RVers volunteer at Guide Dogs for the Blind

Wayne and Sarah Gabel are from Damascus, Oregon. They've been volunteers with Guide Dogs for the Blind for six years. Sarah says they've been foster parents to over 45 dogs ove the years so they very much enjoy working with this program.They prepare food for over 150 dogs in various stages of training. New arrivals have been in training in peoples homes since they were puppies so when they are introduced to the school they are a little disoriented. That's where Wayne comes in with "canine cuddling" where he goes into the pen of new arrivals and just holds them and pets them for 15 minutes each day. This helps the dogs adjust to their new environment and gives them needed human contact.

Once these dogs (all Labrador breeds) are finished with their training they are assigned to their new owners who themselves undergo training with their new partners.

If you would like to raise a puppy, donate to the program or take a tour at the California or Oregon campus you'll find more information here: Guide Dogs for the Blind
Thank you Wayne and Sarah for giving of yourselves to help man's best friend help us. Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

America's early truck campers did double duty

I come from a long line of RVers. In fact, my great grandfather, Grover Rockholt, built one of America's first truck campers on the back of a one ton Model A like this one. He decided to move from Tennessee to California in a truck camper. He was a builder and made a handsome camper on the back of this truck. It had sleeping quarters, dinette, cook stove and also doubled as a passenger section for his four boys while uncle Rex rode in the passenger seat with my great grandfather as the pilot. Since great grandma had a baby, she elected to take the train (a more comfortable option back in those days).

The roads were mostly dirt and gravel back in the 30's so they had to change a few tires along the way. My grandfather, Sheldon Rockholt, (one of the four boys) recalls an incident where they encountered a low railroad bridge. The truck camper, being a few inches too tall to safely navigate under the bridge, fostered the idea to dig trenches under the bridge so they could drive under to the other side. It worked, they made it to California and I have no idea what happened to the camper after they arrived. He more than likely dismantled it and used the truck for work.

Most everyone in my family enjoys RVing. My grandfather became a full time RVer for a couple years as he and my grandmother toured the country. Now I'm following in his footsteps. It gets in your blood! Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Grandfather and Grandson RV and bike together

RVing is a great way to bring families together. I went RVing with both my grandfathers and it left a lasting impression on me. Grandfathers are special people who have a great deal of influence with their grandkids when they can capture their attention for a while. Getting the kids away from computer games, cell phones and iPods is difficult, but I watched a skilled grandpa do it with ease at a Coachmen RV rally.Grandpa Kurt Beck from Camdon, Michigan spent the week with grandson Keenan Krall from Harrisonburg, Virginia in a Coachmen Cruise Master motorhome. I kept my eye on them during the week as they played board games together, attended the attractions and events of the rally and rode bicycles together. They both had a great time and when I asked Keenan if he intended to become an RVer someday he responded, “Yes!”

I caught up with them as they were packing up to head home. Loading their bikes on the ladder rack I noticed Kurt using a pop-can insulator as a protective device on the handlebars. He says it prevents the coach from being scratched and it’s been from Michigan to Florida and back several times without falling off.

With ideas like this, grandson Keenan is sure to become a successful RV owner himself someday. Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Who are the Amish who build RVs?

Northern Indiana is the undisputed capitol of RV manufacturing. It is also the home to many Mennonite and Amish communities who first migrated to Indiana in 1841. The Mennonites have incorporated themselves into the modern world while the Amish have been slower to change. In Amish country you frequently see horse drawn buggies sharing the road with modern automobiles. You also see men with beards but no mustache wearing black pants with suspenders. They are always seen in public wearing black or straw hats as has been their custom since the beginning of their movement. Women in modest dresses without buttons use straight pins to hold it all together. Their white and black caps cover their heads in obedience to Scripture. Not allowed to use electric power from power lines they have adapted by learning to use pneumatic powered appliances, generators and propane.The Amish are not Protestant, Catholic or Orthodox but are Christ followers given the name “Anabaptist” which means “to rebaptize.” They received this name in 16th-century Europe based on their teaching that only consenting adults should be administered the rite of water baptism. There are over 60 different Anabaptist groups each with it’s own distinctive character and rules for living making it difficult to generalize about them as a group. The Amish are undisputed craftsmen who make some of the finest furniture in the world. Times have changed and it is no longer feasible to make a living from small family farms alone so many of the Amish have taken jobs in the RV manufacturing industry.

