June 2006

Hennrietta was a houseguest in our motorhome many years ago. We found her — at least we thought it was a her — in the middle of the road next to a backcountry campground, and no matter how many times we moved her, she insisted that the road was her personal highway.

Almost before Hurricane Katrina had cleared the Southern Louisiana Gulf Coast in August 2005, leaving unimaginable devastation in its wake, the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, located in Belle Chasse, Louisiana, was in emergency operations mode. Leaders of the 4,800-acre base, located less than 10 miles south of downtown New Orleans on the west bank of the Mississippi River, had planned and prepared for hurricanes, but no one ever conceived of that much destruction.
All seemed as well as could be expected after the storm moved inland, until the protective levees were breached and the “Big Easy” and surrounding area were flooded.

You may have heard of the Shipshewana Flea Market, reportedly one of the three largest such outdoor sales in the United States (the others are in Kenton, Texas, and Webster, Florida). Located in the small northeast Indiana town of Shipshewana, the market attracts shoppers from throughout the United States and Canada, who roam among the stands of 1,100 vendors in pursuit of just about anything money can buy.
You know before you get there, because of what you’ve been told, that it’s going to be colossal.

Twice annually the Youth Center at FMCA conventions opens its doors to traveling youth between 2 and 18 years of age to enjoy outings and friendship. There are four age groups separated between TOTS, ages 2-5; TWEENS, 6-9; PRE-TEENS, 10-12; and TATS, 13-18.

“We are Family,” the hit disco tune from 1979, could well have been the theme song for FMCA’s 75th International Convention, dubbed “Celebrating Family.” Members of the Family Motor Coach Association share a special connection and sense of community, and association members gathered March 20 through 23 in Pomona, California, to celebrate those “family ties” and enjoy the makings of an event designed to celebrate the motorhome lifestyle as well. A total of 4,267 motorhomes traveled to the Golden State for this get-together.

My wife, Gail, and I were in our late 40s when we sent the youngest of our three children off to college. Even though the house would soon be empty, I knew that it might not be permanent.

It was happening right before our eyes. Our family vacation was going down the tubes.
Three tubes, in fact.

According to Coach Care business development manager Bill Gibson, more than 1.4 million motorized recreation vehicles are on the road today, and with all the troubleshooting and maintenance that statistic implies, the service industry is taxed. To help dealerships handle the growing demand for repair technicians and service bays, as well as to give RV owners a way to stay connected while they are out on the road, Coach Care’s national network of one-stop service repair centers was born.
“Let me define the term ‘one-stop,'” Mr.

We use a swim noodle placed between the slideout roof and the awning to keep the awning from flapping in the wind when the slideout is extended. Make sure that the noodle is tightly secured so it won’t blow away.

Sterling All Terrain aluminum tow barThe Sterling All Terrain from Roadmaster Inc., which is touted in company literature as the world’s strongest aluminum tow bar, now features Roadmaster’s exclusive non-binding technology. The Freedom Latch is said to release the tow bar at any angle, level, or bind the first time, every time.
The Sterling All Terrain is made of aircraft-grade aluminum and weighs just 35 pounds, but is rated to pull up to 6,000 pounds.

Mandalay Luxury Division, a division of Thor Industries, C847, has added the new Valencia to its lineup of type A diesel motorhomes for 2006. According to company officials, the Valencia has been designed for those who want the style and longevity of a diesel motorhome at a price point comparable to a luxury gas motorhome.
The Valencia is built on the Freightliner XC chassis with a 300-horsepower Cummins ISB diesel engine that provides 600 pound-feet of torque.

If you missed FMCA’s 75th International Convention in Pomona, California, held Monday, March 20, through Thursday, March 23, you missed a great celebration. The number of family coaches attending our “Celebrating Family” convention was 2,892, and we had 1,375 commercial coaches, for a total of 4,267.
Although the weather was cool and damp on the first few days, it improved each day, and the last two days were ideal.

I am happy to announce that FMCA has partnered with U.S. Bank to offer a new credit card program to the membership.

Nothing ruins a summer vacation quicker than an overheating engine. There you are behind the wheel of your weekend getaway when a quick glance at the instrument cluster shows a temperature gauge needle creeping upward.

New Mexico has so much to offer — the spectacular scenery of caves, canyons, and cinder cones, plus human history going back a thousand years. We were so fascinated by the area that one time we spent the better part of a year just exploring it.

Stake your claim
Heaven forbid that you lose your rolling home in an accident, fire, or natural disaster. You have insurance, but how can you be made whole as quickly as possible? One way is to hire your own licensed insurance claims adjuster.

When you’re boondocking by choice or stuck somewhere and unable to get to a supermarket, your pantry shelves can provide good meals galore if you have provisioned well. Keep these recipes in a separate file of menus that use shelf-stable supplies.

---

Savory Pumpkin Bread
This recipe from the book Making Quick Breads (see below) is not the sweet bread usually associated with pumpkin bread.

May 2006
What’s ailing motorhome owners these days? An outbreak of parking proposals, mainly. Among the festering issues …
Covina, California, residential parking
The Covina Planning Commission has produced several drafts of an ordinance that would restrict RV parking and storage in residential neighborhoods.
The latest proposal contains the following revisions to existing municipal code:

• No RV parking between the front lot line and the front building line of any residential lot.
  

Cotton is grown in many parts of Texas, but nowhere as much as near Lubbock, which is sometimes called “the world’s largest cotton patch.” In 2003 it was estimated that farmers in a 20-county area around the West Texas town planted 3.2 million acres of the fluffy fiber. So it was only fitting that when a chapter was formed for FMCA members in the Lubbock area, it took on a cottony name.
Marolyn Rinne, F296715, secretary and newsletter editor for the Cotton Country Travelers and wife of chapter president Al Rinne, said that Gary Simmons, F316138, a Lubbock resident, got the ball rolling for the chapter’s creation.

The Converted Coaches of the Eastern Area (CCEA) chapter of FMCA once again kicked off the New Year with its annual bus conversion rally. “Bussin’ 2006” was hosted by Jack and Paula Conrad, F72092, at Horizon Coach in Arcadia, Florida, which donated the use of its entire facility for the event.
Although the rally did not officially begin until Thursday, December 29, coaches began arriving on Monday, December 26.

Dear RV Doctor:
The city water connection on my RV is leaking, so I turned it off. After I disconnect the screws that fasten the cover plate to the outside, does the city water connection cover just pop off, or does it have to be unscrewed or something? I can’t see the housing of the inlet by removing the panel in the bathroom and need to find where the leak is originating.
Dave Terrt
Peyton, Colorado

RV Doctor: Dave, it depends on the type of plumbing line that was used for the fresh water piping system on your coach.

Q: I have a 1998 Holiday Rambler with a 275-horsepower Cummins ISB engine. I bought it used in 2003, and as far as I know, there have been no modifications.

In the April 2006 issue we reported a “Towable Correction” after a representative from American Honda Motor Company told us that none of the 2006-model Acura or Honda vehicles are approved for towing four wheels down behind a motorhome, including the Acura MDX and Honda CR-V. This was contrary to information we received earlier for the “Towables For 2006” article (January 2006, page 66).
American Honda has since clarified that the Honda CR-V is the only 2006-model Acura or Honda that can be towed four wheels down.

---

Telephone Number Correction
The April “Full Timers Primer” column (page 116) listed an incorrect area code in the phone number for Long Term Care Insurance Planners.

Tour Master Inc. — an affiliate of Gulf Stream Inc. — has drawn upon customer input to incorporate an assortment of interior living comforts and thoughtful design details into this reintroduced luxury diesel pusher.