State and federal tax rules change so quickly, even professionals have trouble keeping up. Now more than ever, it’s important to keep taxes in mind all year, not just at income tax time.

Renegade Introduces Ikon

Bristol, Indiana-based Renegade/Kibbi LLC, which specializes in building motorhomes for the racing community, has expanded its product line with the IKON, a new model targeting the general RV market.

Key Protection

The Key Buoy from Davis Instruments Corporation can protect fishermen, boaters, and anyone else who spends time around the water from losing their keys if dropped in a lake or ocean.

It may seem odd to see a “Welcome To The Ark” sign at the entrance to Jim and Clare Fleming’s 2005 Mandalay motorhome, or notice the license plates that read “The Ark” on the front of the coach and on the nearby golf cart. But when you knock on the door and hear a cacophony of barking, cheeping, and squawking coming from inside . . .

Campsite “Garage”

We devised a storage area for our bikes, camping chairs, tables, etc., outside the motorhome by attaching a tarp to the underside of the bedroom slideout using large clamps, and anchoring the bottom with tent stakes and bungee cords.

Noisy Water Pump

Dear RV Doctor:
The water pump in my motorhome is turning on about every couple of minutes without any faucets calling for water. It is also very noisy and vibrates the pipes down the side of the RV. There are no apparent leaks, kinks, etc. What could be the problem?

Treatment Time

I have a 1996 Winnebago motorhome with a Cummins diesel engine. In the fall I filled the fuel tank and added diesel fuel treatment before storing it for winter. The next year we didn’t get a chance to use the motorhome except to drive it maybe 50 miles or so. Will the fuel be okay this year if I top it off again and add some more fuel treatment?

January Cover History No Longer A Mystery

In the March “Readers’ Forum” column, we asked readers to help us identify the photo on the January 2010 cover of Family Motor Coaching. According to Al Conrads, L1236D, the photo was taken the weekend of June 20, 1975, during a 20th Century Wagontrainers chapter rally.

I often think of just how I got started down this road of the RV lifestyle. I had always dreamed of being able to travel wherever and whenever I wished in comfortable surroundings, with amenities such as hot and cold running water, a color TV, and a familiar bedroom and bath.

Several FMCA members have volunteered to use their motorhomes to supply transportation to people who urgently need it. They are doing this through Angel Bus, a nonprofit organization that coordinates compassionate, nonemergency ground transportation for individuals in need. 

Like many other pieces of equipment in an RV, the refrigerator needs periodic maintenance to ensure good performance.

Fit for any toy-loving RV family, the Newmar Canyon Star 3920 is built around fun, without sacrificing occupants’ comfort. At its core are excellent living accommodations, and the built-in garage section is suited to house just about any purposeful off-road vehicle.

They say location is everything, and Oregon’s capital city is certainly proof. Nicely situated on the banks of the meandering Willamette River in the middle of the fertile Willamette Valley, Salem is both pretty and convenient.

Cape May, New Jersey, is a historic Victorian town that attracts visitors who enjoy the outdoors. Along with beautiful beaches, this small ocean community has a big reputation as a bird-watchers’ paradise. Many varieties of fish bite year-round; plus shopping, great restaurants, and loads of historical sites also vie for attention.

In December 2008 the RV world learned of a change in ownership involving a familiar coach conversion brand. Featherlite Coaches, known for its Sanford, Florida-based Featherlite Vantare’ private coach conversions, was purchased by Amadas Coach of Suffolk, Virginia.

You might think a church with the name “Cathedral of the Plains” would be a grand structure, and it is. You also might expect to find it in a large city, but you won’t. The big church with the majestic moniker is in Victoria, Kansas, a small farming community approximately 200 miles west of Topeka.

Some may opt for larger coaches with multiple slideouts and abundant storage areas; others may downsize to smaller motorhomes to economize their lifestyle. Either way, well-informed RVers in the market for a new motorhome will want to know about the new offerings from several of the independent chassis manufacturers.

The conscientious motorhomer knows that a requirement at the start of each season is to perform the process we call “dewinterizing.” Yes, if you were meticulous last fall, you must be equally diligent in the spring and properly dewinterize the motorhome.

Winnebago Industries’ new model created using the popular Sprinter chassis features clever storage and safety-belt-equipped seating for six.

