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Each month, Family Motor Coaching magazine shares readers' responses to a specific question in a column called Rear View. If your response is published in the magazine, FMC will send you $25. A sample of past Rear View questions: What's your favorite amusement park? How do you decorate your motorhome for the holidays? If you have owned more than one motorhome, which has been your favorite, and why? For future questions and to find out how to submit your response, read the latest Rear View, under the Columns heading on the FMC magazine site: www.fmcmagazine.com. Or, in the print edition, turn to the last page and you'll find Rear View.

Here's a sample of what's coming in the August 2010 issue of Family Motor Coaching magazine. Read it online starting Aug. 1, at www.fmcmagazine.com Jim Brightly offers his impressions of the 2010 Itasca Ellipse 42AD, a quad-slideout diesel-pusher Type A motorhome built on the Freightliner Maxum chassis. Bill Hendrix takes a look at basic air-conditioner operations, and advises how to maintain the system in your motorhome. Read about a classic, luxurious motorhome produced in the 1970s. No, not the GMC. It's the FMC motorhome. FMCs continue to impress today's RVers with their high-end suspension system, low-profile design and rear-engine floor plan. Plus, columnist Janet Groene tells you how to break through the barriers that may be keeping you from embracing the full-time lifestyle.

Does anyone have this game on tape? I'd love to see a replay of that controversial inside-the-park almost grand slam but missed homeplate play.

Will Call is located in FMCA's Holding Area at Helmholtz Way and Coyote Avenue in Redmond, approximately four miles from the Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center. For those who might not know ... the Holding Areais a place where: Families who did not preregister, can register for the convention Families can meet friends and park together Families can arrive prior to their assigned parking days and wait for their assigned time to enter the grounds

The California legislature is considering a bill that would ban the use of six chemicals in RV holding tank deodorants. It appears that if AB 1824 (introduced by Assemblymember Bill Monning) becomes law, RVers in California will have no choice but to purchase and use less effective alternatives that make controlling holding tank odors challenging when outside temperatures reach and exceed 80 degrees. AB 1824 would ban the use of holding tank products containing bronopol, dowicil, formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, paraformaldehyde and para-dichlorobenzene. The legislative history suggests that campground owners have promoted this legislation because a small number of them have been cited for non-compliance when their septic systems failed to work properly. It appears that the owners are blaming holding tank deodorants for these failures. Certain industry groups, including the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association,(RVIA) have conducted research and say such claims have no scientific basis. RVIA points out that California has enacted a “Green Chemistry” law, which mandates that a scientific body, rather than the Legislature, make judgments based upon sound science about what chemicals should be restricted. The ban on chemicals proposed by AB 1824 is not consistent with California’s “Green Chemistry” law. FMCA has conducted no independent research on this matter and encourages each interested FMCA member who is a California resident to investigate the merits of the legislation. AB 1824 is on a fast track to the Senate floor, and is likely to be considered during the first week of August 2010. FMCA encourages you to become knowledgeable about the proposed legislation and voice your opinion to your state senator and Gov. Schwarzenegger by Aug. 2, 2010. If you oppose the legislation, here is a sample letter that you can send to your legislator and the Governor: http://www.fmca.com/index.php/members/3212. Copy all or part of the sample letter, or write your own original letter.

Here is a color-coded map that shows the various parking areas around the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center, as well as seminar locations, tram routes and more. Redmond Grounds Map (pdf)

Let's hope Nickolas sticks around much longer ... in case those kindey stones come back, which I know they can.

