January 2009

Exotic non-native plants occur on 2.6 million acres of U.S. national parks.

Skillet skills are alive and well at Silver Dollar City, a theme park in Branson, Missouri, where the new Culinary & Craft School offers cooking classes.

Whether they gave the nod to John McCain, Barack Obama, or another candidate, FMCA members Ron and Leone Teel, F242034, finally had the right to vote returned to them in time for the November 2008 presidential election.

Unusual GMC

Dear Editor:
I enjoyed the GMC motorhome article by Jim and Audree Rowe in the October 2008 issue (“The GMC Motorhome: Still Cruising After All These Years”).

Newmar Corporation has announced NHTSA recall 08V443000, which affects some 2008 and 2009 Ventana diesel-pusher motorhomes manufactured between June 2007 and August 2008. The potential number of coaches involved is 148.

Do you have a humorous license plate for your motorhome or towed vehicle?

Beginning on Monday, September 22, 2008, the banks of the Arkansas River in North Little Rock, Arkansas, temporarily became the most populated campground in the state as more than 900 motorhomes began assembling for the “Rally at the Rock,” the Six-State Rally Association’s 35th anniversary gathering.

Making The Sleeper Sofa

The couch in our living area converts to a bed with an air mattress. I have to crawl over the mattress to the other side to put on the mattress pad, sheet, etc. Not an easy task.

Skimpy Molding

Dear RV Doctor:
One of the most troublesome things I have found to maintain are the exterior moldings that are used to seal the seams along the edges of the motorhome siding.

During the past several years, Chariot Vans Inc., dba Chariot, has embarked on a carefully planned journey into the RV market. Seeking its own market niche, this manufacturer has committed to producing high-end luxury motor coaches and garage coaches using Freightliner Class 8 truck chassis.

In May 2000, while widening a road, a Tennessee highway crew hit pay dirt. The ground they turned over had a peculiarly dark color the men had never seen before. Scientists were called in, and what they uncovered was so important the highway crew did not dig there again.

The following is a directory of public sanitation facilities, or dump stations, located throughout the United States. Dump stations at privately operated campgrounds are not included. Check your favorite campground directory for details about those facilities.

Boost your brainpower and overall health by partaking in time-honored activities.

With new-generation digital and automatic single-lens-reflex (SLR) cameras now widely available, nearly anyone can capture technically correct images. But composing an eye-appealing image is entirely different.

Damon Motor Coach rocked the RV world with the introduction of the Avanti, a 31-foot motorhome touted as the industry’s most fuel-efficient “clean” diesel Type A.

The motorhome industry has gone through downturns before, and although it may take a fair amount of time, the industry will rebound as it has in the past.

“Stoppin’ Spots” is an invaluable listing of FMCA members who offer assistance and hospitality to fellow members who are on the road in their areas. The “Stoppin’ Spots” directory is included in the January 2009 issue of Family Motor Coaching magazine and is available at FMCA.com.

Bad Batteries?

I have a 1995 36-foot Dutch Star on a Spartan chassis with a Cummins diesel engine and an Allison transmission. We have had to replace all four batteries (house and chassis) within the last week and are now replacing the alternator.

Reviewing your insurance needs, finding a new job, managing your medical care, and more.