2018

Take a tour of this island-themed travel trailer described by the author as a “cabana on wheels.” By Lazelle Jones May 2018 For RVers who dream of palm trees, tropical…

Top-grade rallies are hallmarks of this chapter, which is renowned for its charitable giving. By Peggy Jordan, Associate Editor Owners of all brands and types of motorhomes are welcomed into…

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Taxa Outdoors Unveils Mantis Trailer Taxa Outdoors Inc.’s newest travel trailer is the 18-foot Mantis. The RV sleeps up to four adults and weighs 2,800 pounds (unloaded). The trailer folds…

Ride into Cheyenne and Laramie, Wyoming, where they celebrate the Old West every day. By Sally Weigand May 2018 When you are traveling to or from Gillette, Wyoming, for FMCA’s…

This new diesel pusher expands traditional Type A motorhome thinking with its sleek, contemporary styling and innovations. By Mark Quasius, F333630 May 2018 Readers may remember Winnebago Industries’ iconic Itasca…

A daughter’s severe food allergies led the Braga family to explore the United States by RV. By John Johnston, Associate Editor May 2018 For many people, RVing is liberating. It…

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You must LOG IN to view this content. For full access to website content, plus many other valuable benefits, JOIN FMCA today.

You must LOG IN to view this content. For full access to website content, plus many other valuable benefits, JOIN FMCA today.

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The following recall notices are from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). To search for recalls, investigations, and complaints by vehicle year, make, and model, visit www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchSafetyIssues. NHTSA’s Vehicle…

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With more than 1,200 member families, Roadtrek International is FMCA’s largest chapter. As it celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2018, here is a look back at how the chapter got its start.

Read the latest RV News and Notes for March 2018!

Look at all of the latest RV Products for March 2018!

This long-lived chapter gained 25 new member families in 2017.

On June 23, 2016, torrential rains caused devastating floods that resulted in 23 deaths in West Virginia, including 15 in Greenbrier County alone. Thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed. Twelve counties were declared federal disaster areas, which allowed for federal funding through FEMA.

Members of the Thousand Trails of Texas chapter returned to the place where the chapter was founded — Medina Lake RV Campground in Lakehills, Texas — to celebrate the chapter’s 30th anniversary from November 17-19, 2017.

Read the latest House Calls for March 2018!

Greetings from Cincinnati! As you read this, the national office staff will be wrapping up registrations for FMCA’s 97th International Convention and RV Expo, set to take place March 15 through 18 in Perry, Georgia. Registration figures for “Southern Charm” have us trending toward the biggest event in a number of years. If you want to join the party, it is not too late. You can go to https://site.fmca.com/fmca-perry-learn-more, or call us at (513) 474-3622 or (800) 543-3622 to sign up or learn more about the event.

By the time you read this month’s “President’s Message,” Sondra and I will have been on the road since New Year’s Day 2018, serving our members. We left Elkhart, Indiana, in blowing snow, icy roads, and a windchill factor of 21 below zero. By the time we got to Chicago, our water lines were frozen . . . in spite of the fact that I had the generator going to power our fireplace, an electric heater in the water bay compartment, and an electric heater in the water tank bay. Plus, the Aqua-Hot heating system was going full blast, along with the dash heater. I don’t think most motorhomes are built to withstand such extreme temperatures.

We’ve all made them: those silly mistakes that cause RVing mishaps or, preferably, just a little embarrassment. It doesn’t seem to matter how long we’ve been RVing, either. At some point, we all slip up or forget one little thing. As a newbie, you’re at a disadvantage, because you just don’t know as much about RVing in general or your RV in particular. I know we’ve made our share of missteps in our RV, both as new RVers and as seasoned travelers.

On a clear night in Wisconsin about 20 years ago, John and Brenda Nejedlo took turns peering through the eyepiece of their first telescope. Among the celestial objects they observed was Saturn, the ringed planet. “I just stood there and cried,” Brenda said. “That was it. I was hooked.”

Full-time RVers want a product that can take the rigors of long-term live-aboard use while retaining many luxuries found in sticks-and-bricks homes. KZ RV, a Thor Industries company, meets this challenge with the Durango Gold series upscale fifth-wheel. The Durango Gold is filled with residential amenities and furnishings and is available in nine floor plans, ranging from 36 feet to 42 feet in length.

Gain insight into the lives of America’s third, fourth, and fifth presidents as you tour their Virginia homes.

Pull into any state or national park campground and you’re bound to be greeted by a camp host. It may be easy to take them for granted, but they play a vital role when it comes to enjoyment of one’s camping experience. Most volunteer their time in exchange for a free campsite during their stay.

In the fall of 2017, NeXus RV launched its newest motorhome, the Wraith Super C diesel. The name may bring to mind the most powerful car ever built by Rolls-Royce, also called the Wraith, a twin-turbo, 624-horsepower machine that can go from zero to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. Interestingly, Rolls-Royce built the original Wraith back in the 1930s as a rolling chassis, which was sold to builders that did their own bodywork on top of the chassis. In some ways, this is similar to the RV industry, in which coach manufacturers construct their product on top of chassis often supplied by other vendors.

Inexpensive digital voltmeters can help RVers avoid costly repairs. An AC meter monitors incoming voltage from a campground, alerting you to insufficient voltage, which can damage sensitive electrical appliances such as air conditioners. A DC meter indicates whether the RV batteries are properly charged, and such information can prolong battery life. This article provides an overview on how to install such digital voltmeters.

Motorhomes require periodic maintenance to stay in good working order. Engine oil changes are the most common procedure, but axles, the transmission, wheel bearings, and other components also must be serviced. No oil or lubricant is one-size-fits-all, so it’s important to make the right choice for each component according to the chassis manufacturer’s specifications.

Check out the latest RV News for February 2018!

Learn about the newest RV Products for February 2018!

Join this active group of FMCA members based in Texas.

Super Bowl Sunday is this month — specifically, February 4, 2018 — and among the many watch parties taking place will be one made up of Bluebonnet Travelers. Members of this FMCA chapter will be at Brazos Valley RV Park in Caldwell, Texas, February 4 through 7.

Four dozen exhibitors, 38 seminars, and 22 craft sessions, as well as entertainment, activities, and socializing, highlighted the 44th South Central Area Rally, held October 25-28, 2017, at Four States Fairgrounds in Texarkana, Arkansas. The event drew more than 600 people and 318 motorhomes.

The GMC Motorhomes International chapter held its 35th anniversary convention from September 15 to 21, 2017, at Elkhart Campground in Elkhart, Indiana. Some of the attendees could recall the chapter’s first convention, held in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 1982. Others were attending their first GMCMI convention. Regardless, everyone shared a common goal: to celebrate GMC motorhomes and their owners. Jon Walker, FMCA national president, was an honored guest.

Jean Pryor had two families, and she loved them both. She was connected to one family by blood, and to the other — Family Motor Coach Association — by a bond that spanned more than 40 years. Her children readily acknowledge that aside from her kin, FMCA was the most important thing in Jean’s life.

Read the latest questions and answers in this month's House Calls!

It is my great pleasure to officially welcome anyone who owns a self-contained towable RV to FMCA! As a result of the recent vote of the FMCA membership, you and others can now join us as full members of our not-for-profit, member-owned association.

Some of you might be asking, why is this happening now? Haven’t we always been a motorhome owner’s association? I’m fortunate to have been an active member for a long time, and I have witnessed the history of the discussion regarding whether to maintain the status quo and keep membership restricted to motorhomes or to extend membership to owners of other self-contained RVs.