Issue 183 of the world's largest email RV newsletter: Learn about RV camping, RV travel, RV news and much more.
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FREE: Guidebook to Full-Time RVing
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Editor's Corner
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Arizona road sign! |
By Chuck Woodbury
How long would it take to get your RV totally ready to go in an emergency? What
if you had to leave town RIGHT NOW? Is your gas tank filled? Water and
propane tanks? Cupboards packed with basic food items? Sheets, towels,
soap and other essentials on board? How about a jacket, underwear,
socks, shoes? Is there a copy of your drug prescriptions on board? As
the recent hurricanes have illustrated, sometimes a prompt escape is
necessary. But there could be times when a super fast exodus is needed
a tornado or tsunami on the way, for example.
Our RVs are portable
shelters that can save the day, but they're not much good if we can't
get them moving down the road in time, or if the gas tank is empty. So
how fast can you get going? That's our Reader Survey question this
issue. Please take a few seconds to respond. And feel free to leave a comment.
We RVers are not the most
fuel-efficient group on Earth as revealed in last week's Reader Survey.
Forty-five percent of us get 7-9 miles per gallon and another 35
percent get 10-12. Almost five percent get less than five miles per
gallon (ouch!). There's no surprise to these results, but they do bring
to mind the idea that if we all slowed down 10 miles per hour, which
would significantly increase our fuel economy, we could save a lot of
petrol (not to mention money)!
If you haven't poked around
our Reader Surveys results lately, you should take a few minutes to
browse the hundred or so questions and responses. You will learn, for
example, that more than three-quarters of your fellow readers are
either satisfied or very satisfied with the workmanship on their RVs.
You'll also learn that nearly 56 percent of readers wear gloves while
dumping their RV holding tanks and that nearly half believe that RVing
will be even more popular in 30 years than it is today. You'll find the
index of past surveys here.
Most of the questions are RV-related, but once in a while we ask one
just for fun. I enjoyed your responses to "Who do you see when you look
in the mirror?" Need a good laugh? See for yourself how RV Travel readers responded!
In case you haven't noticed, I'd like to remind you that there is a search box on each page of RVtravel.com
(including this one). It's near the top right corner of each page. If
you're looking for information from a past newsletter or for other RV
information, take this search tool for a spin.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Pot of Gold Contest News
No winner last week. The pot is now $315 cash. Check each weekday at RVbookstore.com between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. (Pacific time) to see if you live in the Zip Code of the Day. Our last winner pocketed a cool $380!
If you own a retail store that caters to RVers
and would like to sell many of the most popular books and DVDs from
RVbookstore.com, please contact us about our new wholesalers program.
Our catalog is online and it's easy as pie to order. Email
chuck@RVtravel.com for information.
Boondocking Basics
Learn
how to RV without hookups in the best-selling book "RV Boondocking
Basics." Live well without plugging in and hooking up, and save money
in the process. Covers solar, wind power and more. Get more information or order
This Week's Reader Survey
How long would it take to get your RV totally ready to go in an emergency? Answer here.
Past reader surveys and results
How did RV Travel readers respond to this question:
"Of your hobbies, where does RVing rank in importance?"
Learn how 1125 readers responded.
GET A FREE ISSUE OF TRAILER LIFE OR MOTORHOME MAGAZINE
KNOWLEDGE QUIZ
Three Quizzes Today. Win FREE GAS and other swell prizes!
Look for a pop quiz or two with terrific prizes many weeks at RVbookstore.com.
Sign up to receive an email alert of quiz start times.
Do you drive a really BIG RV?
RVers with big rigs will love the 2006
Rand McNally Motor Carriers' Road Atlas. Designed for truckers, this
atlas shows where to travel to avoid low overpasses and narrow roads
where a big RV could get into trouble. NEW! Learn more or order.
RV Boondocking Tips
By Russ and Tina Demaris
Icky-Sticky Bugs n' Tar
Tired
of thick accumulations of road tar by wheel wells, and stuck on bugs
which seem to favor cab-overs and front running surfaces? Apply
commercial bug and tar fluid, allow it to soak in and then wash off.
