Some Christmas travel destinations quickly fade from memory, just like shooting stars. Not so with Goliad, Texas, the “Star of the South.” Goliad’s stellar attractions shine year-round, but at Christmas the sights and sounds are out of this world.
Imagine a 253-year-old Spanish mission outlined in 20,000 white lights, a spectacle to behold and photograph.

I was watching TV a few months ago when a commercial that flashed across the screen caught my attention. “Hey, Hon, take a look at this,” I called to my wife.

Next to your motorhome’s entrance door, you likely will find a small black-and-gold emblem like the one shown in the illustration. It is the seal of the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA).

FMCA’s Executive Committee 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 July 2002 issue prior to the election at FMCA’s 68th Premier International Motorhome Extravaganza in Hutchinson, Kansas.

South of the busy Tampa-St. Petersburg area, Interstate 75 leads travelers toward a region along the Gulf of Mexico with great beaches but fewer crowds.

On hot days, mothers watch their toddlers play at an interactive fountain at the Tammany Trace trailhead in Mandeville, Louisiana. The water spouts triggered by “lily pad” buttons are in a paved area outlined in the shape of Lake Ponchartrain.

In a spacious factory surrounded by cornfields that stretch for miles over the rolling hills of northeastern Missouri, Don and Carol Jenkins, owners of Superbus 1 LTD, C8623, have been making some of the finest motorhomes — “ultimate bus conversions,” Mr. Jenkins calls them — that money can buy.

Have you ever stopped for fuel and then pulled back on the highway going the wrong way? My wife does it all the time. While she loves traveling and seeing new sights, and enjoys meeting new friends (strangers, to her, are merely friends she hasn’t met yet), she admittedly has no sense of direction.

The operating instructions for our Spendide RV washing machine call for using 2 tablespoons or 1 ounce of detergent per load. There doesn’t seem to be an easy way to mark this amount on the liquid detergent cap.

The Sidewinder sewer hose support from Camco can keep sewer hoses off the ground and angled for proper drainage even when the terrain is irregular or full of obstacles. The lightweight plastic support features welded seams for stability and long-lasting use, and deep cradles that hold the sewer hose in place without support straps.
No assembly is required to use the Sidewinder; simply open the support and place the sewer hose on top.

Motorhomers who want to explore the natural wonders and rural history of Minnesota may be interested in Shawn Perich’s new book, Backroads Of Minnesota ($19.95, Voyageur Press). The book leads travelers on a scenic tour of the Gopher State, revealing many of Minnesota’s hidden treasures.
Included in the book are more than 30 recommended drives that visit many of the parks, rivers, lakes, and other sites that capture Minnesota’s colorful history.

Whether you enjoy following the NASCAR circuit, tailgating with your favorite football team, or carrying along a pair of all-terrain vehicles in your travels, the Fun Mover motorhome from Four Winds International could be a worthy companion. Even a pair of personal watercraft, with the proper “trolleys,” can be transported inside the Fun Mover, kept safe from curious eyes and fingers.

Ceiling fans have been used in houses for many years. In warm weather, they do a great job of stirring up a breeze when air conditioning is not yet needed.

This observation from Hippocrates (circa 460-circa 377 B.C.), the father of medicine, indicates that a long, healthful, productive life requires only a moderation of effort.

The site was Hutchinson, a city affectionately known as “Hutch” to the 43,000 residents who call it home in south-central Kansas. The event was FMCA’s 68th Premier International Motorhome Extravaganza, which took place October 1, 2, and 3, 2002.

Let’s get rolling with several casserole recipes that are sure to be greeted at the table to a chorus of oohs and aahs. These recipes were chosen for one of two reasons: either they are easy to assemble in the coach, or they are ideal for preparing at home and refrigerating or freezing for a future trip.
To make the transition from refrigerator to oven to table easier, consider buying Pyrex Portables in places where kitchenware is sold.

You can’t outrun taxes when you go full-timing. But full-timing likely will change the way you manage your taxes.