The following article from the June 21 Bellingham (Wash.) Herald addresses Washinton's views on registering an RV in Montana to avoid paying Washington taxes. Register your RV in Montana, but feel the pain here By John Henrikson Federal Way reader Elbert Field came across an advertisement in Hemmings Motor News that gave him pause. The ad from Deer Creek Corporate Services promises: “Register your next vehicle in Montana & save thousands! Pay NO SALE TAX! Lowest rates in 50 States!” “Pay no sales tax on a vehicle?!” wrote Mr. Field. “Does this ad make sense?” He does recall a few years back a neighbor with a large motor home had Montana plates, presumably to save money. But he wonders if it’s legitimate. Answer: A quick Internet search for “Montana Vehicle Registration” reveals a cottage industry of outfits in the Treasure State, promising big savings on vehicle registration. For a fee, they will set up an out-of-state buyer as a limited liability corporation with a Montana address, which allows them to avoid paying sales tax and license fees in their state of residence. If you believe the sales pitch, it’s a tax loophole big enough to drive your Beaver Marquis Class A luxury coach through. Don’t believe it, says the Washington State Department of Revenue. “This is an area over which we have been concerned for some time, and have been pursuing individuals who have registered their motor homes in Montana using LLCs,” says Revenue spokesman Mike Gowrylow. “We have contended that this practice is illegal, and have successfully pursued some individuals who have tried this subterfuge to avoid paying sales tax.” A new provision in the law passed in the latest legislative session was designed to help crack down on the tax dodge, Gowrylow said. “This language clarifies the department’s authority to disallow such transactions and impose tax and penalties on anyone who is found forming out-of-state LLCs to avoid paying taxes due on such things as motor homes used in Washington by Washington residents,” he said. The department’s tax discovery agents pursue tips from law enforcement agencies and the general public about possible tax scofflaws. (You can report a suspected violator online at dor.wa.gov/content/ContactUs/email/reportfraud.aspx). Be warned: The recent legislation also stiffened penalties. “Someone caught using a Montana LLC to avoid paying sales tax could face a total 60 percent penalty plus interest,” Gowrylow said.

Interesting comments ... You might want to post this on the FMCA.com forum, specifically the FMC magazine forum -- http://community.fmca.com/index.php?showforum=60 -- or on the Type A motorhomes forum -- http://community.fmca.com/index.php?showforum=82.

You can watch a video and see them up close here: http://www.fmca.com/index.php/fmca-videos/2716. Click on the RoadKing Motorhome Shocks video.

All FMCA members receive a Flying J RV Real Value Card when they join FMCA. The card entitles them to fuel discounts and dump station coupons based on the Flying J purchases they make. To receive additional promotions, communications and coupons, some FMCA members may need to link their RV Real Value Card to their FMCA membership account. FMCA-issued cards are linked automatically when you join FMCA. So, if you were not a Flying J RV Real Value Card holder when you joined FMCA, your card already is linked. Who needs to link their card? If you were a Flying J RV Real Value Card holder before you joined FMCA, FMCA did not send a new card to you. Therefore, you must link your existing card manually. Also, if Flying J ever has replaced your original FMCA-issued card, be sure to link the replacement card to your FMCA membership. How to link your card to FMCA: Register a new Flying J Loyalty Online account at www.flyingj.com/loyaltyonline. On the Customer Profile page, under the "Club" heading, select FMCA and enter your FMCA membership number. You may also link your card by calling Flying J’s help line at (877) 787-3595. Even if your card already is linked, you will want to sign up for Flying J’s Loyalty Online to take advantage of special offers. Loyalty Online members can receive exclusive benefits that can be added electronically to their RV Real Value cards. For instance, sign up for Loyalty Online before Sept. 13, 2010, and a coupon for one free waste dump (a $10 value) will be added to your card. Existing Loyalty Online members already have had the coupon added to their cards.

Following is a news release that FMCA received yesterday from the City of Burbank, Calif.: Large Non-Commercial Vehicle (LNCV) Parking The City of Burbank’s newly adopted Large Non-commercial Vehicle (LNCV) Ordinance takes effect on June 22, 2010. On this date, all large non-commercial vehicles (i.e. RVs, campers, and trailers) must display a permit to park on city streets. Furthermore, LNCV vehicles displaying a valid permit must have 80 feet of separation between it and the intersection of two public streets when parked. Definition of a LNCV A Large Non-Commercial Vehicle is defined as any house car, pickup truck with a camper, recreation vehicle, trailer, or other vehicle that measures or exceeds 22 feet in length, or 8 feet in height, or 8 feet in width. All such vehicles are subject to the new LNCV ordinance. Permit Issuance LNCV Permits are available at the Public Works counter located on the third floor of the Community Services Building at 150 N. Third St. • The cost of a LNCV permit is $5 per day. • Each LNCV permit is valid for 24 hours. • A 24-hour permit may be issued in three-day blocks. • Any single permit or concurrent three-day permit must be separated by a 48-hour period. • There is a maximum of 96 permits issued per vehicle within a calendar year. For more information about new ordinance, contact the City of Burbank, Public Works Department, (818) 238-3915.

