strong> coaches, but above-thewindshield<br />

TVs are still popular options. Why?<br />

When the slides are in and the coach is in motion,<br />

the midsection TV is not easy to view. Also, as<br />

consumer electronics continue to decrease in price,<br />

the above-the-windshield option is inexpensive.<br />

New product features<br />

(Continued from Page 3)<br />

Paint protection film is standard on all 2010<br />

<strong>Tiffin</strong> <strong>Motorhomes</strong> models. Diamond Shield uses<br />

8-mil pressure-sensitive urethane films with an<br />

adhesive system designed for contemporary vehicle<br />

finishes. The film is optically clear with a high<br />

gloss finish. Diamond Shield was the first in the<br />

industry to use larger formats to improve fit. The<br />

protective film for front caps wraps around edges of<br />

generator and hood doors. The product has a limited<br />

warranty against peeling, cracking, shrinking and a<br />

repair warranty should paint damage occur on the<br />

protected area.<br />

Side view cameras and HWH automatic jacks<br />

also are standard on all <strong>Tiffin</strong><br />

models for 2010.<br />

<strong>Tiffin</strong> received one<br />

of only four coveted<br />

Quality Circle Awards<br />

presented by the<br />

Recreational Vehicle<br />

Dealers Association<br />

(RVDA) to Class A<br />

manufacturers in 2008<br />

for design, reliability,<br />

quality, value and their<br />

competitive prices.<br />

<strong>Tiffin</strong> has earned the Quality Circle Award 10<br />

of the 13 years it has been presented by the RVDA<br />

in connection with its Dealer Satisfaction Index.<br />

The 2008 survey included 2,547 brand ratings from<br />

468 dealers.<br />

In addition to the consumer-related categories<br />

of the survey, <strong>Tiffin</strong> also was recognized with the<br />

Quality Circle Award for exemplary warranty, parts,<br />

sales and communications support to dealerships.<br />

For additional information including dealer<br />

locations, visit www.tiffinmotorhomes.com.


Through Billy Tinney’s lens - As senior photographer for Easyrider Group, publisher of a dozen magazines, Billy Tinney tours<br />

North America in his 2005 Phaeton covering shows and rallies with his wife Tammy and cats Scooter Boy and Miss Daisy. For some reason,<br />

the Tinney Phaeton gravitates to Baja, where even on vacation, Billy is ever-vigilant for that wow-factor lighting on his coach.<br />

Homer’s camera is watching you<br />

Homer Scroggin looks at Allegro<br />

Club rallies through the viewfinders<br />

of his 35mm camera and a camcorder.<br />

As a self-professed “world famous<br />

photographer” he proudly and playfully<br />

boasts “over 20 pictures sold.”<br />

A retired law enforcement captain<br />

living in Live Oak, FL, Scroggin<br />

began carrying a camera to record<br />

crime scenes to illustrate testimony in<br />

trials. Now he focuses on production of<br />

multi-media DVDs of rallies.<br />

At the recent Allegro Club rally in<br />

Robert, LA, the affable Scroggin fired<br />

off 340 frames on his hefty Canon<br />

single-lens reflex 35mm, plus 38 minutes<br />

of digital video on his Sony camcorder.<br />

He then sent his finished product, a<br />

24-minute DVD complete with music,<br />

subtitles and credits, to a select group<br />

of friends and Allegro Club staffers. It’s<br />

free. “That copyright stuff will do you<br />

in,” he says of government red tape.<br />

The editing process takes him about<br />

a week at the computer. “If you don’t get<br />

it down to 15-20 minutes, people just<br />

won’t sit still and watch,” he explains<br />

knowingly.<br />

Homer and Marilyn, his wife of<br />

49 years, have logged 60,000 miles on<br />

their dual-slide, 36-foot 2002 Allegro<br />

Bay, their seventh RV but first <strong>Tiffin</strong>.<br />

“If I had bought a <strong>Tiffin</strong> first, there<br />

wouldn’t have been any other brands,”<br />

he says. His positive experience led his<br />

sister to buy a Phaeton and a friend to<br />

buy an Allegro.<br />

Homer’s 37 years in law enforcement<br />

included stints in the highway patrol,<br />

Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages<br />

and Tobacco, sheriff’s department and<br />

U.S. Marshals Service. Since he spent<br />

27 of those years with ABT, he proudly<br />

refers to himself as a revenuer.<br />

Just as revenuers can sneak through<br />

woods to catch moonshiners, Scroggin<br />

can lurk unseen at a rally with his<br />

cameras. Ask the <strong>Tiffin</strong> representative,<br />

who will remain unnamed, caught<br />

by Homer’s camcorder taking off a<br />

sweatshirt. Musical accompaniment:<br />

David Rose’s “The Stripper.”