Another alternative is applying "waterless hand cleaner," letting it
sit for a few minutes and wiping off with a soft cloth. You'll save
money and we've seen RVers working over their rigs while waiting in
lines.
Russ and Tina Demaris are authors of RV Boondocking Basics and Boondocking Tips for RVers: More Fun Without Hookups
Books and videos about Boondocking
Locate Wal-Mart stores
Use this directory to plan free overnight stays.
Get easy driving directions to every Wal-Mart in America.
Learn more about the Wal-Mart Locator or order. 20% Off.
ABCs of RVing:
For absolute beginners and RV novices only.
QUESTION: What does GVWR mean? ANSWER: It's short for Gross Vehicle Weight Rating which is the maximum loaded weight for which a vehicle was designed.
The basics of RV insurance and of RV financing.
Beginners Guide to RVing: Articles and information for brand new RVers. Learn the ropes.
New Additions to FreeCampgrounds.com
Books & DVDs at RVbookstore.com
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2005 Big Rig Best Bets Campground Directory:
Drive a king-sized RV? This directory is for you. Buy or get info.
Manage Your RV's 12 Volt System
Learn all about your RVs 12-volt electrical system including how to upgrade and operate it and troubleshoot problems.
Truck Stops love RVers! Directory tells what they offer!
The 2005 RVers Friend lists
every Travel Center in the U.S. and Canada and the services each
provides RVers. Learn which offer overnight stays, dump stations,
Internet access, propane or other services. Learn more or order for only $12.95
RVers Guide to Solar Battery Charging
Learn everything an RVer needs to know to enjoy the comforts of household power through the power of the sun.
Buying an RV?
Don't buy one before reading The RV Buyers Survival Guide.
Ex-RV sales manager Bob Randall reveals how to get the best deal from
an RV dealer. Don't pay too much. Available as printed book or instant
eBook.
RVing the Alaska Highway
Join Bob and Judy Howen as they drive the Alaska Highway in their motorhome. See the road through their front window. Visit campgrounds and other RVer attractions.
Quartzsite, Arizona. See it on DVD!
Visit the Boondocking Capital of the West on DVD. Like being there!
2005 Campground Directories
. . . from Trailer Life, Woodall's and Frommer's.
Headed to Alaska? The Milepost is the #1 guide to getting there.
DVDs show how to operate your RV
Learn how to use every system, how to set up, how to drive or pull your RV and more. Class A motorhome Class C motorhome Pop Up Travel Trailer/Fifth Wheel
Camp at Casino RV Parks. . . (Sometimes for FREE)
Learn which casinos have RV parks and which ones offer free overnight stays in their parking lots. Learn more.
Next Exit Directory. . . Don't get lost!
Never take a wrong exit off an Interstate highway again. The 2005 Next Exit
lists every exit along every Interstate and what's at each:
campgrounds, fuel, truck stops, casinos, malls, rest areas, hospitals
and more. A bargain at only $12.95.
Camping and RVing with Dogs
Get expert advice on traveling with a dog and learn about dog-friendly campgrounds and RV parks Learn more or order
2005 Guide to Free Campgrounds of the West
Tired of paying too much for campgrounds. How about staying for free (or nearly free). Learn more or order.
Traveler's Guide To The Firearm Laws of the 50 States
Don't carry a weapon across state lines without knowing the laws. Explains the specific gun laws of every U.S. state.
All The Stuff You Need To Know About RVing
The best book for beginning RVers. Order or get more information.
Books and DVDs about how to buy an RV
Books about earning an income on the road
RV books for less than $9.99
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Super fast delivery. Nine out of ten orders (Mon.-Sat.) ship within 6 hours. "You need it, so we speed it!" |
Free or inexpensive places to camp with your RV.
Clay Center RV Camping: Clay Center, Kansas
On
Highway 24 at the west edge of town near the football stadium, there is
space for two campers with electrical hookups. Just south of the
swimming pool on West Court Street is a concrete lot with five
electrical hookups and space for more campers without hookups. At the
southeast edge of town at the county fairgrounds, there is a concrete
slab with room for two campers with one electrical hookup. A dump
station is at the fairgrounds. All campsites are free for up to 72
hours on a first-come basis.
