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The Family Motor Coach Association is 39 years old this year. Our member-owned organization has grown to include more than 123,000 active member families.

Members of the Commercial Council of FMCA come from various sectors of the motorhome industry. The council has members who represent motorhome manufacturers, custom coach conversion companies, component manufacturers, bus shell manufacturers, motorhome dealers, chassis builders, suppliers, and campgrounds.
Last year the Commercial Council created a special subcommittee to develop ideas to try to find out how FMCA member families feel about their motorhomes.

Last fall, we embarked on an incredible journey “Down Under” — a five-week tour coordinated by Bill LaGrange’s Creative World Rallies and Caravans, C1350. Readers may recall our story in last month’s issue of Family Motor Coaching, which told of our adventures in Australia.

Most of Kansas’ original frontier citadels now are abandoned. No infantrymen or dragoons (mounted soldiers) are garrisoned at Fort Scott, for instance, a fortress located in the southeastern part of the state.

The Kansas state song is “Home On The Range,” and FMCA members soon will be turning their moving homes toward Hutchinson, Kansas, to enjoy the association’s Motor “Home On The Range” extravaganza October 1, 2, and 3. These intrepid roamers will be able to identify with the settlers and cowboys who moved from town to town across Kansas.
Kansas is known as one of the biggest producers of grain in the United States; as a place where gunfighters once dueled in the middle of dusty streets; and as a land graced with sunflower fields and beautiful prairie sunsets.

If you receive correspondence in cardboard Priority Mail boxes, don’t just throw them away. Keep them to use as file holders.

When I was growing up, one of the favorite pickup lines of the day was, “Where have you been all my life?” That old line came to mind recently after I had the opportunity to test a new type of radio service that promised crystal-clear sound quality anywhere in the contiguous United States. After giving this new technology a try, I found myself asking: “XM Satellite Radio, where have you been all my life?”
Imagine having 100 channels of your favorite music, sports programs, talk shows, and news at the touch of a button anywhere you happen to be in the contiguous United States.

In 2002 Monaco Coach Corporation designed the diesel-powered Cayman type A motorhome to bridge the price gap between gasoline-powered and diesel-powered coaches. Today, with a manufacturer’s base suggested retail price beginning at approximately $113,000 (for the 30-foot model), the Cayman makes stepping into the realm of diesel-pusher ownership a distinct possibility for many motorhome enthusiasts.

Product information from Advanced Air Systems states: “Vehicle handling, load capacity, mileage, and tread life can be seriously compromised if tire pressure is allowed to drop below recommended levels.” The Powershot ERS portable air inflation system promises to make this important part of coach maintenance a little easier, even when traveling in areas with service stations that lack adequate air compressors, air chucks, and access for large RVs.
The Powershot ERS system includes a lightweight aluminum carbon dioxide bottle equipped with an aluminum handle and a special Powershot Superflow 150-psi regulator. A 20-foot coiled hose connects the regulator to a trucker-style twin-head air chuck and gauge combination that is designed to reach recessed valve stems on dual wheels.

Coachmen Recreational Vehicle Company, C328, of Middlebury, Indiana, is helping travel expert Steve Zikman promote his new book,  Chicken Soup For The Traveler’s Soul ($12.95, Health Communications) with the use of a specially painted 2002 Coachmen Cross Country motorhome. Other corporate sponsors include Ford Motor Company and Cracker Barrel.
The 36-foot diesel-powered Cross Country Mr.

The word “buffalo” may be a familiar name used to describe North America’s largest land mammal, but it isn’t entirely accurate. In truth, the animal that is forever tied to the American Indian and the Wild West and appeared on the tail side of the Indian Head nickel is the bison.

If you are very tall or have arthritis or other problems with your knees, hips, or back, you may have found that the typical RV toilet’s height is just a bit too low to be comfortable.

The RV industry has been very responsive in recognizing the special needs of people with problems such as these. Among the solutions are high-rise toilets, seats that are a few inches thicker than normal, spacers that fit between the toilet and the floor, and toilets mounted on raised platforms.

Without great skill or cunning, I (Kaye) renewed contact with my least favorite plant — poison oak. But this time I learned something new: The plant doesn’t even need to have its leaves to harm me.

If bread is the staff of life, then quick breads are essential to life on wheels. Making breads with yeast is a multi-step process that takes hours.

My wife, Jeri, and I are celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary this month. Having heard the story about how we met, our national president, Jeff Jefcoat, F118344, likes to tell it to others.

