Is A Transition From RV to Park Model In Your Future?

There’s a saying heard from old time RVers, “From sailboat, to motorboat, to motorhome, to rest home.” This saying attempts to encapsulate the life-cycle of RVers and though true in the rough, misses a few steps like moving from a travel trailer to a 5th wheel and maybe keeping your motorboat with you during that time. But the big thing it misses is the park model.

Mrs. Professor and I have been RVing around the southern tip of Texas where the Rio Grande River divides the U.S. and Mexico. Joe Mohney, manager of Valley Traveland in Harlingen, Texas tells me there are around 500 RV and mobil home parks in the Rio Grande Valley. As far as RV parks and resorts are concerned, I counted 306 in the Rio Grande Valley RV Park Directory. During winter thousands of RVers from all over the U.S. and Canada migrate to this part of Texas to, “Enjoy our sun and Southern hospitality” as Joe Mohney likes to say.
Of the thousands of “Winter Texans” who come to this valley each year many of them have opted to purchase park models. A park model is a close cousin to the travel trailer because it has many of the same features (including a VIN number) expect that a park model is designed to stay in one place for a long period of time. They can be moved to different locations but not with the ease of a typical RV. Most folks treat them as a “winter home” or a “vacation home.” They are smaller than a house but as comfortable as the finest RV.

This is a Trophy park model made in Elkhart, Indiana. It measures 32 feet eight inches long by 11 feet six inches wide. The floor is constructed of a metal frame with 2x4 studs with a ¾ inch “glued and screwed” floor deck. The side walls are framed with 2x4 studs on 16 inch centers with R-11 sidewall insulation and R-19 roof insulation. It has a 41,000 BTU furnace and a 20 gallon electric water heater. It comes with standard house appliances and furnishings. It includes delivery and set-up to any park within a reasonable distance. They block and level the unit as well as tie it down for hurricane protection. The price also includes two one hundred pound propane tanks, entry steps, vinyl skirting, a two ton central A/C unit and a full length patio cover. All this for $46,516.00 and your annual park fees which average from $250 to $400 per month plus utilities.

The vast majority of these parks are for people 55 and older and include a plethora of daily “cruise ship” type activities. You see park models nestled in with 5th wheels, morothomes and travel trailers at these parks and towards the end of the season the RVs leave while the park models stay. The parks remind me of ghost towns during this time of year. The good news is that towards the end of the winter season you can pick up good deals on used park models already set-up in a park. I have friends who have purchased very nice park models for less than $10,000 from folks who are no longer able to enjoy them due to health issues. These parks are popular in the sun belt states and are growing in popularity as older RVers choose to travel less. They still retain the flavor of a genuine RV park but have a more permanent feel about them. A park model may fit into my lifestyle someday, but for now I’m content to be a wandering RV explorer - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Tent Camping Verses RV Luxury

We are camped at the beach in Corpus Christi for the next two weeks and yesterday was an RV soup day. By that I mean you stay inside, play games and have hot soup while the elements rage outside your comfortable RV. The picture below was taken about 100 yards away from our RV site.Like many families we started off tent camping. On cold, windy and rainy days we looked with envy at our campground neighbors snuggled in their warm and dry RVs. Tent camping is good in ideal weather but when it turns bad the tents seem to vanish from the campground. A well stocked RV allows you to wait out the storm and continue your family fun. We graduated from a tent to a pop-up followed by a travel trailer, fifth wheels and now a motorhome. Some of our most memorable family times were spent playing games around the RV table. You can do this in a tent, but the lighting isn't as good and when it's raining, cold and miserable everyone just wants to snuggle up in their sleeping bag. Sometime during the middle of the night water seeps through the "waterproof" tent floor and the camping trip is ruined. Not so with the RV next door, where the kids are laughing and having a great time playing Yahtzee and drinking hot chocolate. Tenting can only take you as far as the weather will cooperate. RVing on the other hand will take you through the curtain of wind driven rain to a bright new day. You'll be dry, refreshed and ready for adventure while the tent campers are coping with hanging everything up to dry or packing up to go home. I still rely on a tent when I go backpacking, but during a storm I'll take an RV over a tent any day! Braving the elements in the lap of RV luxury - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RV Park Speed Limits Help Keep Everyone Safe

