Joining Family Motor Coach Association is probably one of the best investments you will ever make. Our independent outside auditor calculates that we furnish our family members benefits that cost the association more than $90 per family each year.

Of the many destinations in the Western United States, one location boasts approximately 1,960 miles of shoreline, 161,000 surface acres of water, and one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It’s also a national preserve.

Several fellow FMCA members have asked me to lend them some wisdom from the legal perspective. While I am not sure I have much wisdom, I certainly have about 30 years of experience — enough to have learned to do what lawyers do best: to think of what can go wrong and try to do things to avoid those nasties.

Two events prompted my wife, Nancy, and me to consider a smaller motorhome. We both turned 70, and Nancy had a serious hip problem (after six replacements) that was aggravated by climbing up the stairs in our previous type A motorhomes.
During a 26-year period, we have owned nine motorhomes; have driven more than 250,000 miles; have crossed the United State nine times; and probably lived in the various coaches the equivalent of four years.

Motorhomers who have been looking for a chance to explore the Texas coast may want to set their sights on Goose Island State Park. This 321-acre facility provides convenient access to Aransas National Wildlife Refuge and the towns of Rockport, Port Aransas, and Corpus Christi.
The park’s location makes it popular among anglers, wildlife watchers, and those who enjoy discovering interesting sights and attractions.

When planning a trip and deciding what to do with the family pet, many people follow the advice given in the famous credit card ad: “Don’t leave home without it!” In fact, according to a Purina Pet Institute survey, more than 45 percent of dog owners and 16 percent of cat owners travel with their pets. RVers are no exception, as a visit to almost any campground will confirm.
But how safe is the travel environment we provide for them? Until they get used to the RV lifestyle, pets can act differently than at home — more rambunctious, curious, or just plain anxious — and, as a result, they may find trouble in unexpected places.
To uncover potential hazards that could harm your pet, let’s tour a typical RV.

For the past 19 years, George and Lynn Hudson and Jack and Lois Abernathy, F131334, have co-owned the St. Louis RV Park, C3163.

I grip the thick bar of gold, and it’s greasy. It feels somewhat smooth but is irregular and slightly misshapen — no doubt from old casting methods, if not from its three-century soak in salt water.

FMCA’s Executive Board is made up of the national president, senior vice president, secretary, and treasurer, along with the 10 area vice presidents. FMCA members were able to learn more about the four nationally elected officers when their resumes were published in the June 2004 issue prior to the election at FMCA’s 72nd International Convention in Redmond, Oregon.

Owned and operated by the Mitchell family, Parliament Coach Corporation offers its clients the benefits of more than 30 years of experience in designing, building, and marketing custom coach conversions.
In the early 1970s Harvey and Pat Mitchell began marketing high-line motorhomes under the Mitchell Motor Coach Sales company name. In 1990 they branched out into manufacturing high-line motor coaches after purchasing Vogue.

The United States has a fantastic array of museums that chronicle the history, grim sacrifice, and heroic exploits of its military in armed conflicts. Some focus on a particular military branch; others on a major war, a memorable battle, a particular general, or the hard-fought victories of a specific service unit.
Here’s a sampling of military museums in the eastern part of the United States.

Motorhomes have changed the way millions of people travel, but to those who have a physical disability, the motorhome is nothing short of a freedom machine.
Travel in specially equipped motorhomes has opened a new world to the physically challenged. These vehicles have made it possible for them to travel in comfort and with dignity.

To keep dirt and grime out of the pin holes where my Blue Ox tow bar attaches to the towed vehicle, I came up with this idea. Cut a piece of 1-inch-diameter PVC pipe to the length of the pin hole, and then bevel it down to fit into the hole.

M.M. Newman Corporation offers a full line of spirally cut, expandable cable wrap.

Four Winds International, C7457, a division of Thor Industries, has introduced the 38-foot quad-slideout Infinity type A motorhome. The quad-slide design dramatically expands space in the main living area, bedroom, and bathroom, and enhances the bath area with two entry doors — one from the hallway and one from the bedroom.
The new Infinity is built on the Workhorse gas chassis with a 24,000-pound gross vehicle weight rating.

The wave graphic emblazoned on the side of this elegant motorhome reveals its identity: Tsunami. The Japanese word for “tidal wave” also refers to a stunning diesel pusher produced by Forest River Inc.
The Tsunami is Forest River’s first high-end type A diesel motorhome, which was introduced to the RV market for the 2002 model year.

