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This is the final of three columns reporting the results of the full-timers survey published in the April 2004 “Full-Timer’s Primer” column. Nearly 300 replies were received, representing the opinions of approximately 600 full-timing singles, couples, and family members.

Having traveled through 49 of the 50 states, we rank the Florida Everglades among the top places for plant and animal diversity. Oddly enough, Everglades National Park has only two seasons: wet and dry.

One of the nicest things about touring caves is that you can do it in almost any season. If the weather is hot, windy, or cold outside, descend into the realm below where the temperature stays in a more moderate range.

Almost 25 years ago, an FMCA chapter was formed for owners of motor coaches built on Prevost bus shells. Today more than 900 families belong to the Prevost Prouds chapter, and it keeps growing.
The chapter members’ motorhomes all look a bit different, but that’s no matter.

When my wife, Linda, and I arrived at Three Lakes RV Resort in Hudson, Florida, in November 2003, the new corner lot we had purchased was filled with sand and weeds. Being a bricklayer by trade and having owned my own custom construction business, I decided to get busy and make our site homey.

Q: I have read in FMC about how to wire the lights on the Malibu for towing. Could you send me that info or tell me how to get reprints?
Walter Palmer, F93779
Andalusia, Alabama
A: Family Motor Coaching has not published an article recently that addresses wiring towed vehicle lights.

Dear Editor:
We recently completed a 41-day caravan tour of Alaska with Creative World Rallies and Caravans. We won the trip in a drawing during the 40th anniversary festivities at the July 2003 FMCA convention in Buffalo, New York.
It was truly the trip of a lifetime, with each day throughout the tour better than the day before.

This month I have asked Lana Makin, FMCA’s director of Administrative Services, to share information about a recent partnership FMCA has entered into with Friend Communications that will benefit not only family members but also some of our commercial members.
Looking back on the development of the Internet and Web sites, I am sure that many visionaries could see the opportunity for interaction and business transactions to occur without a single word being spoken. I, for one, waited as it developed and am still amazed at the information and data that are available at the click of a key.

As I write this article, I am also helping the FMCA committee chairs to plan their agendas for our November meetings. The Executive Board and most of FMCA’s committees meet at our Cincinnati headquarters in May and November of each year.

What do the Pygmy Forest in California, the Clifton Gorge in Ohio, and the Bigelow Preserve in Maine share in common? They are three of approximately 600 sites scattered across the United States that have been designated by the Secretary of the Interior as significant natural areas and are now looked to as National Natural Landmarks.
The designation is not new, but many travelers may not have heard of it. To warrant this status, each of the sites was deemed one of the best examples of a type of biotic community or geologic feature in its physiographic province.
Not all sites so designated are open to the public.

Interstate 10 crosses the southern section of Louisiana from east to west. Its popularity with motorhomers is obvious when one considers the number of units that travel that route.

In 2003 True West magazine named Amarillo to its list of the Fifty Most Western Towns in the United States. Encompassing everything from Western heritage, horses, and cattle to big sky and lots of land, Amarillo is a worthy recipient of this designation.
Start your visit to this city at the American Quarter Horse Heritage Center and Museum.

In 1783 it was called “The City of Peace,” and even now its location in the Berkshire region of western Massachusetts complements that description. But today it’s known as Hancock Shaker Village.

It’s an amazing sight, one that can be seen only at an American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Supercross Series race. Imagine 20 daredevils racing full-throttle around a winding dirt course laid out inside a football or baseball stadium.

To personalize our coach and add some color and character, we like having family photographs around, as well as photos that show sites we’ve visited, etc. Because the refrigerator does not have a magnetic front, we needed to use some creativity in attaching photos to it.

Splendide Premium Laundry Powder is described as America’s first laundry detergent designed primarily for combination washer-dryers and the traveling lifestyle. The powder is said to dissolve better in less water than regular detergents and to be safe for septic and gray water systems.

Tiffin Motorhomes, C1717, based in Red Bay, Alabama, announced that its top-of-the-line motorhome, the Zephyr, returns to the company’s motorhome lineup for 2005 after a two-year hiatus.
The upscale Zephyr includes new side-vision cameras and accommodations for king-size beds and full-size sofas. The 45-foot coach includes a 500-horsepower engine, quad slideouts, a 32-inch LCD TV, solid-surface countertops in the galley, and three air-conditioning units.

