If you want to gamble, this is not THAT kind of Casino. Lutes Casino Restaurant is a fun historic destination in Old Town Yuma that appeals to both locals and Snowbirds. It’s for those looking for a casual dining experience with lots and lots of memorabilia covering every surface in the place.
Fun place for cold drink on warm day
Lutes Casino entry (Julianne G. Crane)
Jimmy and I were taken there by RV friends on a very warm afternoon for a cold drink.
While the place might look a little rough when you first enter, it’s not. This is actually “a place for young and old,” says Bobby Lutes, co-owner of the Casino with his brother, Billy. The building dates back to 1901 and has functioned as a store, hotel and billiards hall. Lutes took ownership in 1959 and “started collecting the wall stuff in about 1960,” he recalls.
Two pool tables, Foosball at Lutes (Julianne G. Crane)
“Politicians, dignitaries, celebrities, and artists have paid visits to the Casino.” According to our very friendly wait-guy, during the winter, the place attracts folks from all over North America who are escaping the snow and ice. (We are from the Pacific Northwest and at the next table were six Canadians from British Columbia and Alberta.)
Do not be in a hurry when you visit. The food service can be slow. Take this time to walk around and check out the hundreds of fading posters and photographs. The menu is mostly average American bar food. Prices are reasonable. Pint of craft beer was $5/pint.
If you go:
Lutes Casino, Yuma
Lutes Casino Restaurant
221 Main St.
Historic Downtown Yuma, Az
(928) 782-2192
Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Friday-Saturday: 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
– Plenty of parking in the back (on Maiden Lane). RVs welcome.
RVs are meant to be used not just in summer and not just when it is warm and sunny. Achieving comfortable living in your RV when the outside is either too cold or too hot is a challenge.
One way to prevent heat from escaping during colder periods or to prevent hot air from entering under a full desert sun is to stop the unwanted flow of heat or cold through your overhead vents.
Camco Sunshield RV Vent Insulator with Reflective Surface fits snugly in an RV vent opening with a full 2.75″ of foam to help stop heat transfer, keeping your RV cooler in summer and warmer in winter. The reflective surface blocks 100% of the sun’s damaging rays. Fits standard 14″ RV vents.
Features
Fits standard 14″ RV vents
Reflective surface blocks the sun’s damaging rays
Full 2.75″ of foam to help stop heat transfer
Durable and easy to store
Keep your RV cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter
If those ugly black streaks from water run-off bug you, Star brite® has a spray that will get rid of them.
Description
Black Streak Remover begins working on contact to eliminate black streaks on side walls or anywhere else. In addition to being the best way to get rid of black streaks, this product is a great all-around cleaner for all surfaces and around the house. Ideal for use to remove black streaks or grime from fiberglass, metal, plastic, rubber, vinyl or painted surfaces.
Features
Quickly removes black streaks caused by water run-off.
Safe for use on fiberglass, metal and painted surfaces.
Will not remove wax or polish.
Spray directly onto black streaks and wipe off; no hard scrubbing needed.
Hundreds of uses; will instantly remove stains and marks on boats, cars, RVs and around the house.
Directions
Shake bottle before using. Spray Star brite Instant Black Streak Remover directly on stained area. Let application soak in for 30 seconds before using a clean cloth, brush or sponge to wipe away stain. Rinse well with water. Severely stained surfaces may require a second treatment and light scrubbing. Will not remove wax or polish; safe for fiberglass, vinyl, plastic, stainless, rubber and painted surfaces.
Learn more on the Star brite website. Available on Amazon.
The Bureau of Land Management provides plenty of free boondocking opportunities on public land throughout the West. But did you know there’s another freebie that the BLM’s California office provides?
Every year the California BLM hands out a huge, colorful, 12-month “planner.” These glossy calendars are great wall-hangers and help you keep your plans organized. And the pictures focus on BLM lands that can give you an incentive to go traveling.
Here’s the catch: There’s only a limited number available, so if you want to snag one, DO IT NOW! Click here.
This is what happens when you sell your home to travel full-time in an RV. The image on the left is my key chain four months ago. Actually, there are two separate chains that I needed for different things. I still had a home, an office, a storage shed and probably a few other locks I can’t remember now.
The photo on the right is my current keychain, now that I’m a full-time RVer.
Oh, I have another keychain with my office keys. But those keys are stored away for now until next summer when I will move out of the office. Then those keys will be gone.
I believe the more keys you have, the more responsibility and less freedom you have. As you can see, I have a lot less responsibility these days and a lot more freedom. — Chuck Woodbury, editor
Grand Design RV is recalling nearly 2,000 model year 2015-2016 Momentum toy haulers and Solitude travel trailers manufactured July 8, 2014 to August 31, 2015 equipped with certain aluminum black ladders manufactured by Christianson Industries. These ladders have retractable hinges, each with a welded ‘top hat’ that can separate from the hinge.
If the hinges separate from the ladder while in use, the ladder may fall from the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.
Grand Design will notify owners, and dealers will install a bracket over the back of existing hinges, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 19, 2016. Owners may contact Grand Design customer service at 1-574-825-9679. Grand Design’s number for this recall is 910008.
Lucky you and me. We carry a bedroom with us in our RVs. If we share it, it’s with our special someone. But back in the good ol’ days, there were no RVs. Travelers stayed in hotels. And sometimes, they shared a bed with a complete stranger!
At the Plaza Hotel in San Juan Bautista, Calif., sharing a bed with a stranger was not only done, it was done often. If you had enough money to afford a room by yourself, fine. If not, you could double up with a total stranger for a lot less.
The Plaza Hotel opened in 1856 and welcomed guests into the 1930s. It’s now a part of San Juan Bautista State Historical Park, site of the beautiful old Spanish Mission built in 1797. Part of Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece film “Vertigo” was filmed here.
The ladies outhouse is on top.
Visitors to the Plaza would arrive by stagecoach. The hotel owner was no dummy: He offered the stage drivers a free room. So it was a no-brainer for him to stop with his passengers rather than stay somewhere else and pay.
Rooms were very comfy for the day. They didn’t have bathrooms, of course; an outhouse was at the end of a hall— a two-story outhouse. Men used the downstairs while the ladies did their thing upstairs above them.
