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Weekend of March 21, 2009
 Essential for Fulltimers!2009 'Choosing Your RV Home Base' For would-be fulltimers, which state to establish an official home base is critical. Picking the wrong state can result in paying thousands of dollars extra each year in taxes or RV registration fees. Don't let that happen! This best selling guidebook is an essential planning tool. Learn more or order. DELAY NOTICE: The email alert for next week's issue will be delayed until late morning Saturday while we update our servers.  Editor's cornerBy Chuck Woodbury Dear reader, My life these days revolves around my computer. I spend much of every day and evening there -- for work, for play. Sometimes it's just too much! My computer has become my portal to the world. I write my stories there. I publish my stories there. I read my news there. I tweet there on Twitter (waste of time or incredible tool not yet determined). I do my banking online. I watch Netflix movies and YouTube videos. I use Google to learn what's on TV and at the movie theater, and where to shop (who needs a Yellow Pages?). I organize my photos online and edit my home videos. When I want to sell something there's Craigslist. All day long, people ping me to chat. And there's always new email to read. I remember when the mail came once a day. You got it, and that was that. Life went on. Now? Whew! Once upon a time I lived my life in the real world. I wrote with a clunky, noisy typewriter. How analog! But, ah, the magic of that sound! When I travel with my RV I bring an Aircard-equipped laptop which gets me online almost everywhere. In campgrounds, thank goodness, I am somehow able to shut it down most of the time. You know how I feel? Free! Because I am a media nut, I am often sad about how the computer and the internet are killing off newspapers -- those with ink, not pixels. I love newspapers. Thirty years ago I began to dream of writing stories for newspapers, and I then I did for awhile. I spent a year writing news for USA Today, and discovered that deadline journalism was not my thing. My syndicated feature stories, however, appeared in hundreds of major dailies. I felt important writing to a large audience. Not everyone could do it. Now, with a home computer and a free blog, anyone can. Do you want to know the irony of all this? In college, I took Computers 1A at least three or four times but never passed. I was bored silly, and always ended up dropping the class. And now I rely on computers for my work and daily living. Strange how things work out. Follow me on Twitter. PHOTO: That's me with my manual typewriter on one of my first RV trips in my '70s-era 18-foot motorhome -- back in the "analog" era before computers. I shot the photo using a tripod with self-timer outside the back window of the RV. The small "picture" was formed by the window's fish eye lens.  Get the latest headline RV news Keep up with the latest in RV news and information at our new RV Travel headline service at Twitter.com. Plus, you'll be the first to get an alert about each new issue of the weekly RVtravel.com newsletter. Go there now. Other Twitters to follow Julianne Crane, RV Wheel Life RVtravel.com forum moderator Adrienne Kristine RV Wal-Mart: Overnight RV parking news RV Bookstore RV Travel editor Chuck Woodbury RVtravel.com milestone This newsletter is again growing in circulation after slowly declining for a couple of years. More than 72,000 subscribers now receive an email alert of each new issue. Last Saturday, the RVtravel.com website set a single-day record for page views with 112,000. Thanks for visiting!  DID YOU MISS last issue? If so, read it here. RV Travel Sunday Chat Please join RVtravel.com's Adrienne Kristine every Sunday at 6 p.m. (Pacific Time) for our weekly chat. Discuss anything to do with RVing. Statistics RVtravel.com Forum Update as of 3/20/09 at 5:00 pm: 9,353 registered members, 25,613 messages. RVtravel.com Alexa ranking: 91,064 (and moving up)  Number of free and inexpensive campgrounds now profiled at FreeCampgrounds.com (as of 3-20-09): 1,741 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: Click here.  JUST RELEASED FOR 20092009 Trailer Life RV Parks & Campground Navigator CD-ROM America's most popular RV campground directory is now on 2 CD-ROM disks. The user friendly interface provides the ultimate RV travel planning software for the U.S. and Canada. This is the best CD-ROM RV park and campground directory. Retail price: $59.95. Now 38% off -- only $36.99. Learn more or order Popular articles from past issues Fleetwood files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Parent company of Good Sam, Trailer Life on most likely to go bust list Is your car or RV ready for cow oil? Future solar panels could be thin as cling wrap Economy affects some Wal-Mart overnight RV parking Driving a motorhome is different, but not necessarily difficult VIDEO: Couple build their own fifth wheel trailer. California bans formaldehyde holding tank chemicals.  2008 Wal-Mart Atlas & FREE Bonus "No Overnight RV Parking" Directory Order the best-selling Wal-Mart Atlas and receive the "No Overnight Parking" Directory for FREE. SAVE $9.90! Most Wal-Mart stores permit a free overnight stay in RVs. The 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 it provides store GPS coordinates. The "No Park" Directory lists more than 350 stores that DO NOT allow stays! Learn more or order.  Country Coach, NuWa back in business Luxury motorcoach manufacturer Country Coach announced Thursday that its principle secured debt holders have come to terms and new reorganization financing will be made available and that the company is positioned to resume operations. Read more. Meanwhile. . . NuWa to return with leaner marketing strategy: Fifth wheel trailer maker NuWa will resume production in June with a radically different business model that includes fewer RV dealers and direct selling by the factory. The scaled down company will also lower its MSRP price and sell its RVs at a fixed price. Read more.  