RVSEF Conference - I'm There!!!

[DeanCHS1980]

Hi All,

Earlier today, l left home for the 2016 Recreational Vehicle Safety and Education Foundation Conference. I am super excited! It is in Elizabethtown, KY, which is only about 75 north of here.

I will never be any more of a newbie than I am now, plus the conference will probably never be this close again. So, why not go! It started today (Sunday) at 3 pm and finishes early evening on Thursday.

I will follow up!!!

Take care,

Dean

[DeanCHS1980]

RVSEF Conference - Sunday, May 15th

Throughout the day during registration, for an additional fee, RVers could get their RVs weighed after checking-in.

Walter Cannon is the MC for the conference and the Opening Ceremony. He credits his wife, Amy, for much of the logistics and success in planning the conference. It is not really an annual conference, but the conference is usually every 16 to 18 months. Walter commented that the RV industry is growing again. He introduced several of the instructors and speakers and discussed the following:

RVIA - RV Industry Association (Manufacturers).
RVDA - RV Dealer Association.
RVSEF - RV Safety and Education Foundation.

These are the 3 legs of the industry. The RVSEF emerged in 1993 and promoted communication and interaction between these three entities. Prior to '93, the RVIA and RVDA operated with little interaction. The RVSEF's work to promote collaboration created an environment better for the RV consumer.

Other speakers included, The mayor of E-town, Edna Berger, and a presenter from the RVIA. Manufacturers associated with the RVIA produce 98% of the RVs made in the U.S. RVIA activities and programs include:

1. GORving
2. Standards (as they relate to safety, not quality).
3. Technician Training & Certification

[DeanCHS1980]

Hi All,

I left the Casita at home. My brother-in-law lives about 30 minutes from E-town, so I am staying with him the next few days while I attend the conference. There are several rigs dry camping here at the Pritchard Community Center, including Class As, Bs, Cs (including a Super C and some B+ rigs), 5ers, and travel trailers. I assume other folks may be staying at local campgrounds. I did not expect to see the following. . .

[DeanCHS1980]

Very cool. I think it is an '87 or '88. The owner is from TX and bought it a year or two ago in Oregon.

[TheWanderers]

Great job Dean getting to go to the conference and learn so much stuff! Very cool that you were able to see a BigFoot in person, did you go in it? How was it? Your Casita is beautiful! My niece and brother were traveling last weekend and saw a Casita in Louisville - they texted a pic, we thought it might be you but it was not your tow vehicle.

Thanks for sharing about the conference here!

Laura (not Bill)

[TheWanderers]

D: Wish I could have made this trip but it wasn't in the cards. Looking forward to hearing your event report, first hand, very soon. Pretty exciting! bill (not laura)

[DeanCHS1980]

Hi Bill and Laura,

Thanks!

The conference was so cool. I will post a summary.

Take care,

Dean

P.S. - Yes, I got to go inside the Big Foot 5er. He is restoring it. I was so impressed with the room and the floor plan! Very nice.

[DeanCHS1980]

The RVSEF Conference started on Sunday, May 15th at 3 pm with the Opening Ceremony. In the hours prior to the Opening Ceremony, RVers registered for the conference. The cost of the conference was $250. There was also the opportunity to have your RV weighed during registration for an additional fee. In addition, there was a driving course available as part of the conference for an additional fee. Approximately, 12 to 15 RVs dry camped on-site throughout the conference. Others stayed a local campgrounds, while others stayed at local hotels. I am guessing about 80 folks attended the conference.

From Monday through Thursday, the conference started each morning at 8 am and concluded at around 6 pm or so. The general format was:

8 to 9:30 – Session 1
10 to 11:30 – Session 2
11:30 to 1 – Lunch (provided Monday through Wednesday; on Thursday lunch was on your own, but there the Closing Banquet that was provided)
1 to 2:30 – Session 3
3 to 4:30 – Session 4
4:30 to 6 – Ask the Experts general session on Monday/Wednesday; Fire Suppression Demonstration and Exercise on Tuesday; Closing Banquet on Thursday).

In addition, there was the opportunity to sign up for an RV Basics 101 Session where you received an extensive walk-around of an RV both inside and out. All RV systems were covered.

At any given time block there was typically 3 to 4 sessions going on simultaneously. Thus, one could attend the conference more than once and attend different sessions. Also, many husbands and wives attended the conference and each would go to different sessions to maximum access to information and knowledge.

Here are the sessions that I chose to attend:

RVSEF Day 1 - Monday, May 16
Period 1 - 110 V Electrical System
Instructor - Gary Motley

RVSEF Day 1 - Monday, May 16
Period 2 - 12v Electrical System
Instructor - Gary Motley

RVSEF Day 1 - Monday, May 16
Period 3 - RV Newbie to Newbie
Instructor - Jim McGlynn & Sherry Wasserman McGlynn

RVSEF Day 1 - Monday, May 16
Period 4 - RV Propane System & Carbon Monxide
Instructor - Gary Bunzer

RVSEF Day 1 - Monday, May 16
Period 5 - Ask the Experts

RVSEF Day 2 - Tuesday
Period 1 - RV Plumbing RV Fresh Water System
Gary Bunzer

RVSEF Day 2 - Tuesday
Period 2 - Taking Proper Delivery of your RV
Gary Motley

RVSEF Day 2 - Tuesday
Period 3 - Waste Management
Gary Bunzer

RVSEF Day 2 - Tuesday
Period 4 - Fire Safety
Walter Cannon

RVSEF Day 2 - Tuesday
Period 5 - Fire Suppression Demonstration

RVSEF Day 3 - Wednesday, May 18
Period 1 - RV Campground Electrical Safety
Instructor - Gary Bunzer / Walter Cannon

RVSEF Day 3 - Wednesday, May 18
Period 2 - Cleaning and Protecting Your RV
Instructor - Gary Bunzer

RVSEF Day 3 - Monday, May 18
Period 3 - RV Weight Safety & Management
Instructor - Walter Cannon

RVSEF Day 3 - Wedenesday, May 18
Period 4 - RV Tires Safety - You and Your Tires - Partners in Safety
Instructor - Walter Cannon

RVSEF Day 4 - Thursday, May 19
Period 1 - RV Refrigerator Operation/Maintenance & Tips
Instructor - Gary Bunzer

RVSEF Day 4 - Thursday, May 19
Period 2 - RV Water Heater & Furnace Operation & Maintenance.
Instructor - Gary Bunzer

RVSEF Day 4 - Thursday, May 19
Period 3 - General Maintenance - Covering, Leveling System, Slideouts, Steps, Awnings, & Slideout Toppers
Instructor - Biles, Bunzer, Cannon, Motley

RVSEF Day 4 - Thursday, May 19
Period 4 – Closing Ceremony
Instructor – All

RVSEF Day 4 - Thursday, May 19
Period 5 – Banquet

In summary, I was SOOOOO impressed with the conference. It was a tremendous opportunity to attend this conference as a newbie with only 10 nights of camping under my belt. The instructors were outstanding. As someone that evaluates teaching as part of my job as a university department head, I believe that excellent teaching requires three key components:

1. Knowledge
2. Passion
3. Skill to effectively transmit the knowledge and passion of the subject.

The instructor possessed all the above.

This is just a summary of what I did. If any one wants my notes, I would be more than happy to email them to you. I took 28 pages of notes, so I was afraid that my post would be way too long if I tried to post all my notes. My email address is:

jdeanmay@me.com

It was a wonderful conference and I learned at great deal. I also really enjoyed interacting with all the other participants. Despite a busy schedule, there was ample time to visit and interact with the other folks attending the conference.

Take care,

Dean