Specialty Marshmallows
File this under “Why didn’t I think of that?” Stuff’n Mallows are marshmallows stuffed with chocolate. When toasted over an open fire, the chocolate chips melt inside the …
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A new luxury diesel motorhome sold factory-direct by RV industry veterans.
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Puzzles for the young and young at heart include Campsite Differences, Animals of Fiction, Say Cheese, and One Trail Home.
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What's the best time of day when traveling in your motorhome?
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Travels always have a sweeter taste when we learn as we go, sampling local produce, chatting with local fisherfolk and farmers, and helping fledgling food industries. A trip to Cedar Key, a Gulf Coast fishing village in Florida’s forgotten Big Bend country, is always a treat . . .
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Data. It's a new commodity for us, a factor to budget for, a number to know. I'm talking about the data that we access on our smartphones, tablets, and laptops — sent to and received from the Internet via emails, websites, text messages, videos, and music. One question I’m often asked is how much data RVers need as they travel around the country.La Mesa RV Hires Female Service TechnicianAs a child, Dawn Landisi loved taking things apart and putting them back together. She helped work on cars in her dad’s garage. In high school, she enrolled in auto shop and metal shop. She eventually earned an automotive technology degree from Cuyamaca College in San Diego, California . . .In October 2014, my husband and I took a road trip to Newmar’s headquarters in Nappannee, Indiana. We had been there before, so we looked forward to Newmar’s hospitality; excellent customer service; and the unique, friendly town of Nappannee. This time we came for an inspection and update of our coach.
Parking Guides
I lost my wife — my copilot and navigator — a few years ago. With no one to help guide my 36-foot motorhome into an RV site, I found a solution . . .
Roof Cleaner RecommendationDear RV Doctor:Twice a year, I clean my RV’s roof with a popular roof cleaner and treatment. Just about every time I wash the RV, I spray on another popular cleaner and wash it off after brushing the roof. Recently an RV technician used silicone spray to lubricate the antenna, and some of the silicone got on the rubber roof. As I wiped it off, it removed a layer of dirt . . .
The following companies have recalls delineated in this month's Recall Corner: Forest River Inc., Thor Motor Coach.Towable Honda DebutsHonda has introduced a crossover SUV for the 2016 model year that is towable four wheels down behind a motorhome, according to its owners manual.#ILoveFMCAThe 52nd anniversary of FMCA's founding is July 20, 2015. Leading up to that date, FMCA is encouraging members to share some FMCA love on Facebook.
This month’s Executive Director’s Commentary is devoted to sharing a blog written by Susie Kellogg. For those of you who may not be familiar with Susie, she is the matriarch of the Kellogg family, better known in social media as The Kellogg Show. Susie and her husband, Dan, have 12 children ages 3 to 19, and they travel full-time in a motorhome . . .
I just realized that this is the 24th column I’ve written since being elected as FMCA national president. As you’ll recall, I’ve had my good times, my bad times, my lost times, and my found times. Through it all I’ve maintained my sense of humor and my love for RVing.Touring the United States by motorhome can add to your knowledge of places and things. Put that knowledge to use by tackling the following trivia questions. The accompanying answers have been verified as much as possible, though a few are debatable.Do you travel with young children or grandchildren? If so, you’ll want to know that planning is well under way for the Youth Program at FMCA's Family Reunion and Motorhome Showcase July 29-August 1 in Madison, Wisconsin. We are scheduling outings for children between 6 and 16 years of age.Miles of motorhomes will converge in Madison, Wisconsin, toward the end of July and make that city a capital for fun. The reason? FMCA is holding its 92nd Family Reunion and Motorhome Showcase at the city's Alliant Energy Center, July 29-August 1.Family Motor Coach Association members who are “flying” to Madison, Wisconsin, to attend the next Family Reunion and Motorhome Showcase, July 29-August 1, may want to land for a while in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Oshkosh is approximately 86 miles north of Madison (a 1-hour-and-40-minute drive) near beautiful Lake Winnebago.Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin’s largest lake, features six unique lighthouses. The biggest town along the lake is Oshkosh, located on the western edge. The far southern edge of Lake Winnebago is slightly more than an hour’s drive from Madison, Wisconsin, where FMCA members will meet for the 92nd Family Reunion and Motorhome Showcase July 29-August 1.Against the backdrop of the San Bernardino Mountains, the 487-acre facility known as Fairplex welcomed motorhomers to Pomona, California, to experience these highlights and more during FMCA’s 91st Family Reunion and Motorhome Showcase, March 26-29, 2015.
The Itasca Tribute and the Winnebago Brave are the nameplates affixed to two 1960s-inspired product lines that feature an entirely new design. These motorhome brands bring back fond memories for veteran RVers who may remember when the original Brave motorhome impacted the RV industry a generation ago and helped promote the concept of driving an RV rather than pulling a trailer behind a car or truck.
Even RVers who are enjoying the freedom of the open road need a place to receive old-fashioned paper envelopes. Whether you are the kind of RV traveler who stays for months at a favorite campground each year, or you spend only a few weeks in any one location, having an actual physical mailing address is still a necessity in the modern world.
