2002 U320 WTFE--4th & possibly last posting (about "Hanging up the Keys")

December 17, 2011, 01:24:59 am

As I indicated last month when I wrote my three volumes of John Christman's (aka Gypsy John) encyclopedia about what it means to "Hang Up the Keys" I would have a 4th and hopefully last one regarding the final disposition of one of the finest built motorcoaches I've ever had the pleasure of driving and/or owning. As my friends at MOT promised, I got word this morning that coach build number F-5963 will be announced on their website as being for sale to the general public beginning on Tuesday, December 20th. I certainly would prefer to see someone on this forum who has some experience owning/driving one of these great machines become the owner of that coach. Why? It has a lot of rather technically challenging "gadgets" on it that probably no other Foretravel has. While the new owner will have most if not all the manuals, they will also have the benefit of my "sometimes failing memory" to count on for backup. During the course of four plus years of my owning this coach, the upgrades and improvements I made, I did not do because I was trying to drive a third owner insane, but because I believed that I would still be driving it till I hit 80 years old.

Motorhomes of Texas is offering any member of this forum a $1000 fuel card (best that you refrain from using it here in Washington State, unless you want to see how little you get for $1,000) with a brand new motorized Zip Dee patio awning, a complete PDI with all fluids & filters changed plus all kinds of extras (want the list? send me an e-mail or call me) mailto:john@newgypsy.info or 425-259-6199--leave a message with your phone number & name). Please call only between 9am and 8pm PST. MOT has set their price at $139,500 for the coach with all the extras. Remember, they will take your coach in trade and/or arrange financing for my former coach. Also remember, you are buying THEIR coach from them. I get nothing out of your purchase price. I'd rather see someone on this forum with experience of driving a Foretravel purchase this coach, rather than a newbie who will already have a lot on his/her plate, without worrying about all the extras I've added going "beep" in the middle of the night and wondering if the dog or cat chewed on something that they weren't supposed to. [I'm just playing with you--the only way something is likely to go "beep" in the middle of the night is if you have mistakenly gotten into the programming section of the Glass Dash or 440 monitor and dinked around with some of the settings.] WARNING: (I'm serious here) Do Not mess around with any of the programming on any of the Silverleaf products, unless you know EXACTLY what you are doing. Much of the coaches operations are controlled by the Silverleaf. I've worked with all the features (gadgets) enough, that I can step a person thru just about anything over the phone...so can Dale Kemper (General Manager of Silverleaf). The Silverleaf Glass Dash as well as the VMS-440 7 inch color monitor, controls every facet of the Xantrex RS-3000 inverter, it controls the Genset, all four tank settings, the Accutrak Fuel system, plus lots more.

I want to thank EVERYONE on this forum for all the offers of help you have provided me from the very first day I posed my first "plea for help" till now. I can't begin to tell you how difficult a decision it was for me to actually "hang up the keys" for the last time. I will never forget the early afternoon back in 1966 when I got a free "thrill-ride" using one of those "highway runaway ramps" on the Grapevine in Southern California. You see when the vacuum brakes on a tractor-trailer rig completely failed, life began to get real interesting in a HURRY. I was 23 years old with only 15,000 miles under my belt, 90% of it driving my VW ragtop. Every weekend, a friend and I drove to Southern California to pickup a couple mobile homes and deliver them to several new mobile home parks sprouting up in the Santa Cruz area of California. Later in life and a few hundred thousand miles later, I became a tour bus driver (56 passenger w/electric flush toilet--just like my FT had) as well as driving a very old 54 passenger bus with manual stick shift for church outings. The fun part about driving "Bertha" (the church bus) was the only way you could go down in gears was to double-clutch her. Where she lived, there were lots of hills & mountains. You had to double-clutch her really fast or you would just stop, starting all over again in 1st gear. She had six speeds forward and one in reverse--if you were lucky and could find them in a nanosecond. She too had vacuum brakes. Just about the time I really got the hang of double-clutching at the right moment, the college kids pastor decided he was going to drive her to an outing they had scheduled. He apparently managed to miss all six speeds and slammed her into reverse at 50MPH. Bertha met her death 50 miles from home when she was found the next day dragging her transmission behind. The church bus committee decided it was time they get a couple buses with automatic transmissions and I decided to move on.

