Issue 186 of the world's largest email RV newsletter: Learn about RV camping, RV travel, RV news and much more.
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Truck Stops Love RVers!
The 2006 RVers Friend is HOT OFF THE PRESS. It 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
Editor's Corner
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| So what do Santa's elves do in the off-season? They wash cars! "They're good little cleaning people," said Santa in a phone interview from the North Pole. |
By Chuck Woodbury
As you may have noticed, this newsletter has now grown to 111,000 subscribers. By our calculations, we figure if you and other readers stood in a line single file, you'd stretch more than 52 miles. If you each took 20 seconds to introduce yourselves. . . well, you'd be standing in that line 24 hours a day for two solid weeks! Wow! That's a heap of folks who love RVing!
Here at our World Headquarters by the fishing pier in beautiful Edmonds, Wash., our staff of thousands has been tossing around an idea and we would like your input. What do you think about receiving a weekly, midweek edition of RV Travel? We are considering devoting the issue to spotlighting other RV websites out there in Cyberland making it sort of a guide to "The Best of the RV Web." Unlike this Sunday newsletter, we would actually send the entire newsletter by email, not just an email notification to read it online.
So what do you think? Is this "one too many" newsletters in your inbox every week? Or is it something you might enjoy? Would you please let us know by responding to this week's RV Travel Reader Survey? How you respond will determine if we proceed with the issue or just chalk it up to "one not-so-hot idea."
The new and improved RV Travel Reader Forum is growing fast and the dialogue is lively. If you haven't signed up, you can do so here. You will learn a lot from participating in this forum. . . or simply lurking and reading all the great information.
I am happy to report that we had a winner last week in our weekday Pot of Gold Contest. Kandy Steinfurth of Arvada, Colo., grabbed $375 cash when her home's Zip code appeared as the Zip Code of the Day. "I've been checking every day since you started the contest," she told us. The prize money is now reset and stands at $106. Be sure to visit RVbookstore.com every weekday between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. (Pacific Time) to see if you live in that day's randomly selected Zip Code. If you do and you're the first to tell us, you win the cash, which increases every day there is no winner.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
One of our best selling annual books has just arrived -- the 2006 RVers Friend. This popular directory lists more than 6,800 truck stops across America that provide diesel fuel and other services to RVers. Information includes whether they offer repair services, propane, dump stations, truck washes, Internet access, restaurants, ATMs, and even if they allow overnight stays in their parking lots. We received only a small advance shipment, so if you want to get the directory without waiting, you might want to order right away. The price is a very reasonable $12.95.
The Better Business Bureau DVD "Buying an RV" will be back in stock on Wednesday, Nov. 16. If you plan to buy an RV, you should see this. Hosted by RV Travel editor Chuck Woodbury.
WANT TO LAUGH? We hope you don't think this photo is in bad taste. Its headline is "First Case of Bird Flu in USA."
Okay. . . on with the issue.
2006 Mapquest RV & Campsites Guide & Atlas
Finally, a road atlas especially for RVers! This 2006 Mapquest Road Atlas and Campground Directory is outstanding! Complete with US state and Canadian province road maps, color photos and 3,700 campground listings. Read more or order,
This Week's Reader Survey
Would you like to receive a midweek email edition of RV Travel as described above? Answer here.
Past reader surveys and results
How did RV Travel readers respond to this question:
"Which do you like best: a non-scenic RV park with full hookups or scenic public campground with no hookups?"
Learn how 1,500 readers responded.
Saturday's Gasoline Prices
Highest price: Santa Maria, Calif. $3.14
Lowest price: Mission, Texas: $1.79
Average: $2.28
(Source: GasPriceWatch.com)
What is boondocking?
Boondocking, dry camping and overnight parking lot stays all have one thing in common: no hookups. Otherwise they can mean different things to different RVers, thereby resulting in confusion. In this article learn how they are different and why using the right terminology can be helpful.
Like gardening? Turn your RV into a traveling garden
We told you before about this article, but it is so popular with RV Travel readers that we thought we'd tell you again. Learn how Russ and Tina Demaris turned the rear bumper of their RV into a traveling "bumper" garden.