In the years 1850 to 1880, a stagecoach trip between San Juan Bautista and Los Angeles cost $18.50 (that’s a lot in today’s dollars!) and took two days. The average speed of the stage was about six miles per hour. It’s wasn’t an easy trip. See the poster below for the rules for passengers. We like the one about avoiding talking about politics and religion: some things don’t change.
Admission to the park, which includes the hotel, is $3.
Does this really exist? According to the package, the toy Happy Hour Playset includes a pretend bar, bar stools and beer bottles.
It’s obviously a gag. But why did I fall for it at first? In this day and age, surprises await everywhere you look. This just didn’t seem such a stretch considering all the other crazy, poor-taste stuff on the market these days. This was created by a guy named Adam, who appears to have a great sense of humor. You can see more of his work on Instagram.
My daughter, Emily, lives in Brooklyn, New York. She’s 25 and finding her way in the business world. A year ago she told me she had adopted a Puerto Rican street dog, which she named Astor. I was not happy, thinking the dog would restrict her freedom in her career search. But now, a year later, I believe adopting Astor was a wonderful thing for both the dog and my daughter.
The other day, Emily sent me a new photo of Astor — one of a few dozen photos she’s created using Photoshop and posted on Social Media to turn her furry buddy into a canine celebrity. I told her I would publish her latest photo (see below) if she would write up something about the dog and how she came to adopt it. If you want to see more photos of Astor and/or follow her on Instagram, click here. Now, here is what Emily wrote:
By Emily Woodbury It’s Astor’s “adoptaversary,” meaning one year ago today the then-8-month-old ball of trouble landed in my arms.
I got her through a shelter in New York City that rescues street dogs from Puerto Rico and flies them to the United States for adoption. I picked her up at the airport and brought her home like I would a bag of groceries. Her first night, in the low glow of Christmas tree lights, she ate a cactus.
Astor is part German Shepard and part everything else black and tan, part garbage can and part vacuum cleaner, part demon and part angel, and part sock-destroyer. She’s been the biggest test of what I’ve been able to handle both physically and mentally. Adopting a street dog isn’t like adopting a dog in a pet store or abandoned on the streets or found lost in a park. A street dog is a blank slate: “What’s a leash?”“YOU’RE GIVING ME FOOD….WILLINGLY?”“I shouldn’t pee in the house?”“Habla Espanol?”
Now, one year later, Astor walks herself on a leash, sleeps in an oversized plush dog bed (with a blanket, too), eats two meals a day (plus snacks and treats) and never forgets to take her daily dose of Emily’s sock-flavored vitamin. She has playdates with neighborhood dog friends, and human friends bring her new toys when she’s decapitated her last squeaking duck.
A dog does something to a human — it takes all your “hard” and makes you soft. Dogs teach you patience and kindness. They keep you active. They get you outdoors and moving the blood that needs to be moved. Study after study has shown that owning a dog reduces risk of illness, dropping heart-attack rates and depression levels.
If you are thinking about getting a dog, please, I urge you to not buy your new friend from a pet store or breeder. There are so many dogs like Astor, both on the streets and in shelters, that want (and need) a home like yours. Twice a day when Astor gets her bowl of food and then, with a full belly, comes to sit on my lap, I feel like I’ve done something right in the world.
Before I met Astor, she was sleeping under pickup trucks. She was dusty and her ribs showed. She begged outside restaurants for food scraps, wagging her tail in appreciation as she inhaled whatever was offered.
Every dog deserves a good home, but please adopt the shelter mutts and the scruffy street dogs first.
Follow Astor on Instagram at instagram.com/astorthedisaster . If you are interested in adopting a Puerto Rican street dog or making a donation to the non-profit adoption organization, visit the Sato Project.
I wrote about my crowded RV park in today’s (Dec. 10, 2016) RV Travel newsletter. I did not paint a rosy picture.
My current “campground.”
Here’s where I’m coming from: I bought my first motorhome about 35 years ago. It was a whopping 18-feet long. There was no air conditioning, no generator. The heater barely worked. But I loved it. Until this year, I never traveled in an RV longer than 24 feet (all were motorhomes) and I never towed a car. My new motorhome is 32 feet long and I tow a Honda Fit.
With rare exception, with my previous RVs I never stayed in one place more than a few days. Now, in the larger motorhome and car, I will stay put for weeks at a time, maybe even months. I can run errands and explore the local area with the car, so there’s no need to move the RV.
In my smaller RVs I loved to stay in public parks — those in National Forests, State and National Parks, even on desert lands where I could hole up for free. I could go four to five days on my batteries and holding tanks. Packing up and moving to a new place took ten minutes. There was no car to hitch and unhitch. Now, it takes an hour.
Back then, I did a lot of “camping.” I stayed in beautiful places — by lakes, streams, in the desert under a star-filled night sky. I loved sitting by a campfire.
Now, without a traditional home, I live in an RV full-time. I drive it far less than my previous, shorter rigs. It’s too big or awkward to fit into some public parks and with a height of 12 feet 9 inches, many roads with low bridges are out of bounds. Most of the most-scenic public parks, those in national forests and BLM lands, do not offer hookups.
With my shorter RVs I would often stay in public campgrounds. But without a car, I would never stay more than a few days.
IN THE OLD DAYS, I detested staying in crowded RV parks and I avoided them as much as possible except for a night or two. Now, I’m okay with them because I need a home base more than a place to camp — with 50-amp service, other hookups, WiFi and sometimes a laundry. Cable TV is nice, too. LIVING in an RV and CAMPING with one are two different things, although on occasion they do overlap.
There must be twice as many RVers now as there were when I began RVing in the mid-1980s. Back then, reservations were not necessary. It was easy to get a camping space. Leave your campsite in the morning and at about 4 o’clock look for a place for the night. No problem. Nobody stayed in Walmarts when I began RVing. Heck, there were only about 250 of them (compared to 11,000 worldwide today). RV parks were less crowded and the prices a fraction of what they are now.
Today, with so many RVers — and so many of them baby boomers who are full-timers like me — RV parks are packed. Sadly, public campgrounds in the same areas may be empty — not enough amenities for RV “residents.” RVers today want their electric hookups, often 50 amps, for their vastly more complicated and comfortable RVs. They want WiFi, and they need longer spaces than in many government parks. They often stay in one place for months at a time. They are not “campers.” They are people who live in wheeled homes that are easily moved. I’m one of them.
