We arrived in Red Bay, Alabama at the Tiffin Motorhome factory to have routine maintenance done on the coach, to have a foggy window replaced (the seal on the thermopane gave way), and some more modifications to our cabinets. Doug decided to drive the 12 hour drive from Houston in two days – 11 hours one day and 1 hour the next day! He wanted to make our appointment at 9 AM Monday for the yearly oil/lub etc. I just worked on the computer while he was driving so the time flew by. We also talked a lot with our friends Bruce and Mary Ann who were driving from Atlanta to Hershey PA. The world of cell phones and internet access on the go!
While in Red Bay, we took the factory tour again. It is fun seeing the motorhomes built. Now the Tiffin Tour is not like any other factory tour... You are right in there with the techs who are working. We marvel that we are able to do that. Everything in the south is laid back more than we northerners ever are on our slowest day! The techs talk with you, answer your questions, etc. I must have taken a hundred photos... some are Allegros, some Phaetons, and some Allegro Buses (our model). I just put a couple of photos here for you to get an idea of factory.
Above, some finished Phaetons and Allegro Buses ready for delivery to the dealers.
Above, the back of a Phaeton.
Above, Red is the tour guide. He has worked for Tiffin since the beginning and is 88 years old. He gives two tours every day and each tour last 2 to 3 hours depending on how many questions are being asked.
The photo above shows two roofs ready to lifted by the crane onto the roof of the motorhome which is behind me where I am taking the photo.
Now the photo above is for our son and daughter-in-law, Vicky. On our tour was a young couple who are buying a new Allegro Bus. They are "storm damage chasers" 9 months out of the year. They actually follow storm damage to vehicles from hail and remove the dents from the vehicles. When they aren't chasing the weather, they are rock crawling with their Jeeps. Josh and Vicky love to do the rock crawling.
Above, there goes one of those roofs up and over to the motorhome, below. This is a front engine motorhome hence the wooden back which will later have the end cap put on over the wood.
Above a porcelain tile floor is about to be lifted over onto the chassis of the Allegro Bus.
Doug is talking in the photo above to Jim who is there watching his new motorhome be built. The chassis had just come in to the factory and was beginning its journey.
Here are some scenes from the show.
These photos are all taken on the tram and show the beautiful views of the mountains. We had never realized all the cabins and cottages that are built on the mountain sides. There are thousands of them.
The view above is from our table where we ate lunch at the top of the tram. It is not the top of the mountain. From here, you take the ski lifts up to the very top of the mountain. There was snow left over - they just closed the skiing down two weeks ago. It is hard to imagine people were skiing two weeks ago since our temps have been in the 80's.
The above photo is the two runs of the Alpine Slide - they look like white tire paths. It is a dry sled-type of ride that comes down the mountain.
The above photo shows the tram coming up to the upper station. The photo below shows the black bears they have on exhibit.
The upcoming tram passes us on our way down. You can see Gatlinburg down in the valley just to the left of the tram.
Click on the above photo and see some of the blooming dogwood and redbud trees. In the photo below you can see our Lexus parked right in front of the white building.
This weekend was the grand opening for the new entertainment complex The Titantic complete with an iceberg on the other side. It sounds like it is an interesting museum/entertainment - it certainly is in a unique style building.
Next we stopped at Christmas Village. It is the largest Christmas store I have ever been in and we ended up on visual sensory overload!
Checkout the Santa and sleigh in the photo above. The stars in the sky twinkled and a train was running around the edge of the room. In the photo below, the train is crossing the bridge from one side of the room to the other.
While in Red Bay, we took the factory tour again. It is fun seeing the motorhomes built. Now the Tiffin Tour is not like any other factory tour... You are right in there with the techs who are working. We marvel that we are able to do that. Everything in the south is laid back more than we northerners ever are on our slowest day! The techs talk with you, answer your questions, etc. I must have taken a hundred photos... some are Allegros, some Phaetons, and some Allegro Buses (our model). I just put a couple of photos here for you to get an idea of factory.
Above, some finished Phaetons and Allegro Buses ready for delivery to the dealers.
Above, the back of a Phaeton.
Above, Red is the tour guide. He has worked for Tiffin since the beginning and is 88 years old. He gives two tours every day and each tour last 2 to 3 hours depending on how many questions are being asked.
The photo above shows two roofs ready to lifted by the crane onto the roof of the motorhome which is behind me where I am taking the photo.
Now the photo above is for our son and daughter-in-law, Vicky. On our tour was a young couple who are buying a new Allegro Bus. They are "storm damage chasers" 9 months out of the year. They actually follow storm damage to vehicles from hail and remove the dents from the vehicles. When they aren't chasing the weather, they are rock crawling with their Jeeps. Josh and Vicky love to do the rock crawling.
Above, there goes one of those roofs up and over to the motorhome, below. This is a front engine motorhome hence the wooden back which will later have the end cap put on over the wood.
Above a porcelain tile floor is about to be lifted over onto the chassis of the Allegro Bus.
Doug is talking in the photo above to Jim who is there watching his new motorhome be built. The chassis had just come in to the factory and was beginning its journey.
