Are you ready to start your own business?

A business on the RV road is a viable option for RVers. Daily Internet access is possible for Web-based businesses. Or you can sell products, services or ads as you travel. Depending on how much you need or want to make, take a look at yourself first. Are you ready, willing and able to operate a small business on the road?

The first step is self-assesment: do you have what it takes? Many people think about the tax deductions, but you have to have income in order to deduct anything! Take a few minutes to look at the Small Business Administration's "Small Business Readiness Assessment Tool." It asks some hard questions about what is involved. Fortunately, if you can't answer yes to key questions, SBA has a number of online courses to help. Also, many community colleges have an SBA office where you can get help or take courses.

Ideally, start your business as a sideline before beginning your travel so it is producing income from the start. However, if you are not counting on making a living from it right away, anytime is a good time to start a business on the RV road. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

See the chapter on running your own business on the road in Jaimie's 2nd edition of Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, see RVBookstore.com

RV writer teaches mystery writing workshop

Sue Henry, mystery writer, will be teaching a mystery writing workshop aboard the Schooner Zodiac in the San Juan Islands August 11-13. She first came to attention with her book Murder on the Iditarod Trail . Her second mystery series features Alaskan senior citizen, Maxie McNabb, who travels in a Winnebago motor home with her mini-dachshund, Stretch, to places used as settings for mysteries. This reasonably-priced workshop and cruise is an opportunity to learn the tricks of mystery writing if you aspire to publish one. I wish George and I could be there but we are flying out of Phoenix just a couple of days after the workshop and already have our tickets.

I recommend Sue Henry's RV series. They are fun reads. Three of the Maxie and Stretch mysteries (The Serpents Tail, The Tooth of Time, and The Refuge) have been published and a fourth (The End of the Road) will be released in the spring of 2009.

See Schooner Zodiac site for more information. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

For information on Jaimie's 2nd edition of Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, see RVBookstore.com

Bike to work day an ordinary day for Workampers

May 15 was Bike to Work day. In the San Francisco Bay area it was a record-breaking success.

For most RVers who work on the road, it was an ordinary day. They live at their place or employment or close so walk or bike every day to work.

This is one of the great features of the Workamping lifestyle. You often get a free or reduced -cost RV site that is close to where you work. You save an enormous amount of money since you don't have to commute using your gas- or diesel-powered vehicle. Are we lucky or what? Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

For many ideas for working within biking distance from your job, see the 2nd edition of Jaimie Hall's Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, available at RVBookstore.com.

Can you make a living selling on eBay?

Candidate John McCain made the statement that "1.3 million people are making a living off eBay. Most of those are in the United States of America." How true is that?

Slate columnist and Newsweek business columnist Daniel Gross asks and answers that question in one of his columns. This figure comes from a 2006 study, he says, which showed that 1.3 million people use eBay as their primary or secondary source of income. He concludes that the numbers actually making a living are indeed smaller when you consider how many power sellers there are, what it takes to achieve those levels and look more closely at the date.

Some RVers do make money on eBay. What has worked better for RVers is to make an arrangement with an antique store dealer or a dealer who has items that would sell on eBay and manage their auctions for them. That way you aren't hauling a lot of inventory as you travel or having to haunt yard sales and auctions for inventory.

Nancy used to find old books in the library give-away boxes or on the shelves where they sold books for a dollar or so. She then would sell them on eBay and made enough to pay for their satellite Internet service. She recently told me that libraries have gotten wise and now sell these more valuable books themselves; they are harder and harder to find.

eBay is a viable way for RVers to make some extra money. Can you make a good living off it? Read the article and decide. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

For information on Jaimie's 2nd edition of Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, see RVBookstore.com

Flagstaff, AZ

We stopped in Flagstaff overnight to stock up at the health food store, UPS a package and get a few other things. At Staples they are advertising for seasonal and temporary help. There is a job section at the Staples Web site but in this case you must first complete an in-store application. They have positions in four areas: electronics, cashier, copy center, general merchandiser.

Flagstaff is around 7000 feet in elevation so remains relatively cool. Tall Ponderosa pine and acres of national forest surround and there is much to explore. For workers on the RV road who want to keep their mileage down between summer and winter positions, a position in the mountains of Arizona is only a couple of hours from the desert. And, if you're needing a new computer or other electronics, employees do get a discount!

For many ideas for working outside RV parks and campgrounds, see the 2nd edition of Jaimie Hall's Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, available at RVBookstore.com

Work at the Grand Canyon

We spent almost two days at the south rim of the Grand Canyon. One of the most highly visited parks in the system, last year the Grand Canyon had 4.4 million visitors. At times we felt like there were a good chunk of them right there with us! I much prefer the north rim, but the views and amenities are entirely different. And there are more employment opportunities for workers on the RV road.