DVD: RVing Alaska (with Joe and Vicki Kieva) Learn everything you need to know about traveling by RV to and from Alaska via the Alaska Highway and the Alaska ferry. Essential viewing for Alaska-bound RVers. Learn more or order. Winnebago sales, profits nosedive Winnebago Industries Inc. posted a loss for its fiscal second quarter on Thursday, joining a long list of other major RV manufacturers reporting similar sales declines in the dismally depressed RV market. The Forest City motorhome maker reported that it lost $10.4 million in the quarter ended Feb. 28 compared with a profit of $2.5 million in the same quarter last year. Read more. RV Travel blogger off duty dealing with family emergency The brother-in-law of Jim Twamley was killed in an automobile accident last week. Jim and his wife Marilyn immediately drove from Arizona to Oregon to be with the family. Luckily, there was plenty of room to park their motorhome. Among his many skills, Jim is an attorney, and so is helping the family with legal affairs. "We are blessed to be able to stay and help," Jim wrote in his most recent blog posting. "Having our motorhome in the driveway allows us to lend direct support while allowing the family all the space and privacy they need in their own home. I appreciate having a mobile office in the RV as I don my legal hat and shuffle through the mounds of paperwork, taxes, probate, and estate affairs."
 How to handle a tire blowout on a motorhome or other RVPlease take ten minutes to watch this video. You'll learn how to act if you experience a tire blowout on your motorhome or tow vehicle. Hitting the brakes is the worst thing you can do. Taking your foot off the accelerator is almost as dangerous. We've told you about this video before, but it's worth another look, even if you've already seen it. This is serious and important.  Corps Camping Guide to Corps of Engineers Campgrounds This best-selling guidebook describes more than 600 Corps-managed campgrounds suitable for RVs on nearly 200 lakes around the USA. Haven't camped at a Corps of Engineers' facility? Then you've missed out! Learn more or order  Using Google to find an RV dump stationOnce your holding tank is full, you've got a serious problem on your hand if you can't find a dump station. Where do you go to get rid of that big tankful of problems? One place to check is on the internet on Google Maps. Yep, point your browser at maps.google.com, enter your location in the form of city and state and then. . . well, read more to find out. Law allowing concealed guns in National Parks is nixed A federal judge on Thursday blocked a last-minute rule enacted by President Bush allowing visitors to National Parks to carry concealed weapons. The regulation took effect Jan. 9 and allowed visitors to carry loaded concealed guns into national parks and wildlife refuges. In the past, they had been allowed in such areas only if they were unloaded, stored or dismantled. U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly agreed that the Bush administration's process had been "astoundingly flawed." Fox Channel show originates tonight in RV making capital Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee will launch his new Fox News Channel talk-show "Save This Town" series Saturday at the RV Hall of Fame in the RV-making capital of the USA, Elkhart, Indiana. President Obama visited Elkhart in early February to promote his economic stimulus plan for the country. The show will air at 8 p.m and 11 p.m. EST and Sunday at 2 a.m.   Travel with us!FREE CATALOG of our RV Tours! Have you ever taken an RV tour? If not, you've missed out. Join Tracks RV Tours (est. in 1975) for the trip of your lifetime! Visit Alaska, the Yucatan, New Zealand, Nova Scotia, Baja -- or tour the National Parks of the American West. Form friendships you'll treasure forever. All arrangements including RV parks by Tracks RV Tours. Click here for your FREE full-color magazine of all our many adventures or call 800-351-6053. ESCAPE TO BRANSON IN MAY: Details! Yikes! The world's largest pet in a trailer Most RVers who travel with a pet travel with a dog or cat, or maybe a bird. But the animal aboard this trailer. . . well, it's just too much. Maybe you'll agree (and maybe this is a corny sight gag!)  Sexy actress horses around in her AirstreamIn January we told you that actress (well, that's what somebody calls her) Pam Anderson's Airstream trailer was for sale. Well, since then we came across a YouTube video of Anderson horsing around in her "Lovestream" RV. Watch it if you want. But, really, this may be a huge waste of time, because (quite frankly) who cares? Still, a QUESTION FOR MALE READERS: If she were to agree, would you bring along Pam Anderson on your next RV trip -- just the two of you? Yukon motorhome rental offer could be scam A web site that promises great deals -- including motorhome rentals -- for Yukon visitors is being investigated by Canadian RCMP officials as a possible fraud operation. Operators of the website are said to be advertising all sorts of come-ons for travel packages without the consent of the legitimate companies who are said to participate. Read more.   Patio Mat Sale - Save $10 with coupon!  These high-quality, UV protected reversible RV patio mats are top quality, made of 100% polypropylene (plastic) tubing. The patio mats are easy to wash and fold up in a snap. Many sizes and colors. Check out the big selection and the lowest prices guaranteed!. Plus, use coupon code save10 at checkout to save an additional $10! This is a special offer for RVtravel.com readers. Learn more or order.
