We ended up staying 9 days at NIRVC in Lebanon, TN. We spent much of our time devoted to self-training—from the electrical management system, inverter, lighting controls, Aqua-Hot system, tank monitoring, leveling, slide-outs, entertainment systems, etc. It was alot of information to absorb! By the time we were ready to leave, we felt much more confident about operating our new coach.
With so much of our time devoted to training, there wasn’t much opportunity to explore the Nashville, TN area. We only managed one afternoon in Nashville. We drove through the beautiful Vanderbilt University campus, before stopping at one of Nashville’s most recognizable landmarks—the full-scale Parthenon in Centennial Park. It’s amazing to think that such a unique piece of architecture sits right in the middle of Tennessee.
One of the best parts of our stay had nothing to do with RVs or sightseeing. We were able to reconnect with some old neighbors/friends who now live in the area. Spending the day catching up (27 years of catching up) over dinner was a welcome break from learning manuals and pushing buttons. Good food, great conversation, and reminiscing about old times made for one of the most enjoyable evenings of the trip. I am disappointed that we didn’t think to take a photo of the 4 of us!
Now that we’ve graduated from “RV Orientation 101,” we’re excited to start making memories in our new home on wheels. Next stop…Red Bay, AL!
First Stop: Red Bay, AL
With our orientation complete at NIRVC in Lebanon, Tennessee, it was finally time for the first official trip in our new coach. After nine days of hopefully learning every system, pushing buttons, and asking questions, we were ready to hit the road.
Our destination was familiar—Red Bay, Alabama, home of Tiffin Motorhomes.
The drive was easy and completely uneventful, which is exactly what we hoped for on the maiden voyage of our new coach. Everything performed beautifully, and it gave Ken an opportunity to become more comfortable behind the wheel while putting all that new knowledge to use.
As we pulled into Red Bay, Mother Nature welcomed us in a memorable way—a rainstorm! We couldn’t help but laugh as we realized history was repeating itself.
Rather than making a dash through the downpour, we decided to stay warm and dry inside the coach until the rain eased. Once the rain slowed to a drizzle, Ken headed into the registration office to check in and receive our assigned campsite at the Bob Tiffin Service Area Campground. With registration complete and our site assigned, we settled in, ready for the next chapter of our RV adventure.