RV Traveler Email Newsletter #79

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Profiles, specs and information,
about more than 400 new 2003 RVs

RV Traveler #79
October 5, 2003

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This issue's email circulation: 55,500 plus

This newsletter brought to you by
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FROM CHUCK WOODBURY
editor, http://www.RVtraveler.com

A reader wrote after last issue with this question:
"What, pray, ever happened to CAMPING? Does anyone
camp anymore?"

I knew exactly what he was getting at. Reading RV magazines
like Trailer Life, Motorhome, Family Motor Coaching --
and this newsletter -- you could get the feeling that
everyone is traveling around in $100,000 RVs with slideouts,
plasma TVs, entertainment centers, microwave ovens
and queen-sized beds. Attend an RV show and you'll find RVs
with sun decks on the roof, propane fireplaces, washing
machines, his and her bathrooms, and wiring to accommodate
satellite TV systems and broadband Internet access.

So whatever happened to packing up the family in the Chevy
with a tent in the trunk or a 15-foot travel trailer behind,
and heading off for a weekend of fishing and marshmallow
roasting?

Is that all over? No. Not at all. Anyone who vacationed
this summer in a national forest or state park saw many
modest RVs, tents, and serious roasting of marshmallows
by the campfire.

But there is no doubt that the meaning of "camping" has
changed in recent times. Today, I think some people "camp"
and others "RV."

"Camping" is NOT holing up in an RV the size of a Blue Whale,
cooking with a microwave and watching a movie on a
home entertainment system. Yet that's what many of us
see when we go camping today. For non-RVers, especially
younger ones who consider a backpack heavy equipment,
a mammoth recreational vehicle is often perceived as
a pockmark on the landscape.

What these people don't understand is that many of the
inhabitants of the big rigs aren't out for a weekend to
escape their daily hustle-bustle lives of work and
child-rearing. They live in their RVs full time or at
least a lot of the time. In the olden days, before RVs
became so comfortable, these folks might have bought a
mountain cabin for their retreat. Or maybe they would
have simply stayed home and joined the country club.
I'm referring here mostly to retirees.

But as each year passes, more and more younger
people -- not yet retired-- are selling their homes and
hitting the road. The last I heard, there were about three
million full-time RVers. Many still work. With cell phones,
laptop computers and email, it's possible to travel
wherever one wants and live and work pretty much
like at home. I, for one, have spent many months
running my business from all parts of the globe.
While exploring New Zealand by camper van, I returned
voice mail messages from phone booths for a dime a
minute and seldom announced I was half a world away.

On my RV trips in the USA was I camping? No. Most of the
time I was doing my business (writing and publishing),
mixing in some sightseeing, hiking, and sampling of the
local cafe fare. One some nights, as a reward for a
productive day's work, I would reward myself with a
glass of wine by a soul-soothing campfire, temporarily
resembling an honest-to-goodness "camper."

My point is this: there are still many people who camp in
traditional ways. But there are more and more people who
occupy campgrounds who may not participate in traditional
camping activities on a day-to-day basis. To generalize, I
think what these people do is "RV" rather than "camp."
When you are on the road 365 days a year, there is plenty
of time for hiking, fishing, swimming and other
traditional camping activities. But for vacationers out
for a week or a weekend, there's no time to waste.

DO YOU CAMP OR RV? Let me know by taking this week's
reader survey. Answer or read other readers' responses.

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

NEW FEATURE: THE EDITOR'S FAVORITE ROADSIDE PHOTOS
For 10 years the editor of this newsletter explored the
American West by motorhome. Here are some of his favorite
photos. This week: A very odd animal, a sign to make a pet
neurotic and a town with a very scary "welcome to town" creature.

SHOPPING FOR AN RV EXTENDED WARRANTY?
The Good Sam Club's Continued Service Plan covers your coach,
engine, appliances and accessories in your new or used
motorhome, trailer and even tow vehicle! Get an online quote.

RECALL ISSUED ON RV MICROWAVE OVENS
Samsung Electronics is recalling 183,897 defective
microwave ovens that were installed in RVs between January
1999 and September 2003. The units have faulty wiring
which can cause them to start without pressing the key pad.
Samsung will rewire the ovens for free through RV dealers.

