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Weekend of May 16, 2009 Issue 378 of RV Travel  Save on Mountain Directories East & West Driving into the mountains with your RV? Be careful, there are some nasty grades. Here, in two volumes, are the premier guides to the mountain passes and steep grades of the American East and West -- more than 700 passes all together. You save $5 when buying both these guides together. Learn more or order for only $26.90 for both volumes. 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 Editor's corner By Chuck Woodbury  Follow me on TwitterDear reader,  Score a victory for RVers in their battle against the state of Maine. In a period of less than a week, the state legislature introduced a bill to ban overnight stays in RVs in any public parking lot in the state and then quickly killed the idea.After an alert about the proposed legislation was publicized by the Escapees Club and RVtravel.com, hundreds of RVers wrote to state legislators, tourism officials and Maine newspapers objecting to the proposed law.  The 275-member Maine Campground Owners Association had pitched the idea for the bill to state representative Anne Perry, who then introduced legislation in the statehouse. It easily passed a legislative committee and was on its way to a vote. Then RVers learned about it.They flooded Perry and others with emails about why the bill was a stupid idea. Enlightened, Perry then urged her fellow legislators to defeat the legislation, which they did. The bill was a misguided attempt by RV park owners to force RVers into their parks, even though most are closed half the year. Had the law passed, a tired RVer who pulled into a Wal-Mart for a night's rest would have been a lawbreaker and subject to a $100 fine. Commercial campground owners, wherever they are in the country, need to give up on trying to legislate RVers into their campgrounds. It won't work. There are simply too many times when all an RVer requires is a flat place to park for the night. I like what one RV park on the Alaska Highway did after seeing so many RVs in the local Wal-Mart on their way north. The park staff put two-for-one camping coupons on the RVs' windshields, to be redeemed on a return trip. And when those RVers returned and stayed, they were treated like VIPs. Some ended up spending extra nights -- good for the park and the community. Those RVers and others then returned home to spread the word about the special treatment they received at the campground. And that is how you build a business! When you get a lemon, don't complain: make lemonade. Read comments about this in the RVtravel.com forum, or leave one in response to this commentary. Permission is granted to reprint this essay on any RV-related website as long as a credit is provided to RVtravel.com with a link to http://www.RVtravel.com.  GAIN FAME IN THIS NEWSLETTER: Snap a pic of yourself at your computer reading this newsletter. Email it to chuck (at) RVtravel.com. Be sure to include your hometown or where you are reading the issue. Other comments are welcome, too. Meet some readers to the right above. 2009 Choosing Your RV Home BaseFor 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. Get the latest RV news headlines at TwitterKeep 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. LEARN HOW TO USE TWITTER. "Twitter Power" is the best "how-to" book about Twitter. Order it from RVbookstore.com DID YOU MISS last issue of this newsletter? If so, read it here. READ BACK ISSUES: Click here. RVtravel.com Forum Update as of 5/15/09 at 3:30 pm: 9,788 registered members, 26,779 messages. RVtravel.com Alexa ranking: 76,305* *Rank in the world among tens of millions of websites. Number of RVtravel.com followers at Twitter: 2,647  Number of free and inexpensive campgrounds now profiled at FreeCampgrounds.com (as of 5/15/09): 1,783  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. What you need to know about RV fresh water systems. Part 1 There's more to using your RV fresh water system than just hanging a hose on the side of the rig and turning on the water. Properly using your RV fresh water system can make a world of difference in how much you enjoy your trip -- or possibly regret it. Read part one of our two part story.   Short video shows how to set up a pop up trailerIn this three minute video from Fleetwood, you'll see, step by step, how to set up a pop up trailer, also called folding trailer. It's amazing how easy it is to set up the camper, and how comfortable the RV is once it's ready to use. Keep bugs and bigger critters out of your RV Ants, wasps, rodents and reptiles that get inside your RV can make your life miserable. Worse case problems including waking up to a rattlesnake at your feet. Here are some tips, both new and old, about how to keep pests out of your home on wheels.  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. What's an RV wet bath? This isn't a question that comes up too often, but for those looking at buying a truck camper or other compact RV, the question of, "What's a wet bath?" comes up frequently. Do you know what it is? Find out here (once you do, the term will seem logical).  Tour the "Sleeper" in a big rig truck Have you ever wondered what's in the space behind the front seats of a big, 18-wheeler truck? Sometimes, the "Sleeper" unit is as comfy as most big RVs, complete with kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and TV. In this video, Brian, an owner operator with Allied Van Lines shows off the home-away-from-home in his Peterbilt truck. RV owners will find the scene familiar. Making the decision to RV fulltime Professor of RVing Jim Twamley met up last year with a couple who gave up their traditional life for one on the road with an RV. He asked them what influenced their decision to go fulltime. Their answers may offer insights for other RVers who are thinking of living and traveling fulltime in their own recreational vehicles. Read Jim's story.  