When most people think of lizards, they picture a cute little critter with a long tail and a lively disposition. But you’ll need to conjure an entirely different image for this desert reptile — it’s a real monster.

History books often give men all the credit for the establishment and growth of the United States. What these books fail to recognize, however, is the role women played in the development of this great country.

A longtime supporter and friend of FMCA passed away August 16, 2002, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dorothy Scott, L63, known as Dotty, was the wife of the late Kenneth T.

Q: Please give me some information on traveling in California and Nevada. My motorhome is a 42-foot Beaver and I typically have a towed car attached.

Dear Editor:
While we were on vacation and traveling near Boise, Idaho, our motorhome was involved in an accident. A truck came across the median from the opposite direction and hit our coach almost head-on, causing it to roll over.

Many FMCA members, myself included, have enjoyed the convenience of using the telephone and Internet services provided as a member benefit through FMCA’s partner, American Telecom Network (ATN). As an agent for telephone companies, ATN is able to offer lower rates than customers can get on their own; however, ATN is not involved in providing the actual service.
Users of FMCA’s phone service through ATN currently receive the service and phone bill from TTI National, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of WorldCom.

It was a Tuesday like any other Tuesday. My wife, Ann, and I had attended the FMCA international convention in Redmond, Oregon, a few days before.

As I write this column, I have been grounded by my doctor for a few days. One of the four arteries involved in a bypass operation that I underwent in January of 1983 developed a 90 percent blockage.

It has been nearly 200 years since Andrew Jackson purchased the property on which The Hermitage now stands. Yet visitors to the plantation, with its stately, columned mansion, lush grounds, and historic outbuildings, are able to return to the past as they envision Jackson’s home life.
In 1804 the future president paid $3,400 for the original 425-acre tract 12 miles east of Nashville, Tennessee.

Teddy bear fever is running rampant among motorhoming ladies in FMCA’s Colonial Virginians chapter. In fact, four out of every 10 women in the chapter have happily succumbed to this epidemic.

Ancient cities that might have rivaled Rome can be found in Mexico. The Mayan ruins in Yucatan speak of mystery, as do the pyramids at Teotihuacan.

One might expect to find the world’s finest collections of musical instruments in Paris and Vienna. But would you believe Vermillion, South Dakota, also belongs in this category? America’s Shrine to Music Museum, located in Vermillion, a small town in the southeast corner of the state, doesn’t miss a beat.

Nowhere does the expression “Ay, Chihuahua!” find a better fit than when it comes to describing an RV piggyback caravan aboard a train through Mexico’s Copper Canyon. It’s a trek that caravan companies know will impress you, and they’re right.
The Copper Canyon is located in the northwestern Mexico state of Chihuahua.

Most drivers will agree that it is safer to travel during the day than at night. During daylight hours, visibility usually is better (unless there is fog, blowing dust, snow, etc.) and obstacles, pedestrians, and wildlife can be seen more easily and avoided.

After a year of untangling jewelry chains, I decided that there had to be a better way of storing them. With the help of some self-adhesive hook-and-loop fastening material and some felt, this is the solution I came up with.

Roadmaster Inc. has added EZ Hook safety cables to its line of tow bars, tow dollies, and other towing accessories.

For the second year, Nashville Easy Livin’ Country RV, a Coachmen RV dealer, helped promote the NFL’s Tennessee Titans by loaning the team a 31-foot 2002 Coachmen Mirada for its team caravan. The two-week caravan visited parts of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama and was designed to give the team’s fans — particularly children — an opportunity to meet some of the Titans players.
From April 5 through April 20, 2002, the caravan covered 4,000 miles and visited 61 cities.

In terms of chassis and power train configurations, the Winnebago Vista represents a subtle departure from conventional type C motorhome design. On the other hand, its “house” portion incorporates the amenities, floor plan, and livability that are typically associated with type C motorhomes.