Motorhomers who convene in Albuquerque, New Mexico, March 22 through 25, 2010, will celebrate good times, great friendships, and the joys of RV travel. Part of the fun will be the opportunity to explore display after display of motorhomes, components, accessories, and all things RV-related.

January Cover Evokes Mystery And Memories

Dear Editor:
We would like to know where and when the photo on the cover of the January 2010 issue of Family Motor Coaching was taken. I’m certain it is circa 1975. I see what looks like my father’s Winnebago, and my aunt and uncle are in the photo, so my curiosity is up.

Leaky Ice Makers

We have two U-Line ice makers; one is installed in our Safari motorhome and the other in our trawler yacht. We purchased the one in the trawler new; the ice maker on the motorhome came to us 10 years old. Each of these units leaks like a sieve inside the cabinet when the water fills the cube tray.

Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation has announced NHTSA recall 09V461000, which includes XC motorhome chassis manufactured from March 6, 2007, through December 11, 2009. The potential number of motorhome chassis involved is 2,749.

Prewired For A Generator?

Dear RV Doctor:
We are considering adding a generator to our coach. We have heard our model is prewired for one, but we are not sure. How do we tell, and what type should we get?

Bug Buster

We keep a small, portable vacuum attached to the wall of our motorhome. We use it for small cleanups, of course, but our favorite use for it is to suck up mosquitoes and flies that invade the motorhome.

Multifunction Watch

The Traileader Jet watch from Tech4o includes a number of features especially useful to outdoor enthusiasts.

Buddy Gregg: Industry Icon

Buddy Gregg, founder and president of Buddy Gregg Motor Homes Inc., passed away on December 30, 2009, at his home in Frisco, Texas. He was 69.

What is your favorite Southwest destination (park, city, tourist attraction, etc.)?

I open the door and step out into the quiet, dark, crisp air that has descended over the campground while we slept. The dawn is just about to break over the distant mountains, and I can barely discern the outline of the giant trees that surround my motorhome. 

The Heartland Execs. chapter ventured east to the Washington, D.C./Capitol KOA Kampground in Millersville, Maryland, September 13 through 18, 2009, to visit many of the landmarks and treasures located in and around America’s capital city.

Our favorite owl is a comical character, with an eternally quizzical look on its face. It has bright yellow eyes, prominent white eyebrows, and long unfeathered legs.

Let’s take a recipe ramble down memory lane with these old-time favorites.

Many motorhome owners choose to tow another vehicle to use as transportation once they reach their destination. This makes for a convenient way to see the local sights. For an even more intimate look at the local environs, and time to appreciate the outdoors, taking along two-wheeled transportation is a great option.

The Bounder Classic 30T that I had the opportunity to review reflects the qualities of the original Bounder: simple, affordable, and functional.  John Crean would be very proud of this motorhome!

Following the purchase in July 2009, the new company, Fleetwood RV Inc., set out to reclaim Fleetwood Enterprises’ former commitment to motorhome manufacturing. John Draheim, Fleetwood RV president and COO, recently shared some thoughts about this process with writer Bob Zagami.

Industry pioneer Bob Lee, who in 1973 founded the company that would become Country Coach Inc., one of the RV manufacturers that spurred a booming RV industry to life in Oregon’s Lane County through the next several decades, recently returned to the RV business. This time, however, he operates in a slightly different capacity.

Motorhomers attending FMCA’s “Albuquerque Fiesta” convention, March 22 through 25, 2010, at EXPO New Mexico, will be treated to terrific music and comedy during the daytime hours.

On the Rail Runner Express, the “beep-beep” sound that signifies that the doors are closing brings to mind the Warner Brothers cartoon “Roadrunner.” The train accelerates, and in a matter of minutes the houses and commerce of Albuquerque disappear. … Eighty minutes later, the train pulls into the historic depot in Santa Fe.

There’s not much excitement about a four-story high-rise condo (with a view) unless it’s called Pueblo Bonito and is one of the several that are found in Chaco Canyon. Here, massive stone buildings with hundreds of rooms — called “great houses” — are bound to keep fascinating visitors for years.

Following are a few crafts that you can create by using old puzzle pieces. You can make some just for yourself and a few friends, or you can produce a whole batch and sell them at the next rally craft boutique.

One theme keeps running through all of the conversations and all of the gatherings and meetings with members. Memories! We have listened and participated in many conversations with many members, and on every occasion, memories come up.