Ready to hit the road after another pleasant camping experience, you turn the key in your motorhome’s ignition and . . . pffft. Dead battery. It can happen if you’re boondocking or if you’re plugged in to a campground pedestal. But it can be avoided, too.The 2015 election of FMCA national officers will be held July 29, 2015, at FMCA’s 92nd Family Reunion and Motorhome Showcase in Madison, Wisconsin. Read the resume of each of the candidates.
Many questions should be considered before buying a lot for your motorhome.My wife, Jennifer, calls our Roadtrek CS Adventurous XL our “Adventure-mobile.” And maybe because of that attitude, I’ve tended to live in the moment a bit more often than I should. As soon as I got in the motorhome and we took off, I let my guard down and went into vacation mode. This is not a good idea for prolonged periods of time. I learned that the hard way.Carefree Communities Donates To VeteransThe fourth annual Carefree’s Got Talent competition finale raised $25,000 to support Disabled American Veterans (DAV), which helps military veterans obtain benefits and disability compensation. The March 24 event in Lakeland, Florida, drew nearly 2,000 competitors and attendees.Stackable CookwareGraham Dalton was competing in an around-the-world yacht race in 2007 when it dawned on him that pots and pans don’t have to be round and difficult to store. Soon after, he launched Smartspace Cookware.How do you practice the custom of leaving a campsite, campground, or other place you visit better than when you arrived?How do you practice the custom of leaving a campsite, campground, or other place you visit better than when you arrived?Since 2009, the Professional R.V. Vendors chapter (PRVVC) has organized food drives at Family Reunions and regional rallies. As a result, tons of nonperishable food and thousands of dollars have been donated to food banks that serve needy people. Last year alone, the chapter collected more than a ton of food.
Our FMCA experience began in 2007 when we purchased our first motorhome, a 40-foot, 2008 Winnebago Tour. We joined FMCA without knowing much about the organization, except that it represented many people who were active RVers.
Owners Manual TabsWe recently bought a 2005 motorhome, and the tab dividers in the spiral-bound owners manual were bent, worn, and hard to read. After some research, we found the perfect item for making the manual look better and easier to use . . .Furnace Blows FusesDear RV Doctor:I just purchased a 1993 RV. The heater works, but it blows fuses after about five minutes of operation. It has a 15-amp fuse, and I replace it with the same. Any ideas?The following companies have recalls delineated in this month's Recall Corner: Airstream Inc., Forest River Inc., Newmar Corporation, Thor Motor Coach, Tiffin Motorhomes.Suggested Stops Along The Blue Ridge ParkwayDear Editor:The article about the Blue Ridge Parkway in the March 2015 issue (“Springtime On The Blue Ridge Parkway,” page 74) was an excellent description of this 469-mile route.As we all find ourselves using technology more and more (especially in our mobile lifestyle), it only makes sense that a platform such as RVillage.com would emerge, making it easy for RVers to have “meet-ups” wherever we roam. With more than 20,000 members signing up in just a few months, RVillage is growing at a viral rate not seen before in the RV world.As I was pondering what to write about this month, I recalled a conversation I had with a dear friend of mine, Jean Pryor, L12913. We were discussing her long association with FMCA, and she told me that she had written about what FMCA and family mean to her. She gave me permission to share her letter, and I do so now.A Murphy bed, a large rear bath, and an open floor plan set this Type B wide-body motorhome apart.
What is the most unusual or intriguing tourist attraction you have visited?
Are you a bake-and-take cook? Whether the prepping is done before a trip or you assemble things in your galley on the go, a motorhome has everything you need for safe, convenient, jump-start meals.
As the 2015 travel season shifts into high gear this month, I’ve been tweaking my tech — adding new gadgets, downloading apps for our various mobile devices, and redesigning the systems we use in our Type B Roadtrek motorhome as we head out for what will be another year of crisscrossing the country.National Parks Set Attendance RecordsAmerica’s national parks broke attendance records in 2014, with 292.8 million visits. That surpassed the previous record set in 1999 when parks saw 287.1 million visits.Ice MakerThe ice machine cometh. Dometic’s HZB-12 is a compact machine that cranks out 26 pounds of ice every 24 hours.A GMC Motorhomes International chapter convention drew the owners of approximately 120 GMC motorhomes to the Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds in Chippewa Falls from September 27 to October 2, 2014.During their 60-year marriage, Tony and Geri Innocenti, F56315, rarely were apart. Whether at church, in their motorhome, at FMCA rallies and Family Reunions, or at home in Victoria, Texas, they were an inseparable pair.Concealed Control PanelEasy access to a motorhome’s control center is a necessity. However, a panel located at eye level on an interior wall detracts from the coach’s décor.Extra Exterior ReceptacleDear RV Doctor:I've owned a couple of older Type A motorhomes that had a 120-volt weatherproof outlet on the outside of the coach. The outlets were handy for powering the awning lights, a radio, or even an exterior light for reading outside in nice weather.The following companies have recalls delineated in this month's Recall Corner: Newmar Corporation, Winnebago Industries.FRVA members have access to exclusive articles and RV tips, plus a digital library of RVing know-how. For full access to website content, plus must-have travel benefits, join FRVA today and get instant access to Family RVing magazine.
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