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 Where to find good prices on RV solar panels  At an unlikely website, Harbor Freight Tools, a quick check of prices on a recent visit revealed a special price on a kit of three 15-watt panels, plus a small solar regulator for $249.99. However, one RVer learned that through the company mailer the same kit was available for $190. That's a tad over $4 a watt, plus a free solar regulator thrown into the bargain. Compared to what RVers often pay -- even in such bargainlands as Quartzsite, Ariz. -- that's a pretty good price. But is it really?KOA adds 15 new parks  Kampgrounds of America Inc. (KOA) has added 15 new campgrounds, pushing the number of KOA-affiliated parks to more than 450 nationwide. The new additions stretch from California to North Carolina, and range from convenient full-service overnight facilities to expansive destination campgrounds. Read more and learn the location of the new parks.When should you use your flashing hazard lights? In the hill country out west, it's not uncommon to find 18-wheelers make the hard climb with "warning flashers a'blazin." After all, crawling up a steep grade and traveling far less than "freeway speed," giving a bit of a warning to the folks coming up from behind just makes sense. But what about using the hazards in your own vehicle? When can you use them? Or can you? Find out. Reservations up in New York State Parks With the summer camping season fast approaching, more than 100,000 reservations have been booked by RV enthusiasts and other campers at New York state campgrounds, and those who are coming plan to stay a little longer. Read more.   Gas Watch Propane Indicator Gauge with glow-in-the-dark dial For RV Travel readers only! Reg. $29.99 -- ONLY $9.95  GasWatch model TVL 212, UL approved propane level indicator and safety gauge is integrated with an easy to see and read colored dial. GasWatch 212 is great with all outdoor propane appliances having QCC Type I connection. "Easy To Connect, Easy To Read, No Tools Required", TVL 212 connects between propane tank and the equipment regulator. Ideal for use with BBQ gas grills, patio heaters, smokers, camping stoves, cookers, RVs, and more. You pay less than half the price you'll pay elsewhere -- only $9.95. This is like stealing! Learn more or order, and see other specials exclusively for RVtravel.com readers.Follow RV Toy Outlet on Twitter
RV manufacturers expect to ship just 14,100 motorhomes this year -- the industry's worst showing in the 38 years data has been collected. That's down 50 percent from the 28,300 motorhomes the industry shipped last year and down 80 percent from the 71,800 vehicles it shipped in 2004. Best deals for buyers ever, many say. Camping World, the nation's largest RV retailer, is holding a Grand Opening celebration through Sunday, May 17, at its newest store, Camping World of Flagstaff (Ariz.) Stop by for a free lunch. It is estimated that 50 percent of RV manufacturers and 75 percent of RV dealers will now qualify for loans under the Small Business Administration expanded criteria. Fish without a license or enter any state park for free this weekend in South Dakota. Ditto in Nebraska except the free day is on Saturday only. Jim May Auto and RV in Findlay, Ohio has closed. Also closing in the last week: JC's RV Center (Rancho Cordova, Calif.), Foreman's RV Center (Livermore, Calif.) and Dewalt's Recreational Vehicles (sales and parts departments still open) in Easton, Pennsylvania. A court has blocked Wal-Mart from building a Supercenter near Southern California's Joshua Tree National Park because the company did not adequately consider its greenhouse-gas impacts. Chrysler announced Thursday that it will close 789 of its dealerships, about one-fourth of its existing network. GM has notified 1,100 dealers that it will end their contracts with the automaker. Northwood Manufacturing of LaGrande, Ore., has purchased the vacated Fleetwood Enterprises trailer plant at the local airport for a reported $2 million. Northwood makes towable RVs and truck campers. RV Magazine Watch: The most recent issues of printed RV magazines are all thin compared to a year ago, but Family Motor Coaching and Escapees Magazine managed 144 pages and 96 pages respectively. Trailer Life and Motorhome look anemic at 68 pages each, and Good Sam's once ad-packed Highways could only manage a skinny 54 pages.  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
Dear RV Doctor, We recently purchased a 24-foot Aerolite RV. We've noticed that many sites offer 30- or 50-amp service and are uncertain which one our RV would require for running a heater, air conditioner, stove, refrigerator and small electric appliances. Can you advise us? --Kathy Cunningham Read previous RV Doctor columns   Check with us on the Web for last minute bargains!See Alaska, Canada, Mexico or the World! Join Tracks to Adventure on RV tours around the globe or close to home. It's not too late to join us on the Oregon Trail (get packing, we're leaving next week). Or tour with us to Alaska. Been to Copper Canyon in Mexico (what a trip!)? Join us in Canada, Australia, New Zealand -- or closer to home -- Branson or the Pacific Northwest. All arrangements including RV parks by Tracks RV Tours. Click here for your free full-color magazine or call us toll free at 800-351-6053. This Week's Reader Survey On average, how many days a week do you estimate you stay at a commercial RV park? Answer here. Last week's survey question Past reader surveys and results  Best selling directory of RV services at truck stops!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. Order the 2009 edition now! 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  Buy or sell an RV!Whether you are buying or selling an RV, RV Trader is the place to do it. Still in the early stage of the buying process? You won't find a better place to research your new vehicle. See photos of RVs and videos, too. Search by type of RV, location, price, new or used. . . Visit RVtraderOnline.com RV Boondocking Tips Russ and Tina De Maris are the authors of RV Boondocking Basics.
