Weekend of March 29, 2008
Issue 320 of RV Travel
Learn about RV camping, RV travel, RV news and much more. This newsletter is funded through sales at RVbookstore.com, the World's Largest RV Bookstore specializing in books and DVDs about RVs and the RV lifestyle. Email alerts for this issue were sent to 73,402 readers.
To ensure you continue to receive email alerts for this newsletter, please place the following email address in your own email address book: rvtraveler@topica.email-publisher.com
Big Rigs Campground Directory
now available on CD-ROM
The hugely popular Big Rigs Best Bets Campground Directory is now available on CD-ROM. This is the premier guidebook to RV parks that cater to long RVs -- 32 feet and longer. Previously only available in printed form, the publishers have just released the information in a searchable CD-ROM. Learn more.
Editor's Corner
By guest editor Jim Twamley
Make Friends And Save Money
By Joining A Brand Specific RV Club
When I purchased my used motorhome, I pointed to a valve and asked the RV technician about it. He had no idea what it was, so I took a picture and posted it to my RV club internet 
group. A group member responded and told me it was a fresh water fill valve. Now I turn the valve and fill my fresh water tank while the city water is connected. Many major brand RVs, and even those no longer in production, have online clubs. RVers in these groups will assist you with information to help correct problems for your specific RV. If you need a hard-to-find replacement part, a recommendation for where to purchase products, or have a question about a travel route or campground, chances are someone in your group has the answer.
Many RV clubs sponsor informal get-togethers called "rallies." These functions are frequently held in conjunction with other larger RV shows and events. Making friends is easy at rallies because you already have something in common. As an example, the Toyota Campers Yahoo Group held an informal rally at the 2008 Quartzsite RV Show. Winnebago made the last one of these little RVs in 1994, but the group continues to thrive. You will find a great deal of fellowship in these clubs through potlucks, tours, seminars and fun around the campfire. It's not uncommon for RV club members to organize and take RV trips together, becoming life-long friends.
If you're thinking of purchasing a certain type of RV, I recommend joining the brand-specific internet group to learn as much as you can before you buy. Frequently you'll find a good deal on an RV being sold by one of the group members. You'll also receive the latest news on your RV, including recalls and important safety information. You will find these clubs by doing an internet search for your particular RV brand group.
Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing
Read more of Jim's work at his blog "RV Now"
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OPEN HOUSE April 12
at RVbookstore.com and RVtravel.com
You're invited to stop by our offices and warehouses near the ferry dock in Edmonds, Wash., on Saturday, April 12. Join the staff of RVtravel.com and RVbookstore.com. We'll have refreshments and plenty of time to talk about RVing. Meet editor Chuck Woodbury. Arrive early and grab some freebie books. Visit the nature preserve out back for great bird watching. We'll post hours and driving directions here later.
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Guide to FREE Campgrounds
In two volumes -- East and West! This is the most comprehensive guide to free and
inexpensive campgrounds you will find -- a "must-have" directory for RVers
who want to save money on camping. Learn more: Western edition -- Eastern edition.
2008 RV Show Schedule
UPDATED THIS MONTH: Learn about RV shows through the spring of 2008.
Check in here to learn when shows will be held in your area.
Stay free in Wal-Mart parking lots
Learn where to find Wal-Marts, most of which allow RVers to stay overnight for free in their parking lots. It's not "camping," but it's free. Get driving directions to every store in the USA. New in the 2007 edition: Stores that sell diesel fuel! Retail price $24.95. Order Now at our Everyday Low Price of only $19.98 -- the best price anywhere! And pack along an inexpensive guide to Wal-Marts that do NOT allow you to stay overnight.
Puget Sound RV Lifestyle School Coming Soon
The spring Puget Sound RV Lifestyle School will be held Sat., April 19 at Renton Technical College in Renton, Wash. Sponsored in part by RVtravel.com, the all-day seminar will feature classes taught by RVing experts. More information is available at www.RTC.edu/lifestyle (click on Current Quarter Offerings) or at 425-235-2352, ext. 5727. Free overnight RV dry camping is available.
RV Retirement -- Special LOW price!
Anyone who is close to retirement or who recently retired and is planning to spend all or part of their time traveling with an RV will find much useful information here.
Learn more or order for only $8.95.
