Issue 188 of the world's largest email RV newsletter: Learn about RV camping, RV travel, RV news and much more.
An alert for this issue was emailed to 111,422 RVers
To ensure you continue to receive email alerts for this newsletter,
please place the email address below in your own email address book:
rvtraveler@topica.email-publisher.com
"How to Buy An RV" from the Better Business Bureau
New 50-minute DVD from the BBB explains how to buy an RV. Learn how to get the best deal, the best rig (for you) and how to avoid classic buying mistakes. Hosted by RV Travel editor Chuck Woodbury. Introductory price: $19.95. Available in DVD and VHS.
Editor's Corner
 |
| Terrific sign for dentist office. |
By Chuck Woodbury
Welcome to the latest installment of America's premiere and longest-running e-newsletter for RVers, now reaching 111,422 RVers from coast to coast and around the world. Even astronauts in space have access to this timely resource!
I'm reporting to you from Louisville, Kentucky, best known for the Kentucky Derby and the fabulous Louisville Slugger Museum. But in nearby Corbin is the equally noteworthy Colonel Sanders Museum where you can experience what it was like in 1940 to dine at the Harland Sanders Cafe, where Kentucky Fried Chicken was created. I was not there back then because I was not yet among the living.
The huge National RV Trade Show brings me here, along with countless thousands of RV industry honchos who have gathered to see the latest and greatest RV gadgets, gizmos and even recreational vehicles themselves. I will report what I find beginning next week. Thus far, because I am a journalist and am therefore capable of spreading the news of all this swell stuff far and wide, I have been invited to 235 buffets staged by Industry PR folks who want my attention so desperately they are willing to feed me for it. The show gets underway Tuesday and wraps up Thursday. By then, I will have ingested more than 100,000 calories, not to mention a whopping 1.2 million grams of cholesterol, all of which, my computer analysis tells me, will result in a net weight gain of 11.23 pounds and an average 1/32 inch narrowing of my three major heart arteries.
So I will leave it at that for now as I prepare to delve into this intense merchandising frenzy, interrupted only by short bouts of sleep and the obligatory cocktail parties, food orgies (as noted above) and gorgeous, smiling young women in skimpy clothing vying to gain my attention to lure me into their displays. Their efforts will succeed with me: there is absolutely no doubt about that.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Our long-dormant email newsletter Full Time RVer will spring to cyberlife again next Saturday. Veteran full-timer Russ Demaris will edit the twice-a month e-newsletter that will be chock full of news, information and advice for current and aspiring full-time RVers. If you'd like to receive it, sign up here.
Don't forget: RVbookstore is THE place to get a holiday gift for your favorite RVer.
There was no winner last week in our Pot of Gold Quiz. The cash prize now stands at $136. 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. So far, we've awarded $755.
Visit the RV Travel Reader Forum to discuss everything to do with RVing with other RVers.
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
If someone today offered you a great price for your RV, would you sell it? Answer here.
Past reader surveys and results
How did RV Travel readers respond to this question:
"Have you ever spent the night in your RV in a highway rest area?"
Learn how more than 1,500 readers responded.
Saturday's Gasoline Prices
This feature will return next week.
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.
KNOWLEDGE QUIZ
THREE Quizzes Today. Win a $100 shopping spree at RVbookstore.com (details below).
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.
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, ATMs, or other services. Learn more or order for only $12.95
More luxury RVs on the road . . . by a long shot!
According to a recent article in the Christian Science Monitor, the number of luxury motor coaches on the road is soaring. In 1992, fewer than 100 RVs costing more than $200,000 were sold in the United States. A little more than a decade later, an RV industry spokesman reported that number had climbed to nearly 14,000.
Historic Highways
Facing the prospect of traveling and writing about America's vast and diverse historic highway system, where does roving RVer Jerry Brown begin? Since he and his faithful canine friend Timmie are in north central New Mexico, which just happens to be the locale of a 165-mile lost section of the "Mother Road" -- Route 66 -- where better to start? Read the story.
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
Take the Load Off Your Generator
When starting up or shutting down your generator, it's best to take the load off. Switch off electrical loads, especially heavy loads like air conditioning units prior to start up. After running your generator under load conditions, take the loads off and allow the generator to run a couple of minutes "unloaded" before shutting down.
Russ and Tina Demaris are authors of RV Boondocking Basics and Boondocking Tips for RVers: More Fun Without Hookups
Books and videos about Boondocking
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.