P.O. BOX 1429<br />

RED BAY, AL 35582<br />

ADDRESS SERVICE<br />

REQUESTED<br />

PRESORTED STANDARD<br />

U.S. POSTAGE PAID<br />

PERMIT # 159<br />

BIRMINGHAM, AL<br />

Tech Tips<br />

by Ricky Johnson<br />

Ask Ricky Johnson what he does in his spare time<br />

and he’ll tell you how little spare time he has. He’s<br />

been in the parts and service department at <strong>Tiffin</strong> <strong>Motorhomes</strong> for 19 years.<br />

For the past 15 years, he also has owned an RV cleaning service. Summer<br />

evenings after getting home from <strong>Tiffin</strong>, he’ll clean a motorhome, mow<br />

some grass then jump in his swimming pool to cool off and relax.<br />

It’s a hot summer day and you’re really looking<br />

forward to cooling off in the air-conditioned comfort<br />

of your <strong>Tiffin</strong> coach after being outside. You hit the<br />

switch for AC and nothing happens.<br />

Before you melt or call your dealer or <strong>Tiffin</strong><br />

<strong>Motorhomes</strong>, walk back to the entry door of your coach.<br />

Did you bump the 12-volt disconnect switch?<br />

Another quick-fix for 12-volt electrical woes…. On<br />

pre-2004 <strong>Tiffin</strong> models, you will find a board of<br />

12-volt breakers with a plastic cover located under<br />

the refrigerator. In more recent models, the 12-volt<br />

breaker panels are located closer to the front of the<br />

coach. (See your owner’s manual.) The breakers are<br />

for circuits that include the 12-volt converter and the<br />

refrigerator.<br />

While the breakers may all be functioning properly, a<br />

tiny reset device, no larger than the head of a ballpoint<br />

pen, may have tripped. Just push that reset with your<br />

finger and you should be back in action.<br />

The cloudy film on rearview mirrors as well as<br />

the inside surfaces of windows can be bothersome,<br />

especially in certain light conditions. No matter how<br />

many gallons of window cleaner you spray on those<br />

surfaces, the cloudy film persists.<br />

In a cup of water, add a quarter of a cup of mineral<br />

spirits. Using a clean, absorbent cloth, wash the cloudy<br />

surface, then wipe it dry with a towel. You’ll still see<br />

streaks on the surface, but this time when you use the<br />

window cleaner solution, the glass surface will be clean<br />

and clear.<br />

Have a question of general interest about your <strong>Tiffin</strong><br />

motorhome for Ricky Johnson? Want to share a clever solution<br />

to a pesky problem? Write allegroclub@tiffinmotorhomes.com.<br />

While information presented in this column comes from<br />

<strong>Tiffin</strong> technicians, we offer no expressed or implied guarantee<br />

this general advice will resolve a specific problem in your<br />

motorhome. Inspection by a technician at a <strong>Tiffin</strong> dealership<br />

or the <strong>Tiffin</strong> Service Center in Red Bay is generally recognized<br />

as the most effective approach to a problem with your rig.<br />

New Allegro Chapter<br />

Chapter #191 1st Canadian Allegros • Ontario, Canada • President: Bruce Stevenson<br />

Phone: (519) 853-3714 • Email: keremy@sympatico.ca<br />

Become an Allegro Club member or update your address info<br />

If you’re reading this newsletter, you’re enjoying one of the<br />

benefits of Allegro Club membership. Other benefits include<br />

rallies, local chapters and discounts on insurance, campsite fees,<br />

and car rentals.<br />

When you buy a new <strong>Tiffin</strong> Motorhome, the first year of<br />

Allegro Club membership is free. After that, a one-year<br />

membership is $25, a two-year membership is $46, and a<br />

three-year membership is $70, payable by check or credit card.<br />

For credit card payment, call (256) 356-8522. We want you<br />

to continue your membership and help us build our numbers<br />

by recruiting other owners of <strong>Tiffin</strong> <strong>Motorhomes</strong>.<br />

Names:<br />

Address:<br />

Nickname for Allegro Club ID badge #1:<br />

Nickname for Allegro Club ID badge #2:<br />

Email:<br />

City: State: Zip:<br />

Home Phone: ( ) – Alternate Phone: ( ) –<br />

Serial No. of Your <strong>Tiffin</strong> Motorhome: Chassis type: VIN:<br />

Are you interested in joining or starting a local chapter of the Allegro Club?<br />

Name of dealer where motorhome was purchased:<br />

Date of Purchase:

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