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Women RVers tell their stories Essential reading for women RVers

RV Traveler #56 April 27, 2003

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

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THIS NEWSLETTER IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
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Free Campgrounds of the West
RV Bookstore
RV Links
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THIS ISSUE'S EMAIL CIRCULATION: 51,022

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

Welcome to Issue 56 of the RV Traveler Newsletter.

Last issue I left off here as we crossed the border into California
from Oregon along coastal route U.S. 101. Our first stop was
Crescent City, the largest town (pop. 7,000) in the state's far
northwest. It was a sunny day -- unusual here, so my wife,
daughter and I paused to photograph the Battery Point Lighthouse
and then dine on (greasy) fish and chips at a local cafe. The lighthouse,
we soon realized, was the same one pictured in the beginning of
movies produced by Turner Broadcasting's "Castle Rock Films."
Although we didn't camp in town, I know from previous trips
that the KOA is in a beautiful setting with many campsites in
a gorgeous redwood grove.

Fifteen miles down the road we visited Trees of Mystery, a
70-year-old roadside attraction that shouldn't be missed. Out
front are giant statues of Paul Bunyon and Babe the Blue Ox, the
subject of a million Kodak moments. The focal point here is a
redwood grove with many remarkable redwood trees and tree
formations. A loop trail leads up then downhill from one attraction
to another. A "Skytrain" gondola departs near the trail's turn-around
point, lifting visitors 571 feet to a mountain ridge for a spectacular
view of the countryside and the Pacific Ocean.

A few miles south we explored the sheltered beach in tiny Trinidad,
where there was long line at an alluring seafood restaurant at the edge
of the public pier. After spending the night at the Eureka KOA, we
crossed a bridge to Samoa for breakfast at the Samoa Cookhouse,
the surviving lumber camp cookhouse in the West. Diners sit at long
picnic tables and it's "all you can eat" -- on this morning biscuits and
gravy, pancakes, scrambled eggs and sausage, served with orange
juice, coffee or another beverage. The Samoa Cookhouse should be
on every visitor's itinerary. Yum! .

Afterwards, we headed for old town Eureka, which is along the
waterfront with many specialty shops and restaurants. Many of the
shops are in beautifully restored Victorian homes begging to be
photographed. Unfortunately for us, the rain came in buckets, so we
were not able to explore the area on foot.

An interesting side note about our Eureka visit. In my business it's
important I check my email often. Alas, along the Oregon/northern
California coast, my Verizon Wireless cellular phone connection
seldom worked, most times because there was no digital signal. I carry
along a PC card ($50) for my Macintosh Powerbook, however, that I
can plug into the computer to gain high speed wireless access at
Starbucks and other "Wi-Fi Hotspots." Well, there was no local
Wi-Fi-equipped Starbucks, and I had not checked my email for nearly
two days, so I was feeling anxious about many messages that were
going unanswered.

So, eager to gain access, I decided to try an experiment. Before
leaving the parking lot in Eureka, I turned on my computer, popped in
the PC card, and opened the file where there is a "signal strength"
indicator. As expected, it showed that no signal was being received. As
I prepared to pull away, I told my 11-year-old daughter to keep her eyes
open as we drove through town, and let me know if a signal showed up.
Amazingly, we had gone only one block when Emily yelled, "Dad, there's
a signal!" So I stopped, and sure enough, a strong signal was
indicated. So I pulled to the curb, parked, and clicked on Internet
Explorer. In an instant, I was online. Apparently, the office a dozen
yards away was equipped with a wireless system (enabling employees
to be hooked to the Internet without an actual cable to each's computer),
and the signal was creeping out into the street. No password
protection was in place, so I was able to check my email and do a few
minutes' worth of Web surfing. I never tried to gain wireless access
again on the trip, but I suspect that I could have hooked up pretty much
at will by simply driving around and watching for a "Wi-Fi" signal.

