Tampa RV Super Show

Wednesday January 13 and                                                        Most Recent Posts:
Thursday January 14                                                                  To Moffitt and Parkesdale’s
Hillsborough River State Park                                                     It’s the Day After Crash, Tornadoes and We Move On
Thonotosassa, Florida

 

 

Today is Wednesday.  That means David has an appointment at Florida Cancer Specialists.  I can’t help with this so I hitch a ride with Bill and Nancy to the RV Super Show at the Tampa Fairgrounds.  David will meet us when he’s finished.

We arrive just after it opens and the crowds are reasonable inside the first Supplier Building.

 

 

Nancy and I just laugh over this woman tending her booth.  Not sure how much she’s going to sell while she’s reading.  Nancy says she’d fire her if she was her employee.  I zoom in to see what she’s reading.  The title is There’s More To Life Than This.  I kid you not.  We just broke into gales of laughter.

 

 

This photo is for Bill.  He’ll know why.

 

 

David and I have come to investigate some specific things so I’m looking for those while the 3 of us are walking around the first building.  Nancy and Bill have their list too and we stop along the way to check things out.  When we finish with Building A we head out to walk over to Building B stopping along the way to look at coaches that strike our fancy for one reason or another.

In this one, Bill is not talking to the saleswoman about the coach but about fishing in the Keys.  She’s very happy to relate her stories about the “big ones”.  She’s a deep sea fisherwoman and has already set up to go out while she’s here at the show.

 

 

While we are outside Bill gets a call from Lee and Martha.  The two men agree we’ll walk towards each other and meet up.  When we reach them, Bill and Linda walk by and join the group.  It’s amazing to me that Bill and Nancy keep in touch with so many people.  I think they know everyone.  I also always get a kick out of the fact that when couples get together they seem to split up in male and female discussions rather than all together in one discussion.  Do we really have  nothing in common?

Later in the day we each meet up, though separately, with Karen and Al Lueck.  That time I don’t think to take a picture.

 

 

Looks like this van was painted by someone who loves South Dakota.  Mount Rushmore is on the front.  I assume that’s the Black Hills on the driver’s side.

 

This side has Bear’s Lodge (Devil’s Tower).  Reallyl beautiful paint job.

 

We enter Building B on the far end in the land of the seriously expensive.  These coaches are shown indoors. No out in the weather for them.  I wonder if these Prevost Lights are always lit to make it look sort of like a casino.  You sure won’t have any trouble finiding your coach in a dark campground.

 

 

 

David calls around noon and we meet him on the main road between the buildings.  Both he and I have uncharacteristically totally forgotten to bring our lunch so we have to get something terrible and ridiculously expensive at the show.  Nancy and Bill were not so forgetful.  We part company at this point and they go on around the show looking for something small that might work for their “some day Alaska dreams”. 

Just after they have left, David and I find this one that’s small.  Not sure it will work for Alaska though.

 

 

I love the awning.  Seems like the perfect gift for a fulltimer to give a grandchild.  This one is just a display and not for sale.  But I did find it on line so if you are interested it’s the Jetaire Camper Playhouse and it’s only $198.97 marked down from $249.00.  What a bargain! <grin>

 

 

 

 

 

How did I know this wasn’t Willie Nelson?  Take a look at his shoes.  Or am I the only one who thinks he looks like Willie?

 

It’s always wonderful to meet up with a blog reader you have never met in person.  I was waiting for David to finish talking with someone about tire pressure sensors when Patty came up and told me she’s been following my blog for some time now but she never comments.  No wonder I didn’t know her.  She and her husband have just gone full time and I promised to send her the information about how to comment.  It’s always nice to hear from the people who are reading and get to know them a little too since they know all about us.  Thanks for introducing yourself Patty.  Hope to hear from you often.

 

 

There are two different spots in the show where they are selling these signs and women are free hand painting them in calligraphy.  I love beautiful handwriting and wish I’d learned calligraphy.  When I asked where she learned it, she said it was required in her Catholic School.  What a wonderful skill to teach I think.  I’m pretty sure they don’t even teach cursive in school any more and I think that’s a shame.   I watched her for some time as she just chatted away while writing in perfect circles and straight lines.   If we were sign people, I’d have bought one.  Our Earth Flag doesn’t give our names but it pretty much tells who we are.

 

 

All around the fairgrounds both inside the buildings and out there is “entertainment”.  I’m always amazed that people do this and wonder if they are like circus performers and travel from show to show.   Here’s a parade outside.

 

The mime is not in the parade.

 

Here’s what I guess you’d call The Green Man.  We find him inside talking about his need to “branch out”.

 

 

I agree the covered wagon was the original RV although they were only fulltimers until they got to where they were going.  Still they were “living on the road.”   This cowboy looks a bit large for his wagon.

 

 

 

 

As you can see, over two days I didn’t take very many pictures at the show and this is the only outside rig I photographed.  Not sure why since I had the camera over my arm the entire time.  Guess I just frequently forgot it was there.  I was interested in the paint job here. It seems to be the only one that isn’t the current rage of various hues of brown, burgandy and gray.  

 

 

We managed to buy the last 3 MCD shades to upgrade Winnona and to investigate all sorts of other “possibilities”.  That’s one nice thing about an RV Show, there are lots of things to learn about and consider.