Member Spotlight

Ken and Patricia Simpson
Fort Mohave, Ariz.

FMCA membership number: F357460 (we joined in 2005)

Our current motorhome:
A 2005 Tuscany by Damon. It's a 40-foot diesel pusher.

Other motorhomes we have owned:
A 1994 Jayco Class C — 29-foot (gas)
A 1998 Thor Residency — 35-foot (gas)

Three words that best describe our current motorhome:
Powerful, spacious, beautiful

The best thing about our motorhome:
It feels like home.

We decided to buy a motorhome because:
We like traveling in comfort and sleeping in our own bed.

Our occupations:
Ken: retired campus police officer. Pat: eighth-grade English teacher (soon to retire).

The best thing about motorhoming:
Making new friends

Children:
We have four grown sons and two grandchildren.

We travel in the motorhome:
Approximately 12 weeks per year. When we’re not motorhoming, Pat is teaching and Ken is getting everything ready for our next trip.

Our favorite motorhoming destinations:
In California: San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Clarita, Malibu, and South Lake Tahoe. Also: Branson, Mo.; and Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks in Utah.

Our all-time favorite motorhome trip:
Zion National Park. It has some of the most beautiful scenery we have ever photographed.

A favorite motorhoming memory:
Branson, Mo., was fantastic and Pat got her picture taken with Mickey Gilley, which is now displayed proudly in our computer room.

Our “dream” motorhome trip:
San Diego east through the southern states to Florida. Then to Washington, D.C., New York, Niagara Falls (Canada side), then west through the northern states — Mount Rushmore, etc.

Our perfect day of motorhome travel:
A slow scenic drive north from Las Vegas, Nev., through the Virgin River canyon and on to St. George, Utah, to Zion National Park.

Our worst motorhoming experience:
We left Fort Mohave, Ariz., and were driving east on the interstate when we had to replace our fuel pump in Benson, Ariz. It took two days. We continued east to Memphis, Tenn., and then north to Paducah, Ky. While in Paducah visiting family, Pat and I both came down with the flu and our Arizona medical insurance was no good out-of-state. It was a very miserable 3,400-mile trip.

A unique feature of our motorhome:
Our Livingston TV is on the floor like the one in our house.

If we could change one thing about our motorhome:
Replace the marine vacuum toilet.

Something about motorhoming that we know now but did not know when we started:
How much fun it would be

When driving the motorhome, the most important thing to remember is:
Leave plenty of stopping room between your motorhome and the vehicle ahead of you. Even air brakes will not stop one of these big rigs on a dime.

We joined FMCA because:
It’s a great organization, has many great programs and friendly employees and members. The Pinch Hit Driver program will always get your motor coach home. We’ve had a personal experience with this program.

Advice for other motorhomers:
Just have fun. Slow down and enjoy the scenery. Join FMCA immediately.

Our hobbies:
Pat: playing Sequence with our friends. Ken: taking photos and checking out other RV resorts with Pat and our friends.

Our favorite saying:
Home is where we park our coach.

Our favorite holiday:
Independence Day because the sun is shining and everyone is happy.

Favorite restaurants:
The Outback Steakhouse and IHOP.

If we won a shopping spree at the store of our choice, we’d choose:
Camping World. We’d stock the coach up for the summer.

Favorite campground:
Chula Vista RV Resort in Chula Vista, Calif.
Malibu Beach RV Park, Malibu, Calif.

When motorhomers visit our state or hometown, they should be sure to see:
Grand Canyon National Park, Monument Valley, Petrified Forest National Park, Montezuma Castle National Monument, Sedona, Lake Powell, Painted Desert.

Items always on hand in our motorhome refrigerator?
Steaks, hamburgers, Beringer White Zinfandel

Behind our motorhome, we tow:
A 2004 Jeep Liberty Sport — four wheels down using a Falcon II tow bar

When we’re online we’re checking out:
Travel, medical and financial Web sites

Other FMCA members may contact us at:
knsmpsn@hotmail.com