Installing laminate flooring in an RV Many people are looking for an alternative to the factory installed carpet in their RV. Beautiful, durable and easy to clean, laminate flooring is a perfect option for most RVs. Here is a very basic overview of how its done. Salon.com cites RVtravel.com survey, quotes blogger Twamley The popular website Salon.com published a story Friday that explored the past of the RV industry and its possible future. The article cited results of two RVtravel.com surveys and quoted RVtravel.com blogger Jim Twamley. Read it. Other headlines: Maryland State Parks to ban booze without costly permit Advance campsite reservations up at New York State Parks Even during recession, RV parks invest in improvements Leveling jacks, slideouts top RV emergency assistance calls Is it "sidewalk roll up time" in Quartzsite? RV warranty program aids Monaco Coach owners. RV headline news now available on Twitter.  Dog Friendly's Campground and RV Park GuideThis is a jam-packed, well-researched directory of campgrounds, filled with detailed information, about where you can camp with a dog in the USA and Canada. Learn more or order. Recent RV recalls Each month we list the latest recalls of RVs at RV-Recalls.com. Here are the most recent ones: 2009: January/February 2008: December -- November -- October -- September -- August -- July -- June -- May -- April -- March Most 2009 RV directories now available  Most
of the year 2009 annual directories and other annual guides about RVing
are now available at RVbookstore.com. These include the 2009 Trailer Life Directory (and the 2009 version on CD-ROM), the Big Rigs Best Bets Campground Directory, 2009 Woodall's RV Buyers Guide, the (Alaska) Milepost, the Next Exit, RVers Friend, the 2009 Guide to Firearm Laws, and the new and improved 2009 Choosing Your RV Home Base. In addition, new editions of the Corps of Engineers Campground Guide and the Casino Camping Guide are also available. You will find information about all the new directories at RVbookstore.com by clicking here.
NEWLY UPDATED  THE guide for Alaska-bound RVers! The 2009 Milepost is THE guide to visiting Alaska This 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.  Photo of the weekFeed those kids beans. . . Here's a place where you can save some dough by getting your kids fed for free. Just load your youngsters up at breakfast with canned pork and beans then bring 'em to this place for lunch. Tell those kids to let loose in front of the restaurant folks and, sure as the sun shines, they'll soon be feasting on some good chow.
 A Woman's PerspectiveMost solo women Learn more about RVing as a woman. 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. The RV KitchenJanet Groene's Chickenacho Casserole Cookbooks for RVers: Big selection at RVbookstore.com  RVs FOR SALEMotorhomes, Travel Trailers, Fifth Wheels, Truck Campers, Pop ups and much more. See the big selection at NewRVer.com. Click here This Week's Reader Survey Last week's survey question Past reader surveys and results  2009 Next Exit DirectoryThis should be an essential guide for every road-tripping RVer! Learn what you will find at every Interstate highway exit: gas/diesel fuel, campgrounds, truck stops, casinos, stores, malls, hospitals, factory outlet stores, parks and more. Learn more. Working on the road
 The 2009 RVers Friend 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 directory be your guide. Get the 2009 edition now! Learn more or order.
