Ken’s goodbye page 2

Spring fever page 9

We have a winner! page 16

inside: Spring 2007 Forest City, Iowa

Bringing

“class” to schools

Spring 2007

Ken Nordstrom, editor

Just a friendly ‘hello’

Traveling Times2

It’s time to say goodbye I spent some “quiet time” recently looking through back issues of Travel-ing Times and reminiscing. It’s pretty amazing the number of fantastic own-ers of Winnebago Industries motor homes I’ve been blessed to visit with and get to know over the years. It’s a rough estimate, but since we started this publication back in 1993, I’ve had the opportunity to feature somewhere around 1,000 owners of Winnebago Industries motor homes in our friendly little magazine. It has been a true joy to tell readers about the exciting and in-teresting ways others are getting more out of life in their Winnebago Industries motor homes. The range of owners and their ac-tivities is very broad indeed. I’ve written about people who have used their motor homes to support biking,

motorcycling and hiking activities. I’ve written about tailgaters, musi-cians, wood carvers and dozens of others who have made their hobbies m o r e convenient and

enjoyable with motor homes from Winnebago Industries.

I’ve written about people who travel with service groups in their Winnebago Industries motor homes,

building or improving churches, schools and orphanages, as well as homes destroyed or damaged by natural disasters.

And I’ve written about hundreds of folks whose main activity in their motor homes from Winnebago Indus-tries is simply traveling. They’re see-ing this wonderful country of ours and beyond – Canada, Mexico and even Central and South America on occa-sion.

I’ve written about young families, singles, newlyweds, couples over 80 and most every kind of person in be-tween. I’ve had the opportunity to visit with and write about celebrities such as NASCAR racing legend Richard Petty and NBA star Tom Hammonds.

And who can forget our animal travelers? I’ve had the pleasure of telling the stories of numerous dogs and cats and their human companions – along with performing ducks and geese and, of course, Twiggy, the Wa-ter Skiing Squirrel. Now it’s time to say goodbye. My

wife and I are retiring and I am turn-ing my Traveling Times duties over to Denise Yeager, who is both a very ca-pable editor and a great person. She’ll do a fine job of continuing to tell your stories through the pages of Traveling Times.

And I thank you all. The past 14 years have been a great trip.

Spring 2007

That taste of travel made an impression. As I grew up I wanted nothing else, but to move to the city and explore the world outside of small-town Iowa. Well, I did just that and convinced my high school sweetheart to come along…until he finally talked me into coming back so we could raise our kids near our families. So here we are in Forest City, Iowa, and I find myself working at Winnebago Industries. Since joining this company, I have already had the opportunity to meet some very interesting people who love the RV lifestyle – like those you’ll read about in this issue. It’s exciting to see the impact this small-town company has made and to hear the stories of those who agree with me – there is no brand other than a Winnebago Industries motor home. So now it’s my turn to take over from an old-school newspaperman who has created and cared for Traveling Times since its “birth” in 1993, but I’ll try my best to fill his shoes. Ken has written about people from all over this country and I look forward to both continuing his tradition and my exploration of life outside Forest City through the stories of our Winnebago Industries product owners.

• We make every effort to maintain and update our mailing list. If for any reason you do not wish to remain on our mailing list, or if this mailing has been misdirected, please contact us at the address or e-mail above. • Winnebago Industries’ continuing program of product improvement makes specifications, equipment, model avail-ability and prices subject to change without notice.

Traveling Times is published four times a year by the Marketing Depart-ment of Winnebago Industries, Inc. in Forest City, Iowa. All contents (c) 2007 by Winneba-go Industries, Inc. Printed in U.S.A.

Send all correspondence to: Traveling Times-Marketing Dept. Winnebago Industries P.O. Box 152 Forest City, IA 50436e-mail: travelingtimes@winnebagoind.com

Traveling Times 3

From this end of the road

Yes, I’m in the pictures above…the one in pink is me. My grandparents loved to take my sisters and me camping. And we loved it too, especially the roasted marshmallows. Growing up in Forest City, Iowa, I honestly didn’t know there were other kinds of motor homes other than a Winnebago especially since so many use that brand name as freely for a motor home as we do Kleenex for a facial tissue. When I was a bit older, my grandparents owned an Itasca and would take my cousins and me camping for a week every summer. We have great memories 20+ years later of the fun and trouble we could find at the lakes and different campgrounds

we would visit. My parents and I would take the Itasca to camp at the Iowa State Fair as well. That is still one of my best vacation memories even though it was just “down the road” in Des Moines. In addition to owning one, my grandfather delivered motor homes to dealerships across the United States as a retirement pastime. He is proud to tell he has visited all 50 states, while delivering motor homes to 49 of them. Being a farmer, my dad also enjoyed delivering motor homes during his “off season,” the winter months. I had the opportunity to travel along with both my grandpa and dad occasionally, allowing this small-town girl to see parts of both coasts at a young age.