Terrible's Lakeside Casino & RV Park: Osceola, Iowa
Lakeside
Casino Resort is about 40 miles south of Des Moines in Osceola
along Interstate 35, Exit 34. Full hookups April to November; other
months electric only. Long, level big rig sites with concrete pads.
Easy walking distance to the casino. Camping is $10 per night with a
Players Club Card.
Rest Area: Tonopah, Nevada
Miller's
Rest Area is 10 miles west of Tonopah on lonely US Highway 6. It has a
quiet, designated area for overnight RV stays with picnic tables,
water, dump and restrooms. 18-hour limit. No trucks. Free.
The information above was provided by visitors to FreeCampgrounds.com. The information has not been verified. Learn about more than 850 free and inexpensive campgrounds.
Bumper Snicker
"Okay, who put a 'stop payment' on my reality check?"
Read other funny bumper stickers or buy them.
RVing to Mexico
Mexico
RVing experts Dot and Bill Bell answer questions on traveling to the
Copper Canyon, tolls to Puerto Vallarta and the company of other RVers
going south. Read the article.
Guidebooks and DVDs about RVing in Mexico
RV TRAVEL READERS PREFER GOOD SAM EMERGENCY ROAD SERVICE
More than 40% of RV Travel readers
rely on Good Sam's Emergency Roadside Assistance Program. Protects you,
your spouse, AND all children age 25 or younger (living at home or
attending college), your RV, AND all household cars, SUVs, minivans,
and pickups! Get information or sign up for only $79.95!
Bill's Hint
"Applying
tow vehicle brakes hard while the trailer is in the middle of a swerve
will almost guarantee a jackknife and a rollover." From Trailers and Fifth Wheels Made Easy
Visit Camping World for RV supplies and accessories
Fleetwood introduces new line of fifth wheels
Fleetwood RV
has announced its AX6 premium fifth-wheel product line with the 2006
Prowler Regal AX6, Wilderness Advantage AX6 and Terry Quantum AX6
models. The 2006 models include three new interior designs and upgraded
exterior graphics, driving them into the new year with style and
strength. Learn more.
Automotive fires can be deadly: how to prevent one
AAA,
the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and professional
firefighters have issued a national consumer advisory requesting the
public's help in preventing vehicle fires in the United States. Read more.
EXPLORER RV: INSURANCE TO PROTECT & SAVE
Owners
of motorhomes, travel trailers, fifth wheels & medium-duty tow
vehicles save up to 15% over our largest competitors by tailoring their
coverage from over a dozen options. Learn more or get a quote.
Weird, Wacky and/or Wonderful Festivals
Light Maze & KTTC Lights: Zumbro Falls, Minnesota
The
annual event will be held at the Bluff Valley Campground each evening
from October 20 through November 27. This is North America's first
autumn season drive-through light tour and features a 1.5 mile drive
with more than 450 light displays, 20 theme areas, live entertainment,
a dinner buffet, and Pepsi Nightlight Park & Play activities such
as Nightlight Miniature Golf, Disc-Golf, Basketball Golf and Nightlight
Wagon Rides. For information: (877) GO-SEE-IT (467-3348).
Do you camp in a Pop Up Trailer?
Then you will enjoy Pop Up Times, Americas only magazine devoted to camping with a pop up. Learn more.
Museum of the Week
High Heels Shoe Museum
This
is a museum that every RV Travel reader can visit because it's only
online. It's soooooo fun to look at the beautiful high heeled shoes in
this cyber display. They are in every shape and size and some are so
beautiful you just want to cry from happiness. Guys can look at the
shoes and think of all the beautiful ladies who might wear them,
and ladies can look at them and imagine they are the Queen of the Ball.
Of course, if you fall in love with some of what you see in this classy
corner of cyberspace, you can pull out your credit card and acquire
your very own pair. Check out the museum.
Fractional RV Ownership
CoachShare is a better way to own a luxury motorcoach!
Do
you dream of owning a luxurious motorcoach, but don't want the
year-round expense and hassles of private ownership? Why not "share" a
luxury coach with CoachShare? Pay only for the time you need and save
up to 80 percent over full-time ownership. Learn more.
