Vol. 5 # 1 - Tiffin Motorhomes

A L L E G R O C L U B N E W SFall Florida Festivalby Gail JohnsonBright blue autumn skies, daytime temperatures in theseventies and dropping to the fifties at night, balmy breezes—what more could one ask to set the stage for a week of fun andfellowship at a Tiffin Allegro Club rally?Seffner, Florida—just a stone’s throw to the west are Tampaand the beautiful Gulf of Mexico beaches and to the east, MickeyMouse and friends in Orlando—the perfect location for our fallAllegro rally. Our host campground was Rally Park, a beautifulfacility adjacent to the Lazy Days RV dealership and servicecenter in central Florida.As is our normal custom with five-day rallies, Monday wasspent with registration and a welcome dinner in the evening.Lupton’s Catering did an outstanding job, and we enjoyedtheme nights with several of the evening meals.Our Tuesday was devoted to classes and seminars, which providedinformation on various aspects of Tiffin RV ownership.In addition, Lori Neely guided craft class participants in making“potato jewelry.” Some rally attendees opted for sightseeing,with so many interesting and fun things to see and do in theimmediate vicinity. Following a tasty meal on Tuesday evening,we enjoyed a country-western band from Orlando, the HinduCowboys, who did a great job playing classic country. Manycouples enjoyed getting up on the dance floor, while othersclapped along from their seats.Wednesday found us on buses bound for Tampa Harbor,where we boarded the Yacht StarShip II for a delightful luncheoncruise in Tampa Bay. What a perfect day of beautiful weather,delicious food, the glorious sun and water, and warm fellowship!Upon returning to the campground in the evening, a lightmeal was served and bingo and other games were available forthose who desired to enjoy the evening among friends.After a morning tea for the ladies, the highlight of Thursday’sactivities was another tour; this time to a remote location outsideof Tampa called the Boggy Bottom Ranch. Not knowingexactly what to expect, we were enchanted to find ourselves ina beautiful rustic camp in a natural setting. We enjoyed trailsthrough lush forests featuring trickling waterfalls, abundantbirds and other wildlife. This was the perfect setting for a scavengerhunt, and several couples enjoyed competing. Also availablefor horseshoe fans was a horseshoe-throwing tournament.Our hungry crowd enjoyed a delicious picnic-style buffet of barbequechicken and ribs, with all the fixin’s, served in the openairpavilion.Friday’s activities included more games, with a “Back YourWagon” contest the highlight of the competition. Friday night’ssteak dinner closed out the rally, with chapters being recognizedwho had four or more members in attendance. Winners of contestswere announced, and goodbyes were said, with plans beingannounced for future rallies where friendships and associationscan be renewed.On a personal note, Allegro Club President Jimmy Johnsonreceived word on Thursday that his elderly mother, ElizabethJohnson, had taken a turn for the worse back home in Florence,Alabama. Jimmy and Gail caught a flight out of Tampa onThursday night and arrived home in Florence shortly beforemidnight. On Friday morning, with her children at her side,Mrs. Johnson passed peacefully from this life. Jimmy and Gailwant to express heartfelt appreciation for all the kind words andacts that have helped them in this difficult time. To CynthiaSkinner, Tom and Pat Webber, Bob and Joanne Brown, JamesBush, Robert Gober, David Sparks, and all others who helpedto close out the rally and get the Johnson vehicles back home, avery special “Thank You!”Until next time, be safe, and we hope to see you out there“Roughing it Smoothly”!Spend more timeon the road,leSS in the Shop.Caterpillar ® rV CentersCaterpillar engines with ACERT Technology meet tougher emissionsstandards and are backed by a network of Cat ® RV Centers throughoutNorth America. Our trained technicians treat your home like their ownand work hard to get you back on the road quickly, so you can spend moretime enjoying every mile. rV.Cat.ComC15 | 600-625 hp @ 2100 rpm, 1850-2050 lb-ft torque @ 1200 rpmC13 | 525 hp @ 2100 rpm, 1750 lb-ft torque @ 1200 rpmC9 | 400-425 hp @ 2200/2300 rpm, 1250-1350 lb-ft torque @ 1400 rpmC7 | 300-360 hp @ 2400 rpm, 860-925 lb-ft torque @ 1440 rpmUnder bright blue Autumn skies, we boarded the yacht Starship II for adelightful luncheon cruise in Tampa Bay.42 Roughing It Smoothly© Caterpillar 2008. All rights reserved. CAT, CATERPILLAR, their respective logos, ACERT, “Caterpillar Yellow” and the POWER EDGE trade dress,as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.