June 2005

The book Utopia, written by British statesman Sir Thomas More and published in 1516, described More’s idea of a perfect society. Communal living without individual possessions was the order of the day, and everyone worked for the good of mankind.

Clients of Royale Coach by Monaco include celebrities such as Dolly Parton, and owners who are not as renowned but nevertheless appreciate fine luxury coaches. A long list of successful people own these coach conversions, which have price tags that can reach above $1 million.

The fifth edition of the Big Rigs Best Bets campground directory is now available to assist motorhomers who travel in coaches that are 35 to 45 feet in length. The new edition covers all 48 states in the continental United States and lists more than 900 campgrounds that can accommodate large motorhomes.
The directory provides detailed information about each park listed, including recommendations for specific sites; whether the sites are pull-through or back-in; utilities available (electrical amperage and sewer); approximate length of the sites; directions; telephone numbers and Web site addresses; and more.
Besides the addition of nine more states and roughly 100 more campgrounds to this edition, readers also will find a new Wi-Fi section.

XPower Powerpack 400R portable power sourceThe XPower Powerpack 400R from Xantrex Technology Inc. is a seven-in-one power unit that is said to be ideal for those who need portable or backup power.
The unit, which is approximately the same size as a small boom box, provides 115-volt-AC or 12-volt-DC power that can be used to operate or recharge numerous electrical devices.

If you’ve grown tired of hearing “Shut the slide on the screen door” every time you move it to access the door handle, here’s a solution I came up with so I never have to move the slide again.
First, take a plastic coat hanger and cut off the straight section at the bottom. Discard the rest.

With the emergence of production-built motorhomes (circa 1962), the need for refrigerant-based cooling systems for these new vehicles became apparent. Roger Aldrich, engineering manager at Dometic Corporation, explained that RV air-conditioner technology originally was borrowed from the residential and commercial industry.

A genuine Southern welcome was extended to thousands of motorhomers who sojourned in Perry, Georgia, for FMCA’s “America On The Move” convention Monday, March 21, through Thursday, March 24. This grand gathering — the association’s 73rd International Convention — took place at the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter, which hosted previous FMCA conventions in 1996, 1999, and 2002.

What do you do when your town is about to die? In the 1980s, the people who call Deadwood, South Dakota, home were nearly faced with that possibility. The smaller gold mines had all closed, and even the mighty Homestake Mine (where the Hearst family fortune had its genesis) was in trouble.

You can see the snowcapped mountains for miles as you head southeast on Oregon’s State Route 82. By the time you reach the end of the road and catch your first glimpse of the sapphire-blue jewel named Wallowa Lake, you begin to understand why the Nez Perce Indians loved this area.

A windshield with a surface that has been sealed with Diamon-Fusion’s bonding agent is said to be up to 10 times stronger than standard windshield glass and to shrug off most road debris without a visible injury. Rain, snow, and splashed water reportedly slough off without impairing a driver’s vision, and dead insects can be cleaned from the surface with less effort.
How is this accomplished? I could go into a long-winded discussion about contact angles, surface tension, topography, and polarity, but I’d rather keep it in terms most of us understand.

Think of Colorado, and snowy ski resorts spring to mind. However, in contrast, the southeast corner of the state is flat, flanked by the front range of the Rocky Mountains.

Two things can ruin an RV vacation: bringing too much stuff or not bringing enough. The problem is, until you get there, you have no idea how much “enough” is.

With the dog days of summer just around the corner, here are several recipes, and even entire meals, that can be made without lighting the stove. If the day turns chilly, add mugs of instant soup to the menu.

Overnight Bean Salad
Make this recipe two or three days before a potluck meal, or keep a big batch in the refrigerator to eat every day.

FMCA’s 73rd International Convention, held March 21, 22, 23, and 24 in Perry, Georgia, is now history. This was the fourth time we have visited the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter.

The United States Congress is considering legislation that, if passed, may result in greater costs to motorists using the interstate highway system. A bill called the “Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users” (TEA LU), or House Resolution 3, has already passed the House of Representatives and has been sent to the Senate for concurrence.
The bill has many parts, but it’s Section 1603 that we are considering here.

Family Motor Coach Association is made up of two distinct types of members. Most of us are quite familiar with family membership, since this is the category we fall into as motorhome owners.

The address listed for Harbor Products Inc., the company that makes the Rescue Tape featured in the February 2005 “RV Products” column (page 48), was incorrect. The correct address is Harbor Products Inc., 630 S.

Annoying Ammonia

Dear RV Doctor:
Being a rookie RVer, I accidentally did not have my motorhome fully leveled while camping and, therefore, I now have a leak in my RV refrigerator. I am getting that wonderful ammonia smell when the door is opened.

The Great Eastern Area Rally, or “GEAR” as it is known to many, had its beginnings with the first FMCA Eastern Area Rally in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in 1987. The first “Great” Eastern Area Rally (not that the previous rallies were less than great) was held in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1995.

When the Ferrin family, A436, invited every motor coach owner they could locate in Denver, Colorado, to their home in Golden (a suburb to the west), on July 23, 1966, little did they realize what they had started.
The group gathered several months for meetings and outings and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. While at Camp Hosa, located in the foothills 30 miles west of Denver, in October 1966, the participants decided to join a new organization called the Family Motor Coach Association.

I hope many of you have taken advantage of one of the greatest benefits offered to FMCA members — educational seminars designed specifically for motorhome owners.
Along with Aon Recreation Insurance, C95 (formerly RV Alliance America), FMCA cosponsors the Fire & Life Safety seminar, which is presented by veteran firefighter Mac McCoy, C7648. Aon and FMCA also cosponsor the RV Safe Driving Course, a great way to sharpen your driving skills.

Springtime is full of music, and humans aren’t the only ones expressing their love in song. In the bird world it’s vital to the process of finding, wooing, and winning a mate.

When the first Shakers arrived in the United States, they were officially known as the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Coming. It’s not surprising that the name Shakers became more popular.