Good Sam's Best Service Award Winners

I was browsing through the new edition of Good Sam Club’s Highways magazine last night and ran across the list of this year’s Welcome Mat Award winners. According to the magazine these honorees are voted on and selected by Good Sam members. If so, it’s probably a pretty good cross-section and sample of RV’ers opinions. The criteria are “places that offer outstanding service, quality and fun to RVers, day in and day out.” Here’s the list:

2009 Welcome Mat Award Winners

Best Casino: Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Best Craft-Supply Store: Michaels
Best Dinghy Vehicle: Saturn
Best Fast-Food Restaurant: Wendy’s
Best Fuel Station: Flying J Travel Plazas
Best Golf Course: Pebble Beach Golf Links, Carmel, California
Best Good Sam Park: America’s Best Campground, Branson, Missouri
Best Ice-Cream Parlor: Dairy Queen
Best Motor Oil: Shell Rotella
Best NASCAR Event: Daytona 500, Daytona Beach, Florida
Best Pet-Supply Store: PetSmart
Best Propane Outlet: Flying J Travel Plazas
Best Province to Visit: British Columbia
Best Outlet Mall: Tanger Outlets
Best RV Parts and Accessory Store: Camping World
Best RV Show: Florida RV SuperShow, Tampa
Best Sandwich Shop: Subway
Best Sit-Down Restaurant: Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores and Restaurant
Best Shopping Center: Walmart
Best State or Province to Fish: Florida
Best State to Visit: Florida
Best Tourist Attraction or Amusement Park: Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida
Best Tow Vehicle: Ford

As for some of the categories, I don’t really have an opinion because I don’t know enough about them to pick a favorite – i.e. Best Casino, Best Dinghy Vehicle. but, here are a few that I would change if the selection were just up to me:

Best Fast-Food Restaurant: Still have to go with Mickey D’s
Best Sandwich Shop: Quizno’s by far
Best Tow Vehicle: Hey, I’m driving a Chevy Duramax!!
Best Shopping Center: Gotta be something better than Walmart!
Best State to Visit: California

Here are the one’s I really agree with:

Best Fuel Station: Flying J Travel Plazas
Best Ice-Cream Parlor: Dairy Queen
Best Pet-Supply Store: PetSmart
Best Province to Visit: British Columbia

So, what are your favorites – or not so favorite places?

------------------------------------------------------------------------

We Have A Name For Our New Puppy - Rylie

Paulette and I decided on a name for our new puppy last night. We are going to call her "Rylie". Now we just have to wait another month before going to pick her up in Washington State just south of Bellingham. It's pretty exciting as we haven't had a new puppy in the house for 5 years so it is going to be quite an interesting and fun summer.

It is also going to be fun to see how our 5 yr. old pup, Molly, reacts as she really hasn't been around puppies before. Boy, is she in for a big surprise!!