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Olympia, Washington, is not as well known as Seattle, but it has come a long way since the first settlers arrived there. The town, which wraps around Budd Inlet at the south end of Puget Sound, was called Smithfield back in the 1840s.

We could never figure out a good place to keep our toothbrushes when traveling in our motorhome. We were in a home-improvement store one day and found some wire guides with adhesive tape on the back.

Spec Tools’ Twin-Action Box WrenchSpec Tools’ Twin-Action Box Wrench is designed to work where other wrenches can’t, thanks to its squeeze-handle turning action, which eliminates the need for swing room when working in tight places. Using a patented, reversible mechanism, the wrench turns 45 degrees with each squeeze of the nonslip, rubber-gripped handle.
The tool also works as a conventional box wrench and as a box ratchet, making it possible to access nuts on long bolts that even the deepest sockets can’t reach.
The Twin-Action Box Wrench comes with 10 metric/SAE inserts; three low-profile metric/SAE sockets; four screwdriver bits (two slotted and two Phillips); and a 3/8-inch adapter that fits any 3/8-inch socket, extension, or adapter.

Gulf Stream Coach Inc., C2697, based in Nappanee, Indiana, has added another floor plan to its lineup of luxury motorhomes. The 2006 Friendship G7 8387 is a 38-foot, triple-slideout coach built on a Freightliner chassis that comes standard with a 350-horsepower Caterpillar engine, a six-speed Allison transmission, and a full air-ride suspension.

When a 2005 Mandalay arrived on the West Coast this past November, I jumped at the chance to take my turn behind the wheel of this luxurious, diesel-powered motorhome. For a week, the 41-foot coach — model 40B — took me across a broad range of driving scenarios and Southern California landscapes.

Stew is a wonderful word that summons memories of grandmother’s kitchen and the taste of slow-cooked meals steeped in delightful flavors. Whether you speed up the cooking process in a pressure cooker, slow it down in a crock pot, or simmer everything on the stove until you can stick a fork in it, here are some easy, one-pot meals to try on your next trip.
Chicken Stew
This recipe feeds four but it easily can be multiplied or divided to feed one, two, or a crowd.

The Underground Railroad refers to the efforts of free citizens to aid individuals, and sometimes families, in escaping from slavery prior to and during the Civil War. The “railroad” provided an opportunity for sympathetic white Americans to play a role in resisting slavery and in providing freedom for all.
In August of 2004, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center opened in Cincinnati, Ohio, to help educate people about this incredible operation.

Barrier islands are found on coastlines all over the world. In the United States, you won’t see them along the rocky coast of the Pacific Ocean, but they’re very common along the Atlantic coastline from New England down to the southern tip of Florida, and along the shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico.
Why barrier islands — also known as barrier spits — exist is still debatable, but the general agreement seems to be that they were formed approximately 18,000 years ago at the end of the last Ice Age.

During the summer of 1967 five couples with motor coaches gathered on weekends to camp at the lakes in Kansas. They decided to form a club and invited others to join.

“Participate, volunteer — and have fun!” was the challenge issued by charter member John R. Kelley, L6562, to fellow chapter members and guests attending the Heartland Travelers’ 15th anniversary rally October 15, 16, and 17, 2004, at Walnut Creek Lake and Recreation Area near Omaha, Nebraska.

Q: In the July 2004 issue of FMC in the “Cummins: Built-In Confidence” story (page 73) it is stated that the oil change interval is “15,000 miles or one year.” I hope you are right, but my Cummins operation and maintenance manual (pages 2 through 8) calls for the oil and filters to be changed every 6,000 miles or six months for my 500-horsepower ISM engine. Cummins’ policy will make me think hard before buying another one.

The “Fuel Price Survey” in the January 2005 issue (page 64) listed the tax for diesel fuel in Oregon as .001. The correct tax should be .240.

FMCA is continually striving to encourage and entice its members to join a chapter. It is frequently said that the true enjoyment of FMCA is experienced through chapter membership.
I have often compared FMCA chapter membership with belonging to a family, and chapter rallies to family reunions.

