Locate Wal-Mart stores Use this directory to plan free overnight stays in parking lots. Learn the location of every Wal-Mart in America. Easy driving directions. Use to plan free overnight stays in parking lots. Get more info about the 2005 Wal-Mart Locator.

Camping With the Corps of Engineers New guidebook describes more than 850 campgrounds across the USA managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ranging from free, primitive locations to full-service campgrounds. All U.S. citizens aged 62 & older camp half price. Learn more or order

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Dear fellow RVer,

I am proud to announce that RVtravel.com will sponsor the DVD "How to Buy An RV," the 12th consumer education video in the Better Business Bureau Video Series. In addition to our sponsorship, I will host the one-hour production, the purpose of which is to instruct viewers about how to make buying an RV a hassle-free experience. Each year, the Better Business Bureau receives approximately 25 million inquires from consumers with questions and complaints about all sorts of consumer matters. This DVD addresses the many questions the BBB has received about purchasing an RV or dealing with complaints.

Besides my own advice, about a dozen nationally known RV experts offer their own tips and suggestions. The DVD will be available through RVbookstore.com as well as in nearly every U.S. public library. "How to Buy An RV" should be released within eight weeks. The producers still have a few associate sponsorship opportunities available. If you own or represent a highly reputable RV-related business that would benefit from a strong association with the BBB, please let me know and I will be happy to send you an informational DVD that explains the program, which is suprisingly affordable. Call my office at 425-744-0415 for information.

In other news, RVbookstore.com is proud to sponsor our first in a series of seminar/workshops on topics of interest to RVers. On September 14, Bill and Dot Bell will discuss RV Travel to Mexico at our new Edmonds, WA, RV Bookstore retail outlet. "We try to give people the confidence to go to Mexico without an expensive caravan," says Dot." We explain how to save money, nerves and in some cases marriages. We tell a lot of personal stories because we think people can learn from our mistakes." The fee is $70 per couple which includes the Bells' CD. Every dollar collected will be donated to support research on Rett Syndrome. We'll have more information for you next week.

Wal-Mart parking info request: We are almost done with our updated directory of Wal-Marts that DO NOT allow overnight parking in RVs. If you know of such a store (or have been evicted from one), please drop me a line at outwest@seanet.com. We expect to have the small book available in four to five weeks. Please put "Wal-Mart" in the subject area of your email. Thanks.

In the morning, feed your kids hot dogs and beans. Lots of beans. LOTS OF BEANS!!! Then, at lunch, fuel up the Minnie Winnie at this service station. Then park the rig and haul the stinkin' kids inside. It'll be real obvious to management that the youngsters are full of gas. Which means, "THEY EAT FREE!" Good plan, huh?

RV BOOKSTORE NEWS:
RV expert Mark Polk has written a new eBook about how to pull a vehicle behind a motorhome. If you are considering towing a "dinghy," this eBook will be of great help. You can read it on your computer within a minute or so of placing your order or print it out to read later. And if you plan to travel to Canada this summer, you should consider getting Peggi McDonald's comprehensive eBook, RV Travel to Canada.

POT OF GOLD CONTEST
Yet another week has passed in our Zip Code Pot of Gold contest so the cash prize is now $275. The way things are going, the cash prize may, indeed, grow to $5,000 over time. This is the easiest money in the world. All you need to do is check in at RV Bookstore during the contest's hours every weekday. If you live in the Zip Code of the day and are the first to tell us, you win! This week's contest will run Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Pacific Time) at RVbookstore.com. Certain rules apply.

Don't forget to visit our RV Travel readers forum — now 3,400 members strong and growing faster than asparagus.

Opening mid-August in Edmonds, Washington
The real-world, brick and mortar RV bookstore.
Free coffee, great books & videos. . . & plenty of "Rig Talk."

Look for a pop quiz or two with terrific prizes most weeks at RVbookstore.com.
Sign up to receive an email alert of quiz start times.

Past reader surveys and results

What is the most an RV Travel reader will spend for a campsite?
Learn how 1,500 readers responded

2005 Traveler's Guide To The Firearm Laws of the 50 States
Explains the specific gun laws of every U.S. state.

State Park "for blacks" reopens
North Carolina's Jones State Park has reopened after undergoing many improvements. The park was established in 1939 as the first state park for blacks and was an instant hit. In latter years it became fully integrated. Popular activities are boating, fishing and camping in the park's 20 campsites.