So, when I write about packed RV parks, it’s not as bad as it sounds. Sure, you’re packed in with a bunch of other RVers. But inside your RV is most important. That’s where most full-timers and seasonal RVers spend their time. What’s outdoors doesn’t matter as much. Want to spend the day by a pretty lake? Drive there in your car.
And no matter how many times you end up in a crowded park, there will still be special times when you stay in places of incredible beauty. The scene to the right, for example, was just outside my motorhome last week in my aunt’s orange grove near Lindsay, California. It was beautiful! The only sound at night was the distant howls of coyotes.
Yes, I miss the good ol’ days of camping in secluded, scenic places. But it’s a new ballgame for me now as a full-timer, with so many other full-timers vying for spaces along with hundreds of thousands of new part-timers every year who camp on summer weekends and vacations.
For boondockers, many of whom stay on public lands, there is virtually no limit to where they can stay. With solar panels, portable dumping tanks (called Blueboys) and other devices, they can can stay for weeks or months at a time in gorgeous remote areas, sacrificing few creature comforts.
Learn about RV camping, RV travel, RV news and much more. This newsletter, now in its 16th year of continuous publication, is funded primarily through advertising and voluntary subscription contributions from our readers. Thank you!
Issue 772 • Week of Dec. 10–16, 2016
Editor’s corner With Chuck Woodbury Chuck (at) RVtravel.com
The view from the window by my desk.
This is the view out my window today near San Juan Bautista, Calif. There’s no lake, no bubbling brook, no pine trees, no saguaro cactus forest, and I’m not expecting any memorable sunsets. There is, instead, one RV after another squeezed side by side in an RV park.
I would prefer more space. From what I can tell, most of the other parks around here are no roomier. Many, if not most, of the RVers at my park are seasonal or live here full-time.
Another view of the park.
Gail and I pulled in yesterday just before dark and proceeded to hook up our 32-foot one-bedroom, one-bath apartment on wheels. A woman walked by with her dog, an Irish Wolfhound —a giant, friendly creature that resembled a small horse. Gail recognized the woman and the dog from a couple of weeks ago when our paths crossed at the Cal Expo RV Park in Sacramento. As Gail and the woman gabbed, the creature applied dog slobber to us with its massive tongue.
Happy neighbors in our park.
About the same time, our next door neighbor, who introduced herself as Ann, had appeared from her 45-foot Allegro Bus motor-mansion with her Labradoodle. It was doggie pee time. The dog proceeded to lick both Gail and me, which added an additional layer of dog slobber to our hands. As Ann watched the giant Irish Wolfhound pass, she said, “It looks like it should have a saddle.” She told us that she and her husband Don had lived here for a year.
Pulling into the park yesterday, seeing a sea of large RVs crammed together with little space between, I thought, “Welcome to your new life, Charles!” I was not happy. I was a bit depressed, if you want to know the truth.
The church at Mission San Juan Bautista.
I’m pretty sure crowded RV parks like this will be fine with me after awhile. I know, I know (hold your letters) … boondocking is a whole lot better for someone who wants peace, pretty scenery and no neighbors next door watching “Family Feud” on their outdoor TVs. I agree.
But I’m just a part-time boondocker, maybe a few weeks a year. Mostly, I like to be near small towns where stuff is going on. As far as I’m concerned, a pioneer museum with a two-headed calf is ten times better than staying in the middle of nowhere. Here in San Juan Bautista, there’s a beautiful 1797 Spanish mission to explore. Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece “Vertigo” was filmed in part there. Gail and I plan to attend the Christmas service.
Vampire Vineyards’ Countess Lisa Dominique Machat.
I’m okay staying in RV parks because I like to shower every day, and I like my electric blanket, air conditioning when it’s hot, and all the other comforts of home that full hookups afford. I’m not a “camper” anymore. I am a person with a wheeled home with a steering wheel to drive it wherever I want. It’s a great life for anyone who is bored living in one place.
Last evening, after we had settled in, Gail and I celebrated our new tiny patch of rented real estate with a bottle of Vampire Wine. Its motto is “For the vampire in all of us.”
All was quiet in the park. The comforting sound of a gentle rain pitter-pattered on our roof, and our little wheeled casita was warm and cozy. By the time I finished my first glass of wine, I was feeling right at home. By the time I polished off my sixth glass I didn’t care where I was. Ha! I’m joking: I only had two glasses!
P.S. One year ago, my daughter, Emily, adopted a Puerto Rican street dog. She immediately fell in love with her. Before she met Astor, the dog was living on the streets of Puerto Rico, sleeping under pickup trucks, begging for food scraps. Please take a minute to read Emily’s story. If you love animals, especially dogs, I believe you will enjoy this.
Say No to the Snow! This year, say NO to the snow, and head south for the winter! Florida, Arizona and South Texas benefit from beautiful sunny days and gentle warm breezes. You can too! Stay a week, a month, or the whole season! Book your long-term seasonal or annual stay at one of over 80 resorts in the southeastern United States. Click here to learn more!
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Light up your RV with Boogey Lights! RV accent lighting is all the rage! Just look around the RV park! Enter Boogey Lights®! These robust, super-bright, state-of-the-art LED lights with hi-tech controller technology represent the next generation in LED lighting for RVs. The AWNING & UNDER-GLOW LIGHT KITS are specifically designed to withstand harsh operating environments. Don’t waste your money on junk! Get Boogey Lights! You can even control them with your Smart Phone! Learn more or click the video for a demonstration.
Four big cities propose ban on diesel vehicles That diesel motorhome or truck you’re driving may be a dinosaur in the making. The leaders of four major cities, from Europe to Central America, are planning to ban all diesel vehicles by the middle of the next decade, the BBC reports. The ban is hugely significant. Carmakers will look at this decision and know it’s just a matter of time before other city mayors follow suit. Here in the U.S., RV makers will likely do the same. Read more.
America’s Largest RV Consignment Dealer Buy or sell your used motorhome, diesel pusher, fifth wheel or travel trailer hassle free at PPL Motor Homes. And check our huge selection of parts! PPL is the largest RV consignment dealer in the USA, selling more than 24,000 consigned RVs since 1972. Visit the PPL website.