• Seasonal worker for the National Park Service. Pictured are the fee collection booths, an entry level job.


• Xanterra is the concessionaire for the south rim which means they run the hotels, gift shops and restaurants plus mule rides and bus tours within the park. Drivers of the shuttle buses earn more than $20/hour!


• The Grand Canyon Association runs the nonprofit bookstores in the park at several locations.

Just south of the south entrance of the park is a tourist area. Businesses include an RV park, restaurants, motels, gift shops and tours. One worker on the RV road who is a friend flew helicopters for one of the authorized companies while his wife led horseback rides.

The north rim has similar opportunites but on a smaller scale.

The south rim has a fairly good size grocery store plus clinic and some other supplies. The north rim is located further away from shopping with only limited supplies available in the park. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Note: Blogger is having problems with uploading photos so will add them when the problem is corrected.

For information on Jaimie's 2nd edition of Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, see RVBookstore.com

Are you getting nervous?

If you have been looking for a position for the summer but still haven't found one, don't despair. There are still plenty of positions to be had. In addition, employers often end up with last minute openings. Someone who had said they were coming doesn't show for one reason or another. Occasionally a solo or couple working on the RV road gets to a location, tries it out and then decides it's not for them.

These openings can occur all season long. For larger employers like concessionaires at national parks, for example, the turnover is pretty constant. There are openings most of the season. You may need to start in an job that isn't your first choice, but there's a good chance you can transfer as other positions open up.

How do you find these openings?

• The daily Hotline sent out by Workamper is an excellent source of last-minute job openings. Subscribe to Workamper News at Workamper.com. Check the print magazine too.


• Keep in touch with employers you have already applied to. Send an e-mail or give them a call shortly after the starting date and let them know you are interested and available if something opens up.


• Contact larger employers who are more likely to have openings. You can find out the name of the concessionaire for a national park or national forest by calling the local park or forest. Amusement parks are another possibility.


• Any popular tourist or resort area will also have employee turnover.


• You might find an opening on Craigslist, one of the free employment newspapers in larger towns, or through classifieds online or in local papers.

So, don't give up. If you are new to Workamping and can afford it, consider volunteering at a state park for a month or two to get some experience. In the meantime, keep sending out resumes and following up. Something will come through. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

For information on Jaiie's 2nd edition of Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, see RVBookstore.com

Volunteer astronomers

We have been visiting several national parks in the Four Corners area. Our latest stop was Chaco Canyon. I heard through a subscriber to my newsletter that frends of hers were volunteering at Chaco and were in the campground as hosts. On the way out we stopped to meet them.

Chaco Culture National Historical Park holds the ruins of several large pueblos that was the center of the Anasazi (ancestral Puebloans) culture for about 300 years. Unlike most Anasazi ruins, these are on the valley floor rather than high in alcoves on the canyon walls. There is evidence the people had markers for the solstices.

There are actually three campground host couples. They each work three days then are off for six. Jim and Jan on their "days off" also volunteer for the park archaeologist and had just gotten back from a site survey. Some days they might work in the visitor center.

The main draw for Jim and for one of the other couples was to assist with the night sky program that Chaco does three nights a week. After a talk on how the Chacoans used astronomy, they offer viewing on the park telescope and also on telescopes that the volunteer astronomers bring and set up. Unfortunately the day of our visit it was cloudy and rainy. There would be no viewing of the night sky.

Both couples we talked to were there for two months, then moving on to other assignments. For amateur astronomers, Chaco Canyon would be an excellent place to be. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

For information on Jaimie's 2nd edition of Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, see RVBookstore.com

Petrified Forest NP volunteers

When we came to the end of the drive through Petrified Forest National Park, located in eastern Arizona off I-40, we stopped at the visitor center just past the check point where the rangers make sure you haven't taken any samples of petrified wood out of the park. I wanted to find out what bird it was that we saw at the Crystal Forest. It had looked like a horned lark but wasn't as yellow as others I have seen. It turns out they are more of a buff color in this area so they better blend in with the terrain.

I then heard my name. Two NPS volunteers were standing there -Bob and Linda Klyne. As soon as I saw them I knew I had met them there before. I was right - at the 2007 Gypsy Journal Ralley. They are volunteering here for two months.

This is their second year at Petrified Forest NP. Last year Bob was able to give programs, which he loves to do. This year both he and Linda work in the visitor center and also spend part of the day roving to various points in the park. They are able to answer questions that visitors have and share information about the park. They both enjoy getting out in the park and interacting with visitors. In addtion to Bob and Linda there were two other couples and two solo volunteers staying in the their RVs that I didn't get to meet. The other couples are also working in the visitor center and roving. One of the solo volunteers is doing programs, since he did them as a seasonal last winter, and the other is doing back office support. Petrified Forest NP has signs at each visitor center letting RVers know that their help would be welcome.

