Member Spotlight

Larry and Mary Ann Corder
Bedford, Texas

FMCA membership number:  F288050 (we joined in 2000)

FMCA chapter membership:  Workhorse Chassis Motorhome Club

Our current motorhome:  2003 Gulf Stream Sun Voyager

Other motorhomes we’ve owned:  1998 Gulf Stream Sun Voyager

Three words that best describe our current motorhome:
Comfortable, responsive, functional

The best thing about our motorhome:
The floor plan works perfectly for us.

We decided to buy a motorhome because:
Freedom to go when and where we want is the main reason. The hassles of air travel, car rentals, motels and not being able to take our dog with us were also contributing factors.

Current or former occupations:
Larry is retired from IBM. Mary Ann is a homemaker.

Children, grandchildren:
We have four children, eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Our all-time favorite motorhome trip:
In 2002 we attended the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with the Gulfstreamers RV Club and had a wonderful time. It meant getting up early every day to see the balloons ascend, but it was well worth it. The rest of the day was spent sightseeing as a group. Buses took us to Santa Fe and Old Town Albuquerque as well as to an Indian reservation. A trip to the top of the Sandia Mountains in the tram was also exciting and not for the faint of heart.

Other favorite destinations: Visiting family and friends in Ohio. Fredericksburg, Donna, Austin and Port Arkansas, Texas; Saint Charles, Missouri.

One of our fondest motorhoming memories:
Being able to attend all of our grandchildren’s high school graduations in Ohio in the comfort of our home on wheels. Hopefully, we will be able to do the same when our youngest grandchild graduates high school in 15 years.

Our “dream” motorhome trip:
To travel the East Coast, with stops in Georgia; North and South Carolina; Maryland; Virginia; Washington, D.C.; and the New England States, with a side trip across the border into Canada.

Our perfect day of motorhome travel:
Rise between 7 and 8 a.m. Walk the dog. Watch “Good Morning America” while eating breakfast. Read the newspaper, check e-mail, shower and be ready to start the remainder of the day by about 10 a.m. Stop for lunch around noon, travel maybe an additional two to three hours after lunch and then stop for the evening. Cocktail hour 3 to 4 p.m. followed by a leisurely dinner. Then stroll the grounds, meet the neighbors, watch TV or a movie … call it a day.

Our worst motorhoming experience:
Our first long trip in our 1-month-old 2003 Gulf Stream Sun Voyager. We were headed to Ohio from our home in Bedford, Texas. When we were less than 100 miles from home, the large driver’s-side window blew out at 60 miles per hour in Sherman, Texas. Luckily no one was hurt and we were able to get the glass replaced in Sherman and were back on the road in about four hours.

About a week later when we were pulling out of an RV Park in Lancaster, Ohio, a motor mount bolt gave way and the engine dropped down on the motor mount and caused quite a racket. Since it was a Sunday, we pulled back into the Park and arranged to have the coach towed for service the next day. Then on the way home it rained so hard that virtually every window leaked water.

Our motorhoming pet peeve:
Exaggerated advertising by park owners is our major pet peeve. What the owners describe as paradise on the Internet and in travel guides in some cases is more like purgatory to us.

Something motorhoming taught us about life:
Slow down and enjoy the moment.

The best alteration or addition we’ve made to our motorhome:
Installing an automatic satellite dome after years of setting up a portable dish each trip is like a gift from heaven.

If we could change one thing about our motorhome:
Add a washer-dryer and larger freezer.

Something about motorhoming that we know now but didn’t know when we started:
The enjoyment we get from leisure travel and the luxury of sleeping in our own bed each night.

When driving the motorhome, the most important thing to remember is:
Be alert at all times, stop often and limit your daily travel miles to a comfortable level.

Our favorite thing about FMCA:
The privilege of parking our motorhome at the campsites at FMCA’s Round Bottom Road office when visiting our son and his family in Cincinnati.

Our advice to other motorhome owners:
Take advantage of every opportunity to travel this great land of ours.

Our hobbies:
Larry does woodworking and has a vast interest in technology and investing. Mary Ann likes to cook and try new recipes and genealogy.

Our favorite way to exercise:
Larry walks our dog, Sadie, about four miles for their daily exercise. Mary Ann gets her exercise by walking a mile a day with Larry and Sadie, plus untold miles shopping.

Favorite movie:
Larry prefers action movies and Mary Ann prefers “chick” flicks.

Favorite book:
Larry prefers nonfiction and his favorite book is Marley and Me. Mary Ann likes Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier and books by Wally Lamb.

Favorite singer: John Denver

Favorite restaurants:
Cheesecake Factory, Texas Land & Cattle Steak House, Angelo’s BBQ and our local On The Border.

If we were awarded a free shopping spree at any store, we’d choose:
Larry would prefer Home Depot. Mary Ann would like to go to Williams-Sonoma to buy new gadgets and cookware for cooking.

Favorite campgrounds:
Tom Sawyer RV Park in West Memphis, Ark.
Cloud Nine RV Park, Hot Springs, Ark.
Victoria Palms RV Resort, Donna, Texas

When motorhomers visit our state or hometown, they should be sure to see:
In Fort Worth we suggest the Texas Motor Speedway, Bass Performance Hall, the Sweet Shop (where they make the best candy — Fudge Love), the Stockyards, and attending a Dallas Cowboys football game or Texas Rangers baseball game. The Galleria in Dallas is one of the best shopping experiences ever. The George H.W. Bush Library in College Station and the LBJ Library in Austin are two that are very interesting. A trip to Big Bend National Park is a unique experience, and Palo Duro Canyon State Park in the Amarillo area is also a “must see” if you are in the area.

Items we always keep in our motorhome’s refrigerator while traveling:
Cold brews, Diet Coke, and bagels in the freezer.

Our advice to new motorhomers:
Try every feature and function on the coach prior to leaving the dealer lot. Document every problem in detail. Question the dealer on how easy the manufacturer is to deal with on warranty issues.

Behind our motorhome, we tow:
A 2005 Jeep Liberty Limited with a Blue Ox tow system.

Our favorite activity to do inside the motorhome:
Relax after a busy day on the road or sightseeing.

Our pet that we travel with:
A border collie and Jack Russell mixed breed dog named Sadie.

Other FMCA members may contact us via e-mail: cordertx@earthlink.net