Most RV parks have a posted speed limit from 15 to 4.6 miles per hour. I have a hard time driving 4.6 miles per hour because my speedometer is hard to read at that speed range, so I just go slow. RV parks that are paved with wide streets are usually posted somewhere between 15 and 10 miles per hour. You’re not kicking up dust and the paved streets deliver better breaking action so you can make an emergency stop in a shorter distance. Unpaved campground roads will almost always be 5 miles per hour. Driving slowly through an RV park or campground is important because you never know when a child will ride his bike across the street or come flying out from behind a parked car chasing a frisbee. Motor vehicle accidents occur all to frequently in RV parks and campgrounds because people fail to use common sense and employ safe driving habits. I see people do the craziest things while driving through RV parks. I’ve seen people back their RV’s into bushes and trees, poles and other vehicles. I’ve witnessed people racing though the RV park like they were on their way to the emergency room - which is where they’ll end up if they keep driving like that. In campgrounds people are riding bikes, walking pets, jogging and in-line skating so it’s always a good idea to look over both shoulders and check your mirrors as you back your car or pick-up out of your camp site. Pedestrians are relaxed in the campground setting and their guard is down, so it’s even more important that drivers be safety conscious. Helping you have an enjoyable and safe camping experience - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RVers Having A Great Maiden Voyage In Big Jayco Class C

French Canadian Paul Emile Carrier is having a wonderful time touring the United States in his new Jayco RV. They left Levis, Quebec, Canada in September escaping what turned out to be a brutal winter. I met them while RVing in the Rio Grande Valley in southern Texas. Two families (six people total) are touring in this Jayco Senica 36FS. Andre Michaud and his wife enjoy the large living room and the queen size over-cab bed. Two people sleep comfortably with their own TVs in this slide out containing two bunks. The Master bedroom also sports a queen size bed so there is no lack of sleeping comfort in this RV. The rig is powered by a Duramax 6.6 liter 330 horse power engine driving an allison transmission. Paul really likes the exhaust brake system and wouldn’t be without one because relying solely on the brakes is not a good idea with this much weight. Overall this is a good unit and the only thing I would do to improve it would be to beef up the front suspension. Andre tells me this rig is working nicely on their maiden voyage but they had more cupboard space on their 1994 Tioga 31 foot motorhome. This unit may be a little short on inside cupboard space but it does have semi-passthrough storage outside. Paul very much enjoys the power of this unit especially while towing their Chevy HHR. I’ve received a couple emails from them as they continue their journey through the south west and they’re having a great time exploring the country and that’s what RVing is all about. RVing brings families together for fun and memorable adventure. RVing across borders to bring you international coverage - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RVers Can Cut Bait And Fish With Reels On Wheels

Long time RVer Robert Glen enjoys salt water fishing in the waters off Corpus Christi, Texas. To help give him a better angle on his hobby, he employs this nice fishing cart. The unit is called a "Jr. Reels on Wheels" utility cart. The fat tires make this a great cart for the beech or boardwalk. You can pack an ice chest, rods and reels, tackle box, chairs and umbrella and all kinds of gear on this little work horse. If you've ever carted all that stuff to the beach you'll fully appreciate the utility and functionality of this cart. The adjustable height bait cutting table is a nice feature. RVers will appreciate the removable handle making it easier to store for transport. For more information check this website: Fishing Carts. If fishing is your bag, there's no limit to the amount of enjoyment you'll get out of this cart. Casting around for the best recreation products - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing.

