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Save big at campgrounds Stay for free or nearly free

RV Traveler #55 April 20, 2003

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THIS NEWSLETTER IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
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THIS ISSUE'S EMAIL CIRCULATION: 50,108

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Along U.S. 101 on the southern Oregon coast.

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

Welcome to Issue 55 of the RV Traveler Newsletter.

I am writing to you from Mendocino, California, one of the most
beautiful little coastal towns in the state. Once a thriving artist
community, it's now a tourist town with trendy gift shops and
cafes. Mendocino has been featured in dozens of Hollywood movies,
often being passed off as a quaint New England coastal village. The
opening scenes of the TV series "Murder She Wrote, supposedly
set in coastal Maine, were filmed in Mendocino.

My wife, daughter and I are wrapping up a whirlwind tour of
the southern Oregon coast and the California Redwood Country.
We have only nine days for our trip so are traveling fast by my
usually snail-paced standards. We left Seattle last Saturday and
sped south on I-5 to Eugene, Ore., where we cut off westerly to
the coast, spending our first night in Florence at J.M. Honeyman
State Park, a hugely popular area for ATV enthusiasts. The sand
dunes here are the largest and most extensive coastal dunes in
the world, making this a heaven-on-earth for the off-road crowd. 
From Florence, we headed south on U.S. 101, stopping along the
way to explore a few beaches and the main streets of tiny villages.
A mile south of Gold Beach, we spent a night at Turtle Creek RV
Park, a five-minute walk from the ocean shore. Before Gold Beach,
in Bandon, we visited the lighthouse and then, in town, the Bandon
Cheddar Cheese Plant where I generously sampled a couple dozen
varieties of product before carting away a pound for later
consumption.

A few miles south of Bandon is a "must stop" for anyone traveling
U.S. 101 with kids. The West Coast Game Park is said to be the
largest wild animal petting zoo in the world. The highlight for my
daughter Emily was holding a five-week-old bear cub on her lap and
playing with it for a few minutes. We had to finally part Emily from
the cub as the cute but hyperactive little fellow seemed intent on
devouring my daughter's jacket. My wife and I were amazed at how
up close and personal we could get with the resident lions and tigers.
For a minute or so, the male lion roared at the top of his lungs: when
you are only a few yards away, this is an incredibly powerful sound.
I was very thankful to be behind a secure chain link fence.

Just before leaving Oregon and entering California, we passed
through Brookings, the Easter Lily (growing) Capital of the World. A bit of
trivia about the town: it is the only place on the American mainland
to be bombed by an enemy aircraft during World War II. A single engine
airplane, launched from a Japanese sub, dropped an incendiary bomb
in the forest just outside of town. The idea was to set a huge forest fire.
But the plan literally fizzled. I wrote a story about this little known,
but fascinating, piece of history, which you can read here.

I'll write more about the trip including our visit to Redwood
Country, next time.

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SUBSCRIBE TO THESE RV MAGAZINES. Best prices:
Motorhome, Trailer Life, RV Journal, RV Companion, Gypsy Journal
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PUBLIC CAMPGROUND FEES RISING
Campers are expected to fill up campgrounds and parks
this summer, much like last year. However, the cost of
camping, at least in the public sector, has gone up according
to the Wall Street Journal. With so many state budgets in trouble,
legislators have found easy revenue pickings in the form of
higher camping and park-access fees. A night at a state park
campsite now goes anywhere from $10 to $30. Read more.

RV DEALER SLANG
This is hilarious -- a long list of slang terminology used by RV
dealers. Learn what the following words mean: babysitter, de-horse,
either, gold ball, slide-ruler, sticks, toad and tire kicker.

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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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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE CYBER HEADQUARTERS
There's no doubt about it, for most RVers a visit to a National Park
is among the best ways to spend a day or a vacation. Here's the entry
page to a huge information base of National Park facilities and
services. Bookmark this and return often.

RVing MEXICO
"On the Road In Mexico" lists camping areas throughout Mexico,
including the Baja, the Pacific Coast, Gulf Coast, interior and Yucatan.
The website also provides a comprehensive list of do's and don'ts on
road travel in Mexico. Photographs of various archeological sites,
colonial cities and recreational areas provide a glimpse of what to see
if you visit .

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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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NOT YOUR FATHER'S RV
RVs are one of the hottest consumer items these days, and a lot of
famous folks are using them to see the USA. Among the celebs you
may run into at your favorite RV park -- Supreme Court Justice
Clarence Thomas, basketball star Shaquille O'Neal and ex-Maine
governor Angus King. Learn more about why these folks and the
less-famous are taking up the RV lifestyle.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN HAUNTED HOUSES? HOW ABOUT HAUNTED RVs?
Read one man's experiences about his trip in a haunted motorhome

SMOKEY BEAR
Who's the most famous bear in the World? Smokey Bear, of course.
Smokey Bear has been working for over 50 years to remind Americans
of the importance of outdoor fire safety and wildfire prevention. Because
of the huge potential of wildfires in our country, Smokey's fire
prevention message is always important. To learn all about Smokey
and wildfire prevention, check in here. The website is very kid-friendly, too.

ASSOCIATION OF AFRICAN AMERICAN RVers
The National African-American RVer Association was founded
in 1993. NAARVA chapters provide members with the opportunity
to enjoy the fellowship of friends with a common interest without
driving great distances. The club's membership now numbers more than
1,500 and is growing. Learn more at the group's website.

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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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RV TIRE CARE TIPS
Goodyear provides a lot of great info here about taking care of your
RV tires. There is more to tires than just putting them on and keeping
the air inside. For your own good, check out the info at this website:

. . . ADD AIR TO YOUR TIRES. . . improve your mileage:

EUROPEAN CAMPGROUNDS
North America isn't the only place where RV camping is popular.
Europeans are nuts about the lifestyle, too. If you're planning a
trip to Europe, then here's a comprehensive directory of
campgrounds in a couple of dozen countries.

BUMPER SNICKER
"If I wanted to listen to your music, I would ride in your car."
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
Documentary film interviews RVers 'camping' at Wal-Mart

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

SURVIVAL OF THE RV SNOWBIRDS
A classic guide about "boondocking" (RVing on the cheap)

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