Here is quite a collection of tips for the traveler, gathered from a variety of sources. We hope they come in handy.

RVers who own a motorhome with a booth-type dinette can fabricate a table leaf to provide additional room when four people are seated for a meal, or to accommodate six people at the table by using two folding chairs. I made this improvement to both my current motorhome and my previous coach, each time using the kitchen sink cutout from a piece of laminated countertop for the leaf.

The word “turkey” is often used to describe a stupid, foolish, or inept person. Ben Franklin, however, admired North America’s native turkeys greatly.

How can you turn almost anything into a main course? Stir it into a cream sauce and serve it over noodles, pasta, or some other food. When you’re rushed for time or short on ingredients, go for the gravy with the following recipes.

Many thanks to those who completed the full-timers’ survey that appeared in the April 2004 edition of this column. Since most of the 300 respondents were couples, the survey represents opinions, gripes, desires, and expert advice of almost 600 full-timers.

National Vice President, International Area; Chairman, Governmental and Legislative Affairs Committee
FMCA’s Governmental and Legislative Affairs Committee (formerly known as the Legislative Advisory Committee) was created years ago to help fellow FMCA members who were experiencing problems with laws governing parking their motor coaches on their property, as well as other issues. Because of certain federal laws, as well as our own bylaws, FMCA tries to make changes on a legislative level with the help of volunteers, not paid lobbyists.

From the “cha-ching” of a casino’s slot machine to the chirping of a campground’s sparrow, Casino Cruisers’ rallies provide plenty of variety.
Chapter President Rob Spaulding, F297532, formed the chapter a year ago this month after concluding that motorhoming and casinos seemed like a natural combination. Apparently he was right: more than 40 families already make up this enthusiastic group, which is the only FMCA gaming chapter east of the Mississippi.

Members of the Northeast Motorhome Association gathered at the Champlain Valley Exposition Center in Essex Junction, Vermont, for the Northeast Area Rally, July 14 through 17, 2004. Northeast Area vice president Bill Conway, F99081, and his wife, Pat, served as rally hosts.

Q: I was a little surprised that in your response to the letter from Dennis & Kristie Karsen, F260959 (April 2004, page 24), which asked whether their 270-horsepower V-10 engine could be upgraded to produce 305 horsepower, you spoke only of options available from Ford. You, being in the RV industry and familiar with aftermarket upgrades, did not refer to the Banks Power upgrade system.

In my “President’s Message” in the September 2004 issue of Family Motor Coaching magazine, I wrote an article about the growth of faith-based chapters within FMCA. I received responses both in favor of and in opposition to this column.

Editor’s note: Mr. Eversmann presented the following report to the FMCA Governing Board during its meeting in Redmond, Oregon, this past August.
It is my pleasure to provide an update regarding noteworthy activities within the Family Motor Coach Association since we last met.
As of July 31, 2004, FMCA’s active membership count was 128,812 families, and the last membership number assigned was F350514.

FMCA’s “Cascade Mountain Magic” convention, held August 16, 17, 18, and 19 in Redmond, Oregon, was a very successful convention overall but not without many challenges, difficulties, and heartaches.

Recently I have been involved in helping several widowed FMCA members who faced the difficult task of selling a motorhome. Two of these people lost a longtime partner suddenly.

The sign ahead said “Slow.” There was a curve coming up. We were nearing the top of the pass.

Before Raleigh was designated as the state capital of North Carolina, and before Chapel Hill became home to the nation’s first public university, a little town not far from these two places was already thriving.

What do you get when you take a 100-foot-by-200-foot sheep barn and fill it with 110 kids, ages 2 to 18, with tremendous imagination? You get a very successful youth program for FMCA’s 72nd International Convention in Redmond, Oregon.
The Youth Activities Committee set up separate areas for each age group — TOTS (ages 2 to 5); TWEENS (ages 6 to 9) and PRE-TEENS (ages 10 to 12); and TATS, or Teen-Age Travelers (ages 13 to 18) — for the Redmond youth program. We placed a portable basketball net in the back of the building and used animal barriers to section off an area for each age group.

During a visit to the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center on Thursday, August 19, Gale Norton, U.S. Secretary of the Interior, urged “Cascade Mountain Magic” convention attendees to be proactive in preserving America’s public lands.
The secretary’s appearance capped off a busy day that began in Coburg, Oregon, where she toured the manufacturing facilities of Monaco Coach Corporation, C2111.

