Hello from Rossville, GA
Wednesday Evening
October 12, 2011 (fourth travelogue of this trip).
October 12, 2011 (fourth travelogue of this trip).
When I started this blog,
we were parked at the Choo Choo Garage in Rossville, GA (map).
This afternoon we moved to a different state (trip was all of three
miles), but that will be the subject of our next post.
we were parked at the Choo Choo Garage in Rossville, GA (map).
This afternoon we moved to a different state (trip was all of three
miles), but that will be the subject of our next post.
The Choo Choo Garage is a pretty famous
bus repair shop and the site of the Bus Conversion Magazine
Workshops. I helped with the first two workshops – mostly as a
gopher and video camera operator. However, being me, I just had to
jump in and “contribute” to the workshops {grin}. Indeed, the
two presenters and I made a pretty good team as each of us came from
different backgrounds.
bus repair shop and the site of the Bus Conversion Magazine
Workshops. I helped with the first two workshops – mostly as a
gopher and video camera operator. However, being me, I just had to
jump in and “contribute” to the workshops {grin}. Indeed, the
two presenters and I made a pretty good team as each of us came from
different backgrounds.
Now let’s catch up on some of the
events since our last post. Last Friday we took an unbelievable tour
of the KitchenAid factory in Greenville. This is the only plant in
the world to manufactures the counter-top or “stand” mixer. When
I say only, that is significant. They export this type of mixer all
over the world including China – from this plant! The pride of the
workers is amazing. But, even more amazing were the huge number of
workstations hand assembling components for the mixer. This is work
that is typically sent overseas, but KitchenAid has staunchly refused
to ship jobs overseas (Tom are you reading this). Indeed they are
working towards bringing jobs back to the US on some of their other
product line.
events since our last post. Last Friday we took an unbelievable tour
of the KitchenAid factory in Greenville. This is the only plant in
the world to manufactures the counter-top or “stand” mixer. When
I say only, that is significant. They export this type of mixer all
over the world including China – from this plant! The pride of the
workers is amazing. But, even more amazing were the huge number of
workstations hand assembling components for the mixer. This is work
that is typically sent overseas, but KitchenAid has staunchly refused
to ship jobs overseas (Tom are you reading this). Indeed they are
working towards bringing jobs back to the US on some of their other
product line.
They charge $5 for the tour but it is
well worth it. The lady that gave us our personal tour was a great
ambassador for the company. She took us all over the huge plant and
had knowledgeable answers for almost all of my technical questions.
Probably the most impressive part of the tour was seeing all of the
beautiful colors that are used for the mixers.
well worth it. The lady that gave us our personal tour was a great
ambassador for the company. She took us all over the huge plant and
had knowledgeable answers for almost all of my technical questions.
Probably the most impressive part of the tour was seeing all of the
beautiful colors that are used for the mixers.
Saturday we left Greenville and drove
to Lexington, KY and stayed at a Wal Mart. Our main reason for
stopping there was to visit with a customer and his wife. Bill and I
have grown to be great friends over the years and he has offered
great support when I was struggling with some issues a few years ago.
I have told some of you about Bill – he was a government
psychologist who evaluated many major criminals including John Gotti
and the unabomber. I have talked to Bill on the phone many times on
many subjects but had never gotten to meet him.
to Lexington, KY and stayed at a Wal Mart. Our main reason for
stopping there was to visit with a customer and his wife. Bill and I
have grown to be great friends over the years and he has offered
great support when I was struggling with some issues a few years ago.
I have told some of you about Bill – he was a government
psychologist who evaluated many major criminals including John Gotti
and the unabomber. I have talked to Bill on the phone many times on
many subjects but had never gotten to meet him.
He was as fun in person as he is on the
phone and his wife Genie is a great lady. We had a lot of fun
looking at the Prevost that he converted himself – a beautiful bus.
Bill and I also went to visit another busnut who is working on an
Eagle with 4 slide outs. It has an amazing amount of great work.
While Bill and I were looking at buses, Pat and Genie went to a horse
race. In the evening we toured around areas where there were
beautiful horse farms. Lexington is in the heart of the horse
country that Kentucky is so famous for.
phone and his wife Genie is a great lady. We had a lot of fun
looking at the Prevost that he converted himself – a beautiful bus.
Bill and I also went to visit another busnut who is working on an
Eagle with 4 slide outs. It has an amazing amount of great work.
While Bill and I were looking at buses, Pat and Genie went to a horse
race. In the evening we toured around areas where there were
beautiful horse farms. Lexington is in the heart of the horse
country that Kentucky is so famous for.
Sunday we drove from Lexington to
Rossville and met with Mike Sullivan who is the president of the Bus
Conversion Magazine and who has almost single-handily arrange the Bus
Conversions Rally. Monday we helped Mike with some of the details.
Yesterday and today were two of the workshops. There will be one
more this week and several next week including the welding workshop
that I will co-present.
Rossville and met with Mike Sullivan who is the president of the Bus
Conversion Magazine and who has almost single-handily arrange the Bus
Conversions Rally. Monday we helped Mike with some of the details.
Yesterday and today were two of the workshops. There will be one
more this week and several next week including the welding workshop
that I will co-present.
The color of the trees on the drive
down from Greenville were gorgeous. As we got closer to Chattanooga,
we noted that the colors were not as great. We are quite a bit south
of the areas with the best colors and we will probably see the trees
change here in the next week or so.
down from Greenville were gorgeous. As we got closer to Chattanooga,
we noted that the colors were not as great. We are quite a bit south
of the areas with the best colors and we will probably see the trees
change here in the next week or so.
That is all for now.