[BobALou]

Well, the time has finally come...we are in possession of our first ever RV/coach. While I'm, obviously, a total newbie, I've learned so much about coaches from this forum and others that I'm surprising myself with my understanding of things. As a result, the orientation was not as overwhelming as anticipated.

Last evening, I finally got behind the wheel for my first driving lesson, and it went great. Austin from Olympia Luxury Coaches drove about 25 minutes from the store to an industrial area. He started a U-turn in a HUGE cul-de-sac, and stopped halfway through...he looked over at me and said, "Okay, you're going to finish this turn." So, I strapped in, and did just that. Then, we spent 20-25 minutes tooling around various cul-de-sacs in the industrial area (which, ironically, I later learned was near an office of TN driver license testing). We followed with a bit of local road driving, and, then, 18 miles into a stunning sunset on I-24 back to the store for more industrial park turns. 60 minutes of seat time hardly makes me seasoned, but it was a great start. Austin said I did wonderfully. At one point, when I asked him how I was doing, he said, "You're in perfect position in the lane...exactly where I like to drive. Trust me, I wouldn't be in this seat leaning back and all relaxed if you weren't doing perfectly."

We've been staying in the coach since our arrival Thursday evening, and we plan to depart mid-day on Monday, so we're getting to know our way around. We love the coach even more in person than we did in pictures, and the team at Olympia has been fantastic.

Thanks to all gurus for allowing me to be a little part of your world and for the insights you have provided in the journey to coach ownership. See you on the road...