The Good and Bad of RV Clear Sewer Connections

Emptying RV holding tanks is more efficient with spray flushing systems. Simply connect a water hose to the wash-out connector and it rinses your tank without having to go inside the RV. Having a clear sewer connection is also helpful because you know your black tank is clean when you see clear water passing through the connection. These see-through connectors come in several configurations. The bad part about these clear connectors is that they are made from acrylic and don’t last as long as the plastic variety. When I emptied my sewer today I noticed a small leak around the clear connection clips. Upon closer examination two of the bayonet retaining clips had broken off. These clear acrylic sewer connectors are great but they will eventually become brittle and break. If you use these connectors it’s a good idea to visually inspect the clips for cracks. You clearly don’t want to deal with a hazardous spill - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Camp Better With This RV Deck

Today the Professor was filming in Mexico, but on the way I stopped off at the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, in southern Texas, for a little bird watching and saw this Lance camper in the parking lot. The back porch on this unit is a great addition making it more comfortable getting in and out of the rig. If you know how to weld you could easily build this yourself or you could have a welding shop do it for you. The platform must be supported by cables that are attached to the stabilizing legs with eye bolts. The step is held in place by standard quick disconnect pins and can be removed or folded up onto the platform while in transit. The deck is bolted to the camper just above the bumper. This configuration is especially good when camped in primitive areas. The platform provides a staging area to take off your shoes helping keep the inside of your rig cleaner. It's also a handy place to put stuff during setup and take-down. Reflective tape is on the edge of the deck, however because of the length I would consider the addition of taillights. I would also include a removable hand rail of some type near the step. This unit could also be designed to pivot up against the back door allowing you to tow a boat or utility trailer. With this design all I need is a rocking chair - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Thunderstorms Can Hammer Your RV

April is the Time of year when many RVs are on the road moving from the southern United States northward. This is also the time of year that lines of thunderstorms string from Canada to Texas and back. As an Air Force Navigator I threaded the EC-135 “Looking Glass” through many lines of thunderstorms in the Midwest. A thunderstorm will tear up an aircraft by wind shear and hail damage. Air Force regulations restricted us from flying within thirty miles of a thunder cell as “painted” on our radar. The reason was because hail generated inside the cell can be thrown 25 miles away from the center of the storm. That explains why you can be driving down a dry road on a bright and sunny afternoon and suddenly be pelted with hail. The damage looks like someone took a ball-pean hammer to your vehicle. Hail can range in size from a pea to a softball and can ruin you day. So what can you do to avoid damage from thunder storms? The first thing you need to do is look at your watch. Most thunderstorms build during the day and begin their fireworks in the late afternoon. So, if you get a good weather report and know where the thunderstorms have a high probability of forming, make sure you avoid the area (especially in the late afternoon). If you are unfortunate enough to be caught in a hail storm you should pull off the road and wait it out. This will help minimize the damage because the velocity of the hail will be reduced by the speed you were traveling. It’s even better if you can pull off under an overpass or a gas station awning. You should also be aware that thunderstorms generate intense winds including spawning tornadoes. I shouldn’t need to say this, but if you see or hear a tornado nearby, take shelter immediately. If you are RVing through the Midwest you need to ask your RV park manager for the location of the nearest storm shelter. Many Midwest RV parks have shelters inside the park. You should also inquire as to how RVers will be alerted to take shelter. Sometimes the manager will come knocking or sound an alarm from the office such as a siren or bell. A good weather radio and a great insurance company are two essentials when traveling through the Midwest during thunderstorm season. Helping you play safe on the RV road - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

A New RV Company Rises From the Ashes of Travel Supreme

The Jayco company’s tag line is “America’s Most Liveable RVs.” I see many Jayco products on the road these days and soon there will be even more. Jayco recently purchased land, buildings and equipment from bankrupt Travel Supreme . Jayco’s Director of Marketing, Sid Johnson, told me that Jayco has established a new subsidiary company under the Jayco umbrella called Entegra Coach, Inc. Sid said, “We are currently assembling the management and production team at Entegra Coach and our plans call for two lines of luxury fifth wheels and three lines of diesel-pusher Class A motorhomes.” They plan to build these new products in the 160,000-square-foot facility in Wakarusa, Indiana that formerly housed Travel Supreme. Here is a picture of Jayco headquarters. Jayco appointed the former president of Travel Supreme as the new president of Entegra Coach. Why would you hire a guy to run your new company after he ran Travel Supreme into bankruptcy? Jayco is probably banking he’s learned from his mistakes and will work hard to get it right this time. I liked Travel Supreme products and was sad to see them go. So, I was glad to hear Jayco is breathing new life into this company and look forward to seeing their new products in the years ahead. Jayco got out of the class A building business and focused instead on trailers, fifth wheels and the class C market with products like this handsome Seneca model. Now they’re back in the class A segment of the market and I hope they have a long successful run this time. I think we’ll see some high quality RVs and strong innovation come from Entegra Coach! Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Working Around A WalMart No Overnight RV Parking Situation

