| From RVbookstore.com Archived Issues Weekend of October 11, 2008  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)
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One of my favorite RV destinations is Death Valley National Park in Southern California. It's like nowhere else on Earth. Some people think it's ugly, in part because it's a dry desert and has a scary name. But I think it's beautiful. I could try to explain to you why I feel that way, but I believe you have to visit there to see for yourself. Photo above: My present-day RV along Artist's Drive in Death Valley.
 2008 Big Rigs Best Bets Campground Directory If you drive a king-sized RV, this directory is for you. The authors provide details about RV parks throughout the USA and six Canadian Provinces that welcome long RVs. A must for owners of large RVs. Learn more or order
UPDATED Each month we list the latest recalls of RVs at RV-Recalls.com. Here are the most recent ones: August -- July -- June -- May -- April -- March -- February -- January All about RV batteries  and solar battery chargingThese products will make you an expert! Managing 12 volts (book) RVers Guide to Solar Battery Charging (book) Deep Cycle Batteries (DVD) The RVers Solar Primer (book) Get an email alert for upcoming issues of this newsletter. It only takes 20 seconds to sign up. Your email address is never sold or shared with outsiders. No exceptions. READ BACK ISSUES OF THIS NEWSLETTER: Click here.  This best-selling directory lists RV services at truck stops with 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. Prepare Your RV Furnace for Winter Duty You may still be basking in an Indian Summer, but you can be sure winter isn't far away. If your RV is to be really ready to take you into the great outdoors this fall and winter, you'll want your furnace tuned up and ready to keep your toes warm. It's not difficult and it's quick to do. RVs need to be properly rigged for a rainy day The rainy season is soon approaching and it's a good idea to make sure your RV is ready when the rain comes. Here are a few tips, some obvious, some not quite so obvious. Fewer RVers visited Alaska this year About 1.7 million people visited Alaska over the just-completed tourist season, roughly the same as the previous year. But fewer of them arrived in RVs, likely because of high gas prices. Trips on the Alaska Highway dropped to 60,000 this season compared to about 75,000 the year before.
 Trailer gets toastedin this training video In this training video, watch what happens to a travel trailer after its mattress is set on fire. It isn't pretty, but it proves again that RVs don't need much of a spark to catch on fire and turn into a torch. Broadband connection recommended. Watch the short video. Big California RV dealer reverses plan to close all stores California RV dealer Dan Gamel has decided not to close its Anderson RV dealership and some of his other California locations. Read more.
 Find Services at Interstate ExitsNever take a wrong exit off an Interstate highway again. The 2008 Next Exit lists every exit along every Interstate and details exactly what you will find at each: gas stations (including which brands and if they offer diesel), campgrounds, truck stops, casinos, laundries, retail stores, drug stores, hospitals, rest areas, and more!  RV Lifestyle School returns to Puget Sound Oct. 25Renton (Wash.) Technical College and RVtravel.com will present the third annual RV Lifestyle School, Sat., Oct. 25, featuring dozens of seminars about RVing. The $18 enrollment includes lunch and overnight RV parking. Learn more.  Stay free overnight at Wal-Mart Save $3.35 by purchasing these popular directories together. Most Wal-Mart stores permit a free overnight stay in RVs. The thick 2008 Wal-Mart Atlas provides driving directions to more than 4,000 Wal-Marts and Sam's Clubs. It lists which stores sell diesel, have pharmacies -- and provides store GPS coordinates. The "Wal-Mart No Park" Directory lists more than 350 stores that DO NOT allow stays! Learn more or order. Overloading your RV is dangerous It is almost impossible to overload a passenger vehicle because space tends to limit the amount of weight. Space, not weight, is the main concern. It's different with an RV, which is heavier and is capable of being overloaded. Also the storage capacity in most RVs offers any number of possibilities for improper weight distribution. Loading your supplies can have a major impact on how the vehicle handles, as well as on the durability of your tires. The results of overloading can be serious. Read more.
In the desert or places with little rain, water is a scarce commodity. In this one minute video, an RVer shows you how he created a rainwater collector on his motorhome that can capture 100 gallons during a good rainstorm. This is a great idea that other boondockers may want to check out. Broadband connection recommended.
 directories of Free campgrounds The most comprehensive guides to free and inexpensive campgrounds in the East and West -- "must-haves" for budget-minded RVers. Save $5 by buying both East and West editions together. Learn more or order.