My drive across southeastern Georgia was delightful. Rolling countryside, blanketed in every direction by deep green forests and fields, was punctuated by red clay that peeked out from beneath rows of peanut plants and pecan trees.

Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free … “
— From a poem by Emma Lazarus inscribed at the base of the Statue of Liberty
On January 2, 1892, 15-year-old Annie Moore from County Cork, Ireland — using one hand to hold her suitcase and the other to hold a hat on her head — was the first passenger to come down the gangplank and step onto Ellis Island.

On August 16, 17, 18, and 19, Redmond, Oregon, played an accommodating host to thousands of FMCA members who gathered in their motorhomes to participate in the “Cascade Mountain Magic” convention, the association’s 72nd International Convention. The city of approximately 17,450 nearly doubled in size as FMCAers enjoyed four days of seminars, exhibits, entertainment, and that special brand of RV fellowship on the grounds of the Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center.
For some FMCA members, it was a return trip.

We had owned our 1995 coach for several years, and its age began to show in the engine compartment. I had always polished the exterior, including the wheels, on a fairly regular basis but tended to neglect the parts not readily visible.

While hooking up my tow bar on a rainy night, I caught myself putting the hitch pin through the receiver even though the tow bar was not inserted far enough for the pin to engage it. To prevent a recurrence, after things dried out I locked the bar into the receiver and then put a band of masking tape around the tow bar to mark the point where it met the receiver.

Xtreme Malletball is a croquet-like game that can be played on almost any surface — from golf-course-type lawns to tall grass and woods — and in a large or small area, even around a house. Soccer balls, heavy mallets, and giant PVC wickets are used to play the game, which requires some skill but can be adapted so all members of the family have fun together.
The preferred rules are adapted from golf croquet and are said to be easily learned and adaptable to parties and large groups.

Coachmen RV, based in Middlebury, Indiana, recently introduced its newest diesel-powered luxury motorhome, the 2005 Sportscoach Encore. The Encore is built to meet the growing demand by RVers for upscale amenities and the power that a diesel engine can deliver.
Travelers can relax on leather seating found throughout the motorhome, snooze in the bedroom suite, and enjoy the open space created by the model’s double-slideout floor plan.

Winnebago’s 2005 Itasca CambriaWith its streamlined profile and a fairly narrow beam, Winnebago Industries’ new 2005 Itasca Cambria can slip along the two-lane byways as you search for little-known antiques shops or bookstores dealing in rare and used books, and it can handle freeways and toll roads with equal aplomb.

It’s the time of year when most of us hit the highways just for the sheer joy of leaf peeping. Here are ways to make your table sing with color, too.
Stained-Glass Quiche
If you prefer, fry a 12-ounce package of bacon and crumble it for this dish.

Once in a great while, an innovation comes along that has a dramatic effect on consumers and the related industry. In the RV world, slideout rooms and high-tech convertor-chargers are examples of the more dramatic changes in recent years.

Since 1985 the Virginia Main Street program has helped many of the state’s communities revitalize their downtown districts. It has a two-pronged goal — stimulate the long-term economic growth, and increase local pride in the past.

Seeing the world as a full-timer can be very rewarding, but don’t be misled into believing that it’s all one big vacation. This still is life, and those on the road have the same challenges and opportunities — perhaps more — as those living in stationary homes.

This column is not about red robins, but bobcats — the smallest and most abundant wild cat still roaming North America. We spotted our first bobcat during our first year of full-timing.

The concept of using a symbol on highway signs to help RV travelers find easily accessible businesses and tourist attractions that cater to their needs works, and is gaining momentum in Oregon and, more recently, in Louisiana.
Many of us have experienced the frustration of not knowing whether a tourist stop, restaurant, or gas station advertised along the interstate offers enough room for RV access and parking. It was out of this frustration that a suggestion was made to the Oregon Travel Information Council about signage identifying “RV Friendly” locations in late 2002.

Shortly after FMCA’s first convention, which was held in Ticonderoga, New York, in 1964, several motor coachers gathered to start a regional chapter for the New England area. Of the many conversations held over campfires that weekend, one in particular is still rippling through the waters of history.

It’s reasonable to expect that after 26 years of Great Lakes Area Spring Sprees, the excitement for the event may have dulled for some longtime attendees. But that was not the case during the 27th annual G.L.A.S.S.

Q: I recently made several calls to Lexus inquiring as to whether a Lexus SUV (LX, GX, RX) could be flat towed behind my motorhome. I was informed that Lexus did not recommend flat towing the vehicle and that it could possibly cause transmission damage.