This Canadian couple celebrated the motorhome lifestyle in grand style with their first full-length road trip.
By Ange Moccia, F269294
December 2017
Greetings from Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. We have belonged to FMCA since 1999, but our RV travels began years before. We wanted to share our RV story.
Ann and I were married in August 1971 and have two children: Laureen, born in October 1973, and Greg, born in October 1977. In 1981, after we sold our cottage in northern Ontario, we purchased a 23-foot travel trailer and enjoyed one or two short trips yearly. We had had enough of being in one place; we wanted to see our country.
In 1987 we purchased a 28-foot Type C Travelaire motorhome and continued traveling in the same manner, maybe putting 300 to 500 miles on the coach per year. Even though the trips were short, we thoroughly enjoyed them, and we made many lasting memories with our children.
Our motorhome has always been stored in our garage. Recently, however, I noticed a variety of leaks. The reason? Our mechanic-technician Stan said we simply did not use it enough. Seals in the power steering, transmission line, and the oil filter housing, just to name a few, were drying up. They have since been replaced.
Rather than spending more money on similar repairs caused by infrequent use of our motorhome, Ann and I decided to take the trip we have talked about throughout our married life. Now retired, and owning a 30-year-old motorhome with just 42,000 miles, we wanted to go west via the U.S.A. and return east via Canada.
So, we headed out. In Fort Erie, Ontario, we crossed the Peace Bridge to Buffalo, New York; visited friends in Ohio; and continued through to Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana. We crossed back into Canada at Alberta to visit Banff and Jasper, then drove to Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and back home to Ontario.
One benefit of this type of travel is meeting people from different walks of life and witnessing the scenery that isn’t visible from the air.
Mount Rushmore is a must — so impressive. The attendant at the entrance gate asked whether anyone on board was a senior citizen, and we confirmed that both of us are. His immediate response was, “Your entry fee is $5 instead of $10.” As a motorhome owner, I was impressed, especially when the highway tolls are pretty well double that of cars. The attendants all asked how many axles our vehicle has. I said, “How many do you want me to have, so the cost is less?” and we had a giggle.
If you are ever in Great Falls, Montana, you must stay at Great Falls KOA. Upon our arrival, a young lady named Brandy greeted us, and although we did not have reservations, she confirmed that she would accommodate us. I commented that she seemed to enjoy her work, meeting so many different people. She responded, “Indeed. My husband, Bobby, and I purchased the campground a year ago, and it’s challenging but has its rewards.” It was refreshing to see this young couple have the desire to work hard to succeed.
The Rockies and Lake Louise were breathtaking. We were not able to find a campsite in Jasper, so we stopped to get a room. We explained that we have a motorhome, but as soon as they heard this, they suddenly had no rooms left. Another place had small cabins, but when they heard about our motorhome, they told us there was no place for us to park it, even though it appeared there was plenty of room. We were quoted an outrageous amount for a cabin.
While fueling our unit in Canmore, Alberta, I noticed an issue with the rear axle hub, so we stopped at Cam Clark Ford. The technician was great, the oil level was checked, and we were off within the hour. Our motorhome does not have a dash monitor to alert us of a low oil level, but I figured it was cheap insurance to have it checked, and it provided peace of mind. So if you need service in this area, do not hesitate to stop in; they are great people. If you are ever in Winnipeg, Manitoba, you must stay at Blue Water RV Park and Campground. It’s just north of the city, in Pine Falls, which some refer to as the walleye capital of North America. Gayle and John were the perfect hosts. They could not do enough for us. We enjoyed two days there with our friends Joe and Carol, and their neighbor Jim, who was kind enough to take us fishing on the Winnipeg River. That’s where I first heard of frozen minnows. Our experience at Blue Water was second to none. It’s a beautiful and very relaxing atmosphere.
In the past, I never had to be concerned about getting an oil change during our short RV trips. This time, I did. I found a dealer that could schedule it for the next day — maybe. I didn’t want to wait, so I purchased a self-contained, sealed oil reservoir; oil; and a filter. Gayle allowed me to change the oil myself at the campground. All the items I purchased will come in handy next time.
Lastly, Ann and I always had wanted to see the Terry Fox Monument in Thunder Bay, Ontario. It’s a must. The Canadian athlete and cancer amputee established the Marathon of Hope walk across Canada in 1980. What this young man endured during his own fight with cancer, and the fact that he raised millions of dollars for cancer research, is impressive and emotional.
I know that to some, especially the full-timers, our trip may not sound like much. But for Ann and me, covering 8,506 kilometers in 17 days was major. We would do it all over again, especially for the many memories we made and the nice people we met along the way. Every chance we got, we spoke about the Family Motor Coach Association and explained the benefits of belonging.
Now our motor coach has close to 50,000 miles. Its next trip will be next year, maybe out east. After we cleaned it inside and out, and tucked it away for another season, we saw no sign of an oil leak. Motorhomes are made to be used. If not, you may be spending vacation money repairing dried-out seals.