More than 5,000 RV's come to Ag Center for convention
By Wayne Crenshaw
TELEGRAPH STAFF WRITER
PERRY - The Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter turned into an instant city this week with a population greater than the entire city of Perry.
More than 5,000 motor homes bearing more than 10,000 people are in town as part of the Family Motor Coach Association convention.
The event is the second largest of the year at the fairgrounds, following only behind the Georgia National Fair. But the fairgrounds estimates that the statewide economic impact is about $30 million, nearly that of the fair.
Due to the large number of vendors, the event fills up local hotels, said Megan Smith, president of the Perry Area Chamber of Commerce.
"It's a great event," Smith said. "It's a mini city out there."
Visitors hail from all around the country. Robert and Sylvia Sievers, by themselves, hail from all around the country.
The retired couple relaxed outside their Dynaquest motor home Tuesday morning as they recounted their adventures of the past 15 years rolling across the country.
They are what is known in the RV world as "full timers." Until just recently, their motor home has been their actual home. They do nothing but travel.
"It's the neatest thing we ever did," said Sylvia Sievers, a retired nurse. "The freedom ... it's wonderful."
Her husband, a retired steel worker, added, "If you don't like your neighbors, you can just pick up and leave."
They have visited every state in the union except Hawaii. And, yes, they took their motor home to Alaska.
Had it not been for health problems, they would keep going full-time, they say, but they were stopping in Perry on their way to Okeechobee, Fla., where they have just bought a stationary home.
They still plan to travel regularly. Even 15 years on the road, Sylvia said, isn't enough to declare America fully explored.
"There is so much to see in the U.S., you can't believe what you haven't seen," she said.
Paul and Mary Ellen Martin of Birmingham, Ala., were also stopping on their way to Florida. But they were going to deliver their Country Coach RV to a buyer in West Palm Beach. They plan then to head to a dealer for a new motor home, estimated to cost about $450,000.
That's not even on the high end, Paul Martin noted. Some of the RVs on display at the convention are well over $1 million. One, he said, even has a fireplace.
The Martins aren't full-timers, though. They are very part-timers. In fact, their RV's primary purpose is to house them when they go to Auburn University football games. And that, he said, is one of the key advantages.
"You can't get a hotel room in the parking lot outside the stadium," he explained. "Plus, with a hotel room you don't know who slept in that bed. I know who slept in this bed last night."
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Wednesday, March 21, 2007
More than 5,000 RV's come to Ag Center for convention
More than 5,000 RV's come to Ag Center for convention
By Wayne Crenshaw
TELEGRAPH STAFF WRITER
PERRY - The Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter turned into an instant city this week with a population greater than the entire city of Perry.
More than 5,000 motor homes bearing more than 10,000 people are in town as part of the Family Motor Coach Association convention.
The event is the second largest of the year at the fairgrounds, following only behind the Georgia National Fair. But the fairgrounds estimates that the statewide economic impact is about $30 million, nearly that of the fair.
Due to the large number of vendors, the event fills up local hotels, said Megan Smith, president of the Perry Area Chamber of Commerce.
"It's a great event," Smith said. "It's a mini city out there."
Visitors hail from all around the country. Robert and Sylvia Sievers, by themselves, hail from all around the country.
The retired couple relaxed outside their Dynaquest motor home Tuesday morning as they recounted their adventures of the past 15 years rolling across the country.
They are what is known in the RV world as "full timers." Until just recently, their motor home has been their actual home. They do nothing but travel.
"It's the neatest thing we ever did," said Sylvia Sievers, a retired nurse. "The freedom ... it's wonderful."
Her husband, a retired steel worker, added, "If you don't like your neighbors, you can just pick up and leave."
They have visited every state in the union except Hawaii. And, yes, they took their motor home to Alaska.
Had it not been for health problems, they would keep going full-time, they say, but they were stopping in Perry on their way to Okeechobee, Fla., where they have just bought a stationary home.
They still plan to travel regularly. Even 15 years on the road, Sylvia said, isn't enough to declare America fully explored.
"There is so much to see in the U.S., you can't believe what you haven't seen," she said.
Paul and Mary Ellen Martin of Birmingham, Ala., were also stopping on their way to Florida. But they were going to deliver their Country Coach RV to a buyer in West Palm Beach. They plan then to head to a dealer for a new motor home, estimated to cost about $450,000.
That's not even on the high end, Paul Martin noted. Some of the RVs on display at the convention are well over $1 million. One, he said, even has a fireplace.
The Martins aren't full-timers, though. They are very part-timers. In fact, their RV's primary purpose is to house them when they go to Auburn University football games. And that, he said, is one of the key advantages.
"You can't get a hotel room in the parking lot outside the stadium," he explained. "Plus, with a hotel room you don't know who slept in that bed. I know who slept in this bed last night."
By Wayne Crenshaw
TELEGRAPH STAFF WRITER
PERRY - The Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter turned into an instant city this week with a population greater than the entire city of Perry.
More than 5,000 motor homes bearing more than 10,000 people are in town as part of the Family Motor Coach Association convention.
The event is the second largest of the year at the fairgrounds, following only behind the Georgia National Fair. But the fairgrounds estimates that the statewide economic impact is about $30 million, nearly that of the fair.
Due to the large number of vendors, the event fills up local hotels, said Megan Smith, president of the Perry Area Chamber of Commerce.
"It's a great event," Smith said. "It's a mini city out there."
Visitors hail from all around the country. Robert and Sylvia Sievers, by themselves, hail from all around the country.
The retired couple relaxed outside their Dynaquest motor home Tuesday morning as they recounted their adventures of the past 15 years rolling across the country.
They are what is known in the RV world as "full timers." Until just recently, their motor home has been their actual home. They do nothing but travel.
"It's the neatest thing we ever did," said Sylvia Sievers, a retired nurse. "The freedom ... it's wonderful."
Her husband, a retired steel worker, added, "If you don't like your neighbors, you can just pick up and leave."
They have visited every state in the union except Hawaii. And, yes, they took their motor home to Alaska.
Had it not been for health problems, they would keep going full-time, they say, but they were stopping in Perry on their way to Okeechobee, Fla., where they have just bought a stationary home.
They still plan to travel regularly. Even 15 years on the road, Sylvia said, isn't enough to declare America fully explored.
"There is so much to see in the U.S., you can't believe what you haven't seen," she said.
Paul and Mary Ellen Martin of Birmingham, Ala., were also stopping on their way to Florida. But they were going to deliver their Country Coach RV to a buyer in West Palm Beach. They plan then to head to a dealer for a new motor home, estimated to cost about $450,000.
That's not even on the high end, Paul Martin noted. Some of the RVs on display at the convention are well over $1 million. One, he said, even has a fireplace.
The Martins aren't full-timers, though. They are very part-timers. In fact, their RV's primary purpose is to house them when they go to Auburn University football games. And that, he said, is one of the key advantages.
"You can't get a hotel room in the parking lot outside the stadium," he explained. "Plus, with a hotel room you don't know who slept in that bed. I know who slept in this bed last night."
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