admin

Earlier this year I read an article by Jay Hesse, owner and president of Blue Ox, C2903, in an RV trade magazine. The article touched on the topics of quality control and customer care.

The American Indians called the place Stjukshon — “springs at the foot of the black hill.” The word sounded like “Tucson,” and thus became the name of the Arizona city that grew there.
Tucson resides in a high desert valley at an elevation of 2,584 feet above sea level. Yet it once was the floor of an ancient inland sea.

It doesn’t take much prodding to get Bill Connor, F231330, to talk about Angel Bus, the nonprofit organization that provides non-emergency ground transportation to children in need of medical care. In fact, judging by his enthusiasm, you might think that when he founded Angel Bus a little more than two years ago, it was the culmination of a lifelong dream.

Is it possible for an avid hiker and a non-hiker to travel successfully in an RV? I have learned the answer to that question, but it has not been easy.
My husband, Ival, is lean and mean. He is physically fit and loves to hike and take part in other types of physical activity.

This is the 11th 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.

On many motorhomes, the TV antenna is mounted on the roof near the front of the vehicle. This can cause the leading “wing” of the antenna to be bent upward from its lowered position when the coach is being driven in certain wind conditions.
On a recent trip, after experiencing some rather brisk side and frontal winds, we discovered the leading wing of our TV antenna bent straight up.

We have been RVing full-time for seven years. We also vacationed in RVs during the seven years prior to becoming full-timers.

Travelers can experience the thrill of a big game expedition right in the heart of northern Nevada. Pull off Interstate 80 and stop in the small town of Elko, which is home to the Northeastern Nevada Museum and the threshold to Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
The Northeastern Nevada Museum is situated in Elko’s City Park, which offers ample free parking.

Niagara Falls has a longstanding reputation for attracting honeymooners and daredevils. It still does today, but the majority of people who visit this amazing natural attraction are there simply to enjoy the view.
Long before you actually see the falls of the Niagara River — the Horseshoe (Canadian) Falls and American Falls — as you drive north from Buffalo, New York, along Interstate 190, you can tell that something is up.

Walking in the woods, hiking, and backpacking may initially sound like the same activities, but the three actually have little in common. But each can be enjoyed by motorhomers, depending on one’s level of interest in exploring the great outdoors.
When someone says they’re going to take a walk to get close to nature, they might spend an hour trekking through a local park or nature center, or in the surrounding natural area if they happen to live in a rural setting.

Chrysler’s neat little PT Cruiser is a hit wherever it’s driven. In fact, here’s something to consider if you’re thinking about buying one: do so only if you really enjoy talking with strangers.

We’ve found every nook and cranny in our motorhome, so now we’ve switched from space hunting to space saving. Recently we took the cereal bags out of their boxes.

The Bicycle Protector Bag from Rome Bike Bags is designed to protect bicycles from salt air, snow, rain, dust, and dirt that can cause corrosion and rust. While being protected in the bag, the bicycle also is out of view of potential thieves.

The sixth edition of William Hutchings’ book Radio on the Road: the Traveler’s Companion ($16.95, Arrowhead Publishing) is now available to help motorhomers and other road travelers find their favorite radio programming no matter where they are.
The new edition includes listings — separated by state and province — for more than 15,000 AM and FM radio stations in the United States and Canada. Each listing gives the station’s primary broadcast format (news, talk, sports, etc.), frequency, and call letters.

Whether you munch while traveling or pull over for a quick bite at a roadside rest stop, these snacks fill the bill for easy preparation and delicious eating.

 

These snacks can be made in the coach or whipped up ahead of time at home. Keep them in tightly sealed containers so they stay crisp.
8-ounce package shredded Cheddar cheese
2 sticks butter or regular margarine (not soft or liquid)
2 cups flour
1/2-teaspoon salt
1/2-teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
2 cups crispy rice cereal
Let the cheese and butter come to room temperature and mix them together in a bowl.

In this month’s “Window On Nature” column, we explore the wonderful world of the trillium plant. So, in this column, we’re going to reveal some great spots around the United States and Canada to find these beautiful flowers.

