August 2002

The word “buffalo” may be a familiar name used to describe North America’s largest land mammal, but it isn’t entirely accurate. In truth, the animal that is forever tied to the American Indian and the Wild West and appeared on the tail side of the Indian Head nickel is the bison.

The 2002 election of FMCA National Officers will be held September 29 & 30, 2002, at FMCA’s 68th Premier International Motorhome Extravaganza in Hutchinson, Kansas.
This year’s Nominating Committee was elected by the Governing Board in accordance with FMCA Bylaws. Its members are Chairman Kent Jacobs, F97114; Manuel Canales, F59832; Dave McFadden, F74806; Gerald Parker, F36980; and Richard Wright, F42952.
FMCA’s Nominating Committee has submitted its slate of candidates recommended for national office for the 2002-2003 term.
Although balloting is restricted to National Directors and National Officers, we invite all FMCA members to review the candidates’ resumes and to communicate their preferences to their respective National Director.

Lily did not want to go on the motorhome trip.
“I want to stay home and be with my friends!” She folded her arms and pouted. She had just gotten out of school for the summer.

Imagine Kansas and you may think of rolling plains, vast oceans of wheat waving in the breeze, and perhaps Dorothy, Toto, and Auntie Em. But a space museum? Indeed, this is not just any space museum, but one of world-class quality and, in many respects, unlike any other.
The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchinson is a 105,000-square-foot facility that is crammed with one-of-a-kind space and flight artifacts.

Hutchinson, a central Kansas town with 43,000 residents, will see a temporary increase in its population when thousands of motorhomers arrive at the Kansas State Fairgrounds to participate in FMCA’s Motor “Home” On The Range convention —the association’s 68th Premier International Motorhome Extravaganza —on October 1, 2, and 3.
But having company is not unusual for Hutchinson. Like good neighbors whose doors are always open, residents of this town are familiar with making guests feel at home.

Here’s a fast and simple way we found to check in at campgrounds. We printed campground registration cards, and instead of filling out the registration by hand, we simply staple one of these cards to the campground’s registration form.

One of the toughest aspects about becoming a full-timer is parting with the goods and possessions in your home. These are the things that you used and needed for years.

Dear Editor:
I am associated with the United States Forest Service in Jackson, Wyoming, in the Bridger Teton National Forest. We will be rehabbing an old log cabin guard station this summer and are seeking volunteers with construction skills.

Sometimes we try to take shortcuts and they do not always work out as planned. In October 2001, I did just that.
We were home for a brief period, and I needed to mow the pasture in preparation for winter.

Using the Internet on a day-to-day basis has become second nature for many of us. Being online is almost as common as watching television.

When we pulled into a campground on the first night of our test of the Grand Sport motorhome by Dynamax Corporation, we weren’t prepared for our new celebrity status. Other RVers came to see us simply to look and ask questions.

Xantrex Technology Inc. offers Jazz 150, Jazz 300, and Jazz 500 power inverters that convert 12-volt direct current (DC) electricity from a vehicle battery into alternating current (AC).

Living in the country has its advantages and disadvantages. On the upside, we enjoy clean air, quiet nights, and star-filled skies.
On the downside, mice can be a big nuisance.

This is the 12th in a series of articles written by motorhome manufacturers that address the subject of quality control. Recently, FMCA commercial members involved in the production of type A, type B, and type C motorhomes were invited to describe the quality-control strategies they have in place at their manufacturing facilities.
Every step leading up to the completion of a luxurious Blue Bird Wanderlodge motorhome is vital.

Although you may see shorter routes to the fairgrounds, the routes outlined here have been coordinated with local police to provide for the safety of convention attendees and to minimize traffic tie-ups as much as possible. Your cooperation is very important and is appreciated by everyone.
Following are directions to the Holding Area located at the intersection of Airport Road and 4th Avenue.

Holding Area

From the South: Travel north on K-96.

If you are very tall or have arthritis or other problems with your knees, hips, or back, you may have found that the typical RV toilet’s height is just a bit too low to be comfortable.

The RV industry has been very responsive in recognizing the special needs of people with problems such as these. Among the solutions are high-rise toilets, seats that are a few inches thicker than normal, spacers that fit between the toilet and the floor, and toilets mounted on raised platforms.

Without great skill or cunning, I (Kaye) renewed contact with my least favorite plant — poison oak. But this time I learned something new: The plant doesn’t even need to have its leaves to harm me.

If bread is the staff of life, then quick breads are essential to life on wheels. Making breads with yeast is a multi-step process that takes hours.

My wife, Jeri, and I are celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary this month. Having heard the story about how we met, our national president, Jeff Jefcoat, F118344, likes to tell it to others.

A new committee was born soon after Jeff Jefcoat, F118344, was elected FMCA national president last year: the Member Recruitment Committee. This 13-member committee was organized to further Jeff’s goal of increasing the membership of Family Motor Coach Association.

The 14th annual FMCA Western Area rally was held January 9 through 13, 2002, at the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival in Indio, California. Indio is located in the temperate Coachella Valley where busy Interstate 10 and State Route 86 intersect.

Q: I’m concerned about the oil consumption of my Ford 6.8-liter V-10 engine. Since day one it has consumed a lot of oil.

Motorhome owners automatically receive many benefits when they join FMCA. This month I want to focus on two insurance-related member benefits, because I am concerned that many members may not be aware of them.
The first benefit I want to highlight is MEDEX Plus, the emergency medical assistance program.

Traveling around the country in a motorhome is an exhilarating experience. But my wife, Ida, and I have found another way to bring satisfaction into our lives, while at the same time possibly saving another person’s life.

Bob Dylan's protest anthem of the 1960s, "The Times, They Are A-Changin'," was embraced by young listeners of that generation as a call to action. Fleetwood RV has endeavored to bring that mode of thinking to the RV world with its Nex-Gen ASV type A motorhome.

Before and during FMCA’s 2001 summer convention in Redmond, Oregon, people would ask us what we would be doing with our free time once Charlie’s tenure as FMCA national president was completed. Fortunately, we had an immediate answer.

National Park Service Camping Guide ($12.95, Roundabout Publications), by William C. Herow, provides information for all 118 National Park Service areas that offer camping.