Recent RV recalls
Each month we list the latest recalls of RVs at RVtravel.com. Here are the most recent ones: February -- January -- December -- November -- October -- September -- August -- July
Get the latest news about RVing at RV News Service.
The 2008 Trailer Life RV Road Atlas
Besides showing highways and other roads, this large-format road atlas shows more than 10,000 campgrounds, plus RV service centers, tourist attractions and 1,600 state parks, plus a special Tech Tips section. Learn more or order for only $16.95. (Cover price, $29.95)
Power your small 120-volt items without a generator
Lots of people go RVing without a generator. Some RVers just don't like the noise and weight of a generator. Others simply don't need one and instead use a much smaller, simpler, less expensive way to power their 120-volt appliances. Would this work for you, too? Click here.
Stupid, stupid RV trick (well, not really)
There are stupid RV tricks and then there are REALLY, REALLY stupid RV tricks! This looks like the stupidest RV trick of all. But wait: there's a catch to this stunt that you'll see in the last two seconds of the 30-second video. Watch it.
How two RVers can get internet access
at the same time with only one cell connection
What happens when two RVers travel with computers and both need internet access at the same time? It's okay if WiFi is available, but what if only one of the RVers has a connection and it's via a cellular network? That's exactly the situation that our Digital RV blogger found himself in, and yup, he found a simple solution. Read more.
Explorer RV Insurance
Owners of motorhomes, travel trailers, fifth wheels and medium duty tow vehicles save up to 15% over our largest competitors by tailoring their coverage from more than a dozen options. Get a quote now.
Will your next RV be tainted with formaldehyde?
Remember the scandal over unacceptably high formaldehyde levels in travel trailers the government gave to victims of Hurricane Katrina? Some RVers are now understandably concerned about the safety of materials in mainstream RVs. If you're in that group, here's a report you'll want to read.
THE guide for Alaska-bound RVers!
The 2008 Milepost
is THE guide to visiting AlaskaThis is THE mile-by-mile guidebook for RV or auto travelers headed to Alaska, the Yukon Territory, British Columbia, Alberta and the Northwest Territories. If you only take one guidebook to Alaska, take this! Learn more or order at a discount price.
This Week's Reader Survey
Do you believe that the price of gasoline will ever again drop to $2 a gallon?
Answer here.
Last week's survey question
In your last year of RVing, about what percentage of time were you within 100 miles of home? Read the results here.
Past reader surveys and results.
Bargains at RVbookstore.com
Low, low prices. Save up to 80% and even more!
NEW ARRIVALS at RVbookstore.com.Check them out
Contest updates: Cash prizes now totals $493.
Our Pot of Gold Contest cash prize is now $402, and the pot at our Your Name is Money contest is now $91 after yet another cash winner. Check weekdays between 8-2 (Pacific time) to see if you're a winner.
Best Seller!
2008 Next Exit Directory
Essential guide! Learn what you will find at every Interstate highway exit: gas/diesel, campgrounds, truck stops, casinos, stores, malls, hospitals, factory outlet stores, parks and more. Learn more.
Where will you store your RV after you buy it?
If you are planning to buy an recreational vehicle, but are unsure where you will store it when not using it, you are asking for trouble. In many cases, finding a place to store an RV is as hard or harder than finding a place to buy one. Read more.
Take a One-Gallon Shower
Dry camp longer: conserve fresh-water usage plus decrease the amount of water going into your gray tank by taking more efficient showers. Often called a "Navy" shower, this is a technique the Navy uses to decrease the amount of shower water an individual uses. Test it for your RV shower. Learn more.
Best seller. . .
RV Camping In State Parks
Learn about over 1,650 state parks and recreation areas in 49 states that have camping facilities suitable for RVs. A great resource.
Learn more or order.
The ultimate in truck camper luxury
So the truck camper is the poor man's RV, huh? That's not what this photo says. See for yourself.
Get your cameras ready for this Texas bloom
For RVers who love to view and photograph wildflowers -- and that's most of us -- spring is a special time of year. Wildflowers have already appeared in some of the more southern RVing areas, and in other places flowers are getting ready to bloom. This post tells you where to see one of the Lone Star State's most colorful floral attractions. Click here.
eBooks: INSTANT READING!
With eBooks you don't have to wait to read your book. Just place your order and your eBook will be delivered almost instantly to your email inbox. These eBooks are written by RV experts and delivered instantly in PDF format.