Sam Walton loved RVers because they spent so much money at his stores. WalMart is a great place for RVers to shop because you can get groceries, hardware, auto parts, craft supplies and RV stuff all under one roof. You can also do some birdwatching there time permitting (really, no kidding, click here for more bird tales - Bird Watching On The RV Road.) But what happens if you've been traveling all day and you pull into a WalMart to spend the night and see a sign that says "no overnight parking." Well, you could just move on down the road or you can consider other options. A great idea is to buy a copy of the book that lists WalMart stores that do not allow overnight parking - you can buy it here at RVbookstore.com First, you should look around and see if the sign is for the actual WalMart parking lot or does it belong to another business sharing the same parking lot. If it's a shared parking lot chances are that the sign only applies to the other stores and you may be able to stay in the part of the parking area controlled by WalMart. Your second option is not to spend the night, but to spend several hours "resting" after you shop. To be honest it costs me more to spend the night in a WalMart parking lot than it does to stay at an RV park because I usually end up spending far more in the store than I do for renting a site. However, it's late and you don't know where an RV park is and frankly you're pooped. Fill up your shopping cart with whatever items you intend to buy and before you check out find the manager and tell him or her your RV is parked in the parking lot and you don't intend to spend the night, but you will be parked there for a couple of hours putting away groceries, reading the paper and resting up for the next leg of your trip. Ask them to inform security of your intentions and that you will be gone before anyone might complain and oh, by the way, when does the bakery put out the freshly baked donuts? RV friendly managers will understand and say something like, "OK, just be sure you don't spend the the night and the donuts will be ready at 5:30 am." Funny, but you never see signs that say, "No Over Day Parking." So, in my view if you're at a 24 hour WalMart there really is no such thing as "Over Night" because it's a 24-7 operation. Still, local authorities may come by and wake you up and tell you to move and that's the risk you take. Please click on the word "comments" below and tell us what kind of experiences you've had "resting" in your RV after shopping at WalMarts with "No Overnight Parking" signs. Doing my best to interpret the sign's of the times - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Don't Goof By Ignoring Your RV Roof

Every year you should do a thorough inspection and cleaning of your RV roof. Failure to properly maintain your roof will result in water damage and dry rot inside your RV. Inspect every place where there's an entry point through the roof like the TV antenna. Air horns, CB antenna, solar mounts, sky lights and vents should all be inspected for possible leaks. A tree branch could have easily damaged one of these components causing a breach on a weather tight seal. Visually inspect the caulking for nicks and cracks and then run your hand over it to be sure it's not loose or brittle. Remove and replace any caulking that is defective and patch any nicks or holes in the roof itself. Rubber roofs are particularly vulnerable to tree branches, so be sure to check them more frequently when you camp under or near trees. A good soap and water washing will help keep your roof looking good, but be very careful when working on top of your RV. Never stand on a wet part of the roof. Wash small portions of the roof at a time and keep safety in mind while you're working. A well maintained roof will ensure years of enjoyment from your RV. I've got you covered - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Northern RVers Considered “Winter Texans” Y’all

