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Volume XXI, Issue 3 • May-June 2016

C NY NV R STR T NFR T N R N S F C T S

S MM R R Y SCC N T R T TT RY

The Official Magazine For Owners Of Heritage, Eagle, Dream, Tradition, Allegiance, Limited & Revolution Motor Coaches

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ACA ACROSS AMERICA - May-June 2016 1

ACA National Membership:Chairwoman - Debbie Darby1021 Pinehurst Pl., Camarillo, CA [email protected]

Membership ServicesChairwoman - Janice ThompsonAmerican Coach Association, 12214 Arron Terrace, Trinity, FL [email protected]

ACA National Web Site:Chairman - Doug Thompson12214 Arron Terrace, Trinity, FL [email protected]

ACA National Finance Committee:Chairman - Bob Downing808 Holley Lake Rd., Aiken, SC 29803803-641-6455 / 803-645-1694 [email protected]

ACA National Ambassador Club:Chairwoman - Debbie Darby1021 Pinehurst Pl., Camarillo, CA [email protected]

ACA National By-Laws & Policy:Chairwoman - Pat Adams19255 Tenaja Road, Murrieta, CA 92562951-741-0673 [email protected]

ACA Scholarship Foundation:Chairman - Tony Ford5531 Kings Row Court, Las Vegas, NV 89148702-540-0319 [email protected]

ACA National Rally Coordinator:Chairman - Jim Graham12245 Susanne Ct., Irvington, AL 36544251-825-9876 / 251-623-4321 [email protected]

ACA National Rally Guidelines:Chairwoman - Pat Adams19255 Tenaja Road, Murrieta, CA 92562951-741-0673 [email protected]

ACA National Historian:Chairwoman - Ann Beadel8801 FM 45 South, Brownwood, TX 76801325-646-5104/325-998-0431 [email protected]

ACA National Legal Advisor:Chairman - Scott Rose300 South Houser Dr., Covina, CA [email protected]

ELECTED OFFICERS:President - Bob Frank888 Grande Haven Dr., Titusville, FL [email protected] President - Tony Ford5531 Kings Row Court, Las Vegas, NV 89148702-540-0319 [email protected] - Jennifer Goergen621 Rollingwood Dr., Shorewood, IL 60404815-791-0644 [email protected] - Brianne Brissette29668 Nicholson Court, Highland, CA 92346909-721-0912 [email protected]

CHAPTER PRESIDENTS:Great Lakes - Bob Carani2843 Kensington, Westchester, IL 60154708-987-7102 [email protected] Wanderers - Sam Samsel553 Paradise Island Place, Haines City, FL [email protected] Pack - Judy Gallion10535 Wards Rd., Ste.B, Rustburg, VA 24588434-851-6504 / 434-907-4443 [email protected] Valley - Barbara Weeks2165 Grassy Branch Rd., Sevierville, TN 37876865-621-3015 [email protected]/Northwest - Skip DieterPO Box 592, Clio, CA 96106530-836-1632 / 559-862-5645 [email protected] - Claudia Rutherford1494 Birch Lane, Perkasie, PA 18944215-795-2427 / 267-228-6143 [email protected] California - Bob Clapper 2223 Locust Ave., Rialto, CA 92377909-337-8851 / [email protected] Central - Allen Meek1010 Floyd St., Anahuac, TX 77514281-782-1125 [email protected] - Raymond Shea411 Walnut St. #4708, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043570-772-0640 / 601-508-0532 [email protected] - Fred Sotelo13117 W. Denton St., Litchfield Park, AZ 85340623-826-9661 [email protected]

ACA NATIONAL MAGAZINE:Editor - Doug Thompson12214 Arron Terrace, Trinity, FL [email protected]

Advertising Coordinator - Loren Maurina248-767-5119 [email protected]

Design & Production - Print Group Inc.1440 W. Skyline Ave., Ozark, MO [email protected]

ACA Magazine - ©2016Volume XXI, Issue 3May-June

The ACA Across America Magazine (USPS 025-025) is published bi-monthly by the American Coach Association, Publication Depart-ment, ACA, 12214 Arron Terrace, New Port Richey, FL 34655 (727) 709-0218, and is funded in part by annual membership dues and paid advertisements. Membership dues are $45 per year. Mem-bership in the American Coach Association is open to owners of American Coach motor coaches only – Heritage, Eagle, Dream, Tradition, Allegiance, Limited and Revolution.

Periodicals Postage Paid at New Port Richey, FL, and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER:Send address changes to ACA Across America Magazine, Member-ship Services, 12214 Arron Terrace, Trinity, FL 34655.

ACA Across America contains advertisements which may be of interest to members- the appearance of any adver-tisement for products or services in this publication shall not be deemed an endorsement by the Association or indi-vidual members. ACA reserves the right to reject or accept, including editing for reasons of space and clar-ity, letters to the editor, chapter news or articles. Statements of fact and opinion are the responsibility of the author(s) alone and do not imply an opinion on the part of the officers of the ACA, the members, the Editor, or Production Staff. Letters and photographs become property of ACA and will not be returned.

ACA Across America

2

American CoachAncira RVAutomotion ShadeBradd & Hall

Campbell Group, TheClassic Coach WorksCoach ReflectionsCruising AmericaDesert Vista

Diamond ShieldFreightlinerGirard SystemsRV Parts PlusRV World - Yuma

Silverleaf ElectronicsSummit ProductsThornton Creek RV Resort Veurinks RV Center

5 President’s Message

6 Vice Presidents Message

7 ACA Scholarship Foundation

8-15 Chapter News

16-17 Choosing the Right Batteries

18 There’s An APP For That

19-22 National Fall Rally - Canyonville, OR

23 Notes from the Web Guy

24 Daimler Trucks Announcement

25 ACA - Lenny Razo

26-28 Tech Tips #87 - Rob Lowe

30 ACA Yahoo Group

31 Tips & Tricks

32 Rolling Recipes

35-37 Upcoming Rally Details

37 Rally Schedule

38 Chapter Directory

39 Membership Services

40 Chapter Registration Form

www.myamericancoach.comwww.facebook.com/americancoach

Other links:www.americancoach.comgroups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/American_Coach/infowww.acc-fmca.com

May-June 2016, Volume XXI, Issue 3 [ Contents ]

[ Advertisers ]

ACA mailing address:

American Coach Association PO Box 2428 #24502 Pensacola, FL 32513


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The past two months have been quiet in our RVing life. No trips, just enjoying the winter in Florida. As I write this, we are closing up the house (we still haven’t found a buyer) and getting ready to leave next week. We’ll head up to North Carolina for a week and then go on to Myrtle Beach for the Southeast Pre-rally followed by the ACA National Rally. The registrations for it have gone very well and by the time you read this it should be in full swing. The committee has done a great job in lin-ing up food, activities and entertainment. Now we just hope the weather cooperates as well.

The ACA Board has been active this winter in a couple of areas. Pat Adams and Tony Ford have rewritten all of the Rally Guidelines which makes them more stream-lined. A copy of them will be available on our website. We have also been working on some important Bylaws changes that will allow a change in our voting procedure from mandatory “snail mail” to faster and more mod-ern voting by internet, phone or mail. This will utilize an independent agent / internet company that special-izes in group voting to send out notices, tally and then report the votes. When I mentioned this at the Goshen rally as an idea it received tremendous support. I will present this in more detail at the Myrtle Beach rally and should have the actual Bylaws changes ready for posting in the next magazine. Unfortunately, we will need one more “paper ballot” with mail-in responses in order to complete the transition. We should be able to do that in the fall and then have the new process ready for any

[ President’s Message ]

Bob FrankACA National President

necessary elections or Bylaws changes in the future. As a side note, I have to thank most of our members for keeping an active email on file. Doug Thompson has reported to me that about 90% of our members have an email listed but 5% of them “bounce back” as being inactive. If you want to check your email address or any other contact information, you can easily do that on our website, www.myamericancoach.com . For those who haven’t done so recently, I would suggest you do that. All you need is your ACA number which is the “User ID” and a password. If you forgot your password or don’t have one, there are instructions there for what to do. In the Member section, you can then log in and check all of your current information including email, home address and phone numbers as well as your current coach model and year. Keeping this up to date helps to make sure you don’t miss any of our special emails. We only send them when necessary so you don’t have to worry about us cluttering up your email. Also, while on the member website, the expiration date of your membership is listed and there is a link along the top for you to do an online renewal. Keeping your membership dues paid in advance will save us mailing you a reminder a month before they are due. The web-site allows you to easily pay with PayPal. Also, you still can mail in a check using the renewal form in the back of each ACA magazine.

That’s enough of the “business” side for today. I hope everyone has great plans for their summer travels and look forward to seeing you in Myrtle Beach, Canyon-ville, or both! Be safe and enjoy your travels wherever the road may take you.

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See You at the next rally!See YouSee YouSee You aaatttataaatatataaatatttttthhhhhhthttthththttthtthttthththtttht eeeeeehehhhehehehhhehhehhhehehehhheh nnneeenennnenenennnen xxxexeeexexexeeexe tttxtxxxtxtxtxxxtx rrrt rttt rt rt rttt rt aaararrrarararrrar llllllalaaalalalaaala lllllllllllllllllllll yyylylllylylylllyllll ylllllll ylllllll ylllllll ylll ylll ylllllll ylllllll ylllllll ylll !!!y!yyy!y!y!yyy!ySee You at the next rally!


Hello everyone! While in Lake Havasu, Arizona for the weekend of February 19-22, Sue and I ran into some snowbirds with a coach that could have been a clone to ours. In talking with them, naturally I inquired to see if they were ACA members. The response was, “no, because we’re from Canada.” To be exact, they were from Manitoba. I explained that we have Canadian members, encouraged them to give us a try, after pro-viding them with a copy of each of the two latest ACA magazines.

This really got me to thinking, with a tinge of remorse, sort of. I don’t think I personally have ever taken the time to dutifully acknowledge our Canadian members, with the exception of National Rallies of course. I think the only Canadian I have regular conversations with over the years is Scott Kellet, former chapter president of Great Lakes. So let me emphasize, from me, to each of our Canadian friends, that our organization would not be the same without your contribution and at-tendance to various functions. You keep us having fun and informed about things happening in your neck of the woods. I think it’s important that you have repre-sentation on our board, as Scott did with such flare and enthusiasm.

The other thing that we were up to since I last wrote you was that we met with our ACC partners in Perry, Georgia. It was fantastic seeing Jim Graham and the gang once again! Now I can check Perry, Georgia off the bucket list.

Immediately after Perry, and as I write this article, we’re knee deep in fun at the Western Regional Rally in Hemet, California.

Unfortunately, Sue and I are unable to attend the Na-tional Rally in Myrtle Beach. Our granddaughter has a graduation event smack dab in the middle of the Rally. This marks only the second time in our journey with ACA that we’ve missed a National Event.

