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Is this the time of year when you traditionally travel extensively in your motorhome, or do you travel year-round? Do you follow the weather and take in the beauty of the changing seasons? In a like sense, the locations for FMCA’s international conventions are chosen in an attempt to take advantage of the climate of different parts of the country. Next month — August 15, 16, 17, and 18 — we are hoping to enjoy the days of summer by traveling to Minot, North Dakota, and I encourage you to join us at this event.
From March 20 through 23, 2006, FMCA’s 75th International Convention will be held on the grounds of Fairplex in Pomona, California.

For two weeks this past May, FMCA’s Executive Board and standing committees convened for the association’s annual spring meetings in Cincinnati. It was a busy time at national headquarters as the committees held workshops and official business meetings.
It also was a busy time at our Round Bottom Road campground, since most of our committee members come to Cincinnati for the May meetings in their motorhomes.

If you travel through the hinterlands of North America long enough, eventually you’ll stumble across a sparkling gem hidden away somewhere. We discovered Medora, North Dakota, population 100, a true diamond in the rough, entirely by accident while touring the Great Plains in our 30-foot motorhome.
Medora is in the far western part of the state, only 24 miles east of the Montana state line, off Interstate 94.

Disney parks around the world are commemorating Disneyland’s golden anniversary with special events to keep the dream of Walt Disney alive in all of us.

On July 18, 1954, an orange grove in Anaheim, California, began to undergo a transformation. By the summer of 1955, it had been replaced by an amusement park called Disneyland, complete with a jungle, a river, a castle, and a crowd of children and parents who marveled at this land of enchantment.

On May 5, 2005, The Walt Disney Company launched “The Happiest Celebration on Earth,” an 18-month global commemoration of Disneyland’s 50th anniversary, at all 11 of its theme parks around the world.

The 50th anniversary celebration will be highlighted by the premiere of new entertainment spectaculars, adventures, and attractions at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim; Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida; Japan’s Tokyo Disney Resort; and France’s Disneyland Resort Paris.

Although RVing is usually associated with adults, I have a different perspective — that of a traveling teenager. Think back to your teenage years and try to imagine spending that time in an RV, traveling the country.

Vangie Otten has coped with rheumatoid arthritis for 30 years. She’s endured 11 surgeries and continues to require various medical treatments.

Near the start of the 19th century, the Corps of Discovery, a group of men led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, set out to explore America’s newest land acquisition — the Louisiana Purchase. They departed on their journey from St.

Do you remember Green Rivers, cherry limeades, and vanilla phosphates? If the names of these old-time drinks don’t ring familiar, you may be from a younger generation that missed out on such concoctions the first time around. These drinks and many others were the favorites of soda fountain denizens 50 years ago.

Changing lanes, backing up, and performing other maneuvers in a motorhome can be challenging. Potential blind spots along both sides of the coach can make it difficult to detect obstacles, even with mirrors.

Here is a sample of a chart that we use to help us remember which items we need to put into the motorhome when we travel and which ones come out when we get home. For each item listed, we mark a single slanted line in the box when we put it into the motorhome and then complete the “X” when the item is taken out.

Frame-Rite membership plaque holdeer from PLAK-RThe Frame-Rite from PLAK-R is said to be a safe, professional way for FMCA members to mount their membership plaque to the motorhome’s ladder, while eliminating the need to use tie-wraps or drill holes in the motorhome to display the plaque.
The mounting kit comes with two ladder mount supports and a base unit into which the membership plaque fits. Installation is said to be quick and easy.

Two new editions of popular Alaska travel books were released recently, just in time for folks heading to the “Land of the Midnight Sun” this summer.
The 57th edition of The Milepost ($25.95 U.S., $34.95 Canada; Morris Communications) includes mile-by-mile highway logs for routes in Alaska, as well as the Yukon Territory, northern Alberta and British Columbia, and the western Northwest Territories of Canada.
New in the 2005 edition are special features on five geographic areas: the Kenai Peninsula; Matanuska-Susitna Valley; Copper River Valley; West Cook Inlet; and Southeastern Alaska. The book also includes historic itineraries highlighting the building of the Alaska Highway and the Yukon Gold Rush, as well as three new driving routes: the Icefields Parkway in the Canadian Rockies; British Columbia’s Sea to Sky Highway; and the Deh Cho Connection through Northwest Territories.
The 784-page guide is available at bookstores, through online booksellers, or from the publisher: visit www.milepost.com or call (800) 726-4707.
Mike and Terri Church, F284948, released the third edition of their book Traveler’s Guide To Alaskan Camping ($21.95, Rolling Homes Press), which is designed to help those planning an RV trip to Alaska.
The book, which guides travelers along the Alaska Highway from Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada, through the Yukon Territory and into Alaska, also covers the other major roads in northwestern Canada — including the Cassiar Highway and the Klondike Loop — as well as the major roads in Alaska.

