July 2004

A fantastic array of entertainment awaits those who roll into Redmond, Oregon, for FMCA’s 72nd International Convention, August 16 through 19, 2004, at the Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center. Members attending the “Cascade Mountain Magic” get-together will be treated to a musical voyage back to the 1960s where they’ll visit with a teen idol; party with legendary Las Vegas showroom stars; and gather for a relaxing sing-along with folk music pioneers.

Throughout the past decade, I’ve had the opportunity to report several times in Family Motor Coaching magazine on the performance of type C motorhomes built by Chinook RV. In 1993, while road testing a Chinook Premier, I enjoyed exploring northwest Washington, which included a ferry trip across the Strait of Juan de Fuca from Port Angeles, Washington, to Victoria, British Columbia.

Western RV has expanded its lineup of diesel-powered motor coaches for 2005 with an intriguing new addition: the 40FDQS, an Alpine Coach Limited Series floor plan with four slideouts. This motorhome measures 40 feet long and 102 inches wide for travel; when the slideouts are extended, the interior living area becomes almost 13 feet wide between the street-side and curbside walls.

Four Winds International, C7457, a division of Thor Industries, has announced that Ricky Carmichael, the 2003 champion of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Motocross Series and Supercross Series, has agreed to endorse the Mandalay type A diesel motorhome and the Fun Mover type C sport recreational vehicle.
Mr. Carmichael is the AMA’s all-time winningest driver in supercross and motocross racing.

The Abzorb Oil Mat from PCI Products Company is said to keep oil and fluids that leak from a vehicle from staining the garage floor or driveway. The gray-colored mats are available in three sizes: 3 feet square, 3 feet by 5 feet, and 3 feet by 8 feet.

When the blackout window shades in our motorhome do not keep out the light from lampposts we inevitably park next to at RV parks, I have an inexpensive, simple-to-use, and easy-to-store solution that is extremely effective.

Central Oregon boasts snow-etched volcanoes, towering ponderosa pines, sterling lakes, wild and scenic rivers, picturesque waterfalls, pristine meadows, wilderness, lava flows, cinder cones, and high desert. And two central Oregon towns, Sisters and Bend, serve as bases of exploration for marvelous journeys into the Deschutes National Forest.
Each town is within an easy drive from Redmond, the site of FMCA’s “Cascade Mountain Magic” convention August 16, 17, 18, and 19.

The 2004 election of FMCA National Officers will be held August 16, 2004, at FMCA’s 72nd International Convention in Redmond, Oregon.
This year’s Nominating Committee was elected by the Governing Board in accordance with FMCA Bylaws. Its members are Chairman Verne Roland, F73154; Billie Blythe, F70340; Leonard Davis, F158928; Bill Hohmann, F221258; Bruce Holcomb, F54442.
FMCA’s Nominating Committee has submitted its slate of candidates recommended for national office for the 2004-2005 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.

Beginning this month and continuing in the July and August issues, FMC will highlight each of the three major diesel engine manufacturers — Caterpillar, Cummins, and Detroit Diesel — that supply power plants for the ever-growing type A diesel-pusher motorhome market.

The summer rally season is upon us! If you have not attended one of FMCA’s area rallies or international conventions during the warm-weather months or at any other time of year, you are missing out on some of the best experiences offered by the association.
If you have attended a rally or convention in the past, you likely have seen members of the Frustrated Maestros in our familiar “red and whites” performing music at various times during the event, but mainly during the breakfast hours. We hope you enjoy our music and, we promise, it is fun for us, too.
The original Frustrated Maestros chapter was founded by Bob Gobrecht, L14273, who attended his first FMCA international convention in Tampa, Florida, in 1978.

Thousands of FMCA members will point their motorhomes in the direction of central Oregon this summer. They’ll be headed for fun at the association’s 72nd International Convention, to be held August 16, 17, 18, and 19 at the Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center in Redmond.

Summer is closing in, making it less likely you’ll want to spend your time cooking in a steamy galley. Here are recipes to help you beat the heat by cooking quicker, cooking earlier in the day, cooking outdoors, or not cooking at all.
Beef And Mushroom Salad
To make this cold, beefy, main-dish salad, grill extra steak the day before or purchase deli roast beef.

Finding a site for FMCA’s international conventions is a very difficult task. It is challenging enough to find a facility that can accommodate our needs physically.

The membership database for the Family Motor Coach Association is a complex collection of information. But it’s quite organized, and the file management was developed based upon members’ lifestyles.

Dear Editor:
As an FMCA member and an attorney, I have been asked by several of my fellow RVers about whether Florida residents need a Class D license to drive a motorhome. Some of my friends were concerned when they received mixed advice on driver’s license requirements for RVers.

Q: I have heard that not operating your air-conditioning unit can cause its seals to dry out and leak. I am planning on storing my coach for the better part of a year or more.

Kaye Holbrook, L10271, passed away on April 5, 2004. An FMCA member since 1973, she served as the association’s national secretary from 1977 to 1981 and as national senior vice president from 1981 to 1982.

Friendship, good company, and good times are just a few of the benefits that the Midwest Coachmen chapter offers. And with 112 member families and 39 years under its belt, its members must be doing something right.
This group is one of the first three chapters of FMCA, which all received their official charter on April 10, 1965.

With Father’s Day coming up on June 20, we decided to find out whether other animal species have fathers that deserve to be honored. Granted, we didn’t discover any other fathers reading bedtime stories or playing catch with their young.

Lucky the full-timer who can say, “My way is the highway!” Still, life on the road presents its own unique challenges. Here is a harvest of news and tips for the happily houseless.
Death and taxes
Of all the reasons full-timers choose one “home” state over another, inheritance taxes are usually the least important.

Want to step aboard a historic ship? Many can be toured as parts of museums or historic displays. These 13 sites are most interesting and accessible.

The evolution of the computer age and the exploding scope of the Internet have changed the face of business and personal communications. A high percentage of RV travelers have computers, cell phones, and e-mail capability.