A great way to explore this world

Denise Yeager

Spring 2007

Letters to the editor

Traveling Times4

Dear Ken,

I started the RVing experience while still on active duty in the Navy. It started out with a 20-foot travel trailer in 1972, but by 1974 I was convinced that a motor home would be the best way to go. The motor home experience started out with a Winnebago Industries 20-foot Brave. My family of four traveled from Vallejo, California, to Virginia Beach, Virginia, where we stayed at an RV park while I attended a Navy school. From there we were transferred to Charleston, South Carolina. We utilized the Brave about twice a month on various short weekend excursions. During the televised showing of one of the Super Bowls, Charleston was exposed to a tremendous day of stormy weather. The base lost electrical power just prior to the start of the game. I fired off the Brave’s 5-KW Onan generator and plugged in the TV. I think all of the neighbors for a block around were crowded around to watch the Super Bowl! In 1976, the family was ready to purchase a new home, so the Winnebago went up for sale. By 1999, my wife and I were starting to think motor home again. We went to RV shows and dealerships and once again a Winnebago Industries product caught my eye. At the dealership, we were told that the motor home we were interested in was on display at the Dallas RV show. As we entered the subject motor home at the show, there was one of our next-door neighbors sitting on the couch. My first question was, “Did you buy this motor home?” When he said, “I’m thinking about it,” we immediately grabbed a representative and bought the 36G Adventurer. We have driven this Winnebago Industries motor home over many mountain passes and it and the Ford V10 engine have performed magnificently. We now have over 43,000 miles on it and not one ounce of trouble. In my opinion, the quality of a Winnebago Industries motor home is unmatched.

Sincerely,Gary Trammell, Texas

P.S. Two weeks after I purchased the Adventurer, my neighbor that we ran into at the Dallas RV show bought an

identical floor plan to mine in an Itasca Suncruiser. That spring we traveled to Woodland Park, Colorado, together.

Dear Gary,

Thanks for your stories – it’s amazing what people won’t do to watch a Super Bowl! Glad that generator could help out in your time of need! We especially enjoyed reading about you and your neighbor – hope the initial purchase didn’t cause any hard feelings, but we are happy you both found motor homes you enjoy! Thanks for sharing the photo above of your trip together. And we’re pleased that you and your family have had so many great experiences and wonderful travels in your Adventurer. May the great times continue! When you decide it’s time for a new motor home, we sure hope you consider the great models from Winnebago and Itasca.

Hello Ken,

Enjoyed reading the Winter 2007 issue, thank you! My wife, Trish, and I enjoy traveling in our 2005 Sightseer. It gets a little boring during the cold winter months when we go through withdrawal from using our RV. Traveling Times helps take the edge off as we start thinking about the upcoming season of traveling. It won’t be long now and we will be out enjoying our Winnebago again. Take care and thanks for cheering us up!

Russ and Trish Chatham, Upstate New York

Spring 2007

Letters to the editor

Traveling Times 5

who to call . . .Service Administration .. 1-800-537-1885For information about your current Winnebago Industries motor home, service or dealer inquiries

Brochures ........................ 1-800-643-4892For the latest brochures on Winnebago Industries motor homes

WIT Club........................ 1-800-643-4892 ext. 1For information on the Winnebago-Itasca Travelers Club and WIT Tours

Commercial & Specialty Vehicles ........................ 1-800-492-9135For information on motor homes modified for handicap accessibility or for commercial units

Winnebago Industries Wearables ................... 1-888-640-0168For information or to purchase clothing or other items with Winnebago Industries logos. Now order on-line at www.winnebagoind.com (click on “Products” then on “Gifts and Wearables”)

Second Owner RegistrationTo register on the Web as the second owner of a Winnebago Industries motor home, go to www.winnebagoind.com (click on “Company” and “Contact Us.” Scroll down and click on “Second Owner Registration”)

Dear Russ and Trish,

Thanks for your letter and your contest entry! I’m glad our little publication helps pass the time during these cold winter months for those of us stuck in the northern part of the country this time of year. Spring is here now – hope you have many fun adventures this year!

Dear Ken,

Traveling Times came at a time when I needed it most. I am home recuperating from a fall with two compression fractures of the spine. I enjoyed the contest as it took my mind off my pain. Our Minnie Winnie is sitting in its cocoon we built to protect it. We nicknamed our motor home “Tiger.” Tiger has allowed us to expand our narrow vision of this great country of wildlife, birding, hiking, beach/ocean observing whale migration, in addition to quiet campgrounds in the mountains.

Don and I took our grandson across the U.S. on a summer vacation, visiting everything from National Parks to historical landmarks using the southern route. Cameron had so much fun meeting young people at the campgrounds.