Buying an RV the Smart Way
I Have A Convection Oven in My RV. Now What?
The ABCs of Pop Up Campers
Boondocking Tips - More Fun Without Hookups
Complete Guide to Dinghy Towing
The Woman's Guide to Solo RVing
A Collection of RV Tips
RV Awning Use and Care
RV Care and Maintenance
Deep Cycle Battery Care and Maintenance
The 3 Primary Systems of an RV: LP Gas, Water & Electricity
Trailer Towing, Weights, Hitchwork and Backing
RV Check-List
Take these important steps before that job interview
Okay, you've done your research for that workamping job interview by phone. You've armed yourself with facts about the outfit and have a list of questions. Is there anything else you need to do before the call? You bet! Make sure you take these preparatory steps.
Let the sun cook your RV meals for free
You know that through solar panels, the sun can provide free power for your RV's electrical needs. Are you also aware that the sun can cook your meals for free? Here's how.
DVD: Do It Yourself RV Care -- NEW!
The
RV Doctor, Gary Bunzer, shows you how to maintain and care for your RV.
This 63-minute DVD was produced in cooperation with the Recreation
Vehicle Industry Association. Learn more or order at a discount price.
Trivia. . .
McDonalds is the single largest purchaser of beef, pork, potatoes and apples in the United States.
Bella Terra means "Beautiful Land"
and that's exactly what this RV Resort is! The Gulf Coast's first 5-star master planned RV Resort. Five minutes away from the beautiful sugar-white sands of the Gulf of Mexico, Bella Terra is poised to set the standard for outdoor RV resorts. See for yourself.
FMCA gathering hints at RVing's future
According to one of the attendees, the recent Family Motorcoach Association's annual rally in Pomona, California, showed a couple of interesting RVing trends. Read his report.
Join the Good Sam Club -- Save $$$
Hands down, it's the best and most popular (by a long shot) club for RVers. The list of benefits is long. Save 10% at most RV parks. Get a FREE night of camping when you join (this pays for the membership). Plus much, much more including a subscription to Highways Magazine. And it's only $19 a year! Learn more or sign up.
Need RV Insurance? Click here for a free quote from Good Sam VIP.
Fire Safety Tip
from Mac McCoy
Liquid petroleum gas, like gasoline fumes, tends to pool in low spots in the coach until a spark sets it off. Newer motorhomes are equipped with an automatic shut-off for when its sensor detects an LPG leak. If you have a leak, be sure to shut the propane off at the tank.
ROADTREK
MOTORHOMES
The Fuel Efficient Motorhomes You'll Love to Drive! Learn all about them here.
Great Reading in our RV Travel Blogs
FEATURED BLOGS:
Celebrity RVer
More famous people are taking up the RV lifestyle. Read about the stars and their RVing lifestyles in this blog.
The RV Kitchen
Recipes, tips and techniques to help you prepare healthy meals within the confines of a small space.
Eco RVing
Greener ways to hit the road.
RVs in the News
"Concentrated RV news." Practical, useful, and fun news on recreational vehicle issues. Always be up to date.
Wheel Life
Veteran RV reporter Julianne Crane keeps you up-to-date with news and information about RVing, RVers and the RV lifestyle. Always entertaining!
Great RV Stuff
The latest neat RV stuff in this always fasincating blog. Gizmos and gadgets that might even make your RVing more enjoyable.
Working on the RV Road
Get up-to-date about news and information about earning income while RVing.
Boondocking
Do you use your RV away from utilities? Here you'll pick up tips on how to do it, and learn about some great places to boondock.
RV Short Stops
Our RVtravel.com blogger's favorite places to visit in their RVs -- Great suggestions for places to visit on your own travels.
RVing Quartzsite
"RV Snowbird Central" for the winter season, home of huge gem shows and flea markets and the land of free camping on government lands.
Casino RV Camping
Learn about casino RV parks, freebie camping, and great deals on gaming and dining for RVers who visit.
Fulltime RVer
If you're a fulltime RVer or plan to be someday, then stop by for the latest news and information about fulltiming.
See the complete lineup of RV Travel blogs
Books and DVDs about Fulltime RVing
Largest selection in the World.
Looking for new recipes? Check out www.RVcookBooks.com
Largest selection of RV Cookbooks anywhere!