While you’re out and about with you travel and you happen to see an American Coach nearby, don’t hesi-tate to say hello. If the owner is not currently an ACA

ACA National Vice-President

Tony Ford

member, hopefully you’ll have a past issue of ACA magazine with you to pass along. Invite them to at least give us a try. Let them know of not only the benefits of rallies, but also direct those to the Yahoo chat group. Personal contact can make all the difference.

Finally, an update to the ACA Cruise idea. Those who have expressed interest in this adventure have mutu-ally agreed to change the calendar year for this event to 2019. This is building in interest so it’s never too late! As a group, we’re currently looking at the Panama Canal or South America. As this thing is coming together, it truly is going to be great fun.

Till next time,Tony FordNational Vice President.

6

[ Vice President’s Message ]

ACA Scholarship Foundation

As I write this, I am informed that eligible children and grandchildren of our coach builders have been complet-ing their respective applications for our scholarship pro-gram. Soon those completed application packets will be sent off to those fellow members who have volunteered as scholarship committee members for evaluation and scoring. Those award winners will be presented with their scholarships in early June.

Over the last couple of months, several members have approached me regarding our philanthropy as an orga-nization. Some chapters have generously donated to many charities including those which are related to our military.

There are several very worthy charities that we all know about and who would benefit from donations. Our ACA Scholarship Foundation was created to be a positive pending high school graduate financial grant program. Over the years, significant changes have oc-

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curred to our corporate coach builder, and the economy in general. The one constant has been our organizations steadfast support.

Our scholarship program’s existence is outlined in our bylaws which would require a national member vote to make any changes.

In conclusion, I openly ask you to continue your reli-able support on a national level for our scholarship pro-gram. As with anything thing of this nature, I would be remiss in my responsibility if I advocated any other charity that would or could result in a division of dona-tions earmarked for the scholarship foundation.Respectfully,

Tony FordScholarship Foundation President.


Great LakesI can’t believe it’s April already. As I’m writing this note, I’m packing up all our winter toys and putting them in storage. Another winter is gone and time to head back north. Kathy and I hope that you all had a wonder-ful winter. If you were ones that braved the cold this winter---Happy Spring. About 3 weeks ago I sent out information regarding our 3 rallies that we will have this year. Hopefully many of you will be able to join us for some---if not all.

In June, GLC will be headed to Hearthside Grove in Petoskey, Michigan. If you’ve not been here, it’s a must stop on your bucket list. Aside from Hearthside being a beautiful place, the Petoskey area has tons to offer.

In July we will be headed to Dakota Meadows Camp-ground, located in Pryor Lake Minnesota. Dakota Meadows is located just north of Minneapolis, and for the gamblers amongst up, is right next door to the casino. For the shopper---The Mall of America is not far away.

August will find us in Amish country. We will be headed to Shipshewana, Indiana. Shipshewana hosts a very large Flea Market on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Beautiful Amish furniture and wonderful Amish food await us. Nothing lulls one to sleep better than the clip clop of horse’s hoofs on the pavement at night.

All of these rallies are posted online. If you would like to attend, please make your reservations early. If you need more information, please let me know.

Lastly, I have to end this message on a sad note. Caro-lyn Habbegger passed away on April 1st. Carolyn and her husband Eldon were long time members of Great Lakes AND the ACA family. Habbegger Flooring is embedded in all our coaches. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Eldon and their family at this sad time.

Safe Travels. Bob Carani

8

[ Chapter News ]

Certainly by the time we read this, many of us will be enjoying the great National Rally being held at Ocean Lakes in Myrtle Beach, SC…the rally promises to be outstanding with great support from Randy and his Team from the REV RV Group and the many OE sup-pliers who will be there to support American Coach…we even have a super group of Vendors who are coming in to work on our coaches during the Pre-Rally from May 6 through May 9 !

Although I’d love to talk about all the fun and great travels we’re all having, we have a couple of somber is-sues we’re dealing with and we need to keep everyone in our prayers:

1. It has been a tough two months for some of our dearest friends:

a. Chuck and Judy Meigs have sold their coach due to Chucks illness

b. Charlie Savage required three stents

c. Lea Schwart has undergone a heart cath and Larry continues to fight his eye is-sues

d. Suki Duhamel is recuperating from hip surgery plus Steve and Suki lost their youngest child from chronic asthma and resulting cardiac arrest

2. RV Fires seem to be everywhere…we need to know how to escape the coach and we need the best fire extinguishers we can buy…for the engine and for the coach interior:

a. One of our friends with another brand was driving their 2014 Class C coach in the mountains in Colorado in late March when the whole interior of the coach suddenly filled with smoke while they were laboring up a long, steep incline.

Happy Wanderers Their refrigerator caught on fire because they had been off-level so long that the vent and boiler temperatures went way above 350 degrees and caught the wall on fire. The coach was saved by some miracle and quick thinking truck drivers who were well prepared.

b. Our own Rob and Jackie Maddox barely escaped what could have been a deadly

Fire if they would have been asleep.

Around 9:00 pm Jackie smelled some-thing and they discovered smoke pour-ing out from under their washer/dryer cabinet…they quickly evacuated, pulled the 50 amp service and managed to get quick help to put the fire out. The fire actually appears to have started by a short under the floor near the breaker system…however, as of this writing, the actual cause has not yet been deter-mined.

What’s the message…let’s not take anything for granted….Smoke and Fire Detectors, Fire Extinguishers, Escape Plan, Surge Protection. We never know when something will go wrong.

Safe Travels

Sam Samsel

Happy Wanderers


[ Chapter News ]

The “Western Regional Rally” --“Ships of Fools” rally turned out to be a blast! Some of us managed to fit right in there making fools of ourselves having a heck of a good time. Many thanks to everyone that helped make this a total success. The Darby’s were great help with registration, food prep etc.

Speaking of fools! I hope we didn’t scare off our 3 first timers when Pat Adams over enjoyed herself being the leader of the “Not So Newlywed” game where several couples were tortured with tough questions and hilari-ous answers. Pat also led a very competitive group of members through the potato races. The spectators were dying with laughter as Cindy Madore used her aggres-sive approach to overcome Brian Horner to become the champion. I understand Rob Madore has video if you need a good laugh.

We all stayed busy and had a great time with the help of Willie & Marilyn Morris (So Cal-monkey golf ) / Fred & Stella Sotelo (South West---Bean bag baseball) / Ken & Cheryl Brummett (So Cal-Shuffle board)

We had a great Taco night prepared by Three Amigos and Wives (NorCal/NW) Wilson & Barbie Farrell, Bill & Judy McBroom, Don Hermance & Marilyn Wheeler.

Southern California

We are anxiously awaiting the Myrtle Beach national! It seems hard to believe that it has been a year and a half since the thought of having an eastern national at Myr-tle Beach was conceived. Pauline and I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this team of four chapters that has worked together on this rally and we are looking forward to seeing it all come together!

Southeast Web Master Keith Landers has developed a web site dedicated to support travelers with motor homes 40’ or longer. The site has an amazing map that provides information and reviews on RV Parks, service facilities, rallies, festivals and restaurants. Check out the web site at www.mhrig.com . The site may also be reached from www.myamericancoach.com .

Southeast has a pretty full schedule and we are looking forward to a variety of rallies! In October we are doing something different, we are going to join in with the La-zydays Halloween Rally. We will have our own reserved tables and have Southeast specific functions along with the meals and entertainment that Lazydays provides. La-zydays will hold a costume contest (no, I am not wear-ing one) and a coach decorating contest.

Southeast returns to the Keys in November 2016 for our third consecutive year. Our return to the Keys is based on the popularity of this event. In 2014 we had fifty coaches registered and in 2015 the rally grew! Our VP/Rally coordinator Rich has negotiated a great con-tract that allows us to reserve up to four days before the rally (Pre-rally) and four days after the rally (Post-rally) at a price roughly half of the regular rate. As of early April we are at half capacity and we expect to receive a lot of registrations at Myrtle Beach.

Southeast will return to the award winning Sun N Fun RV Resort in Sarasota for our annual Christmas Rally. Mark & Jackie Belcher along with Stew & Mary Mac-farlane are already at work planning a wonderful rally. For 2016 they have added a sight-seeing cruise and an organized dinner out. Rally coordinator Rich has reserved additional sites and we are moving into a larger meeting room.

The Annual Regional Rally in January 2017 will be held the week prior to the Supershow. Due to the schedule

Southeast shift we were able to reserve a greater number of large sites and we have already received over twenty registra-tions. For the January Florida RV Supershow we will hold a rally within the fairgrounds. This will be a new adventure for our chapter, we will camp together, have great social hours and have the time to explore all the Supershow has to offer. More details will be available soon!

Registration forms and information on our rallies is al-ways available at www.myamericancoach.com and www.southeastaca.net .

Pauline and I feel very fortunate to be a part of this chapter and we hope to see you soon!

Ray Shea

10

[ Chapter News ]

Our Tail Gate breakfast was a kick with Glenn Caldwell (NorCal/NW) and Pat Adams (SoCal) at the grill with Tony Ford being the mix master at the Bloody Mary Bar.

So as you can see the three chapters all kicked in to make it a great success. I can’t wait until next year when we will be led by Fred and Stella Sotelo of South West Chapter for 2017

I do have some sad news to report as we lost two of our members, George Thomas and Charlie Miller. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families as they con-tinue their journey without their loved ones.What’s next you ask???May 6th & 9th the Rose’s and the Clapper’s will be hosting the “Mother’s Day Rally” plenty of good food and a super Mother’s day brunch. At Pechanga RV Re-sort and Casino.

There are several So Cal Members looking to head east to Myrtle Beach for the Spring Rally May 9th – 24th if anyone is interested in a rolling rally. Check with Ray Lamb or Tom Jordahl.

June and July are open and available if anyone wants find a place to put together a rally? Please let me know.WINE now that I have your attention! August 4th – 8th So Cal will be having a rally at the Wine Country RV Resort in Paso Robles, Ca. hosted by the Scott’s, Gottliebs’s & McLorn’s.August 22nd-27th we will be heading north for the Fall National Rally at Seven Feathers RV Resort and Casino in Canyonville, OR. NorCal President Skip Deter and his team are hard at work to make this a great rally. October 5th -9th we have roughly 60 plus coaches signed up for the International Balloon Fiesta Rally in Albuquerque. This is a joint effort of So Cal, Southwest, NorCal/North West & GLC. Bill Dettmer is our fear-less leader.

Many Thanks to all that make American Coach Association a great group to be a part of!Travel safe, Bob Clapper, So Cal President

Hello from South Central. All is well here, hope this newsletter finds all other chapters members enjoying the beginning of Spring. We are gearing up for the national rally in Myrtle Beach. Thinking about caravans, stops along the way, and seeing “old” traveling friends. Ex-citement is running high and it will be here before we know it. It is so true that the more mature we become the faster time accelerates.

