September 2007

The 2008 American Eagle motorhome, 42 feet long, 13-plus feet high, stood waiting for us, sporting an impressive new look for the 2008 model year. We were in Decatur, Indiana, home of the American Coach division of Fleetwood Enterprises, to pick up this prototype for an on-the-road review.

Legendary television host Bob Barker of “The Price Is Right,” and the Barker Beauties, arrived at the 34th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, held June 15, 2007, in a Fleetwood diesel motorhome. Stepping out of Fleetwood’s 2007 Discovery and onto the red carpet, Mr.

Silva Tech4O Handheld Outdoor Data CenterThe Silva Tech4O Handheld Outdoor Data Center from Johnson Outdoors Inc. was designed with the outdoor enthusiast in mind.
The unit features a digital compass; an altimeter with graph display; a barometer with 24-hour trend display and weather forecast; and a thermometer.

During a recent motorhome trip, we had loaded cardboard boxes into our outside storage compartment. After we arrived at our destination, I opened the storage door to find that there had been a fire.

Get ready to start using a new term — “power unit” — instead of generator or gen set when talking about a motorhome’s onboard energy provider. With the roll-out of the Hybrid Quiet Diesel (HQD), a fully automatic, two-button electrical system, Cummins Onan introduces the term.

Wrapped in romance, legends, and mystique, American lighthouses occupy breathtakingly beautiful, isolated spots. The simple white profiles and classic architecture have an almost spiritual appeal.

Every year, hundreds of people in the United States die from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, and thousands of others end up in hospital emergency rooms from breathing this noxious gas. The statistics are regrettable, as most of these incidents could be avoided.
Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that has no color, odor, or taste.

Memorial Day weekend marks the traditional beginning of the summer travel season. Most schools are out, and families are now busy enjoying summer vacations.

FMCA has made it a goal to find ways to give back to the communities the association visits for its conventions. When FMCA members depart Redmond, Oregon, following the association’s 78th International Convention this month, they will have touched lives in the community through their support of several charitable programs, which I’d like to describe.
An organization called NeighborImpact has been selected as the official charity for FMCA’s Redmond convention.

Dear Editor:
FMCA members, guests, and vendors registering for the Midwest Area “Shine On Harvest Moon” rally September 12 through 16 in Manchester, Iowa, at the Delaware County Fairgrounds, are invited to participate in the first MAC golf scramble. The scramble will be held at the beautiful Hart Ridge Golf Course, only two miles from the Delaware County Fairgrounds.
The 18-hole scramble will start at noon on September 12.

I have a 2003 Alfa See Ya diesel pusher with a 7.2-liter Caterpillar 3126 engine with 26,000 miles on it. Is there any way to test a turbocharger, or is there any kit out there to check the boost or performance? The reason I ask is that the coach seems underpowered for the first hour of driving but after that it feels better.

Dear RV Doctor:
I bought a heat strip for my Duo-Therm roof air-conditioning unit and I don’t know where to install it. I know it is the correct type for my unit, but I can’t quite figure out where it goes.
John Justice, Lake Ariel, Pennsylvania
John, first you must remove the plastic ceiling air distribution box.

The 16th Great Eastern Area Rally (GEAR) took place May 3 through 6, 2007, at Agricenter International in Memphis, Tennessee, with approximately 550 member and commercial coaches filling the grounds for the extended weekend. The “Chasin’ The Blues” rally was co-hosted by Eastern Area vice president Judy Czarsty and her husband, Steve, and Eddie and Elizabeth Baker.
Activities began on Wednesday night when members of the Frustrated Maestros Eastern Sharps and Flats performed a few songs, followed by an informal welcome by Judy Czarsty.

The Snake River is a very long body of water that flows west from Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming to join the Columbia River on its quest to the Pacific Ocean. Along the way it cuts through a good portion of southern Idaho, and winds northward to form part of the boundary between Idaho and Oregon.

Is your diesel-powered motorhome registered as an LLC, or limited liability company? If so, you might be required to possess an International Fuel Tax Agreement license or a fuel trip permit when traveling out-of-state.

Visit some of these less-publicized attractions in the nation’s capital.
Washington, D.C., is one of the few cities we go out of our way to visit. The only problem is trying to find someplace to park a large motorhome.

Find radio frequency, food safety, and data storage info via the Web; forum members provide communication, coach selection, and security advice.
When it comes to finding information quickly, a full-timer’s best friend is a computer with Internet access. Check out these Web sites the next time you’re online.
Tuning In. To find the best local radio stations no matter where you roam, go to www.radio-locator.com and enter the zip code for your current location.

See the moon in a different light during a total lunar eclipse this month.
Wolf moon, storm moon, harvest moon, hunter’s moon. The Earth’s lunar neighbor goes by many names as it crosses the sky in shades of whitish-gray.

Recipes full of freshness.
Farmer’s markets. Roadside stands spilling over with fresh produce.