June 19 – FMCA Rally

Same location, Gillette WY, 2600 coaches gathered for the National Convention of Family Motor Coach Association.  It’s fun to watch that many coaches being parked.  Everything this week was on a larger scale, the vendors, seminars, show coaches and volunteers.  The seminars covered topics from fire safety to coach driving, and from Gillette history to beading bracelets.

Tours of the area were offered by the Visitor’s Center. A walking tour stressed the town’s beginnings as a cattle market and recent history as the Energy Capital of the US.  

  Wyoming coal is shipped to 36 states and accounts for 35% of the nation’s coal production.  It is low sulphur coal used primarily to produce electricity.  An average of 85 coal trains move 15-20,000 tons of coal each day.  Reclamation is a major component of surface mining in Wyoming.  Land is restored to an equal or better condition and ready for grazing and wildlife habitat.

The city of Gillette made us feel welcome and we tried to return the hospitality by contributions of food, money and quilts to local charities.