A couple of activities we are going to attend before we head toward Myrtle Beach are; making a $10,000.00 donation to VA Dogs of Texas at a chapter rally in Ker-rville, Texas (Buckhorn RV Resort) July 11-15. The plans include meeting the trained rescued dog and its proud new veteran recipient. How exciting is that !? VA Dogs of Texas is a great organization, well researched by a committee of vets from our chapter.

A second trip beyond Myrtle Beach, may include a stop or two at a Service Center. By the way, we have a new REV service center in Alvarado, Texas. This is great news for those of us who live down south.

In August, hopefully some of us will head toward Seven Feathers RV Resort in Canyonville, Oregon for an-other great National American Coach Rally. We can fill our lungs with fresh air; eyes with the beauty North America has to offer; our hearts with the love of this country and our ears with the sounds of nature, instead of political chatter.

Relaxation and renewal is our wish for you and your American Coach Association.

Please keep our first responders and soldiers in your thoughts and prayers, God bless you and God bless AmericaAllen Meek

South Central


[ Chapter News ]

Happy Springtime Everyone,Goodbye Cabin Fever…. It’s time to travel!!Greetings from soggy California- where we now finally have water. The lakes, rivers, and streams are full and the plants are blossoming. The rain and snow has fi-nally stopped and temperatures are starting to warm up.I’m happy to say my co-pilot and I are finally able to hit the road albeit for only a couple of weeks. The coach is washed and serviced and is spinning its wheels in an-ticipation of the first trip of the season. Fuel prices are down which makes for more enjoyable travels.

Our plans included a trip to Yuma, Arizona to visit with the NorCal/NorWest contingent that is currently residing there. It was time to sit back and visit catching up on what has transpired since our last time together. What a time we had, sitting back and relaxing is a mis-nomer, food, food, and more food along with a few liba-tions. Now throw in some off-roading in the desert and “Howling at the Moon”, it seems that the good times never stop. Who ever thought that you could get over a thousand people to gather in the desert and howl when the full moon rises over the Chocolate Mountains? Well I can say I witnessed the happening. Actually, this is a yearly happening where the community gets together and raises money for the children’s burn unit. Live bands, food, and community involvement is what it’s all about.

Then it was off to the “Ship of Fools” Western Regional Rally in Hemet, California. Having a rally on April Fools’ Day presented unique experiences for everyone. Again with the food and libations, it seems that this is part of what we do whenever we get together. Now let’s throw in some golf, games, line dancing and the not so newlywed game.

There is springtime beauty as we travel highway 395 which borders the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountain range, and the desert is coming alive. Looking west the mountains are still covered in snow while looking east provides a springtime bloom. Weather couldn’t be nicer

NorCal/Northwest with temperatures ranging from 70’s – 80’s Ahh… How nice the warmth feels after leaving the 30’s – 40’s behind.

Now it’s back home to get all the pine needles raked up and everything spruced up for our daughter’s wedding. It will be our first time to host such a large party at our mountain home so let’s hope it turns out well. Let’s hope the bear, deer, raccoons and skunks just watch from a distance.

All this and planning the ACA Fall “Roll Your Wag-ons West” National Rally, it’s safe to say we are feel-ing stretched thin. Without the help and support of our committee chairpersons and their support staff we would be in trouble. Fortunately, everything is falling into place, registration is up and running, all the meals are planned and the entertainment is set. Vendors and suppliers are starting to sign up, and we have requested great weather for the rally.

Well that’s a wrap for now- we are looking forward to seeing everyone in August for the “Roll Your Wagons West” Fall National Rally.

Safe Travels,Skip

12

[ Chapter News ]

I am putting this article together while traveling down the road headed to Okeechobee, FL. This is our first time out this year in the motor home and we are look-ing forward to the trip. Of course the first part of the trip is always spent with Gary sending me to find noises that are driving him crazy. Dishes rattling, cabinets squeaking and all the other sounds a house traveling down the road would make. If he would only take my suggestion when we start the trip, turn the radio on and increase the volume then you don’t hear all the noises!!I once again asked for help with this article and Melin-da Ridge sent me the following to help me out. I really appreciate the help I get from the chapter members for the articles. Melinda writes,What an upgrade from my childhood memories of tent camping from age 3 to 13 on a recreational lake in NC then my parents buying (of all things a 40’ house trailer to replace the tent on our lot at that lake). It was not until my son was born they decided they should build a home on that same lot-no doubt for him. Of course when I was a teenager I had to invite my friends to that trailer. Little did I know that the best blessings would be as an adult in a 36’ 1988 Pace Arrow, a 40’ 1999 and 2005 American Tradition and a 42’ 2013 American Tradition. The beauty of 49 states, San Juan Islands, and each Province of Canada has given us many memo-ries and opportunities that were only made possible by a reliable Fleetwood, American Coach, and a superb Service and Technical Team. The friends which are now considered family from each ACA chapter, the ca-maraderie of working together at Rallies shall never be forgotten. I desire not to think of getting older, know-ing very well we are but certainly hope to travel quite a few more miles, meet many more people and sit around the firepit and relive all the wonderful times! See you at Myrtle Beach!

Safe travels,

Judy GallionMacPack Sent from my iPad

Mac PackWINDING DOWN our winter in Okeechobee, Florida was sad and hard, going from doing “nothing” to doing “something” was hard. We had become expert at the “nothing” part. Like being in Missouri where I could see the sun rise, in Florida I see the sun rise and watch the pelicans fly by. Life was easier there. I love it!

In my March article, I talked about BONUS FRIENDS. We had a wonderful week with Hans and Cindy Nitch in February. They brought their mo-tor home to our Park and we enjoyed meals and time together. Cindy helped me with my much needed computer skills. They left for The Great Outdoors in Titusville to visit past and present MV friends, Jack and Sharon Fitch, Denny and Sandy Kale and Harry and Nancy Cromer. All is well.

There is not much going on right now. Mat and Donna Wolf are staying in Yuma until May. They will miss the Myrtle Beach rally because they will be updating their coach.Darryl and Connie Hubble spent the week of Mardi Gras in New Orleans then went toSan Antonio for a festival along the river. What a great place to spend time together.Jim and Donna Catron stayed in Pharr, TX through March, traveled through the hill country on their way home. They will attend Jim’s 55th class reunion. Do you remember when they left our Sparta, IL rally five years ago, traveled 400 miles home to attend his 50th, came back and finished the rally? From there we all went to Rockford and enjoyed a wonderful air show. What memories…..

We look forward to seeing and being with everyone in Myrtle Beach. Until then, stay safe and God bless you all.

Barbara WeeksMissouri Valley

Missouri Valley


[ Chapter News ]

Spring Greetings from the North East! Jack and I have traveled back to PA just in time for Spring Daffodils, and along with that- rain and heavy winds!

The memories of FL just a few days ago seem pretty distant right now! I always love this…welcoming new members to our chapter! Diana & Terry Wilburn, from MI, Debby & Pat Branigan from Ohio, and Elaine and Jeff Nause from DE. We are blessed to have more ACA members joining in the fun!

We stayed busy in Florida, we had so many NE mem-bers in River Bend we declared one day NE day and celebrated with a picnic and barbeque. The Andersons, Baskins, Maddox’s, and Booth’s traveled to join us, while the rest of the gang arrived via golf carts: Cov-entry’s, Kurkulonis’, Goergens, Branigans, Kukurins, Robinovitz’s, Duhamels, and I’m sure I’m forgetting someone and I apologize!

It was shortly thereafter that Suki Duhamel fell and broke her hip, surgery to follow and rehab. Judy Booth was on crutches, along with Lloyd Monroe healing at home in MD…we have had our share of broken bones. I think we will all be glad for a change of seasons!

Northeast We also had time for boating on the Caloosahatchee River with the Goergens and Duhamels. The Caloo-sahatchee is part of the Okeechobee waterway, which runs from east to west coast across FL, through Lake Okeechobee, complete with locks!

Next on the agenda was a Murder Mystery Train Ride, which the Duhamels put together. We all missed Suki very much while she was working hard in rehab, and we promise to do it again next year! The winners for our car, which meant we figured out the murderer, were none other than us, Claudia & Jack! Came home with an autographed picture of the actors AND a great coffee mug! Fun fun night!

Picnic Time for NE in Florida!

14

[ Chapter News ]

Well the Western Regional is history. We had great food and plenty of it. The Clappers knocked it out of the park on this one. Many of the attendees joined in on the cooking and planning of the events. There was a putting contest, monkey ball tourney, bean bag baseball games, shuffleboard and music and dancing. The last night gave us entertainment in the form of the Not So Newlywed game and what I can only describe as a weird potato panty hose pendulum contest. You had to be there.

Skip Dieter and company had a planning meeting for the August national rally at Seven Feathers Resort. We are really looking forward to a fantastic event to be put on by the NorCal/NorWest chapter.

On the Southwest Chapter front, Stella and I have ar-ranged 4 nights at the Zion River Resort in Hurricane, Utah near Zion National Park. The dates are September 23rd to the 27th. It would be a nice stop on the way from the National rally in Canyonville, Oregon to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. You can use your old timers National Park pass for entrance to Zion and Bryce parks as well.

We wish you all safe summer travels.

Fred

Southwest

Nancy & Bill Kukurin on Murder Mystery Train

Coventrys & Kurkulonis’s on Train

That about wraps it up for the NE winter….plans are made for our joint pre rally with the Happy Wanderers before the Myrtle Beach National! If you haven’t signed up you will be missing a great pre rally and National…all about that in next article!! We are now in the plan-ning stages for our Fall NE Rally to be held in Mystic, CT September 15-19, 2016 at Seaport RV Resort. Check it our in the ACA Magazine, or you can always get in touch with me [email protected]. Mystic is a historic, quaint seaport town with lots to see and do, from harbor tours to mystic pizza!

Be safe in your travels and keep our eyes open, you never know whom you will run into along the way!

Claudia Rutherford, NE President


[ Chapter News ]

Choosing the right +BATTERIES -- for your coach

16

Our coaches have two sets (banks) of batteries, known as “chassis batteries” and “house batteries”. They store power for use when other sources are not available. The chassis batteries are basically there to start the diesel engine, but they also provide auxiliary power for things like the running lights and many dashboard components. The house batteries power the lighting, water pump, and other 12 volt needs. In both of these power banks, multiple batteries are wired together to make a single power source. However, the house batteries have substantially different characteristics than the chassis batteries. I’ll go into house battery characteristics in a future article, but this one is devoted to chassis batteries.

Chassis batteriesThe starting (chassis) batteries in our motorhomes are the same type as used in your car, though with a larger Cranking Amp rating because the engine is much larger and high compression diesels require more cranking energy than all but a few cars. Choosing the right one is largely a matter of getting enough cranking amps to do the job. For most of us, that means two 12v batteries, each with a CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) rating in the range of 900-1000. A battery with that rating will probably be of the physical size known as BCI Group 31.