If you want to learn more about their way of life a visit to Menno Hof in Shipshewana, Indiana will be time well spent. Here you will see and hear the Amish - Mennonite story. You will have all your questions answered and leave with a new appreciation for their way of life. Visit their website here: Menno Hof.

You may also want to visit a new attraction in Amish country called the “Quilt Gardens Tour.” It’s free (except for your expenditure for fuel) and it packs 60,000 blooms into 12 gigantic gardens creating super-sized quilt-like murals. Find more information about this tour here: Quilt Gardens Tour.

Northern Indiana is filled with beautiful Amish homes and gardens. We stopped at a bakery and candy shop and watched them making nut-brittle using pneumatic powered conveyor belts and mixers. This is great stuff sure to satisfy any sweet tooth. Many Amish homes are also businesses selling Amish made goods from furniture, baskets and quilts to recipe books and more. As a group I found them to be very friendly and happy to answer any questions about their lifestyle.While you’re in the neighborhood take advantage of the many RV plant tours available to the public. Out meeting our diverse and colorful American people one state at a time - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RVers see a beacon of hope in the Land of Lincoln

An estimated 50,000 travelers (many of them RVers) see this cross every day. Just how high is this giant cross at the intersection of I-57 and I-70 in Effingham, Illinois? If you guessed 198 feet (approximately 20 stories tall) you would be correct. By keeping the height under 200 feet they were not required to put an aviation warning beacon on the top. To help you with a perspective on size there is a person standing at the bottom wearing a red jacket.The Cross Foundation put this project together to promote faith, family and hope. At night the cross is illuminated by four 1000 watt lights. Made of steel spanning 113 feet this cross was truly an ecumenical effort including many Christian faith groups and civic organizations. The million dollar project was funded by donations and the foundation has plans for more inspirational programs. This is also the group responsible for developing the “I love you” cards that encourage parents of newborns to make it a habit to tell their children they love them as the first words they hear in the morning and the last words before they go to sleep at night. With these kinds of positive programs the Cross Foundation promises to keep working to bring hope to the world. You can read more about this cross here: Cross USA. Sparking hope in the hearts of RVers everywhere by saying, “I love RVers!” - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RVers see the strangest things on the road

Driving or towing your RV down the road you sometimes see things that make you do a double take. We were touring down the beach in southern Texas last week when we came upon this sign. We noted the restaurant was located next door to the volunteer fire department. We have no idea how it caught fire, but it certainly could have come from the kitchen. The irony of the name and the demise of this restaurant provided us with an interesting discussion as we continued our journey. You just never know what you will encounter as you travel down the RV road. Keeping a sharp eye out for the amusing and unusual. Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Your Old RV Could Be A Palace To Someone In Need

Have an old RV sitting around but aren't sure what to do with it? You may want to consider giving it to a family who needs it. As our economy heads south some families find themselves out on the street without a roof over their heads. You may think I'm kidding about this, but I've seen it and it's a real problem. An increasing number of people are loosing their homes to foreclosure every day. Watch this BBC video to learn about families living in a tent city right outside Los Angeles.

Place an add in one of your local sale papers with titles like "The Thrifty Nickel" or "The Penny Saver" and you should have no problem finding a home for your old RV. It's a great way to recycle and it will greatly help a family in need. Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RVer Recalls UFO Flight