We are staying at a very nice RV park in Alamo, Texas down near the southernmost tip of Texas. Our full-time RV lifestyle allows us to visit places and stay a few weeks as we explore the surrounding areas. Mrs. Professor is an avid bird watcher so we are observing the winter migration of our feathered friends as they return home from their South American vacations. This area is famous for birding and in fact has birds you won’t see anywhere else in the U.S. or Canada. This Green Jay resides mostly in Mexico and South America but can be seen hanging out in south Texas. Birds are a big tourist draw, but the main attraction is the winter weather. There are hundreds of RV parks that receive thousands of migrating northerners each year. By mid April most have departed their winter digs to head back north. Most of these parks cater to the 55 plus age group and range from spartan to upscale. The majority of the mid-range parks have the same amenities as the upscale parks including copious group activities keeping you so busy you’ll need to hire a secretary to keep track of your schedule. Park models are very popular and “Winter Texans” who bring their RVs usually reserve the same RV pad each year. This allows them to build storage sheds and leave their outdoor furniture, golf carts, bikes and stuff in Texas until they return the next winter. Southern Texas can get strong winds but the worst winter here beats a blizzard any day. Farming in the Rio Grande Valley produces many crops including wonderful grapefruit, oranges and onions. Many Caucasian Texans in this area speak Spanish just as well as folks of Hispanic descent and it’s not unusual to hear people conversing back and forth in both English and Spanish in restaurants and stores. Southern Texas is a true multicultural community offering a dazzling array of activities, events, shopping and dining. It’s no wonder more RVers are flocking here each year. New RV parks are being built throughout the area in anticipation of increasing numbers of the “boomer generation” retiring and hitting the RV road. Out tracking RV migration patterns and nesting behaviors - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Oh The Things You See From Your RV

We're RVing in southern Texas and while driving from Del Rio to McAllen we captured this photo.
I should be immune by now, but for some reason I continue to be amazed at what I see moving down the road. This fellow is obviously an outdoor metal furniture vendor and has probably transported his wares like this hundreds of times without incident. I do get nervous when an old truck with multi-colored hood and doors and no tailgate comes flying by with junk stacked to the sky held in place by some flimsy cord. Frequently the driver attempts to conceal the junk with the ubiquitous blue tarp. Within a few miles the tarp shreds and flails in the wind as trash blows out the back. I've seen numerous items fall off these junk haulers and go sliding down the road. I usually slow down or change lanes or pass in order to give myself a safety corridor. The other day a commercial truck was attempting to pass me on the left when I noticed a long piece of re-bar protruding about six feet into my lane. Had I allowed him to pass me I would have had a nice long gouge in my RV. I stepped on the accelerator and jumped on CB channel 9 and told him what was happening. He pulled over and took care of the problem and my paint job is still intact. I would be interested in hearing from you about some of the unusual things you've seen while on the RV road. Just double click the blue "comments" below and tell us your experiences. Knuckleheads abound on the road today so when others drive offensively your best bet is to drive defensively. Leave yourself plenty of room to maneuver and stay alert at all times while behind the wheel. Helping you stay safe and arrive in one piece - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Stop Tossing Your Drawers On The RV Floor

Ever turn a corner in your RV only to hear the silverware drawer come crashing onto the deck? These old school fasteners don't always keep your drawers secure in the RV environment. I personally built our two person desk in our RV and while I was at it I also tore out all the existing drawer rails and replaced them with full extension rails. It's nice being able to open a drawer and actually have access to the whole drawer. Some RV drawers only come half way out - ooooh that drives me crazy! The only drawback of these full extensions rails is that they ride on ball bearings and are too smooth. If you get too much momentum going into a corner they can shoot out of the cabinet frame like a cannon ball. I've tried several types of drawer keeping hardware and some are better than others. The absolute best drawer keeper for the RV environment is the sliding bolt. You can pick these up at Home Depot or any hardware store in the cabinet hardware section. The trick is to use the sliding bolt key-hole as the drawer holder. Determine where you want the key-hole and mark where you will pre-drill the holes. Drill two holes being careful not to drill through the face of the drawer. These holes are important because they will allow the retaining screws to go in easy and prevent the wood from cracking. Once the key-hole is mounted re-install the drawer and measure where you will put the sliding bolt. Slide the bolt handle down revealing the top hole. I just held the bolt in place where I wanted it while I drilled the top hole. Screw in the top of the bolt before you drill the bottom hole. Fasten the bolt in place and slide it over the keyhole to make sure you have a snug fit. These sliding bolts look nice and work like a champ. With these babies installed there's no more, "Clean-up in isle one." Helping keep everything in your drawers where it belongs - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Sparks Fly When RV Electric Cords Get Stuck