You should be able to get Group 31 batteries with a suitable CCA from most any battery supplier, including places like Costco & Sam’s Club, Tractor Supply Corp, O’Reilly Auto Parts, and most any truck service center. The price range is generally $115-$150 each and may be under $100 with the exchange of your old battery. In my opinion these sources are generally a better bet than RV dealers for a suitable battery.

CCA vs MCABatteries produce less energy when temperatures drop. The CCA rating is established at zero degrees F. and is suitable for year around use in all climates. An alternate rating known as MCA (Marine Cranking Amps) is based on a temperature of 32 F. rather than 0 F. These will be less a bit less expensive and are still quite capable as long as the temperatures remain above 32 F. Those with larger engines like the Cummins ISX, ISL, and Cat C13 should probably stick with batteries with a CCA around 1000. Those larger displacement engines require a lot of energy to crank! However, a battery with an MCA in the 900-1000 range should be adequate for those of us with ISC, ISL and Cat C9 engines and who don’t ever start their coach in sub-freezing weather. But if you are in doubt, spend the few extra dollars for the CCA rating.

What about AGM batteries?AGM batteries have a different internal design than flooded cell, wrapping the lead plates in a glass mat sponge containing the electrolyte chemical. This is a sealed battery (the industry term is VRLA, Valve Regulated Lead Acid), so it does not produce corrosive gases or moisture, eliminating corrosion on the terminals and nearby metal parts. They can be of extra value if there are electronics components in the same compartment, e.g. an inverter or Battery Control Center. Keeping corrosive gases away from them is always a plus. However, there is a cost to using AGMs. They produce fewer cranking amps for a given size and weight, and they cost substantially more than traditional flooded cells. Plus, you can get maintenance-free (semi-sealed) flooded cells that have much the same corrosion-free benefit. My personal choice is to use maintenance free flooded cells for chassis batteries but AGM for the house battery bank. Let your preference and your budget be your guide.

Choosing the right +BATTERIES -- for your coach by Gary Brinck

Sincerely, Gary Brinck


Terminal Type

Batteries can have different style terminals for connecting the power cables. The connector terminals are commonly located on either the top or the side. Side terminal batteries are found mostly in smaller sizes for cars and the battery cable attaches with a bolt that threads into the female terminal. Probably none of you have that type in your coach. The common top terminal types are Post and Stud. A post is a fat lead knob and the cable is connected via a horseshoe shape clamp that is tightened onto the post.

A stud is a thinner, male threaded terminal and the battery cable slips over the stud and is tightened down with a nut and washer. Some batteries will have a combo post and stud, to accept either type cable. Most recent year American Coaches are wired to use the Stud type, but some older ones may use Posts. Before purchasing a battery, make sure you know which style post you require.

Battery brands

I often see inquiries about what brand of battery is best. There are only three major cranking battery manufacturers in the USA, so most batteries come from the same few factories regardless of brand name. The battery manufacturers are Johnson Controls, East Penn Manufacturing, and Exide. There are some smaller specialty manufacturers like US Battery and Trojan, but they are not high volume producers and they mostly specialize in deep cycle type batteries. Even well known battery brands such as Interstate, Harris and Die Hard come from one of those three major manufacturers. My advice is to not worry about brand names and concentrate on the size specifications discussed earlier in this article. If you get the right CCA rating and size, you will be fine.

In a future issue I will discuss house battery types and characteristics, and how to make a good choice for your American Coach.

There’s an APP for that...There’s an APP for that…

“History Here” is a Webby Award-winning interactive travel guide to thousands of historic locations across the United States. Use the app to learn the history around your neighborhood, when you visit someplace new or if you're just feeling curious while sitting on the couch! Get the facts about the history that's hidden all around you, including architecture, museums, battlefields, monuments, famous homes and much more! And now, you can explore TOURS, a new feature that use locations as a way to learn about historical themes and topics, such as Marilyn Monroe's Hollywood, Civil War Atlanta and Al Capone's Chicago. WE ARE ADDING MORE POINTS OF INTEREST ALL THE TIME. Know a place that's not listed in the app? Use the Suggest a Place feature to submit it to the HISTORY editorial team. Features: Select your current location with GPS or choose any location across the country. Explore thousands of exclusive points of interest, written by the history experts at HISTORY. Tap Surprise Me! to see a random location somewhere in the U.S. Display historic locations in a “zoomable”, map-based view or in a scrolling list. Swipe the top panel on the map to browse. Pinch out and watch the pins cluster. Share the locations you find with friends via Facebook, Twitter and email. Get distances and driving or walking directions to points of interest.

By Erv Bretz

This is a COOL APP! As you travel to different places, this app will let know that you are close a location where some history took place or a location that is historic. It is useful also looking ahead at places you are going to, entering a location in the App, then seeing what’s of interest. Example: We had are alternator on our coach go out, needless say you are not going to far. The next town was North Platte, we found out that it is the location of one of Worlds largest Train switching yards. The Golden Spike Tower and Visitor Center is an eight-story building which overlooks the expansive railroad staging area. The tower and visitor center are open to the public year-round.

What’s in store for 2016 on the western side of the country….

2016 Fall National Rally “Roll Your Wagons West”

August 22-26, 2016 The American Coach Association is having the

“Roll Your Wagons West”

2016 Fall National Rally

Located in the picturesque area of Canyonville, Oregon.

The rally will be held at the gorgeous Seven Feathers RV Resort and Casino nestled in the pines.

http://www.sevenfeathersrvresort.com/

http://www.sevenfeathers.com/

Look for the app: “History Here” - available on Google Play and the App Store.

18

What’s in store for 2016 on the western side of the country….

2016 Fall National Rally “Roll Your Wagons West”

August 22-26, 2016 The American Coach Association is having the

“Roll Your Wagons West”

2016 Fall National Rally

Located in the picturesque area of Canyonville, Oregon.

The rally will be held at the gorgeous Seven Feathers RV Resort and Casino nestled in the pines.

http://www.sevenfeathersrvresort.com/

http://www.sevenfeathers.com/


Draft Agenda – ACA National Rally, 7 Feathers RV Resort

Monday, August 22

2:00 -‐ Coaches Arrive 10:00 -‐ 1:00 National Board Meeting in Club House 1:00 -‐ 4:00 Arrival Registration Open 3:45 -‐ 4:00 Ambassador Briefing in Club House 4:00 -‐ 4:30 First Timers Gathering in Club House 5:30 -‐ 6:00 Ballroom Open / Cash Bar 6:00 -‐ 9:00 Welcome Reception / Opening

Ceremonies

Tuesday, August 23

8:00 -‐ 9:30 Breakfast Buffett in Ballroom 9:30 -‐ 10:00 ACA General Meeting 10:00 -‐ 11:00 American Coach Presentation 7:30 -‐ 4:00 Randy’s Service Team 9:00 -‐ 4:00 Show Coaches Open 9:00 -‐ 4:00 Vendors & Seminars at Pavilion &

Clubhouse 10:00 -‐ 2:00 Information Table Open 5:00 -‐ 6:00 Chapter Socials (contact your chapter for

locations) 6:00-‐ Dinner on your own

Wednesday, August 24

8:00 -‐ 9:30 Continental Breakfast @ Pavilion 7:30 -‐ 4:00 Randy’s Service Team 9:00 -‐ 4:00 Show Coaches Open 10:00 -‐ 2:00 Information Table Open 9:00 -‐ 4:00 Vendors and Seminars Pavilion &

Clubhouse 11:00 -‐ 4:00 Wine Tasting Tour 5:30 -‐ 6:00 Chapter Socials 5:30 -‐ 6:00 Wine Tasting @ Pavilion? 6:00 -‐ 7:30 Dinner 7:30 -‐ 9:00 Entertainment at Fire pit

Thursday, August 25

8:00 -‐ 9:30 Breakfast @ Ballroom 7:30 -‐ 4:00 Randy’s Service Team 8:00 -‐ 4:00 Golf 11:00 -‐ 4:00 Vendors & Seminars 3:00 -‐ 4:00 Ice Cream Social 5:00 -‐ 6:00 Chapter Socials 6:00 -‐ 9:00 Dinner on your own

Friday, August 26

08:00 -‐ 09:30 Continental Breakfast @ Pavilion 9:30 -‐ 11:00 Board Meeting Wrap-‐Up 09:00 -‐ 4:00 Show Coaches Open 07:30 -‐ 4:00 Randy’s Service Team 11:00 -‐ 1:00 Ladies Luncheon 5:00 -‐ 6:00 Chapter Socials 6:00 -‐ 9:00 Dinner / Grand Finale

Saturday, August 27

08:00-‐09:30 Continental Breakfast @ Pavilion Farewell!!! Happy Travels

About the Park Seven Feathers RV Resort is a quiet and pristine place away from the hustle and bustle of the world. If you’re looking for a quiet and pristine setting in the heart of beautiful Southern Or-egon then Seven Feathers RV Resort has it all. In the “Land of Umpqua” the park is nestled in a canyon of Douglas Fir and Pines where their fra-grance lingers long after quiet hours. The scenery begins as you meander up the road and approach our portico where you will be greeted by our friendly staff. Enjoying our 23 acres of manicured lawns and lush landscaping make relaxing on your patio is a must. You may also choose to enjoy the heated pool and hot tub, fitness center, family-style showers and restrooms, our golf packages at myrtle creek golf course, read or use the comput-er in our guest lounge, shop in our gift gallery, Creekside 24-hour restaurant (within walking distance), deli/ice cream (within walking dis-tance), make new friends or indulge in the night life at Seven Feathers Casino Resort.

20

So what’s in store?

Wine Trolley Tour: Wednesday the 24th Seating is limited to 30-passengers so sign up now before space runs out. . Enjoy a fun-filled adventure on a replica San Francisco Streetcar as it winds its way through the Umpqua Valley Wine Country. Taste your way through three wineries, explore an array of winemaking styles and find new wine favorites.

Trolley is wheelchair accessible. Must be 21 or over. Tours are 7 hours and return at approx. 6:00PM. Cameras or recording devices are encouraged. Guests should wear comfortable layered clothing for fair or foul weather. No smoking on the Trolley. Alcohol or coolers of any kind are not permitted on the Trolley. Tour cancelled if reservations are less than 15 passengers.

Golf: Will be held on Thursday the 25th at the prestigious Cougar Canyon Golf Course. If you enjoy golf, clean air, natural wildlife and the sound of birds singing instead of the sound of freeway noise, Cougar Canyon Golf Course is for you. Relax and enjoy the spectacular canyon layout as it winds through and around the hills flanked by creeks and countryside.

