What a great weekend

 An Old Friend Greg Simmons and Myself

What a great weekend.  On Friday night we went to a high school cross-country track meet where  my granddaughter Brittney ran for her school, Satellite Beach High. She is also on the swim team, but that is a post for another time.   It was held at the rec. complex in Stuart Florida; a wonderful facility.  She finished her 3 miles in 26 minutes and 20 seconds.  We are so proud of her.  

 Brittney getting ready

 Brittney & Joan (also know as her WOW) post-race

Joan found a great little campground, Phipps Park just west of I-95 at 2175 SW Locks Road, Stuart, FL.

  What a wonderful little park.  It has only 9 RV sites, 4 tent sites and 10 boat slips.  It is located on the St. Lucie Waterway Locks.  Joan and I had coffee overlooking the water as a nice 55 degree cool front rolled tough.  Nice!

 Our Rig

 Our Backyard

 The Phipps Docks

 Only 9 RV Sites

 Brittney enjoying the coach

Joan having coffee at 55 degrees outside our coach

Saturday morning we had breakfast with Greg Simmons, a much older friend who  graduated from my high school, Dan McCarty High in 1969. I like to say mMuch older since I graduated in 1970: Greg,  his wonderful wife Shelia, my wife Joan and my granddaughter Brittney had a leisurely breakfast and then toured the old downtown section of Jensen Beach.  A great time was had by all.

 L to R Joan, Richard, Shelia Simmons and Greg Simmons

 Joan and Shelia

 Brittney tagging along

RV Sales Explode

JACKSON CENTER, Ohio -- Thor Industries, Inc., today announced results for the fourth quarter and year ended July 31, 2010. Thor stock was trading 13.5 percent higher at 3 p.m. after the company released the financial report.

Sales for the quarter were $663.7 million, up 51 percent from $440.9 million last year. Net income for the quarter was $40.6 million, up 64 percent from $24.8 million last year. Basic earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter were 78 cents versus 45 cents last year.

Sales for the year were $2.27 billion up 50 percent from $1.52 billion last year. Net income for the year was $110 million, more than six times the $17.1 million of net income last year. Basic EPS for the year were $2.08 versus 31 cents last year.

Total RV segment sales for the quarter were $563.7 million, up 67 percent from $338 million last year. Towable RV sales for the quarter were $465.7 million, up 61 percent from $288.8 million last year. Motorized RV sales for the quarter were $97.9 million, up 99 percent from $49.2 million last year.
Total RV segment sales for the year were $1.85 billion, up 66 percent from $1.12 billion last year. Towable RV sales for the year were $1.56 billion, up 63 percent from $953.3 million last year. Motorized RV sales for the year were $291.96 million, up 81 percent from $161.7 million last year.

All these number, that I just love, mean one thing; things are getting better in the RV industry

That means price increases cannot be far behind.  Onward and Upward

Richard & Joan Parker, Seeing America at Eye-Level

Raining Today But Rolling Tomorrow

Not much RVing happening today on the east coast of Florida.  A tropical depression is moving up the coast.  It has been raining for 24 hours and another 24 to go.  At least it is not snow.

 I will be traveling to Willow Lakes RV & Golf Resort in Titusville Florida Thursday  to help get them ready for the influx of snowbirds beginning any time now.

Friday back to the salt mines; I am writing a new book - Your Are Smarter Than You Think.  I'm down to the last 2 chapters and ready to get this one finished - it is my 10th book.

Saturday we are off to The Glenn at Whisper Creek in La Bella Florida

Until next time;  Keep Rolling!

Richard & Joan Parker, Seeing America at Eye-Level

A Good Week

9/19-25/10 What a great week Joan an I had. We set off in our 40 ft Country Coach motor coach on a week of business and pleasure covering 625 miles of Central Florida. 

Sunday 9/19/10 we drove 48 mile to Willow Lakes RV & Golf Resort, which we are working with and spent the night, meeting with the sales staff and taking photos. We are preparing to build some great model Port-Homes there.  These are small 500–1,200 sq. ft. homes with an RV “port”; carport or garage.

Monday 9/20/10 we drove 107 mile to Florida Grande RV Resort to look at their Grand Suites – small 12 X 36 coach houses that were really decked out.  Amy and Bruce Hagen did a great job designing and building these.