Eighty years ago, Eugene Prevost, a manufacturer of church furniture in Sainte Claire, Québec, Canada, built his first wooden-bodied coach and placed it on a new REO truck chassis. Seventy-nine years ago he built his second bus, and 78 years ago his third bus.

Try these delicious recipes, each with a secret shortcut or two, as you travel in your motorhome. They’ll save time and mess without letting your culinary standards slip.
Dockside Blueberry Crisp
This recipe, a freebie from the folks at Dockside Jewelers in Juneau, Alaska, celebrates blueberry season in the northernmost state, where this bursting blue fruit can be found growing in the wilderness.

High-efficiency inverters are here to stay in the RV world. They enable us to watch television, brew coffee, enjoy computing, and perform many other activities aboard our motorhomes without giving them much thought.

My wife, Becky, and I have done a lot to our motorhome over the years, but high-definition television is the most fantastic add-on. We love it!

We travel full-time (12 years now) in a 34-foot 1987 Holiday Rambler Monitor.

Emptying motorhome holding tanks can be worse than annoying. This fact became even more apparent to my husband, Art, and I last fall during our maiden trip in our first type B motorhome, a 2002 Roadtrek 190 Personal, after downsizing from a 32-foot type A coach.

In April 2004 this column contained a survey that brought in 300 replies from full-timers. Of these, approximately 15 percent of the responses came from people traveling alone; the rest were sent in by couples, plus a few trios or quartets.

The Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail only travels through Arizona and California, but it greatly influenced the early history of these two states. The trail runs from Nogales, Arizona, to San Francisco, California, following the route established by Spanish commander Juan Bautista de Anza back in 1774.

Flagtail, marsh beetle, blackcap, water torch. Visit the shoreline of most lakes, rivers, marshes, and ponds, and you’ll see areas of these grasslike plants stretching as much as 10 feet high above the water.

Occasionally a story pops up that has remained quiet for years, but by its very nature demands to be told. Such is the case with Cliff Custer, L4949, of Harrisonburg, Virginia.
To begin with, he’s 93 years old and can provide a living history for much of the 20th century.

Last year a group of FMCA members met to discuss the establishment of a new chapter for northern California. The majority of those attending were from the San Francisco Bay area — Silicon Valley and the Central Valley.

Anyone who has ever been involved in planning and executing an area rally knows that there are several required ingredients. A successful rally depends on large quantities and a careful blending of dedication, patience, flexibility, cooperation, labor, a sense of humor, and prayer.

Q: I am inquiring in regard to the “Winter Storage” letter that appeared on page 22 in the June 2004 “Technical Inquiries” column.
We are new to motorhoming and have a 33-foot 2002 Beaver Monterey. We have had numerous problems differentiating the advice from several sources in the industry in regard to winter storage.

“Beat Road Boredom With ‘The World’s Largest’…” (September 2004, page 108) noted that the world’s largest teepee was located in Malad, Idaho, and was 46 feet tall. After the article was published, Gene Hunzeker, F38199, told us that the teepee is no longer on the grounds of Red Hawk Trading (the company that made it).

An important milestone was reached in August 2004 when the total amount of money donated through FMCA’s “Round Up” program passed the $1 million mark. This month I would like to share with you the background and history behind the “Round Up” program and give you information about each of the organizations that benefit from this charitable campaign.
Approximately 17 years ago, the FMCA Executive Committee decided that FMCA should search for a worthwhile cause to sponsor.

Joining Family Motor Coach Association is probably one of the best investments you will ever make. Our independent outside auditor calculates that we furnish our family members benefits that cost the association more than $90 per family each year.

Of the many destinations in the Western United States, one location boasts approximately 1,960 miles of shoreline, 161,000 surface acres of water, and one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It’s also a national preserve.

Several fellow FMCA members have asked me to lend them some wisdom from the legal perspective. While I am not sure I have much wisdom, I certainly have about 30 years of experience — enough to have learned to do what lawyers do best: to think of what can go wrong and try to do things to avoid those nasties.

