Versatile Mop
In the never-ending quest to keep your motorhome’s exterior spotless, a mesh mop for removing bugs comes in handy. So, too, does a squeegee for washing the windshield, a wet mop for scrubbing the RV …
2015
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The Kenneth T. Scott Pipe Dreamer's Award and the Robert L. Richter Award were presented during FMCA's 92nd Family Reunion and Motorhome Showcase in Madison, Wisconsin.
The Country Coach Friends Incorporated chapter has made a habit of giving back to the communities where its rallies are held. That’s just part of what makes belonging to this club special.
Anyone who has watched the popular “Survivor” reality TV show knows that the goal of participants is to outwit, outplay, and outlast the competition. But it was more about who could outsmart, out-laugh, and out-fun fellow competitors when the Vancouver Islanders chapter held a similar contest at its first rally of 2015.Storage SolutionI grew tired of things rolling off of the slide-out storage tray in my 2004 Monaco Diplomat. At a home-improvement store, I bought 12-inch-by-4-inch-by-1/2-inch birch wood shelving.Storage Solution
I grew tired of things rolling off of the slide-out storage tray in my 2004 Monaco Diplomat. At a home-improvement store, I bought 12-inch-by-4-inch-by-1/2-inch birch wood shelving.How Best To Test
Dear RV Doctor:
In the past, you have said that a good RV technician would test a propane system at the main regulator using a propane testing device and manometer. The tests include measuring and setting the operating line pressure, verifying the lock-up pressure …The following companies have recalls delineated in this month's Recall Corner: Allied Recreation Group Inc., BFGoodrich Tires, Entegra Coach, Newmar Corporation, Roadtrek Motorhomes Inc.
Towing Guide Information Family Motor Coaching’s “Towables for 2015” (January 2015, page 44) does not include the Jeep Liberty. It was listed from 2002 through 2012, but not beyond. Does that imply that the manufacturer no longer deems the 2013 vehicle towable? What about all those prior years?
Great Stops
Dear Editor:
Regarding the June 2016 48-day Alaska caravan led by Fantasy RV Tours (advertised on page 11 of the July 2015 issue), I have been to all of the places the caravan will visit, and then some. I highly recommend the trip.I nearly missed an opportunity to recognize some very special people in my life, ones who helped to mold me into the man I am today. They both passed on many years ago, so it may not make a difference if I am a little late in paying tribute to them.
Well, the summer 2015 Family Reunion at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin, is in our rearview mirror now. And what a wonderful summer this has been.
Many scenic spots can be found along California’s State Route 1 — the Pacific Coast Highway — but it is safe to say that the most striking is the section between the community of Big Sur and Monterey.
North Dakota hasn’t produced many major league baseball players, but one of the few was a big hitter. Roger Maris was an all-star slugger who in 1961 broke Babe Ruth’s single-season home run record.
Motorhomers who convened in Madison, Wisconsin, for FMCA's 92nd Family Reunion and Motorhome Showcase enjoyed a fine celebration tailored especially to RVers.
Hydronic heating is an option or a standard feature in an increasing number of diesel-powered motorhomes. It’s popular among many coach owners because it provides clean, quiet, evenly distributed heat and unlimited, on-demand hot water.
Where's the best place to view the night sky when you're camping?Motorhome travelers who are familiar with the American heartland know that the town of Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, is more than auto races at the famous Road America track. It’s also a region of leafy campgrounds, hiking trails, fishing spots, and sight-seeing opportunities, as well as a cornucopia of fresh produce, craft beers, artisan cheeses, German wursts, and ice wine.New technology such as lithium-ion batteries and solar panels that convert the sun’s energy to power for RVs is returning the RV lifestyle to its original intent, giving RVers a whole new world to once again explore.
Triple E Introduces Innovative Seating PlanTriple E Recreational Vehicles, the Manitoba, Canada-based manufacturer of Leisure Travel Vans, marks its 50th year in business in 2015. The company recently unveiled a redesigned seating option for the 2016 Unity Murphy Bed (U24MB) floor plan. The patent-pending Leisure Lounge Plus is the work of Italian designer Angelo Natuzzi.Route 66 ShirtU.S. Route 66 — also known as Main Street of America, Will Rogers Highway, and the Mother Road — holds a revered place in American culture. We can’t guarantee you’ll be revered when you wear a Route 66 Landmarks shirt, but we’re pretty sure you will be noticed.Since 2012, annual fundraisers organized by the Rocky Mountain Country Coachers chapter have reaped $42,000 in donations for New Life Center, a domestic violence shelter in Goodyear, Arizona.How do you make GLAMARAMA 2015 better than GLAMARAMA 2014? Start with a great base of volunteer leaders. Add a mix of new and returning volunteers. And then, demonstrate the importance of saying “thank you” to each rally attendee.RVers gathered May 14-17, 2015, at the Fulton County Fairgrounds in Wauseon, Ohio, to celebrate those 50 years of fellowship, food, and fun.Inverter AdditionSometimes we dry camp, and typically the campground generator hours are 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. My wife sleeps with a CPAP machine to treat sleep apnea, so I installed a 375-watt inverter to supply power from the coach batteries.Oven Won’t Shut OffDear RV Doctor:We have a 2001 Holiday Rambler. The stove is the original Atwood Wedgewood, which measures approximately 20 inches wide by 18 1/2 inches deep. When the oven reaches the set temperature, it does not stop or shut off; it just continues heating.