It’s Halloween and I thought my fellow RVers would enjoy a scary tale about a time I was part of a UFO flight. So, gather around the campfire as I take you on a journey at tax payers’ expense. Many moons ago I was a Navigator on a KC-135 Tanker in the 916 th Air Refueling Squadron of the Strategic Air Command. We were on a training mission refueling a flight of FB-111 bombers somewhere over Utah. (This is a photo I took of an F-4 preparing to refuel to give you an idea of what we were doing). It was 4:00 a.m. and after about 20 minutes of routine refueling the aircraft commander turned control over to our female co-pilot. In those days women were just beginning to come onboard tankers as pilots, so when the FB-111 flight heard her voice they asked if she would like to see the “Zippo trick.” She was happy for them to “show off” their trick so one at a time they flew out in front of us to our starboard side and hit their fuel dump switch. Now to appreciate what happens next, I need to tell you that the FB-111 has two jet engines and the fuel dump is between the the engine nacelles. After they had jettisoned fuel for a few seconds it would enter the atmosphere and expand into a contrail of fumes. At the very moment they shut off the fuel dump switch, they would ignite their afterburners for a brief moment. This would torch off the vapor trail and create a fabulous display of burning color in the atmosphere. This burning cloud was “cigar” shaped and would change colors from bright orange to red and green and blue as it burned out in the night sky. They did this about 15 times and I began to imagine some farmer looking out his kitchen window and saying, “Hey Martha, they’re back, those UFO lights in the sky! Come look for yourself, I’m calling the Sheriff.” The scariest part of this story is that it is true. The “Zippo trick” was named after the famous Zippo cigarette lighter. So if you’re RVing in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah or Texas and see strange “cigar shaped” lights in the night sky, don’t panic, just relax knowing your tax dollars are hard at work. Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Join the Professor as He Explores the World’s Largest RV Bookstore

I recently visited world renowned RV Travel.Com co-located on the same campus as RV Bookstore.com. I had never been there before, so I wasn’t sure what I’d find. That’s part of the joy of visiting new places, mulling through your mind what it should be like. I wasn’t disappointed. As I toured the campus, it occurred to me that you too would appreciate a peek inside this busy hive of RVdom. like all news organizations RV Travel.com is a hub of activity. There are all manner of RV journals, magazines, books and periodicals scattered about on the break room table where employees of RV Travel and RV Bookstore drink coffee and discuss the news. I felt right at home. It reminded me of my grandfather’s workshop, friendly yet intriguing always with a lingering hint of coffee grounds and newsprint. Erin Hanson is RV Bookstore’s Fulfillment Manager. She’s the one who writes you a thank you note and includes it in your order. Fast and efficient, she keeps the books and DVDs flying out of here so you’ll have your order in no time at all. Office Manager Jody Allcott tries to keep us all in line and that’s a never ending job. She makes sure we have plenty of books and DVDs in stock to support our RV habit and she also pays the bills. Kristin Boag is in charge of advertising and sales. She's working on an automated system so our smaller advertisers will have full and instant access to RV Travel’s monster advertising machine. The renowned voice of RV Travel is none other than Eric Brotman who you hear on our “RV Radio Moment”. Zoey Platt is our computer expert and keeps all the plates spinning behind the scenes. Mikey the Office Dog is in charge of K-9 relations. Here he’s schmoozing with the boss, Chuck Woodbury trying to negotiate a dog biscuit increase. Besides the office staff, there are many writers who contribute to RV Travel and are on the payroll. Most of them, like Russ and Tina De Maris, Adrienne Kristine and others are out in the RV community covering the beat. You may have met Adrienne at the recent Good Sam Rally in Redmond, Oregon. Go out to the back lot at RV Travel.com and you’ll discover a wildlife preserve. Walk out the front door and down the street and you’re at Puget Sound and the 2006 best marina of the year. This is Edmonds, Washington a quiet little town with a ferry terminal but more importantly it harbors the largest RV Bookstore in the universe. As far as RV books are concerned, If we don’t have it, it doesn’t exist and if it doesn’t exist we can create it. Take a look at our bookshelf and order a few titles today. Taking you places you’ve never been before - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing and ROAD Scholar.

Bold Move Helps RVer Get Action From RV Manufacturer

Dennis Abbott and his wife have been full time RVers for 13 years this July. Typical of many owners of new motor coaches, Dennis was having more difficulty than a half million dollar coach ought to have. He told me so many problems he’s had with this coach that it would take five articles to cover them all.