ABCs of RVing:
For absolute beginners and RV novices only.
QUESTION: Can I get the best deal on a new RV at an RV show? ANSWER: Maybe, but probably not. Even if a salesman says he's giving you the "deal of the century" if you buy "right now" at the show, chances are almost certain that you can get the very same price the following week at the dealership. Salesmen get cash bonuses for RVs sold at the show, providing an extra incentive to make a sale right on the spot.
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.
Crosbyton City Park: Crosbyton, Texas
Crosbyton is about 35 miles east of Lubbock on U.S. 62/82 on the south side of the highway. Open paved area next to the city swimming pool. Dump station nearby. Free.
Grand Tower City Campground: Grand Tower, Illinois
Grand Tower is off Illinois Route 3 approximately 33 miles south of Chester. The campground is one-half mile off Route 3. Waterfront sites accommodate any size RV with some pull-throughs. Electricity, water and a dump station. Also, showers and bath are on site. Ice and firewood are available. There's a small convenience store and gas station within walking distance. Trails nearby and pets OK. $10.
Lenox Marcus Campground: Arkadelphia, Arkansas
Three miles south of Lambert (just west of Bismarch) off Highway 84. Corps of Engineers campground includes 200 acres of remote, primitive camping, flush toilets, water, boat ramp and 30 picnic sites. Clean and quiet. Free.
The information above was provided by visitors to FreeCampgrounds.com. The information has not been verified. Learn about more than 870 free and inexpensive campgrounds.
Bumper Snicker
Books & DVDs at RVbookstore.com
|
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 superb value!
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
|
|
Super fast delivery. Nine out of ten orders (Mon.-Sat.) ship within 6 hours. "You need it, so we speed it!" |
"Answer my prayer -- steal this car."
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
California Poppy Preserve, Southern California
Imagine walking through rolling hills blanketed with brilliant orange-gold poppies. You'll find it at the Antelope Valley California Poppy Preserve every spring. With 1800 acres and seven miles of trails, this is a paradise for wildflower lovers. Located west of Lancaster, Calif., and just 50 miles from the San Fernando Valley, it's easily accessible for a day outing from many Southern California locations. RVers will find places to stay at nearby RV parks and state campgrounds. Parking for larger RVs is quite limited at the preserve, especially on weekends. The spectacular display lasts for several weeks, but usually peaks in early April. And check out the Poppy Festival in Lancaster every spring in mid-April.
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
(About water use while not hooked up) "Wash your dishes in the smallest container practical. Using only as much soap as needed minimizes rinsing. DO NOT rinse by using a running stream of water. Use a second container to rinse. This water can then be carried outside to irrigate trees or plants if the park allows, saving your holding tank capacity. (Always check with the RV park before discharging any gray water)." From Trailers and Fifth Wheels Made Easy.
Filmmakers urge RVers to vacation on Gulf Coast
RV filmmakers John Holod and Jodie Ginter are urging other RVers to visit the Gulf Coast. "The damage is severe," said John Holod. "But don't forget, the Gulf Coast stretches 1,700 miles. There are plenty of great vacation spots to visit that have not been impacted by the hurricanes." Learn more.
Yosemite raises camping fees
Campers will have to shell out a couple extra dollars when they head to Yosemite National Park next year. Visitors wanting to spend the night at the Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines, Hodgdon Meadows, Crane Flat and Wawona campgrounds after January first will have to pay $20 a night -- up from $18. The Bridalveil Creek and White Wolf campgrounds will increase from $12 to $14 a night. And Tamarack Flat, Yosemite Creek and Porcupine Flat will increase from $8 to $10 a night. Park officials say it's been about four years since the last fee increase.
. . . meanwhile in South Dakota, the state's Game, Fish and Parks Commission has proposed a $1 increase in state parks for campsites with electrical hookups.
Weird, Wacky and/or Wonderful Festivals
Bracebridge Dinner at the Ahwanee Hotel: Yosemite, California
Held annually since 1927, the event is an elegant and artistic four-hour pageant of classic carols, Renaissance rituals, Middle Age music and sumptuous food. More than 100 players create the roles of Squire Bracebridge and his family, their servants, the Lord of Misrule, minstrels and other performers. The Ahwahnee Dining Room serves as the Great Hall and stage for the festivities and is decked with magnificent wreaths, an elaborate Squire's table, large banners and traditional Yuletide decorations. Performances will be December 15, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 24 and 26. Seating begins promptly at 6:15 p.m. For information: 559-253-5604
Do you camp in a Pop Up Trailer?
