RV Forum membership longevity

[Tom]

From a message posted elsewhere, this was a trip down memory lane with RV Forum join dates:

Don Miller 1/1/1994
Sheila Davis 1/18/1994 (Winnebago rep)
Ron Ruward 2/24/1994
Joe Lacey 2/28/1994
Jim Dick 2/28/1994
Ed Juge 3/1/1994 (Forum founder)
Tom Jones 3/22/1994
Chet Parks 5/8/1994
Fred Thomas 5/11/1994
Jim Lynch 7/5/1994
Jim Johnson 8/12/1994
Tom & Margi Binninger 9/9/1994
Tery Brewer 10/2/1994
Don Jordan 11/12/1994
Ned Reiter 8/25/1995
Steve Pally 10/7/1995
Gary Brink 7/13/1996

Ed Juge (forum founder) had 3 accounts, but the one above was the oldest in the database; He obviously "joined" the forum before any of us.

Congratulations to Don Miller (Alaskansnowbirds) for being the oldest (longest) current member.

Regrettably, several folks are no longer with us (they either moved on or passed away).

 

[Ray-IN]

We'll all be gone eventually, but hopefully the knowledge recorded on this forum website will live on to help future members.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Memory lane indeed! Lot's of rallys large and small, plus simple meet-ups when our paths crossed. But also a bit sad to realize how many of that era have passed away.

 

[DonTom]

Those dates make me and most others here FNGs.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Rene T]

Those dates make me and most others here FNGs.

-Don- Reno, NV

Freaking New Guys in case you didn’t know.

 

[Ernie Ekberg]

How about Jim Godward, Ron Marabito, Jack and Liz Pierce

 

[Tom]

How about Jim Godward, Ron Marabito, Jack and Liz Pierce

Good question Ernie. I no longer have access to the original CIS member database. Those join dates above were harvested when I still had a functional backup (c2008), and were retrieved at the request of, or with agreement of, the respective members.

 

[Joezeppy]

I've "only" been here 15 years, LOL.

 

[Lou Schneider]

I'm not sure when I joined Compuserve's RV Forum, but it was around the time I joined Escapees in July 1994. I did miss being in the first round of emigres to the web forum, though.

 

[Tom]

I'm not sure when I joined Compuserve's RV Forum, but it was around the time I joined Escapees in July 1994. I did miss being in the first round of emigres to the web forum, though.

And I recall you attending the 1995 rally at the 49er Village CG in Plymouth, sans RV.

 

[Tom]

While we're on the trip down memory lane, here's some history of the RV Forum - how we got started and how we progressed prior to being acquired by RV life.

 

[Lou Schneider]

And I recall you attending the 1995 rally at the 49er Village CG in Plymouth, sans RV.

That's right - I was heading to Australia the next day and didn't think I'd have time to put away the RV and still make my flight. So I just drove in for the day.

 

[jymbee]

While we're on the trip down memory lane, here's some history of the RV Forum - how we got started and how we progressed prior to being acquired by RV life.

From that page:
"Our forum staff are unpaid volunteers"

I was shocked when I read that-- shocked I tell 'ya!! Here all along I just assumed that the mods here were wealthy RV owners who traveled the world in their state-of-the-art RVs, staying only at high end parks/resorts, and living a life of luxury.

But seriously... From that same article:

"The forum exists for the benefit of the members and, without the wonderful group of members who come here regularly to share their knowledge and experience, this would not be a forum."

This forum is one of the reasons we decided to make the leap a few years back and buy our first coach. We had so many questions going into our purchase and continue to ask and learn as go along.

"We could not operate the forum without the generous donations of forum members and the small number of forum sponsors."

By way of financial support, wasn't there a way here at one time to purchase rvforum.net merchandise-- mugs, tee shirts, and such?

 

[Lou Schneider]

From that page:
"Our forum staff are unpaid volunteers"

I was shocked when I read that-- shocked I tell 'ya!! Here all along I just assumed that the mods here were wealthy RV owners who traveled the world in their state-of-the-art RVs, staying only at high end parks/resorts, and living a life of luxury.

Who says we aren't? From the guy who's famous for showing up in cheap, junker RVs for the past 30 years.

 

[Chef Duane]

Tom Jones since 3/94!? I figured he'd be busy touring or somesuch. But I guess it's not unusual.

 

[Tom]

By way of financial support, wasn't there a way here at one time to purchase rvforum.net merchandise-- mugs, tee shirts, and such?

The RV Forum never made any money on logowear; They were ordered by forum members directly from the supplier. Here's the prior thread on this subject.

The only exception was forum flags that were purchased by a forum staffer and sold at their cost.

 

[Ernie Ekberg]

Ron Marabito is still with us. He posts pictures he took from his vast collection. I believe he is 93

 

[Tom]

Ron Marabito is still with us. He posts pictures he took from his vast collection. I believe he is 93

Thanks Ernie. Ron hasn't been here since Dec 2018. Does he still have his RV?

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Ron has had some health issues and no longer travels by RV, but he regularly posts photos from his collection on FB.

 

[Ernie Ekberg]

Ron had a stroke. He and Shirley walk the block everyday. His spirits are good. We saw them a few months ago.