Suffice it to say, Dennis couldn’t get the multitude of manufacturer defects fixed in a timely manner and his out of pocket expenses for repairs under a supposed warranty were keeping him awake at night. This Texan made a bold move, took out his paint brush and went the first amendment route. I like his style and being parked at the FMCA campground finally garnered the attention of his manufacturer. He told me that corporate promised to get it all repaired at no cost to him, but he isn’t holding his breath. We’ll see how it all comes out.

So here is the burning question, why should a customer who pays a king’s ransom for a new motor coach have to resort to this anyway? Why can’t RV manufacturers make a consistently good quality product right off the assembly line? Leave a comment and tell me what you think about this issue. Jim

Valentine's Day RV Advice

It’s Valentine's Day and, yes, Elvis has been sighted in Quartzsite singing on top of his traveling trailer museum. Hunk-a-hunk-a-burin' love…. Which brings me to my Valentine's Day discussion. If you don’t get along well with your spouse when it’s not Valentine's Day do not, I repeat DO NOT, become full time RVers! Why? Because even though RVs are getting larger and roomier with slide-outs, they are still much smaller than houses. You can’t just go to another part of the house or garage or wherever to have a little time away from each other. You live together in close quarters and therefore you must not only be lovers but the best of friends with great communication skills. As a retired Navy Chaplain I have conducted many marriage growth seminars and have done countless hours of marriage counseling. One thing stands out above everything else in determining how successful a relationship will be and that is your ability to communicate well with each other. One of the best things you can do for your marriage is to attend a Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP) seminar in your area – more information here http://www.prepinc.com/index.asp . The US Navy Chaplain Corps endorses this program developed by the University of Colorado at Denver. The Army and Air Force are also using this program with terrific results. It’s not counseling, it’s training for your marriage, and trust me, every marriage can use some improvement! If you can’t attend one of these seminars, then grab a copy of the book – you can thank me later. Happy Valentine's Day! Jim

A Bright Idea

Some RVers really like clowing around!

Bill and Linda Isetts pose in front of their sparkling new Dutchman Grand Junction 5th wheel coach. At first glance you wouldn’t think much about this picture but there is a story here. You see, Bill went to the RV dealership to purchase a replacement for a burned out light bulb on his existing coach and brought this new coach back to the RV park instead. What a hoot! Bill wasn’t clowning around about fixing the problem. The guys in the park jokingly said, “Remind me not to send Bill to town to pick up anything!”

These are interesting folks. They are also known as Billie and Jingles – clowns. When they are at home in Escanaba, Michigan they entertain children and adults at birthday parties, company picnics, grand openings and camps. They specialize in balloon art. I wonder if they can make a 5th wheel out of balloons?
They RV about five months a year in snowbird status. Before Bill got carried away with his light bulb purchase, he and Linda purchased a used 1998 34’ Kountry Star 5th Wheel just to see if they would like RVing. Well, they do and if you are not RVing yet, then you could do something similar. Buy a small rig and try it out for a while – you have to start somewhere - another bright idea. I love walking around a campground after I arrive and meeting all the interesting people. RVers never cease to amaze me - in my opinion they are the most interesting people you will ever meet. Bill and Linda are Christians who use the proceeds of their secular clowning to fund missions trips. Bill, a Vietnam veteran, has returned to Vietnam nine times over the years to help build medical clinics with Vets With A Mission. Now that’s a bright idea!

Handicaps Don't Stop RVers

Can people with impairment, disability or handicap be successful RVers? You bet they can! And with more custom changes RVing has become even more accessible.

Meet Ed Grabman from Alamogordo, New Mexico. Ed has been RVing since 1966 and he wasn’t about to let disability stand in his way of enjoying the RV lifestyle. As a US Air Force pilot he flew the F-100, A-1, F-104 and the T-38. Ed and Jean raised their family RVing. They started with a pop-up then went on to an Apache pop-up, a PU slide in camper, a 28’ Komfort 5th Wheel and when Ed’s disability began to make using the 5er difficult, he moved to a 35’ Safari motor home. They now have a 36’ Country Coach motor home. Ed's wife Jean is also a big help, but Ed still does the majority of the outside work.

