On Our Way: Spring 2015

My last post was about our time at the Toronto RV show in January. As mentioned then we had two more RV Shows to attend. The first was the London RV Show held on Family Day weekend. The weather was bitter cold and there was a snow storm on the Saturday.

On Sunday evening after the show we went out for supper and some social time. Because of the size of our group, we were sitting in this large room that was not heated very well, also it was very cold outside. Most of us were sitting with our coats on.

Dinner after the show.

I have been interested in the set up and take down of the show. After the show closed on Monday night, I stayed behind to help. We began by closing up of the trailers. The tear down crew shows up and soon there is a buss of activity. One of the first things to do is the lifting of the carpet tile from the floor. There is hundreds of 18 inch square tile covering our area of the floor. As soon as the area clears vehicles with travel trailers hooked onto them start to leave and head back to CanAm's lot. After about two hours all the carpet is picked up and stored on their dollies ready to put in the cargo /show trailer. The dismantling of the displays that are part of the show has taken place also. I have decided that there is nothing more that I can help with except be in the way, so I head for home. The tear down crew will pack the show trailer and get all the trailers left out to the parking lot to be ferried back to CanAm's lot tomorrow.

The next day, I returned to the show and helped ferry the trailers back to the lot. I personally ferried six trailers, one fifth wheel and five travel trailers.

Two weeks later we got to do it all over again back in Toronto. Another great weekend with a lot of people taking in the show. We had one couple wanting to buy a trailer like ours and were given a great deal on show specials. After two days of asking all the right questions of the sales person and us about ours, they signed the deal with the condition that they saw ours first. We were quite happy to do that the next weekend as ours was at CanAm's lot.

For two Sundays in March, CanAm puts on seminars and test drives for people new to RVing or wanting to test drive a certain vehicle pulling a certain trailer. We also help out with this, Pat inside greeting people as they come in and I out doing the test drives. There are over twelve different vehicle/trailer combinations set up for people to try. There are cars and vans pulling Air Streams and travel trailers to trucks pulling fifth wheels that you can take for a test drive even a couple of class B motor homes.

Vehicles and trailers all lined up ready to go.

Trucks and 5th wheel trailers.

This is the one I was demonstrating.

Andy Thompson doing one of the two seminars of the day.

That brings us to the end of show season. One other thing, I was asked if I wanted to do orientations for people when they pick up their new trailer, of course I said yes. Looking forward to doing this.

This brings us to the end of March and the picking up of our new trailer. So on Friday afternoon of March27th, we hook up our 2010 Jayco Designer for the last time and head for CanAm. When we get there, they have our new trailer out, plugged in and the heat on, ready for us to move our things into.

All hooked and ready to go.

On our way

Wendy the receptionist, always greets you with a smile.

The sign on the counter.

When we got inside we found a bottle wine on ice with 4 tall glasses waiting for us. One of the sales staff had gone and got this for us, not only to congratulate us on our purchase, but to thank us for all our help at the shows.

The nice surprise inside waiting for us.

We take our belongings from the Jayco and load them into our Mobile Suite. Within a couple of hours everything is transferred and I let them know they can take the Jayco away. It takes another two or three hours to unpack and put our items away.

From one trailer to the other.

Piling it in.

And more.

The bedroom.

And more yet.

The Closet

Getting things put away.

Now the plan is to spend the night in the trailer and do the orientation Saturday morning and then take her home. We probably couldn't have picked a colder day to do this, going down to -12 C overnight. We were toasty warm and slept well. The morning brought clear blue skies but still cold. We went through the orientation, hooked up and said our goodbyes.

All hooked up and ready to go.

Saying goodbye.

We got her home, pulled the cargo trailer and car out of the drive and backed our new one in. All set up and finally home. It has been a long two month wait. That afternoon, Pat's sister Donna and her husband Gerry came for a overnight visit and we toasted our new trailer with that special bottle of wine. It was a great night.