Trivia
In
1955, Johnny Cash gave Carl Perkins the line "Don't step on my blue
suede shoes." Cash heard it while standing in a chow line in the
service. Perkins wrote the song a few days later after noticing a man
struggling to keep his girlfriend off his blue suede shoes at a
sorority dance. Elvis Presley's recording of "Blue Suede Shoes" was the
first song to become a hit on three charts: R&B, country and pop.
Join the Good Sam Club. Only $19 a year. Save on campground fees.
This issue's
Knowledge Quiz
THREE QUIZZES TODAY
with swell prizes including FREE GAS!
The prizes:
$50 of Shell gasoline.
Four episodes of the Gene Autry TV Show on DVD. See cowboy Gene duke it out with bad guys while strumming his guitar!
An RVbookstore.com coffee mug. Your favorite beverage tastes better in this mug.
Answer the Quizzes here at on Sunday, Oct. 23 at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and Noon, Pacific Time.
Knowledge Quiz official rules
Zany Business Slogan of the Week
"Nobody knows the truffles we've seen." Northern Calif. truffles shop.
Seen a good one? Email it to the editor.
Want to travel full-time with an RV?
Anyone who is thinking of traveling full-time with an RV will have his or her questions answered in this wonderful 90-minute DVD. Interviews with dozens of fulltimers as well as experts on the lifestyle. Learn more or order.
Women RVers
If you're a woman and you RV alone (or want to), then there is a lot of good information for you here.
DID YOU KNOW?
The word "whiskey" comes from Ireland and Scotland. The Gaelic word usquebaugh is an adaptation of the Latin phrase aqua vitae,
which translates to "water of life." The earliest account of making
whiskey is in Scotland in 1494. By the way, Scots and Canadians spell
whiskey without the e; the Irish and Americans spell it with the e.
Buying an RV? Get online prices
from dealers in your area & SAVE!
In
less than 60 seconds, request quotes on new or used RVs from up to
three dealers in your area. Compare quotes to find your best deal! No
charge, no obligation. Learn more or get quotes.
RV Tech Topics
Leveling motorhomes an easy deal
Unless
you always park in level areas, eventually you will need to level your
motorhome when you camp. Sleeping is more comfortable, cooking is
easier, and doors work properly when your coach is reasonably level.
Leveling may also prolong the life of your refrigerator. Learn more.
Your RV water supply - keep it fresh and clean
Keeping
our RVs supplied with clean, fresh tasting water involves more than
just hooking up a garden hose to a faucet. Following a few tips will
help ensure that your water supply is clean and healthy. Read more
The basics of RV 12-volt systems
All
RVs have two separate electrical systems, 12-volt direct current (DC)
and 120-volt alternating current (AC). The 12-volt system powers all
the essential appliances that are needed to camp without campground
hookups. Coupled with rechargeable batteries, this is what allows RVers
to camp away from cities and towns, and experience the beauty of nature
with all the comforts of home. This freedom from the electrical grid is
what draws many people to RVing. Learn more.
Drain water after a trip. But be careful!
Whenever
you return from a trip, you need to drain the water from the water
heater tank. This not only will prevent stale and musty water, but it
will prevent costly damage that could occur if water were left in it
and it froze, causing it to expand and split the water heater tank.
Removing the plastic plug to drain the water heater tank can be
difficult, and over time the plug corners will round off. A simple
solution is to install a petcock, available at your RV dealer, which
will make draining the tank much easier. CAUTION: Never drain
the water heater tank when it is hot or under pressure. Wait until the
water has cooled and with no water source hooked up to the RV. With the
12-volt water pump turned off, open the water faucets and relieve the
pressure before draining. Mark Polk (Learn about Mark Polk's RV "How-to" DVDs and eBooks.
Advertise in this newsletter
or on one of our many RV websites. More than 800,000 RVers turn to us
for news and information every month. Interested? Call Kristin at
425-744-0415 or email her at kristin@rvtravel.com.
Time is limited for popular SoCal RV park
The
Palm Desert Planning Commission voted unanimously last week to approve
a recommendation that will allow the 80-acre Emerald Desert RV and Golf
Park to be rezoned and rebuilt as Spanish Walk, with townhouses and
single-family homes.