Reader RVs
What RV do you drive or tow? Send us a photo of your RV (and tow vehicle) with a 150-200 word description of where and how often you travel with it, and what you like or don’t like about it. Include your name(s) and hometown. We’ll post them to RVtravel.com. Send to assistant editor Diane McGovern at Diane(at)RVtravel.com .
CLICK HERE to see last week’s RV Travel Reader RVs.
Wade Maid Holiday Sale! Use coupon code: HolidayRV Save 5% on Beast Wash and all other products. Your RV’s large surface area makes it a beast that collects more bugs, grit, grime, soot and industrial pollution than your car does. And it may have different surfaces of paint, fiberglass, vinyl and aluminum. Click on the video to see Wade clean, shine and protect EVERYTHING with Beast Wash. Click here to buy. Offer expires 1/31/17.Cannot combine with other offers.
THIS WEEK’S CONTEST! Win this 2017Good Sam RV park directory! The winner will be chosen randomly out of all correct entries received by noon (Pacific), Sunday. The question: What brand of coffee is responsible for most coffee shops serving decaf in pots with orange tops and handles? The answer is in the Trivia section below. Email your answer to RVcontests (at) gmail.com. We can only ship prizes to addresses with a U.S. Zip Code. Only one entry per household. Contest ends Sunday at noon (Pacific), at which time a winner will be selected using Random.org. We’ll let you know if you win. The winner will have 24 hours to respond with his or her address or forfeit the prize. If that happens, we’ll hold the prize for another time.WE HAVE OUR WINNER. Thank you for entering.
Good news, bad news? The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill last Tuesday that could pump as much as $20 million per year into the nation’s parks. The kicker? It means increasing the cost of senior citizen lifetime park passes up from the current $10 to $80. If law, the bill would send $10 million per year to the park service directly. Up to an additional $10 million from sales of the passes would flow into the parks provided matching funds appear from private donors.
This colder time of year is supposed to put the brakes on sales of used RVs. Apparently buyers didn’t read that note – October sales at auction houses went up 12 percent for motorhomes and 8 percent for towables. The latter saw prices increase nearly 3 percent, up to an average $13,129, while motorhomes slid down 14 percent to $38,206 in comparison to September prices. Source: Black Book.
In 2013 the Bureau of Land Management closed down the Scaredman Campground, located 40 miles east of Roseburg, Ore. The Bureau cited a lack of funds to keep the camp in operation. Now officials say they can open the campground back up – provided users pay $10 per night for use. For more information or to submit comments before February 3, 2017, click here.
Winnebago is making deeper cuts in employee benefits. Effective January 1, no company retirees under 65 years old will get post-retirement health care benefits.
If you’re a fan of camping in Wisconsin’s parks, it could cost you. Facing a budget shortfall, park officials are eyeballing fee increases. Campers could pay anywhere from $2 to $10 more per night. The high-end fees could be imposed at popular parks including Devil’s Lake, Governor Dodge, High Cliff, Kohler-Andrae, Peninsula and Willow River.
California’s Mount Tamalpais State Park got a $60,000 shot in the arm from a rock concert held there in September. The Sound Summit concert featured Wilco and Los Lobos, among others, including a surprise visit from Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead. Next year another concert is planned commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Magic Mountain Festival, where a couple of upstart bands played – Jefferson Airplane and The Doors.
Zion South Monument. Photo: National Park Service
Utah’s Zion National Park’s south entrance monument is a popular group photo site. Now park managers are thinking about moving it 28 feet east to “enhance visitor safety,” among other reasons. Included in the proposal is moving a walkway and redesigning parking. Got a comment on the matter? The Park Service wants your thoughts through December 28.
After a summer filled with complaints about the lack of available campsites, British Columbia authorities have big plans. The province will add 1,900 new campsites to their stable, including 800 in provincial parks and the balance in “recreational sites.” Most will be located in the Lower Mainland, Vancouver, Okanagan and Kootenay regions. It’s expected the new spots will roll out over a five-year period.
RV Parts and Accessories
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More News
The National Park Service says it hopes to have the Birth Home at Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site (Atlanta, Ga.) reopened to the public in January in time for the January 16 holiday. The building was closed last August when structural damage was found, which has since been repaired.
RV filmmaker John Holod is holding his annual holiday sale, offering his entire 10-DVD series for $50. That’s $5 each compared to the regular price of $20. Among Holod’s most popular productions are “Alaska: RV Adventure of a Lifetime” and “RV Adventure Route 66.” The only way to get the special deal is to call John directly at 313-510-2350. The sale ends Dec. 16. See John’s entire collection at his website.
A few years ago, Mitchell, S.D., leased out its Lake Mitchell Campground. Since then, the city has netted a mere $2,000 a year in the process. Now the lease has expired and the city plans on taking back management – and pumping up the revenue. Planning on investing $20,000 in RV site and other improvements, planners hope to attract more campers than ants to a picnic.
Louisiana State Police were called to the scene of a rolled over travel trailer on I-10 near the Texas state line last Sunday. Not an unusual event, but some of the passengers in the trailer were. Police report they included two dogs, five cats – and an iguana. No injuries.
Owners of Sleepy Hollow RV Park and Campground in Oxford, Iowa, are laying out $20,000 to settle a lawsuit over drinking water violations. The parent company, Sabeer LLC, failed to upgrade the park’s water supply system back in 2011 after tests showed excessive bacteria levels in the water. The park was also cited for failing to maintain its sewage treatment system.
An RVing couple were startled when a man approached them at their motorhome in Crescent City, Calif. Greg Alexander, 46, threatened them with a knife – which he never showed. The couple took off on foot and Alexander took off with their rig. A chase by highway patrol officers led to deployment of “stop sticks,” which did stop the rig, but 45 minutes of negotiation couldn’t convince Alexander to come out. He took off again, flat tires and all, but didn’t make it far. This time when negotiations were negative, police stormed the RV and cuffed him.
Drive ’til the wheels fall off: Apparently that’s what a murder suspect tried to do with his older Class C unit in Vero Beach, Fla. Christian Sagastume was a suspect in a December murder case and was spotted by police as he drove his rig in Vero Beach. He didn’t stop then – nor did he slow down in a chase that hit 85 mph across several counties. Trying to avoid “stop sticks,” Sagastume drove his rig against a guard rail, losing a tire in the process. He kept driving on metal until sparks from the wheel caught the RV on fire. He then crashed the rig and tried to run – but couldn’t because of smoke inhalation.
