RVers Looking for Excitement--Visit WildPlay Element Parks in Nanaimo

Need a little more adrenaline to run through your veins? The last "almost got us" truck driver not enough to keep your blood flowing? How about a stint of bungy jumping, tree climbing, or zip-line riding over a river gorge? WildPlay Element Parks want to drag you kicking a screaming into a pucker-string tightening adventure in Nanaimo, B.C.

The "tree course" takes you above ground on swinging bridges, zip lines, and various obstacles. The course has several levels, rated for children, young people, and adults running up four levels from that requiring minimal skill (and to a minimal height above ground), to that taking you way up high, and requiring a lot of skill.

Perhaps climbing trees and running down wobbly bridges isn't your cup o' tea. How about 150' drop with rubber bands tied to your ankles, singly or with a friend? WildPlay's bungy jump dumps you over the Nanaimo River. Think we'll pass on this offer. You could always belt up in a seat-like harness and "sit" your way through the drop on the park's King Swing. Or perhaps the least green-skin producing is the big zip line run over the width, and one long length, of the river canyon below.

Is it exciting? Sure looks like it. Is it safe? Well---you'll have to determine that one for yourself, and before you'll be allowed to do any of the park's challenges, you'll be asked to sign off on a waiver that releases everybody and their brother involved is something out-of-place does happen. Check out the website at www.wildplayparks.com.

photo courtesy wildplayparks.com

Canada RV Dealers Not Feeling the Pain Like American Counterparts

While dealerships are closing doors around the US, Canadian RV dealers say things aren't so bad up north. Some say that sales this year are around a par with last, in fact. Still, they want help from the government to smooth the sales ways.

Published reports on RV sales out east in Saskatchewan show over a 45% increase in sales in December/January of this year, compared to a year prior. From across the 'Great White North' RV show promoters are happily reporting in with glowing reports of great crowds which no man is practically able to number. What seems to be driving the boom?

Those practical Canucks are seeing the cost-effectiveness of RVing as opposed to hotel-vacationing. Canwest Publishing reports the story from one RV show where Rob Butler, his wife, and four children were trolling about, eyeballing pop-up rigs. Butler told Canwest, he couldn't stomach continuing to spend thousands on hotels and flights for an annual vacation in this economy."My family is so big, we're looking at other vacation options."

Butler has plenty of company, as the sales of everything from pop-ups to luxury motorhomes seem to be continuing. But that doesn't mean Canadian RV dealers aren't looking for help. If Johnny Canuck is the Canadian equivalent of Uncle Sam, Johnny had better think about getting his phone number de-listed. The Canadian Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association has gone public, saying the federal government needs to step up to the plate and help RV dealers get more access to credit to help customers secure financing for RV purchases. In a story published in today's The Canadian Press, dealer association president Michael Corte called on the crown for help. "Canada must take a bold step in addressing this credit as it relates to the RV industry,

Zoo Critter Stows Away on Motorhome

What's a foot and a half tall, is blue and gold, makes lots of noise--and evidently likes RVing? That would be Chuva, the macaw parrot, recently of the Vancouver, BC zoo. Zoo officials were alarmed, when a week-ago this Monday, Chuva couldn't be found. Since her wings had been clipped, officials were convinced that she hadn't literally flown the coop, but the the clipped parrot could have been kipped.

Big news in the papers. Tips flooded in. 'Psst--your bird is being held in Aldergrove,' came one "tip." A tip that didn't pan out. Three days later though, a call came in that was the relief zoo officials were looking for. It seems a family who'd been visiting the zoo with their motorhome had heard strange noises emanating from beneath their rig. Sure enough, Chuva had stowed away in the motorhome undercarriage, making a short trip to a nearby suburb. Chuva was 'a wee bit peckish'--er--hungry, but none the worse for wear.

Perhaps it's just as well Chuva hasn't learned English. We might not want to hear her commentary on bouncing Bounders. At least not from the basement.

photo: langely advance

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 yukonvacation.com are said to be advertising all sorts of come-ons for travel packages without the consent of the legitimate companies who--without their consent--are listed on the website.

