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The RV Kitchen
Recipes, tips and techniques to help you prepare healthy meals within the confines of a small space.
RVs in the News
"Concentrated RV news." Practical, useful, and breaking news on RV issues.
Motorhomes on Fire: See videos of motorhomes burning -- reminders to keep your RV in good repair to avoid having yours burn, too.
RVing Quartzsite, Arizona
Keep up-to-date with what's happening in the winter snowbird capital.
Weird RVs
If it's an RV and it's weird, wacky or oddly wonderful, you'll find it here.
RVing Florida
If you travel in Florida with an RV, check in here.
Truck Camper news
News, information and advice for owners of truck campers.
Chuck Woodbury's Roadside Journal
Sometimes serious, sometimes silly, Chuck Woodbury has developed a
unique style and what the Washington Post once called a "cult
following."
RVing Alaska
Keep up with the latest news of interest about RVing in the Last Frontier.
RV Wheel Life
Veteran RV reporter Julianne Crane keeps you up-to-date with news and
information about RVing, RVers and the RV lifestyle. Always
entertaining!
RV Tech Tips with Mark Polk
A veteran RV technician, gives useful tips and advice.
FREE SHIPPING on RV Books and DVDs
Order $49 or more & choose to pay absolutely no postage or handling fees (USA addresses only) at RVbookstore.com. Nearly ALL orders ship same day. Our motto is "You need it so we speed it." RVbookstore.com. Why We Need English Teachers CLICK HERE ARTICLES YOU MIGHT ENJOY
Issue 414 of RV Travel Learn about RV camping, RV travel, RV news and much more. This newsletter is funded through sales at RVbookstore.com, the World's Largest RV Bookstore specializing in books and DVDs about RVs and the RV lifestyle.
JUST RELEASED FOR 2010
2010 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. Our price only $36.96. Learn more or order
To ensure you continue to receive email alerts for this newsletter, please add rvtraveler@topica.email-publisher.com to your address book so you'll be sure to receive every issue. Spam filters may place future editions of the newsletter in your delete file unless it is a recognized address. AOL users, you have to permit mail or your newsletter will be placed in bulk sender or unknown sender list. Editor's corner By Chuck Woodbury Hello again! Go back 100 years. Just imagine: there were no RVs and only a few primitive cars with few roads to travel. There was no television and only the very beginnings of movies. Hardly anybody owned a camera, and the handful who did shot in black and white. There was no Travel Channel or fancy travel magazines.
So wherever you lived, the rest of the world was an unknown, mysterious place.
Then, right around the turn of the 20th century, postcards appeared. They became popular after they were distributed at Chicago's Columbia Exposition in 1893. In 1908, 677 million were mailed.
The first postcards were in black and white. Then hand-coloring was added. Imagine what it was like to receive a postcard 100 years ago, when there were very few ways to see faraway places. I bet those cards were treated as treasures.
I bring this up because I found a box of old postcards the other day. I especially like the colorized ones from the '40s and '50s.
Now fast forward 100 years. Nobody needs postcards anymore. We email digital photos from our laptops or send them via text messages. We've seen every corner of the world in living color on TV and websites, in movies, on YouTube and in newspapers and magazines. Our neighbors return home with blow-by-blow videos of where they traveled.
I quit sending postcards years ago. I made an exception last summer in Germany when I mailed one to my daughter. By the time she received it a week later I had emailed her dozens of digital photos and video chatted with her live on Skype. I felt no need to send her a card saying "Having a good time. Wish you were here."
VOLUNTARY SUBSCRIPTION: If you enjoy this newsletter, please consider making a voluntary subscription pledge, no matter how small. Your support will help us improve, and will be much appreciated. Learn more or donate. Do you get an email alert every Saturday morning notifying you of a new issue of this newsletter? If not, sign up here. It takes about 10 seconds.
Our RVtravel.com & RVbookstore.com Pot of Gold Contest continues on Monday. The cash prize is now $101. Each weekday we randomly select a Zip Code. If you live there and are the first to tell us, you win the money which increases every day there's no winner. To participate, click here Monday through Friday (bookmark this page.)
LAST WEEK'S ZIP CODES:
27050, 47432, 00716, 24938 and 47125. If your official residence is in any of these Zip Codes, you probably would have won between $96 and $100 if you had checked the contest webpage on the day your Zip Code was published.
RV maker back from "the dead" When
Bigfoot Industries of Canada shut its doors, it was a sad day for many
truck camper fans. The company's RVs were considered by many to be
among the best made and durable campers on the market. Earlier this
week, the company announced that it now has new active ownership and
will soon provide parts, service and new products to the North American
market. Read more.