Image: pixabay.com
Bull moose party? A man sleeping in a pop-up camper got a rude 1:30 a.m. awakening in a campground near Fort Collins, Colo. Scott Lindell first thought a severe wind had blown up when his pop-up started shaking. He stepped out of the rig to find a bull moose on the attack. The moose poked holes in the soft-sided rig near where Lindell’s head had been resting, and evidently broke out a taillight on Lindell’s pickup. The moose departed when lights and shouting were applied.
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Keep up with RV Industry news throughout the week at RVbusiness.com.
RV Armor has tough skin!
RV Armor’s tough skin was featured recently in Trailer Life. Read the full story here. RV Armor offers a unique, liquid applied roof system that is Guaranteed for the Life of the RV! No more maintenance, seams, or headaches. Nationwide mobile service. We come to you. To learn more, call 1-855-782-7667 or click here. Click the video to see our 2-day process in 6 minutes!
Yeah, right! Someone had fun staging this scene. Source of the photo is unknown, but sent in by Ted Sudtell.
RV Quick Tips
“Exercise” your generator
Don’t just exercise the pooch, exercise the generator, too. Fire it up and run it at half-load (or more) for two hours each month.
Use big enough leveling blocks
Got leveling blocks for under the tires? Make sure the blocks are big enough that the tire sits completely on the block — not overhanging it. Dually rig owners, both the tires must be supported, not just one.
Make sure your sealant is sealing
Check sealants around windows, doors and roof vents often. Sealant does “dry out,” and cracked sealant can lead not only to air leaks (making it harder to heat and cool your rig), but worse, can allow water in that can lead to expensive damage.
Do you have a Quick Tip? Send it to Diane (at) RVtravel.com and you just might see it here!
Perfect stocking stuffer! Lucy and Desi go RVing Now, here’s the perfect stocking stuffer — Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz go RVing! In this 1954 classic — in gorgeous Technicolor — the famous couple (as newlyweds) invest in a 40-foot travel trailer and hit the road. The result is hilarious! The scene in which Lucy tries to make beef stew, a Caesar salad and cake in the wobbling, moving trailer is a classic! This DVD is a great gift for your favorite RVer! Learn more or order for only $5.97.
Gray days, winter looms — Now what?
Rich “The Wanderman” is already dealing with snow (he’s not the only one!). Looking at his RV covered in snow, he contemplates projects or places to go — which keeps him in the “RV mood” while he awaits spring. But now he wants to hear from you. If you want to try something but have questions — whether they’re about improvements, repairs, new gadgets or trip planning — all you need to do is ask Rich! Read more.
Frank Sinatra memorial at garlic stand
A few miles south of Gilroy, the “Garlic Capital of the World,” alongside U.S. 101, sits Garlic World, a popular roadside attraction. It celebrates (and sells) “everything” garlic. So what’s with the Frank Sinatra memorial stuck back in a corner? Chuck Woodbury has the answer.
RVs vs. tiny houses as investments
Financial guru Dave Ramsey discusses the merits of both RVs and tiny houses as investments. He says RVs are always bad investments with terrible depreciation values, and that the verdict is still out regarding tiny houses. That said, he has a prediction. Watch the video.
RV moisture misery
Chris Dougherty, certified RV technician, received a question from a reader while he was serving as RVtravel.com’s technical editor, as follows: “Condensation forms inside both the wardrobe and the cabinets on my slide-outs only, not in any other storage compartment in my travel trailer when the temperature gets down to the lower 40s. Why is this and what can I do about it?” Read Chris’ response.
National Park Service photo
Ancient villages preserved at Colorado monument
Walk in ancient footsteps. Soak in the silence. Marvel at a night sky overflowing with stars. Hear a lone coyote’s howl. Experience the past at Hovenweep National Monument near Cortez, Colorado. Hovenweep preserves six villages once inhabited by the ancestors of today’s Pueblo people. Learn more.
Important consideration if changing tire size: “Minimum Dual Spacing”
If you own a motorhome that has two tires on each end of the rear axle, then you have “duals” and need to know and consider much more information than you needed when driving a car or towing a trailer. And if you are changing the tire size on your motorhome, there are even more things to consider, including a critical dimension called “Minimum Dual Spacing.” Learn more in this important message from RV tire expert Roger Marble.
Good Sam Campground Guide NOW AVAILABLE. Be the first to get this guide by ordering through Amazon.com. With more than 12,500 locations listed across the USA and Canada, the Good Sam RV Travel & Savings Guide is the only print directory of RV parks and campgrounds. The 2017 edition features an expert rating system with all evaluations completed on site in the past 12 months. Park listings include amenities, services, restrictions, rates, contact info, Good Sam discount locations, hundreds of dollars’ worth of Camping World savings and pages of helpful information. Learn more or order.
No Shock Zone, Part Twelve — critical information
In this episode, learn what to do if you find someone who’s been shocked and knocked out. The information in this 12-part series has saved lives. It’s very important. Take the time to read. If you missed last week’s episode about extension cord connector wiring and testing, read it here.
Re-wrap your assist handle with this mod
Right up in the “neatest thing since sliced bread” category, for the De Maris family at least, are big “assist handles” that you can mount on the side of your RV. At the end of a long road day, or a long trail, being able to grab that handle and stabilize yourself heading up the steps into the rig has been a lifesaver. Trouble is, the grips sold as standard on many of these units just don’t hold up too long. Read here for Russ and Tiña’s quick, inexpensive mod.
Adjusting trailer brake controllers
A regular reader of RV Travel sent in this question: “I have a question about brake controllers and travel trailers. How do you adjust them? How do you know if they are too tight or not adjusted correctly?” These are great questions, and we offer some suggestions and important information. Learn more.
Travel with a cat? Here’s a pussycat’s perspective
It appears that sometime when one of our staff writer’s laptop was left unguarded, another sort of “lap top” took over the keys to editorialize about the state of affairs of traveling pets. Read this cute and informative essay by “Ithmah” — and find out what his name means.
