March 2003

Southern California’s Mojave Desert is the home of a strange river that tumbles down the wrong side of a mountain, flows in the wrong direction, runs beneath its own riverbed, rises occasionally to the surface, and then disappears under desert sands.
But this is nothing new. The Mojave River has been behaving this way for hundreds of years, puzzling Spanish missionaries, American pathfinders, and desert newcomers.

For some motorhome enthusiasts, a bigger coach is not necessarily better. Yet they still want the style, comfort, and livability that have become the standard in today’s type As.

Chassis manufacturer Spartan Motors Inc., C3322, and motorhome builder Travel Supreme, C8691, have teamed to produce the first motorhome built on Spartan’s new mid-engine chassis, the Me2. The new motorhome made its commercial debut at RVIA’s National RV Trade Show in Louisville, Kentucky, December 3 through 5, 2002.

Alcoa’s new forged-aluminum Dura-Bright wheels are said to wash clean and stay bright without polishing. Unlike conventional wheels, Alcoa Dura-Bright wheels are protected by a patented treatment that penetrates the wheel so that brake dust, grime, and oil residue wash off quickly and easily.

While attempting to find a convenient storage space for the rubber gloves that I use while refueling or emptying holding tanks, I noticed that the box the gloves are packaged in is nearly identical in size to a standard tissue box. I purchased a tissue dispenser (with a snap-off bottom) at a local store and attached the base to a vertical surface inside a storage compartment along with two hook-and-loop straps.

During FMCA’s 27th annual winter international convention in Perry, Georgia, in March 2002, I had the opportunity to sit down with Chuck Goode of Cummins Engine, C4251, and Mike Meloche of Detroit Diesel, C4620, and talk about some of the common questions and misconceptions related to diesel engines.
The following information applies to most turbocharged diesel motorhome engines, regardless of the manufacturer, and addresses some of the more common questions and myths associated with these power plants. If you’re a diesel owner, see how well you do answering these questions.
Warm-up
Q: Should a turbocharged diesel engine be fully warmed up to its operating temperature before being driven?
A: We’ve all heard –; literally –; this early-morning drill.

The Baja is billed by Subaru as “a new type of crossover vehicle that blends the feeling of freedom and ruggedness of a compact four-door pickup truck with the driving dynamics, safety, and comfort of a passenger car.” Motorhomers may find it to be an excellent choice for a towed vehicle. The Baja is reminiscent of Subaru’s Brat, which was introduced in 1977 and was produced for 10 years.

It’s not just the sights that attract millions of people to Memphis every year. It’s also the sounds rooted deeply in the city itself that draw the masses.
Memphis is cited in nearly 400 songs, more than any other place in the world.

When people think of San Diego, they often picture a family vacation destination with beautiful beaches; a world-famous zoo; Sea World; and gorgeous golf courses. Historic sites usually don’t come to mind.

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) is an international trade group that represents the specialty automotive industry. Its members include manufacturers, distributors, retailers, auto restorers, and an assortment of companies that are dedicated to making the automotive world a better place for those who love their vehicles.
SEMA began in 1963 as the Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association.

Motorhomers love to talk about their coaches, no matter whether the conversations take place at FMCA conventions and rallies or while visiting neighboring campers. And there’s so much to talk about — horsepower, length, high-tech accessories, comfort, color, and on and on.

Miami-Dade County, Florida, may not be as well-known as its biggest city, Miami, but it should be. It encompasses not only Miami, but Miami Beach, Coral Gables, and points south.

Bounce fabric softener sheets aren’t the only dryer sheets available, but they have become one of the best known brands. Generic brands are offered by numerous large supermarket chains, and they may work equally well, even if they cost less.
It’s amazing how many uses we found for dryer sheets on the Internet and in print — in addition to their use in the dryer, of course.

Each year during the week after Thanksgiving, the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) stages a trade show for the RV business community. It features a large display of recreation vehicles, from 10-foot pop-up trailers to 45-foot motorhomes.

FMCA offers its members many different benefits. But a number of these benefits require some action on the members’ part, or they won’t be fully enjoyed.
Chapter membership is a member benefit that is ours for the taking.

This month I am dedicating my column to the questions most frequently answered by the staff in our Membership Services Department. I have found that although the facts are quite familiar to those of us who work with the issues daily, they may not be to members who deal with us infrequently, or those who are new members of FMCA.
The Membership Services Department has compiled the following list of the most frequently asked questions and the answers.

Dear Editor:
I have copies of Family Motor Coaching magazines from 1994 through 2001. The set is complete except for the January issues.

Q: We own a 32-foot 1992 Pace Arrow with a Chevrolet 454 engine and an automatic transmission. We like the motorhome very much but would like to improve its stability and performance.

“The Big 10” was the name given to the Northeast Motorhome Association’s 10th anniversary rally, held August 8, 9, and 10, 2002, at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction, Vermont. Rally masters Charlie and Helen Caserta, F101979, along with members (and spouses) from the Northeast Motorhome Association’s executive committee — Bill and Ellie Skolfield, F227377; Bill and Pat Conway, F99081; and Gerry and Esther Rogers, F98387 — spearheaded the volunteer effort for this rally.

This past December I attended the annual National RV Trade Show, sponsored by the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA), in Louisville, Kentucky. As FMCA president Jeff Jefcoat and I toured the new motorhome displays and visited with the manufacturers, it was very encouraging and exciting to see what is happening.

The “Full-Timer’s Primer” column that appeared in the October 2002 issue of Family Motor Coaching emphasized the importance of using wise tax strategies all year, not just on December 31 and April 15. But, as I found out from tax expert Julian Block, full-time motorhomers should be aware of other tax-saving opportunities.

Here’s something sure to drive you buggy — according to entomologists, there are more species of insects on Earth than any other kind of living creature. As a matter of fact, 95 percent of all known animal species are insects, and although scientists have discovered more than a million species of bugs, 10 times as many may still remain unidentified.
Here’s another fact sure to get under your skin: millions of these creeping critters can exist in a single acre of land.

A simple topping can make all the difference between a plain-Jane meal or dessert or a tasty, eye-appealing dish. Cut circles from sheets of puff pastry, bake them on a cookie sheet to a golden brown, and float them atop steaming bowls of soup or stew.