RV Tech Corner
with Mark Polk
How to control trailer sway
Yaw, more commonly known as sway, is a bad word for trailer owners. The definition of yaw or trailer sway is a side-to-side fishtailing movement. Nothing will ruin the way you feel about camping faster than the first time you encounter this unpleasant situation. Read more.
-- Mark Polk is the host of the RV Education 101 series of RV "how to" videos.
2008 Traveler's Guide to the
Firearm Laws of the 50 States
RVers who travel with a firearm may not know that what's legal in their home state may be a felony in another. This guide explains the specific gun laws of every state.
Learn more or order.
Boondocking Tip
By Russ and Tina De Maris
Sewer Mover?
Getting sewage out of your rig's holding tanks doesn't necessarily mean moving the rig to the dump station. Portable waste storage tanks or "blue boys" can tote that "old black water" to the dump station in jig time. If your rig is parked just out of range of a suitable sewage receiver, you can use a macerator pump to grind and pump sewage greater distances through a garden hose or small diameter plastic pipe. Some macerators operate on 12-volt power, others on water pressure alone. Some boondockers combine macerator pumps with portable waste tanks to move their sewage while saving their backs from heavy tank lifting.
--Russ and Tina De Maris are the authors of RV Boondocking Basics.
RVers Guide to Solar Battery Charging
RVers who yearn for independence from generators and RV park hookups will find this an essential guide to selecting, buying and using a solar electric system. The authors are veteran RVers and solar experts and provide everything an RVer needs to know to enjoy the comforts of household power through the power of the sun. Learn more or order.
Casino hopping is now a snap in Biloxi
Casino campers who visit Biloxi, Mississippi, now have a convenient, economical way to travel among the various casinos there. It's a perfect solution for today's high fuel prices. To read about it and see other news on casinos in the Mississippi Gulf area, click here.
Shopping for an RV? Here are your choices
Spring is traditionally the time of year that attracts newcomers to RVing. The snow and ice are gone, campgrounds and resorts are opening for the season, and cabin fever is at a pitch. Time to buy an RV! If you're shopping but are unsure what to get, here's a description of your choices. There's an RV for every budget and lifestyle. Click here.
Attention Women RVers
RV Traveling Tales:
Women's Journeys On The Open Road
Fifty-two women answer the question "What is it like to be a female on the road, leaving family, community and possessions to travel by RV?" This should be a "must read" for women RVers. Learn more or order.
Check out our RV Travel Forum discussions
Set up satellite for Dish 500
I have a Dish 500 satellite and would like to have directions on setting it up. I know I have to go to Dish and put in the zip code to get the numbers, make sure the pole is straight on the tripod, but I am not sure what to do after that. Guess I need some simple directions on setting the dish up.
Chassis battery electrical problem
We own a 2001 Itasca Horizon diesel pusher. Three weeks ago my chassis batteries were completely dead. I removed them and took them to Sam's Club where they checked them and pronounced them dead. I purchased two new batteries and put them into our RV. Five days later, they were too dead to even work the electric step. I disconnected them and recharged them and hooked them up, this time keeping a reading on their charge. They just kept dropping charge continually for some reason until they died again. I recharged them and did not connect them up this time, but checked them for five days where they held their 13.5 volt charge. Does anyone have any ideas on where this short could be or how to check out what is causing my problem?
Travel to Yellowstone from east coast
We are fairly new to RV travel. We have a Nash travel trailer and are planning to travel from Massachusetts to Yellowstone the first week of May. I would like to know if anyone has recommendations for an RV park near Yellowstone. As nearly as I can tell, the entrance we should use is the west entrance. Any advice would be appreciated.
Black tank line leaking
I have a 1995 National Tropical that has developed a leak in the black water line between the tank and the exit valve. What would be the best way to fix the leak?
Your favorite truck stops?
I was hoping y'all could share your absolute favorite truck stops with me. I'm planning a trip and I want to hit up some of the best truck stops in the country. I already know about the Iowa 80 "World's Biggest Truck stop" as well as "South of the Border" in the Carolinas. I also will be visiting the Wheel Inn in Cabazon, CA with the attached World's Biggest Dinosaurs exhibit next to it. Please tell me about any truck stops you know of that would be worth visiting. I'd love to learn about any "themed" truck stops, truck stops with unusual or interesting features (i.e. bowling alley, health spa, largest collection of trucker hats, etc.), as well as the most modern/futuristic truck stop you may know of. Also, if you know of any truck stops that have special events, I'd love to know about that as well.