Raw information
A New Mexico woman is facing animal cruelty charges in Colorado after it was discovered she was sharing her RV with 50 cats, which authorities said were living in "filthy conditions." Indiana's RV industry
is still busy filling orders from contracts with the Federal Emergency
Management Agency to provide housing for victims of Hurricane Katrina.
The Indianapolis Star reported that Indiana businesses landed
$586 million in contracts from FEMA with the largest order, $521
million, going to Gulf Stream Coach. Thousand Trails is
searching for more campgrounds to acquire, particularly in
Pennsylvania, Michigan and the southeastern states of Florida, Georgia
and Alabama, according to president and CEO John Malone. An
accidental fire has destroyed a 50-year-old replica of Fort Clatsop
in Warrenton, Oregon. The structure was the centerpiece of the Lewis
and Clark National Historical Park which commemorated the western
terminus of the 1804-06 Voyage of Discovery led by Meriwether Lewis and
William Clark. Oxnard, Calif., has banned RV parking on public streets. A fire in an motorhome's engine
quickly engulfed the rig, exploding three propane tanks and closing
traffic for several hours last week on a stretch of Alabama Highway
231. Nobody was hurt, but the rig was a goner. Forest River is looking for 600 more production workers for its plants in Indiana. RV publishing legend and Good Sam Club founder Art Rouse
has downsized from a 38-foot Alpine Motorhome to a 26-foot Born Free
Class C. "To finally get Art as a customer after 38 years of trying is
a great honor," said Born Free President John Dodgen. Production
of luxury motor coaches at Yakima, Washington's Western RV will be closed for about two weeks after a fire Tuesday that caused more than $1 million in damage.
RVing Resources. . .
Archives of early issues of RV Travel
Upcoming RV Shows
RV-Links
Loads of links to great websites about RVing
Investigate a company with the
Better Business Bureau before making a purchase.
RV Travel Forum
Exchange ideas and information with other RVers.
Full Time RVing
RV Recalls
Workamping Information
Worth Pondering
"Rebellion
against your handicaps gets you nowhere. Self-pity gets you nowhere.
One must have the adventurous daring to accept oneself as a bundle of
possibilities and undertake the most interesting game in the world
making the most of one's best." Harry Emerson Fosdick
New Arrivals at RV Bookstore
There's a lot of good reading and viewing material at the world's largest RV bookstore. Check it out.
Random RV Thought
If
you bring along a dog or cat on a trip, there is a 99 percent chance
that it will prefer your favorite easy chair to all other places in
your RV.
Everything in this newsletter is true to the best of our knowledge. But
we may get something wrong. We're just human! So don't go spending
$10,000 on something we said was good just because we said so, or
fixing something like we suggested (check with your own technician
first). Maybe we made a mistake. So be sure to check things out.
RV Travel is rated PG* by the Boston League of Alternative Businesses & Organizations (BLABO)
RV Travel is copyright 2005 by RVbookstore.com.
Our International Headquarters: RVbookstore.com, 170 W. Dayton Street,
Suite 103, Edmonds WA 98020, USA, Earth, Milky Way, Known Universe,
Unknown Universe.
RVbookstore.com
is a proud member of the Better Business Bureau. We strive for
excellence in all we do and that's the absolutely, 100 percent and
honest truth. Our customers receive really, really fast service. We
move so fast in sending out a customer's order that sometimes we look
like big ol' human blurs. Our motto is "You need it so we speed it,"
and no truer words were ever spoken! If you're in Edmonds, Wash., stop
by to tour our offices and warehouse. We're a block from the fishing
pier near the traffic holding area for the Kingston Ferry, gateway to
the Kitsap and Olympic Peninsulas.
*Pretty good
RV Travel staff
Editor: Chuck Woodbury. Contributors: Russ and Tina Demaris, Chris Dougherty, Mark Polk, Bill and Dot Bell. Proofreader: Adrienne Kristine. Website Administrator: Zoey Platt. Office Manager: Jody Allcott. Warehouse Manager: Walter Cardwell. Clapper Loader: Emily Woodbury. Mascot: Captain Jack Platt -- the Energizer Doggie.