Wal-Mart Atlas & FREE
Bonus
"No Overnight RV Parking" Directory Order the popular Wal-Mart Atlas and receive the "No Overnight Parking" Directory for FREE -- only $21.95 for both. Retail cover price purchased separately $29.90! Most Wal-Marts permit a free overnight stay in RVs. The 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 the book
provides store GPS coordinates. The "No Park" Directory lists more than 350 stores that DO NOT allow stays! Learn more or order. You have got to see this: Is this guy a gadget nut or what? "Green" RVing promoter Brian Brawdy shows off his rolling office and home -- a truck camper pulling a travel trailer. Brawdy describes his latest project, the SRMR (Self Reliant Mobile Residence). Learn about how he created his solar-and wind-powered home on wheels, and hear him answer the question "Could you live independently in this (self-contained RV setup) indefinitely?" Watch the three-minute video.
A way to keep state parks open, not closed
When Arizona closed many of its state parks recently, its residents and
visitors lost some great resources, not to mention great places to
visit. Here's a reader's letter from the Yuma, Ariz., newspaper about one way the city of Yuma could help the state and itself at the same time.
Get your FREE guide to Alaska
No doubt about it, many RVers yearn to travel to Alaska. If that's you,
then send for the new, free North to Alaska Guide
from Alaska Tourism. Order a printed guide to be delivered to your
doorstep or view the online guide immediately so you can start planning
your trip today! Click here.
More about copper tubing gas lines
In an earlier post we wrote on the subject of flare fittings on copper gas lines. An alert reader responded to our post, concerned that RVers should be aware that only certain types of copper tubing are safe for use in RVs. While our intent was not to dig into the matter of running new lines, the point is well taken. Here's the nitty gritty.
An excellent way to get your RV windows fixed In Quartzsite, Ariz., RVers Randy and Pam Warner bumped into Bob Tiffin, the owner of the company that built their motorhome. They mentioned they had a problem with their windows fogging up, but, alas, the rig was out of warranty. Bob said he would extend their warranty to cover the fix. "Some of those windows cost $350 each plus $85/hour labor," the Warners wrote in their blog. Now, that's the definition of "Happy Campers." Photo: Tiffin (middle) with the Warners. Cops catch crook copping RV electronics
Thieves across the country have been making off with the electronics in RVs on dealer lots. It's become a huge problem. Last week, Michigan police got a break when they caught a crook right in the middle of his caper. Read more. Two great RV Directories. Special Deal! Get the 2010 Next Exit
& 2010 RVers Friend & Save!
Here are two best selling annual directories -- the 2010 Next Exit, which tells what businesses and services are along every Interstate exit -- and the 2010 RVers Friend, which lists services for RVers at Truck Stops including those that allow RVers to spend a night in their parking lots. Save $3.00 over purchasing separately. Learn more or order both for only $26.90.DID YOU MISS
LAST WEEK'S ISSUE? If so, read it here. New edition for 2010
Camping with the Corps of Engineers The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages more than 12 million acres of land and water. Corps Camping
describes more than 600 Corps-managed campgrounds on nearly 200 lakes
around the country. Corps campgrounds are wonderful and very popular
with RVers.Learn more or order.
READ BACK ISSUES OF THIS NEWSLETTER: Click here.
Get the latest RV news headlines at Twitter.NEW ARRIVALS
at RVbookstore.com Check 'em out. Good stuff. DID YOU KNOW?
In a recent RVtravel.com survey of women RVers, 58 percent said they feel safe on the road "almost all of the time." Another 37 percent said they feel safe "most of the time." Less than five percent reported they were very concerned about their safety. RV Classified Ads
If you're looking to buy an RV, new or used, please check out the new RVtravel.com RV classified section. There are literally thousands of RVs of every size, price and model available. Search by location, price, brand or model RV, new or used to find your perfect rig!
Idaho bucks trend: Keeps parks open While Arizona state government is closing state parks to deal with its budget crisis, Idaho is taking another tack: Cut down on administration and keep the gates open. Read more.
Portable heater doubles as a stove When a heater or stove fails, life on a boat, in an RV, or at home when a winter storm knocks out your power, can get mighty uncomfortable. The HeatMate 5200 Portable Alcohol Heater from Contoure International provides a safe source of warmth that doubles as a stove. Read more.
Educational conference for RVers coming to Kentucky The RV Lifestyle, Education and Safety Conference will take place June 3-6 in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Many RV experts will teach classes. The format will be similar to the Life On Wheels Conferences, which ended recently after the death of founder and guiding light Gaylord Maxwell. More.