Alfa See Ya Founder EditionThe Alfa See Ya Founder Edition pushes the envelope when it comes to quality and value. Especially since its price tag — approximately $165,000 — includes everything one would expect in a well-appointed, yet no-frills, motorhome.

It’s a pleasure to see deer browsing at the edge of the campground or a coyote trotting down the trail. But in truth, much of the wildlife that travelers come across are the remains of animals alongside the highway.

The idea for this column came from reading Mary Blocksma’s 1995 book, The Fourth Coast. Back in 1990 she left home and family for three months to drive and camp along the entire Great Lakes coastline — plus some additional waterways.

When you cook double batches of a meal at home and freeze some for future road trips, you save time, mess, and money. Here are some offbeat recipes that can be made in large amounts and then frozen in portions appropriate for your family.
Chicki-basa Stew
1 pound kielbasa, halved lengthwise and sliced
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, partially thawed and cut into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 large onions (2 heaping cups), diced
1 large green sweet pepper, diced
1 small red sweet pepper, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
10 cups water
1 cup flour
In a large kettle, sizzle the kielbasa and chicken in hot vegetable oil, gradually stirring in the garlic and vegetables over high heat.

For 40 years, the California chapter of FMCA has been the umbrella under which many motorhomers have gathered. At one point more than 1,500 members belonged to the chapter, but as FMCA grew, more chapters sprouted from within the California chapter and its membership decreased to a more manageable number.

Richard and Loretta Trulson, F342395, of Ardmore, Alabama, used to do much of their traveling by air. That should come as no surprise, since he is a licensed pilot and owns his own aviation company, and both of them are certified airplane mechanics.

Dear RV Doctor:
I was asked a question the other day by a fellow RVer about a 4,500-watt Onan generator. He wanted to know if I could find out what the point gap of the points on his unit should be.

Q: In the “Engine Shuts Off” inquiry that appeared in the October 2004 issue of FMC magazine (page 30), Carl Kummer, F272373, indicated he was having fuel valve shutoff problems on an 8.3-liter, 300-horsepower Cummins engine. I had the same problem on my coach and found the following.
The fuel shutoff valve has two coils: one that activates with the starter circuit to pull the valve in, and a second “holding coil” to keep the fuel shutoff valve energized while the ignition is activated.

The telephone number published for Toyo Tires in “Where The Rubber Meets The Road” (April 2005, page 64) was incorrect. The Consumer Relations phone number is (800) 442-8696; the Technical Service Center number is (888) 444-8696.

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Lack Of “Perfection”
Dear Editor:
I think the proofreaders were taking a nap when it came to page 110 in the article “Perfection In New Harmony” (May 2005).

Family Motor Coaching magazine has been an integral part of FMCA since the association began in 1963. Early on, the founders realized the association needed a magazine to share information about the increasingly popular lifestyle.

When I asked for the opportunity to write this column, my deadline was far in the future. Like everything, time passes by rather fast.

In my December 2004 “President’s Message” column I reported on FMCA’s standing committees and explained their purposes and functions. The FMCA president appoints members to two other groups that I did not mention at that time, but they are very important to FMCA and our first-class magazine, Family Motor Coaching.
The Technical Advisory Committee is a highly qualified group of individuals selected from our family membership to review technical material prior to publication in the magazine.

Directions to the North Dakota State Fairgrounds Parking for FMCA’s 74th International Convention will commence on Saturday, August 13, at 7:00 a.m. Please display your admittance card on the front windshield, lower left-hand corner of the passenger side.
The holding area will open on Friday, August 12, and is located via Burdick Expressway (Hwy.

Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park will forever stand out in my mind as the first place I saw a wolf in the wild. It easily could be the one and only time.

In September 1883 Theodore Roosevelt, a graduate of Harvard University who would go on to become the 26th president of the United States, boarded a train in New York City and traveled to a small town called Little Misery in what is now North Dakota. He had come to “bag a buffalo,” as he explained it, during a trip that historians believe lasted from September 7 to 28.
This part of the country is known as the Badlands.

FMCA members interested in helping to eliminate poverty housing firsthand can participate in an upcoming Habitat for Humanity build in Central America.
Anyone can take a vacation and come back tan and a few pounds heavier. But only special people travel to exotic places in the spirit of helping others.

The 2005 election of FMCA National Officers will be held August 15, 2005, at FMCA’s 74th International Convention in Minot, North Dakota.
This year’s Nominating Committee was elected by the Governing Board in accordance with FMCA Bylaws. Its members are Chairman Bill Walker, F56746; Bob Haught, F82522; Norman Holley, F21819; Fred Kennedy, F44281; Gary Smith, F155557.
FMCA’s Nominating Committee has submitted its slate of candidates for national office.
Although balloting is restricted to National Directors and National Officers, we invite all FMCA members to review the candidates’ resumes and to communicate their preferences to their respective National Director or Area Vice President.

When crew members building the Great Northern Railroad stopped work for the long North Dakota winter back in 1886, they set up a tent city at a place they called Minot. Like magic, the town sprang up almost overnight.

