As relative newcomers to the RV world and lifestyle, my husband and I still occasionally look at the motorhome in our backyard and say to each other, “I can’t believe that’s ours!”

Many of the original members of the Northern Lights chapter were from northern Michigan, which became part of the inspiration for the chapter name. Today, 25 years later, the chapter has members from all over the state.

The Maine Wheels chapter celebrated its 30th anniversary June 9 to 11, 2017, at Wassamki Springs Campground in Scarborough, Maine.

The Midwest Prairie Schooners chapter (MWPS) celebrated its 40th anniversary August 10 through 13, 2017, at Arrowhead Point RV Park & Campground in Osceola, Missouri. The chapter, which covers the Greater Kansas City, Missouri, area and points beyond, was chartered as the GMC Prairie Schooners on July 28, 1977, but the name was changed to Midwest Prairie Schooners in 1979.

It’s about 900 miles from The Villages, a community in central Florida, to FMCA’s campground in Cincinnati, Ohio. That’s how far David and Sandy Fuller, F331444, traveled in their 2004 Monaco Holiday Rambler to escape Hurricane Irma, the powerful storm that pounded the southeastern United States in September.

FMCA members Stan and Connie Filarski live in Eugene, Oregon, which was just outside the path of totality for the August 21, 2017, solar eclipse. So, the couple traveled about 50 miles north to a prime viewing spot at the Benton County Fairgrounds in Corvallis, Oregon. The Filarskis said the event was “truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience!”

John Richard Morris, L4372, who served as FMCA’s national president from 1977 to 1979 and as national treasurer from 1975 to 1977, died February 7, 2017. He was 84.

Read the latest Tech and Travel Tips for November 2017!

Check out the latest House Calls with The RV Doctor for November 2017

The following companies have recall notices delineated in this month’s Recall Corner: Erwin Hymer Group North America Inc., Forest River Inc., Newmar Corporation, Thor Motor Coach, Triple E Recreational Vehicles.

Read the lastest Tech Talk for November 2017!

Read the latest Readers' Forum for November 2017!

Like all of you, I’m sure, I have many things to be thankful for. I have a wonderful, healthy family, with a new addition, a son, on the way in December. My wife and I recently found our forever home here in Cincinnati, and by the time you read this, we should be settled in there.

It’s difficult to be sitting here in September writing an article that will not be published until November, but such is the world of magazine deadlines. Sondra and I have been quite busy visiting chapters and meeting lots of new and interesting FMCA members.

The first time it happened, a couple of years ago, Marc Bennett was taken aback. While loading his car in an RV campground, he was approached by a man he’d never met. “Hey, Marc!” the fellow said in a tone of voice used by best friends.

A guide to get started living off the grid.

Each January, the Blythe Bluegrass Festival attracts RVers in search of a toe-tapping good time.

A step-by-step guide to maintaining this vital motorhome component.

Available in nine floor plans, with many customizable features, this B+ motorhome may be “just right” for RVers searching for a unit larger than a typical Type B but smaller than many Type As.

Winterizing the motorhome probably isn’t your favorite task, but it must be done. Unless, of course, you are lucky enough to head south before winter arrives, in which case you just pull the water hoses in when the nighttime temperature drops below freezing and put them out again when it warms up the next day. But for those of us stuck in northern climates, winterizing is necessary to protect the RV from freeze damage.

Action Needed: Ballot to decide whether to open FMCA membership to owners of other types of recreation vehicles. CLICK HERE

Member Vote: Proposed Changes To FMCA’s Articles Of Incorporation & Constitution Action Needed: Ballot to decide whether to open FMCA membership to owners of other types of recreation vehicles. CLICK HERE

A national recreation area at the Kentucky-Tennessee border surrounds visitors with nature’s wonders as well as local history.

Tell us about a game you enjoy playing with your family or friends when RVing.

Learn about the lastest RV News and Notes for October 2017!

Check out the latest RV products for October 2017!

These RVers share insider knowledge while enjoying social activities.

My wife, Lisa, and I retired and moved to the piney woods in east Texas. We had the time and desire to explore our interesting country, and what better way than from the windows of a motorhome.

Some dedicated FMCA members were recognized at the association’s 2017 conventions in Chandler, Arizona, and Indianapolis, Indiana.

