May 2005

Like an island in a sea of new, state-of-the-art motorhomes, trailers, and fifth-wheels, David Woodworth’s RV was quite conspicuous at a recent RV show in St. Louis, Missouri.

Although its name may evoke visions of a warm Baja beach with soft zephyrs stirring the palms, my wife, Saraine, and I took a Tropi-Cal motorhome in the opposite direction, north to Yellowstone National Park, with three passengers. A 2,700-mile trek from Mesa, Arizona, to Wyoming and the nation’s first national park, and then on to Las Vegas, Nevada, gave me an all-around experience in this coach.

Tiffin Motorhomes, C1717, reached a major production milestone on February 24, 2005, when the 50,000th Tiffin motorhome rolled off the line. More than 300 suppliers, customers, and employees cheered as the 2005 Allegro Bus was presented.

According to product literature from Dieselcraft Fluid Engineering, diesel fuel contamination often can lead to engine smoke, loss of power, carbon buildup, and premature engine failure. To help improve the quality of the diesel fuel in your fuel system before it reaches the fuel pump, the company has developed the Dieselcraft Fuel Stabilizer.
This nonadditive, prefilter stabilizer is installed between the fuel tank and the primary fuel filter and uses a magnetic field inside the chamber to induce a small electric charge into the fuel, which is said to alter the molecular bond of the fuel.

Shoe bag used as storage bag to conserve space in motorhomeIn an effort to conserve space in the motorhome, we found it useful to hang a shoe bag on the outside of our bathroom door. In the pockets we place items that we need during our travels, such as pens, pencils, scissors, staplers, baggies, and other goodies.
John & Alice Ann Sundquist, F195423
Houston, Texas

On the whole, I’d have to say that we RVers are by nature a finicky lot. We keep our rolling homes neat, clean, and running right.

With the word “domestic” as its genesis, Dometic’s name was born in a brainstorming session at Electrolux (at the time, a Swedish corporation) in the 1960s. Originally set up as a U.S.

Have you ever wished you’d lived in the gold rush era of the 1800s? Have you wanted to feel the thrill of picking nuggets of gold out of a rushing stream? Have you envied men and women who grabbed their own destiny and controlled it, instead of waiting for the years of Social Security and Medicare to “enjoy” life? Is there something hypnotic about the words, “Gold, gold, gold?”
Of course, the naysayers and the dream crushers are quick to remind us that not everyone got rich during the gold rush days of the American West. In fact, very few people did.

Most motorhome travel involves spending time on the highway, driving from city to city in between your campground stops. But the Inside Passage in Alaska is made up of islands and towns that can be reached only by airplane or boat.

The Federal Department of Transportation requires that certain standardized information be molded into the sidewall of all passenger car and truck tires. Reading this information is a bit of a challenge, as some of the numbers and letters are self-explanatory but others are in code for conservation of space.

It might seem a little unusual that thousands of visitors a year want to spend time on an island that has approximately 500 year-round residents (not to mention 500 or so horses), and see a famous hotel that originally was slapped together and ready for occupancy in just 90 days. But that is exactly what happens at Mackinac Island, situated in the Straits of Mackinac between the shores of Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas.
From May through October, crowds of visitors step off ferryboats onto this Victorian island for a day of fun or an even longer stay in a refreshing, old-fashioned world of yesteryear.

Many RVers toy with the idea of visiting the Canadian Maritime Provinces, but they never seem to get around to it. I speak from experience.

One burner and one pan can add up to a colorful, multi-ingredient meal with recipes such as these.

Noodlecakes And Gravy
The best bargain in the supermarket is ramen noodle packets. Here is a way to turn them into a crusty main dish with a creamy gravy.
2 3-ounce packets of chicken- or beef-flavored ramen noodle soup mix
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 or 4 scallions, finely chopped, including the tender part of the green
2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
Vegetable oil
2 tablespoons flour
In a large microwavable container, cook the noodles in water according to package directions.

Trip planning has become much easier in recent years with so many more resources available to assist in the process. By using this wealth of information, travelers can turn a humdrum trip into an exciting adventure.

I’m a history buff. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not a history scholar.

My wife, Jeri, and I are avid sports fans, especially when it comes to Oklahoma University Sooners football. We discovered back in the early 1970s that a fun way to use our motorhome was to take it to the home games.

Thanks to a white duck we all have become familiar with, I am sure most of you can pronounce the title of this month’s commentary. Although Beverly Spurgeon, director of member services, and I plan to cover a couple of items in this month’s commentary, I wanted to start off by announcing a new partnership that has recently been formed between FMCA and American Family Life Assurance Company (AFLAC).

Dear Editor:
The Moose Chapter FMCA is a new chapter being formed at the Northwest Area Rally on June 11, 2005. You do not have to attend the area rally (held at the Linn County Fair and Expo Center in Albany, Oregon) to attend this meeting, which takes place at 2:30 p.m.

Q: I am trying to find a good product to deal with the problem of cleaning the black streaks that come down the exterior of the RV. Do you have a recommendation?
Adam Radzik, F335007
South Orange, New Jersey
A: There are numerous cleaning products available that will remove black streaks from the sides of motorhomes.

Dear RV Doctor:
My wife and I are ordering and buying a new type A motorhome — a 33-foot, gasoline-powered coach with a 7,000-watt generator and 50-amp shore power service. The unit comes with a 300-watt inverter as standard equipment.

In March 2002, the Heart of Georgia Travelers chapter held a rally at Beaver Run RV Park in Metter, Georgia. Henry and Juanita Hogan, F258257, and Hartis and Dorothy Rogers, F274094, were our hosts for the event and provided a wonderful Saturday night dinner with fried catfish, grits (several flavors), shrimp (several flavors), hush puppies, and all the trimmings.

Amidst the hills of Kentucky thrives an FMCA chapter whose name calls to mind the Bluegrass State’s equine heritage. The KY.

Balloon festivals are great events to experience the excitement of flight. What’s best is that you can get your thrills firsthand, or, for those with queasy stomachs, by watching others.

Despite their name, jackrabbits aren’t rabbits. Cottontails are rabbits.