To All The FMCA Family
Dear Editor:
It has been a hard spring for me because of my husband Bill’s death, but I am doing better. I appreciate all the letters, e-mails, phone calls, and visits from so many FMCA friends. The cards of concern and love have been a great help. FMCA has been my family for a good many years, and I hope I can continue. I hope to visit many future rallies and conventions.
My thanks and love to all.
Genny Jennings-Luckey, L26
Owosso, Michigan
More About The Missoula Floods
Dear Editor:
The article in the April 2006 issue about the Missoula Floods (“A Northwest Trail Traces Ice-Age Floods,” page 102) brought back pleasant memories of our stay as park hosts at Palouse Falls State Park in Washington a few years back that I would like to share with you.
On our first visit, we wondered what was at the end of the road as we traveled over highways amidst the golden grain fields waving as far as the eye could see, dotted with mounds of black hulks of basalt rock rising here and there. We caught a glimpse of green from 10 miles away as we approached the tree-lined park, and our fears of being stuck in a desert abated.
After researching the subject of the floods and finding that we had no printed information to give to travelers who came from the states and Europe to see this amazing area, I wrote a paper for the park to pin on the billboard.
An article in the 1995 anniversary edition of Smithsonian magazine describes in more detail the floods (which occurred more than 75 times). It also told of the work done by geologist J. Harlan Bretz through the years to finally convince his peers in 1923 of his theory of the cause and effect of this great series of events.
The FMC article does not mention that Palouse Falls looks like a giant chocolate milk shake after the loess is washed from the grain fields into the Palouse River following a heavy rain. Or the vacation weekend experienced by a group of young members of the Brethern ministry group, 40-plus strong, who work in the area during harvest time and scale the sheer walls of the upper level of the bowl (young ladies in their long print dresses and lace bonnets) without benefit of hiking paraphernalia. Nor did the article mention the train rails buried in a topless tunnel 30 feet wide and 25 feet deep, which make the ground shake as the midnight ghost freight train roars through on its nightly run.
While working at the park, my day was really made when I heard the roar of a jet fighter and looked toward the canyon bowl at eye level in time to see the cowl and tail section of a naval plane. It was so close I could see the pilot. Within seconds, another plane followed the first and I was reminded of scenes from Star Wars movies. Later I discovered the jets were on a training mission from Whidbey Island, Washington.
Thanks for shedding additional light on this almost-recent cataclysmic event of 15,000 years ago.
William L. Rank, F121628
Tucson, Arizona
Lack Of Barriers On Missouri Interstates
Dear Editor:
I want to applaud Lou Holtmann, F369233, and his leadership of Citizens for Safe Medians. As I was reading the article “The Family That Motorhomes Together, Stays Together” (April 2006, page 94) about Lou and his family, we were driving our motorhome on Interstate 44, heading from Rolla to Springfield, Missouri. As I read that “the state of Missouri found the dollars to erect barriers along Interstate 44 between St. Louis and Joplin,” I looked up to see no barriers in our section. Not a single strand from Marshfield to the turnoff onto U.S. 65 (in Springfield) on I-44.
I can only hope that the money turns into barriers sometime this year. We lost someone we knew in a crossover accident on I-44 just outside Rolla, and I would approve of these barriers being used everywhere.
Karen Dopher, F5445
Livingston, Texas
Black Streak Relief
Dear Editor:
After trying virtually every black streak remover known to man and installing a gutter system that did not work, I was ready to accept black streaks as a necessary evil in owning an RV. Then I met the RainKap representatives last summer at the Gulf Streamers annual rally in Indiana. After watching their ease of installation demonstration and listening to their explanation of how the RV owner-inventor designed RainKap to duplicate the way an umbrella sheds water, I was hooked.
The order was placed shortly after we returned home to Texas. Within a few days the RainKap system arrived and was promptly installed. Five weeks later I retrieved our RV from outside storage and (wow!) the sides of the RV looked like they did when I put it away. Obviously, the RV was dirty from being outside for five weeks, but all it needed was a good washing and it looked good as new. No rubbing, scrubbing, or waxing. For my money, RainKap is the real deal.
RainKap can be reached at RainKap Ltd., P.O. Box 12, Ravenna, OH 44266-0012; (888) 758-6066; (330) 283-0268; www.rainkap.com.
Larry Corder, F288050
Bedford, Texas
Voltage Tester Found On Internet
Dear Editor:
After seeing the “Checking For 240 Volts And Reversed Polarity” article by Bill Hendrix (April 2006, page 72), I was interested in the dual voltage tester shown in the article. I did a little search on the Internet and found the tester available at www.hardwarestore.com. It’s listed under the electrical testers as “Two Level Voltage Tester,” item number 601500. The price was $4.99 plus shipping.
I ordered two, one for myself and one for my son, who has just purchased a new fifth wheel with 50-amp service.
I hope this will be of interest to other members.
William S. Davis III, F261506
Carlsbad, California