One of the biggest benefits is being able to park at each of our children’s homes. They have each made pads for us. Some of them have dump stations and all have hookups. It’s nice to sleep in our own bed and the children and grandchildren can go on with their many activities while we enjoy our visit with our families.

We are so glad we have advanced to the Winnie from our other former forms of RVs including a truck camper and a truck conversion. We agree we wouldn’t trade our Minnie Winnie for returning to any of our former RVs. Right now we are looking forward to retiring and making the step to traveling even more.

We sure do love receiving the quarterly and reading about the experiences of other Winnebago Industries owners. Incidentally, Tiger says Hi!

Don Smith and Sharon Thorne, California

Don and Sharon,

We’re sorry to hear about your fall, Sharon! Hope you are recuperating well and ready to take your Minnie Winnie out this summer. We agree, there’s no better way to see the sites our country has to offer – glad you can share those experiences with your grandchildren too! Best wishes to Tiger as well.

Spring 2007

Good for business

Traveling Times6

It all started because Bob Westerfield was active in his local high school’s sports booster club. In 1995 one of the coaches approached him with a catalog of some nice-looking scorer tables. The coach thought one of these padded, lighted tables would be very useful and also add some extra “class” to the school’s gym. He asked Bob if the booster club would be interested in raising funds for the item.

Bob gave the project some thought and came up with an unusual approach: What about selling ads on either side of the table to finance it? High-end, lighted ads like the NBA had. Bob decided he’d buy such an ad himself and approached others in his community. The new scorer table was provided to the school at no cost—financed by the ads.

Other schools in the area saw the new scorer table at the Springboro, Ohio, high school and they wanted one, too. Bob soon had a new business under way. Starting as a one-person enterprise, Side Effects, Inc. now has 22 employees, including Bob’s wife and son, and provides scorer tables, gym scoreboards and outdoor scoreboards at no cost to schools across the nation. In addition to the equipment, Bob’s company also splits remaining profits from ad sales with the high schools on a 50-50 basis.

Business in the Midwest was good and Bob decided to open an office in Florida. Then, while traveling and working from that office, Bob and his wife happened to drive past an RV dealership and they had another idea.

Their Journey has great ‘side effects’

The Westerfields enjoy the convenience of taking their office on the road when traveling from Ohio to Florida.

Instead of spending money for plane travel, car rental, motels and office expense, they could buy a motor home and use it as a work base in Florida and other distant locations. They did just that. They purchased a 37-foot 2005 Winnebago Journey.

“We had seen some city buses with a vinyl wrapped exterior with eye-catching graphics and decided that’s what I wanted,” Bob said, “so I ordered the Journey with no exterior décor. It was plain white.”

He added, “For the most part, I designed the graphics myself. I took digital pictures of local kids playing sports. I used my own children and their friends. I asked the high school cheerleaders to pose for a picture after a game. Then I worked with a graphics company to use those images and complete the design, then create the vinyl wrap and install it.”

Clearly, the Journey’s exterior creates interest. “There’s a buzz

around our motor home,” Bob said. “We’ll go to athletic directors’ conferences and they’ll ask us to park the Journey right in front of the hotel. It promotes us and it promotes the fact that the hotel is the home base for this conference.”

The Winnebago Journey also creates interest while on the road, visiting high schools. “One time we were returning home to Ohio from a visit in Michigan. We just happened to pass through a smaller community and someone from the school noticed our Winnebago Journey with its distinctive exterior. When I got home, there was a message at the office from the guy; he wanted to know what it was that we did for high school athletic departments.”

Last October the Westerfields took their Journey from Ohio to the Orlando, Florida, area to call on high schools. On the way back they also visited a high school in Tennessee and

Spring 2007

Good for business

Traveling Times 7

another in Louisville, Kentucky. It was a nine-day trip.

“Some months we may be on the road in the Journey for half the month,” Bob said. “Then we may go a couple of months where we don’t use it at all. When we aren’t traveling and staying in it, the Journey sits right in front of our office in Ohio and attracts attention there. We also find that if we haven’t taken a trip in the Journey for a couple of months we get eager to head out again. Sometimes, we’ll use it to visit a high school that’s just a couple of hours away, just because we want to get out in the motor home again.”

Bob added, “Buying this Jour-ney was a great decision. It is one of the best things we’ve ever done. I tend to make decisions quickly and sometimes those decisions aren’t the best…but this one was. If I had it to do over again, I’d do things exactly the same way.”

So why a Winnebago Journey? “When we looked at motor homes, there were a lot to choose from,” Bob said. “As someone who was new to RVing, I had never heard of most of the brands. But I had heard of Winnebago. Winnebago is a household name. It made a lot of sense to go with a brand I had heard of, that had a quality reputation.”