Another recent model motorhome goes up in flames The Ventura, California Fire Department jumps on an RV fire along U.S. 101. The RVing couple and their dog escaped without harm. Here again, we see a relatively new motorhome burning up. It's not only the old junkers that go up in flames. Watch the 43-second video.
Towing a Honda Fit behind your RV? Recall announced
Honda Motor Co., has announced a voluntary global recall of 646,000 Fit models, its globally popular sub-compact, to examine window switches that can melt or catch fire when exposed to an extreme amount of liquid. More. Newest eBooks at RVbookstore.com Order now and read within a few minutes
"What you need to know in as few words as possible."
Early bird discounts for Wyoming State Park annual daily use and camping permits are available through Feb. 15. Annual daily use permits bought by Feb. 15 will save Wyoming residents $6 and out-of-staters $7. Great Smoky Mountains National Park has a problem: Wild hogs. In 2009, the park's hog control team removed 620 of the animals, the third highest since the program began in the 1950s. The non-native animals are causing havoc for other creatures and plant life.
Keystone RV is manufacturing RVs with two bathrooms.
The cost of crossing most San Francisco Bay area bridges has gone up from $5 to $6 per two-axle vehicle. Trucks and RVs will pay more at $5 per axle. Fees are less at non-commute hours. The Golden Gate Bridge is not affected.
Seen him in the RV park? Murder suspect Phillip Ed Harrison is still on the run, likely in an older motorhome. His wife may be in a silver Infinity automobile. Possible locations: Louisiana, Arizona or Oregon. Got info? Call Officer Stone of the Hobbs, NM police at 575-397-9200.
Good news for Elkhart, Indiana, the RV making capital of America: Wholesale shipments of RVs in December, 2009 were up 150 percent compared to December, 2008.
The owner of Common Acres Campground in Hyde Park, Vt., is headed to prison for growing marijuana on the property and laundering money.
It may be a banner year for wildflowers in Death Valley National Park,
where rainfall has been way up over normal. Wildflowers usually bloom
from late March to early April, but could start in February this year. RV spaces are still available right near the beach on the south shore of English Bay in Vancouver, B.C. for the Winter Olympic Games.
A proposed Manhattan Project National Park has stirred debate about where it should be located. Watch a video to learn more.
The recall of eight Toyota cars including the Camry and Corolla, is apparently for good reason. USA Today reports a Massachusetts-based safety research firm found 2,274 incidents of sudden, unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles causing 275 crashes and at least 18 fatalities since 1999. More.
A Montana woman who gained fame for living with chimpanzees is moving ahead on a private RV resort and golf course near Red Lodge. The resort she envisions will have 522 lots that sell for $350,000 each.
Traffic is restricted to one lane on a mountainside stretch of U.S. 441 between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Tenn., because of rock slide danger. It's the most heavily used road to Great Smoky Mountain National Park from Interstate 40. Engineers are working on a fix.
The auction of luxury motorcoaches owned by bankrupt Country Coach Holdings LLC will be webcast live Feb. 4 and 5. Sign up to watch at hilcoind.com.
The King Silver RV Park and Marina in Waldport, Ore., has been fined $108,324 by the state for operating an ineffective sewage treatment system that discharged sewage into the ground. The park owner is reported to be upgrading the system to avoid future problems.
RVers Guide to Truck Stops The 2010 RVers Friend directory lists RV services at truck stops free "camping," dumps, Internet, propane, repair services & more. Truck stops offer more to RVers than ever. Let this best selling book be your guide. Learn more or order.
Lost? No problem -- Spot can help
When you're out of cell phone reach, Spot, a personal satellite messaging and emergency communications GPS unit weighing only 5.2 ounces, lets your friends and family view your exact location in real time on Google Maps. In an emergency, Spot will send a 911 signal for immediate help. And that's not all it does. Learn more.
Hard water can damage RV plumbing
Don't mess around with hard water: it can damage your RV plumbing
system. In just a few months Russ and Tina De Maris helped out with a
number of RV plumbing failures in the Southwest, all related to hard
water. The stuff leaves deposits inside pipes and can even eat through
fittings. Get a tip about how you can avoid hard water and its consequences. RV Cooking Show goes "green," with healthy eating Evanne Schmarder of the "RV Cooking Show" web video series has resolved to eating healthier with more attention to cooking eco-friendly. In this episode of her show, she offers a few tips about how you can do the same.