RV Now: You switched from a 5th wheel to a motor home because of the increasing difficulty of set-up. What are the advantages of a motor home for a person with a disability or handicap?

Ed: A motor home is by far is the best for persons with disabilities. I like it because when traveling you don’t have to get out of the coach to use the bathroom facilities. I also like the fact that we carry my scooter on a lift attached to the back of the tow car. When we take a day trip in the towed vehicle I always have my scooter with me.

RV Now: What is the most difficult task for you as an RVer?

Ed: Just getting into the coach is the most difficult task. The scooter is a big help to me in managing hook-up tasks. RV Now: How can RV parks and campgrounds help RVers with disabilities?

Ed: The biggest thing is pavement or hard pack. Gravel, especially large gravel makes it very hard if not impossible to use wheel chairs and scooters. The next thing is level spaces. I try to get the stairs as close to the ground as possible so it is easier to get in and out of the coach. Uneven sites make it very difficult for me to accomplish this. Also I don’t like the handicap sites because they are right next to the bathroom and shower facilities. For the most part, people with handicaps in self contained RVs like to use their own shower and bathroom. Everything is convenient for them in their coach and I rarely ask for a handicap site because of their close proximity to the community bathroom. Another thing RV parks can do is to ensure that they have wide enough walkways to accommodate scooters, wheelchairs and people who use arm braces or canes. Another problem I’ve seen in RV parks is that the handicap showers are unsafe because they don’t have non-skid material on the floors. People who have to use arm braces or canes while they shower can have their braces easily slip out from under them. RV Now: How can RV manufacturers help RVers with disabilities?
Ed: If you buy a new motor home be sure you contact the manufacturer and get in touch with the person who is the handicap specialist. They will help you custom design a coach that is best suited to your needs. More and more RV manufacturers are doing this now. (Note: Ed loaned me a copy of Family Motor Coaching in which many motor home manufactures offer “custom handicapped-accessible models.”)

RV Now: What modifications have you made to your coach to make you more safe and comfortable?

Ed: The scatter rugs must have non-slip backing and we immediately replace them if they begin to loose their non-slip characteristics. My son made a portable step that really helps me enter and exit the coach. Other than that we haven’t done anything special to the coach.

RV Now: Ed, how long does it take you to set up and take down your RV compared to a person without disabilities?

Ed: It doesn’t take any longer than anyone else if we are dry camping in a WalMart parking lot for instance and for full hook-ups it a little longer but not much. RV Now: What is your opinion about an RV park assigning handicap parking to non-disabled overnight campers after a certain hour? If the campground is full and no one has called ahead to reserve the site and the policy is that after a certain hour they may rent out the handicap space then I don’t have a problem with it.

RV Now: Thank you Ed. For a future article would you to show me how the scooter lift works and tell me all about that.

Ed: Sure, look forward to it Jim.

RIP Old Man Winter

A lot of people ask me, “Why do you go to Arizona in the winter?” It’s simple really, it’s the weather! While other folks in the northern parts of the US are digging out from the last snow storm, chipping ice off their driveway, plugging in their engine block heaters, hauling wood, thawing pipes and sliding down the street doing donuts on the ice, well, we are in shorts, tank-tops and sandals playing Scrabble under our awning. Iced tea with lemon, humming birds flittering about, palm tree branches waiving in a balmy breeze, the smell of BBQ in the air, good company and well, you get the picture. RVing really does give you many options for enjoying great weather. RIP Old Man Winter!

RV Service Department Manager's Advice

It’s four o’clock on Wednesday afternoon and the RV dealership is hopping. The Parts Department is waiting on customers left and right and the propane refill station has a steady flow of customers. A parts sales person rushes into the office to send off a fax. I ask her, “Is it always this busy?” She replies, “Some days it’s slow and other days it’s like this, it makes me crazy.” She told me that the hardest part of her job is locating parts for old RVs. She said, “The newer your RV appliance the easier it is to find replacement parts.” I never thought about it before, but that makes perfect sense. She can usually find the antique parts but has to jump through hoops to do it.