While the airline and hotel industries have suffered economically since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the RV world has done quite well. In recent months, recreation vehicles have been featured in the print and electronic media not only in travel or lifestyle pieces, but also in business stories.

The trillium is one of nature’s most amazing wildflowers. Think of it: how can something so beautiful appear to have been calculated by a mathematician? But consider its name: trillium — three of everything.

By the time you read this, FMCA’s 27th annual winter international convention in Perry, Georgia, will be history. I hope all who attended had a very enjoyable time.

When Howard and Jerre Ferrin, A436, invited every motor coach owner they could locate in the Denver, Colorado, area to their Golden, Colorado, home for a get-together on July 23, 1966, little did they realize what they were starting.
For several months the group gathered for weekend meetings and outings and thoroughly enjoyed the time spent together. In October of that year, while at Chief Hosa Campground, 30 miles west of Denver, the participants decided to join a new organization called the Family Motor Coach Association.
At that time FMCA would send organizers to advise and guide prospective clubs interested in joining the association.

Q: I own a 1995 Safari Trek on a Chevrolet P-30 chassis. In the November 2001 issue, the “Technical Inquiries” column included instructions for adding a manual switch to the radiator fan control on a P-30 chassis (page 24).

Dear Editor:
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Division of Wildlife, is offering RV sites with full hookups in exchange for volunteer work at its Bull Creek Wildlife Management Area. The Bull Creek area is located west of Melbourne and south of Orlando.

Webster’s dictionary defines “extravaganza” as a “spectacular show or event.” As a search began for verbiage that would aptly describe the magnitude of Family Motor Coach Association’s semiannual conventions, the word “extravaganza” seemed to fit.
If you look at this month’s Event Calendar, which begins on page 162, you’ll note that no FMCA international conventions are listed. Where did the conventions go? Well, in November 2001, during the Family Motor Coaching Inc.

FMCA’s Executive Committee carries out policies set forth by the Governing Board and helps to formulate those policies so that the executive director and department directors then can lead staff members in carrying them out.
How does the Executive Committee function? Who are the members of the committee? How do they get along? Are there cliques? Are there private agendas? Do they forget they must act in the best interests of our members? Is the FMCA national president a strong person? Can he make the whole Executive Committee pull together as a team? Do they know the difference between having a “right” to do something and doing the “right” thing?
From my perspective as a national vice president, partway through my second term, let’s see if I can answer some of these questions and help you to understand how your Executive Committee works.
Before I do that, it is important that you realize that much of the Executive Committee’s work is done by various committees. These committees include two or three members of the Executive Committee who serve along with people drawn from the general membership.

In early January we made our way across the country in our motorhome to attend the Western Area Rally in Indio, California. Somewhere along the way, our motorhome developed a leak that caused the air bag pressure to drop dramatically when the engine was turned off.

I’m a little nostalgic when it comes to motor vehicles. I miss wind wings and solid bumpers strong enough to hit a steel pole at 5 mph and sustain no damage, other than to the driver’s pride.

Branson, Missouri, is one fine entertainment town. First-timers who have heard about the shows there but have never attended one are in for a big surprise.

This is the 10th 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.

Think of the Southern United States, and beautiful gardens often come to mind. Bellingrath Gardens and Home, 20 minutes southwest of Mobile, Alabama, has long been one of the most popular destination gardens in the United States.

One of my least favorite duties around the coach is checking the pressure in the dual tires. It concerns me that I invariably let out a quantity of air by not being able to seat the gauge tightly enough.

Las Vegas is a show town, and I am not referring to floor shows, but rather trade shows. Each year, beginning in November, Glitter Gulch opens its tremendous convention center — and a number of other venues spread around town — to the three biggest expositions west of the Rocky Mountains.

If you own a portable satellite dish, don’t throw away that old garden hose. Use it to protect your satellite wiring on occasions when you need to position the dish across the roadway (gravel or paved) from your RV site for optimum reception.

The Pet Safety Heat Alarm System was developed to protect unattended pets in RVs from heat hazards due to air conditioning malfunctions. Malfunctions may be the result of a power failure, a circuit breaker tripping, a cord being unplugged, or a problem with the air conditioner itself.