A new committee was born soon after Jeff Jefcoat, F118344, was elected FMCA national president last year: the Member Recruitment Committee. This 13-member committee was organized to further Jeff’s goal of increasing the membership of Family Motor Coach Association.

The 14th annual FMCA Western Area rally was held January 9 through 13, 2002, at the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival in Indio, California. Indio is located in the temperate Coachella Valley where busy Interstate 10 and State Route 86 intersect.

Q: I’m concerned about the oil consumption of my Ford 6.8-liter V-10 engine. Since day one it has consumed a lot of oil.

Motorhome owners automatically receive many benefits when they join FMCA. This month I want to focus on two insurance-related member benefits, because I am concerned that many members may not be aware of them.
The first benefit I want to highlight is MEDEX Plus, the emergency medical assistance program.

Traveling around the country in a motorhome is an exhilarating experience. But my wife, Ida, and I have found another way to bring satisfaction into our lives, while at the same time possibly saving another person’s life.

Bob Dylan's protest anthem of the 1960s, "The Times, They Are A-Changin'," was embraced by young listeners of that generation as a call to action. Fleetwood RV has endeavored to bring that mode of thinking to the RV world with its Nex-Gen ASV type A motorhome.

Before and during FMCA’s 2001 summer convention in Redmond, Oregon, people would ask us what we would be doing with our free time once Charlie’s tenure as FMCA national president was completed. Fortunately, we had an immediate answer.

Although you may see shorter routes to the fairgrounds, the routes outlined here have been coordinated with local police to provide for the safety of convention attendees and to minimize traffic tie-ups as much as possible. Your cooperation is very important and is appreciated by everyone.
Following are directions to the Holding Area located at the intersection of Airport Road and 4th Avenue.

Holding Area

From the South: Travel north on K-96.

This is the 12th in a series of articles written by motorhome manufacturers that address the subject of quality control. Recently, FMCA commercial members involved in the production of type A, type B, and type C motorhomes were invited to describe the quality-control strategies they have in place at their manufacturing facilities.
Every step leading up to the completion of a luxurious Blue Bird Wanderlodge motorhome is vital.

Living in the country has its advantages and disadvantages. On the upside, we enjoy clean air, quiet nights, and star-filled skies.
On the downside, mice can be a big nuisance.

The 2002 election of FMCA National Officers will be held September 29 & 30, 2002, at FMCA’s 68th Premier International Motorhome Extravaganza in Hutchinson, Kansas.
This year’s Nominating Committee was elected by the Governing Board in accordance with FMCA Bylaws. Its members are Chairman Kent Jacobs, F97114; Manuel Canales, F59832; Dave McFadden, F74806; Gerald Parker, F36980; and Richard Wright, F42952.
FMCA’s Nominating Committee has submitted its slate of candidates recommended for national office for the 2002-2003 term.
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.

Lily did not want to go on the motorhome trip.
“I want to stay home and be with my friends!” She folded her arms and pouted. She had just gotten out of school for the summer.

Imagine Kansas and you may think of rolling plains, vast oceans of wheat waving in the breeze, and perhaps Dorothy, Toto, and Auntie Em. But a space museum? Indeed, this is not just any space museum, but one of world-class quality and, in many respects, unlike any other.
The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchinson is a 105,000-square-foot facility that is crammed with one-of-a-kind space and flight artifacts.

Hutchinson, a central Kansas town with 43,000 residents, will see a temporary increase in its population when thousands of motorhomers arrive at the Kansas State Fairgrounds to participate in FMCA’s Motor “Home” On The Range convention —the association’s 68th Premier International Motorhome Extravaganza —on October 1, 2, and 3.
But having company is not unusual for Hutchinson. Like good neighbors whose doors are always open, residents of this town are familiar with making guests feel at home.

Here’s a fast and simple way we found to check in at campgrounds. We printed campground registration cards, and instead of filling out the registration by hand, we simply staple one of these cards to the campground’s registration form.

One of the toughest aspects about becoming a full-timer is parting with the goods and possessions in your home. These are the things that you used and needed for years.

Dear Editor:
I am associated with the United States Forest Service in Jackson, Wyoming, in the Bridger Teton National Forest. We will be rehabbing an old log cabin guard station this summer and are seeking volunteers with construction skills.