The Service Department bays are all full and Brian Emerik, the Service Department Manager here at Visalia RV is busy taking calls, interfacing with customers, answering RV tech questions about parts orders and doing an interview with me.

RV Now: What in your opinion are the RV systems you repair most often in your service department?

Brian: “It’s seasonal really, we repair a lot of furnaces in the winter and a lot of AC units and refrigerators in the summer. During the rainy season we repair a lot of leaks. We’ve just had a week of freezing conditions so it will be interesting to see how many plumbing repairs we will get from this unseasonable weather. Most people around here don’t bother to winterize their RVs.” (He is referring to California’s San Joaquin Valley.)

RV Now: “What is the most difficult part of your job?”

Brian: “Paperwork, finding time to get everything done and keeping the customers happy. Customer satisfaction is my main job.”

RV Now: “How can customers help most when working with an RV service department?”

Brian: “Don’t procrastinate. Make sure everything is in working order a few weeks before you are going to use your RV. If something is broken make an appointment to get it repaired right away. Spring and summer are our busiest times of year and we are normally backlogged three or four weeks. If you wait until the night before to get your RV ready for a trip and discover something is broken it’s likely you’ll have to wait a few days or a few weeks to get it fixed. We really want our customers to be happy but it is important for them to understand that RV service departments are not like automobile repair facilities. In a midsize town you might have one or two RV repair facilities whereas in that same town you’ll find many more automotive repair shops. That’s the big difference.”

That’s good advice from a busy guy who really wants to help you. If you have a roadside emergency, they will try very hard to work you into the schedule so you can get back on the road, but you’ll have to be patient. Another thing we learn from Brian is that you’ll get your RV serviced much faster during the fall and winter. So why wait – get those repairs done now before it gets really busy!

God Approves RV Lifestyle

The Bible contains a great deal about the full time camping lifestyle. In fact, I will argue that God highly favors the nomadic outdoor lifestyle that has been enjoyed by generations of campers throughout history and continues to be enjoyed by modern campers and RVers.

Being a Christian minister I have read the Bible cover to cover many times. I have studied it in Hebrew and Greek and greatly appreciate the many insights and wisdom it contains. I have been an avid backpacker and RVer for many years and have frequently pondered what the Bible says about this activity. Let’s start at the beginning. God created…. Yes, the God of creation certainly appreciates the great outdoors. The woods and hills, streams and lakes, mountains and valleys, oceans and deserts are all awe inspiring and each has incredible riches enjoyed by travelers in every age. The Patriarchs embraced and enjoyed the nomadic lifestyle living in tents and traveling in caravans hauling all their earthly possessions with them from place to place. In fact in the Middle East people still live this way. I snaped the above picture while in Israel.

The exodus is also a camping story. Sometime between Adam and Eve and Moses the RVers greatest asset was invented – the wheel. The wheel allowed man to carry more possessions over greater distances in less time. So we see in the story of the Passover that Moses instructs the people to dress for travel, gather their possessions and get ready for the greatest RV rally ever recorded.

The children of Israel loaded up their possessions on ox drawn carts and headed for the desert. Snowbirds now do this every year, except now they use their motorhomes, 5th wheels, campers and travel trailers. Instead of escaping from a despotic king they are escaping from the despotic cold.

This exodus RV rally lasted forty years. In fact this nomadic lifestyle was commemorated into a religious festival called the “Feast of Tabernacles” or the “Feast of Tents.” That’s right, camping has its own religious holiday! Once the children of Israel occupied the land of Israel on a permanent basis, they were to celebrate this festival once a year by making a shelter or erecting a tent of some kind and they had to move out of the house and live in this shelter and recreate.