Ladies Luncheon: Will be held on Friday the 26th at Melrose Vineyards which is located on the bench of the South Umpqua River where once stood an early French Settlement. It was in the Mid 1800s when the Archembeau family settled and became owners of this settlement by filing a land grant. Through the years, many different agricultural crops have been produced on this site. The barn tasting room was rebuilt from the ground up, leaving only the main timbers of the structure intact in order to maintain its structural integrity and historical value. Many original features of the structure were retained so you can still enjoy the authenticity of the original barn, creating a wonderful place to enjoy delicious Melrose wines while you slip back in time.

Remember: “ALL ROADS LEAD WEST”…

Head out for the summer and stay for the rally. There’s so much to see and do out west you may not go back home for a year or more.

§ Mount Rushmore § Yellowstone National Park § Yosemite National Park § Kings Canyon National Park § Las Vegas, Nevada § San Francisco, California § Portland, Oregon § Seattle, Washington § Pacific Ocean


American Coach Association Fall National Rally Roll Your Wagons West

Seven Feathers RV Resort - Canyonv ille, Oregon August 22 - 26, 2016 (departing Aug. 27)

Name(s)

Guest(s)

Address Active E-Mail

City State Zip Coach Length ACA#

Cell Phone ( ) Cell Phone 2 First National Rally Yes No

Emergency Contact Name Phone Number ( )

Chapter Parking Preference Handicapped Parking Required?

(If Yes, handicap placard is required and parking with a chapter is generally not available) Please note any dietary restrictions:

Fee Schedule: (Payable in USD) Note: Limited refunds for cancellations received after July 31st.

Item:

Cost

Quantity

Total

1 Coach - 2 persons

$395

1 Coach - 1 person

$289

Extra person(s) & children over 16

$110 pp

Emeritus - (does not include parking/site)

$110 pp

Children under 16

Free

Ladies Luncheon Friday

$25 pp

Golf, includes fees, cart, and lunch Thursday

$55 pp

Wine Tasting Tour Wednesday

$50 pp

Check enclosed:

Make checks payable to: “ACA Fall Rally” and mail registration to: Sharon

Rodrigues “ACA Fall Rally” 3169 Fairfax Ct. Fremont Ca. 94536 Questions/ Information (510) 673-6732 (510) 673-0065

(Please note: If a cancellation is required, depending on the dates, some nonrefundable fees may be retained. Also, early arrivals may need to change sites when the rally starts.) For early arrival or late departure days, please contact the park directly.

In consideration of the American Coach Association or any of its Chapters, collectively referred herein as the “ACA” accepting this reservation for the Rally listed above, I (we) agree to hold harmless, release, discharge and indemnify the ACA, its officers, directors, representatives, agents, servants, employees and/or volunteers and other organizers of the rally including any insurers or others acting on behalf of the ACA of and from any and all claims, debts, liabilities and/ causes of action, whether known or unknown, anticipated or unanticipated, arising out of or in connection with my (our) attendance at the Rally, or traveling to or from the Rally. I (we) agree that we will bring no claims, demands, actions or causes of action against the ACA based upon the foregoing.

SUBMISSION OF THIS COMPLETED RALLY APPLICATION BINDS YOU, YOUR COACH AND GUEST TO THE FOREGOING PROVISION.

22

At this point, Windows 10 is nearly a year old, and many of us are now replacing outdated laptops, or perhaps giving in to the insistent offer of a free upgrade. In my opinion, it is a really solid, excellent performing desktop, but comes out of the box with some features you need to be aware of. In my nearly 30 year career in IT, it has to be the most “chatty” operating system I’ve seen so far.

This is where a caution comes in- as a condition of being in the “RV People” community, most of us pay for our internet while we are on the road through our cellular carrier. We may be using our 4G phone, or a cellular hot spot- but the reality is that our monthly data is probably limited- and once we’ve used up that allotment, we are either slowed down- or have to pay for additional data at pre-mium rates.

So, here’s what to watch for- You’re home, using your spiffy new Window 10 computer on your cable or other unlimited high speed connection. As it runs, and totally in the background, it is constantly exchanging information with the internet- for features such as Cortana (Windows answer to Siri) – OneDrive (your own personal cloud) – and it is building a database from your searches and emails, so it can suggest things you might want to purchase (similar to Google) – to say nothing about constantly downloading and installing security and application updates.

Now, we move the laptop to the RV and hit the road. When you connect to the internet, Windows has no idea that you are now paying for data usage, and it merrily goes on being helpful. For me, the result was that my two newly upgraded laptops used about 25% of my monthly data allotment in 3 hours.

Much of this communication can be easily restricted- You should consider a few simple configuration changes to your system while it is on the RV, and then be sure to change them back once home.

I would suggest the following as a minimum: 1. Switch off Cortana, and 2. Change your connection to “metered”- when you are using your cellular connection. Don’t forget to change it back when you get home- as “metered” restricts access to security updates. One additional thought- The default for any connection is “metered-off”- which means that any time you change a connection, such as using park Wi-Fi, then switching back to your carrier connection, there is a potential that the connection will reset- just be aware, and check the configuration occasionally. These suggestions should help substan-tially with your data usage- Here are some websites that will explain how, and also suggest other easy modifications if desired: http://www.howtogeek.com/226722/how-when-and-why-to-set-a-connec-tion-as-metered-on-windows-10/ - http://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-10-churning-through-bandwidth-blowing-data-caps/ and http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2489212,00.asp – These are only a few of many places to go to get ideas on how to conserve your data usage.

Surf Happy….. The Webguy


Notes from the Webguy

Daimler Trucks North America Announces $22.7M Investmentto Expand Facilities and Improve Operations at Freightliner Custom Chassis

GAFFNEY, SC – Jan. 20, 2016 – Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) today announced theinvestment of $22.7 million in Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp (FCCC) to expand facilities and improve operations in, South Carolina.

The investment will positively impact a number of key business operations for FCCC, including theconstruction of a new logistics center, as well as expansions of the current office building, employeeparking lot, completed chassis parking and loading/delivery operations. In addition, the investment will drive implementation of a new line side delivery process which will utilize nearly 60 percent morecomponent kitting. “The investment shows our commitment to the employees in Gaffney, our cus-tomers and to the future of FCCC,” said David Carson, president, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. “We will continue to build the best chassis with the best features and customer support, and this investment will ensure we are well positioned for future growth. I’d like to thank the officials from the state of South Carolina and Cherokee County for their help in making this project possible.”

In addition to the logistical and process improvements, the investment will provide an expansion to the current office building, which will provide a 25 percent increase in personal work stations, increase the training room capacity from 25 to 100, double the amount of available team work space and in-crease the cafeteria capacity from 15 to 119. “The leadership team at DTNA wants to ensure we have the tools and facilities we need to continue delivering the best chassis for all of our customers across all of our product lines,” Carson added.

For more information:Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. (FCCC) is a leading manufacturer of premium diesel chassis for the luxury RV market. FCCC supports its industry-leading chassis with a comprehensive suite of ser-vices, including 24/7 factory direct support, a nationwide service network with more than 400 dealers in the U.S. and Canada, and an official customer-support mobile application. For more information, visit freightlinerchassis.com or call 1-800-FTL-HELP.

About Daimler Trucks North America:Daimler Trucks North America LLC, headquartered in Portland, Ore., is the leading heavy-duty truckmanufacturer in North America. It manufactures, sells, and services commercial vehicles under theFreightliner, Western Star, Detroit, and Thomas Built Buses nameplates. Daimler Trucks North America is a Daimler company, the world’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturer.

24

It is hard to believe that another spring has come and is almost past. I hope that you all had a great season and that your travels treated you well. As we approach the summer months and the upcom-ing rally in Myrtle Beach I wanted to update you all on many of the exciting changes happening with American Coach. As I mentioned in my last letter, late in 2015 we revamped the American Coach lineup with three distinct brands. As I write this letter our production line is beginning to produce the 2017 models, and by the time you read this they will be in full production. The 2017 lineup promises to continue the storied history of American Coach, one of freedom and luxury. Let me update you on what you can expect from each model…

The 2017 American Revolution promises to continue the story of what has come to be America’s pre-miere entry-level luxury motorcoach. The American Revolution will offer 4 distinct floor plans, all of them coming in at 42 feet. One of the most notable changes will be to the exterior graphic. The 2017 Revolution will be sure to turn heads with an edgy colorful design. We are also excited to introduce the industry exclusive emergency exit door to the Revolution family. Another great feature that we know you will love is roof mounted patio awnings. There are many other changes and updates coming to the 2017 American Revolution that I know you will love. Be sure to check one out at your earliest convenience.

The 2017 American Dream is more than just a motor coach. It allows you and your family to live out your American dream. And we don’t take that responsibility lightly. That is why we feel honored to carry this nameplate. As this is the latest entry into the lineup there won’t be much changing for 2017. Some slight changes to interior styling and updated color pallet will only enhance this beautiful motor-coach. It will still offer all the great features you have come to love as well as be available in both 42 and 45-foot floor plans.

The 2017 American Eagle will continue to set the mark for luxury motorcoaches. After the slight modi-fications to the lineup late last year, we believe we offer the pinnacle of American Luxury at a price that is unmatched in the industry. The American Eagle includes the industries most innovative fea-tures, and features that put safety at the forefront. Features like the industry exclusive emergency exit door.

The Eagle will still be available in four floorplans all at 45 feet in length and built on the Liberty™ chas-sis built on the Freightliner® Clips. You will still be able to select the gorgeous “Heritage Edition” pack-age that was introduced late last year.

For those of you attending the Myrtle Beach, we may even have something new and exciting to show you there!!

We are excited for the upcoming year and are looking forward to joining you in Myrtle Beach. American Coach. The heart of Luxury, the soul of Freedom.

Sincerely Yours, Lenny Razo Vice President, Sales American Coach


Technical Tips #87© By Rob Lowe

Leveling yste s

As I was writing the original article I discovered that Dave Parson had written an article specific to newer American Coach models that have the Valid/Powergear leveling system. Dave graciously agreed to provide his article which was recently published in the ACA Newsletter. This article covers those that have the Powergear found on the most Allegiance and Revolution models as well as all of the earlier models. Leveling systems on diesel coaches equipped with air ride suspension may also use air pressure to level the suspension air bags and may or may not have hydraulic levelers as part of the leveling systems. Hydraulic systems have a round cylinder with fluid carrying hoses connected to them and a central hydraulic pump located somewhere under the RV with multiple hoses and wiring coming to this operating unit. This style extends a round, chrome plated cylinder which has a round base. All systems will have a control board mounted in the driver’s area of the RV and both may have an auto-level mode, in addition to a manual levelling one. Modern leveling systems use four jack levelers and are controlled to raise the chassis in such a way as to avoid chassis twisting. On these systems usually the front is deployed first, then the rear whereupon the system (or the operator) slowly adjusts side to side and front to back to reach the optimum level. Some leveling systems used on American Coach models deploy the jacks on one side first, then the other side, then level front to back, which was covered in Dave’s article. The primary consideration in whichever method is used, is to ensure that the frame of the coach is not twisted while leveling. It is important to avoid raising either end or either side too much when manually leveling, since this can twist the chassis. Some older systems used a three-point system which deployed the single centered front jack first, followed by the two rear jacks and then levelled as above. Incorrect use of this system has been known to cause the windshield glass to “pop out” or in severe cases to crack. Under the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) requirements, any RV chassis produced after January 1, 2007, must have the slideout and leveling system powered by the chassis battery. This change requires the engine to be running in order to provide maximum voltage to those systems. On coaches that have air suspension combined with a hydraulic leveling system, usually the air is expelled from the air bags and then the hydraulic levelers level the coach. Some use air to finish the leveling and have a small air compressor to compensate for air loss and/or movement inside the RV that may affect the optimum level. There are also some diesel powered RVs that do not have any leveling jack ‘legs’; they merely depend upon using the air in the suspension to level the coach when parked much as they do when the coach is driven. These systems also have a small make-up air compressor to compensate for leveling variations and air leakage when parked. As far as I know, American Coach does not offer this as a standalone system; they include hydraulic jacks in addition to using air to level.