RVs are connected to the electric grid by a long insulated power cord. These power cords have either 50 amp (four prong) or 30 amp (three prong) connectors at the end that attaches to the electric box at the camp site. Frequently these prongs become worn out because of having to pull and twist and wiggle and fight to get them out. This is especially true of the “pigtail” extensions. Ken Wilton the owner of Coil n’ Wrap has a product called “Plug Dogs” that will solve this problem permanently. Plug Dogs have strong easy to grip handles that allow you to comfortably and easily pull apart your 50 or 30 amp connections. You may have met Ken and his wife Judy as they demonstrate their many innovative products at RV shows all over the country. It’s very frustrating trying to separate a pigtail from a 50 amp cord. I’m not kidding, sometimes I think the super glue fairy came by and welded my pigtail to my 50 amp cord during the night. Plug Dogs have strong easy to grip handles that allow you to comfortably and easily pull apart your 50 or 30 amp connections. Place one 50 amp Plug Dog on the 50 amp male connector, one 50 amp on the 50 amp female end of the pigtail one 30 amp on the end of the 30 amp male connector. Now you can easily remove all your electric connections without a hassle! You can read more about this product here Plug Dog. Helping you stay connected to your sanity while easily disconnecting from your electric box - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Old Vendor Wagons Sometimes Doubled As RVs

You don’t see these old wooden vendor wagons much anymore. They came in various shapes and sizes and were frequently homemade. Reminiscent of the gypsy wagons of Europe they sometimes doubled as both a vendor wagon and an RV. This one at the Whitehead Memorial Museum in Del Rio, Texas originally had wooden wheels. The museum uses it in parades, so they replaced them with rubber tires. The suspension is original and so is the wooden plank frame. The sides opened up to display whatever wares the traveling vendor was selling. These wagons were primarily pulled by mules with the vendor walking and leading them. Some models had driver seats, a beefier suspension and could be driven like a stage coach. Notice how narrow the wheel base is on this antique mobile store. Now imagine the narrow, rutted roads this trailer traveled. The vendors who used these wagons frequently used them like we use an RV. He could cook, sleep and eat in this unit while making his sales circuit that might cover hundreds of miles. The owners and operators of these turn of the century wagons are long dead, but I wonder what they would think about our modern RVs today? Will your RV be a museum piece someday where people will walk by and wonder about the person who owned it? If it's a usable road I'm on it - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Board Games Prevent Boredom On A Rainy RV Holiday

While out doing a windshield tour of Del Rio, Texas I discovered, to my absolute delight, the Whitehead Memorial Museum. Anchoring this museum is the “Old Perry Building” built in 1871 before Del Rio was a town. For many years this building served as the largest store between Austin and El Paso. It served as a public gathering place, a courthouse, church and post office. Upstairs living quarters experienced the coming and going of many children. Living was hard and leisure time was at a premium, yet they had time to enjoy music (you had to make your own in those days) and table games by kerosene lamp. Seeing this antique set of dominos reminded me of the many fun times we’ve had with our kids playing board games in our various RVs. Whether card games in the pop-up trailer, Scrabble in the travel trailer or Yahtzee in the 5th wheel we always had fun on vacations. We discovered a good selection of board and table games was essential for a successful RV vacation especially during foul weather. This concept is equally if not more important when the grandchildren go along with you in your RV. These games will create fond memories for your kids and grandkids so be sure to have some on hand. Domino games like “Mexican Train” and “Chicken Foot” can generate a lot of fun and a new combination card and board game our grandkids love is called “Sequence.” They always want us to play it with them when we come to town. Helping you stay on top of your game - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Low Cost RV Security System In Your Pocket

Want an easy to install RV security system? Pull your keys out of your pocket and look at the key fob. This little device could help you scare off an intruder. Simply keep it by your bed and if you hear someone tampering with your RV, truck or car, just hit the panic button on the key fob. Criminals do not want to draw attention to themselves and when you car or truck alarm begins hammering away they won't stay around long. It's simple, quick and effective. Hat tip to Wayne Kingston, RV tech extraordinaire for this great idea. Helping to keep you safe and secure on the RV road - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RV Friendly Ghost Town May Cause Heartburn

