By Marcy Berliner-Krauss, F370002
December 2013
Opportunities and possibilities … we love these two words. When traveling in our motorhome, my husband, Steve, and I are always on the lookout for opportunities to meet new people and explore places that are unknown to us. Naturally, the possibilities of having our needs met skyrockets when we travel with Fantasy RV Tours. Our experiences on the FMCA 50th Anniversary Tour, June 26 through July 9, 2013, which began after FMCA’s 88th Family Reunion and Motorhome Showcase in Gillette, Wyoming, added another rich layer to our list of fabulous times. This member-only trip was offered by the FMCA Tour Connection, powered by Fantasy RV Tours.
The 14-day caravan took us to Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. Our group bonded quickly, thanks to the variety of fun things organized by the Fantasy RV staff. We laughed uproariously during our bag game. The objective was to pick a bag, open it, reveal the hidden “prize,” and then wait to see whether someone wanted to “steal” it. The game followed a delicious hobo stew dinner in which everyone brought cans or boxes of food that somehow were mixed together to create a wonderful meal.
As veterans of seven previous Fantasy RV tours, we know that we’ll experience the best of what’s in the area while being escorted by expert and friendly local guides. But we also enjoy the unplanned — the spot that our leaders suggest we check out on our own during a few moments of unstructured time.
For Steve, that moment during the 50th Anniversary Tour was a visit to the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center, just northeast of Cody, Wyoming. Heart Mountain was an internment center for U.S. citizens of Japanese descent during World War II. The story of Steve’s extreme appreciation of our country and his family’s escape from behind the Iron Curtain was featured in a previous “Executive Director’s Commentary” column written by Jerry Yeatts (“The True Meaning Of Freedom,” July 2012, page 10).
Naturally, our visit to Heart Mountain to find out more about this tragic episode in the history of the United States was of interest to us both. The museum was detailed and fascinating, but our over-the-top experience didn’t occur until we met a visitor of Japanese descent who was born in this camp. As Steve and the man shared their experiences, the connection between them became immediate and very emotional, affecting our surrounding group of FMCA members.
The FMCA 50th Anniversary Tour was packed with so many never-to-forget special moments, such as the saloon girl who sat on Lee Irwin’s lap as he celebrated his birthday. We drank in the beauty and significance of Yellowstone National Park with its geysers, bubbling mud pots, hot springs, and the sparkling blueness of Yellowstone Lake. We gazed at the brilliance of the snowcapped mountains reflecting brilliantly in Jenny Lake and all of the surrounding wildlife. The numerous moose, elk, pronghorn, and bear sightings excited us all.
The tour culminated with our farewell dinner wagon ride into the backcountry. What an unforgettable and awesome time!