Family RV
An old RVDear Editor:
One of your readers showed me a copy of the March 2003 issue of Family Motor Coaching. My grandfather’s RV predates the RV pictured on page 24, in the “Readers’ Forum” column, by about 14 years, and I wanted to share a photo of it.
The bashful young lady to the left of her mother is my mother, Barbara, at the age of 6. Her family took this RV on a camping trip from Cambridge, Nebraska, to Denver, Colorado, in 1924. The oldest brother, on the far left, my uncle Melvin, went on to build his first RV on a used Cadillac ambulance chassis around 1963. He later built an RV on a new truck chassis.
John Butler
Bowie, Maryland
Florida Campground Recommendation
Dear Editor:
The letter by Stuart and Phyllis Grossman in the April 2003 issue titled “No-Frills Campgrounds” (page 26) was right on the money.
Let me introduce you to Breezy Acres Campground in Chiefland, Florida. The rate at the present time is a little less than $15 per night, and this includes full hookups. Sites offer 30-amp service and are level; live oak trees shade most of the sites.
To reach the campground while heading north or south on Interstate 75, take exit 354 at Ocala. Go west on U.S. 27 to Williston. Take Alternate U.S. 27 to Bronson. The RV park is four to five miles down on your right. If traveling south on U.S. 19/98 to Chiefland, take Alternate 27 southeast approximately seven miles to the park, which will be on your left.
Alternate U.S. 27 was very close to being a four-lane highway when I wrote this letter (March 2003). Say hello to park owners John and Carolee for me. If you are traveling during the winter months, it would be worth your while to give them a call to inquire about reservations at (352) 493-7602, as they are usually filled at that time of year.
Donna DeGroat, F47103
Chiefland, Florida
Use Proper Nomenclature For Lewis And Clark Events
Dear Editor:
I am a commercial FMCA member and I like reading each issue of Family Motor Coaching. It always is informative to me as a campground owner/operator. Since I own the Red Trail Campground in Medora, North Dakota, C4936, I was really interested in reading the “Baker’s Dozen” column about the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial commemoration activities (“Celebrating The Lewis And Clark Expedition Bicentennial,” June 2003, page 162).
I recently attended a Lewis and Clark customer service training forum, during which we were asked to note that these events are not part of a “celebration,” but rather a bicentennial or commemoration. I thought you should make note of this also, as we know that the American Indians do not see this as a celebration.
Mary Schneider
Medora, North Dakota
Simple Flush Device Cleans Water Heater
Dear Editor:
Regarding the article titled “Water Heater Odor Control” (May 2003, page 114), I would like to pass on some information.
The Tank Saver flushing tool, manufactured by Northwest Leisure Products (800-654-2742), consists of a copper tube attached to a ball valve that you attach to a water hose. When you insert it in the water heater’s anode opening and turn on the water, the device uses the water pressure to lift the tank residue, which then flows away.
I work for Northwest Leisure, which makes this product. The company recommends using the Tank Saver two or three times a year. It’s a simple 10-minute procedure that can rid odors and remove all the debris that collects in a water heater tank. It also can help prolong the life of the water tank.
The Tank Saver is Item #14677 in the Camping World catalog and is also available from other camping supply outlets.
Maxine Cates
Portland, Oregon
Don’t Apply Brakes After Tire Blowout
Dear Editor:
After reading the letter in the June issue of FMC about a tire blowing out on a motor coach (“First-Class Treatment,” page 185) I felt I needed to pass along some advice.
I was a truck driver for more than 25 years, and one of the things I learned in teaching defensive driving was how to handle a tire blowout. If this happens, leave your foot on the accelerator until you regain control of the vehicle. When you regain control, coast to a safe stop. Do not use your brakes. Doing so will cause the vehicle to swerve to the right or left, depending on which side the blown tire was located. I know this works. I was driving a truck with close to an 80,000-pound gross weight when a front tire blew, yet I came to a safe stop using this technique.
Charles Everton & Janet Wallace, F301989
Indianapolis, Indiana
Editor’s note: A nine-minute video titled “The Critical Factor,” produced by Michelin North America, demonstrates what to do in the event of a tire blowout in an RV. The video package includes a 34-page printed piece titled “How to Get the Most from Your Tires.” The video and publication are both available for a $5.95 shipping fee from Tire Guard, P.O. Box 20204, Washington, DC 20041-2204. The video package is available only by mail; phone orders are not accepted. For more information, contact Tire Guard at (800) 220-3608.
Tire safety information also is presented in the Recreation Vehicle Safety Education Foundation’s RV Safety Training Program, which includes a video that incorporates footage from “The Critical Factor” as well as important information about many other safety issues. It is available to FMCA members for $29.95 plus shipping and handling by calling FMCA at (800) 543-3622 or (513) 474-3622 Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ask for the FMCA Store), or may be purchased online at www.fmcastore.com