A Voice from the Past

Greenthumb · 08-19-2011, 10:48 AM

It’s been a looonngg time since I last posted to Excel forum. I still have my 2004 30PKW Limited Excel and 2000 Ford 350 Supercab, Superduty HD Shortbed with the 7.3L engine and a Pullrite sliding hitch.

This spring we had set up our rig for routine service in one of the sites RV Sales, Inc. in Moriarty, NM provides for its customers. Next to us was a brand new 33GKE. Since we may be interested in purchasing this model in the near future, we started up a conversation with the owners. Amiable as they are, they invited us to see their rig. We caught up with them at the New Mexico spring rally in Las Cruces, NM and finally got a chance to visit. A couple of hours later, our host, Tom, gave me his card. I immediately realized that I knew this guy via the forum. This was none other than Tom Clapham. As soon as I introduced myself, he quickly found me still in his computer. As we left the rally we promised to stay in touch.

We are currently traveling the northwest and made plans to visit Tom and Donna near Portland, OR. Unfortunately, Donna was traveling around the west visiting friends and relatives. While enjoying a great dinner at Tom’s rig, I mentioned a problem with my driver’s side windshield washer and asked him if he could recommend a local mechanic that could work on it. Instead, he offered to look at it himself.

When he walked down to our rig, he learned during the course of conversation that we weren’t planning to install a central vacuum system in our new rig because our current one was so weak. Immediately, he started investigating the system and found that the problem involved leaks at each end of the hose that connects the motor to the receptacle in the living area of the rig. He took it apart and used a light coat of caulking to seal the threads at one end and just happened to have an adapter that fitted tightly at the motor end. My wife couldn’t have been happier with the results!

Next, he looked at the windshield washer and found that the hose had clogged because it had not been installed correctly at the factory 11 years ago. Together, we blew out the debris and then reinstalled the hose so that it wouldn’t clog up again.

As we were ready to leave the RV Park for our next destination, we quickly realized we had a flat tire on the trailer caused by a screw. To the rescue, came Tom. We jacked up the trailer, took off the tire and lugged it to a local tire dealer in Tom’s truck so that I didn’t have to unhitch. An hour later we were on our way.

Joann and I really enjoyed our visit with this gregarious guy who would be willing to give you the shirt off his back if you need it. He even took time to go with us to the famous Saturday market in downtown Portland. We look forward to seeing Tom (and hopefully Donna, this time) sometime this winter if they end up in the Valley of the Sun.

Thanks Tom for all you did for us. It is great to have friends like you and Donna.

rockintom · 08-19-2011, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greenthumb

It’s been a looonngg time since I last posted to Excel forum. I still have my 2004 30PKW Limited Excel and 2000 Ford 350 Supercab, Superduty HD Shortbed with the 7.3L engine and a Pullrite sliding hitch.

This spring we had set up our rig for routine service in one of the sites RV Sales, Inc. in Moriarty, NM provides for its customers. Next to us was a brand new 33GKE. Since we may be interested in purchasing this model in the near future, we started up a conversation with the owners. Amiable as they are, they invited us to see their rig. We caught up with them at the New Mexico spring rally in Las Cruces, NM and finally got a chance to visit. A couple of hours later, our host, Tom, gave me his card. I immediately realized that I knew this guy via the forum. This was none other than Tom Clapham. As soon as I introduced myself, he quickly found me still in his computer. As we left the rally we promised to stay in touch.

We are currently traveling the northwest and made plans to visit Tom and Donna near Portland, OR. Unfortunately, Donna was traveling around the west visiting friends and relatives. While enjoying a great dinner at Tom’s rig, I mentioned a problem with my driver’s side windshield washer and asked him if he could recommend a local mechanic that could work on it. Instead, he offered to look at it himself.

When he walked down to our rig, he learned during the course of conversation that we weren’t planning to install a central vacuum system in our new rig because our current one was so weak. Immediately, he started investigating the system and found that the problem involved leaks at each end of the hose that connects the motor to the receptacle in the living area of the rig. He took it apart and used a light coat of caulking to seal the threads at one end and just happened to have an adapter that fitted tightly at the motor end. My wife couldn’t have been happier with the results!

Next, he looked at the windshield washer and found that the hose had clogged because it had not been installed correctly at the factory 11 years ago. Together, we blew out the debris and then reinstalled the hose so that it wouldn’t clog up again.

As we were ready to leave the RV Park for our next destination, we quickly realized we had a flat tire on the trailer caused by a screw. To the rescue, came Tom. We jacked up the trailer, took off the tire and lugged it to a local tire dealer in Tom’s truck so that I didn’t have to unhitch. An hour later we were on our way.

Joann and I really enjoyed our visit with this gregarious guy who would be willing to give you the shirt off his back if you need it. He even took time to go with us to the famous Saturday market in downtown Portland. We look forward to seeing Tom (and hopefully Donna, this time) sometime this winter if they end up in the Valley of the Sun.

Thanks Tom for all you did for us. It is great to have friends like you and Donna.

OMG....another feather in my hat!! You and JoAnn were so easy to entertain! What fun! You are so kind for the nice accolades. Might I add you were lots of fun and Ms. JoAnn does a mean homemade New Jersey Italian dinner! Wow. Great sauce and wonderful meatballs. Mama Mia. Goes great with a glass or two of red wine!!! And Frank, talking and working with you was a pleasure. It's not often I get a chance to be around a real rocket scientist!

We were a powerful team, over anal analyzing everything....with the perfection thing going on!!! What fun. You'll get the bill when you get back home!!!

And we didn't even get stuck at the car wash (Frank, this a little inside joke....others will understand)!

Thanks again......we had lots of fun. Hope to see ya real soon down the road. Enjoy the new 33' GKE when you get it! rockin'

Still Working "NOT" · 08-19-2011, 12:43 PM

"And we didn't even get stuck at the car wash (Frank, this a little inside joke....others will understand)!"

Or put the wrong key in the wrong hole. (A little more to the inside joke that us "others" will understand)

rockintom · 08-19-2011, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Still Working "NOT"

"And we didn't even get stuck at the car wash (Frank, this a little inside joke....others will understand)!"

Or put the wrong key in the wrong hole. (A little more to the inside joke that us "others" will understand)

Gosh darn still......I almost forgot.

Thanks for the reminder! Nothing more about "another feather in his cap"?

rockybaby