Member Spotlight

Jerry and Cathy Leo
Manchester, N.J.

FMCA membership number: F324460 (we joined in 2003)

Our current motorhome:
A 45-foot 2006 Holiday Rambler Navigator

Other motorhomes we've owned:
A 2000 Fleetwood Southwind, 36-foot
A 2001 Fleetwood Southwind, 38-foot
A 2002 Holiday Rambler Endeavor, 40-foot
A 2003 Holiday Rambler Navigator, 40-foot

Three words that best describe our current motorhome:
Comfortable, stylish, fulfilling

The best thing about our motorhome:
We’re on vacation all the time and the scenery changes every day that we’re on the road.

We decided to buy a motorhome because:
We bought a Honda Gold Wing Trike [three-wheeled motorcycle] and we wanted to tow it behind the coach. We had three Airstream travel trailers and we couldn’t tow the Trike with the trailer.

Our occupations:
Jerry: retired school teacher. Cathy: a semi-retired school teacher/director and owner of two child care centers.

The best thing about motorhoming:
We get to see our wonderful country coast to coast, meeting wonderful people along the way.

Children:
We have two children, Lorraine and Gerald Jr., and two grandchildren, Paul and Emily.

We travel in the motorhome:
Approximately five months per year. When we’re not motorhoming we’re enjoying our home in New Jersey, snowshoeing in Vermont or cruising the Caribbean.

Our favorite motorhoming destination:
The national parks. In particular, Yellowstone and Zion. We try to get to them every fall.

Our all-time favorite motorhome trip:
Yellowstone in September and then to the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, N.M.

A favorite motorhoming memory:
We loved taking our coach to Monument Valley and being able to drive our Trike on the trail and meeting and conversing with the many Native Americans.

Our “dream” motorhome trip:
Going to Alaska on one of the caravans.

Our perfect day of motorhome travel:
Waking up to the sunshine with a cup of coffee and driving through Montana with the big sky all around. Driving down the road, no one but us and the pronghorn deer staring at us as we drive past.

Our worst motorhoming experience:
Driving to Disney World in Orlando for the bicentennial and hitting a deer in the Carolinas. We had to be towed home to New Jersey -- what a bummer.

The best addition we’ve made to our motorhome:
We own a lot at Pelican Lake Motor Coach Resort in Naples, Fla. We bought a sunscreen for our windshield, and when we stay at the resort in March and April, it keeps the coach cool.

A unique feature of our motorhome:
We have an Aqua-Hot heating system, which is great for traveling in colder climates. We have three kinds of heat, so we’re very comfortable. Also, our big-screen TV retracts into the ceiling, so there is no obstruction when driving.

If we could change one thing about our motorhome:
The bay that the TV is in outside has a door that opens to the side. It makes it difficult to view the TV from all sides. It would be better if it opened up.

Something about motorhoming that we know now but did not know when we started:
We learned that it’s important to make sure everything is functional. It’s a home on wheels, with tires, batteries, winterizing, etc.

When driving the motorhome, the most important thing to remember is:
Keep your distance and to allow lots of room for turning.

We joined FMCA because:
We get a lot of important information on the mechanics, travel locations and helpful hints.

Advice for other motorhome owners:
If staying overnight at a Wal-Mart or truck stop, be sure to be in a well-lit area and not in a remote location. Be safe, not sorry.

Our hobbies:
Cathy: crafts, sewing, piano, snowshoeing, traveling, taking photos. Jerry: golf, snowshoeing, skiing, traveling, swimming.

Our favorite saying:
”The road is long and the time is short.”

Our favorite holiday:
Christmas. We love to entertain family and friends. We decorate our home to the hilt and love to enjoy and share it with family and friends.

Celebrities we admire:
Cathy: Oprah Winfrey She’s brilliant, self-made and a good American. Jackie Kennedy for her strength and courage. Jerry: John Wayne – a man’s man. Joe Torre for his skills when he managed the New York Yankees.

Favorite restaurants:
We like Mexican restaurants. And being of Italian descent, we enjoy Italian restaurants as well.

If we won a shopping spree at the store of our choice, we’d choose:
We would probably go to Camping World. There’s always something needed for the coach.

Favorite campgrounds:
Deer Run Adventure Bound Camping Resort in Schaghticoke, N.Y. Pelican Lake Motor Coach Resort, Naples, Fla. Most Outdoor Resorts.

When motorhomers visit our state or hometown, they should be sure to see:
The Jersey shoreline and Atlantic City

Items always on hand in our motorhome refrigerator?
Vegetable trays. We find we munch a lot when we’re driving and veggies keep the calories down.

Our advice to new motorhome owners:
Investigate all brands and models. Know what amenities are important to you and don’t settle for less or you will be trading in sooner than you would like to.

Behind our motorhome, we tow:
A 2008 Sahara Jeep or a 22-foot car hauler with a “V” to take the Jeep and the trike.

Pets who travel with us:
We had two Siamese cats at one time but nothing at the moment. I loved when they sat in the front window of our coach.

When we’re online we’re checking out:
RV resorts, travel routes, points of interest and we’re always shopping online for everything and anything.

A travel tip we’d like to share:
When stopping for diesel fuel, go only to stations or truck stops that are frequently used, so as not to get a bad batch of fuel.

Something others would be surprised to know about us:
We love each other’s company. We’re our own best friends and enjoy doing things together.

Other comments:
We can’t get enough of our beautiful country. We look forward to September and October every year because we know what beautiful sites we will visit and the wildlife that awaits us. Each year, that “long road” awaits us.