MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
David Murray
Happy 2025 Alpiners,
I hope this message finds you all safe and in good health. As 2025 kicked off, we had a great turn-out at Quartzite this year with 24+ coaches. We met new alpine owners – soon to be members. After coming off the calendar as an official Rally, we’ve a couple of members step up and take on putting together an organized 2026 event. Nothing like the extravaganza we had for the 20th. But – since we have so many out there anyway, why not throw together a potluck, or a central fire, if the weather permits.
I believe almost all our SoCal members are also ACA members, so you should have received an email with the outline and registration for the Mississippi River Rally. It looks to be quite the adventure with little to no downtime. The FIcheras, Mathews, and others have done an amazing job in putting this Rally together. With just room for 20 coaches beyond the Rally leaders, get your registration in early to ensure you have a spot.
Catheren and I look forward to hitting the road again after such a layoff making repairs to our coach. I look back on the adventure of RV restoration, and wow what a learning curve. A little baseboard, tv cabinet, and some paint touchup and she’s good to go.
I do want to add a plug here. Many thanks to Josh Blalock at Protech RV in Havasu. I jumped off the cliff and had a 1000W Solar added with a complete Victron System and two 460ah EPOCH Lithium batteries. So far I could be happier with the professional installation. I have 20+ years of experience installing communications systems across the USNavy, and these guys would have passed my inspection with flying coloring.
Be Safe out their Alpiners. Get that service done on the coach, check those Fire extinguishers, maybe add one of those new “Fire Blanets”. Until we meet on the road. May the wind always be low, and tailing.
Dave Murray
President, SoCal ACA
MEMBERSHIP REPORT
From Your FRVA National Director
From Your New FRVA National Director
Yes, you read that correctly…. Both parts! I was NorCal’s Secretary for four years and last April was voted in as the new ACA Secretary. I did not want to hold two board positions, so informed the board members and the general membership, that my term as NorCal Secretary would be ending on December 31st of 2024. Luckily, Linda Matthews stepped up and was unanimously voted in as the new NorCal Secretary.
So, I was happy to now have one board position and then I received a phone call from SoCal’s illustrious President – he is VERY persuasive! I couldn’t think of a good reason to decline his request to fulfill SoCal’s FRVA National Director position. His reasoning made perfect sense. Like I said, he is VERY persuasive!
The second part is the name change of FMCA. Last August at the FMCA International Convention, the governing board with much input from the National Directors voted to change the name from Family Motor Coach Association to Family Recreational Vehicle Association to be more inclusive of RVers that own other types of recreational vehicles. FRVA is still in the process of converting everything over to the new name and I am assuming there will be new merchandise to reflect the new name soon.
The registration for the FRVA International Convention in Gillette, Wyoming in July is now open. Pat and I will definitely be attending and hoping to see some of you there (maybe on your way to the ACA Mississippi Rally?). If you have never attended an FMCA/FRVA International Convention before, you really should at least once! It is quite an experience… This will be our 4th one and our second time in Gillette.
Until next time, Happy & Safe Travels…
Marcella Mayfield
TREASURER
Our current balance is $10,717.26.
WEBMASTER ARTICLE
Jim Archer
I hope everyone is well. The website is up and running, still waiting for that software update I have been promising! Fortunately everything is still working just fine with the older version of the software. Fear of software updates is real, I tell ya!
Stephanie have not done a lot of traveling since last fall. I managed to break my ankle at the end of our trip in September for the Wishon rally that put me out of commission for a while. It also kept me from doing some repairs on my coach charging system. I added a DC to DC charging system to allow the new LFP house batteries to charge properly from the engine alternator. Then added an Echo charger to keep the chassis batteries charged. And new chassis batteries that would hold that charge!
We made a quick trip to Arizona in January to shake the rust off of our RV skills after the ankle injury recovery, and verify the new charging systems work as desired. Now we are ready for a real trip.
We hope to see everyone at a Socal rally soon!
SARC 1st QUARTER 2017
Debbie Lacy
Hello All! There are currently no NoCal or SoCal rallies scheduled for 2025. The only currently planned rally is the 45-day Mississippi River Rally, hosted by the Matthews and Ficheras. If you are interested in joining this rally please contact Linda's email or Jerry's email and they will tell you all about it.
RALLY REMINISCING
Camp Verde Rally
Catheren Murray content and photos
- The excellent club house, where the meals were served. Breakfast burritos and doughnuts almost every morning.
- A delightful Halloween party with creative and colorful costumes.
- A local rodeo, where the Cowboy Channel actually showed some of our members!
- Local antique shops
- Daily card games that always delight
- Historic sites all around Camp Verde, including the Montezuma Castle National Monument, Fort Verde State Historical Park and a historic downtown district.
- And, of course, it's not a rally without playing golf!
HELPFUL HINTS
. AI Overview from Google
A fire blanket is a crucial safety addition to any RV, offering a readily accessible tool to quickly contain and extinguish small fires, particularly in cooking areas, making it a valuable first line of defense in an emergency situation due to its ease of use and ability to smother flames by cutting off oxygen supply, especially when dealing with grease or oil fires where water-based extinguishers might be ineffective.
Key benefits of having a fire blanket in your RV:
Fast and effective for small fires:
Fire blankets are designed to be quickly deployed over a small fire, immediately smothering the flames and preventing further spread, making them ideal for tackling cooking-related incidents like a burning pan on the stove.Safe for grease and oil fires:
Unlike water-based extinguishers, which can spread grease fires, a fire blanket can effectively smother these types of fires without causing additional hazards.Protection for people:
In case of clothing catching fire, a fire blanket can be wrapped around the person to quickly extinguish the flames and minimize potential injuries.Easy to use:
Fire blankets are simple to operate, requiring only to be quickly unfolded and placed over the fire.Compact and portable:
Due to their lightweight and foldable design, fire blankets can be easily stored in a designated area within the RV, readily accessible in case of an emergency.Versatile application:
While primarily used in the kitchen, a fire blanket can potentially be used to contain small fires in other areas of the RV, like the living area or sleeping compartment.
Important considerations when using a fire blanket:
Early intervention:
Fire blankets are most effective when used on small, contained fires. If a fire is large or spreading rapidly, evacuate the RV and call emergency services immediately.Proper placement:
Keep the fire blanket in a visible, easily accessible location within the RV, ideally near the cooking area.Maintenance and inspection:
Regularly check the fire blanket for any damage or signs of wear and tear, and replace it if necessary.
Conclusion:
A fire blanket is a valuable addition to any RV's safety equipment, providing a simple and effective means to control small fires, especially cooking-related incidents, when used appropriately. Always ensure you have a fire extinguisher alongside your fire blanket for tackling different types of fires and remember to practice fire safety procedures while traveling in your RV.