Solar Power Alternatives
More and more RVers are turning to another source of "green"
energy: Wind power. Costs for wind generators, or "turbines,"
suitable for use on RVs are now less than $500. After the
initial purchase price, wind power is free, relatively quiet,
and nearly free of maintenance worries. Wind power is
especially useful if you camp in areas with frequent wind
such as the desert, near the ocean, or in plains areas.
Combining wind and solar power is a surefire bet of nearly
always having free alternative power available when
boondocking.

Russ and Tiña Demaris are the authors of RV Boondocking Basics.

Books and videos about Boondocking

QUESTION: Do RVs come with bunk beds? ANSWER: Yes, and they're a good use of space for families with young children who love sleeping on the beds.

Books and DVDs for beginning RVers

Henny Penny: Petaluma, California
Located on Petaluma Blvd. North a half mile west from 101 in Petaluma. Across the street is a vacant lot owned by the restaurant. Several semis were parked there and a couple of RVs. Henny Penny is a half mile from the Petaluma KOA but there is no problem with boondocking. Occasionally, the KOA is full and RVers use the lot. Across the street are two gas stations with diesel and propane. Henny Penny has great pies. Free.

Yoakum City Park: Yoakum, Texas
Approximately 25 sites with full hook-ups and concrete pads on city golf course/walking trail. Pull throughs and back ins. Will accommodate 40 footers plus. Across the street from a hospital. Quiet and well kept. Less than $10/night. Cheaper for seniors and weekly rates.

Dakota Magic: ND/SD state line exit 1 off I-29
Full hookups, 30 amp, concrete pads, some with picnic tables. Golf course on north side, casino on south side. Full hookups cost $10. If you just need a place to park without hookups, large parking lot with plenty of room to park free. First exit north of the SD state line. Check listing for Watertown, SD. Free with 30 amp.

The following information was provided by visitors to FreeCampgrounds.com. The information has not been verified.

Read about these and nearly 500 other free and inexpensive campgrounds at FreeCampgrounds.com

Guidebooks and DVDs about RVing in Mexico

Do you work hard and dream of the day when you can retire and "do nothing?" Maybe it's time to consider whether all your hard work is really still necessary. Maybe there's no need to wait to slow things down. Read more

Read more articles by Adrienne Kristine.

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

Buying an RV?
Don't buy one before reading The RV Buyers Survival Guide. Ex-RV
sales manager Bob Randall reveals how to get the best deal from
an RV dealer. Don't pay too much. Available as printed book
or instant eBook.

RVers Guide to Solar Battery Charging
Learn everything an RVer needs to know to enjoy the
comforts of household power through the power of the sun.

RVers Guide to Dump Stations
A state-by-state directory of most of the known public dump
stations in America. Learn more or order.

Manage Your RV's 12 Volt System
Learn all about your RVs 12-volt electrical system including
how to upgrade and operate it and troubleshoot problems.

National Park Service Camping Guide
Learn where to camp at America's National Parks.

All The Stuff You Need To Know About RVing
The best book for beginning RVers.
Order or get more information.

Learn how to operate everything on your RV
New, 72-minute DVD shows you step-by-step how to operate
everything on an RV. It's like getting a personal tour from
RV technician Tim Collard. Winterizing tips, too.

Quartzsite, Arizona. See it on DVD!
Visit the Boondocking Capital of the West on DVD. Like being there!

Books about earning an income on the road

RV books for less than $9.99

Books and videos from Trailer Life. Great prices!

The Trans-Canada Highway stretches east to west as one continuous route but the highway number changes within each province. In the large city of Toronto this highway stretches 16-lanes wide, but through the quiet country areas it is frequently reduced to two lanes plus an occasional passing lane.

Only a set amount of duty-free beer, liquor, wine and cigarettes may be transported across the border (in either direction). When coming into Canada, additional quantities are allowed, but high import duties are assessed on amounts over the duty-free limits. Provincial sales tax and federal tax are also added. Open bottles on board your RV count in overall volume.

Peggi McDonald is the author of the new eBook, RV Travel To Canada and the webmaster of RVliving.net.

Texas Ranger Museum at Fort Fisher Park, Waco, Texas:
Slide show regarding Texas Rangers and their role in settlement of Texas. Artifacts, memorabilia and history abound here. There is an extensive collection of weapons and a replica of an 1837 Texas Ranger fort. There is also a James Michener exhibit from writing of Texas. Western art and Native American artifacts are included. There are picnic tables, camping and screened shelters in Fort Fisher Park on Brazos River. Exit 335B at I-35

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This issue's Knowledge Quiz

Three QUIZZES TODAY

See Annie in action. What a woman!

Prizes (not necessarily awarded in this order)

•A Grand Teton & Yellowstone National Park Screen Saver. Install these gorgeous images on your PC or Mac and pretend you're at one of these two Western beauty spots.