Quicksilver was discovered in Terlingua, Texas in 1890 and it quickly became the U.S. mercury capital producing over 40% of the fluid metal for U.S. industry. Mexican herders who encountered Comanche, Shawnee and Apache Indians living in the area named the place “Terlingua” meaning “three tongues”. At its peak 2,000 miners lived and worked in this community. They had a jail, church, theater, store and even an ice cream parlor. Unfortunately, the price of mercury declined the mines flooded and the town died. Terlingua quietly transitioned to “ghost town” status leaving behind all the relics including a very populated cemetery, and over 70 mine shafts the rail road backfilled after they purchased the land. Today you can pull your RV into the parking lot and take a self guided tour of the old ghost town. The original store, located inside the largest adobe building in Texas, continues to do business with the many tourists who visit each year. Imagine sitting on this porch enjoying the view while eating your bowl of chili. This might attract unwanted guests so fly swatters are conveniently hanging on the wall behind you. But who would be eating chili out here in the desert? Each year in early November thousands of people gather here for the world famous chili cook-off. Not only is Terlingua a ghost town, it’s also the “Chili Capitol of Texas”. You can buy the award winning chili ingredients in the store to try at home. Terlingua is located outside the west gate of Big Bend National Park. Searching for the ultimate RV chili recipe - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RVer Brings Harley Davidson Up To Speed

I pulled into an RV park in Arizona the other day and parked next to Wayne (Speed) Hanson. His very successful business has him on the road doing motorcycle shows about eight months a year. Speed specializes in upgrading Harley Davidson Motorcycles with engine rebuilds that dramatically increase power and performance. He is an inspiration to work campers because he found a way to make the RV lifestyle pay. The business started off in a small town in South Dakota where he was in competition with two other motorcycle shops. Then he decided instead of waiting for customers to come to him, he would bring his shop to them. He lives in this very nice custom built RV on a Freightliner chassis with a 500 HP Detroit diesel engine. It has two huge slides making this RV like an apartment. With a manual transmission he gets 7.6 miles per gallon while towing his trailer/shop.

His trailer/shop is a double decker inside housing product in the loft and a full motorcycle shop in the bottom. The mobile shop has a dynamometer tuning machine to help make a cranky Harley run like a champ. At a show they can install aftermarket products like blowers, heads, carb kits, fuel injection kits, and exhaust products, then demonstrate your gain in performance on the mobile dynamometer. If you have a Harley that needs help - check out Speed’s website here: Speed’s Performance Plus
Speed helped raise $350,000 for the Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, Indiana. In a collaborative effort with Lucas Oil he put the engine, transmission and drive train into a motorcycle built for the “Miracle Ride” raffle fund raising event. Every year over 7,000 motorcycle riders gather at the hospital for this fund raising event. Because of their help, Riley is ranked one of the top Children’s hospitals in the country.
I bring this story to your attention because you may want to consider taking your job on the road. Thousands of people just like you make a handsome living working on the RV road. Speed was able to build a healthy business by bringing his skills to the people instead of waiting for them to come to him. This was only possible because of the RV lifestyle. I meet hundreds of RV work campers each year and they all love what they are doing because they are doing what they love and getting paid. Reporting from the crossroads of America - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Arizona RV Sewer Law All Hosed Up

We pulled into a Passport America RV park in Benson, Arizona for an overnight stay. The owner pointed out that if I chose to deploy my sewer line it had to be elevated off the ground and connected with an air tight fitting leading into the sewer drain. He told me it was an Arizona law that was passed a few years ago but had not been enforced until recently. He pointed to this sign on the wall and told me that an RVer at a nearby Escapee park had received a $400.00 fine for not properly deploying his sewer hose. When overnighting it I generally don't deploy the sewer hose until I dump in the morning so it didn't effect me. Poking around on the internet I discovered it is also a law in Florida. However, I couldn't find information to collaborate whether this is an actual state law. If you know of other states where this is an actual requirement and also happen to know the legal code or statute number for this law please click on the blue "comments" link below and tell us. I'm awaiting an email reply from the Arizona Secretary of State to clarify this issue and I will post an update here when I receive an answer. Trying to stay RV legal in the lower 48 - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

What Does The Future Hold For RVers

April Fool's Day is a good day to fool around with future RV ideas. I try to stay on the cutting edge of all things RV, but sometimes I just have to close my eyes and imagine what’s over the horizon for us. Science fiction writers have seen and written about future technology long before it became reality. I thought April first would be appropriate for me to try my hand at this. Here are some of the things I see happening in the near future:Smaller is better. RV enthusiasts who have been touring around in large motorhomes and 5th wheels will begin to downsize to smaller more fuel efficient units.