The following companies have recalls delineated in this month's Recall Corner: Airstream Inc., Entegra Coach, Newmar Corporation.Tire InflationI have a 2004 National RV Tropi-Cal Type A motorhome. A NHTSA recall of model-year 2004 and 2005 National RV motorhomes stated: “On certain motorhomes, depending on the floor plan configuration and options, the actual weight on the rear passenger-side tires could exceed the tire capacity for those tires at the current cold inflation pressure setting.”Home, Sweet HomeDear Editor:Last year we became RV owners. Before we committed, we did lots of research and attended many shows. We saw those decorative signs RVers display that say “Home is where you park your RV” and thought those must be for full-timers.I am not the most coordinated individual. As part of a warm-up exercise prior to running, our training group balances on each foot for a certain amount of time, normally under one minute, in order to help strengthen the stabilizing muscles in the foot, ankle, and hip.
Since my last column, Gloria and I got to spend three weeks up in Petoskey, Michigan, on our lot at Hearthside Grove. We both needed the downtime. I walked a lot, ate a lot, and spent a lot of time sleeping. What a relaxing three weeks!
Destinations attractive to inveterate travelers come in many forms. Perhaps it’s a majestic peak, or a beautiful alpine lake, or a seemingly endless expanse of forest. My preference is for places that help to explain how the world as we know it came to be. Lassen Volcanic National Park is such a place.Here’s a short geography quiz: What lies northwest of Knoxville, Tennessee, and often gets forgotten by tourists in favor of the Great Smoky Mountains? No fair checking the map. Give up? It’s a scenic region of Tennessee called the Upper Cumberland.
Part of the pleasure of RV travel is discovering not just wilderness and beautiful roads but cities as well. The latter may require a towed car to visit, as Spokane does, but they can yield great sights and activities. Washington’s second-largest city is filled with gardens, walkways, art, and nostalgia.
A motorhome is somewhat self-sufficient. It carries fresh water and hauls holding tanks that capture gray water from the sinks and black water from the toilet. The RV’s tank monitoring system is designed to indicate how much fresh water remains and how much room is left in the holding tanks.Checking the tires each morning while they’re cold is a good practice, but it doesn’t offer protection against a loss of pressure while driving. For that, a tire pressure monitoring system, or TPMS, is needed.Though it’s called the "Land of 10,000 Lakes," Minnesota actually has nearly 12,000 of them. It’s no wonder, then, that more than 800,000 watercraft are registered in the state and 36 percent of Minnesota households own a boat.
Motorhomers who convene in Madison, Wisconsin, for FMCA's 92nd Family Reunion and Motorhome Showcase, July 29 to August 1 at the Alliant Energy Center, can do just that. They'll be able to attend their choice of seminars and collect countless pearls of wisdom from knowledgeable presenters.
It will be here before we know it: FMCA’s 92nd Family Reunion and Motorhome Showcase, nicknamed “Escape To Wisconsin,” which will convene July 29 through August 1 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin. And the "Motorhome Showcase" part promises to celebrate the RV lifestyle with not-to-be-missed exhibits.
Summer is a great time to venture outdoors and enjoy nature. Bike riding allows families to spend quality time together while getting some fresh air and exercise. Plus, it doesn’t cost a lot of money.
An interview with the cofounders and co-owners of NeXus RV.
Any home can be beset by excessive moisture and odors. But those problems raise special concerns in a motorhome.
Recall a time when you were traveling and an unexpected delay turned out surprisingly well.
How to handle online assets that will survive after your death, plus tips for reducing various service fees.
Seven minutes is all it took for our RV to be burglarized, and for us to lose $12,000 worth of equipment — just about everything of value inside the motorhome except the dog. Yes, just seven minutes. That was enough time for the bad guys to come into our space and to take our stuff. We know it was only seven minutes, because our dash cam was recording most of it.
New Dometic Lab Focuses On Cleaning, Sanitation Products
Employees are making messes — and cleaning them up — at Dometic Group’s new in-house chemical development and testing laboratory in LaGrange, Indiana. It’s all part of the new lab’s focus on the engineering and testing of cleaning and sanitation products for the RV aftermarket.Dog Poncho
When it’s raining cats and dogs, RC Pet Products’ Packable Rain Poncho helps protect your pooch from precipitation. The poncho features a lightweight waterproof shell, an adjustable waist, and a buttonhole for a leash. A carrying pouch is included.Thirty-six families gathered on February 20, 1965, at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds in Pomona, California, and signed an FMCA chapter application. The charter for the California chapter was approved a few months later, making it the fourth FMCA chapter and the first west of the Mississippi River.
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