•Five episodes of the TV western classic Annie Oakley, now on digitally mastered DVD with digitally enhanced audio. Join "Little Miss Sure Shot" (portrayed by actress Gail Davis) as she deals with danger and bad guys in the old West.

•The RV Adventure Video series DVD Natural Wonders of the Southeast Coast. Join filmaker John Holod as he travels in his fifth wheel trailer from Virginia Beach to Key West.

Quiz Start Times:
Sunday, July 24 at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and Noon, Pacific Time.

Take the quizzes here beginning at the times above.

Last week's winners
John Richardson who won a Barney Rubble Wacky Wobbler
Darrell Knowles who won a pair of panoramic view binoculars
Richard Miltner who won a Cisco Kid DVD

See the results of previous quizzes

Knowledge Quiz official rules

Camp for Half Price at 1,000 RV Parks!
Join the Happy Camper Club for $49.95 and pay
half-price at more than 1,000 RV parks. If you camp more than
a few weeks a year, a membership can save you a bundle.

Chico, California is considering limiting the time an RV may be legally parked on a city street. • • • Indiana's Republican Governor Mitch Daniels has been criticized lately by Democrats for his use of RV-One in travels around the state that also included some fundraising. The Governor says the use is legit • • • Fortune Magazine recently recommended Winnebago Industry's stock one of the 40 best stocks to buy now. • • • RVtravel.com has now passed TrailerLife.com, GoRVing.com, GoCampingAmerica.com and GoodSamClub.com in monthly website visitors according to Alexa.com • • • The U.S. Forest Service's Gore Creek Campground near Vail, CO was closed last Monday because of a "bear problem." It was reopened Thursday, but only to campers in hard-sided RVs. • • • In a related incident, a bear crashed into a tent occupied by two boys, age 12 and 14, in a Coaldale, CO campground, but ran away after biting one of the boys. The same bear returned the next morning and was shot by wildlife officials. • • • Repel Mosquito Spray, which relies on Eucalyptus oil for its effectiveness, has received rave reviews from Consumer Reports. Price: $6. • • • The temperature at California's Death Valley National Park hit 128 degrees last week. • • • Berkshire Hathaway, the holding company controlled by billionaire Warren Buffett, intends to purchase recreational vehicle manufacturer Forest River. The purchase should bring increased credibility to the company based on the association with the Buffett name. • • • A daredevil flying act was expected to land a plane on the roof of a moving motorhome yesterday at an airshow in Minot, North Dakota. • • • ppc Racing officials announced last week that FreedomRoads, the largest recreational vehicle retailer in the United States, will sponsor the No. 22 ppc Racing Ford Taurus NASCAR race team

Travel Guide to the Navajo and Hopi Reservations
"Native Roads" is hot off the press. A superb guide to these native lands.

Upcoming RV Shows

RV-Links
Loads of links to great websites about RVing

Investigate a company with the
Better Business Bureau before making a purchase.

RV Travel Forum
Exchange ideas and information with other RVers.

Beginners Guide to RVing

RVing the Northwest

RVing in Mexico

Full Time RVing

Post your own website of your travels.

RV Recalls

Workamping Information

Have an idea for a book or DVD about RVing? RVbookstore.com may want to publish or produce it. Tell us about your idea by emailing Chuck at outwest@seanet.com .

This newsletter is rated PG* by the Chicago Highlands Institute of Childhood Kleptomanics Engaging in Narcisicsm (CHICKEN).

RV Travel is copyright 2005 by RVbookstore.com. Our International Headquarters: RVbookstore.com, 117 W. Dayton St., Suite 103, Edmonds WA 98020, USA, Earth, Milky Way, Known Universe, Unknown Universe.

*Pretty Good

RVbookstore.com is a proud member of the Better Business Bureau. We strive for excellence in all we do and that's the absolutely, 100 percent and honest truth. Our customers receive really, really fast service. We move so fast in getting out a customer's order that sometimes we look like big ol' human blurs. Our motto is "You need it so we speed it,"™ and no truer words were ever spoken!

RV Travel staff
Editor: Chuck Woodbury. Assistant Editor: Adrienne Kristine. Contributing Editor: Malia Lane. Contributors: Peggi McDonald, Russ and Tiña Demaris, Chris Dougherty, Bill and Dot Bell. Website Administrator: Zoey Platt. Office Manager: Jody Allcot. Clapper Loader: Emily Woodbury. Mascot: Captain Jack Platt — the Energizer Doggie.

Advertise in this newsletter or on one of our many RV websites. More than a half million RVers turn to us for news and information every month. Call 425-744-0415, weekdays, 9-5 Pacific Time.