Hidden electronics. It’s a fact of life electronic devices are being integrated into RVs. Until recently the problem has been electronic clutter consisting of cables, boxes, power cords and the like. Increasingly you’ll see streamlined electronics that use wireless technologies like bluetooth that eliminate the clutter. How about an RV key fob that not only locks the door but extends and retracts the slides? Entertainment will “pop-up” or “pull-down” as televisions and multimedia devices will emerge from a cabinet or drop down from the ceiling. iPod type devices are already replacing old school CDs as the new RV sound system of choice. How about a central battery recharger that remotely recharges all your batteries on all your electronic gear, from your toothbrush to your cell phones and cameras? That would get rid of about eight charging cords in my RV.

Connected to the world. More campgrounds and RV parks will have wireless internet. Television programs you really want to view will be available for download via the internet onto your computer or TV for viewing whenever you wish.

Supercharged self-contained RVs. As the race for alternative fuel sources heats up, RVers will benefit from solar panels with a smaller footprint, super-batteries that have extended lifetimes and new charging systems managing power from multiple sources. New solar reflective paint and window treatments will keep the inside of your RV cooler. Solar paint will perform like a huge solar panel. You won’t need solar panels because the RV’s paint will be a solar collector turning sunlight into electricity. Even the transparent coating on your windows will be solar electric collectors.

Turn here dummy! Global Positioning Satellite system data will be conveniently located in a heads-up display like in the cockpits of modern fighter aircraft. Whoever is driving just plugs in their personal USB thumb drive and the heads-up display will be arranged just how they like it. It will also monitor your alertness and sound a warning if you close your eyes longer than it takes to blink. The windshield will completely block out the rising or setting sun by automatically checking your eye position in comparison with the sunlight and turn on reflector blockers embedded in the windshield glass. These modern sun shades will be just large enough to effectively block out the glare from the sun and will move and adjust automatically with the position of your eyes.

No more wet holding tanks for the toilet. RV’s will be equipped with space age solid waste management toilets that will employ vacuum assist and use lasers to decompose the waste to a small plastic bag full of ashes. Just toss the ashes in the dumpster when it’s full.

Minor medical care and lab work will be done over the computer without ever seeing a doctor. Small portable diagnostic equipment will be incorporated into your personal computer system so you can receive immediate feedback right in the comfort of your RV overlooking a secluded lake somewhere in Alaska. You’ll still need to make the trip to the drug store or have UPS deliver.

Diesel power will be replaced by jet engines on larger motorhomes. Alternative fuel burning efficient turbofan engines will power heavy motorhomes. A small but powerful jet engine will produce electric power that will in turn drive the electric motors on each wheel of the motorhome. The enormous amount of electric power generated will also charge the house batteries and be able to run every appliance in your RV at once.

Fleet maintenance will be the new approach to RV care. GPS systems will monitor every type of RV as they travel, keeping track of the mileage and generating automatic emails to the owner telling when maintenance is required. The fleet maintenance computer will also communicate with the RV onboard computer to monitor any problems as they arise while you drive down the road enjoying the scenery.

An onboard campground reservation system will tell you where all the campgrounds and RV parks are at your destination before you get there and will make a reservation for you. You will receive confirmation and the site number. It will automatically pay for the space with your credit card and all you have to do is pull into the space when you arrive. You don’t have to hunt down someone to assign you a space. If you’re not going to arrive at your destination because of delay, the onboard computer will use the current GPS information to recalculate and reserve a site at a different campground.

If you have more ideas like this, please click the comments link and tell us your thoughts.

Looking over the horizon - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing