April 2016
Water Tank Seepage
About a year ago, I began noticing that when we are connected to city water, our onboard water tank slowly fills, even with all the gate valves properly positioned. Every two to three weeks I have to turn off city water and use the onboard water until the tank becomes mostly empty again.
Whether the entertainment feed comes from an off-air broadcast antenna, through the campground’s cable TV connection, from a satellite antenna, or from a streaming wireless Internet connection, today’s high-tech systems can be a bit bewildering for RV owners. The following will help you understand the basics.
For more than 45 years, Born Free Motorcoach, of Humboldt, Iowa, carved a niche in the recreation vehicle industry with its high-quality Type C Born Free motorhomes.
But long before they became motorhomers, the Bruckers often found themselves in unexpected places and situations, thanks to a shared passion for caving. Lynn borrows a line from “Star Trek” when she says caving offers the chance “to go where no man has ever gone before.”
Bucolic, quaint, charming . . . Petaluma, California, 40 miles north of San Francisco, has lots of descriptions. But as motorhomers, our favorite is “unexpected.” We could have seen most of the town in a day, but the relaxed pace of wandering its lovely streets, sampling its wares, and learning some history filled our need for a great getaway.
San Antonio is considered by many to be the most favored travel destination in the great big state of Texas. The city proudly showcases its past, even as it moves forward to its future. Approximately 30 million people arrive every year to explore the Alamo, stroll along the famed River Walk, shop at the largest Mexican market north of the border, dine in this fast-growing food mecca ….
For us, RVing is the ultimate freedom. As RVers, we have visited every U.S. state, and every Canadian province and territory except Nunavut. We stood at the Arctic Circle with huge, fluffy snowflakes falling on our faces; walked ghost towns in New Mexico; watched wild horses run among the Carolina dunes ….
Speaking of fun times, I want to talk about a once-in-a-lifetime experience that Gloria and I had while we were still out West. One evening in January Gloria said to me, “We have been invited to go with the 4-Wheelers chapter for a ride in the desert at Quartzsite, Arizona.”
Regarding That “Perplexing” Furnace
Dear Editor:
The February 2016 issue’s “House Calls” column (page 20) covers a question titled “Perplexing Furnace Problem.” It includes a photo of a work light, and it’s suggested that one of these can keep a propane tank warm. This is a great idea, but . . .
The following companies have recalls delineated in this month's Recall Corner: Forest River Inc., Gulf Stream Coach Inc., Newmar Corporation, Showhauler Trucks Inc., Winnebago Industries Inc.
Building upon Born Free’s heritage of motorhome engineering and design, this new model unites fuel economy, functionality, utility, and comfort.
What’s In There?
While draining my black-water tank, if I close the drain valve suddenly before the tank is empty, I hear a clanking noise from inside the tank. It sounds like something is floating loose and hitting the tank wall when the flow is stopped. This may have started during the winter.
Never Lose A Hitch Pin I wanted a means of keeping my hitch pins and hardware together so that nothing gets lost. I obtained 1/8-inch stainless-steel cable, cut it…
FMCA currently has eight Coaches for Christ chapters. Each functions independently, yet they share the common purpose of providing faith-based fellowship, spiritual encouragement, and prayer support. This is accomplished through meetings, rallies, websites, emails, and participation in FMCA morning devotionals.
The Sierra Hi Rollers chapter was organized in 1990 to promote travel, information sharing, and fun for motorhome enthusiasts. The chapter’s 25th anniversary celebration on September 23, 2015, featured a gala dinner at Thunder Canyon, a golf and country club in Washoe Valley, Nevada.
Dan Smith, L71987, who served as FMCA national vice president, Rocky Mountain Area, from 1989-1992, was 92 when he died January 7, 2016, in Mesa, Arizona. Virginia died in 2012.
Multipurpose Opener
Arghhh! No, it’s not talk-like-a-pirate month. But you might hear that sound coming from people who struggle to open jar lids, screw tops, and pull tabs. The 5-in-1 Multi Kitchen Tool was made just for those folks.
Arghhh! No, it’s not talk-like-a-pirate month. But you might hear that sound coming from people who struggle to open jar lids, screw tops, and pull tabs. The 5-in-1 Multi Kitchen Tool was made just for those folks.
Thor Motor Coach Unveils New Venetian Floor Plan
A third floor plan, the T42, is now available for the Venetian, the newest diesel motorhome from Thor Motor Coach. The T42 is the first Venetian model to offer a Freightliner XCR chassis with a tag axle.
So, in considering a Type B RV, what questions should be asked? To find out, we crowdsourced the topic, asking current Type B owners, members of our very active Roadtreking Facebook group.