Passport rule scaring U.S. visitors away from Canada
A new rule that will require U.S. citizens to show a passport to reenter the USA from Canada is worrying Canadian tourism officials. Warren Burgess of the British Columbia Lodging and Campground Association says his group has noticed a sharp drop in the number of U.S. visitors. "In August it was the lowest number of cross border trips from the U.S. to Canada for the month in 26 years," he said. The BC government recently wrote to U.S. officials, estimating the new rules could cost the Canadian tourism industry 7.7 million visits from the United States.
KNOWLEDGE QUIZ
Four Quizzes Today. Win cash and a mini diving submarine! And other swell prizes, too!
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.
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.
When a queen-size bed is not queen-size
With RVs, things are not always what they seem. For example, did you know that just because a RV bed is said to be queen-sized, it doesn't mean it's the same size as another rig's queen-size? The fact is, RV beds are not all created equal. Learn more.
Some veterans may now camp for free in Oregon State Parks
Veterans with a service-connected disability can now enjoy free year-round camping and day-use privileges in Oregon state parks. The new policy waives camping fees for a maximum of five consecutive days at one park or any 10 days in a calendar month in the park system as a whole. Veterans with any level of service-connected disability will need to show proof of their disabilities and a photo ID at campground registration booths, day-use fee booths or to park staff.
Free issue of Country Discoveries Magazine
Treat yourself to a FREE Issue of Country Discoveries! It's bursting with the best-kept travel secrets, moneysaving tips and unique locations RV enthusiasts like you want to know about! Explore scenic backroads, charming towns and off-the-beaten-path destinations in this one-of-a-kind AD-FREE travel magazine. Click here to claim your FREE Issue!
RV Boondocking Tips
By Russ and Tina Demaris
Internet Access Beats Phone Booth Madness
With an internet connection on the road, it's easy to scan internet "yellow pages" to find businesses along the way. Beats the daylights out of pay phones which rarely have a phone book, and when they do, some peculiar universal law seems to require that the precise page you'll need has already been torn out by somebody else. Even without an internet connection, business and residential information can be gleaned from a CD. Need a campground? Many campground directories have now been seriously "downsized" onto CD, eliminating the bulk (and weight) of printed volumes.
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: Should I wear gloves while dumping my motorhome's holding tanks? ANSWER: Yes. Even though you will seldom come in direct contact with the yucky fluids, your hose is not exactly germ-free. A recent survey of RVtravel.com readers revealed that more than half wear gloves all the time and another 20 percent wear them "most of the time." (Learn how to use and maintain your holding tanks).
Own a pickup? A fifth-wheel trailer might be right for you
If you are one of the millions of Americans whose family "car" is a pickup truck, you hold the key to what is fast becoming the most luxurious recreational vehicle lifestyle in North America! Learn more.
Beginners Guide to RVing: Articles and information for brand-new RVers. Learn the ropes.
New Additions to FreeCampgrounds.com
Free or inexpensive places to camp with your RV.
City Park: Yates Center, Kansas
Yates Center is located where U.S. 75 and U.S. 54 intersect in southeastern Kansas. The park is right off Highway 75 at the south end of town. Pull-throughs with water and electric in a small sloping field with no trees. Golf course nearby. $10 or less.
Witch Well RV Park and Campground: St. John's/Phoenix, Arizona
Private primitive campground located 25 miles north of St. John's on US 191. Water and dump station available on site. Three sites have sewer hookups. No electricity but pit toilet on site. $10 or less.
Pete's Quick Stop: Cross, South Carolina
Convenience store between Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie, one hour from Charleston. Nice grass area. All boondockers welcome. No fee.
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
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.
RV 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
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.
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.
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!" |
"I killed a 6-pack just to watch it die."
Read other funny bumper stickers or buy them.
RVing to Mexico
Mexico RVing experts Dot and Bill Bell answer questions about travel in Mexico. Read their articles.
Guidebooks and DVDs about RVing in Mexico
Join the Good Sam Club. Only $19 a year. Save on campground fees.