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Understanding Hydraulic Levelers

There are two common types of hydraulic leveling systems found on modern RVs: Those that use hydraulic pressure to extend the ‘jack’ and one or more springs to retract the ‘jack’, (as in the photo to the left), and those that use hydraulic pressure to both extend and retract the ‘jack’, (as in the photo to the right). Each has benefits and downsides and it is important to understand the difference, especially if maintenance is required.

On the systems that have a spring system for retraction, hydraulic pressure is used to extend a chromed ram shaft from the jack body and when the system is signaled to retract the leg, the hydraulic pressure is released and the spring(s) bring the jack to the fully retracted position. Obviously this requires the control that releases the pressure to operate correctly and the spring(s) to have sufficient tension to overcome the weight of the lowered section and the fluid pressure in the leveler and hoses. As time goes on the spring may lose some of its tension, resulting in jack legs that do not fully retract. On fully hydraulic systems, such as those used on many American Coaches, the jack leg is under pressure as it is lowered to level AND as it retracts the jack leg back up to the resting position. The control system simply reverses the flow of hydraulic fluid to extend the jack leg and to retract and retain the leg in the ‘Up’ position. This system requires fluid pressure in the complete system of hoses all the time usually at about 1,400psi. Hydraulic Leveler Maintenance Routine maintenance of hydraulic levelers involves wiping the chrome leg with a soft cloth to remove any sand and/or grit on the leg that may damage the seal between the chrome leg and the jack body. Keeping the area around the seal between the two sections clean is especially important to maintaining the jack. If the jack is extended for long periods of time, especially in areas where there is salt in the air, then coating the chrome portion with a Heavy Duty Silicone spray will provide some additional protection. Check the jack for fluid leaks both where the lines are attached as well as around the seal. Fluid pooling in the jack base is usually the first indication of a leak. If fluid is visible, then cleaning the seal area between the two sections is the first step. Retract and extend the jack a few times afterwards to see if the offending gritty particle has been ejected. If the leak continues, then spray the seal area with WD40 (a petroleum based solvent) that may swell the seal enough to eliminate the leak. Extend and retract the jacks as mentioned above and observe the jack for a few weeks to see if it is still leaking. If it is, then removal of the jack and replacement of the seal is indicated. Most hydraulic repair shops can rebuild the jack, even though some jack makers state that their leveler cannot be rebuilt. Many hydraulic leveling systems require routine fluid changes to maintain their ability to extend the jack leg. Check the maker’s operating and maintenance manual for specific instructions on the particular system installed on your RV. If a fluid change is recommended, then just the fluid in the reservoir only is changed sometimes as frequently as every two years. The fluid, which is often transmission fluid, is drained from the pump system reservoir when all of the levelers are fully retracted.


PowerGear (now a division of Lippert Components Inc.) supplied many of the systems found on American Coaches. They have two popular pump systems: One has a vertical round metal reservoir with a drain bolt near the bottom and a reservoir fill located near the top usually on an angle to the cylinder. It may have a simple bolt in it (the angled one in the photo of this type of system) although most newer systems have the level warning sensor installed in this opening rather than beside it as in the photo. To add fluid, the sensor wiring is disconnected, the sensor is removed, fluid added until it runs out, then the sensor is reinstalled and the wiring reconnected. If on the control panel, the low fluid light comes on, then add fluid as described above. Newer systems use an opaque plastic reservoir, which usually twists off, is emptied of fluid, refilled to the proper level marked on the exterior of the tank and reinstalled. If the label marking the level is missing, then fill to between ¾ and 7/8 of the capacity of the

container. Annual inspection and maintenance of the battery cable connections is important for hydraulic systems since they use the equivalent of an engine starting motor to power their systems. Usually there is a high current fuse near the battery which protects the wiring and a fuse near the control panel and one near the actual leveling jack control valves near the pump and reservoir. The later one can be bundled and hidden in the loom covering the wiring. It often has a 10amp mini fuse in it. It is a good idea to check your system over and find these fuses so that should one fail you will know where to locate them to replace. Cleaning and maintaining the electric connections is important and we recommend spraying these with Corrosion Block® to inhibit corrosion. Ensure that both the positive and negative battery connections themselves are clean and corrosion free. Also check, clean and spray the ground connection where the negative cable attaches to the frame. Check all of the hydraulic lines for signs of deterioration, especially where these lines pass through the coach frame and also near the pump assembly. It is noteworthy that PowerGear supplied some systems with hydraulic lines that are covered in a flame retardant plastic, (to meet the specifications set out by some coach makers), since some of these lines pass near hot engine and exhaust components. This fire retardant plastic coating does not allow naturally occurring gases to escape from the line, so that when the fluid heats up, generally near the hydraulic pump, these gases produce bubbles that appear in the lines. According to PowerGear in a Service Bulletin #82-L0504 dated 4-20-2011, this is a cosmetic issue, there is no fluid penetrating the rubber and it is not a reason for concern. I have a 2009 American Allegiance Coach with these lines and I have not seen any change from when the coach was new, in the size or number of these bubbles. I do regularly inspect them along with my other maintenance checks. Some RV owners have gone to considerable expense to change the hoses, however it is worthwhile reading and understanding the issue before spending a considerable amount of money correcting the ‘problem’.

For past issues of Technical Tips go to the RV-Parts Plus Website at www.RV-PartsPlus.com and click on Tech Tips or follow our Blog also on our

website. Tech Tips appear online prior to being printed.

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Thank you Fleetwood for choosing Auto-Motion Shadeas your original equipment supplier of motorized and manual Dual Roller Shades for your American Coach units.

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For further information visit our website

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ACA GROUP

Here we are again, Debbie & Ter-ry, reporting in from cyberspace.

This month we want to highlight some of the features and ben-efits of the AC Yahoo Group web site that many members may forget about. We are proud of the amount of information that is shared through the email portion of this group. However, the site offers a way to share much more information than just that which is shared through email.

Links – The links portion of the site is a place where members can post links to web sites that offer information that most AC own-ers can use. There are links to sites such as the American Coach Association, various chapters of the ACA and ACC. There are also many links to technical sites such as Cummins/Spartan, Heart Inter-face and Drive Train Industries. Of course, there are also links to sites that are just plain old helpful like finding current diesel prices, finding the perfect campground and tourism information by state. Any member can add a link here, we just ask that it actually pertain to American Coach and not be advertising for your own personal web site.

ACA GROUPACA GROUPACA GROUPACA GROUPACA GROUPACA GROUP

Database – This part of the site offers a spot where members can post a database they have creat-ed. Two that are already there are recommended campgrounds and non-recommended campgrounds. These two databases offer mem-bers a place to find a campground they KNOW can accommodate their rig because another AC owner has actually camped there with their own rig. These data-bases offer a little more personal recommendation – or non-recom-mendation – for a campground than what can be found online at public sites. The other two databases refer to service for our coaches. One is for mobile service and the other is service locations around the country. Both data-bases would be extremely helpful to anyone needing work done on their coach. Any member can add information to these two data-bases, we just ask that you fill in ALL the information requested to ensure fellow members get all the information needed to make a decision. Also, if you have an idea for another database to add, please go right ahead and add it, ensuring, of course, that it per-tains to American Coach and will be helpful to members of this group.

To access the Links and Database portions of the site, you need to actually log into Yahoo Groups and go to the American Coach Yahoo site. These portions of the site cannot be accessed through email. The URL is: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Ameri-can_Coach/info and you will have to log in with YOUR Yahoo ID and password.

If you haven’t joined us already, we invite you to visit awhile and get to know us and get a feel for the benefits derived from our fo-rum. To get to the AC Yahoo site, go to the American Coach Association web site at http://www.myamericancoach.com – there is a link- just “click” the “YAHOO” logo at the bottom of any page. I can just about guaran-tee you won’t regret it!

Debbie & Terry

‘06 Heritage

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by Debbie Darby


To make corn on the cob fast and easy. Husk and wash corn. Wet a paper towel and wring it out. Wrap each ear of corn in a paper towel and cook in microwave for 5 min. Butter and season to taste!

We’re always looking for ways to save space in our motor homes. Put a spring loaded curtain rod under the sink, then hang all your spray cleaners on it. They are up and out of the way and off the floor of the cabinet.

You have a stripped screw head. Put a thick rubber band over the screw, then use the drill bit on the rubber band to unscrew it.

Always struggling with your key ring looking for the right key? Take different colors of nail polish and paint the tops of the keys and you will know which key at a glance.

Speaking of nail polish, have you ever spilled your nail polish? Here is the best way to clean it up. Immediately pour nail polish remover over the entire spill and blot up with paper towels. Do this until you have all the polish cleaned up. If there is still a stain, use a Mr. Clean Magic eraser pad. Then, clean the surface with hot sudsy water.

Put marshmallows in with your brown sugar to keep it moist.

Put vinegar in a baggie, then tie it around your shower head being sure the head is in the vinegar. Leave it for the day, then lightly scrub away the calcium buildup.

We all get reward cards from various stores, gyms and clubs. They often also give you a smaller card for your key chain, thus you really don’t need to carry the regular size card. I keep one at my kitchen sink and one in the bathrooms for cleaning pots and pans as well as around the fixtures. They work great, and best of all they are free.

Ever struggle to pull out a small appliance and the cord gets tangled around everything else and you end up with a mess on your hands? Use cloth bags that come from things like Crown Royal, handbags, etc to secure small appliances in. For example a hand mixer and the beaters all go in the bag before you put it away. The cord and the attachments are always together and there is no tangling of cords. This works for choppers, juicers and any other thing you may have. If you don’t have cloth bags, use plastic bags. You may have to replace them every so often, but they will still accomplish the same solution.