RV TOURS
Chosen by Discriminating RVers since 1975 Drive the Alcan to America's Last Frontier, envision yourself on Nova Scotia's miles of coastal drives. Cross the border to sunny Mexico. Celebrate Mardi Gras. Experience Grand Canyon, Glacier National Park, Pacific NW, Great NW, Great Lakes, Old South, Oregon, California, Rose Parade, Branson, Calgary, Gaspe, S. Africa, New Zealand/Australia, Russia, Turkey. All arrangements, including RV parks by TRACKS RV TOURS! **FREE Catalog** Tracks RV Tours.com, 800-351-6053.
Get ready to laugh Homer Simpson
buys an RV We first told you about this short video a couple of years ago. But it's worth another look. Poor Homer, his RV buying experience doesn't go as he planned. And the RV salesman -- have you met this guy? If not, you haven't shopped much for an RV. This is very, very funny -- an excellent way to spend three minutes.
Books & DVDs about Full-time RVing Largest selection in the World. By Jim Twamley Professor of RVing Sliding RV trays help organize the RV galley Jim introduces you to a couple adding sliding drawers to their RV galley. The modification makes it easier to retrieve items from not only the front of a drawer, but the back as well. Read more.
Thermos UltraCold Soft Cooler Reg. $29.99. On sale for $6.95
Ever finish off all your food and drinks in your cooler, then end up with the cooler taking up storage space in your RV? This Thermos cooler is the answer. It easily expands to well over a foot tall to hold 24 cans and ice from as little as a three-inch tall bag when fully zippered shut. It stores away easily thanks to its soft case design, but will contain all your food and beverages for the day when expanded. Learn more or order. Free and cheap camping in your RV
Here are two locations submitted by the readers of FreeCampgrounds.com about places to spend a night in your RV for free or nearly free.
Big Falls County Park Near Kennen, Wisconsin Price County: 7 sites on the Jump River Gorge. You can hike and take photos; well and pit toilets. From Highway 13, take D west to Highway I, go north 10 or so miles and make a left, or follow the signs from Highway 8. Learn more here.
Ask the Doctor The RV Doctor, Gary Bunzer, answers your questions.
Dear Gary
Will extreme cold (below 5-degrees F.) affect an RV refrigerator? I use my RV all year round and one weekend it was really cold and the refrigerator was not working on 120-volt electricity or LP. --Matt, Calgary, AB, Canada Read Gary's answer.
Dear Gary, My question is about valve extenders for dual rear tires. I know I have to switch to stainless stems but, what type of extender? I've heard pros and cons for woven and solid. I am stumped. What do you recommend? I've also heard that if you use extenders, you are just adding more places for leaks due to abrasion. --Nancy, San Francisco Read Gary's response.
To the right: Gary answers a question about cleaning a motorhome's fiberglass roof (excerpted from a recent live webcast). Length: Approximately one minute.
Sign up to receive Gary's free email newsletter. You'll receive great tech tips once a month. Your privacy is assured -- never any spam, just the informative newsletter. Gary's website The RV Doctor offers a wealth of information.
2010 Big Rigs Best Bets
Campground Directory Do you drive an RV or RV/car combo over 30 feet? Then this directory is for you. Learn where you can stay where you'll fit in comfort, and not like a sardine. The authors have personally visited every park in this comprehensive directory. Learn more or order.
News from Quartzsite, Ariz., the Southwest Boondocking Capital The lines of Quartzsite
With crowds of tens of thousands of winter visitors at a time, Quartzsite can be about as jammed with people and traffic as a big city. The worst lines, locals seem to agree, are at the post office. But the line at the dump station ain't always pretty, either: only one dump station serves four popular Long Term Visit Areas. Read more and see a pic of the dump station line (you do not want to be in this).
DVDs from Mark Polk Everything you need to know
about using & maintaining your RV The
best way to learn how to use and maintain your RV is to have someone
show you how. RV Education 101's Mark Polk is just that person. His
many DVDs have helped tens of thousands of RVers learn how to use their
RVs and keep them in shape. See a long list of his DVDs, books and
eBooks at RVbookstore.com.
In California: You can be arrested for shooting animals from a moving vehicle unless that animal is a whale.
More next week. . .
JUST PUBLISHED. 2010 Guide To The Firearm Laws of the 50 States RVers who travel with a firearm may not know that what's legal in their home state may be a felony in another. This 2010 guide explains current, specific gun laws for every state. Don't cross a state line with a gun without knowing the laws! Only $13.95. Learn more or order.
Fire Safety Tip from Mac McCoy Even if the flame on your galley stove goes out, gas continues to flow and could result in an explosion. A stove should never be left unattended or used to heat your coach. Open propane flames release high levels of carbon monoxide.
