Member Spotlight

Gene and Evelyn Kidd
Sunset Hills, Mo.

FMCA membership number:  F55627 (we joined FMCA in 1984.)

FMCA chapter memberships:
Amateur Radio, Frustrated Maestros, Gateway Getaways, Discovery International, Freightliner Chassis Owners Club

Our current motorhome:
A 2000 Fleetwood Discovery 36T

Other motorhomes we have owned:
26-foot 1973 Champion
34-foot 1982 Fleetwood Pace Arrow
32-foot 1990 Winnebago Itasca
36-foot 1994 Fleetwood Bounder diesel
36-foot 2000 Fleetwood Discovery

We decided to buy a motorhome because:
To attend bluegrass festivals with our 16-year-old son who was playing with a bluegrass band in 1974. Our 14-year-old daughter loved to go, too. Most of the festivals were held in campgrounds. The shower stall in our motorhome was used for mandolin and guitar storage, etc.

Three words that best describe our current motorhome:
Attractive, livable, reliable

The best thing about our motorhome is:
It has 50,000 miles on it and nothing wrong with it. Everything's working great.

Occupations:
Gene: Retired owner/operator of an auto repair shop for 35 years. He was an aircraft mechanic before opening the auto repair shop. Evelyn: retired secretary and bookkeeper for the repair shop.

Children, grandchildren:
We have one son, Jim; one daughter, Janet; one grandson, Brad; and one granddaughter, Kelsey.

The best thing about motorhoming is:
It gives you the ability to travel and take your home comforts with you. No luggage to pack. To stop, see and stay in out-of-the-way places.

We travel in the motorhome:
About five months per year. When we're not motorhoming we're at our home in Sunset Hills, Mo., or visiting friends or enjoying family and grandchildren.

Our all-time favorite motorhome trip was:
Alaska for our 50th wedding anniversary. Trip of a lifetime.

Other favorite motorhoming destination:
Rio Grande Valley, Texas, and Mission, Texas, January through March.

Our fondest motorhoming memory:
Camping in Jekyll Island in Georgia and touring the old homes. Also, camping at Edisto Beach State park in South Carolina, right on the shore where shelling was great. Not sure which of these we liked best.

Our “dream” motorhome trip would be:
Copper Canyon railroad in Mexico

Our worst motorhoming experience was:
In our Winnebago Itasca, we ran out of gas in Wyoming close to Sheridan. The baffle came apart in the gas tank and made the fuel gage read wrong.

Another time, while on an interstate ramp in California, high winds made our awning billow out and slam back against the motorhome. There was no place to pull over — no shoulder. The interstate was closed later because of high winds.

The best addition we’ve made to our motorhome:
Gene installed a pantry for the kitchen. He also added a drawer under the dinette.

Other notable features or special equipment on board our motorhome:
An amateur radio installation

If we could change one thing about our motorhome:
We need a window over the kitchen sink. Also, Evelyn doesn't like the front-door entry.

Something about motorhoming that we know now but didn’t know when we started is:
The new friends you can make and keep when traveling

When driving the motorhome, the most important thing to remember is:
That you need more time and distance to stop. And, don't tailgate.

The best thing about FMCA:
The fun chapters we belong to and the rallies before and after FMCA conventions. Also, the new products offered at the conventions.

"Fantasy" dinner guests we'd most like to invite to dinner in our motorhome:
Julia Roberts, Robert Redford

A motorhoming tip we’d like to share with other motorhomers:
Don't leave your big awning out if you're leaving your motorhome for the day. Or, get an awning with a wind sensor.

Favorite campground:  Edisto Beach State Park in South Carolina

Our hobbies:
We are both amateur radio operators. Our son, daughter and grandchildren also are "HAMS." Evelyn performs with the Frustrated Maestros and a barbershop harmony group called Sweet Adelines.

Our favorite way to exercise:  Walking, biking

Favorite movie:  Mysteries

Favorite TV shows: 
"American Idol," "Sunday Morning," "Lou Dobbs Tonight"

Favorite book or authors:
Nora Roberts, Judith Krantz

Favorite music:
"Twilight Time," big band and country classics

Favorite restaurants:
Cracker Barrel, Denny's, Waffle House and Lambert's Cafe in Sikeston, Mo., home of throwed rolls

Favorite store:
Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, Walgreen's

When motorhomers visit our state or hometown they should be sure to see:
The Gateway Arch, Old Cathedral, old courthouse, Shaw's Garden, Anheuser-Busch Brewery tour, Science Center, Magic House St. Lous Children's Museum.

Items that are always in our motorhome's refrigerator while traveling:
Ice cream, cheese, salad, meat for our George Foreman Grill.

Our advice to new motorhomers:
Take short trips near home, and if possible, travel with an experienced motorhomer to get your feet wet.

Behind our motorhome, we tow:  A 1997 Honda CR-V

Our favorite activity to do inside the motorhome is:
TV, music, computer, cards

Pet we travel with:  a Boston terrier

Other comments:
We have traveled by plane and auto, packed and unpacked bags, stayed in motels and hotels, and ate all meals at restaurants. After all this, we appreciate our motorhome way of travel.

Other FMCA members may contact us via e-mail at:
genekidd@aol.com