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Family RVing Magazine

The Un-Topper

Dip Your Toes in Bayou Teche

RV Roundup: Living Large, Full-Time

Heat Emergencies

Be Sun Smart

What Do You Mean I Broke My RV?

POPULAR STORIES


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July 1, 2020

Winterizing The RV

November 1, 2017

Servicing an Onan Diesel Generator

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Latest Stories

  • House Calls: April 2016

    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.

  • Tech Talk: 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.

  • Recall Corner: April 2016

    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.

  • Readers’ Forum: April 2016

    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 . . . 

  • President’s Message: Off-Road Adventure

    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.”

  • Why We RV

    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 ….

  • See San Antonio

    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 ….

  • Pleasing Petaluma

    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.

  • Finding Adventure Above And Below Ground

    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.”

  • Born Free Motorcoach

    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. 

  • RV Entertainment Systems

    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.

  • Forest River Berkshire XLT

    This new tag-axle model enhances the Berkshire line of luxury diesel pushers.

  • Rear View: March 2016

    Describe a craft, hobby, activity, or sport you enjoy during a motorhome trip.

  • Cooking On The Go: Disney-Inspired Dishes

    When I camp at Fort Wilderness at Walt Disney World, some of the planet’s best chefs prepare my dinner order. Dine-out options at Fort Wilderness include a Disney character breakfast, a dinner show, and a casual restaurant. Dozens more Disney eateries can be reached via the resort’s free transportation network.
     
  • Open Mike: Lessons Learned

    Every year is a learning experience. But for us, the past 12 months were like a graduate course. Looking back at the year, here are five of the most important things we learned from our travels.

  • RV News: March 2016

    Jayco Unveils 2016 Melbourne
     
    Jayco Inc. has introduced its 2016 Melbourne, a Type C motorhome built on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 chassis. It’s powered by a V-6 turbo diesel engine with 188 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque.

  • RV Products: March 2016

    Collapsible Bottle 
     
    We all know the importance of staying hydrated, but carrying a water bottle can be darn inconvenient. Inventor Niki Singlaub’s solution is a collapsible bottle called the Hydaway.

  • Family & Friends: Motorhoming: More Than 40 Years And Counting

    Motorhomes have been a part of my family’s life for 45 years. And over that span of time, we often mixed business with pleasure.

  • Family & Friends: Carolina Ramblers Hold Rally At U.S. Coast Guard Base

    Motorhome owners who are not members of FMCA sometimes ask me why they should join. Maybe that can be answered by describing a recent rally of the Carolina Ramblers chapter. The location was special, but the rally itself was typical of those we have attended over the years.

  • Family & Friends: Eastern Area Mah Jongg Chapter Forms

    A new FMCA chapter can get its start in any number of ways. This is the story of a chapter that owes its existence to fun and games. Well, one game in particular.

  • Tech and Travel Tips: March 2016

    Shoe Storage
    Something had to be done with all the shoes lying around the motorhome.

  • House Calls: March 2016

    Baffling Battery Drain
     
    Dear RV Doctor:
    The chassis battery drains on my mom’s 2014 Winnebago Vista. We were told the battery should be replaced because it no longer held a charge, but a new battery yielded the same result.

  • Tech Talk: March 2016

    Complex Electrical Task 
     
    We own a 2002 Beaver Monterey Type A motorhome with 50-amp service. It has two chassis batteries and four coach batteries. It also has a Xantrex PROsine 2.0 2,000-watt inverter/charger and a Progressive Dynamics 5200 series automatic transfer relay switch. We frequently stay at campgrounds that have only 30-amp service but also have a separate 20-amp outlet.

  • Readers’ Forum: March 2016

    Towing Guide Update

     
    The 2016 Chevrolet Malibu Limited was inadvertently left out of Family Motor Coaching’s “Towables for 2016” towing guide (January 2016, page 44). The front-wheel-drive vehicle is equipped with a 2.5-liter engine and an automatic transmission. To prevent the battery from draining while the vehicle is being towed…
     
  • Executive Director’s Commentary: The Id’s Of March

    It may seem a little odd that I would offer a new year greeting to you at this time; however, the oldest Roman calendar listed March as the first month of the year. Just as in modern times, in ancient Rome the arrival of the new year was cause for celebration with wine, food, and music.

  • President’s Message: Fun From Coast To Coast

    Hello, My Fellow FMCA Family. Is it just me or is 2016 already slipping away from us too fast? In my February column, I mentioned that Gloria and I were on our way to Indio, California, to attend the Western Area Rally. We have just completed that event. Western Area members should be very proud of themselves.

  • Tastes Of Texas

    One of the benefits of RVing is the opportunity to sample many local cuisines as you travel. Regional food offerings vary widely from coast to coast, but perhaps the most American of all is barbecue. It is a major fascination for many “foodies” — to the point that a ton of books have been written and many TV shows and even TV series have been created with barbecue as the star.
     
  • An RV Dream Come True

    Can two people with decidedly different backgrounds find bliss and harmony in a 36-foot motorhome? Miri and Ryan Rossitto, F434901, are proof positive.

  • Tennessee Trio

    Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains area has been a popular vacation destination for decades, hosting millions of visitors every year. Great Smoky Mountains National Park was the most-visited national park and third most-visited park site in the United States in 2014, behind Golden Gate National Recreation Area and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

  • Spaceport America: The Next Step In Travel

    In a bid to get in on what surely will be the wave of the future and will hopefully bring employment to an area sorely in need of economic relief, the state of New Mexico has poured $218.5 million into the construction of Spaceport America, the first commercial spaceport in the world. It opened in 2011.