Have you ever lost something small, like an earring or a screw- that you can’t find on the floor or in the carpet? Put a stocking or pantyhose over the end of your vacuum and vacuum the floor. you can retrieve it from the hose before it is sucked up.

Polish faucets and more with newspaper. Newspaper ink is a terrific polishing agent that requires no water or liquid, so just crumple a piece of newspaper and rub.

You can use soda or beer can pop tops in your closet. Just put one side over your hanger then you can double hang another hanger in the second hole. This is an especially space saving tip for those never from enough motorhome closets!

Rolling RecipesEASY PEASEY MEAL

So I’ve noticed that I like to cook and entertain, but I want it to be easy, quick and delicious. This is especially true when we are in our mo-torhome. Who wants to do a lot of preparation when there is so much fun to enjoy outside of the kitchen? So this recipe fits perfectly for ease of preparation, minimum amount of time commitment, and maximum deliciousness! Toss a salad, have ice cream for dessert, and you’ve got yourself a full meal that you and friends can enjoy without impacting fun times outside your motorhome.

Please send your shared recipes to Bev at [email protected]

CUBAN SLIDERS24 pack of Hawaiian rolls

1 package of sliced ham lunch meat

1 package of 8 slices of Swiss cheese

Dill pickles

Dijon Spread

2 tablespoons minced onion (although others have used onion powder instead)

1 Stick of melted butter

2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees

2. Grease 9x13 baking pan

3. Cut the Hawaiian rolls in half, removing the top half of the rolls and placing the bottom half of the rolls in the baking pan. (I had left over rolls as they all didn’t fit.)

4. Layer the meat, cheese, and pickles on top of the rolls and then place the top of the rolls back on.

Dijon Spread:

1. Whisk together the melted butter and the Dijon mustard. Add in the minced onion and stir.

2. With a large spoon, spread the Dijon sauce evenly over the top of the rolls.

3. Cover the sliders with foil and bake for 15 minutes.

4. Remove the foil and continue to bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the rolls are a toasted brown.

5. Cut the sliders apart and remove from the baking pan.

Buen Provecho!

12 servings

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[ Upcoming Rally Details ]ACA Spring National RallyOcean Lakes Campground, Myrtle Beach, SCMay 9th through 14thHosted by: Northeast, Southeast, Happy Wanderers and Mac Pack chaptersThis is the Association’s third trip to Ocean Lakes Campground in the past 25 years- We had wonderful rallies there in 2002 and again in 2007- so, it has been quite some time… People keep asking when we are going back- here is your answer…. Inter-estingly, we had right at 300 motor homes in attendance both of the previous times. It is truly a destination spot- and is one of the very few campgrounds in existence rated 10-10-10.

MacPack Chapter RallyLynchburg Air Show RallyFeaturing the Blue AngelsMay 20th to the 23rd. 2016hosted by: Don and Brenda [email protected] Tirewww.carpentertire.comWe will be dry camping at the business of MacPack members Don and Brenda Car-penter. Their business is next to the Lynch-

burg airport so we will have great views of the air show. You are also welcome to catch a nearby shuttle and go over to the airport for viewing. The number of coaches will be limited to 25 and be prepared to dry camp for 3 nights and two days. You will be arriving after 5:00 p.m. on Friday and leaving by 8:00 am on Monday due to this being a business location. We will have a pot luck on Saturday night with the main course being provided. We will also have socials on Friday and Sunday evenings. For those wanting to arrive ear-lier or stay over there will be additional dry camp parking at Gary and Judy Gallion’s business. There are some campgrounds located within a 30 minute drive of Lynch-burg for extended stays. Don is a tire dealer and anyone interested in getting a quote from him for tires or service can contact him. I have included his webpage link that will tell you what services his business of-fers. There will be a 25.00 per coach rally fee collected at arrival. If you have any questions feel free to contact me. To sign up for the rally send an email to [email protected].

Hearthside Grove – Rally hosts Bob and Kathy CaraniPetosky, MI – June 21-26Sponsored by Great Lakes ChapterCall Hearthside Grove for Reservations 231-347-0905 – let them know you are with the American Coach Rally. You can also make your reservation for Young Americans Dinner Theater, Petoskey Farms Vineyard & Winery, or Mackinac Island Excursion at that time. Rally participants are welcome to extend your stay at the discounted rally rate of $60/night before and after the rally dates. Full deposit is due upon making res-ervation. À la carte items are non refund-able after May 27th.

Buckhorn Lake ResortKerville, TX - July 12-16Sponsored by the South Central ChapterMake your own reservations with the park- 830-895-0007 – Mail your $35 rally to Robin Fagala, 103 South 68th Street, Broken Arrow, OK 74014. The park is just off Interstate 10 at Exit 501.


Dakota Meadows CampgroundPrior Lake, MN – July 21st – 24thSponsored by the Great Lakes ChapterDakota Meadows is close to the Mall of America, and right next to the Mystic Lake Casino. For the golfing enthusiasts, there is a course associated with the camp-ground. Reservations are under my name: Bob Carani – please call the campground directly to make your reservation. Rally fee per coach is $25 – camping fee is $39/night.

Wine Country RV Resort, Paso Robles, CAAugust 4-8Sponsored by SoCal, hosted by the Scotts, Gottleibs and McLornsIf you’re looking for California’s finest destination area, look no further than Wine Country RV Resort! As one of the highest rated RV parks in California, you’ll be able to explore the best wine region of Califor-nia’s central coast. Wine Country offers a full amenity package, which includes a heated pool and two spas, planned activi-ties and a game room so you’ll always have plenty to do during your stay.Conveniently situated in the Paso Robles wine region, Wine Country is centrally lo-cated within walking distance of the Ravine Water Park and EOS Estate Winery and only a short drive away from the famous Hearst Castle in San Simeon. You can also enjoy local boutique shopping, fine dining, wine tasting, championship golf courses, hot air balloon rides and much more during your stay with us!

Shipshewanna South CampgroundAug 9th – 13th Sponsored by Great Lakes ChapterRally Fee is $30 per coach, contact the campground directly for reservations. They have a weekly special- buy 6 nites, get the 7th free. If you have questions, call me- Bob Carani.

ACA Fall National RallyCanyonville, OR – Seven Feathers RV ResortHosted by NorCal/Northwest chapterAug 22nd – Aug – 27th Just 3 months later and in the west- the fall national rally will be held August 22nd - 26th. The Seven Feathers Resort includes 23 acres of manicured lawns and lush landscaping. You will also have posh accommodations, nestled in a canyon of Douglas Fir and Pines, and including such amenities as an indoor heated pool, fit-ness center, guest lounge, 24 hour on site restaurant and right across the street is the Seven Feathers Casino.

The Seven Feathers fall national rally is being hosted by 3 chapters- NorCal/North-west, SoCal and Southwest. The online registration is open and ready for you to use- and, there is a lot of additional infor-mation about this rally on www.myameri-cancoach.com - Call the resort directly for early or late days.

Seaport RV Resort – Old Mystic, CTSept 15th – 19thSponsored by Northeast ChapterFall in New England is a beautiful time of year, join the NE Chapter for a great rally exploring the Mystic seaport village and the quaint town, eating famous Mystic piz-za, harbor tours, submarine Force Library & Museum, aquarium, and enjoying all our NE traditions: pot luck dinner, and Sunday morning breakfast! Spots are limited, plan early by calling the office direct 860-245-6038 or email [email protected] for response within 24 hours.

Zion River RV Resort – Hurricane, UTSep 23rd – 27th Sponsored by Southwest Chapter – You can reserve by phone at 1-888-822-8594 or on their website. Mention the Southwest Chapter rally. They will need the first night’s fee as well as RV info. Then please call or e-mail me @ 623-826-9661 or [email protected].

Albuquerque International Balloon FiestaOctober 5-9Sponsored by Southwest, SoCal, NorCal/NW and Great LakesThis is a group team event, sponsored by 4 chapters. What a great opportunity to see and experience the fabulous Balloon Fiesta- even better being with your ACA Friends. For specific information and details on how to attend, email Tony Ford at: [email protected] or give him a jingle at: (702) 540-0319.

LazyDays Halloween Rally- Seffner, FLOct 6th – 9th Sponsored by Southeast ChapterIn October we are doing something differ-ent, we are going to join in with the Lazy-days Halloween Rally. We will have our own reserved tables and have Southeast specific functions along with the meals and entertainment that Lazydays provides. Lazydays will hold a costume contest (no, I am not wearing one) and a coach decorat-ing contest.

MacPack Bourbon Trail chapter RallyOctober 6 to 10, 2016KOA Louisville South CampgroundWe are in the early planning stages but, we are laying out three days of activities which as follows: Bourbon South will visit Bardstown KY catching Jim Beam, For-est Edge Winery and Heaven Hill distillery along the way. Bourbon North will visit downtown Louisville home of Louisville Slugger Bat Co., Evan Williams Bourbon experience, dinner and more. Bourbon East will cover as many distillers as time allows to include Buffalo Trace and Woodford Re-serve. We are in the early stages, so details for dinners etc. will be added. If you wish to explore the Bourbon Trail go online kybour-bontrail.com.

Reservation information is KOA Louisville South (phone 502-543-2041). Need a minimum of 10 coaches to recieve a 10% discount, Veterans, Police and Fire receive a 15% discount. 50A pull-thru sites are $50, patio site $65.When calling, be sure to mention the Macpack Bourbon Rally. If you have questions or ideas, contact Jeffrey Hatfield at [email protected] or Jim Dee at [email protected].

Southeast returns to the Keys 2016November 10- 14, 2016Sunshine Key RV Resort & Marinahttp://www.thousandtrails.com/florida/sunshine-key-rv-resort-marina/November is a great time to visit the Keys, the summer crowds are gone and the snow birds are not all there yet. Register and be eligible for four early (pre-rally) days and four late (post rally) days at a remarkably low rally rate. This is a very popular rally that is destined to be a sell out! Registration form available at www.myamericancoach.com and www.south-eastaca.net

SEACA Annual Christmas Rally December 8 – 12, 2016 Sun N Fun, Sarasota, FLhttp://www.carefreervresorts.com/rv-parks/florida/sun-n-fun/ Southeast returns to the award winning Sun ‘N Fun RV Resort for this popular annual event. For 2016 we have added a sight-seeing cruise, an organized dining out, we have more sites and are moving to a larger meeting room.

[ Upcoming Rally Details ]

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[ Rally Schedule ]Annual Eastern Regional Rally January 12 – 16, 2017 Lazydays, Seffner, FLSoutheast hosts the 6th Annual Eastern Regional Rally. This popular rally will be held the week before the nearby Florida RV Supershow. Rally includes four nights at Lazydays RV Campground, meals and entertainment. Check out the registration form and tentative agenda at www.myamericancoach.com and www.southeastaca.net

SEACA attends the Florida RV Supershow January 17 – 22, 2017 http://events.frvta.org/florida-rv-super-show/A new adventure for Southeast! We will camp together at the fairgrounds and attend the RV Supershow. This rally is a work in progress. More information soon!