DO YOU RV IN FLORIDA?
Subscribe to the free Florida RVer email newsletter. Read the
current issue or sign up.

COURT FORCES FLEETWOOD PAY SOME MOTORHOME OWNERS
If you purchased a new Fleetwood-built Class A or Class C
motorhome between 1994 and 2000, you may be entitled to
a $250 cash payment. Under the terms of a class action
suit, original owners of these motorhomes who still own
their rigs and who purchased a supplemental braking
system will receive the payment after filing a claim form.
Get complete information.

TROUBLE-SHOOTING YOUR RV FURNACE
Here are some common RV furnace problems and some
possible solutions.

RV PARKS WITH WI-FI INTERNET ACCESS
New parks added weekly
HOW TO CLEAN BLACK STREAKS OFF YOUR RV
Our RVs are pretty things, right? Yeah, but what
about those unsightly black streaks that run down the sides?
Talk about ugly! Here's a way to get rid of 'em.

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.

GAS OR DIESEL MOTORHOME? WHAT'S BEST FOR YOU?
You’ve found the motorhome of your dreams and just one
question remains: gas or diesel? Most Class A
manufacturers now offer at least one model with a
diesel pusher engine, forcing the question of which type
is better. Get some clues.

WOMEN RVers: RVing isn't just for guys. Read more.

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:
Winterizing Your RV
Class A motorhome video
Class C motorhome video
Trailer/5th wheel video
Pop Up Trailer Video

JELLYSTONE PARK DISCOUNT CAMPING
Most RVers know that KOA campgrounds offer a discount
card that saves them 10% on camping fees. But so does
the smaller Jellystone campground chain. Its $20 pass
is good for two years and also saves 10%. Info.

MORE PEOPLE SELLING HOMES, TRAVELING FULL TIME IN RVs
The popularity of full-time RVing continues to grow as this
Florida newspaper article illustrates. One of the RVers
interviewed explained a benefit of such a life: "If you have a
house and you don't like your neighbor, you're stuck there. If
you live in an RV and you don't like you're neighbor, you can
move to another lot in the park. If you don't like the town,
you can move to another town." Read the entire story.

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.

WANT A MILLION DOLLAR COACH FOR ONLY $100,000?
You can, if you're willing to share such a luxury vehicle
with some other RVers. It's called "fractional ownership"
and it's an idea that's catching on.

Best-selling books and videos about RVing

RV BUYERS SURVIVAL GUIDE (Also available as an instant ebook)
Buying an RV? You must read this first. Written by an ex-RV
sales manager who reveals all. Read this and save big money!

VIDEO: ROCKY MOUNTAINS BY RV
Visit Yellowstone, Tetons, Glacier and Rocky Mountain Nat. Parks

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

WHEELS THAT NEVER NEED TO BE POLISHED
Alcoa was recently honored for its aluminum wheels that
never need polishing, which are popular with motorhome
owners. Learn more

ALL ABOUT CLASS A MOTORHOMES
Advice for Class A buyers about rig selection, getting a good deal, and
how to inspect a rig before taking delivery.

THIS WEEK'S RV SHOWS
Tacoma Fall RV Show, Tacoma, WA, Oct. 8-12
Central Okla. RV Dealer Associations RV Show, Ok. City, Oct. 9-12
Suncoast RV Supersale, Sarasota, FL Oct. 10-12
South Jersey Fall RV Show, Atlantic City, Oct. 10-12
California RV Show, Pomona, CA, Oct. 10-19
Salem Fall RV Show, Salem, OR, Oct. 10-19
•UPCOMING USA RV SHOWS, RALLIES, SEMINARS
•CANADA RV SHOWS

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.

ABOUT THE EDITOR
Chuck Woodbury has been roaming America by RV off and on
for nearly two decades. During that time he published a
quirky travel newspaper about his adventures and was a
member of the stable of writers for the New York Times
Syndicate. Nowadays, he lives near Seattle where he drinks
coffee (required by law) and travels when he can in his
motorhome and sometimes by plane when vast expanses of
ocean are involved.

PRIVACY STATEMENT:
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