September 2006

Dear Editor:
I read each issue cover to cover and thoroughly enjoy the articles and “Tech & Travel Tips.” In the June 2006 issue you have an article about Charlotte/Concord, North Carolina (page 84). Being a native of Charlotte, I read the article with great interest.

“You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression,” an old saw advises, and the people at Travel Supreme Inc. have taken this advice to heart.

Creative Mobile Interiors, C9705, based in Columbus, Ohio, recently finished restoring a major piece of music memorabilia when it returned the MCI tour bus that carried legend Johnny Cash and his band from 1979 to 2003 to its original condition.
The bus, known as “JC Unit 1,” was purchased by vintage coach collector Dave Wright of Pinehurst, North Carolina, in late November 2005, and he drove it directly to CMI for restoration. “I would not entrust this job to anyone else,” Mr.

R3 wireless backup camera systemRoadmaster USA Corp. has introduced the VR3 wireless backup camera system to provide drivers with an unobstructed view of the area behind their motorhome when backing.
The VR3 camera lens bolts to the vehicle’s rear license plate and has a 110-degree horizontal viewing area and an 80-degree vertical viewing area for complete coverage behind the motorhome.

Every time I remove the battery from my cell phone I break a fingernail or need to find something thin to pry it out. I now use a short length of ¼-inch ribbon that I place in the battery well before inserting the battery on top, allowing the two ends of the ribbon to extend out the sides.

America’s love for the automobile has no bounds. For more than a century it has been a national passion.

With the rising prices of fuel, food, and RV site rentals, it’s easy to find yourself arriving at a vacation destination and realizing you may not be able to do as much as you’d planned. Well, there’s good news.

Glenn Troyer said he had never worked on an RV production line when he made the bold decision to form his own fifth-wheel travel trailer manufacturing firm. With RV production expert Paul Miller, Mr.

If it seems as though FMCA’s president spends a lot of time on the road, you’re right. Much of it is for convention-related business.

In FMCA’s most recent membership survey, Family Motor Coaching magazine once again was ranked first in importance among FMCA member benefits. Recently I identified the need for FMCA members to assist in the recruitment of new members, and what better way to make that happen than by introducing nonmember motorhome owners to this valuable source of information.

Daniel Boone didn’t actually blaze the trail that bears his name; American Indians had used the trail for commerce and raids since before Christopher Columbus landed in America. Boone wasn’t even the earliest non-native American to make the trek.

Q: I’ve been a member of FMCA since the late 1960s, and this is the first time I’ve contacted “Tech Talk.” I am having a problem finding service for my Mountain Tamer, which is an exhaust brake retarder for gasoline engines. The unit was manufactured by Decelomatic Corp.

Dear RV Doctor:
Q: I have an older (1976) RV I am trying to fix up. I would like to know whether it is advisable to use 3/8-inch copper tubing for my stove/oven instead of 1/2-inch.

Try looking at an FMCA convention through a child’s eyes. Can you shop for a new motorhome? Not on your allowance.

This month the Roll-N-Wheels chapter members are celebrating the group’s 25th anniversary. It’s the largest predominantly African-American chapter of FMCA.
The Roll-N-Wheels chapter was formed from several previous camping clubs dating back to the early 1950s, Offwego and Roaming Homes.

When a hospital permits RV parking in one of its lots, a difficult medical situation becomes much easier for RVers with medical emergencies or in need of specialized treatment, especially full-timers. Here are firsthand experiences from several FMCA members.
“My husband had cardiac arrest and subsequently bypass surgery while we were on a motorhome trip in Oregon,” said Jeannie Hinton-Gregerson, F175698.

These concoctions are surefire hits for summertime ease. Get your recipe act together and take it on the road!

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Perfect Bran Muffins
Thanks to Marjorie Grubka, F283339, for this practical, delectable recipe.

On July 17, 1979, on Mount Pinos near Frazier Park, California, we stood by the side of a winding road, peering through our binoculars in total silence. What do you say when you are viewing one of the last survivors of a species, knowing that an ongoing argument would determine its continued existence or extinction?
We had been given directions to this spot from birding friends we had met the previous year, but we knew our experience was a matter of luck rather than skill.

At this time of year, many of us are traveling in climates where we depend on our RV air conditioners to keep us cool and comfortable. Several steps can be taken to determine whether an RV air conditioner is delivering the appropriate amount of cold air.