Indian Waters Campground – Indio, CAMar 23rd – 26th Sponsored by: So Cal ChapterMore information to follow

DATE LOCATION CHAPTER

May 6-8 Southeast Pre-Rally to the Spring National, Myrtle Beach, SC

Southeast Chapter - Call Ocean Lakes Di-rectly for pre-rally reservations

May 6-8 Happy Wanderers Pre-Rally - to spring national at Ocean Lakes

Happy Wanderers- Call Ocean Lakes Di-rectly for pre-rally reservations

May 6-8 North East Pre-Rally - to spring national at Ocean Lakes North East - Call Ocean Lakes Directly for pre-rally reservations

May 6-9 Pechanga RV Resort SoCal Mother’s Day Rally

May 9-14 ACA Spring National Rally- Ocean Lakes Campground- Myrtle Beach, SC

Rally Hosts: Northeast, Southeast, Happy Wanderers & Mac Pack Chapters

May 20-23 Lynchburg Air Show Rally - Featuring the Blue Angels MacPack Chapter

Jun 21-26 Hearthside Grove - Petosky, MI Great Lakes Chapter

Jul 12-16 Buckhorn Lake Resort- Kerville, TX South Central Chapter

Jul 21-24 Dakota Meadows Campground, Prior Lake, MN Great Lakes Chapter

Aug 4-8 Wine Country RV Resort- Paso Robles, CA SoCal - Hosted by Scotts, Gottleibs and McLorns

Aug 9-13 Shipshewanna South CG - Shipshewanna, IN Great Lakes Chapter

Aug 22-27 ACA Fall National Rally- Canyonville, OR Seven Feathers RV Resort

Sponsored by: NorCal/Northwest, SoCal and Southwest

Sep 15-19 Seaport RV Resort, Old Mystic, CT Northeast Chapter- more to follow

Sep 23-27 Zion River RV Resort, Hurricane, UT Southwest Chapter Rally

Oct 5-9 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Sponsored by: Southwest Chapter, SoCal, NorCal/NW, GLC

Oct 6-9 LazyDays Halloween Rally - Seffner, FL Southeast Chapter

Oct 6 - 10 MacPack Bourbon Trail - Louisville South KOA MacPack Chapter

Nov 10-14 Southeast Returns to the Keys - Sunshine Key RV Resort and Marina

Southeast Chapter - limited sites - register early !!

Dec 8-12 Sun N Fun RV Resort, Sarasota, FL Southeast Chapter - Christmas Rally

2017 Rallies — So far...

Jan 12-16 Eastern Regional Rally- Lazy Days RV Rst Southeast Chapter -

Jan 18-22 Florida Supershow Rally - Florida State Fairgrounds, Tampa, FL Southeast Chapter -

Mar 23-26 Indian Waters - Indio, CA SoCal Chapter


• NortheastMaine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Massachusetts,Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,Delaware & Maryland Bob Hershman, Membership Chair2415 Continental Dr.Warrington, PA 18976215-343-2448 • cell [email protected]$8.00 Initiation Fee$12.00 Annual Dues-less $1.00 prorated per month after July

• Mac PackKentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina,South Carolina & TennesseeJim Dee, Membership Chair1143 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Suite 107A-176Oak Ridge, TN [email protected]$8.00 Initiation Fee$12.00 Annual Dues, due July 1

• SoutheastMississippi, Alabama, Georgia & Floridawww.southeastaca.netPauline Shea, Membership Chair411 Walnut St. #4708Green Cove Springs, FL [email protected]$8.00 Initiation Fee$12.00 Annual Dues

• Great LakesMinnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio,Michigan & Southern Ontario, CanadaDiane DeMille, Membership Chair731 N. Williams Dr.Palatine, IL [email protected]$10.00 Annual Dues, due by July 1$5.00 after January 1

• Missouri ValleyNorth Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa & MissouriBarbara Weeks, Membership Chair2165 Grassy Branch Rd.Sevierville, TN 37876865-258-4704 • [email protected]$15.00 Annual Dues due by July 1

• South Central Chapter:Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma & Texaswww.aca-scc.comRobin Fagala, Membership Chair103 S. 68th StreetBroken Arrow, OK 74014cell 918-521-2658 $12.00 Initiation Fee$12.00 Annual Dues less $1.00 prorated per month after January

• SouthwestColorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Southern Nevada and Utahwww.acasw.comSue Ford, Membership Chair5531 Kings Row CourtLas Vegas, NV 89148702-540-0319 $8.00 Initiation Fee$12.00 Annual Dues less $1.00 prorated per month after July

• Southern CaliforniaSouthern Californiawww.socalaca.comBrianne Brissette, Membership Chair29668 Nicholson CourtHighland, CA [email protected]$5.00 Initiation Fee • $15.00 Annual Dues, due June

• NorCal/NorthwestNorthern California, Northern Nevada andOregon, Washington, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Alaska,British Columbia, Alberta & Saskatchewanwww.norcalaca.comRhonda Dieter, Membership ChairPO Box 592Clio, CA [email protected]$5.00 Initiation Fee$12.00 Annual Dues less $1.00 prorated per month after July

• Happy WanderersAll 50 States Plus CanadaCandy Diggins, Membership Chair5212 Theys RoadRaleigh, NC [email protected] NONE Initiation Fee$15.00 Annual DuesAnnual dues renewal date: January 1

[ Chapter Membership Chairs ]

38

Jan Thompson, ACA Membership [email protected] (501) 858-9564 • (727) 364-5327

Please welcome the following new members. They have joined the association since the March/April issue went to press. Welcome them, and encourage them become an active part of our extended American Coach Family.

Our newest members are: Michael Pausina, Gwyn & June Parsons, Owen & Sandra Decker, Rob & Sharon Leaf, Keith & Bobbie Bracht, Mati & Arleen Cohen, Christopher & Patricia Clement, Richard Lemirande, Russell Abendroth, Jeff & Cathy Evans, Stuart & Beverly Sutton, Jeffrey Blomsness, Larry & Cindy Pyburn, Melvin & Debra Perry, Dale & Libby Cain, Rick & Mary Gustavsen and John & Jane Freeman.

Welcome to you all, hope to see you soon at a rally and get to know you. Should you need member-ship related assistance, please feel free to contact me- I’m always here to help- my email is: [email protected] - Cell phone: 501-858-9564 and text: 727-364-5327. We’ll be happy to hear from you.

[ Membership Services ]

• Credit Card Services •You can join or pay your annual

dues with a Master Card or Visa on the ACA Web site*. We’ve taken pre-cautions to ensure it’s safe and no one will have access to your credit

card information.

• Membership Roster/By-Laws •Membership Roster & By-Laws can be viewed and downloaded from the

ACA Web site*. Please note we no longer mail out either unless one is

requested by mail or e-mail.

• Free Web Site Advertising •Members can place a classified “coach for sale” advertisement

on the ACA Web site. Best of all, it’s FREE!

• Membership Badges •New members receive their

Membership Badge(s) - they are FREE - with their New Member

Welcome Letter. Existing members who wish replacement badges must order them directly from McBee’s -

see below.

• Change Phone or Address •Change and/or view your personal

membership information on the ACA Web site*

All ACA mailings, including the ACA Across America Magazine, are mailed to the address listed in the

ACA Roster data base.

If you don’t have a computer (or hate to use one) just call or mail us and we’ll make any necessary changes or corrections for you.

Need Swingers, Badges or Ovals?It’s easy: Mail your order along with an enclosed check (US $), including your correct ACA Membership Number, to the following:

McBee’s • 909-336-2325 • PO Box 660, Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352• Swingers @ $3.00 each • Badges @ 10.00 each • Ovals @ $20.00 each - Prices include shipping and sales tax.

Questions? send e-mail to [email protected]

* Type in www.myamericancoach.com - on the home page, click on Membership Login and follow prompts.


[ Membership Form ]New Membership Application & Dues Renewal Form

Please complete this form and mail (with check in US dollars) to the ACA Membership Services address listed below

USE For Local Chapter Membership Application ONLY *I understand that I may join as many local chapters as I please but that I must be a member in good standing in

the National American Coach Association in order to join a local chapter - my membership number is: #____________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Owner’s name: first (if you prefer a nickname, use that) last

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Co-Owner’s name: first (if you prefer a nickname, use that) last

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Mailing info: address & street name city state zip U.S. or Canada

(_______)_______-__________________(_______)_______-________________________________________________________ Phone: home cell E-mail address

See Directory & Dues page for a listing of chapters, states they cover, dues & initiation fees and key contacts.Indicate the chapter(s) that you wish to join by checking the appropriate box(es)

o Great Lakes o Happy Wanderers o MacPack o Missouri Valley o NorCal/Northwest o Northeast o Southern California o South Central o Southeast o Southwest

Total of the enclosed check (see chapter requirements): $_____ Check number _____ Date mailed _____

* Send this completed form, along with a check in the correct amount for initiation fees and first year’s dues(US dollar please) and mail it to the appropriate chapter contact as listed on Directory & Dues page of this Magazine.

c u t & m a i l s e p a r a t e l y

• • • American Coach Association • • •PO Box 2428 #24502 • Pensacola, FL 32513

If you need to correspond with the Membership Services office directly, you can reach them at 501-858-9564 or send Email to [email protected]

When enclosing a check with this form, please fill in the following information: Select one: o Current ACA member # _______ o Reactivating membership/previous ACA # _______ o Applying for new membership o New or reactivated membership - $55 first year only ($45 annual dues plus $10 initiation fee) o Annual renewal dues - $45 yearly o Number or years renewal (select one): o One o Two o Total of your enclosed check $ _______ (US dollars please) Check number _______ Date mailed _______

Please type or print clearly. NOTE: If you are a New Member, the National Directory & your ACA badge will be exactly as listed. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Owner’s name: first (if you prefer a nickname, use that) last

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Co-Owner’s name: first (if you prefer a nickname, use that) last

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Mailing info: address & street name city state zip U.S. or Canada

(_______)_______-__________________(_______)_______-________________________________________________________ Phone: home cell E-mail address I/we own: o Heritage/year _____ o Eagle/year _____ o Dream/year _____ o Tradition/year _____ o Allegiance/year _____ o Limited/year _____ o Revolution/year _____ I/we belong to the following local chapter(s): o Great Lakes o Happy Wanderers o MacPack o Missouri Valley o NorCal/Northwest o Northeast o Southern California o South Central o Southeast o Southwest

40

c u t & m a i l s e p a r a t e l y

ACA Across AmericaThe Official Magazine of American Coach AssociationMembership Services12214 Arron TerraceNew Port Richey, FL 34655

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Documents

Fall National Rally canyonville, oregon...If you forgot your password or don’t have one, there are instructions there for what to do. In the Member section, you can then log in and