Dear RV Doctor, I have an older Jayco 30-foot travel trailer. I cannot get the running lights to work at all. I have tested the connection from my vehicle and it tests okay. Any common things I can look for? The brake lights and turn signals work just fine. I have looked at all the bulbs and they too seem okay. Will a burned out bulb break a complete circuit? --Mike Jackson Read previous RV Doctor columns  BEST SELLER!2009 Big Rigs Best Bets Campground Directory If you drive a king-sized RV, this directory is for you. The authors provide details about 1,100 RV parks throughout the USA and six Canadian Provinces that welcome long motorhomes and towable RVs. This should be an essential resource for owners of large RVs. Learn more or order RV Boondocking Tips Clothes dryer on the run? By Russ and Tina De Maris Some laundries charge outrageous prices for drying clothes. Old Sol will do it for free. You could take along a portable clothes dryer system, but there are alternatives. For the 5th wheel set, we've seen some who put hooks under their front overhang area and string lines between the hooks; some even tie longer lines to "cargo hooks" on their pickup trucks and string them back to hooks on the rig. Others run out the awning and string clothes lines between the awning arms. Rainy day? We've found that a retractable clothesline from the RV store set up in the tub/shower area can really help. Be sure to crack open the bathroom roof vent to exhale the excess moisture. Russ and Tina De Maris are the authors of RV Boondocking Basics. Books and DVDs about camping on public lands and RV boondocking.
Learn how to drive a motorhome the right way from RVer/tour bus driver Lorrin Walsh and host Mark Polk. This should be essential viewing for co-pilots and novice RV drivers. And experienced RVers, too! 67 minutes. Save 10% at RVbookstore.com. Learn more or order. 
Keeping cool in your RV Find out about DVDs and eBooks by RV expert Mark Polk.
The good ol' days. . . Step back 36 years in this Winnebago TV commercial 
New laws for 2009.  2009 Guide To The Firearm Laws of the 50 StatesRVers 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 current, specific gun laws for every state. Don't cross a state line with a gun without knowing the laws! Learn more or order. Check out these RV Travel Forum discussions Follow RVtravel.com forum administrator Adrienne Kristine on Twitter Is my truck charging my trailer battery while traveling? Is there a way to tell if the truck is charging the travel trailer battery using a volt meter? If I unhook the leads going to the TT battery and have the truck running, I'm not getting 12v from the TT leads. I'm assuming that if it were charging, I would get a reading. I have a Tekonsha P3 with a 7-pin hookup. Have a comment? My RV leaked. Now what? Well, the unfortunate happened over winter. I opened up the trailer and I noticed some staining on the counter top in the kitchen. Under the stove by the door where we have storage, the exterior wall is wet and soft. I cut out the wood and sprayed some bleach on the studs and insulation to kill any mold that may have been growing. I also put a fan on it which is still going now. . . . I really don't want to put too much money into the trailer as we bought it cheap (now I know why), and plan on a bigger one in a couple of years. What should I do? Worried about parent company of Good Sam Club The March issue of Trailer Life was so thin, I think the Affinity Group is already on the way out. I used to take the magazine but let it drop when I was on the road because the news was already a month old when I finally got it. I've been a Good Sam member for 30 years and a Life Member since they started it, and hope it continues. Have a comment? Young, but yearns to be fulltime RVer When most girls my age were dreaming of the perfect house, I spent my youth dreaming of an RV. I'm young yet, but that doesn't change what I want to do. I love motorhomes. I love the compactness, I love the wheels and, especially, I love the freedom. Full-sized houses actually bother me sometimes. I feel...exposed in big rooms, as weird as that may sound, in ways that I don't feel when hiking in the sand dunes in Wyoming. What I worry about are the reactions of my honey's family when we finally let on with what we plan. I won't miss having a "fixed" house, but I will miss family. I wonder if fulltiming and its freedoms are worth missing family? How does everyone here cope with that? Do any family members ever visit or even travel with you for short times? What's going on with my electrical plugs? My wife was vacuuming the coach and the circuit breaker popped because she forgot to unplug the heater. I reset the breaker but five of the six plug-ins that run off that breaker don't work and I can't figure out what's wrong. The only one that works is in the bedroom and I know it's on the same circuit because I flipped the breaker off and on. All the general use plugs run off this 15 amp breaker. Microwave has its own, A/C its own, and one for the CFI in the bathroom. I'm stumped. Why would only one of the six plugs work?  Flea Market U.S.A.This is the best directory of flea markets and swap meets in the 50 U.S. states. In fact, it’s the only one we know of -- a valuable guide for both vendors and shoppers. And for only $6.99. What a steal! Published November 2008. Learn more or order. Interesting Forum  RVing with PetsDoes Fido or Boots join you on your RV trips? If so, this RVtravel.com Forum is your kind of place. Read the forum to learn a lot about traveling with cats, dogs or other animals, or post a question and another forum member will usually provide a timely answer. Half of RVers travel with a furry friend, making this a popular place to share information. Read other Forum discussions  Best seller!Find Rest Areas, Welcome Centers & more With the new 2008 Interstate Travel Guide you will quickly and easily locate rest areas, welcome centers, scenic turnouts, including a list of Flying J Travel Plaza locations popular with RVers. Learn more. Trivia  At the campfire, forget wood! Burn Twinkies!Twinkies, the ultimate junk food, were tested in 1995 by students at Rice University. Among the tests was how well a Twinkie burns. Here is what the students discovered: "After careful analysis of the results, we feel that Twinkies could be an acceptable substitute for firewood in some situations. They are especially ideal since, while the Twinkie is within its freshness period guaranteed by Hostess, it will remain moist, and therefore not burn until an accelerant is added, thus removing the possibility of premature Twinkie combustion."
