A Tiffin Tour - and Tishimingo to Davy Crockett - Natchez Trace Day 4

We started our day with a gorgeous view from our lakeside camping spot.

As the fog lifted from the lake we got our act together for our trip to Red Bay, Alabama ... Home of Tiffin Motorhomes, Inc.. Tiffin has made motorhomes in Red Bay since 1973 and has become one of the leading manufacturers of motorhomes in the nation. Peggy and I have been eyeing a Tiffin as a possible future replacement for Winne ... and since we were only 15 miles away from the factory why not go visit and see how they are made?

We arrived at the Tiffin Welcome Center right around 9:15 and started our tour around 9:30 with a brief history of Tiffin. Tiffin is a family owned business run by Bob Tiffin and his sons. Bob is famous for being intimately involved in the details of his business - especially customer relations. Bob is serious when he says you can call him personally if you need to - even at home!


After leaving the Welcome Center, built to resemble a retro gas station - we made our way over to the carpenter shop to watch cabinets being made. Tiffin makes all their own cabinets and wood trim.

Then we toured the chassis shop where we got to see several chassis being built. Some Tiffin models use chassis made by others but they make their own on several of the units. I was really impressed by the        size of the chassis components on these big units. Big Engines, Big Brakes, Big Frames ... definitely heavy duty!

Next was the assembly building where they put them all together. The chassis come in one end ...


Floors get added ...

Sidewalls get added ...

Roofs get added ...

Stuff gets put inside ...

Slideouts go in ...

These new units are getting ready to head out for paint.

All-In-All ... very impressive. I think the manufacturing process is best described as "Controlled Chaos." Somehow all these folks seem to know what stuff goes where and in which models - but it isn't really clear how that happens without mistakes.


We had a fun tour but the Trace was waiting --- so we drove back to Tishimingo, mounted our trusty stead ... good ol' Winne ... and headed north once again. Winne doesn't have to worry about getting replaced anytime soon ... but those new rigs sure did look nice!


We only made about 70 miles today due to our late start but we enjoyed another day of beautiful scenery, wildflowers, streams, and even a beaver dam.

We pulled in to David Crockett State Park here in Lawrenceburg, TN to spend our last night on the Trace. Actually - the State Park is about 15 miles off the Trace but Peggy opted for the water and electric over the dry camping possibility just a few miles north.


Tomorrow we plan to finish our trip up the Trace to its northern terminus just west of Nashville, TN. Our RVing friends Gene and Judy Curp just happen to be staying nearby at Montgomery Bell State Park so we plan on mooching a travel day dinner at their place. Actually - they were nice enough to invite us and we're looking forward to the visit!