 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. A Woman's Perspective Pistol Packin' Mamas Learn more about RVing as a woman.  MORE POPULAR THAN EVER!2009 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  The RV KitchenJanet Groene's 4-Ingredient Pasta Fiesta Cookbooks for RVers: Big selection at RVbookstore.com  The Digital RV -- only $11.99 Reg. $21.54. Limited supply at this price. Learn everything "digital" as it relates to an RVer: Connecting to the Internet, enjoying a stereo system that weighs ounces, managing digital photos and more. Retail price $21.54. Now only $11.99. Learn more or order. 2009 RV Show Schedule
 2009 Fuel Finder Pocket Edition -- ONLY $4.95Put this pocket-sized guidebook in your glove box and use it to find truck stops and other fueling locations that cater to RVers and truckers, and offer diesel fuel. More than 6,500 locations in the USA and Canada (mostly U.S.) are listed. Only $4.95. Learn more or order. Working on the RV road
Excellent book about Workamping: Support Your RV Lifestyle
 Photo of the weekYikes! Torture photo? No, this woman is not being tortured, nor is she a criminal being executed. She is getting her hair permed. But, really, this is not a real female person, but a mannequin. This is how they performed a hair permanent in the old days, so be thankful that you didn't live back then with a severe case of straight hair. We snapped this photo in a museum in Rigby, Idaho back in the '90s. The perm lady is probably still there, so check her out if you're passing through town. By the way, Rigby is the "Birthplace of TV," but we'll save that story for another time. Books and DVDs about Fulltime RVing  Tech Tips with Mark Polk Find out about DVDs and eBooks by RV expert Mark Polk.
The Good Ol' Days  Paying to parkThe first parking meters were installed in Oklahoma City in July, 1935. After that, parking meters began appearing all over the place. The thought at the time was that if every parking meter collected 25 cents a day, a staggering $1.25 million dollars a year could be raised. As years passed, criminals found it easy to bust into a meter and steal the coins. So in the 1960s, the machines began sporting armored coin boxes. In 1960, New York City hired its first crew of women "Meter Maids." Men were hired seven years later. In 1997, there were about five million parking meters in the United States. Nowadays, the mechanical meters are steadily disappearing. Read about the fascinating history of the RV industry in The Dumb Things Sold Just Like That, available at RVbookstore.com 2009 Fuel Finder Pocket Edition -- ONLY $4.95Put this pocket-sized guidebook in your glove box and use it to find truck stops and other fueling locations that cater to big rig trucks and (important to RVers) offer diesel fuel. More than 6,500 locations in the USA and Canada (mostly U.S.) are listed.Only $4.95. Learn more or order.  RV funnies: Husband gets what he wishes forA RVing couple, both born the same year and month, were celebrating their 60th birthdays. During the celebration, a fairy appeared and said that because they had been so loving she would grant them each one wish. Very excited, the wife said that since she had already visited most of North America in her RV she would like to visit Europe. The fairy waved her magic wand; airline tickets instantly appeared. Then it was the husband's turn. He paused for a moment, then said with a sly look, "Well, I'd like to have a woman 30 years younger than me." The fairy waved her wand and presto, he was 90. From RVjokes.com  DVD shows how to drive a motorhome 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. Check out these RV Travel Forum discussions Generator problems My generator won't crank over. I charged the new battery and checked the volt: 12.8 and it still won't crank. If I plug in the land line it starts right up. If I put the battery charger on it it says it's charged but it still won't start. Can someone help? Slideout awning stretched. What to do? This past Feburary, we spent a couple of weeks in the Blue Ridge mountains in Virginia. Over the course of a 24-hour period, we had rain, a couple inches of ice, followed by eight inches of snow. I tried as hard as I could to keep the weight off the slideout awnings, and did a good enough job except for the biggest one on our Bighorn. Now it seems that every time it rains, the awning fills with water instead of it running off, as if the material has stretched a bit. Is there any way to tighten the tension on these things? Tricks to dumping a holding tank? A forum member writes: "This may sound dumb, but when it says to flush