Liberty Coach, C733, based in North Chicago, Illinois, celebrated the official grand opening of its Liberty Coach of Florida sales and service center on February 1, 2002. More than 200 people attended an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new facility in Stuart, Florida.

If you have a yearning for learning, FMCA’s winter convention in Perry, Georgia, is the place to become educated this month.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a novice to motorhoming or have owned a coach for more than 25 years; there’s always something new to learn about the vehicle, its components, and the RV lifestyle. And an FMCA convention is the best place to become immersed in everything motorhome-related.

FMCA.com is not in the campground business, but it does operate an online motorhome “resort.” It’s called For Members Only.
Plenty of activities are offered in this special area of FMCA.com. The groundwork has been laid so that FMCA members can perform basic membership management tasks and gain access to various association documents and forms.
Free hookups — or links, as they’re called on the Internet — are the norm at this resort.

Q: I’m looking at a new 2002 40-foot motorhome with a slideout. The 2002 model I’m considering has a tag axle, but the same model in 2001 did not.

In the ebb and flow of corporate America, eventually all companies must recalibrate how they do business. This is what has happened in recent months at Fleetwood Enterprises, which is involved not only in the RV industry but also in the manufactured housing business.

The best-selling book Who Moved My Cheese?, by Spencer Johnson, M.D., is about staying nimble in the fast-changing business world. Full-timers also need to keep changing and maneuvering to stay afloat financially.

Cruising the Internet has become one of our favorite things to do instead of watching television. Recently, Kaye found some interesting information about the world’s oceans at www.ocean98.org.

According to Deadly Distractions, a booklet produced by Shell Oil Company with assistance from AAA and several federal agencies, driving distractions or inattentive driving contribute to one out of four vehicle crashes. Amazing, isn’t it?
We can’t control the distractions that cause other drivers to operate their vehicles dangerously, but we can certainly decrease our own odds of having an accident that could result in damage to the coach, or worse, injury to ourselves or others.

The e-mails I’ve received lately indicate that many readers prefer simple, old-fashioned recipes that call for few ingredients and little fuss. So, here are some solid, time-proven favorites.
Duckling With Cherries
4- to 5-pound ready-to-roast duckling
12-ounce jar black cherry jam or preserves
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon orange juice or orange liqueur, such as Triple Sec
Tie the duck’s legs together, prick the skin all over with a fork (to aid in draining fat), and place it on a rack in a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking pan.

Recently I read a message from an FMCA member who assumed that the Legislative Advisory Committee was part of the paid staff of FMCA. This individual thought that all a member had to do to get legal advice was to alert the appropriate “staff official” to a need.

For more than a quarter century, Ken and Pat Wilson, L13812, of Greensboro, North Carolina, have averaged approximately 15,000 miles a year traveling in their motorhome without accident. Their travels have taken them to Canada and Mexico and to every state except Hawaii.

Is Full-Timing In Your Future?” by Betty Hanegraaf (February 2002, page 94) mentioned finding employment while living in one’s RV. Two resources related to that topic are Workamper News and Workers On Wheels.
Workamper News offers a newsletter with employment listings as well as a Web site, a hotline, a referral system, and situation-wanted ads.

During the 30 years I served in the United States Navy, I was well schooled regarding respect for the U.S. flag and the protocol surrounding it.

As we write this, it’s early January and we are parked at Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, California, at the campground at San Onofre Beach. Our campsite is located on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Two issues regarding motorhome ownership that I believe need to be addressed are the quality of motorhomes at the time of delivery, and service after the sale. You may be thinking, “Jeff, you put your foot in it this time.” After all, who is responsible for the products and the quality of the units available to us today? The manufacturer? I don’t think so.

It is a place without hustle and bustle, where we can amble among neighbors who remember our fathers, love our mothers, and who would have been just as friendly to us if we had never done anything other than grow peanuts for a living.
— Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter from Everything To Gain: Making The Most Of The Rest Of Your Life.
That’s how the 39th president of the United States and his wife described their hometown of Plains and surrounding Sumter County, Georgia. Never has another “first couple” been so defined by a birthplace as Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter.

The year was 1963. The Beach Boys were offering a whole new sound in music.