NEXT WEEK: Into the heart of the Redwoods

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AWESOME WEBSITE FOR FULL-TIME RVers
Ron and Barb Hofmeister have been fulltiming for 14 years, and their
website is packed with useful information for other full-time RVers or
those who aspire to be. Check it out.

NEW TAX IN TUCSON ON RVs?
In yet another desperate move to drum up additional tax revenue
-- this time in Arizona -- the Tucson city council has proposed a city
sales tax on purchases made by its residents outside the city limits.
The proposal contains a $1,000 exemption, which means for most
people it would only kick in on major purchases, such as buying a car
or RV. The use tax would bring an additional $4 million per year to
help alleviate a projected $43 million budget shortfall. Read more.

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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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WHAT'S BEST FOR YOU: A TRAILER OR MOTORHOME?
For many new RVers, the first big decision is whether to buy
a motorized or non-motorized rig. The two most popular types
are the travel trailer and the motorhome, with variations
including the folding camping trailer (also called a pop up or
tent trailer), truck camper, and fifth wheeler. If you're in
the market for an RV, but aren't sure which type is best for
you, this information may help.

. . . and if you are, in fact, about to buy an RV, be sure to first
get Bob Randall's RV Buyers Survival Guide.

TEXAS OUTSIDE
Wow! Here is a huge load of information about things to see and do in
the great Texas outdoors.

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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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NEWS SOURCES ABOUT THE RV INDUSTRY
Two trade journals serve the RV industry, and each has an online
edition. If you are interested in keeping up with news and trends
in the industry, these websites are worth visiting and bookmarking.
RV News
RV Business

DO YOU TOW A CAR BEHIND YOUR MOTORHOME?
If so, here's valuable advice.

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GOOD SAM EMERGENCY ROAD SERVICE
Protects you, your spouse, AND all children age 25 or younger
(living at home or attending college), your RV, AND all household
cars, SUVs, minivans, and pick-ups! Only $79.95!

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CAMP HOSTS EXCHANGE CHORES FOR FREE CAMPSITE
Many full-time RVers work part- or sometimes full-time as
camp hosts, usually during the summer travel season. In
exchange for a few hours of work a week, camp hosts receive
a free campsite, usually with hookups. Camp hosting positions
are plentiful, with opportunities in many public and some private
campgrounds. Anyone who has done much camping has likely
noticed camp hosts in the campgrounds of state parks, national
forests and other camping areas. Learn more about camp
hosting.

WHERE TO FIND A JOB AS A CAMP HOST
Here's "information central" for hundreds of jobs for RVers:

RV RECIPES
Yummy! Check this website for a collection of recipes for RV travelers.

TOYOTA MOTORHOME OWNERS
Do you drive a motorhome atop a Toyota chassis? Here's a group
of owners that share information about their rigs.

AIRSTREAM CENTRAL
Own an Airstream? Want to one one? This site is for you!

BUMPER SNICKER
Spotted by Tony Kump: "Intolerance will not be tolerated!"
Have you seen a good one? Email it to Chuck Woodbury
at outwest@seanet.com .

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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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KEEPING BURROS AWAY IN NEVADA
In the old days of the American West, burro-power -- teams
of mules or donkeys -- moved freight across the vast spaces.
Today, the animals remain in many parts of the West, running
wild in many areas including Nevada's Red Rock Canyon. RVers
and other motorists who have visited the area are well aware of
the creatures, which are the canyon's unofficial mascots, seeking
food handouts along the road and becoming traffic hazards in the
process. Now a group of Nevada legislators has introduced a
measure designed to protect the animals and drivers on state
Route 159 by erecting a fence along the highway to separate
burros from auto traffic. The bill also calls for two "burro
underpasses" where burros and other livestock can move
underneath the highway.

LOOKING FOR HARD-TO-FIND RV PARTS?
Here's a long list of where to find and obsolete RV parts
and manuals, surplus parts and salvage locations.

CONNECTING TO THE INTERNET WITH A CELL PHONE

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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