Then it came time to decide on a gas model or diesel pusher. “Our saleswoman asked us if we’d be doing towing or if we’d be going over mountains,” Bob observed. “Obviously, when you travel from Ohio to Florida you go over mountains, so she suggested we look at the Winnebago Industries lineup of diesel pushers. When we got to the Journey

something just clicked. My wife and I agreed on it almost immediately. It just seemed perfect for us.”

Bob emphasized again that purchasing the Journey was an excellent business decision. “There’s no doubt about it,” he said. “First, we’re saving money. Most people probably don’t buy a motor home to save money, but compared to operating a satellite office in Florida, this is much less expensive. And what’s really important is that we can go to schools now that we just couldn’t visit otherwise. It just wouldn’t make sense to buy plane tickets and rent a car and stay in motels to go to some smaller rural high school. It’s very possible with our Winnebago Journey.”

Bob said that sometimes the cou-ple even stays in a school parking lot. “One of the things that surprised us

was that it isn’t hard to find a place to park a 37-foot motor home at a school. If they know in advance that you are coming—if they’re expect-

Whether in the city or the country, their Journey makes for enjoyable travel.

Bob and Jen Westerfield use their 2005 Winnebago Journey with its eye-catching exterior for both business and family outings.

Please continue on next page

Spring 2007

Good for business

Traveling Times8

ing you—someone at the school will make a point of setting up a good park-ing place. Then, if we stay overnight, it’s just a matter of getting up in the morning, taking showers and getting ready to start our day of business.”

Bob added that he is not like so many business people these days. “I’m not old enough to be ‘old-fash-ioned,’ but I am definitely a tradition-alist when it comes to doing business in person. I think it’s important to get to know people…to establish a real relationship. And the Winnebago Journey makes that possible in ways that airplanes and rental cars and mo-tels just can’t.”

Bob and Jen Westerfield also spend time in campgrounds with the Winnebago Journey and use it at least occasionally for family activi-ties. “We have a daughter who lives in the Tampa area and she has a new baby—our first grandchild. We were in the Tampa area in a campground right on a beach. Our daughter and granddaughter came over and stayed with us for three days in the Journey. It was great.”

And another time the Westerfields combined business with family. “Our daughter and the baby had a chance to come visit us, but we had already made a long-standing commitment to visit a school in Michigan on busi-ness. So she flew to Ohio and we got in the Winnebago Journey and went to Holland, Michigan. We enjoyed this special area for the weekend then met the people at the high school. After flying from Florida we wouldn’t have dreamed of asking our daughter to get on another plane with an infant and travel across two states. But traveling is just so easy in our Journey.”

Campgrounds also have been a benefit to Bob and Jen Westerfield. “When I bought the Journey I didn’t know anything about motor homes,” Bob said. “I didn’t know how to emp-ty the holding tanks or how to fill the water tank. I got a lot of help from other RVers and I quickly discovered that if you have a question, don’t hesi-tate to ask another RVer. They’re all very nice people and they’re all hap-py to help. It’s like a fraternity that I

guess you join when you buy an RV. It’s a very special group.”

He added, “Traveling in our Win-nebago Journey has just been a great experience. It has been very reliable. We have had no issues at all. We re-cently had it serviced at a Freightliner shop and they told us this diesel will last a good long time if we take care of it.”

Bob takes care of the Winnebago Journey just as he takes care of his customers. And the Journey has helped his business grow. In the 11 years since it was established, Side Effects, Inc. has provided high schools with $4 million in equipment – and almost $1 million in cash for their athletic programs.

Granddaughter Kyla enjoys travels in the Westerfields’ Winnebago Journey.

The vinyl wrap goes on the Journey.

Continued from previous page

A good fit for business and family

Spring 2007

On the road

Traveling Times 9

So you retire from 50 years in baseball and what’s the first thing you do? Jump in your Itasca Meridian and travel across the United States, of course! That’s just what famous pitcher Jim Kaat did last fall. He and his wife Mary Ann were on a “test run” of their plan of semiannual cross-country travel. Both were excited to try out the RV lifestyle after so many years spent traveling by plane to baseball parks around the country.

Kaat, best known for his success as a Minnesota Twins pitcher in the 1960s, retired September 15, 2006. Jim played America’s Game for 25 years, from 1959-1982. His best season came in 1966 when he won 25 games for the Minnesota Twins. He was an All-Star three times, won 16 Gold Glove awards and earned a World Series ring with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982.

Jim then worked for 25 years as a sports broadcaster, including the last 13 years broadcasting New York Yankees games for the Yes Network. During that time, the Kaats would travel every spring in a motor home from their home in Florida to New York where they would park their RV and drive into New York City to live while Jim worked. Now they look forward to having more time in their Meridian and peaceful evenings under the stars instead of stadium lights.