According to a story on cbcnews.ca, the outfit has outraged dozens of legitimate tourism outfits who say they've never heard of the internet company, nor made any agreements to work with them. What's worrisome about the site is that a "reservation form" fill-out on the site asks for personal information, including credit card numbers. However, elsewhere on the site a disclaimer indicates the form is "not a reservation confirmation or a reservation document."

The site's web page advertising motorhome rentals has the 'look and feel' of a legitimate RV rental firm's site. The company here is "Whitehorse Motorhome/Camper Rental" complete with quoted rates and photos. However, a search of operators in the area doesn't raise any firm by that name.

While the RCMP has managed to track down a post office box address in Washington state associated with the firm, but no direct contact has yet been made.

Canadian Cat Kato Creates Chaos With RVing Couple

Imagine the life of Dick and Diane Forde of Kamloops, B.C. The Forde's adult son has been seriously ill, and after he began a recovery, he finally convinced his parents who had been caring for him to take a break. So the Fordes loaded up their rig and headed south to Palm Springs for some of that coveted winter sunshine.

On the return home, they needed some hitch repair done to their coach, so they availed themselves of a shop in Yucca Valley, not too far north of Palm Springs. It was after the couple had crossed into Canada when 'the light came on.' Their furry friend Kato, a Himalayan cat, was missing in action. Visions of a coyote with a big grin and bits of white Himalyan fur around his chops were just too much for the Fordes to bear.

But Kato, it seems, had other plans. Sometime during the stopover in Yucca Valley, Kato had evidently decided to do a little exploring and wound up snoozing in one of the shop employee's cars. When Dick and Diane thought about their route, they called the shop, and sure enough, found that Kato had taken up temporary residence as a muffler shop mascot.

It wasn't long after the call that the Fordes were crossing the international border again, headed back to Yucca Valley. Shop owner Dave Totten told the High Desert Star newspaper, “My wife [Odetta] is a total animal lover. She wasn’t going to let anything happen to that cat or any animal.”

Scammers Target Canadian RV Sellers

Trying to sell your RV? Watch out for the latest scam that may even look--well, sorta legitimate.

It works this way: You list your RV for sale and shortly thereafter, you hear from someone who calls himself Nathan Seer. Nathan says he has a customer already lined up for your rig, in fact, you'll soon have a cashier's check for more than the amount of your asking price. What's that extra amount? That's for expenses like shipping that may come up after the sale.

You know the rest: Simply send Seer the excess above your asking price, and, hey presto! You've sold your RV. What makes the deal seem legit is the logo on the check: It's the logo of RV Care Network, a truly legitimate business group that networks the sale of RVs across Canada. But the logo on the check is bogus--just as the check itself is bogus. The seller cashes the check, sends Seer his "expenses" amount, and a few days down the line, the bank calls back, "Sorry the cashier's check is no good--pay up."

So far at least two Canadians have "bit" on the scam, and are "out" an average of over $9,000.

If you're selling your rig and you get an offer like this, call your local police, advises the now newspaper.

photo: d70focus on flickr.com

Latest Border Blunder? US Bars Loonies Entry to Country

US Customs officials may have prevented thousands of loonies traveling with RVers from entering the US this week.

No, the G-men aren't worried about an influx of mental patients, the loonies in question were Canadian dollars, commonly dubbed "loonies" for the image of the bird that appears on the coin. In actuality, two Canadian couples, each in a motorhome, attempted to make the crossing into the US en route to Mexico. For whatever reason, US officials inquired about how much cash the RVers were carrying, and reports indicate the failed to 'fess up to carrying more than $10,000 in currency.

While it's not illegal to carry that amount of money in or out of the US, federal law requires it be declared. In this case, more than $10,000 in Canadian, US, and Mexican funds were found stashed throughout the motorhomes. According to the Port Huron Times Herald, the RVers new they were obligated to report the cash, yet did not. They were allowed to continue on with a convoy of other RVers, after the cash was put under arrest. For "humanitarian reasons," the border guards allowed an undisclosed amount of cash to continue on with the travelers. As for the rest, the owners will be able to reclaim it--after they jump through hoops, including proving where the money came from.