  • Finding Water Leaks

    Online forums, discussion boards, owners-club websites, and how-to videos often focus on one of the most perplexing of all motorhome problems: water leaking into the RV. It’s perhaps the number-one cause of damage to today’s motorhomes.  

  • Spartan Academy

    Motorhomes are complex. If you own one but don’t understand how to properly operate and maintain it, you may incur some expensive lessons. 

  • Recall Corner: March 2016

    The following companies have recalls delineated in this month's Recall Corner: Entegra Coach, Forest River Inc., Foretravel Inc., Jayco Inc., Newmar Corporation, REV Recreation Group, Tiffin Motorhomes, Winnebago Industries Inc.
     
  • January

  • Rear View: February 2016

    Describe a craft, hobby, activity, or sport you enjoy during a motorhome trip.

  • Full-Timer’s Primer: Need A Job?

    My friends Carole and Jon settled down after four years of full-timing while working at fabulous jobs in North America’s most scenic wilderness areas. When they told me they’d worked steadily but had never used traditional RV employment services, I took a fresh look at the job market. 

  • Open Mike: Pursuing Our Passions

    As I write this from my Michigan home, we're in the throes of winter. Our RV travel time is a few weeks away yet, but that’s okay. To enjoy it, I need only glance at my office wall. Today, I’m looking at a photograph of a half-dozen horses. Just seeing that photo takes me back.
     

  • RV News: February 2016

    Towing Solution For Jeep Cherokee
     
    Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US LLC (FCA) has announced plans for resolving a problem that sometimes occurs when 2014-16 Jeep Cherokees are towed four wheels down behind a motorhome.

  • RV Products: February 2016

     
    Unisex Hooded Jacket
     
    When threatening clouds roll in or there’s a chill in the campground air, you could take refuge inside your motorhome. Instead, brave the elements while showing off your stylish Driftwood Hooded Jacket from the FMCA Store. 

  • Family & Friends: Coaches For Christ – South Central Chapter Hits 10-Year Mark

     
    The Coaches for Christ – South Central chapter had a banner year in 2015. Our 10th anniversary rally was October 10-14, 2015, in Conroe, Texas.

  • Family & Friends: Rexhall International Chapter Marks 20th Anniversary

    In 1995, Bob and Cheryl Preul purchased a Rexhall motorhome and looked for a related club. They found none, so they contacted FMCA. The Rexhall International RV Club took off from there. To celebrate the chapter’s 20th anniversary, members gathered September 23-27, 2015, for a rally at Comstock Country RV Resort in Carson City, Nevada.

  • Family & Friends: Swinging Golfers International Chapter Celebrates 30 Years

    Swinging Golfers International, an FMCA chapter, was formed in 1985 by members devoted to playing golf at outstanding courses, traveling the country in their motorhomes, and socializing with people who share similar interests. The chapter’s 30th anniversary rally in September 2015 was held at the RV Resort at Carolina Crossroads in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. 

  • Tech & Travel Tips: February 2016

    Draft Catcher
     
    We purchased black foam water-pipe insulation tubes from a hardware store, cut them to the length of the valances of the day/night shades in our motorhome’s living area, and placed the tubes on the window ledges. This makes a big difference in how much cold or hot air comes in.

  • House Calls: February 2016

    Perplexing Furnace Problem
    Dear RV Doctor:
     
    I was intrigued to read the letter from Mike Tobias in the August 2015 “House Calls” column (page 20) about lack of heat in his 2014 Tiffin Phaeton equipped with two furnaces. We have the same problem in our 2015 Itasca. Our two furnaces fail to work when the temperature is in the mid-30s or below.

  • Recall Corner: February 2016

    The following companies have recalls delineated in this month's Recall Corner: Forest River, Newmar Corporation, REV Recreation Group (formerly Allied Recreation Group), Thor Motor Coach, Winnebago Industries.
     
  • Tech Talk: February 2016

    Tire Pressure Gauges
    I’ve read several articles over the years about the importance of tire maintenance. I’ve had my coach weighed. I carefully check the tire pressures at least once a week, more often if traveling, and I use a tire pressure monitoring system. My question: How do I verify the accuracy of the tire-pressure gauge? 

  • Readers’ Forum: February 2016

    Allergies On The Road
     
    Dear Editor:
    I was a respiratory therapist for 40-plus years, and my wife has allergies. I commend the many recommendations in the “Full-Timer’s Primer” article titled “Managing Allergies” in the October 2015 issue (page 84). 

  • Executive Director’s Commentary: Our Furry Four-Legged Family Members

    February is designated Responsible Pet Owner’s Month. Since a significant number of motorhome owners travel with pets, I thought I would revisit some helpful tips for having a healthy and happy pet that have been shared over the years in Family Motor Coaching magazine.

  • President’s Message: Living With My Glass Half Full

    Well, here it is mid-December, and my column for the February issue of the magazine is due. A lot has happened since my last column. However, for those of you who really seem to enjoy hearing about my adventures (and misadventures), I'm afraid this issue may disappoint you. I have actually behaved myself this month and stayed out of trouble!

  • Perry Product Preview

    Be in the know before you go with this list of companies that will display RVer-friendly products and services next month at FMCA’s Family Reunion and Motorhome Showcase in the heart of Georgia.

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COMING SOON:

  • The Versatile Multimeter: This device performs a variety of electrical measurements, making it an essential item for your RV tool kit.
  • RV Roundup – Nine Great Tailgating Models: Host a party on wheels with an RV equipped with fan-friendly features.
  • RV Snap Pads: These permanently installed leveling jack pads simplify the leveling process and save storage space.
  • RV Boondocking: Tips and tricks for dry camping away from crowds and commercial facilities.
  • The Treasures of Huntingdon County: The Raystown Lake Region has been called the crown jewel of central Pennsylvania.

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