Then you will enjoy Pop Up Times, America’s only magazine devoted to camping with a pop up. Learn more.
Museum of the Week
New Mexico Museum of Space History: Alamagordo, New Mexico
The complex consists of the space museum, planetarium, IMAX® Dome Theater, Hubbard Space Science Education Facility and the International Space Hall of Fame. The new Pupniks Exhibit is now open. Explore a formerly classified facet of Cold War history: the Soviet "Space Dogs" program of the 1950s and 1960s. Details of these flights were concealed for many years and only came to light after the end of the Cold War. From training to sub-orbital flights to extended stays in orbit, Space Dogs were the first heroes of space exploration. The Daisy Track is also on display. This deceleration track was a versatile research tool that could gather information about the human body's tolerance to a wide variety of G-forces in any type of body position. In addition to testing G-forces, the Daisy Track was used to test various restraint harness designs such as those used for aircraft ejection seats and transport planes. It also played a crucial role in the development of the seat belts we use in our cars today. For information: 877-333-6589.
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 first major league pitcher to be used solely in "save" situations was Bruce Sutter of the Chicago Cubs in 1979.
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
THREE QUIZZES TODAY
with fabulous prizes!
The prizes:
--$100 in books and/or DVDs at RVbookstore.com! This will come in mighty handy for holiday gifts for your favorite RVer!
--The book Camping With The Corps of Engineers. This best seller describes more than 850 campgrounds across the United States developed or managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
-- A Male Nurse Action Figure, complete with stethoscope and X-ray clipboard.
Answer the Quizzes here on Sunday, Nov. 27 at Noon, 1 p.m., and 2 p.m., Pacific Time.
Knowledge Quiz official rules
Zany Business Slogan of the Week
"Don't sleep with a drip" — Signs on trucks of a plumbing company
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.
Also. . . the women's forum at RVtravel.com is going strong. Drop by anytime to join the discussion.
DID YOU KNOW?
The wettest spot on Earth is on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. The island’s 5,208-foot Mount Waialeale, which means “rippling water” in Hawaiian, averages 460 inches of rain annually. Much of the rain filters down to rivers through waterfalls on all sides of the mountain. The precipitation drops dramatically only a few miles from the mountain, where average rainfall is 10 inches per year.
RV Tech Topics.
Backing a Trailer 101
One of the most frequent questions asked of RV expert Mark Polk is about how to back a trailer. Here, he offers some advice that should enable any RVer to do the job -- with some practice, of course.
Try to avoid using extension cords at campgrounds
If at all possible try to avoid using an extension cord when making electrical connections at the campground. The gauges of the wire used in standard household extension cords are not suitable for RV electrical hookups. Eventually you will be put in a situation where you will need to use an extension cord. It is a good idea to purchase an RV extension cord that is compatible to the electrical system of your RV and have it on hand. If you do purchase an extension cord somewhere else, it should be at least 10-gauge wires. — 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
According to the Travel Industry Association, a third of all American adults have been camping in the past five years. * * * Yet another TV show has debuted with an RV at center stage. In the A&E channel's new show, Random 1, two men in a rusted pickup truck cruise America seeking out people in need. Once identified, another team follows in a "high- tech mobile production machine" to help. * * * Country Coach founder Robert Lee has bid to buy back the company which produces RVs under the Country Coach and National RV brands. Parent company National R.V. Holdings has been bleeding serious red ink of late and, Lee told the Eugene Register-Guard, is "steadily approaching insolvency."
GET A FREE ISSUE OF TRAILER LIFE OR MOTORHOME MAGAZINE
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
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." -- Groucho Marx
Products for $9.99 or less at RV Bookstore. Check them out.
Random RV Thought
Some RV parks are very close to railroad tracks. It's a fact of RV life. You may not even see the tracks until after you have set up camp. Sometimes, trains run more frequently at night. Light sleepers should always be prepared by carrying along ear plugs. Some trains pass so close, the earth shakes. Train buffs may like this, but others may not. When making a reservation at a park where you have never stayed, it doesn't hurt to ask if there is nearby train traffic.
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 Boston Executive League of Caretakers of Heliports. (BELCH)
Of all the websites known to man (and woman), only 1.24 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.
This issue's secret sentence: Ducks don't dance.
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