 

Monday afternoon 9/20/20 we drove 48 miles to Orange Lake RV & Golf Resort to see old friends: Bobby Harrell and his wife Tamara Weaver Harrell.  I graduated from Dan McCarty High School in 1970 with Bobby and Tamara (hard to not call her Tammy but she calls me Richard instead of Dick so I’ll keep trying) graduated a year behind us with the class of 71.  We had a great time telling old stories and more than one or two lies.  The Harrell’s are Full-times, have sold their home and traveled for the past 5 years in their motor coach. Tuesday the 21^st we all drive to Cedar Key Florida 60 miles west of Gainesville (Go Gators) to a sleepy fishing village where I spent 18 months of my tour of duty in the Coast Guard.  

Wednesday 9/22/10 it was a 175 mile drive to Silver Palms RV Resort, another Resort client, to meet with the sales staff and interview a potential Resort Host.

Thursday 9/23/10 another 65 mile clicked away on the old odometer as we drove to The Glenn at Whisper Creek another resort client to inspect the construction of the new signs, site markers and street signs and another interview.  Spent Friday there working with the techs to computerize their resort in preparation for the 2010-11 season.

Saturday 9/25/10 another 113 miles to Jensen Beach to meet with Cindie McNeil Heavner and her husband Heav.  Cindie and I also graduated together.  A great time was had by all.  We dropped the coach off in the parking lot of the Sam’s Club, and the four of us had a great lunch at Shrimper – While the Grouper Rubin left a bit to be desired the clam chowder, sourdough bread and excellent atmosphere on the open air deck dockside was wonderful. And the company does not get any better than Cindie and Heav.

Saturday afternoon it was a pleasant 15 mile ramble up A-1-A from Jensen to Ft. Pierce which have not driven in years, past the beach I worked as a lifeguard in 69-70 and smiled as we past the loud festivities at Archie’s on south beach Ft. Pierce. We swung the coach inland to US1 jogging around the Ft. Pierce inlet and then back to A-1-A on North Beach to see an old friend Greg (Grego) Simmons one of the old kids from the class of 69 (the year before me).  Grego has not changed a bit.  It was good seeing him.

Then it was another 52 miles to our peaceful seaside home in Melbourne Beach.  The trip was fun but a bit bitter-sweet, since it was the first road trip since losing my best buddy, Sarg.  Sarg my beagle was my sidekick for 15 year and he is really missed.  I went into the backyard when we got home and told him about the trip.  I think he was happy for us.

Richard and Joan Parker - Seeing America at Eye-Level

Beauty is Everywhere

Beauty is Everywhere

In the Mind of a Child

In the Excitement of Youth

In Innovation

In Timing

In Taking Your Shot

Beauty is Everywhere, just take the time to notice.

Seeing Old Friend

Joan and I drove our motor coach just north of Ocala to the Orange Lake RV & Golf resort to see friends we have not see in over 20 year; Bobby and Tamara Harrell.  Bobby and I graduated from Dan McCarty High School together in 1970, the last graduating class of that Ft. Pierce high school before it was closed.  Tamara was a young kid (graduating 1 year behind us older kids in 71).

We had a great time.  Bobby and Tamara are full time RVers (also know as homeless folks) and we parked our motor coach right beside them. Bobby and I walked in the morning, had a lakeside breakfast, talked about everyone and everything we could think of and laughed; boy did we laugh.

Having just attended my 40th class reunion, (how did that happen seems like 5 years ago) I made myself a promise - I would stay in touch with as many old friends as possible.  I have enjoyed working to keep that promise.  I have renewed old friendships and made a number of new one.

One of the highlights of our time together was driving to Cedar Key Florida, a sleepy fishing village located on the Gulf due west of Gainesville  Florida.  I was actually stationed in Cedar Key in 1972-73 while serving in the Coast Guard.  Walking those old streets with my wife Joan, Bobby and Tamara was a memory within a memory.  We had a great 2 hour lunch on the water and then drove back to the RV Resort, with my buddy Bobby snoozing in the back seat (old guys need their nap).

Next week we are off to see another high school friend Kris Metzger and her husband John.

Stay Tuned & Keep Rollin'
Richard & Joan Parker - Seeing America at Eye-Level