WesTex chapter members experienced a bit more excitement than we expected this past spring. We were at the Mill Creek Ranch Resort in Canton, Texas, for a rally during the first week of May, with 17 coaches attending. Many of us were there early, having arrived the last week of April.

Frank recalls his lifelong love of camping and RVing.

As a child, I camped with my folks during our annual two-week summer vacation. We used a six-man, World War II surplus tent. I later did a lot of camping on the way to my Eagle Scout badge. I even used World War II pup tents when I was in the Army in the 1950s…

Check out the lastest Tech and Travel Tips for October 2017!

Check out the lastest House Calls for October 2017!

The following companies have recalls delineated in this month’s Recall Corner: Daimler Vans USA, Daimler Trucks North America, Entegra Coach, Ford Motor Company, Newmar Corporation, REV Recreation Group.

Learn from the lastest Tech Talk for October 2017!

Ten years ago when I purchased my first coach, a friend told me that surge protection was a very important part of the RV lifestyle. Somewhat reluctant to spend the money, I purchased a surge protector for my 30-amp Type C coach. In the two years I had it, I never experienced a problem. Then I bought a Type A coach and started reading more and more about the pedestal problem with fluctuating power surges; this is especially true in some older campgrounds.

It’s looking like October will be a very busy month in the Smith household. By the time this magazine reaches you, we either will be searching for our forever home or settling into it. We have an exciting reason for this new home search: my wife, Jill, and I are expecting the third, and likely last, addition to our family. Our new son is due to arrive on or around December 6…

What a whirlwind beginning to serving as president of FMCA! Since the swearing-in ceremony in Indianapolis in mid-July, my wife, Sondra, and I have been on the road almost nonstop. We drove to Syracuse, New York, to attend the Northeast Area Rally, and then on to Amana, Iowa, to attend the Midwest Area Rally. We would like to thank all of the area officers and other members who welcomed us with open arms. We had a great time and met many new friends….

Fred and Suzi Dow stay busy updating their guide to campgrounds in U.S. national forests and grasslands.

Take a tour of the first Type C motorhome produced by this highly regarded manufacturer of Type A coaches.

A look at the enthusiastic fans who follow Green Bay, Wisconsin’s NFL team from preseason to postseason.

The clock ticks differently for these motorhomers, who have learned to make a life, not just a living.

Various products can provide the extra braking power needed by a motorhome and towed vehicle combination.

Describe a nickname you’ve given your motorhome.

Last month we addressed the topic of pet names for one’s home on wheels. Here are several additional responses from readers:

Need a crowd-pleasing potluck recipe? We’ve got you covered. Fall is potluck season, a time when we step out of our motorhomes to gather in the great outdoors for bonhomie, buffet, and barbecue. Travel rewards us with opportunities to sample regional cookout cuisine. A salmon bake in the Northwest. A big kettle of Brunswick stew in the Southeast. A clambake in New England. Do you have a hometown specialty everyone asks you to bring?

Dometic Produces Record Number Of Refrigerators

In June 2017, Dometic’s Industrial Parkway facility in Elkhart, Indiana, made 18,069 refrigerators for use in RVs and other mobile applications, setting a new production record. It marked the second time in 2017 that Dometic broke the record for number of units produced in a month. The previous record, set in March 2017, was 17,481 units. Before that, the record was 16,544 refrigerators produced in March 2016.

Carbon Monoxide Alarm

Carbon monoxide earned its nickname as “the silent killer” because it is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. RVers can protect themselves with a carbon monoxide alarm, such as Dometic’s Carbon Monoxide – Digital Alarm. It sounds a warning when the device’s electrochemical sensor detects the gas.

This group of friends carries on a 40-year tradition of camaraderie.

King deBord, L16686, was a familiar face at many FMCA international conventions. As a volunteer with the parking layout crew that guided motorhomes into their spots, he always arrived early to make preparations. And he was one of the last to leave, because he worked the entire convention.

Genny Jennings, L26, was presented the Kenneth T. Scott Pipe Dreamer's Award by Charlie Adcock, immediate past national president, and Jon Walker, newly elected national president, on July 18 in Owosso, Michigan, following FMCA’s 96th International Convention. This award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptionally worthy and beneficial service to the association and to motorhome owners. Ken Scott, L63, was FMCA's first executive director and dedicated years to nurturing the association.