Save dollars with PennySavers Here’s a nifty and thrifty tip from Bob Difley to not only save money on restaurants and services as well as at local retailers, but also help familiarize you with the local area. Read more.
Thor recalling RVs for possible electrical short
Thor Motor Coach is recalling 528 model year 2014-2016 Tuscany motorhomes, models 40DX, 40KQ, 40RX, 42GX, 42WX, 44MT, 45AT and 45LT, manufactured April 11, 2013, to October 12, 2015. Water may leak into the keyless entry module and cause an electrical short in the affected vehicles. An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire. Learn more.
Lightweight vacuum perfect for RVs GREAT GIFT! This Dirt Devil Simpli-Stick Lightweight Bagless Stick Vacuum is compact and it works great. Plus it converts to a hand vacuum in a snap! It’s the vacuum of choice in the RV Travel motorhome. Weighs less than 4 pounds. Learn more or order for about $20.
In front of handicap parking space.
This week in history Week of Dec. 10–16 Compiled by Dell Bert
1791 – The Bill of Rights becomes law.
1915 – Ford builds its 1 millionth car.
1925 – Dick Van Dyke is born.
1944 – Legendary bandleader Glenn Miller disappears over the English Channel.
1944 – Battle of the Bulge begins.
1967 – Otis Redding and his band die in plane crash.
1967 – Hepburn, Tracy and Poitier star in “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.”
1977 – World premiere of “Saturday Night Fever.”
2003 – Saddam Hussein is captured.
Fix it in Foil! Tasty Recipes. Easy cleanup! Easy prep, great taste, good nutrition, quick clean-up! “Fix it in Foil” includes 51 fantastic recipes to make in foil — plus instructions for cooking in an oven, on an outdoor grill, or on a campfire. Fix it in foil and forget about scrubbing pots and pans. And, with plenty of substitution suggestions, enjoy a whole new list of recipe possibilities! Great for RVing! Learn more or order.
RV Club of the Week Here is an RV club we like. We hope you do, too!
Xscapers
“Xscapers is a support network geared toward a new generation of RVers who have not yet retired and who have already, or are aspiring to, hit the road pursuing a full-time or part-time nomadic lifestyle.”An RV lifestyle group of Escapees RV Club.
Be prepared for a roadside emergency! Forget messing around with flares. You’ll be thankful to have this set of three emergency flashers along with you if you’re forced to the side of a busy highway with a flat tire, mechanical or other issue. One FlareAlert™ provides about 20 hours of safety before a battery change (three AAAs in each). You’d need to strike 80 incendiary flares, one after another, to achieve the same thing.Learn more or order.
Bumper sticker of the week I checked into the Hokey Pokey Clinic and I turned myself around.
Funny/clever business slogan
This was one on a truck in Plymouth, U.K., that was carrying portable toilets. It said “Ideal for large public gatherings or for private functions.” —Thanks to Frank Damp, Anacortes, Wash.
Have you seen a funny bumper sticker or business slogan? Send it to Diane(at)RVtravel.com
Keep rodents out of your RV!
The overwhelmingly positive reviews on this make it a best bet for keeping your RV rodent-free. This is the only plant-based rodent repellent registered for inside use by the EPA. It effectively repels rodents up to 100 days with a “woodsy” scent that’s pleasant to humans but offensive to rodents. It’s safe around kids and pets so no safety warning is required. 98% biodegradable. Tested and endorsed by the Good Sam Club. Learn more or order.
Upcoming RV Shows See the list of upcoming RV shows for 2016 and 2017.
Space heater uses only 200 watts! It’s hard to believe that an electric space heater could use a mere 200 watts — the same as a couple of light bulbs —a fraction of other space heaters. And this one really works! It’s meant to heat a nearby person, not a room (although it will keep the chill off a small bathroom). Put it on your desk or at your feet. It’s perfect for the RVer who’s “always cold.” Click the video by RVtravel.com editor Chuck Woodbury. Or order at Amazon.com.
“Take me to your leader.”
Websites of the Week
Here are three we like:
Iconic adventures for each of the 50 states
Great and sometimes unique ideas for things to see and do in each state. How many of these have you experienced? How many do you want to put on your bucket list? From Reader’s Digest and msn.com.
21 things you didn’t know you could make in your slow-cooker
Risotto, Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake, Peanut Butter Fudge, French Onion Dip, Party Mix, Buffalo Wings, and much more. Yum! From TheDailyMeal.com and msn.com.
Chronicles of Courage: Stories of Wartime and Innovation
If you or someone you know were/are in the military, this will probably be of interest to you. This is a groundbreaking project begun more than 15 years ago by philanthropist Paul G. Allen, co-founder of Microsoft. It is one of the largest interview video archives on war and aviation ever created, and begins with World War II. It “captures the powerful first-person perspectives of more than 340 men and women from opposing sides of conflicts” and “will take you on an immersive journey into the heart of wartime,” including insight into some of the most iconic military aircraft. The archive went live on December 7, 2016, Pearl Harbor Day. From Flying Heritage Collection (flyingheritage.com).
Good reading from RV123.com
• Sherwood Forest Camping & RV Park is the perfect stop for travelers exploring Wisconsin Dells.
• Add some excitement to your camping breakfast with this fried egg and hash recipe!
• Ever wanted an easier way to share your travels with your family members and friends?
Help stabilize and keep your RV steps safe The RV Save-A-Step Brace is designed to be placed under RV entry steps for safety. It stabilizes the RV steps and helps keep the coach from rocking — preventing sag and wear. The brace is made of heavy-gauge steel with a 3/4″ solid metal screw thread, 1000-pound load rating and 7-5/8″ to 14″ adjustment range. Learn more or order at Amazon.com.
Ask the RV Shrink
Husband’s dream RV is wife’s “gas hog” nightmare
Dear RV Shrink:
We are looking at a 38-foot motorhome that is like a McMansion on wheels. It has all the creature comforts of home. It has been my husband’s dream for years. Don’t get me wrong. I love it too, but I can’t get over the poor gas mileage. I keep thinking every time we drive five miles it’s going to cost us whatever a gallon of gas costs. It seems absurd.