King David wasn’t always a king living in a palace, in fact he was a shepherd who enjoyed outdoor living. In fact his thoughts about this are recorded in the Psalms. Many a night he spent around the campfire, living in tents and moving around the landscape. Shepherds, like RVers don’t spend a lot of time in one place, they are mobile and that is the essence of the RV lifestyle. The Old Testament is full of camping stories, but how about the New Testament? What group of common folks did God first tell about the birth of Jesus? That’s right the shepherds. Where were they? They were camping on the outskirts of Bethlehem! Do you think the wise men stayed at motel six? No, they traveled caravan style and camped along the way. They were using the RV tow vehicle of the day, the camel. In fact great camel caravans were common during this time. They traveled great distances across all kinds of terrain. The US government even experimented with the idea of using camels in the Army and the next time you are in Quartzsite, Arizona you can learn all about that experiment.

Jesus enjoyed the great outdoors and we know that as he traveled around the country preaching he frequently slept under the stars.

The Apostle Paul was actually in the RV business. Paul supported himself by manufacturing tents. People traveled by foot or rode donkeys or camels and in so doing they loaded up their tent on a donkey or camel for transport. These folks could make and break camp quickly. They traveled light and travel they did!

I believe God approves of the RV lifestyle because it causes us to get away from the grind of daily living and exposes us to His creation. It carves out time for us to actually enjoy this planet – hence the word “Recreation” which you will recognize as the root word in the term “Recreational Vehicle.” In fact if you study this word it means “re – creation.” The word “creation” is right there! God wants us to experience “re – creation,” rejuvenation and refreshment. Gives a whole new perspective on RVing doesn’t it! Blessings - Jim

RV Sales Manager Interview

From time to time RV Now will be interviewing RV experts throughout the industry and from the RV lifestyle. I will be talking with the good folks from RV dealerships, RV show vendors, manufacturers and anyone else who has something interesting to add to the conversation. Today I did two interviews at a local RV dealership and learned a few things. This interview with the Sales Manager was quite informative. Meet Michael McCormik, General Sales Manager at Visalia RV who has 23 years experience in RV sales.

RV Now: “What can customers do to help themselves most when they are shopping for a new RV?”

Michael: “It is important for them to research the products and pricing of the products they are interested in. The internet is a great way to do that. It is also very important for them to find a quality RV dealership with a good reputation for service, because service goes on long after the sale.”

RV Now: “Good point! OK, I have an idea of what I want and I go to the dealership and a sales person meets and greets me. How important is it to be loyal to that sales person, especially since they work on commission?”

Michael: “If you are satisfied that this sales person knows the product and you are confident they will meet your needs, then by all means stick with them, but if you are uncomfortable with them for any reason then ask for help from another sales person. It’s very important that a customer work both with a knowledgeable sales person and someone who they trust. Go into any RV dealership and you will find sales people who are just starting with limited knowledge and those with years of experience, so you need to be selective about who assists you.”

RV Now: “Really? It’s kind of awkward to say to a sales person. “I’m sorry, but I would like to talk to another sales person please.” How does one go about finding a knowledgeable sales person anyway?”

Michael: “Ask them an RV question that you know the answer too and see if they give the appropriate answer. If they pass the test you can feel more confident about the experience level of the sales person.”
(RV Now note: You could also ask them how long they have been selling RVs and if they own and use one themselves. Then ask them about their own RV experiences – you’ll be able to judge quickly whether they know what they are talking about.)

Michael: “From the dealership point of view we want happy and satisfied customers, so don’t feel uncomfortable switching horses midstream. Dealerships spend a lot of money on advertising, flooring costs and other expenses just to attract customers, so we want you to be happy.”

RV Now: “So you don’t want customers to think of the dealership as being just one sales person but rather you want us to think of the dealership as a service organization.”

Michael: “Exactly, I always remember what I was taught when I first started in this business and that is that no one sales person can say to anyone, “that’s my customer.” No, the customer is the responsibility of the entire dealership not just one person. So make sure you are working with a sales person who is knowledgeable and able to assist you through the selection and purchasing process.”

There you have it folks, be picky about the dealership and who your salesperson is. They work for you and don’t earn a commission until you are completely satisfied and vote with your wallet by purchasing an RV. And don’t forget the best advice, “…find a quality RV dealership with a good reputation for service, because service goes on long after the sale.”