Will snowbirds head south this winter? Because of high gas prices and a tough economy, Professor of RVing Jim Twamley wonders whether as many RV snowbirds will migrate south this year as they have in the past. Read his thoughts.  Do you know the identity of this mystery woman? Back when he was a roving magazine writer, traveling in his "motorhome newsroom," RV Travel editor Chuck Woodbury came across this woman in a Nevada casino. He found her beautiful and mysterious. He returned years later to find her again and learn more about her identity. But she had vanished. Do you recognize her? Can you help the editor find her? Beware, she is not what you think! Read more in Chuck's Roadside Journal. Problem with 2005 Allegro Bay Motorhome An RVtravel.com reader with a 2005 Allegro Bay motorhome was unlucky to have a problem with his propane tanks. In a letter to RVtravel.com, he advised other owners of the coach to inspect their own coaches for the same problem. Read his letter.  Website about vintage campers is fun to explore The Southwest Vintage Camper Association is made up of camper enthusiasts located in New Mexico. Members are enthusiasts interested in the hobby of collecting, restoring, displaying, and most of all, camping in vintage campers. Even if you don't live in the area, the group's website is fascinating. Be sure to check out the photos of the members' old RVs, mostly travel trailers.
Visit Arizona's Finest RV Resorts Leave the cold and enter the warmth and fun of sunny Arizona. Click here to view resorts
 Take an RV shower using practically no waterIn this short video, an RVer shows you how he takes a shower using only two liters of water. His equipment: a plastic bottle, a soda straw and presumably something to heat the water. If you spend a lot of time boondocking, this might be a great way to take a daily shower with barely any impact on your freshwater or graywater holding tanks. Watch the video. Broadband connection recommended. See inside the "Sleeper" of a big rig truck RVers Dave and Sue McCarron travel with a fifth wheel trailer pulled by a $56,000 big rig truck. Jim Twamley caught up with the McCarrons recently and toured the living area in the big truck, which has most of the features of a typical recreational vehicle. Learn more and see pics.  Building a tiny house on wheelsOur RVtravel.com webmaster Zoey Platt is building a tiny house on wheels and is charting her progress on her website. The photo shows what it will look like when it's finished. Her little house-to-be is 117-square feet, but has everything a person needs for living. Zoey is building her mini-abode in "green" ways to make it eco-friendly. If you click here, you will be taken to the first page of Zoey's blog, where you can see how her project is going from Day One.  Explorer RV InsuranceGET A FREE QUOTE 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. This Week's Reader Survey Last week's survey question Past reader surveys and results  ROADTREKMOTORHOMES The Fuel Efficient Motorhomes You'll Love to Drive! Learn all about them here.
Dear RV Doctor,  Thinking of becoming a full-time RVer? This is THE guide about how to do it. From dreaming about the lifestyle to living it, this fabulous resource has all the answers. This should be required reading for all aspiring full-timers or those who are new at it! Learn more or order! New RVer puts motorhome on cruise control to make coffee The following "urban legend" has been floating around for a few years. It's often forwarded in emails with a note that it's a true story. The fact is, it's a bunch of baloney. It goes like this: "In November 2000, Mr. Grazinski purchased a new 32-foot Winnebago motorhome. On his first trip home, having joined the freeway, he set the cruise control at 70 mph and calmly left the driver's seat to go into the back to make himself a cup of coffee. Not surprisingly, the RV left the freeway, crashed and overturned. Mr. Grazinski sued Winnebago for not advising him in its handbook that he could not actually do this. He was awarded $1,750,000 plus a new Winnebago." (Are you laughing?) Terrific books & DVDs
from RVbookstore.com Book: RVers Guide to Dump Stations Trivia One of the most misnamed products of all time is the hamburger. The patty of ground beef has absolutely nothing to do with ham. The food got its name from its city of origin, Hamburg, Germany.  Bella Terra RV Resort Now Open for Rental Occupancy! Your dream of five-star, luxury RV living is becoming a reality. At Bella Terra of Gulf Shores, we pride ourselves on creating unique travel experiences for our guests. Make a RV lot reservation now. Call toll free 1-866-475-7746 or complete our reservation form online. RV Boondocking Tips Wind turbine towers: be careful! By Russ and Tina DeMaris We're frequently asked about how to build a suitable tower for a wind turbine. The best advice: ALWAYS follow the manufacturer's recommendations for tower sizing and tie downs. A fellow in the desert set up his brand new wind turbine on a free standing tower. All went well for the first few days, but then an unexpected wind came up. His new tower and turbine met up with the laws of gravity. He rebuilt, using heavier materials and plenty of guy wires. Now his system easily withstands the heaviest blows. Don't even think about using thin aluminum conduit. Always use thick walled stuff that meets or exceeds manufacturer specs. Russ and Tina DeMaris are the authors of RV Boondocking Basics. Are you a veteran boondocker? Would you please share some of your tips and tricks at our RVtravel.com reader forum? We'll reprint some of your comments in this newsletter each week.