Short Stops, by Jerry (RiverGuy) Brown
Branson, Missouri
Best time to visit: Summer/early fall
If you've never enjoyed the spectacular autumn colors of Missouri's Ozark Mountains, that's reason alone to include Branson in your immediate itinerary. The fall foliage display should peak later this month. Other outdoor attractions include hiking, horseback riding, several challenging golf courses, theme parks, and three pristine bass and trout lakes. Branson is the self-proclaimed "Live Music Show Capital of the World." More than 30 venues host scores of shows from almost every musical genre with many headline entertainers. Select from a variety of campgrounds and check out Table Rock State Park. Several campgrounds sell show tickets. KOA offers free shuttle service to shows and serves a complimentary pancake breakfast. Call ahead; reservations are recommended.
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.
Bill's Hint
"Two or three times a year, put a few drops of oil on the friction points on both sides of your RV's step to keep it operating smoothly. Be careful not to get oil on the nonskid material on the step(s)." From Trailers and Fifth Wheels Made Easy
Interested in camphosting?
New book by veteran camp hosting couple tells of their experiences. Learn more or order.
Weird, Wacky and/or Wonderful Festivals
Florida Pirate Festival: Coachman Park, Clearwater, Florida
Travel back in time 300 years when our country was about to be born. Tall ships will sail into the harbor and be greeted by the Lord Governor. Explore a historic village where skilled artisans will reveal how they keep the old ways alive with their crafts. Meet more than 100 historical characters, and learn what life was like for our forefathers. Treat the kids to Pirate school where they can make keepsakes. Enjoy more than a dozen stage shows with music, magic, comedy and drama. Festival dates: November 18 through 20. Information: (727) 518-5341.
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
National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium: Dubuque, Iowa
Get to know the Mississippi through interactive exhibits, river creatures and historic artifacts. Capture the drama of river people who discovered, lived upon and celebrated the waterways of the United States. Visit the Mathias Ham House, the Dubuque History Museum at the Old Jail or indulge in a Victorian House Tour and Progressive Dinner. Experience an adventuresome overnight in a stateroom on the William M. Black, dine in the galley and see what life was like on a working steamboat. From November 19, 2005 to February 4, 2006 see the fantastically decorated sponsor frogs in one place at Toadally Frogs. Frog sponsors have generously allowed the museum to display their frogs inside the museum and aquarium. Information: (800) 226-3369.
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.
Trivia
The biggest dog on record was an Old English mastiff that weighed 343 pounds. He was 8 feet, 3 inches from nose to tail.
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.
This issue's
Knowledge Quiz
FOUR QUIZZES TODAY
with fabulous prizes!
The prizes:
--$50 in good ol' American cash! Who says there's no such thing as a free lunch!?
--The fabulous book Camping With The Corps of Engineers. This 288-page guide, updated in 2005, describes more than 850 campgrounds across the United States developed or managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Seniors camp for half price!
--A RVbookstore.com coffee mug. Coffee tastes better in this. Guaranteed!
--A super swell diving-submarine. Don't take a bath without this! Be sure to yell "Dive! Dive! Dive!" at the top of your lungs. Your family will think you're nuts, but do you really, really care?
Answer the Quizzes here on Sunday, Nov. 13 at Noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., Pacific Time.
Knowledge Quiz official rules
Zany Business Slogan of the Week
"No appointment necessary, we hear you coming." Sign outside a muffler shop
New Arrivals at RVbookstore.com
Wow! There are always lots of new books and DVDs at the world's largest RV bookstore. Check them out.
Women RVers
If you're a woman and you RV alone (or want to), then there is much good information for you here.
DID YOU KNOW?
The time spent deleting spam costs United States businesses $21.6 billion annually.
