EMTs And Their RV
We are volunteer EMTs in our community, and we ride on our local ambulance squad. Every area that is covered by volunteer EMS is in need of help. It’s always a good feeling helping someone in time of need. We are also both CPR instructors, so we named our Newmar Dutch Star RV “REVIVE.”
― Scott & Laura Durlester, F511468
Hardwick, New Jersey
How “The Cat Drag’d Inn” Got Her Name
After a young bystander’s offhanded remark, A.J. Oxton knew what to call his Superior.
“The Cat Drag’d Inn” is a 36-foot Superior Coach with room for improvement. Manufactured in 1964 by Superior Coach on an International Harvester chassis, she was found in 1986 in the vicinity of Conway, New Hampshire, and was adorned with a rather forlorn brown primer and a white roof. According to the oral history delivered by the owner at that time, this bus was into her fourth life: Tour bus, city bus, and two private owners who had started the conversion to an RV.
The day after I’d backed her into the drive where I roomed that spring, the insouciant boy from across the street walked over and remarked: “Man, that looks like something the cat dragged in!” I handed him a can of green enamel and pointed to the ladder. Later, after much remodeling and repainting and a new motor, I had a proper sign made for the destination window.
― A.J. Oxton, F85558
Tonopah, Arizona
Folding Mattresses
Rob Bard commented that his mattress needs to fold because of his slideout (Readers Write, June 2021, page 12). The Original Mattress Factory (www.originalmattress.com) makes innerspring mattresses in custom sizes that are hinged, and they don’t charge extra for it. We had one made for an odd-size twin in our RV, and it’s perfect, with a hinge you don’t even know is there.
― Greg Gimlick, F419793
Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina
Dark Sky Delights
How did this inane notion come about that people need bright, colorful lights outside their rigs at night after they retire? Have they never looked up at the starry night sky?
Light pollution is one of the most obnoxious and growing bad habits I’ve seen. At Death Valley, of all Dark Sky holy places, I had to ask neighbors to please turn off their outside blinding color-rotating lights, because they interfered with the lovely full moon over the desert. Let’s please be respectful of others and keep it DARK. If anyone needs bright lights at night, you’ll find plenty in cities.
― Mabelle Lernoud, F489145
Monterey, California
Editor’s Note: For more information about Dark Sky locations and categories, and what can be seen in the night sky without light interference, see “Navigating the Cosmos” in the June 2021 issue (page 40).
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Family RVing welcomes comments about articles published in the magazine or topics of interest to RV owners. And with bad news permeating our world of late, we’d also love to hear your good news. Gestures of kindness you’ve experienced or witnessed. An opportunity you had to do something for someone else that you’d like to share, in hopes of inspiring others to do something similar. Or just observations you have made during this unusual time. We’d love to hear your stories.
Email all letters for this column to readerswrite@fmca.com or mail to Readers Write, FMCA, 8291 Clough Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45244. Please include your name, city, and state/province. Letters may be edited for space or clarity.