Now at age 68 at what one should consider "being in my prime" with a Foretravel motorcoach with a wonderful Transmission retarder and Air brakes I seldom ever used and well over one and a half MILLION miles behind me--I had to part with my DREAM coach because of some rather severe health issues that just keep refusing to allow me to get better. The doctors are baffled--so am I (however, that's putting things "mildly"). Dave, Tim, Brett, and so many, many others....thanks for your offers to help, your prayers and most of all--your friendship...I most certainly thought more than once about taking you up on your "over-the-top" offers. I just kept getting choked up thinking about calling on you, that I knew I would never make it, if I really did try to pull it off! I've belonged to forums before, but none like this one. I'll do my best to stay in touch with all you wonderful people...MY FRIENDS! Between the ever increasing doctor appointments, medical treatments on a daily basis and the three websites that I'm trying to build currently plus two others I have to continue to maintain for commercial clients--I don't have a lot of time to myself.

John Christman

Re: 2002 U320 WTFE--4th & possibly last posting (about "Hanging up the Keys")

Reply #1 – December 17, 2011, 08:23:30 am

I know some will be getting a great, well cared for coach. I keep playing the lotto and it keeps rolling over...

Re: 2002 U320 WTFE--4th & possibly last posting (about "Hanging up the Keys")

Reply #2 – December 17, 2011, 10:01:02 am

John... I'm too new to have known you but you live in Everett where I spent many happy years and where my DW was born and raised. Her first job was at Scott Paper where her mother, father and grandfather also worked. One of the few cities where there are views in every direction and upscale neighborhoods at good value but basically a working-man's (and woman's) town where every Boeing 747 ever made was built. You could not have chosen a better place to stop and get well!

I, like Dave Head, have also been hoping to win the lottery... but I think I'll start buying tickets now...

Wishing you the best... get well soon,
Craig Jungers
Moses Lake, WA

Re: 2002 U320 WTFE--4th & possibly last posting (about "Hanging up the Keys")

Reply #3 – December 17, 2011, 11:20:54 am

John,

You are certainly right about this forum. Just remember that you will always be a part of it, no matter what!.

Keep your spirits up, it will help your overall health. We will all be behind you praying for continued improvement.

Needless to say, the new owner of your coach will be lucky indeed. I don't think there's another coach like it of that vintage anywhere. And, what can you say about the technical support the new owner will have? Not only will he/she get the usual outstanding tech support from FOT/James/Mark, but also your technical expertise as well.

Please stay in touch and get well sooner rather than later.

Re: 2002 U320 WTFE--4th & possibly last posting (about "Hanging up the Keys")

Reply #4 – December 17, 2011, 11:44:29 am

Well John, coming away from reading this I'm very optimistic about you because of your crystal clear positive view. This is at least as effective as any meds. And it's less filling and tastes great! ;o)

As David Brook's recent book points out, our subconscious is doing 90% of what our body and mind does (without our knowledge or permission, I might add). Our conscious only 10%. Both of yours are obviously very healthy.

Since I'm somehow got on the subject of books, I'll recommend an astounding recent one: "Force of Nature - The Untold Story of Wal-Mart's Green Revolution"

This falls in the category of "No one would believe it if someone made up a story like this" or "Everything you know about Wal-Mart is wrong"

I shop at Wal-Mart but am not a real Wal-Mart fan-boy - but this book is making me one.

Anyhow, we still have a date in early Summer. We'll call before we drop in. We plan to be in the area for a while.

With warm regard, Paul and Kathleen

PS> Did they have to put in bigger breakers in your new digs to support your Internet work? ;o)

Re: 2002 U320 WTFE--4th & possibly last posting (about "Hanging up the Keys")

Reply #5 – December 17, 2011, 12:36:23 pm

Dave,

Happy to make a three way deal. I get johns, you get mine mot gets yours..,

Re: 2002 U320 WTFE--4th & possibly last posting (about "Hanging up the Keys")

Reply #6 – December 17, 2011, 07:45:21 pm

Still need the lotto - by my reckoning I'm $24k under water...

Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 12, 2025 ...