When asked about his retirement plans, he shared, “It’s all about golf and grandchildren now. I shared in my retirement letter that I have seen this country from the air for 40 years

and now it’s time to see it from the ground up. There is no better way to really see the country!”

Not new to the RV lifestyle, they tried it out with rental RVs at first until they purchased their current motor home three years ago. Mary Ann shared, “The best part of RVing is that I don’t have to pack and unpack all the time. I like having everything I need right here.” They both agreed that they enjoy being able to go where they want, when they want in their RV.

“We don’t have to fly into a major city and then drive to a golf destination…we can drive directly there and often park in the golf course parking lot!” added Jim. They plan to visit some cities where Jim played minor league baseball and some remote golf destinations, like Bandon Dunes in Oregon, while on their first spring trip.

Jim and Mary Ann plan to travel along with their three cats in their Meridian from the couple’s home in Florida each May to their summer destination in California and make the return trip each November. Along the way, they will spend time visiting their four children and

grandchildren, sneak in a daily round of golf wherever they may be and represent the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) at dealer events on occasion as Kaat recently signed on as a spokesman.

So what made them pick a Winnebago Industries product? “Well, the visit to the manufacturing facility sold us on the product,” he replied. “Our dealership and the people at Winnebago Industries have done so much for us, I don’t think I would feel right buying any other brand!”

Jim Kaat enjoys golf and his Itasca Meridian.

Baseball great enjoys time in his RV

Spring 2007

When I arranged to meet the Canfields while they were in Forest City, Iowa, for some service on their Itasca Horizon, I felt like I already knew them pretty well. I had perused their travel blog on the Internet to learn a bit about their recent trip to Alaska. Since this was one of my first official interviews for Winnebago Industries, I arrived prepared with questions and with a few nerves. The nervousness faded quickly as I was greeted at the door of their beautiful RV on a very windy October afternoon. “Hi, I’m John and I’m the geek” was what I heard as I looked up at a big smile on a kind face. He then quickly introduced me to his wife, Jane and ushered me into their home. One look around and I knew they had all the comforts of home in this well planned space – especially for a self-described geek. One cupboard above the passenger seat glowed and whirred with equipment for one of a few satellites. “We have just been enjoying the afternoon listening to the wind howl,” Jane said with a smile. “We” meaning John, Jane and a very fluffy cat curled up under the sunny window. I was curious about how long they had been RVing. They went on to explain that John retired after 26 years in Information Systems for AT&T in 1998 and Jane, an RN, followed him by retiring in 2005. “Smaller quarters are nothing new to us,” said John, “we lived on a sailboat for over six years while we were still working. We took

a sabbatical back in 1991 and spent 18 months sailing the Caribbean, three of which we spent sailing to Venezuela and back. When it was time to retire, we planned to buy another boat, but Jane liked the idea of buying an RV and seeing more of the country that way.” Jane added, “This is our first RV. We wanted to buy our last RV first so we researched and found the Itasca Horizon was the best fit for us. It rides so nicely, peaceful and quiet.” John went on to explain, “When we started looking at RVs, it was scary because I knew boats, I didn’t know motor homes. I did some Internet research, went to a few RV shows and to be honest, what I saw scared me. Then I started looking at Winnebago Industries products, I could see that

it was engineered as a system and I appreciated that. “The floorplan was a big factor for us. One feature of the coach we appreciate is the proliferation of electrical, phone and 12-volt outlets anywhere and everywhere we could possibly need them. For two months after we took delivery of the coach, we would look under counters or at the end of the dresser and to our glee and surprise discover a new outlet.” “We have been traveling extensively since November 2005. When we retired this just seemed like a good way to travel and figure out where we wanted to live. We appreciate the quality of our motor home too. We put this coach through a lot on that Alaska trip and didn’t have any problems. We saw other brand

Techy travelers

Traveling Times10

Sharing new horizons with everyone

John Canfield shows the travel blog Web site he created.

By Denise Yeager

Spring 2007

products that didn’t fare as well out there. We are in town only due to a rock chip in our windshield from one of those Alaska roads, we brought her home to where she was ‘born’ to fix the windshield.” John likes to tinker and “fix” things; he also still likes to explore around on his computer. He has created Web sites for non-profit organizations and continues to maintain one for a missionary for their church. “We started our own blog as a way to share our experiences of our Alaska trip and have just continued to add to the site.” Both take turns entering long, often humorous, descriptions of day trips and experiences. John and Jane created the comprehensive Web site that not only

includes the 2006 Alaska trip, but stories of their travels, a photo album of their Horizon, in addition to sites visited and details of modifications that John has either personally made to the coach or had done professionally. Modifications made mostly involve adding technical updates including an advanced navigation system called Datastorm, and the installation of a laptop swivel desk near the front passenger seat. John explained that the navigation technology allows them to register where they are located at any given time so with the click of the mouse any of their friends with a computer can find exactly where the Canfields are staying at that time. In chatting with the Canfields that day, I could see they were genuinely

