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 Housecalls for April 2018!

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 Safety Hotline is (888) 327-4236.

Check out the lastest Readers’ Forum for April 2018

April is a month of renewal and change. Here in the Midwest, spring bursts forth, and we — and the landscape around us — shake off the winter doldrums. April is one of the months of the year that holds special meaning for me. My first child, Lyla, was born in April five years ago. When I started working at FMCA, she was only 4 months old. One of my favorite pictures of her is the one we took of her sitting in my office chair shortly after I was hired. Another is of the two of us braving the snow, the photo I’ve shared in this column. She sure was tiny. The adage “Time flies when you are having fun” has never rung more true.

Have you ever been driving along in your motorhome and crossing over a railroad track, only to find that the back wheels suddenly are off the ground, and you are stuck on the tracks? April Fool’s Day joke? No, this is a true story.

When we were invited to be judges at the World Food Championships, held at The Wharf in Orange Beach, Alabama, we loaded the RV and headed south. Who wouldn’t want to be part of the ultimate food sport in the world’s largest kitchen arena under a big tent in the Alabama sunshine? We didn’t have to wait long to cross paths with some of the competitors. En route, in an RV park in Kentucky, we met Team Roberstons Braai-B-Que from South Africa. They introduced us to their mascot, a little brown piglet named Barbie.

Whether singing or auctioneering, Dane Bailey sees music as his ministry.

A bunkhouse and a variety of family-friendly features provide the makings of great adventures in this travel trailer from an iconic RV manufacturer.

More than 37,000 people lost their lives in motor vehicle accidents on U.S. roadways in 2016, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Not surprisingly, each year, speeding and impaired driving account for many vehicle accidents. One additional cause is aggressive driving.

FMCA returns to Gillette for an encore performance; the first time was in June 2013 to celebrate the association’s 50th anniversary.

While enjoying the charms of the Equality State and the amenities of Cam-Plex Multi-Event Facilities — the venue hosting FMCA’s “Wanted In Wyoming” convention — attendees will be treated to some great live entertainment. Check the Gillette convention program, FMCA.com, and the Gillette convention app closer to the event for news of additional entertainment options and activities. For now, here’s a sneak peek at the lineup.

This July, FMCA’s “Wanted In Wyoming” International Convention and RV Expo will ride into the small city of Gillette. And within short order, RVers in an assortment of “covered wagons” will get acquainted or reconnect with each other. They will attend seminars, shop for RV-related merchandise, and take in fabulous daytime and evening entertainment. It promises to be legendary!

This feature-filled, conservatively priced Type A motorhome fills families’ needs on the road and at the campsite.

Be ready to handle malfunctions in an RV’s DC electrical system.

Have you or a traveling companion ever forgotten something important when leaving on an RV trip?

Say howdy to some hearty dishes prepared with Western flair.

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!

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 Safety Hotline is (888) 327-4236.

Read the new Tech Talk for March 2018!

Check out the Readers' Forum 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.

The following companies have recalls delineated in this month’s Recall Corner: Forest River Inc., Kidde, Prevost Cars Inc., Thor Motor Coach, Triple E Recreational Vehicles.

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 Safety Hotline is (888) 327-4236.

Do you prepare a favorite dish or snack when RVing in cold-weather months?

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!

The following companies have recalls delineated in this month’s Recall Corner: Daimler Vans USA, Entegra Coach, Forest River, Heartland Recreational Vehicles LLC, Highland Ridge RV, Jayco Inc., K.Z. Inc., Newell Coach Corporation, Newmar Corporation, REV Recreation Group, Thor Motor Coach.

Read the latest Tech Talk for February 2018!

Read the Readers' Forum for February 2018

The FMCA staff certainly has been busy over the past couple of months. As you probably have read or heard by now, FMCA has announced three new or revised member benefits since November 1, 2017.

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.

The FMCA membership recently approved new wording for the FMCA Constitution and the Articles of Incorporation. The votes were tallied by FMCA’s accounting firm on November 30, 2017, and the resulting changes became effective immediately.