Here is a link to Family Motor Coaching magazine's annual guides to flat-towable vehicles that have been approved by their manufacturers for flat towing behind a motorhome without major modications. You must be a current FMCA member or magazine subscriber to view the articles. http://www.fmca.com/index.php/motorhome/to...04-towing-index

See related post here: http://community.fmca.com/index.php?showtopic=777

Interesting article on FMCA.com ... Mark Polk discusses his Top 7 Tips for Maximizing Your Motorhome Mirrors.

More info about the Passport America discount: www.fmca.com/index.php/join-family-motor-coach-association/benefits/182

Montana State Parks is seeking public comment on a proposal to implement a campsite reservation system in up to 21 state parks. Comments must be submitted via e-mail or postal mail by 5 p.m. May 18. Currently, all campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis statewide. The proposed system would allow reservations to be made online or via telephone. It would not require that a camper make a reservation. Some campsites in each park would remain on a first-come, first-served basis for those campers who prefer to be more spontaneous. Comments should be e-mailed to: CampReservations@mt.gov; or mailed to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Attn: Campsite Reservations, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701. “This is the top public service request that we receive,” said Chas Van Genderen, state parks administrator. “Judging from the hundreds of telephone calls and other forms of inquiries each year, the camping public fully expects the ability to plan ahead with the peace of mind of knowing exactly where they’ll be staying when they camp.” For more information and to read the environmental analysis of the proposal, vist www.fwp.mt.gov. Look under state parks for Campsite Reservation Proposal.

Flying J is now charging $10 to use its RV dump station services, but holders of Flying J's RV Real Value membership club card receive a $5 discount. All FMCA members receive this card when they join FMCA. Read more ...

Greg Helm, GMAC’s director of claims, explains why GMAC advised driving with the propone off: “I think folks may be interpreting this as a fear of a fire being caused because the propane is on while driving. What we’re really getting at is that if an accident occurs while driving with the propane on, there is an increased risk of fire as a result of the propane being on/open. There are certainly safety procedures built into the RV, but they are not fail-safe. “In the end, this is a personal choice that a customer has to make — the risk is small, but the results can be significant. Organizations focused on safety will side toward keeping the propane off almost universally. “Having said that, if someone chooses to drive with the propane on and something happens, we still have coverage for that loss (provided all other policy conditions/coverages are in order). “Our position is focused on safety, but we also understand the RV lifestyle and that there is a convenience aspect with this that a customer may weigh more heavily. We handle covered losses the same, whether the system was on propane or not. We do not use this as a reason to decline claims.”

The following info is from the Motorhome News portion of FMCA.com: The National Park Service will offer fee-free days again this year, allowing visitors to check out the nation's 391 national parks without paying an admission fee. The first fee-free days are scheduled for April 17 to 25, National Parks Week 2010. Information on additional fee-free periods will be released later this spring. In addition to the fee-free days, many tour operators, hotels, restaurants and gift shops plan to provide discounts and special promotions. Fees for activities such as camping, tours and concessions are not affected by the entrance fee waiver. There are 147 parks that normally charge entrance fees ranging from $3 to $25, and 244 national parks never charge entrance fees. For more about national parks, visit www.nps.gov.

The official coach count was 1,870, which includes 1,717 family coaches and 153 exhibitor coaches. A story recapping the convention will appear in the May issue of Family Motor Coaching magazine and on FMCA.com.