Bob and Linda will be leaving Petrified Forest soon to return to Umpqua Lighthouse State Park near Winchester Bay, Oregon for a second season. They'll be volunteering there two months also. The lighthouse has a gift shop and a volunteer leads tours up to the top of the tower.

Their favorite volunteer gig was at the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, TX. They stayed for three months, they enjoyed it so much.

Bob and Linda like short volunteer assignments. And while many national parks would prefer you to be there for the whole season, some are eager to get whatever time you can give. Shorter commitments give them time to visit family in northern California as they go between assignments. They have found if they let agencies know what they can provide and for how long, it is welcomed even if they don't stay for an entire season.

This is a good lesson for other workers on the RV road, whether working or volunteering. You may find an employer that will be ok with a shorter season or altering conditions to suit you - if you ask. Jaimie Hall-Bruzenak

For more ideas for volunteering on the road, see Jaimie's 2nd edition of Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, see RVBookstore.com

Holbrook, AZ not a Workamper destination

We spent last night in Holbrook right along I-40 in eastern AZ. The history here is fascinating- this was a rough and tumble wild west town with killings, rustling and range wars. It is near the southern entrance to Petrified Forest National Park. Rock shops with huge plastic and fiberglass dinosaurs plus old Route 66 businesses predominate. A Safeway, Alco and Dollar Store are about it for necessities along with tourist services like fast food, two campgrounds and several motels.

We are staying at the OK RV Park. He hires a local or two since the park is open all year round. This year he has some year-round RVers staying here who are working on a propane pipeline and others working on a power plant. They aren't what we think of as "Workampers."

The other RV park in town is a KOA. I stayed there with my grandkids a few years ago. I don't remember any extra people working there either.

This area would probably not be one to target for working on the RV road. The McDonalds had eight or ten employees on duty last night and no customers when we walked in. A few trickled in later. Besides lack of businesses, "real" shopping would be a couple of hours away in Flagstaff. Actually I did read of a couple volunteering at Petrified Forest National Park but that's about it. I wonder if they realized how far away shopping is when they accepted the position.

Though you won't likely find an advertisement for a Holbrook-area business in Workamper News, it pays to research any job and find out what is near them. You can ask during an interview, but also, by using Google and business Web sites you can find out how far it is to the nearest Wal-Mart or shopping mall. The Visitor Center here in Holbrook could tell you how far it is to the nearest medical clinic or hospital and where people shop. Forums can also give you feedback on what an area is like. Some people like remote but with today's high fuel prices, driving two hours or so each way for shopping might not be appealing.

It's fun to visit a place like this- see the dinosaurs and old Route 66 icons like the Wigwam Motel. I wouldn't want to work here though. Jaimie Hall-Bruzenak

For information on Jaimie's 2nd edition of Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, see RVBookstore.com

Dealing with gaps or breaks on your resume

Do employers notice gaps in employment history? If you haven't worked or volunteered each year should you explain why or not mention it?

For some employers who hire Workampers it raises a red flag. They wonder if you were fired or let go and that's why it isn't mentioned. Others figure you didn't work that year.

My late husband and I worked for six months, usually April to October, and took off the rest of the year. In our cover letter we would include the statement that we work six months and then travel and visit family the rest of the year.

According to the authors of Amazing Resumes: What Employers Want to See and How to Say It, 50 percent of employers do notice gaps. While only one reason for gaps - full-time academic study - was seen as a positive, recruiters saw the applicant as more honest than average if they explained the gap. They saw applicants as less honest than average if they noticed the gap but the person did not explain.

Workers on the RV road have a very fluid lifestyle. Unless you need to earn all or most of your income by working there probably will be gaps. It's best to explain them but don't lie; that's grounds for dismissal. Jaimie Hall-Bruzenak

For a sample resume and advice on preparing one, see Jaimie's 2nd edition of Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, see RVBookstore.com

Motorcycle Industry Job Fair

MotorcycleIndustryJobs.com is hosting its 4th annual online Moto Job Fair. All sorts of jobs relating to motorcycles as well as ATVs, personal watercraft and even some others will be listed. Jobs include all aspects of the industry including sales, service, office, and technician jobs. You can post a resume at the site.

The job fair runs from May 5 through May 20. I did go to the Web site and searched for "seasonal" and got back two results. One is a sales position, the other for a motorcycle mechanic.

If you have interest or skills in this area, MotorcycleIndustryJobs.com is a good resource. If you are looking for temporary or seasonal work, don't wait for an ad. Use the Web site to locate a business in the area where you want to travel and then approach them about a short-term position. Businesses located in a tourist area are most likely to consider temporary help. Jaimie Hall-Bruzenak

For information on Jaimie's 2nd edition of Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, see RVBookstore.com