excited about their motor home and the freedom the RV lifestyle has given them. They were happy to share their tales and why they loved their coach. I left feeling like I had made some new friends and now enjoy visiting their blog on occasion to catch up on their travels. When I contacted the Canfields after their visit to Iowa, I discovered the tinkering around in their RV might be put on hold a bit. “We recently bought a ranch that needs some work in Texas.” They shared their plans about updates they will make to the ranch, including a nicely-sized “parking port” for their Horizon. “We wanted to find our retirement home base before the real estate prices started to climb. We still plan to travel a few months out of the year.” I can only hope they do so I can enjoy more adventures of the Canfields and their Horizon.

Techy travelers

Traveling Times 11

John and Jane Canfield enjoying a quiet afternoon in their Horizon.

The Canfields’ Horizon is decked out with several satellite dishes.

Spring 2007

Traveling Times12

“The resale value on our Win-nebago Industries motor homes has been excellent.” That’s the observa-tion of Don Rudd from Virginia–and it explains why Don and Lisa Rudd have purchased five Winnebago Industries motor homes since 2000, trading on a yearly basis between 2000 and 2005.

Don explained how it all hap-pened. “I am a drag car racer and we traveled the eastern U.S. for several years with a pickup. Then, in 1999, we had our first child and decided that with an infant and all that traveling, we’d need something more comfort-able. A motor home seemed like a great option. But I had never been in-volved with a motor home before so I wasn’t sure if I’d even like it. With that in mind, we decided to start with a fairly basic Class A model, but one

that would do the job for us.”The Rudds decided on a 29-foot

2000 Winnebago Brave. “I am 6' 6'' tall,” Don pointed out, “and the 6' 8'' ceiling height really appealed to me. Most other brands had shorter interior ceiling heights back then—many still do. That was the first reason we went with a Winnebago. The second reason was that I researched it and it looked like people had fewer problems with Winnebago Industries products. Own-ers rated them well overall. And it was a brand I knew. I figured if we didn’t like motor homes, it would be easier to sell a name-brand vehicle.”

Don continued, “We had that Brave for 11 months and put about 10,000 miles on it going to races and it was flawless. It was perfect from the start. We had no trouble with it at all.

But I was looking for something with a somewhat bigger engine. At that time the 8.1 liter Vortec was available so we bought a new 2001 Winneba-go Adventurer 32-foot model on the Workhorse chassis, moving from the 7.4 liter to the 8.1 liter engine. I sold the Brave to another racer and got a very good price. My Brave had defi-nitely held its value well.”

Another item the Rudds decided they wanted was a slideout. “We got that on the Adventurer,” Don said. “Everyone had told us we would want that–and we did. We wouldn’t be without one now. We kept the Adven-turer for not quite a year.”

Don then moved up to a 36-foot 2003 Winnebago Chieftain diesel pusher. “I sold the Adventurer and, once again, came out very well on the

Five years, five motor homes

The Rudds can enjoy family time in the comfort of their “home” while on the road during Don’s racing schedule.

Family time

Spring 2007

Traveling Times 13

difference between the price of my new Chieftain and the one-year-old Adventurer,” Don said.

“The Cummins engine in the Chieftain impressed me,” Don said. “Those are good, reliable engines. I also was amazed at the mileage. I was getting better mileage than I did three years earlier with my large pickup.”

The next step was a 2004 Win-nebago Industries Ultimate Advan-tage, the only motor home Don and Lisa purchased used. Again, Don sold the Chieftain himself and did well on the trade. “The Ultimate was also a good motor home,” Don said, “but we began looking at new ones, got a very good trade-in offer from a dealer and bought a new 2005 Winnebago Journey 36G. We had practically ev-ery option available put on it–leather, the four-door refrigerator, satellite ra-dio, everything. We love this motor home.”

In fact, it’s the first one the Rudds have kept for more than a year. They bought it in February of 2005. “There has been nothing wrong whatever with the chassis or drive train on our Journey and only a few very minor is-sues with the coach that were all taken care of easily,” Don said. “I visit deal-ers and they have been working on pricing me a trade on a 2007, but so far we haven’t decided to trade. We love the floorplan and everything else about our Journey.”

Lisa Rudd had her thoughts on the Winnebago Industries motor home way of life as well. “It’s very convenient and very helpful when you’re traveling with kids,” she said. The Rudds are now parents of Chris, 7, and Dana, 3. “When you travel as

much as we do with drag car racing, I wouldn’t know how to live without one. Our Journey has everything in it that a house does. I can’t imagine this much traveling with two children in a car or pickup. Once we had our first Winnebago motor home I’d never go back to anything else. And all five of our Winnebago Industries motor homes have been awesome. We have no complaints.”