fresh water tanks, is there a trick, or how do you do it?" Entrance door modifications? I recently saw a new entrance door with a lighted threshhold in it. It's nice but is it really necessary? Also wondered if anyone had any door improvement ideas that they would like to see in their entrance door? Looking for RV inspection service We are looking at a used fifth wheel. We want to make sure we know of any defects. I haven't been able to find an inspection service in the NH/MA region. Anyone have any ideas? Low beam headlights on motorhome quit working I recently had some work done on the '98 2480 Safari Trek and thought the mechanic who drove/tested the unit a month ago may have kicked a wire loose from somewhere under the dash (big feet). I didn't find out that my low beams no longer work until recently. The four headlights are on during high-beam use, but when I try to switch on the low-beams, all four headlights go off. All fuses were checked and there appears to be no breaks in the wiring. I even removed the driver's seat for better access, but found nothing loose, etc. Is this something that anyone else has run into and, short of a quick fix, is this a job for an electrician familiar with the Trek chassis electrics? I am stumped at this point. Need Nevada resident information I fulltime and I am becoming a Nevada resident. I need a home base and mail service. I would like it to be located in the Reno-Carson City area, not around Lost Wages. I found one online that is located in Sparks called (Nevada Mail Service). Any suggestions? I need to lose my California address ASAP.  U.S. Military Campgrounds Directory on CD Pack this along with you to get current information about Military Campgrounds across the USA. Updated monthly. No internet access needed for most of the information. Learn more here.  Interesting ForumWomen RVers: If you're a woman and travel by RV or want to, then here's where you can ask a question, answer one from another forum member, or just share information that you think would be helpful to other women who travel by RV or who would like to someday. Read other Forum discussions
Trivia Las Vegas, Nevada has the least precipitation per year (4.2 inches) and lowest relative humidity (20 percent) of all metropolitan areas in the USA. People have lived in the area for more than 12,000 years, but for most of that time they couldn't eat cheap buffets or play slot machines.  DVDSAVE $5!Travel Trailer/Fifth Wheel 101 If you just bought a travel trailer or 5th wheel trailer, you'll need to know how to operate it. The onboard systems -- electrical, water, LP gas and waste -- are often confusing to new owners. This one hour DVD from RV Education 101 provides an excellent understanding of how a towable RV's systems work and how to operate them safely.Retail price: $24.95. On sale now $19.95. Learn more order. Random RV Thought Someone who commutes alone by car to work 10 or 15 miles a day likely burns far more gas or diesel fuel in a year than 95 percent of all RVers use in their RVs. Also, most RVers travel in pairs, making their fuel cost per passenger far less than the solo commuters. People who don't know anything about RVs who commute to work every day think RVers are gas hogs. They ought to look in their mirrors. Oink!  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. Bill's Hints "Before retracting a slideout, check for dew, snow, tree leaves or other debris on the slideout roof. Remember that the roof will be inside your vehicle when it is retracted." -- From Motorhomes Made Easy. FMCA: The best club for motorhome owners  If
you drive a motorhome you should join the Family Motor Coaching
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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  Best book on the subjectThe Complete Book of Boondock RVing Yearn to camp in the wild beside a babbling mountain brook or with a remote panoramic vista? This is the complete guide to camping without hookups (aka "dry camping"). Learn more or order. Bumper Snicker
Worth Pondering "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." --Dr. Seuss READ BACK ISSUES of this newsletter: Click here. Finance your RV at RVfinancing.com RVfinancing.com is THE largest online RV financing company. Lowest rates nationwide. Visit its website or call 1-888-929-4424. Toll-free 24-hour recorded RV financing tips at 877-905-0060. Endorsed by RVtravel.com  About the editorChuck 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. 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!" Looking for a used motorhome?
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