 New Low Price!Greatest DVD on Quartzsite Take an armchair visit to Quartzsite, Arizona, a hotspot for wintering RVers. See where to camp for free, tour RV parks, learn about local attractions and more. Was $24.95. Now only $19.95 - Learn more or order.  RV Tech Tip by Mark PolkRVer's trailer keeps blowing out tires. Learn how to winterize your RV with Mark's best-selling DVD. Find out about DVDs and eBooks by RV expert Mark Polk.
Check out these RV Travel Forum discussions Parks with electrical problems Because of my inverter sensitivity, I have begun to notice which parks have electrical problems. I have noticed open ground or neutrals, fluctuating voltages, etc. With an open ground, I have detected up to 10 volts potential from the skin of my coach to earth -- enough to knock you on your behind. I think it is time to name names and let's force these people to bring their electrical systems up to code! I would appreciate input from others on parks they have found with electrical problems. We have been to the RV store We bought one of those adapters to blow out the drains for winterizing the trailer. While there, the woman said we need to put some drinkable antifreeze in the water tank and run the water till it turns pink. I don't know if I want pink antifreeze in my water. She said if one drop of water is in the system, then it will freeze up and blow up the pipes. I thought if the water was mostly removed and the pressure was off the system, then the pipes would not bust. Hey, this is south Alabama, not Canada. What do y'all think? Wood under tires We have a class A motorhome and wonder why some RVers park with wood or something else under their tires. Does this protect the tires? Dehumidifier advice wanted I am doing research on buying a dehumidifier for our RV for the winter. We will be living in the RV full-time and want to keep the condensation down. I am having a really hard time finding one that does not have mostly negative reviews. I was hoping someone might have a suggestion for a particular brand, size, etc. Adding a Jake brake to a 2005 Fleetwood Discovery I'm new here and looking at a 2005 Fleetwood Discovery with no Jake brake. At least that's what the person selling the RV says. I don't see a switch for it like I've seen on other rigs. If it's not an option on this rig, can the system be added? Read other Forum discussions  Find Free RV Campgrounds "Don't pay to stay!" Visit FreeCampgrounds.com and find nearly 2,000 free and inexpensive places to stay in the USA in an RV. Stretch your RVing budget by staying overnight at these freebie locations. Bill's Hints
Bumper Snicker  LOW, LOW PRICE! RV in your Retirement 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 in "RV Retirement." SPECIAL LOW PRICE. Learn more or order. Worth Pondering Always be kind. Have a good attitude. Never give up. -- Walter Swan RV Links. Learn about the best RV websites at RV-links.com. RVs for sale at NewRVer.com. Check them out. RVbuyingTips.com. Get good advice here. Books and DVDs about Fulltime RVing READ BACK ISSUES OF THIS NEWSLETTER: Click here.  Visit Camping World for RV supplies and accessories RV Travel staff Editor and Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Contributing editors: Russ and Tina DeMaris, Jim Twamley. Forum Administrator: Adrienne Kristine. Office Manager: Jody Allcott. Web Operations Guru: Zoey Platt. Clapper/Loader: Emily Woodbury. 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. If you read this far, then we thank you very, very, very much. © Copyright 2007 by RVbookstore.com |
Paging through family photo albums this week, I got a clue to why I like Death Valley so much: it's familiar territory and always has been. That's me in the photo, sitting in the entrance of my parent's first RV, a tent trailer. I was seven years old. We were camped at Furnace Creek, a palm tree-studded oasis -- "downtown" Death Valley -- with restaurants, a motel, general store, post office and campgrounds. 
That old tent trailer not only got me hooked on Death Valley, but on RVing. We didn't call it RVing then, but camping. I don't think the term RV had been coined.
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