When some 50 employees at Heartland RV in Elkhart, Indiana were called off the job this week and told to report to the company’s main building, they must have wondered what was going on. Especially given the volatile RV market, which has had plenty of ups and downs in recent years. Even when you work for the third largest retailing fifth wheel manufacturer in the world.
But they were in for a very pleasant surprise. The workers, all military veterans, were assembled in front of a huge American flag and photographed for the company newsletter. They were also thanked for their service to our country and given gift cards. Well done, Heartland, thank you for a very nice tribute to America’s heroes! Heartland is the only RV manufacturer we have ever accepted advertising from, though we have been approached by several others. We’re proud to be associated with them.
And as a veteran myself, I want to extend my own thank you to all of our readers who have worn our country’s uniform. As the popular quote says, "A veteran – whether active duty, retired, National Guard or Reserve – is someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a blank check made payable to the United States of America for an amount of "up to and including my life." As our way of saying thank you, between now and midnight Monday night we will send a copy of the e-book version of our VFW Camping Guide to any vet who asks. Just e-mail me at editor@gypsyjournal.net and I’ll get a copy off to you.
Yesterday Terry and I attended the Escapees Chapter 45 luncheon, and they had a nice crowd at Mickey D’s Café in Apache Junction. There were 60 people there, including old friends we have not seen in years, folks we’ve bumped into in our recent travels, and some new faces, too. There were road veterans with years and years of RVing experience, and a couple of newbies who are still learning which end of the sewer hose goes into the dump station.
You’re never a stranger when you’re among Escapees and we got lots of hugs from everybody. If you need an Escapee fix too, plan to attend the Chapter 21 Rally in Parker, Arizona January10-15. It will be held at the La Paz County Park, right along the Colorado River.
After the luncheon we stopped at Terry’s parents house and visited with them for a while, but two days of getting up early exceeded my limits and I began to get droop snoot sitting there, so Terry took me home and I stretched out on the couch for a much deserved nap.
When I woke up Miss Terry was making dough for a batch of her delicious bread, which turned out perfectly, as usual. Yummy! Terry has sure gotten her money’s worth out of her Breville Toaster Oven 
I spent the evening answering e-mails from readers, doing research on some things for my next Big Lake mystery, and then turned the computer over to Bad Nick, who wrote a new Bad Nick blog titled All or Nothing. Check it out and leave a comment.
Have you entered this week’s Free Drawing an audiobook version of Judy Howard’s Coast to Coast With A Cat And A Ghost yet? If not, what’s stopping you? Over 100 readers already have. All you have to do is click this Free Drawing link and enter your name in the comments section below. Only one entry per person per drawing please! The winner will be chosen at random on Sunday evening.
And don’t miss out on our latest promotion, because it’s a god one. For a limited time we are offering a CD set of back issues of the Gypsy Journal for the years 2003 – 2013. That’s eleven years of our RV adventures and misadventures for the amazingly low price of just $50, with free shipping! The back issues are in searchable PDF files that will work on any computer. If you were to purchase them individually from our online download site they would cost you $198. How can you lose with a deal like that? To order, log onto www.paypal.com and make payment to editor@gypsyjournal.net.
Thought For The Day – If one person can do an adequate job and two people can eventually make it work, let’s form a committee and really screw it up.
Check Out Nick’s E-Books In Our E-Book Store
Nick Russell
World-Famous, New York Times Best Selling Author, and All-Around Nice Guy!
Regarding your quote about American veterans… I had never heard that statement before until your post. It struck me as a bolt of lightning. After thinking about it for a few minutes,I would reverently like to remind all who wish to think about that quote and realize that the veterans are the ones who got out alive…
We want to thank you Nick for your years of service, this go for all our military vets for their services no matter what branch.
Nick…as you know we have been Heartland owners for many years. First our Bighorn and now our 2013 Landmark. Heartland has always been a class act and their recent tribute to veterans on their staff has only helped to cement our decision to be lifelong Heartland owners. Way to go Heartland!!
Ditto what Elaine said. Plus I would like to add my most profound thanks and bet wishes to the families of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice and did not come home. It is upon their sacrifice that the foundation of our freedom rests.
Thank you Nick for your service also along with all of our veterans. The price was high for many and I will always remember them as to many friends were lost period. I am thankful I am still here to talk about it and thank the many vets out there.
I am also a Heartland owner and can testify to the fact of what they do for there customers. I had a major problem with my fiver and it was over a year out of warranty, and they repaired it at no cost to me. That there is in my opinion why I will once again buy from them. Great job honoring the Vets Heartland, it has been noticed!
I wish I could say the same about Heartland Dave. They have fought me on every level about repairs that had and are still having on my 2011 Landmark. I’m getting ready to do another one with them about the fresh water tank. Watch Trailer Life and Good Sam’s magazines. But, I do honor them for their support for vets.
We just started to RV a couple of months ago and just found your blog. We’re both Vets (i’m retired USMC/US Army, She is Navy,) We have met a lot of Veterans so far in our camper and we are on starting our US tour to see America. As the Hymm goes … Every climb or place where you can take a gun (in our case camper) we plan to see. It is refreshing to hear about good things happening to good people just because the decided to take a stand for our country and our way of life. Semper Fi and Airborne, Hope to see ya at some LZ soon. Sorry we missed your giveaway, we’ll get one later. Kenn & Deb