2008 RVers Friend
This best-selling directory lists RV services at truck stops, free "camping," dumps, Internet, propane, repair services & more. Truck stops offer more to RVers than ever. Let this best selling book be your guide. Learn more or order.
How safe is your RV's drinking water?
Is the water you put in the fresh water tank of your RV safe? After the recent news reports about prescription drugs in the country's drinking water, we have reason to wonder. Luckily,
there's something you can do to make sure.
Terrific books & DVDs
from RVbookstore.com
Book: RVers Guide to Dump Stations
DVD: Working on the RV Road
Book: Fifth Wheel Bible
Book: RV Boondocking Basics
DVD: Towing Behind Your Motorhome
CD-rom: Military Campground Directory on CD Rom
Bill's Hints
"Don't permit anyone on a slideout when it is in motion"
--From Trailers and Fifth Wheels Made Easy
Find Free RV Campgrounds
"Don't pay to stay!" Visit FreeCampgrounds.com and find more than 1,800 free and inexpensive places to stay in the USA in an RV.
Dine on this five-course meal in your RV
This skillet dish yields a great-tasting but simple five-course meal. Build up your appetite, invite some RVing friends over and enjoy!. The recipe.
FREE SHIPPING
at RVbookstore.com
Order $49 or more and choose to pay absolutely no postage or handling fees (USA addresses only). Nearly ALL orders ship same day. Our motto is "You need it so we speed it." RVbookstore.com.
Bumper Snicker
I still miss my ex-wife. But my aim is improving.
Fix it in Foil
Easy prep, great taste, good nutrition and quick clean-up - what more could you want from a meal? This cookbook combines the best of all worlds! Featuring 51 fantastic recipes that each include instructions for cooking in an oven, over a campfire, or on an outdoor grill. Learn more or order.
Try this technique for loading your truck camper
If you own a truck camper or are thinking about getting one, this post has a link to an excellent article on loading a camper and the benefits of a camper in general. It's well worth reading. Click here.
RVer birders: View this colorful character
These natives of Argentina build huge communal nests, are fascinating to watch and can be found in various places in the United States. If birding is one of your RVing activities, don't miss a chance to add this species to your list. Info and photos.
FMCA: The best club for motorhome owners
If you drive a motorhome you should join the Family Motor Coaching Association, the largest and best club exclusively for motorhome owners. Many benefits including rallies, local chapters and thick monthly magazine. Special new member price of $35. Click here to learn more or join.
How one RVer added a generator to his rig
RVers thinking about buying a generator for their rig have some choices. Here's what one RVer chose to do. Take a look at his setup and see if it would work for you. Click here.
Headed to Alaska?
Check out RVbookstore.com's selection of books and DVDs about travel to and in Alaska. Click here.
Worth Pondering
Christmas at my house is always at least six or seven times more pleasant than anywhere else. We start drinking early. And while everyone else is seeing only one Santa Claus, we'll be seeing six or seven. --W.C. Fields
RVs for sale at NewRVer.com. See them here.
Read back issues of the RV Travel newsletter. Click here.
Visit Camping World for RV supplies and accessories
RV Travel staff
Editor and Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Contributors: Russ and Tina De Maris, Gerry Bruder, Jim Twamley, Jaimie Hall. Forum Administrator: Adrienne Kristine. Office Manager: Jody Allcott. Fulfillment Manager: Erin Hanson. Web Operations Guru: Zoey Platt. Clapper/Loader: Emily Woodbury. Stress Relief: Mikey the slinky dog.
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.
At RVbookstore.com we strive for excellence in all we do and that's the honest truth (as opposed to the dishonest truth). Our customers receive really, really fast service. We move so fast in sending out a customer's order that sometimes we pass through the sound barrier, which really upsets our neighbors. Our motto is "You need it so we speed it," and no truer words were ever spoken!
RVbookstore.com and RVtravel.com are members of the Better Business Bureau. We are proud commercial members of the Escapees, the Family Motor Coaching Association and a sponsor of the 2008 Life On Wheels Conferences.
RV Travel is copyright 2008 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, Expanding Universe.