Two events prompted my wife, Nancy, and me to consider a smaller motorhome. We both turned 70, and Nancy had a serious hip problem (after six replacements) that was aggravated by climbing up the stairs in our previous type A motorhomes.
During a 26-year period, we have owned nine motorhomes; have driven more than 250,000 miles; have crossed the United State nine times; and probably lived in the various coaches the equivalent of four years.

Motorhomers who have been looking for a chance to explore the Texas coast may want to set their sights on Goose Island State Park. This 321-acre facility provides convenient access to Aransas National Wildlife Refuge and the towns of Rockport, Port Aransas, and Corpus Christi.
The park’s location makes it popular among anglers, wildlife watchers, and those who enjoy discovering interesting sights and attractions.

When planning a trip and deciding what to do with the family pet, many people follow the advice given in the famous credit card ad: “Don’t leave home without it!” In fact, according to a Purina Pet Institute survey, more than 45 percent of dog owners and 16 percent of cat owners travel with their pets. RVers are no exception, as a visit to almost any campground will confirm.
But how safe is the travel environment we provide for them? Until they get used to the RV lifestyle, pets can act differently than at home — more rambunctious, curious, or just plain anxious — and, as a result, they may find trouble in unexpected places.
To uncover potential hazards that could harm your pet, let’s tour a typical RV.

For the past 19 years, George and Lynn Hudson and Jack and Lois Abernathy, F131334, have co-owned the St. Louis RV Park, C3163.

I grip the thick bar of gold, and it’s greasy. It feels somewhat smooth but is irregular and slightly misshapen — no doubt from old casting methods, if not from its three-century soak in salt water.

FMCA’s Executive Board is made up of the national president, senior vice president, secretary, and treasurer, along with the 10 area vice presidents. FMCA members were able to learn more about the four nationally elected officers when their resumes were published in the June 2004 issue prior to the election at FMCA’s 72nd International Convention in Redmond, Oregon.

Owned and operated by the Mitchell family, Parliament Coach Corporation offers its clients the benefits of more than 30 years of experience in designing, building, and marketing custom coach conversions.
In the early 1970s Harvey and Pat Mitchell began marketing high-line motorhomes under the Mitchell Motor Coach Sales company name. In 1990 they branched out into manufacturing high-line motor coaches after purchasing Vogue.

The United States has a fantastic array of museums that chronicle the history, grim sacrifice, and heroic exploits of its military in armed conflicts. Some focus on a particular military branch; others on a major war, a memorable battle, a particular general, or the hard-fought victories of a specific service unit.
Here’s a sampling of military museums in the eastern part of the United States.

Motorhomes have changed the way millions of people travel, but to those who have a physical disability, the motorhome is nothing short of a freedom machine.
Travel in specially equipped motorhomes has opened a new world to the physically challenged. These vehicles have made it possible for them to travel in comfort and with dignity.

To keep dirt and grime out of the pin holes where my Blue Ox tow bar attaches to the towed vehicle, I came up with this idea. Cut a piece of 1-inch-diameter PVC pipe to the length of the pin hole, and then bevel it down to fit into the hole.

M.M. Newman Corporation offers a full line of spirally cut, expandable cable wrap.

Four Winds International, C7457, a division of Thor Industries, has introduced the 38-foot quad-slideout Infinity type A motorhome. The quad-slide design dramatically expands space in the main living area, bedroom, and bathroom, and enhances the bath area with two entry doors — one from the hallway and one from the bedroom.
The new Infinity is built on the Workhorse gas chassis with a 24,000-pound gross vehicle weight rating.

The wave graphic emblazoned on the side of this elegant motorhome reveals its identity: Tsunami. The Japanese word for “tidal wave” also refers to a stunning diesel pusher produced by Forest River Inc.
The Tsunami is Forest River’s first high-end type A diesel motorhome, which was introduced to the RV market for the 2002 model year.

Here is quite a collection of tips for the traveler, gathered from a variety of sources. We hope they come in handy.

RVers who own a motorhome with a booth-type dinette can fabricate a table leaf to provide additional room when four people are seated for a meal, or to accommodate six people at the table by using two folding chairs. I made this improvement to both my current motorhome and my previous coach, each time using the kitchen sink cutout from a piece of laminated countertop for the leaf.

The word “turkey” is often used to describe a stupid, foolish, or inept person. Ben Franklin, however, admired North America’s native turkeys greatly.