Don added, “I know when I have a winner and Winnebago Industries is it. As someone who has been in the automobile business for 27 years, and as someone who has used and enjoyed five of their motor homes, I get the impression that Winnebago Industries is as much an engineering company as a manufacturing company. Things are well thought out before manufacturing a new model or floorplan begins. I also have noticed that when there is a minor design problem, it gets resolved in a future model. This tells me Winnebago Industries is a company that is monitoring things, watching for problems and resolving them.”

Don added, “I can’t say enough good things about the TrueAir air conditioning system. We spend our

motor home time in parking areas at racetracks. It gets hot and there isn’t much shade. Roof air units have to struggle to keep up sometimes, but TrueAir® holds whatever temperature you set it. It carries the load.”

So are the Rudds now in the market for their sixth Winnebago Industries motor home? “All of our motor homes from Winnebago Industries have been great and we really like this Journey,” Lisa observed, “but there’s a big RV show coming up. We could end up with another one. With my husband and vehicles, you just never know.”

And whether it’s their current Journey or another motor home from Winnebago Industries, it looks as though the Rudds will be spending even more time on the drag racing circuit this year. “I’m in Division 1 of International Hot Rod Association (IHRA),” Don said. “I race mostly Top Sportsman class, traveling from Pennsylvania to Georgia and sometimes into Florida, and as far west as Ohio. We did so well in our division that we attracted the attention of some potential additional backers. We’re looking at racing nationally.”

Family time

Don and Lisa Rudd

Spring 2007

In your words

Traveling Times14

A woman and her Winnebago

Most people had one of two reactions when I said I was going to become an RVer on my own: either that I was really crazy or really inspirational. Now, after more than five years, I am often thankful that the irrational won out over the practical, because I love this lifestyle more than I can adequately express.

Even though I’d never driven anything larger than a van before, as a woman traveling alone, I knew I’d feel more secure in a fully self-contained motor home. When parked for the night, if I ever felt threatened in any way, I could drive off pretty quickly without going outside. Learning to drive something 36 feet long (and towing a car behind it) was easier than I thought it would be and I’m glad I didn’t let my fears keep me from that choice.

And the benefits–unbelievable! At times I’ve shared the view from my humongous windshield with my mom as we toured Alaska. We over-nighted next to glacial streams and watched eagles fly overhead. We double-hugged trees in the redwoods, watched the earth boil up and spill over in Yellowstone, and both cried in joy when she said she thought she would die without her dreams of travel coming true. When we visited Disney World in Florida (thrilling the eight year old little girl in both of us by having lunch at Cinderella’s Castle!) we both learned the truth of: “When you wish upon a star - makes no difference who you are - when you wish upon a star, your dreams come true.” It makes me happy to be able to help make her dreams come true.

By Malia Lane

I’ve gaped in awe at the Grand Canyon, celebrated the Sunset festival in Key West and seen a lot on both coasts and still don’t feel that I’ve even really started serious exploring yet. But I am content with the start I’ve made – at least I’ve started.

Driving on interstates or country roads - no matter what the scenery, there is something inherently satisfying about being somewhere I’ve never been before. Pulling into parks, getting all hooked again, greeting and swapping stories with the other campers, spending a couple of days (or months) and then taking off down the road to do it all again someplace else; it often hits me in the heart how much I enjoy this lifestyle. How great to be able to make up your mind to stay or go as you please, and no matter what, your comfy and comforting home is always right there with you.

So what have I learned about solo RVing in five years? For one, that I

haven’t experienced all the bad things so many were so sure would happen to me being on the road alone. I’m not at all careless, but I’ve boondocked at discount store parking lots and along scenic roadsides in Alaska and never once felt threatened. What I have come across are extremely friendly people in the RV community, campground owners and park rangers willing to go out of their way to help. I feel like I have the best of both worlds – companionship when I want it and privacy and alone time when I need it.

So am I happy with my solo RV lifestyle? You betcha! What do I have to say to others who say it’s too hard for a woman to travel alone? A quote I read when I was researching comes to mind:

“Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”

Spring 2007

Technical tips

Traveling Times 15

As discussed in the last issue of Traveling Times, solid surface countertops are offered on several Winnebago Industries motor home models. On the 2007 models, the Winnebago Vectra and the Itasca Horizon feature Corian® solid surface countertops. Care of these surfaces was discussed in our last issue. The Winnebago Tour, Journey, Adventurer and Voyage and the Itasca Ellipse, Meridian, Suncruiser and Sunrise feature solid surface countertops from Vendura®. Based on information provided on company Web sites, there are some distinct differences in care and maintenance procedures for the two different brands of solid surface countertops. For 2006 and earlier Winnebago Industries motor homes, it is important to check your owner manual to learn which brand of solid surface countertop is in your motor home and then follow care procedures provided by the manufacturer specifically for that brand. Also, care and maintenance suggestions for either Corian or Vendura solid surface countertops DO NOT apply to other types of countertop material. Again, it is important to refer to your owner manual or check with your dealer to determine the type of countertop surface in your specific motor home. Since Corian solid surface countertop care was discussed in the last issue, we are now directing our attention to Vendura brand solid surfaces. Information provided here is from the company Web site.

