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Learn What Services Truck Stops Offer RVers
The 2003 RVer's Friend directory reveals the services more than 6,500 truck stops offer RVers --types of fuel and repair service, ATMs, Internet access, and even free overnight parking. Only $11.95
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Camping World - 3,100 RV Products Online!
Camping World is the world's largest supplier of RV parts and accessories. We have online shopping, mail order catalogs and 30 retail locations nationwide. Sign up for your free catalog subscription today!
2003 Woodall's RV Buying Guide
More than 400 new model RVs profiled. Learn the nuts and bolts of every unit plus see floorplans and much more. Only $6.99
Fantasy RV Tours — Worldwide Caravans!
Fantasy RV Tours is in the business of making RVer’s travel dreams come true. We now conduct caravans all over the United States, Alaska, Canada, Mexico and in exotic overseas locations. Click to learn more.
Buy or Sell Used Motorhomes or other RVs
Huge Texas consignment dealer provides a hassle-free way to buy or sell diesel pushers, motorhomes, 5th wheels or travel trailers.
Buying An RV?
You must read the new book "RV Buyers Survival Guide." Learn how much an RV dealer makes on each sale. Learn how low an offer you can make and still get the RV! Written by an RV sales manager, who reveals insider secrets. Read more.
Everything the new or aspiring RVer needs to know about RVing
Quality RV Rentals
Luxury Class C and Class A motorhome rentals in major U.S. and Canada cities. Unlimited mileage option for 14 days or more. Models are 2 years old or less in excellent condition. Finest rental units available.
Beginners Guide to RVing
Advice and information for beginning RVers and others thinking of taking up the recreational vehicle lifestyle.
Magazine is dedicated to RV travel in the West
RV Journal is the only magazine dedicated to RV travel in the American West. Each issues is packed with features and information. Subscribe here and receive free bonus issues.
KOA Kampgrounds: Get a KOA value card. Save 10% off your stay and get a free campground directory.
Exciting Jobs for RVers!
Workamper® News has helped more than 60,000 people find great jobs in great places since 1987.
Free RV Camping in the West
FreeCampgrounds.com is a directory of free RV campgrounds in the American West. These are often in small town city parks. Plus information on camping at casinos, truck stops, Wal-Mart and on U.S. public lands.
Pop Up Trailer Enthusiasts: Pop Up Times is the only magazine serving owners and would-be owners of folding camping trailers. Subscribe today for only $11.98. And check out our new "Pop Up 101" home video".
Good Sam Club: The largest RV club in America. Benefits include a superb monthly magazine, hundreds of local chapters and special interest groups, regional and national rallies, and discounts at campgrounds.
Inflatable Boats for RVers
Sea Eagle manufacturers easily storable inflatable boats perfect for RVers. When you need the boat, pump 'er up, climb aboard, and off you go.
Magazines for RVers
Get Trailer Life and Motorhome at the lowest prices. Plus, learn about other RV magazines — RV Companion, RV Journal, Pop Up Times, Gypsy Journal, RV Traveler and more.
Campground directory for owners of large motorhomes and fifth wheels
This wonderful directory lists RV parks where big rig motorhomes and towables can stay. Know ahead of time that the park where you are headed can accommodate your rig.
Dummies Guide to Buying a Used RV
Buying a used RV? Order this downloadable book. Written by a veteran RV service technician. Learn what to look for in a used RV. Read it and help avoid huge repair bills later! "Essential!
Best RV Club for Fulltimers!
Join the Escapees, the best RV club for fulltime RVers.
Half Price Camping for RVers: The Happy Camper Club offers its members half-price camping at more than 700 RV parks in the US and Canada. A one year membership is $49.95, and there are no contracts or hidden fees. Read more
Save On Camping Fees!
Don Wright's Guide to Free Campgrounds is hot off the press for 2002 — now in two editions, Western USA and Eastern USA. Includes free campsites plus those that cost $12 a night or less. Thousands of listings! Read more!
Websites about RVing
Learn about other popular websites about RVing.
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RV Traveler #44
February 2, 2003
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THIS NEWSLETTER IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
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THIS ISSUE'S EMAIL CIRCULATION: 43,023
2003 Trailer Life Campgrounds and RV Park Directory
Only $13.95. Save 50%. More than 12,000 campgrounds listed!
FROM CHUCK WOODBURY
editor, http://www.RVtraveler.com
Welcome to Issue 44 of the RV Traveler Newsletter, the inkless,
paperless newsletter that is zapped at cyber-speed to all corners
of the Earth in a matter of seconds every Sunday by a guy who
has always believed that he had ink in his veins, but now finds that
it has been replaced with bits, bytes and bauds.
A reporter asked me recently why I enjoy RVing so much. I told him
that I have always enjoyed it, and probably got hooked way back
when I was a little fellow traveling the American West in my
Davy Crockett coonskin cap with my parents in their 15-foot Field and
Stream camping trailer. That was absolutely the best little house a kid
could have.
As the reporter and I continued our discussion, I recalled an incident
from a recent RV trip that illustrated to me why I was never a
big fan of tent camping. It happened a few years ago.
My wife, daughter and I were camped in a fully-occupied RV park in
the tourist town of Leadville, Colorado. In the evening, a young couple
and their infant son showed up at the park with their tent, requesting,
then begging for a space. I overheard their pleas and offered them
the lawn area next to my motorhome. They were very appreciative.
"It's our first camping trip as a family," the father told me.
Soon the park went dark as everyone turned in for the night. In the
morning, my wife, daughter and I arose well rested. Our neighbors,
however, were not: they were cold, exhausted and upset.
"A sprinkler went off at 4 o'clock right underneath our tent," the
woman said. She told me about how the water had gradually seeped into
the tent, and how she had struggled to keep her baby warm and dry.
We invited them into our heated motorhome to warm up and dry off.
Later that day, as we drove away, I thought about the young family,
and I was glad that I was traveling in a motorhome.
RV TAX ISSUES
It's getting to be the time of year when we need to square up
with Uncle Sam. Here is a brief discussion of tax issues that
are of special concern to RVers.
RV FINANCING. GET A QUICK QUOTE
Financial Underwriters Network provides exceptional customer service
and exceptional interest rates. Get a quick online quote and caring service.
DISASTER WHEN A TIRE GOES FLAT
Here's a good reminder why we should keep our vehicle's tires in
good condition and properly inflated. See what happened to one
couple when they tried to drive their motorhome with a flat tire
across a North Carolina bridge. It isn't pretty.
First photo
And another
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TIRE LOADS
TRAILER LIFE MAGAZINE. ONE YEAR $12.97. SAVE 73%
If you only subscribe to one RV magazine, this should be it!
DUMB RV STORIES
Get ready to laugh at these really dumb stories involving RVs
and RVers:
POSTCARDS FROM AMERICA
Discover America though postcards. You will love this website.
HOME VIDEOS ABOUT RVing IN ALASKA AND CANADA
Alaska By RV, Western Canada By RV, Eastern Canada By RV:
http://www.RVbookstore.com/howens.html
RV TRAVEL FORUM GAINING STEAM
Our new RV Travel Discussion Group is now one of the largest Yahoo
RV Groups, and the 500 members are sharing a lot of great
information about RVs and RV traveling. Read the current
messages and/or leave your own.
QUARTZSITE, ARIZONA. SEE IT ON DVD!
Visit the Boondocking Capital of the West on DVD. Like being there!
NEW MEXICO WANTS OFF DEADLY HIGHWAY LIST
The 160-mile stretch of Highway 666 from Gallup to Shiprock has
among the highest fatalities per mile of any road in the state.
Twenty-one people died on the road and 144 were injured in 2000
and 2001. Now New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson wants to renovate
the road to cut fatalities and even change the highway’s number because
of the its association with Satan. It's said, though, that the
highway received the 666 because it was the sixth highway to branch
off of the famed U.S. Route 66.
SUBSCRIBE TO THESE RV MAGAZINES. Best prices:
Motorhome, Trailer Life, RV Journal, RV Companion, Gypsy Journal
and Pop Up Times: http://www.NewRVer.com/rvmags.html
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT AN RV CHASSIS
People tend to ignore what they don't understand, and your RV's
chassis is a prime example of this kind of neglect. When looking for a
new or used vehicle, our attention is easily diverted to floor plans,
amenities and the color scheme; but unfortunately, the most
telling part, the chassis, is often left to chance. Learn about it
here from someone who's seen the underside (as well as the darkside)
of more than a few motorhomes in his day.
GET A JOB AT A CALIFORNIA STATE PARK
THE ABCs OF 12-VOLT RV BATTERIES
An RV's 12-volt batteries power its lights, furnace fans, water
pumps and other RV essentials. Here's a good overview of the
batteries that help make RV living so enjoyable.
ATTENTION FORD F-150 PICKUP TRUCK OWNERS
Here's a website with a heap of information about your truck.
DIESEL PRICES UP
According to figures released by the Energy Department Jan. 27,
the national average cost of diesel fuel per gallon rose to $1.492
from an average of $1.48 the week before.
HOME VIDEOS HELP NEW RV OWNERS LEARN TO USE THEIR RIGS
RV Education 101 presents home videos on how to operate everything
on an RV. The VHS videos are very useful to anyone new to RVing.
Read more, view a Quicktime video clip, or order at:
Class A motorhome video
Class C motorhome video
Trailer/5th wheel video
Pop Up Trailer Video
BUMPER SNICKER
"Hire a teenager while they still know it all." Submitted by Larry
Lorenz. Have you seen a good one? Email it to Chuck Woodbury
at outwest@seanet.com
BE CAREFUL WHEN BUYING A CAMPING MEMBERSHIP
Many camping clubs attract potential customers by offering free gifts such
as audio or video equipment for visiting the campground and attending a
sales presentation. Most of the time these offers are perfectly legal.
But not always. Read this advice from the Washington State Attorney
General's Office about joining a membership camping organization.
Best-selling books and videos about RVing
THE NEXT EXIT 2003
Learn what stores and services are located at every Interstate exit.
THE RVers BIBLE
Superb, bestseller reference, from buying an RV to using it.
2003 RVer's FRIEND
Learn what services America's truck stops offer RVers. Best Seller!
2003 GUIDE TO REST AREAS
Plus exits for Wal-Mart, Flying J, etc. Only $9.95
HOW TO GET PAID $50,000 A YEAR TO DELIVER MOTORHOMES
SUPPORT YOUR RV LIFESTYLE:
AN INSIDER'S GUIDE TO WORKING ON THE ROAD
A superb guide about find work as your travel by RV
VIDEO: TOP 40 RV CAMPING TIPS
RV experts Joe and Vicki Kieva reveal some very clever
ideas to save RVers time, money and hassles.
DON WRIGHT'S GUIDE TO FREE CAMPGROUNDS
Don Wright's long-awaited 2002 Free Campgrounds Directory is hot off
the press, this time in two editions, Eastern USA and Western USA. Lists all
free and inexpensive campgrounds including those far off the beaten path.
YOUR HOME ON WHEELS
A wonderful book for new or aspiring full-time RVers:
THE MILEPOST
The best guidebook to driving to and in Alaska.
MOUNTAIN PASS GUIDE, WEST AND EAST EDITIONS
Ever get surprised by a steep or narrow road on a mountain pass?
Don't be surprised again. These guides tell you everything you need to
know about driving over 700 mountain passes in the USA.
BUREAU OF RECLAMATION LAKES GUIDE.
Learn what to see and do at 250 lakes in the West and Midwest.
Most of these areas have low-cost campgrounds. Only $7.95
MORE BOOKS, VIDEOS AND OTHER RV GOODIES
ROADSIDE MEMORIALS MAY BE REPLACED WITH OFFICIAL SIGNS
Small memorials placed alongside Indiana highways to commemorate
victims of accidents may soon be a thing of the past. A bill has been
introduced in the state legislature that would remove the homemade
memorials and replace them with state-constructed signs.
VISITING THE MOUSE NOW COSTS MORE
Headed to Disneyland soon? If so, prepare to dig a little deeper into
your pocketbook: the cost of entering Disneyland or its adjacent
California Adventure theme park rose last month from $45 to $47.
TROUBLESHOOTING FURNACE PROBLEMS
FLORIDA EXITS NOW MATCH MILPOST MARKERS
HALF-PRICE CAMPING AT RV PARKS
Save 50% at more than 700 RV parks:
http://www.newrver.com/happycamper.html
HOW TO BECOME A TEXAS RESIDENT
For many RVers, especially full-timers, Texas is an popular state to
establish a home base. The Escapees Club has published a free ebook
titled "How To Become A Real Texan." The information is extensive
and will prove very valuable to any RVer planning to establish
residence in the state. The book can be read with the Adobe Reader,
which most computers already have installed. But be warned: if you
are on a slow Internet connection, it could take a very long time for
this ebook to download. Download the book now.
BREAKING NEWS
BLUE BIRD PUSHING A LOWER-PRICED MOTORHOME
SAD SCENE AT RV PARK WHERE YOUNG GIRL WAS KILLED
RVers CONTINUE TO PARK ILLEGALLY IN KEY WEST
CAMPING FEES GOING UP AT BRITISH COLUMBIA PROVINCIAL PARKS
RVs: FREEDOM MACHINES OR EYESORES? A TOWN DEBATES
THIEF WITH PICKUP STEALS COUPLE'S TRAILER FROM THEIR DRIVEWAY
SO CALIF. TOWN BANS RV PARKING ON CITY STREETS
KEY WEST CAMPERS GET COLD SHOULDER
THE LIVING IS EASY FOR THESE RVers
PLAN TO ENACT RV PARKING BAN AVERTED BY VOCAL RVers
These articles were available when this email newsletter was issued.
RV TECH TIP. By Mark Polk
Is trailer tongue weight (TW) important?
There are many factors that contribute to trailer sway, and there
are several counter measures that can be taken to control it. The
most important step to controlling sway comes even before you
purchase your trailer. Its stability, for the most part, is already
determined when it's manufactured. The amount of TW (the weight
pressing down on the hitch) is the most important factor in how well
the trailer will tow. A trailer with too little TW is unstable. Once a
force that causes sway occurs, the amount of sway will increase and it
is difficult to control. A trailer with too much TW can affect the steering
and braking capability of the tow vehicle. For optimum tow ability the TW
should be 12 to 15 percent of the trailer weight. To determine the proper
TW range of a trailer, multiply the weight of the trailer by .12 and .15. If
the TW of the trailer falls within this range you are off to a good start in
controlling trailer sway. Keep in mind this is just a start, you need to
consider things like weight distribution of the loaded trailer, the type of
tow vehicle and proper hitch work. Ask a reputable RV dealer to assist
you in designing a safe towing system.
Mark Polk is the producer of the video series RV Education 101.
BILL'S HINT:
"Carry an extra 10 feet of sewer hose with appropriate fittings
installed just in case the (campground) sewer is located too far from
your waste outlet for your regular hose to reach." (From
Motorhomes Made Easy)
RV INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
RV CLASSIFIEDS
RV JOKES, HUMOR AND FUNNY PHOTOS
INFLATABLE BOATS FOR RVers:
Don't tow a boat. Pump one up! Easy storage in your RV!
http://www.newrver.com/boats.html
GUIDE TO RV CLUBS: http://www.newrver.com/clubs.html
RV RECALLS
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/Index.cfm
LIVE RENT-FREE AS A CARETAKER
http://www.outwestnewspaper.com/caretaker.html
STATE TOURISM WEBSITES
http://www.recreation.gov/statelinks.cfm
UPCOMING RV SHOWS, RALLIES, SEMINARS
Pacific NW Sportsmen's Show, Feb. 5-9, Portland, OR
Houston Camper and RV Show, Feb. 5-9, Houston, TX
Flint Camper and RV Show, , Feb. 5-9, Flint, MI
Jacksonville RV Supershow, Feb. 6-9, Jacksonville, FL
Seattle RV and Outdoor Recreation Show, Feb. 6-9
Columbus (OH) Dispatch Sports/Vacation/Boat Show, Feb. 6-9
Calgary RV Exposition and Sale, Feb. 6-9, Calgary, AB
Richmond Camping and RV Expo, Feb. 7-9, Richmond, VA
Evergreen RV and Home Shows, Feb. 7-9, Monroe, WA
Eastern Sports/Boat/Camping/Travel/Outdoor Show, Feb. 8-16, Harrisburg, PA
Quincy RV and Camping Show, Feb. 8-9, Quincy, IL
FMCA International Convention, March 21-23, Pomona, Calif.
Canada RV Shows
WORTH PONDERING: "A man can be short and dumpy and getting
bald but if he has fire, women will like him." -- Mae West
RANDOM RV THOUGHT
"Campground showers are not created equal. Here's an example of a
very bad shower experience: It begins on very cold day when you head
off to the restroom for a soothing hot shower. When you get to the
restroom it's as cold as outside, so you race to undress so you can get
warm under the water before you freeze to death. You climb into the
shower, turn on the water, and as you wait for it to heat you notice that
your feet are turning blue on the icy tile. But after a minute, the water
is still freezing cold and your teeth are chattering and you suddenly
realize you have entered the Twilight Zone of showering: The hot water
doesn't work, never will, and there you are naked as a jaybird, freezing
your fanny off and maybe 15 minutes away from death by hypothermia!
This, indeed, is a truly bad shower experience." Do you have a Random
RV Thought? Email it to Chuck Woodbury at outwest@seanet.com.
The RV Traveler newsletter contains links to sites on the Internet
that are owned and operated by third parties. It is not responsible
for the availability of, or the content located on or through any
such third-party site.
PRIVACY STATEMENT:
This list's email addresses are never sold or otherwise made public.
This newsletter is copyrighted 2003 by Chuck Woodbury. You may
forward it to as many people as you like, but re-publication for
commercial purposes brings out the worst in our lawyers.
Advertise in this newsletter. Reach 43,000 RVers next Sunday.
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