Am I just thinking too hard? Are we nuts buying this gas hog? —Gas Math in Maitland
Essential for big RVs! 2017 Rand McNally Motor Carriers’ Road Atlas If you drive a big RV — extra long or extra tall — then this truck driver’s road atlas will be a huge help in knowing where you can drive without encountering a low bridge or getting stuck hanging over a cliff. This is an essential aid even if you have a GPS! Coverage: United States, Canada, and Mexico. Learn more or order.
RV Tech Tips from Mark Polk
Towing system weights
Every component in a towing system has a weight rating. Never exceed the lowest rated component in the system. For example, your tow vehicle might be rated to tow 7,000 pounds, but if the hitch receiver on the tow vehicle is rated for 5,000 pounds, that is the most you can tow. This can be especially true on motorhomes. The motorhome might be rated to tow 6,000 pounds, but until recently most receivers on motorhomes were rated for 3,500 pounds.
Mark Polk is the owner of RV Education 101, the premiere source of educational DVDs about buying, maintaining and using an RV. Learn more.
Latest fuel prices Here are the latest U.S. average prices per gallon of gasoline and diesel fuel: Regular unleaded gasoline: $2.21 (on Dec. 5). Change from week before: Up 5 cents; Change from year before: Up 16 cents. Diesel: $2.48 (on Dec. 5). Change from week before: Up 6 cents; Change from year before: Up 10 cents.
RV Travelers Guide to Alaskan Camping Do you or someone you know plan to travel to Alaska with an RV? Then this is for you! Detailed routes and advice for exploring Alaska and northwestern Canada are provided, covering the Alaskan Highway, routes throughout the Yukon and Alaska, and the ferry system. Nearly 500 campgrounds are described in detail. A great gift! Learn more order!
RV Travel Reader Pets
Do you travel with a pet? We’d love to introduce your pet(s) to fellow readers. Send a photo or two of Fido or Boots and a 150-200 word description of your furry friend(s), along with your name(s) and hometown to Diane(at)RVtravel.com .
Click here to see this week’s issue of RV Travel Reader Pets.
Toss your colander. This is better! The adjustable Snap ‘n Strain silicone strainer fits nearly all pots and pans. Once snapped in, the pot can be tilted over a sink or bowl to do its magic. Leave it on the pan even while cooking! Works with heavier foods like potatoes. Super compact for storing, perfect for RVs. Dishwasher safe. Learn more or order or watch the video.
The RV Kitchen with Janet Groene
Slow Cooker Porkganoff Slow cooker meal magic.
A take on Beef Stroganoff, this easy recipe uses budget-priced pork and almost no prep time at all. Get the recipe.
Don’t come up short of power at the RV park This 50 amp extension cord can save the day! Sometimes your RV’s power cord just won’t extend far enough to reach an RV park’s hookup pedestal. Here’s the solution: a 15-foot extension cord. Using a wimpy cord that isn’t rated high enough can ruin appliances and even cause a fire. Do it right with this! Learn more or order at a big discount. Need a 30-amp extension?Click here.
The Digital RVer
If you can send an email, you can write a blog post
Lots of RVers keep blogs. Lots more would do so if they knew how easy it is. Here at Geeks on Tour, we think that the free Blogger.com platform by Google is the easiest way to create and maintain a blog. It can be like a personal journal, or it can be a club website, a small business, or just a place to write what’s on your mind. It’s already drop-dead simple, but if you turn on the setting to allow posting by email, it’s even easier. Chris Guld explains how.
The special offer for RV Travel readers is back!
Become a member of Geeks on Tour and get a 20% discount on anything on the store page just by entering the code rvtravel ! Even the already super-duper special price of $49 for the entire learning library on USB drive AND the brand-new book: “Mrs. Geek’s Guide to Learning Google Photos.” Click here.
Walmart Locator:
Find stores for shopping and overnight stays This is an invaluable aid for RVers who occasionally spend a night in a Walmart parking lot. State maps identify where the stores are located in the USA. Detailed information includes city or town where each store is located, type of store (Walmart or Supercenter), availability of gas and diesel fuel, distance from Interstate if within 10 miles, and more. Published 2016. Learn more or order.
Ask the RV Doctor The RV Doctor, Gary Bunzer, answers your questions
Fear of freezing
Dear RV Doctor: I am freaking out! The temperature got down to 25 last night and we have water in our water heater and one gallon of water and a chemical in our black tank. We did blow out the water lines. Should I be concerned about the tank and water heater freezing last night? We were not expecting the temperature to drop so fast. We are camping and I am scared I am going to find a busted tank. —Rhonda F.
Temperature gun is ‘essential equipment’ for many RVers! GREAT STOCKING STUFFER! Just aim this non-contact IR temperature gun to measure the temperature of your refrigerator, tires, A/C output, or, heck, even your oven (and the list goes on). It turns on and begins reading the temperature in Celsius or Fahrenheit with one press of the trigger. A laser light aids in aiming, and can be turned on or off. Many RVers consider this essential equipment. Learn more or order at a huge discount.
Boondocking tips with Bob Difley
Camp upwind from the dust
If you have the option of where to camp in the desert, pick a boondocking site on the upwind side of the access road, especially if it’s dusty. Even though there may be little weekday traffic, it could swell on weekends, smothering your rig with dust. Also, keep your windows closed on the side next to the road and even post a “Slow, Please” sign, which may help. If someone responds when you are outside, wave a “thank you.”
Microwave cover collapses for easy storage When heating your food you don’t want to spend 10 minutes later cleaning the splatters inside the microwave. Here’s the solution — perfect for RVers: It pops down flat for easy storage. Lid perforations allow steam to escape to keep food moist. Doubles as a strainer! Learn more or order.
Gadgets and Gizmos
Shurhold’s Bucket Grate improves RV washing
Everyone has a favorite item to clean their RV with, be it a wash mitt, sponge or brush. All of these tools pick up dirt and debris that eventually collect in the bottom of a wash bucket. Shurhold Industries’ new Bucket Grate sits in the bottom of a standard five-gallon pail and allows contaminants to settle, keeping the wash mixture and tools cleaner. Learn more.
