Our Field Editor

Clatskanie, OR.

In the early months of 1999 before we went full-time, a concern developed of how we would be able to maintain the website at the level we have been at home. As most of you know it is sometimes a very difficult prospect to "get on line" while traveling. We have developed a number of ways of doing this, from past travels and from new technologies. However, getting on line to check Email and getting on line for an extended period of time to upload website files can be two very different things. As we were pondering this dilemma I was chatting on-line at one of our favorite chat rooms RVAmerica. We had gone to a rally in 1998 with a group of people that we had met from this particular chat room. We knew that most of them were very knowledgeable in computers and at least some of them would be home when we were out. As a result of my chatting I became friends with a gentleman with the "sign-on" of Dex (Lynn Davis). We chatted about families, jobs, medical problems (his, mine and ours) and I got to know what a meticulous person he was. Every once in awhile when we posted a story (this still being from home) we would get email from Lynn that we had a broken link here or a typo there. As a result of these email messages a thought began to take root. "Why don't we have Lynn check our website for us when we are on the road?" So, as a result Lynn became our "Official Field Editor". Now, before you'all start sending in applications let me warn you, the pay is small ($0.00), the hours are long (24hrsX7days) and the recognition is slow in coming. However, we found that Lynn was willing to work under these conditions because he wanted to help us out and I might add the most important part was our friend. Over the months we exchanged presents and phone calls, but hadn't yet met. A condition which we remedied this coming February when we met with Lynn and his lovely wife Sue at a Y2K rally in Texas being sponsored by (yep, you guessed it) the RVAmerica Chat Room. There were be a couple of faces that we will recognize such as ARBY & his wife BLONDIE. We met them in Tennessee at the first rally. A new face that we met in Florida earlier this year will be VICKIE. A delightful lady who (listen to this gals) travels by herself, pulling a fifth-wheel. As in a lot of the cases we found, this chatter was the same in person as she is on the chat room.

Anyway, back to our Field Editor: with Lynn traveling to meet us at the rally he was concerned that he wouldn't be able to function in his job capacity. Although we kept telling him that we would be able to wait on his corrections, this man was concerned he would "be replaced". We assured him we would hold his job for him while he was "on vacation". Nope, not good enough. He armed himself with a cell phone and a laptop so he could "carry on" in his job capacity while driving his motorhome. (Oops I hope he meant while he was parked). Poor Sue has been so sweet and understanding during all this.

To give you a little background on this excellent employee: Lynn is a young 65 and still works full-time, as an independent contractor, keeping roads clear for the logging companies up in Oregon. He and Sue are from a small town called Clatskanie and have three married daughters: Terry, Debbie and Susan and numerous grandchildren. Sue is his support staff in life as well as in his business. They recently purchased a 1999 Beaver Patriot 33ft diesel pusher with 2 slideouts.

Prior to meeting them I had the usual trepidations you have over meeting someone you know only via the internet. What if we don't get along? What if they don't like us? And so on. All I can say is I can't remember when I've met two nicer people. Lynn was exactly like he was on the internet; warm and friendly and ready to help out anyone with anything. Sue was a very gracious lady who I kiddingly started called "the Martha Stewart of the RV World." I have never seen anyone so organized. Her MH was immaculate and I don't care what time of the day or night someone would drop by, Sue was able to whip out a relish tray and drinks within 5 mins of their arrival. We traveled together for awhile and I was getting tired just trying to keep up with this lady. One time we had just pulled into an RV park and our husbands were setting up the outside things on the rigs while we were inside doing our "gal things." Well, about 15 mins after we got there Sue comes over and tells me that she had just got finished shampooing the carpet in her MH. That did it! No more competing, she won. (I love to tease her about this, but actually she had just shampooed a small spot on her carpet.) We traveled together from Harlingen Texas to Del Rio with a stop inbetween at San Antonio. We all had a great time. Unfortunately we had to turn north to make a stop back in Cincinnati to get Dr's appointments taken care of and had to bid the Davis' a fond adieu. They took their time getting back to Clatskanie and finally back to (the dreaded word) WORK. Once again we have our faithful watchdog back on the job guarding the integrity of our website.

It was really great getting to know them both and making such wonderful new friends.

Laura