Want to stand where a record wind speed — 231 mph — was recorded in 1934? Want to view breathtaking vistas? Then hitch a ride on New Hampshire’s Mount Washington Cog Railway, one of the world’s steepest railroad tracks.
In the spring of 1858 New Hampshire legislators thought Sylvester Marsh’s request to build a cog railway to the top of 6,288-foot Mount Washington, the state’s highest peak, was a joke. “Let him build a railway to the moon!” one legislator taunted.

We’ve all heard the story about the new motorhome owner who set the cruise control and then went back to the galley to make a sandwich, believing that the cruise control would manage the coach’s direction as well as the speed.

Are you tired of replacing that expensive water pump indicator light that is visible only when you’re standing directly in front of it?
After having the third one in three years burn out in my motorhome, I went to RadioShack and found a 12-Volt, Hi-Brightness Red Lamp Assembly with Bulb (part #272-331) that came in a package of two for $2.29. The average life stated on the package is 25,000 hours.

Sitting around a bonfire with friends is one of the great attractions of motorhoming. Campers can enjoy a real campfire in a contained environment with a firepit from SOJOE, makers of rustic-looking steel firepits.
SOJOE firepits have a 3-millimeter-thick cold-rolled steel shell and come with a stainless-steel spark screen, a poker, and a cooking grate.

The American Recreation Coalition (ARC) has designated June as Great Outdoors Month throughout the United States. Great Outdoors Month, of which FMCA is a participating partner, is a month-long series of events that will include a special focus on the role of recreation as a catalyst for physical activity needed to combat obesity.

“Wow!” is usually the response one hears from folks who step inside the 36-foot-long Pace Arrow 36D for the first time. They are reacting to the 36D’s new concept in space: a full wall slideout that measures 23 feet 6 inches long and 30 inches wide and truly opens whole new vistas.

“Wow!” is usually the response one hears from folks who step inside the 36-foot-long Pace Arrow 36D for the first time. They are reacting to the 36D’s new concept in space: a full wall slideout that measures 23 feet 6 inches long and 30 inches wide and truly opens whole new vistas.

With the dog days of summer just around the corner, here are several recipes, and even entire meals, that can be made without lighting the stove. If the day turns chilly, add mugs of instant soup to the menu.

Overnight Bean Salad
Make this recipe two or three days before a potluck meal, or keep a big batch in the refrigerator to eat every day.

When the first Shakers arrived in the United States, they were officially known as the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Coming. It’s not surprising that the name Shakers became more popular.

Springtime is full of music, and humans aren’t the only ones expressing their love in song. In the bird world it’s vital to the process of finding, wooing, and winning a mate.

I hope many of you have taken advantage of one of the greatest benefits offered to FMCA members — educational seminars designed specifically for motorhome owners.
Along with Aon Recreation Insurance, C95 (formerly RV Alliance America), FMCA cosponsors the Fire & Life Safety seminar, which is presented by veteran firefighter Mac McCoy, C7648. Aon and FMCA also cosponsor the RV Safe Driving Course, a great way to sharpen your driving skills.

When the Ferrin family, A436, invited every motor coach owner they could locate in Denver, Colorado, to their home in Golden (a suburb to the west), on July 23, 1966, little did they realize what they had started.
The group gathered several months for meetings and outings and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. While at Camp Hosa, located in the foothills 30 miles west of Denver, in October 1966, the participants decided to join a new organization called the Family Motor Coach Association.

The Great Eastern Area Rally, or “GEAR” as it is known to many, had its beginnings with the first FMCA Eastern Area Rally in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in 1987. The first “Great” Eastern Area Rally (not that the previous rallies were less than great) was held in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1995.

Annoying Ammonia

Dear RV Doctor:
Being a rookie RVer, I accidentally did not have my motorhome fully leveled while camping and, therefore, I now have a leak in my RV refrigerator. I am getting that wonderful ammonia smell when the door is opened.

The address listed for Harbor Products Inc., the company that makes the Rescue Tape featured in the February 2005 “RV Products” column (page 48), was incorrect. The correct address is Harbor Products Inc., 630 S.

Family Motor Coach Association is made up of two distinct types of members. Most of us are quite familiar with family membership, since this is the category we fall into as motorhome owners.

The United States Congress is considering legislation that, if passed, may result in greater costs to motorists using the interstate highway system. A bill called the “Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users” (TEA LU), or House Resolution 3, has already passed the House of Representatives and has been sent to the Senate for concurrence.
The bill has many parts, but it’s Section 1603 that we are considering here.

FMCA’s 73rd International Convention, held March 21, 22, 23, and 24 in Perry, Georgia, is now history. This was the fourth time we have visited the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter.

The book Utopia, written by British statesman Sir Thomas More and published in 1516, described More’s idea of a perfect society. Communal living without individual possessions was the order of the day, and everyone worked for the good of mankind.

Two things can ruin an RV vacation: bringing too much stuff or not bringing enough. The problem is, until you get there, you have no idea how much “enough” is.