The Governing Board of the Family Motor Coach Association recently passed several bylaws amendments. Changes to Article VIII of the FMCA Bylaws specifically impact Executive Board member term lengths.
The Executive Board consists of the national president, senior vice president, secretary, treasurer, and the 10 area vice presidents, as well as the immediate past president.

I could hear the boom of thunder off in the distance as my wife, Teri, shook my shoulder. “Honey, wake up!” she whispered tersely.

Islands, islands everywhere. The East Coast of the United States has a bounty of small islands waiting to be explored.

Ask most Americans if they have ever been to Jacksonville, Florida, and they are likely to respond, “Well, I’ve driven through it.” Perhaps that perception will change as the city hosts the National Football League’s Super Bowl XXXIX on February 6. More people will undoubtedly discover that Jacksonville deserves to be recognized as a destination in its own right.
Jacksonville covers 759 square miles in northeast Florida.

In our travels we often encounter fellow RVers who pine for a new motorhome, with dreams of varying features not present in their existing traveling abodes.
Mine is a case in point. Fifteen years ago I purchased a 1972 Newell motorhome whose size and basic layout satisfied our needs.

When you own a company that builds fine log homes, you must have skilled craftsmen in your employ. And if you also own a motor coach, it makes perfect sense to have those craftsmen customize it in a like manner.

The flags of eight different countries have been raised over Amelia Island, Florida — quite a claim for such a pint-sized place. Like real estate anywhere, the quest for ownership has to do with three words: location, location, location.
The island is slightly more than 13 miles long and sits off the northeastern top of the Florida peninsula, near Jacksonville.

A few miles north of Atlanta, Georgia, lies the gateway to the North Georgia mountains and all the possibilities they hold: Lake Sidney Lanier. Lake Lanier is an excellent base from which to discover the outdoor recreation options, the shopping, and the history of the area.

As the sun set on Cincinnati, Ohio, three hours before the Bengals and Denver Broncos kicked off their “Monday Night Football” contest, Joe Cahn, F202477, was primed for action. As he made his way through the parking lots around Paul Brown Stadium, shouts of “Hey Joe, where you been?” and “Joe, over here!” guided him into groups of orange-clad fans, all his newest best friends.

Our reclining chair has a circular steel base, so we cut a piece of plywood to fit onto the base and serve as a shelf. The dog’s comb, several rags, a brush, and outdoor shoes can be stored out of sight.

To help RVers keep track of their expenses while on the road, Sad Seagull Enterprises has developed TravelTrak. According to product literature, the computer software program — which is designed to be used on personal computers using any Microsoft Windows operating system — allows users to maintain an organized collection of costs, activities, and contacts related to their travel.
The program features modules for calculating fuel mileage and fuel costs for both the motorhome and towed vehicle; maintenance costs for both vehicles; and daily expenses.

Damon Motor Coach, C4690, based in Elkhart, Indiana, has unveiled its all-new 2005 Astoria and Tuscany diesel pushers.
According to Dave Miller, Damon vice president of diesel sales and product development, the production of the Astoria and Tuscany are the result of Damon’s return to the “Value by Design” philosophy, a longtime theme for the company.
The 2005 Astoria features the ultimate option package — the Waldorf Edition — an upgrade that bundles numerous popular options in one package. Included in the Astoria Waldorf Edition are full-body paint, an upgraded furniture package, a home theater system with surround-sound stereo, and ceramic tile in the entry and kitchen/bath areas.
The Astoria also features a Freightliner XC raised-rail chassis, a 300-horsepower Cummins engine, full air brakes, a 100-gallon fuel tank, and up to two slideouts.

High, wide, and handsome, the Cruise Master Luxura flows down the highway like a schooner on the high seas. In fact, during our first campground visit while testing the coach this past summer, my wife and I drove up a narrow pathway between closely packed campsites, where I noticed a young boy eyeing us.

We had no idea how many good uses there are for cornstarch until we began to do research for this column. One thing is certain: it won’t take us five years to use a box of it anymore.
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