10 Years Ago Today

[Bob Zambenini]

The 10 year Anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing is one of those events where we probably remember where we were that day.

So happens for me it brought back memories of how far we have come in a short 10 years as Computing RVers.

That day in 1995, I was at the SMART Military RV Club National Muster at Brooks AFB in San Antonio and had just met Joe Lacey from the forum.  The incoming national president, the late Clyde Stram, had hooked us up and asked us to do some sort of computer workshop.

We found a room over on the base and the lady in the office there understood what we were trying to do and let us use her phone system.

In a short time we had some 80-90 people with standing room only watching Joe and I hook up to Compuserve and send email and get on forum and other services. I believe I had my 286 notebook with Windows 3.1. I do remember I had a pocket modem which whas cutting edge at that time. I also demonstrated my Acoustic Coupler and showed what is breeze it was to hook up to any pay phone anywhere and dial Compuserve's 800 number <g>.

I was blown away with the interest we had from the some 400 rigs at this event and the number of people who were vitally interested in sending and receiving email on the road.

Now when I look back on how far we have come in just 10 years I wonder what it will be like in our travels 10 years into the future.

Couple of additional things. Clyde Stram was installed as National President and immediatly chartered a Computer Chapter and we had 80 members join as charter members and it was then the largest chapter in SMART and still is. Clyde was a neat guy. He was an expert on our RV refrigators and invented the small battery operated fan. He licensed it to others, like Camping World,  before his death. He was a neat guy and his Pace Arrow had a license plate FANMAN.

So that was my first Forum meeting, and with none other than the one and only Joe Lacey.

Bob

 

[Tom]

Thanks for reminding us Bob, and thanks for the story.

 

[Jim Dick]

Hi Bob,

We were in the process of trying to decide which motor coach to buy as our first. An opportunity arose for us to drive to Tucson for a tandem bicycle rally. The tandem went into the back of the pickup and we headed to Arizona. We passed through Oklahoma City the day before the bombing. We didn't know about it for a couple of days as we didn't turn on the radio or watch TV.

During that trip we were passing through Phoenix. Barb Barbera had given us their phone number and told us to call if we ever got to Arizona. We called and they were home. She gave us directions and then waited in the street at Sunflower to be sure we didn't miss their home. It was the start of a wonderful but too short friendship.

 

[John From Detroit]

Though I never got closer than a TV set or terminal myself, I do work in a business that was on "Hightened Alert" which caused some interesting happenings both after OKC and 9-11 (To make it worse we sat atop a bus station)

However one of my forum mates in the Diabetes Support forum worked in OKC, across the street fromt the Federal building,  She was called to her bosses office, A large office with an excelent view of the Federal building... Something fell off the desk on my friend's side, she bent over to pick it up putting her entire body beihind the desk (as viewed from outside the window... JUST AS THE BOMB BLEW.

This, of course, meant she was unscathed, bit of temporary hearing loss is all.. Her boss....... Not much left (Cut to ribbons by the flying glass)

Now.. That... Even sitting here in Detroit reading about it... Is entierly TOO close

 

[Jim Dick]

Though I never got closer than a TV set or terminal myself, I do work in a business that was on "Hightened Alert" which caused some interesting happenings both after OKC and 9-11 (To make it worse we sat atop a bus station)

However one of my forum mates in the Diabetes Support forum worked in OKC, across the street fromt the Federal building,  She was called to her bosses office, A large office with an excelent view of the Federal building... Something fell off the desk on my friend's side, she bent over to pick it up putting her entire body beihind the desk (as viewed from outside the window... JUST AS THE BOMB BLEW.

This, of course, meant she was unscathed, bit of temporary hearing loss is all.. Her boss....... Not much left (Cut to ribbons by the flying glass)

Now.. That... Even sitting here in Detroit reading about it... Is entierly TOO close

John,

Too close is an understatement!!!!