RVers Can Rent Boats, ATVs, and More at Destination

Henry David Thoreau warned: "Beware of ventures requiring new clothes." As RVers, most of us have the clothes we need at any stop. But imagine arriving at your destination and finding warm weather, and beautiful lake, and no way to explore it. Instead of buying new equipment, here's a way you might be able to rent it--at a reduced cost.

Rich Hall spent eight years in the RV rental business, helping folks learn about the joys of the RV lifestyle without having to plunk down a large amount of cash to buy a rig. Now Rich has a new wrinkle: A web site where folks with RVs, motorcyles, boats, ATVs and other "recreational equipment" can offer to rent them out to folks who likewise don't want to plunk down a wad of cash to buy something they may need for only a short time. The site, rentzio.com, offers a meeting place for folks wanting to rent recreational equipment to find folks who have it to rent.

Hall's operation breaks down the US into states, and pull-down menus help would-be renters find equipment within the state, or within a given mile radius of any city. Those with equipment can provide full details of the equipment, photos, and more right on the site. Neither renter nor rental provider are charged for the servivce. We wondered how Hall could make much of a living, and he told us advertising revenues from links and banners are keeping the site going while he builds up for the future. Eventually, Hall tells us, there may be a "flat rate" fee charged to equipment owners.

Meantime, if you're looking for an ATV to investigate the dunes near Yuma, or a ski-doo to shoot through the waters of a nearby lake, check out rentzio.com.

This May be the Year to RV Yellowstone

If the seeming "dire" predictions of the local visitor bureaus are correct, this might be the year to consider a long-delayed trip to Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding country. According to published reports, reservations are solid for July and August, but "shoulder season" books are down nearly 13%.

With fuel prices looking like they won't go into orbit anytime soon, and the flexibility of RVing, a late spring visit or early fall arrival might be just the ticket if you've never been to this quiet corner of the country.

Best California Rest Area for RVers

Most of us would rather not spend the night in a highway rest area--particularly along an interstate highway. The noise, lack of privacy, frequent dirtiness, and all the rest, make rest areas less than desirable overnight spots. But for some reason, "the first and the last" along California's Interstate 5 seems to break the mold on that thinking.

Traveling northward, the "last" rest area (or going south, the first) along I-5 is just south of Hornbrook. Officially called the Collier Rest Area, this stop is sandwiched between the interstate and the beautiful Klamath River. But what really sets this rest area apart from your typical, "get off the highway and hit the bathroom" stop is the setting. While the average rest area sits on the same level as the interstate, the Collier Rest Area sits way below the nearby interstate. As a result, the noise level from the freeway is dramatically reduced.

Adding to quiet, the rest area is nicely landscaped, and a separate parking area for RVers is set aside from everyone else. With pull throughs dedicated to recreational vehicles, you're set apart from noisy "reefer" units on semi-trucks, and the typical round-the-clock in-and-out noise of the passenger vehicle area. Roll in, set up your rig for the night, and you can actually get a good night's rest. Next morning, if you have the time, take the scenic Klamath River Highway south and follow the river and its wonderful scenery.

It's not often we really get to pass along "kudos" to state government, but this one really got it right!