RV Background

New to the RV Travel Blogger Family: Jim and Marilyn Twamley

My wife and I have been camping and RVing since we were married. Our first RV was a VW van that we owned when I was stationed with the Army in Belgium. We had so much fun with this magic carpet that we still talk frequently about it. I took out the rear seats and built a platform for the bed and a galley in the rear, reachable when the back hatch was raised. We used an ice age cooler as our refridgerator and stowed our luggage under the platform bed. It was fitted with curtains and a foldable front windshield privacy screen. We toured 12 countries in Europe and we did nine of them with our VW RV. We did some tent camping and I did a lot of backpacking. Once the family began to grow we purchased a used Apache Pop-Up Tent Trailer. Pop-ups are a blast! They are light to tow and easy to set up. They are very spacious and are a great beginning RV for a family. Our next RV was a Komfort Travel Trailer. This was one of the “Komfort Light” models. The floor felt like you were walking on a trampoline, but we had a lot of great times in this trailer. Next we graduated to a 31 foot Wilderness 5th wheel by Fleetwood. This was a great starter 5er and we learned a lot about what we wanted and didn’t want from this unit. Our next and current “rig,” as we refer to them in Oregon, is a 34.5 HitchHiker II LS by NuWa.
I retired from the military with a colorful career. I started out in the Army as a medic stationed in Belgium. I got out of the Army and went to college and seminary then went into the Air Force through ROTC and became a Navigator flying KC-135s. After a few years of flying I was offered the opportunity to become a chaplain. I resigned my commission in the Air Force and joined the Navy as part of the Navy Chaplain Corps where I finished my military career. After retiring from the Navy we were pastors of a church in Klamath Falls Oregon.

My wife, Marilyn, and I have been full time RVing going on three years now. We love this lifestyle because it affords us the opportunity to travel and visit our many friends and family who are scattered all over the USA. We also enjoy the pure delight of traveling and seeing the world and RVing is the best and most economical way to do it! We have been avid readers of Chuck Woodbury’s outstanding work over the years and we look forward to being part of the RV TRAVEL team.

Best Investments for 2007

HAPPY NEW YEAR !

Here is Jim's short list of the best places to invest in 2007 (not necessarily in this order):

1. Education
2. Family
3. Travel
4. Faith
5. Friends

Ha! You thought I was going to give you a hot stock tip didn't you! Well, in the Education department if you want to learn about how to trade stocks, I recommend the book "Real Money" by Jim Cramer. This guy looks like a crazy man on TV, but his book is full of good advice on investing in the stock market - well worth the read.

Live Free or Die

General John Stark is a great American war hero.

He fought in the French backed Indians as one of Roger’s Raiders and because of this experience he later became a great leader during the Revolutionary War. He was from New Hampshire and led the volunteers from that state fighting alongside General Washington at Valley Forge and many other major battles. He is probably most famous for giving his state its motto, “Live free or die!” However one of his lesser known quotes is, “There they are boys! We beat them today or Molly Stark sleeps a widow tonight!” Now that is a great quote from a great American!

He has a town named after him in New Hampshire. Here is a picture of the church and covered bridge in Stark NH. Recently I had the pleasure of preaching in this church which is the oldest continuously active union church in the United States. It is so old it doesn’t have indoor plumbing, but it has been upgraded with electricity and a more modern heater. It doesn’t have a microphone because the acoustics are such that the speaker’s voice carries quite well even to the last pew. It’s a cool place and if you happen to be there on a Sunday be sure to attend the worship service. The parking lot (to the left of the photo) is large enough to accomodate big RVs. Blessings - Jim

Welcome to RV Now

This blog is dedicated to the full time RV lifestyle. It will cover all the issues near and dear to the hearts of full time RV'rs and those who wish to be. I will cover economic issues, internet on the road, boondocking (camping without hookups), places we've visited and a host of other RV related topics. I will also strive to give you links to other sites so you can gather as much information as possible via the internet on RV related issues. Blessings! Jim