 Updated for 2009Casino Camping: Guide to RV-Friendly Casinos This 2009 directory is the best casino guide for RVers. Learn which casinos have RV parks or offer free overnight stays. Plus get tips and information about other casino benefits for RVers. Learn more or order. Random RV Thought If you want to make a friend, do this: On a cold and rainy day in a campground, if you spot a tenter or a tenting couple holed up in a tent, invite them into your cozy RV for hot chocolate or maybe even dinner. You will most likely make a new friend (or friends) and enjoy good conversation."
Bill's Hints "There are many products that can be used to minimize odors in your black water tank. Most of them help clean the tank as you drive. The gray water tank occasionally needs a deodorant." --From Motorhomes Made Easy.  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.
Tourist Attraction Spotlight
 "Giant Rock" that nearly crushed RV a cosmic attraction Said to be perhaps the world's tallest free-standing rock, "Giant Rock" near Landers, California has an interesting history. At more than seven stories tall, it is indeed one huge chunk of granite. Over the years it's been a meeting point for Native Americans, UFOlogists, dirt bikers, and RVers looking for a spot to boondock. Originally a "one piece" affair, in February 2000 a huge chunk of Giant Rock sloughed off, nearly smashing an RV parked nearby. Read more and see a bigger pic. Do you know of a terrific tourist attraction? Share it with the readers of this newsletter in the RVtravel.com forum.
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? Complete Guide to Dinghy Towing Deep Cycle Battery Care and Maintenance The 3 Primary Systems of an RV: LP Gas, Water & Electricity Trailer Towing, Weights, Hitchwork and Backing RV NEWS HEADLINES: THE LATEST NEWS
Bumper Snicker
 Bargains at RVbookstore.comLow, low prices. Save up to 80% and even more! Worth Pondering "Old age is the most unexpected of all the things that happen to a man." --Leon Trotsky
READ BACK ISSUES of this newsletter: Click here. More popular articles from back issues: Monaco, Country Coach fall into bankruptcy. Neglecting RV batteries is a bad thing. RVer buys RV on consignment and big problems follow. Repairing your RV with putty tape. About the editor Chuck Woodbury has explored America by RV for nearly three decades. In the '90s he published a quirky travel newspaper about his adventures and was an "on the road" writer for the New York Times Syndicate. Nowadays, he lives near Seattle where he drinks massive amounts of coffee and travels often in his motorhome and sometimes by plane when vast expanses of saltwater would turn his RV into a leaky submarine. He is the host of the Better Business Bureau DVD "Buying a Recreational Vehicle," the definitive guide to purchasing an RV the right way. RV Travel staff Editor and Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Contributing editors: Russ and Tina De Maris, 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 and the Family Motor Coaching Association. RV Travel is copyright 2009 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 "thanks a bunch!"  Good Stuff from the Good Sam ClubJoin the Club: $19 a year. Save on camping fees plus free RV magazine. Continuing Service Plan: Avoid Major Repair Bills! Get a Fast Quote RV Emergency Road Service: Special Low Rate! Join Today.
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Issue 370 of RV Travel
The 2008-2009 Trailer Life RV Road Atlas 