According to the manufacturer, the appearance of Vendura brand solid surfaces may be easily maintained, under normal circumstances, with little effort by using a spray-on type window cleaner or warm, soapy water. (NOTE: In comparison, use of window cleaner is specifically discouraged with Corian brand solid surfaces.) Since Vendura is nonporous, any stain is only on the surface and will nearly always disappear simply with washing, using spray window cleaner or warm soapy water as indicated above. If a stain has dried on, the spray or soapy water should be allowed time to re-moisturize the area, after which the stain will wipe off. According to the manufacturer, a bleach solution may also be used on the surface. If the stain is not of a water- or oil-based material, it may have to be gently scraped off using a plastic tool (a throw-away plastic knife, for example), and then proceeding with normal cleaning methods. Periodically you may wish to go over the entire surface evenly with a mild abrasive cleanser such as Soft Scrub™, Bon Ami™ or Barkeeper’s Friend™. To keep your countertop looking its best and to minimize care efforts, the manufacturer urges you to use a cutting board rather than slicing directly on your countertop. While Vendura is heat resistant, the sudden application of a very hot material to a cold surface may cause a crack – such cracks are typically repairable. Likewise, exposure to

a high heat source in a small area, such as that generated by a crock-pot or an electric griddle, may cause a repairable crack. Use of a trivet is strongly recommended in these instances. Also, candles should not be allowed to burn directly on the Vendura surface. Vendura is also chemically resistant to most substances, but exposure to harsh materials such as paint remover or oven cleaner should be avoided. In case one of these materials does contact the Vendura surface it should be removed at once. If it is not, a professional repair or a replacement may be required. The manufacturer states that cuts and scratches may usually be removed easily by using a more aggressive cleansing powder such as Comet, a moistened SOS™ pad or a white Scotch-Brite™ pad. The entire surface must be gone over using the same procedure to maintain a uniform appearance. You may go to the company Web site at www.vendura.com for further information. Click on “Products” and then on “Care” to get care and maintenance information. The Web site also provides information on company history and other items. The Service Department at your favorite Winnebago or Itasca dealership is also another good source of information on all matters related to the service, care and maintenance of your Winnebago Industries motor home.

Care and cleaning for Vendura countertops

Spring 2007

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And the winner is...

When we announced our reader contest in the winter issue, we knew we would receive some extra mail at the office. As you can see in the picture at right, we definitely received extra mail! To be exact, 2,034 of you took the time to complete and send in the word search puzzle. Thank you! Some of you sent letters and a few pictures along with your entries and we thank you for that too. We always enjoy our Winnebago Industries product owners’ stories and seeing you having fun with your motor homes. It is amazing how many stories are out there so don’t stop writing in to us! We didn’t imagine the interesting story we would find when we drew our contest winner’s envelope from the stack of entries and gave him a call. Our winner is Marcial Jorge from Azusa, California and not only does he own one Winnebago, but he actually owns two Winnebagos. His family enjoyed their 2002 Winnebago Minnie so much that they couldn’t part with it when it came time to upgrade so the children talked him into keeping it when they purchased their second motor home, a 2006 Winnebago Sightseer. Marcial added, “The kids have claimed the Minnie for themselves!” Marcial’s family includes his wife, Bernadette, and four children: Megan, Jamie, Timothy and Nathaniel. The Jorges enjoy using their Minnie on short weekend beach trips around California and Arizona including trips to Lake Havasu, Arizona and Grand Canyon National Park. The family found their Sightseer to be the way to travel during last year’s family vacation. Marcial wrote, “We used the Sightseer for our 2006 summer vacation at Yellowstone National Park. We used it to go around the park and it made it very convenient to have everything

within reach: food, restroom, and refrigerator. With six in the family, the two sofas were a hit.” Marcial went on to explain, “We chose Winnebago because we have always seen Winnebago Industries motor homes when we vacationed by car. We continue to see older coaches on the road. So we figured, Winnebago

Industries coaches are well built and last forever or at least for a long time. Our experience has verified our observations. We continue to enjoy both coaches.” Marcial will receive a Winnebago logo pullover windbreaker for being our contest entry selection. Congratulations to Marcial and thanks again to all of you who entered!

The Jorge family (from left) Megan, Marcial, Jamie, Timothy, Bernadette and Nathanial with Winnebago #1...

...and #2.