Big Rigs Best Bets
RV Park of the Week An outstanding park for RVs 30 feet and longer. Sandy Gulf of Mexico beaches are a short drive from the Emerald Coast RV Beach Resort in Panama City Beach, Florida. Or, if you prefer, a large heated pool/spa and patio is footsteps from your rig, parked on a paved landscaped site. The nearby "Miracle Strip" boasts beach amusements, entertainment parks, shops and restaurants. Anglers can take a fishing charter while golfers play nearby Signal Hill. Wi-Fi service available. Learn more about 1,150 campgrounds and RV parks for large RVs in the Big Rigs Best Bets Campground Directory.
Bella Terra RV Resort A Lifestyle You Can Call Home Bella Terra of Gulf Shores, the # 1 rated Class A RV resort in the Southeast is the perfect Oasis to enjoy Fall, Winter and Spring. Call NOW and ask about our SNOWBIRD SPECIALS (certain restrictions apply). Also inquire about special pricing incentives on the few remaining Phase I lots! Be sure to mention promo code RV Travel. Call (866) 475-7746 or visit us at BellaTerraRVresort.com.
Boondocking Tip By Bob Difley Even after you settle into a nice U.S. Forest Service developed campsite, check out the surrounding area. You just may find a dispersed campsite that you like better. Bob Difley is the author of the eBook Boondocking: Finding the Perfect Campsite on America's Public Lands ($9.95) and the editor of the RVtravel.com Boondocking Blog.
FMCA: The best club
for motorhome owners If you drive a motorhome you should join the Family Motor Coach Association, the largest and best club exclusively for motorhome owners. Many benefits including rallies, local chapters and the thick monthly magazine Family Motorcoaching. Special new member price of $35. Click here to learn more or join.
Museum of the week Barney Smith's Toilet Seat Art Museum
In his museum, ex-plumber Barney Smith displays more than 800 toilet seats. He calls them "toilet seat art." The decorated seats cover the walls and hang from the ceilings -- sort of like some saloons display huge baseball cap collections. Each seat is numbered and catalogued with information about who donated it. They have arrived from around the world, too -- not just from local folks. The funky museum is located in Barney's garage at 239 Abiso Ave., San Antonio, Texas. Call first to make sure it's open, 210-824-7791. Admission is free. DVD:
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.Learn more order. Check out these RV Travel Forum discussions RV insurance I'm thinking of switching my insurance to Good Sam if the price is right, but I have heard some unsettling talk about Good Sam's financial stability. I would welcome any information, especially related to claims service.
E450 engine in Tioga slow to accelerate We just got a 2000 29z Tioga which has the E450 engine in it. Our older RV, a 1989 El Dorado 20 feet long, has a smaller engine. I think it's a 350 and is made out of a Chevy van front. We noticed that the E450 was very slow to accelerate compared to the Chevy 350 and when you press on the gas pedal, it feels loose. Is this normal or am I just not used to a E450? Has anyone else noticed this?
Border crossing It seems that lately a lot of RVers are having problems crossing the border into the U.S. They are being searched, both rig and self, and fingerprinted and some are being turned back. Does anyone have any ideas on why this is happening all of a sudden? What documentation besides your passport will make this smooth and easier? It is my understanding from some of these people that the border guards are concerned that since you have everything you own with you that you're not coming back to Canada. Why would they think that?
Pleasureway wandering Anybody have any problems with their Pleasureway (or any other B Class, I guess) pulling to either side when on the road? On braking, it pulls strongly to the left. Had the brakes checked. They're OK. Alignment done in May this year. Could it be the tires? Pressure? Tried everything.
What are you driving? I am still researching, reading, and looking at Class A (gas and diesel) and Class C motorhomes. I have almost decided on a Class A diesel, but still not sure. I was wondering what all of you ladies are driving (A, B or C; gas or diesel; length, etc)? 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! Learn more or order.
Now fast forward 100 years. Nobody needs postcards anymore. We email digital photos from our laptops or send them via text messages. We've seen every corner of the world in living color on TV and websites, in movies, on YouTube and in newspapers and magazines. Our neighbors return home with blow-by-blow videos of where they traveled.
In Quartzsite, Ariz., RVers Randy and Pam Warner bumped into Bob Tiffin, the owner of the company that built their motorhome. They mentioned they had a problem with their windows fogging up, but, alas, the rig was out of warranty. Bob said he would extend their warranty to cover the fix. "Some of those windows cost $350 each plus $85/hour labor," the Warners wrote in 
Boondocking Tip
FMCA:
