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Women RVers tell their stories Essential reading for women RVers

RV Traveler #53 April 6, 2003

Please help this newsletter grow by telling your friends about it.

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THIS NEWSLETTER IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
Beginners Guide to RVing
Free Campgrounds of the West
RV Bookstore
RV Links
RV Jokes

SPONSORS
Camping World
Explorer RV Insurance
RV Trader. Buy or sell an RV

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THIS ISSUE'S EMAIL CIRCULATION: 48,530

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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.

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FROM CHUCK WOODBURY
editor, http://www.RVtraveler.com

Welcome to Issue 53 of the RV Traveler Newsletter.

In researching the Web for this week's "Breaking News"
section (below), I came across an unusually large number
of articles involving crimes and RVs. It's a rare week that
this happens, as crime in the RV world is relatively
unheard of, especially crimes of a violent nature.

My guess is that such an outbreak of RV-related crime is
a fluke. Yet crimes involving RVs and RVers are not unheard of.
Once in a blue moon a criminal act is committed in a campground,
and there's a rare robbery or assault in a rest area or other
public place where RVers gather. And there are always
RV burglaries, whether a rig is on the road or in storage.

I feel as safe in my RV as I do in my own home, but, as I do at
home, I always take precautions, most of them common sense.
For example, I would never open up my door late at night to a
stranger, and I'm careful where I camp, avoiding
out-of-the-way areas where my "gut" tells me that it may
not be safe. And when I leave my RV, I always lock the doors.

In the 20 years that I have been RVing, I have had only one scary
experience, and it turned out okay. It occurred in a very rural
Arizona campground, a freebie in a National Forest that I had
pulled into after dark. At about 1 a.m., two unsavory characters
pulled into the campsite next to me, and immediately cranked up
their stereo to rock-concert volume. They then proceeded to
guzzle one beer after another and swear at the top of their lungs.
I was not about to confront the two burly and drunk characters,
and I was fearful that the booze might force even worse
behavior. And, of course, the noise made it impossible to sleep.
So, with reluctance, but knowing it was necessary, I climbed into
the driver's seat of my motorhome and drove off to another
campground. I lost some sleep, but that was a small price to pay
for avoiding what could have turned into a nasty situation.

My point is to simply keep in mind that it pays to pay attention
to your surroundings and situation. Traveling by RV must
surely be the safest way explore the country, but that doesn't
mean that bad things can't happen. So pay attention, use
common sense, and chances are overwhelming that you will never
have a problem with bad guys or bad situations -- just good guys
and good situations.

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2003 Trailer Life Campgrounds and RV Park Directory
Only $13.95. Save 50%. More than 12,000 campgrounds listed!

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MONACO TO CUT 850 JOBS
Oregon-based recreational vehicle maker Monaco Coach is
cutting 450 jobs in Coburg, Ore., and another 400 at its plants
in Indiana, citing war worries, lagging demand from dealers
and backed-up inventory. The company is one of the nation's
largest RV manufacturers, with sales in 2002 of $1.2 billion
in a market that approached $9 billion. The job cuts amount to
about 15 percent of the company's nationwide work force.

INTERNET ACCESS ON THE ROAD
RVing expert Stephen Fletcher has posted a story to his website
about how he connects to the Internet while on the road. He
includes information on using cell phones and a hot new
technology called WiFi, where the connection is super fast.

THIS WEEK'S GAS PRICES IN THE USA
Cheapest: Norman, Okla., $1.28
Most expensive: Bridgeport, Calif., $2.69
Average price: $1.71

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ESSENTIAL READING ABOUT RVing IN ALASKA AND CANADA
Alaska By RV, Western Canada By RV, Eastern Canada By RV:
http://www.RVbookstore.com/howens.html. And don't forget the
2003 ALASKA MILEPOST DIRECTORY. If you are headed to Alaska,
Yukon Territory, BC, Alberta or NW Territories, this 55th edition
guidebook is essential. Get info or order.

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SPRING CLEANING YOUR RV's EXTERIOR
The editors of Motorhome Magazine provide a wonderful
resource about cleaning your RVs exterior to keep it
healthy and happy. They also include info on roof care.

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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

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TAX TIP: IS RV INTEREST TAX DEDUCTIBLE?
Can a recreational vehicle be considered a second home and the interest
paid be tax-deductible? The answer is yes, but learn more here.

BLAST OUT RV SEWAGE BLOCKAGE
Is your RV's sewer tank a little reluctant to part with its waste?
Here's a quick tip that might get things moving.

RVs IN THE MOVIES: TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
When it came time for Jack Nicholson to hit the road in the film
About Schmidt, he did it in style and comfort – in an RV. No surprise
there, considering the enormous popularity of RV travel, and the
frequency with which RVs are used in Hollywood films. As Warren
Schmidt (Nicholson) drives his Winnebago Adventurer from Omaha
to Denver on a journey of self-discovery, the RV becomes one of
the film's prominent images. Test your knowledge of 10 other
movies featuring RVs.

MIKE THE HEADLESS CHICKEN DAYS
If you have ever been to Fruita, Colorado, then you might know
about Mike the Headless Chicken. Mike was a real rooster whose
owner had planned to eat for dinner. But when the man chopped
off Mike's head in preparation for the meal, an odd thing happened:
Mike, despite losing his head, did not die. In fact, he did not die
for 18 months! This May 16 and 17, Mike's hometown of Fruita will
celebrate the life and times of its famous rooster, and you are
invited. Click here to learn more about Mike The Headless
Chicken Days as well as Mike himself (with photos).

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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

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BEARS WILL BE 'SHOCKED' AT THIS CAMPGROUND
An electric fence is being built around a campground in
Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada to keep out nasty grizzly
bears. The fence will stretch for nearly three kilometers around the
south campground at Lake Louise, which had been closed since 2001
because of bear problems. Park chief warden Ed Abbott explained
that the fence will cause a jolt if touched but won't physically harm
people or animals. Parks Canada said that closing the campground had
resulted in a loss of $135,000 in revenue.

JAYCO AIMS 2003 MOTORHOME AT NEW RVers
The Escapade is designed for entry-level RV buyers. Read more.

BUMPER SNICKER
Reader Mike Dodson says he put this bumper sticker on his new truck:
"Yes, this is my truck. No, I won't help you move." Have you seen a
good one? Email it to Chuck Woodbury at outwest@seanet.com .

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Best-selling books and videos about RVing

RV TRAVELING TALES:
WOMEN'S JOURNEYS ON THE OPEN ROAD
Women who travel by RV tell about their lives. Superb!

THE NEXT EXIT 2003
Learn what stores and services are located at every Interstate exit.

2003 BIG RIGS BEST BETS CAMPGROUND DIRECTORY
A directory of campgrounds that accommodate large RVs.

'CAMPING' AT WAL-MART HOME VIDEO AND DVD
hDocumentary film interviews RVers 'camping' at Wal-Mart

THE RVers BIBLE
Superb, bestseller reference, from buying an RV to using it.

HOW TO GET PAID $50,000 A YEAR TO DELIVER MOTORHOMES

2003 RVer's FRIEND
Learn what services America's truck stops offer RVers. Best Seller!

2003 GUIDE TO REST AREAS
Plus locations of Wal-Mart, Flying J, etc. Only $9.95

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.

QUARTZSITE HOME VIDEO AND DVD
Take an armchair visit to the RV Boondocking Capital of the West
on VHS home video or DVD

CAMPING WITH THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS
Describes more than 900 campgrounds across the USA managed by the
Corps of Engineers. A fabulous resource! Seniors camp for half-price.

FREE CAMPGROUNDS OF THE WEST (Also available as an instant ebook)
2002 edition: How and where to camp in an RV in the West for free.
Includes official campgrounds and "unofficial" places to stay.

MOTORHOMES MADE EASY, TRAILERS MADE EASY
These two books explain how to use everything on a motorhome
or trailer (or 5th wheel). And what a bargain at only $8.95 each!

VIDEO: DELIVERING MOTORHOMES TO RV DEALERS FOR PROFIT

THE ABCs OF RVing (Also available as an instant ebook)
A primer for new RVers written by Chuck Woodbury. Lots of info!

GUIDE TO BUYING A USED RV (ebook only. Free preview edition)

GUIDE TO NATIONAL PARK SERVICE CAMPGROUNDS
An awesome directory of campgrounds in National Parks