Sometimes we try to take shortcuts and they do not always work out as planned. In October 2001, I did just that.
We were home for a brief period, and I needed to mow the pasture in preparation for winter.

Using the Internet on a day-to-day basis has become second nature for many of us. Being online is almost as common as watching television.

When we pulled into a campground on the first night of our test of the Grand Sport motorhome by Dynamax Corporation, we weren’t prepared for our new celebrity status. Other RVers came to see us simply to look and ask questions.

Xantrex Technology Inc. offers Jazz 150, Jazz 300, and Jazz 500 power inverters that convert 12-volt direct current (DC) electricity from a vehicle battery into alternating current (AC).

National Park Service Camping Guide ($12.95, Roundabout Publications), by William C. Herow, provides information for all 118 National Park Service areas that offer camping.

Most plants make their own food from sunlight and carbon dioxide, but a few do it in other ways. They may parasitize other plants or dine on decaying plant and animal material found in the soil; some use a combination of both methods.

As full-timers, you can always get away from noisy neighbors simply by starting up the coach engine and driving someplace else. But it’s just about impossible anymore to outrun deception, quasi-legal hassles, and outright crime.

The United States National Park Service manages 384 areas, including national parks, memorials, historic sites, and reserves. With so many areas in the system, it’s no surprise that some remain relatively unknown.

How long does it take to cook a 3-minute egg? The answer to that and many other simple cooking-related cooking questions can be found in The Absolute Beginner’s Cookbook, Revised 3rd Edition ($14.95, Prima Publishing) by Jackie Eddy and Eleanor Clark. If you suddenly find yourself solo in the galley and haven’t a clue, this is the book for you.

Last summer my wife and I attended a rather unusual christening. This baby was more than 500 feet long and weighed approximately 9,000 tons.

Q: I have a 2002 Tiffin Zephyr motor coach. I am looking for a supplier that sells an electrical monitoring system that will automatically start my generator when the house battery voltage reaches a preset or low-voltage level.

It was recently brought to our attention by a transmission engineer at Volvo Cars of North America that Volvo vehicles cannot be flat towed. This is contrary to information previously provided by the company and listed in the “Towables For 2002” article published in the March 2002 issue of FMC.

FMCAStore.com is a convenient way to buy FMCA logo apparel for men and women, and FMCA accessories.
After you make a series of mouse clicks and keyboard entries, items purchased at FMCAStore.com arrive at your door in approximately seven to 10 days — if you use standard United Parcel Service (UPS) delivery.
FMCAStore.com never closes, so you can place an order any time of day. Other advantages include no checkout lines; no bags to store in your motorhome; no shopping carts to push around; and great-looking merchandise for year-round comfort.
Come inside. FMCAStore.com consists of two main areas: one area for shopping and a secure area for checking out.
All customers automatically receive a virtual shopping cart as they enter the store.

From a personal perspective, the most interesting and applicable seminar I have attended at an FMCA convention or rally was offered in 1995 at the first Great Eastern Area Rally (GEAR) in Nashville, Tennessee.
The subject of the seminar was highway safety, and the presenter had driven commercial buses for more than 20 years. He spoke with a great deal of experience and authority.

Several articles about Habitat for Humanity International have been published in recent issues of this magazine. This month I want to talk about the experience that Jean and I enjoyed with fellow members of the FMCA Chapter: Habitat for Humanity®.
The FMCA Chapter: Habitat for Humanity is made up of FMCA members who are interested in helping Habitat for Humanity International, a non-profit organization that works to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness worldwide.

It has become an FMCA convention tradition to adopt a charity with the idea of leaving something behind in the local communities FMCA visits. Since the international headquarters of Habitat for Humanity International is located in Americus, Georgia, only a few miles from the convention site in Perry, it seemed fitting that this non-profit organization devoted to eliminating poverty housing be recognized with that distinction for the recent “Southern Sensation” convention.
Members of the FMCA Chapter: Habitat for Humanity® coordinated a variety of Habitat-related activities throughout the Perry convention.

“Welcome home, FMCA” read the sign at the entrance to the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter in mid-March. That sign embodied the welcome that FMCA members who attended the “Southern Sensation” convention in Perry, Georgia, March 19, 20, and 21 received from the fairgrounds staff and from city officials and local residents.

Hyder, Alaska, may be one of the few places in the United States where nature still rules. It is a place to wake in the morning and breathe pristine pine mountain air, and at the same instant see bald eagles soar through a misty sky.