1976 Palm Beach
TZE166V100710
I recently joined the Tin Can Tourists. I did it because I like vintage cars and RVs. Also, they hold two rallies a year at Camp Dearborn which is less than 25 miles from my house which means I can save money on gas to get there. In May 2007 I attended my first Tin Can Tourists rally. It was their "Tenth Annual Gathering". I don't think it will be my last! I enjoyed it very much! They know how to have a good time and are very friendly. I didn't know anyone when I got there, but when I left I found that I had some new friends.
I loved looking at travel trailers that are over 75 years old but are still being used by their owners. There were a couple of motorhomes older than 60. Maybe that means that it might be possible to use a GMC motorhome when it is over 60.
The rally started on Thursday, but I didn't get there until Friday afternoon. I was late because I didn't finish installing my GMC's new windows in time for Thursday. We had pizza for dinner when I arrived and after that there was ample time to walk around and look at all the coaches. After dark everyone had their lights on for what they call "Friday Night Lights" which really looked cool. I didn't have any special lights so I just left my running lights on. Since I have a combiner I didn't worry about running my starting battery down. I will admit my GMC looked pretty good with just the running lights on. Most of Saturday afternoon was devoted to an open house of all the trailers and motorhomes. I really liked being able to go inside and talk to the various owners about their coaches. It was fun looking at the coal fired furnaces a few of them had in their trailers. Yes some of them had coal furnaces. Can you imagine having a coal furnace in a GMC motorhome?
Saturday night after our catered dinner we had a really good rock band play for us. For refreshments we had a keg of Canadian beer. It was a good thing that I didn't have to drive home after the band finished.
There were no technical seminars like we have at some of the GMC rallies that I've been too. It seemed that this rally was devoted mostly to looking at what the other members had done and having a good time. Tin Can Tourists is not for everyone that has an older RV. I know of a few GMC owners who would not liked this rally but I sue did.
During the rally I bought a DVD of the piece that RVTV did a few years ago about the Tin Can Tourists and after watching it realized that it was shot at Camp Dearborn. Many of the coaches and people I recognized from the rally I had just attended. That was pretty neat!
There was only one other GMC motorhome. It was owned by a couple that have had their '78 rear bath Royale for less than a year.
Here are a few websites devoted to some of the vintage RVs I visited. I'm sure there are more and I'll post them as I find them:
http://www.hindleysgarage.com/