Here’s where we are…Camp Monaco! Camp Monaco is in Harrisburg, OR where one of the service centers for Monaco Coach is located. It’s about 12 miles from the factory in Coburg. We made this appointment in September 2005. We probably could have gotten in sooner, but there were holidays and other commitments that got in the way!
We had several issues that needed to be corrected but that is pretty typical of a new motorhome, especially considering that as you drive down the road in one of these it’s like a virtual earthquake! Camp Monaco can actually be fun (at least for me)! Of course, there’s bad along with the good! The bad…you have to be up and have your coach “road ready” (slides in, unplugged, unhooked…ready to go) at 7:30 each morning! Ugh! For those that know me…I’m NOT a morning person! The bad…you can’t have your home ‘set-up” unless you want to put it up and take it down every single day. The good…your motorhome gets all the bugs fixed. The good…they keep you well entertained! The bad (according to Don)…I get new ideas for things to spend $$ on! Barbara is the concierge, if you will. She does a great job arranging for us to do different crafts each day. While at Camp Monaco I made picture frames (2), bracelets (3), earrings (4), note cards using several techniques (4 or 5), also decorated a plate for Easter and a clay pot! I think there was something else, but off hand, I don’t remember! She also has lunches and potlucks, movies, cards (where you can win prizes – I won twice!) and on occasion a margarita party or two! While there we had polish dogs and chili, soup, a Valentine’s Day potluck, root beer floats, margarita cake and a few other things! Yummy and fun! There are also seminars for the guys and various “vendors” for the ladies! We had Mary Kay and Tupperware parties while there.
You also meet a lot of nice people from the Monaco employees to the other Monaco coach owners (Monaco also owns some other “brands” such as Beaver, Safari, Holiday Rambler, etc.) While there we met some “new” friends and ran across “old” friends! You really find out what a small world it is…we ran into acquaintances Nick and Joann Backer in Bismarck, ND (knew them from our So. Calif. days). They parked RIGHT NEXT to us! Also had their appointment the same time as we did! Had a few meals out with them and got to know Joann much better! Met some new friends, Jerri and Lloyd Wood who are also from So. Calif. They were just moving into their new coach. Had a great time crafting with Joann and Jerri! Joann kept telling us that she was craft challenged! She found several crafts that really appealed to her! She and Jerri were so funny together! We also had a great time when we went over to Mike & Lucy Bassett’s house (Mike was our salesman and now also our friend). They have an incredible house about 30 minutes away. Lucy is an incredible cook and a very talented lady! Enjoyed a night out when we reciprocated with dinner at the Outfitters, a local hang-out in Harrisburg! It seems like we ate out a lot because we also had dinner out at “Outback Steakhouse” with Jerri, Lloyd, Nick, Joann and also Jerry and Sue Truelove! That was another fun evening! We were treated to our last night in Harrisburg, to a dinner in Jerri and Lloyd’s new motorhome! Another fun evening…but then again…I can’t think of any evening with Monaco friends that hasn’t been fun!
The other “bad” thing about Camp Monaco is when you leave or those friends you meet leave. The atmosphere is always changing with the coming and going of different people and personalities.