RV Tech Topics
Toilet paper, the right and the wrong
RV toilet paper is biodegradable and designed for RV use. If you don't use RV toilet paper, buy a cheap single-ply brand from the store. Do not use the heavy double-ply type. You want it to break down and dissolve with the chemicals in the holding tank. Mark Polk
Check Your Weight and Tires
If you haven't done so yet, take your RV to a local truck scale. You should have documentation stating what the total weight of your RV should be. Have someone assist you so you can drive onto the scale and weigh each side and each tire separately. You may notice a difference on one side or one tire. Take note of any discrepancies and check the load in the area. Then fill your tires to the proper inflation. Using a small stick or pipe, thump the tires and listen to how they sound. Whenever you stop during your travels, walk around your rig and thump the tires. The sound should alert you to any problems and could prevent a blowout. Adrienne Kristine
Beware of battery drains
There are many electronic devices and equipment in your RV that can drain the coach battery when you're not using the RV. Some examples are the TV antenna booster is left on, LP gas leak detectors, clocks in radios, or just leaving a 12-volt light on by accident. If your RV is not equipped with a battery disconnect switch, you can purchase a battery disconnect that can be installed directly on the battery post from an RV dealer. When you aren't using the RV or have no requirement for the coach battery, you simply raise a lever and disconnect the battery. If there is a voltage draw on the chassis battery and you can't locate the problem, a battery disconnect can be installed on the chassis battery too. Mark Polk (Learn about Mark Polk's RV "How-to" DVDs and eBooks.)
EXPLORER RV: Insurance to protect and 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.
Raw information
Actor Ed Asner is considering a pilot for a new TV show in which he and actor/comedian Leslie Nielsen travel the USA in an RV. In "One Hundred Things To Do Before You Die," the duo RVs the country doing things that "we'd like to do before we die," said Asner. Most, he said, will be silly and fun. * * * According to Automotive News, U.S. sales of large pickups in October were down 31.8 percent from a year ago. Both domestic and import brands suffered. *** The Grandville, Illinois, city council is struggling with laws about where RVs can be parked on residents' property. So far, heated comments are coming from both sides. *** The number of RVs in Italy has tripled over the past ten years *** In Maryville, Illinois, a new ordinance takes effect Jan. 1 outlawing the parking of RVs, boats, and other recreational vehicles on the street or on the driveway in front of houses. *** Monaco Coach Corporation has agreed to acquire R-Vision and its affiliates. R-Vision manufactures travel trailers, including lightweight and hybrid trailers, fifth-wheels, Class A and Class C motorhomes. *** The county board of supervisors in Barron County, Wisc., is dealing with the messy situation of what to do about local RVers illegally dumping raw sewage on undeveloped land near a country club. Currently, any illegal dumpers either get away with it or receive a "slap on the hand."
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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.
Headed to Canada?
See entry regulations.
RV Travel Readers' Forum
Exchange ideas and information with other RVers.
Full Time RVing
RV Recalls
Workamping Information
Worth Pondering
"An archaeologist is the best husband a woman can have; the older she gets the more interested he is in her."-- Agatha Christie
Products for $9.99 or less at RV Bookstore. Check them out.
Random RV Thought
In the winter when the wind is howling, always be careful when opening the door of your RV. A sudden gust can grab the door as if it were a sail and rip it from your hand, thrusting it against the side of your rig, sometimes denting the siding or even smashing a window.
Everything in this newsletter is true to the best of our knowledge. But we occasionally 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 Greater Oakland League of Literary Yodelers Masquerading as Androids. (GOLLYMA)
Of all the websites known to man (and woman), only 1.26 percent are more popular than RVtravel.com.
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 move too fast to even see. 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 and meet our staff. We're a block from the fishing pier near the passenger terminal of the Kingston Ferry, gateway to the Kitsap and Olympic Peninsulas.
RV Travel staff
Editor and Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Contributors: Russ and Tina Demaris, Chris Dougherty, Mark Polk, Jerry (RiverGuy) Brown, Bill and Dot Bell. Forum Administrator: Adrienne Kristine. Office Manager: Jody Allcott. Web Operations Director: Zoey Platt. Warehouse Administrator: Walter Cardwell. Clapper Loader: Emily Woodbury. Mascot: Georgie, the "give me food now or else!" Jack Russell terrier.
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.
*Pretty good