Virgil D. Miller, 62, chairman of the board of Newmar Corporation, C4363, an RV manufacturer based in Nappanee, Indiana, died  July 7, 2002, at Goshen (Indiana) General Hospital after a lengthy illness.
“It is hard to put into words what Virgil Miller meant to Newmar,” said Dick Parks, who succeeded Mr.

Music, magic, and merriment will take center stage during FMCA’s Motor “Home On The Range” extravaganza.
To help motorhomers feel at home on the range during FMCA’s 68th Premier International Motorhome Extravaganza in Hutchinson, Kansas, October 1, 2, and 3, the association has assembled a diverse group of performers to provide a wide range of entertainment during the event. Add several special events to the schedule, plus free coffee and doughnuts in the morning and refreshments each day, and you’ll want to consider spending the sunny side of your days near the Daytime Entertainment Stage.
Early arrivals to the extravaganza can spin their partners over to the Commercial Building on Sunday, September 29, at 7:30 p.m., for a round of square dancing with FMCA’s own Howard Cowles, F18517.

Here are some ideas for meals that are quick, slick, and delicious, with easy cleanup.

Shrimp Gazpacho
Serve this cold soup for lunch on a hot day. It can be thrown together at the last minute, or made ahead of time to let the flavors chill and mingle.

Today’s RVers enjoy a far different lifestyle than the campers of yesteryear. Modern motorhomes have more amenities and conveniences than many houses did in the days of our youth.

Television is a convenience that is taken for granted in motorhomes of this generation.

How many times have you found yourself fumbling around for the light switch in a dark storage compartment of your motorhome? Those of you with coaches that do not have lighting that is automatically controlled by a switch at the compartment doors know this feeling (and the occasional choice words uttered in the dark).

My 2000 Allegro Bay 36IB came from the factory equipped with a 12V surface mounted light in every storage compartment. These lights have their switch built right into them and most are mounted in locations that are difficult to locate after dark.

Originally, rope lights — the generic name for accent or mood lights housed in long tubes — were used only in luxury motor coaches. But like many other popular features, they now are commonly found all across the price spectrum.

Whether your greatest traveling pleasure comes from strolling through art galleries, hiking, or walking barefoot in the sand, you expect your feet to take you there without complaint. But the way you treat your tootsies determines how kindly your feet will treat you.

River otters belong to the same family, Mustelidae, as badgers, weasels, mink, and until recently, skunks, plus several other species that inhabit North America. Other members of the family can be found everywhere but Antarctica and Australia.

As younger full-timers flood the campgrounds, many of them earning their living on the road, more and more people are entitled to take a full or partial tax deduction for their motorhomes. I’m not qualified to give tax advice, but I do suggest that motorhomers think about deductions if they’re making a living on the go.

As chairman of the Membership/Member Services Committee for 2001-2002, I have been working with a fine group of members whose goal is to ensure that FMCA continues to offer its members benefits to enhance the motorhome lifestyle. FMCA national president Jeff Jefcoat selected the chairman and members of this committee, with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee.

Whether you know Jim and Lil Ranniger, F225726, well or have just met them, it won’t take long for you to learn how important the old Lincoln Highway is to them. The Lincoln Highway was the first identified and marked highway to run coast to coast in the United States.

Q: Although I don’t use my motorhome constantly, I do use it on a regular basis. However, there are times when it may be parked for a month or two between trips.
When I return from a trip, I fill the fuel tank and add a fuel stabilizer so that the coach will be ready for the next trip.

The June 2002 issue of FMC contained an article about the 2002 Dolphin motorhome by National RV (“A Dolphin For The Road,” page 74). The article noted that the five-speed Allison transmission was equipped with a feature that enabled it to automatically downshift in downhill situations when the brakes were actuated.

Family Motor Coach Association will reach a significant milestone next year. The association will be 40 years old on July 20, 2003.

What an exciting time to be involved in FMCA. Many opportunities have been presented to us as an association.