LoadLifter provides heavy load leveling capabilities
Air Lift is expanding its load assist product line with the new LoadLifter 7500 XL series kits, which offer extreme load-leveling capabilities. The LoadLifter 7500 XL is now Air Lift’s heaviest-rated air spring kit, built to provide 7,500 pounds of load-leveling capacity. For owners of 3/4- and 1-ton pickups that tow or haul heavy loads like slide-in campers, fifth-wheel RV trailers or gooseneck flatbed trailers, this kit provides an unbeatable combination of adjustability and ride quality. Read more.
Avoid moisture damage to your RV
DampRid FG50T Hi-Capacity Moisture Absorber, 4-Pound Tub eliminates musty odors in RVs and other spaces, protecting them from moisture damage for up to 60 days in areas up to 1000-square feet, and up to 6 months in a 250-square foot area. Don’t let your rig get damaged from moisture this winter. Learn more or order.
RV Electricity with Mike Sokol
Expensive mistake when installing 30-amp RV outlet at home
Dear Mike,
Thank you for bringing the miswiring issue to light. I have been a licensed journeyman electrician for over ten years, but when a customer asked me to install an outside 30-amp outlet for his RV in the driveway, I accidentally wired it up for 240 volts, NOT 120 volts. That was a costly mistake on my part since it destroyed a lot of the RV appliances and electrical system. Yes, I paid for the RV repairs, but I hated to write that check. More folks need to understand that RV electricity does not follow the norm for house wiring. —Adam
Mike Sokol is an electrical and professional sound expert with 40 years in the industry. Visit NoShockZone.org for more electrical safety tips. His excellent book RV Electrical Safety is available at Amazon.com.
Keep burglars away with fake TV GREAT GIFT! The next time you leave your home or RV, turn on this fake TV to scare intruders away. At night, when burglars like to strike, from outside your home or RV the light mimics someone inside watching a 40-inch LCD TV, while using very little power. This is enough to scare most would-be intruders off. Learn more or order.
Stupid Statements of Yesteryear
“So we went to Atari and said, ‘Hey, we’ve got this amazing thing, even built with some of your parts, and what do you think about funding us? Or we’ll give it to you. We just want to do it. Pay our salary, we’ll come work for you.’ And they said, ‘No.’ So then we went to Hewlett-Packard, and they said, ‘Hey, we don’t need you. You haven’t got through college yet.'” —Apple Computer, Inc. founder, Steve Jobs, on attempts to get Atari and H-P interested in his and Steve Wozniak’s personal computer.
Endorsed by Roger Marble of RVtireSafety.com! An excellent tire pressure gauge The Accutire MS-4021B digital tire pressure gauge has an easy-to-read LCD display that provides pressure readings from 5-150 PSI. It’s ergonomically designed with an angled head and a rubber-coated easy-grip handle. If you forget to turn it off, it will do so automatically. The included lithium battery never needs to be recharged or replaced. All for less than $12! Learn more or order.
Videos you’ll like
Top 10 reasons to not put nitrogen in your tires
The language in this video from Australia is a little off-color at times, but the information is solid. The message: Putting nitrogen in your tires is a waste of money. Watch the 17-minute video.
Using Google Earth to pinpoint boondocking locations
We told you about this video a few months ago, but it’s worth repeating. You will be amazed at what you can learn about a place to camp away from the crowds before you even leave home in this presentation by boondocking expert Dave Helgeson. Watch the video.
Random RV Thought Here is the definition of freedom to an RVer: “A full gas tank, a full propane tank, a full water tank and empty holding tanks.” Add to that full cupboards, a full refrigerator, a map, lots of free time, and an RVer’s life is approaching a perfect state.
Liquefy solid wastes in sewer holding tanks Happy Campers Treatment liquefies solid waste and household tissue. It’s a natural formula that’s environmentally friendly and biodegradable, with no formaldehyde or harsh chemicals. Basically, the good bacteria overtakes the bad bacteria to eliminate odor and accelerate the natural decomposition of waste. Because it is totally organic and odor free, you won’t be embarrassed by bad odors inside or when you dump. Learn more or order at Amazon.com.
Trivia When you order decaffeinated coffee, the pot will usually have an orange top and handle. The reason? When decaffeinated coffee was the hot new thing, Sanka, with its distinctive orange packaging, was THE brand. In a big promotion, the company sent thousands of orange coffee pots with orange spouts to coffee shops across the USA. To this day, when you order decaf coffee, the pot it’s poured from will most often be “Sanka” orange, no matter what the brand.
Stay warm with this 12-volt Warming Blanket! Here’s a way to keep warm in your RV without wasting propane to run your heater. Just snuggle up with a warming blanket! This one has an 8-foot cord and operates on 12-volt, perfect for RV use. Stitched from 100 percent polyester fleece, the blanket is comfortable, functional, safe and gentle on your RV’s battery. Put it on your bed before turning in to warm your sheets! Learn more or order from Amazon.
Worth Pondering “Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought.” —Lin Yutang
Riding the rails! Tourist Trains Guidebook
Do you like to ride tourist railroads on your travels? If so, you’ll love this guidebook. It thoroughly describes at least 500 excursion trains and railroad museums in the USA and Canada. About 200 of the most popular sites are presented in full-page reviews written by a Trains magazine editor or correspondent. Reviewers offer advice on what to see, when to go, and how to get there. Learn more or order.
Readers’ Birthday and Anniversary Greetings
Happy Anniversary!
• December 14: To Don and Mary Williams from Kristi Williams and Eddie Skellie.Happy Anniversary to my awesome parents!!! You are loved and cherished beyond words! Thanks for introducing us to the world of RV living. You rock!
RV Travel staff Editor and Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Assistant editor: Diane McGovern. Contributing editor: Russ De Maris. Contributing writers: Greg Illes, Bob Difley, Richard Miller, Richard Mallery, Janet Groene, Roger Marble, Julianne Crane and Chris Guld.
ADVERTISE on RVtravel.com and/or in this newsletter. Contact Chuck Woodbury at Chuck(at)RVtravel.com.
About the RVtravel.com editor Chuck Woodbury has explored America by RV for nearly three decades. In the ’90s he published the quirky travel newspaper Out West, and was an “on the road” writer for the New York Times Syndicate. His book, “The Best from Out West” is available at Amazon.com. Woodbury’s RVing adventures have been profiled on ABC News, CNN, NBC’s Today Show, and in People Magazine, USA Today and in hundreds of newspapers. Nowadays, he lives near Seattle, where he drinks massive amounts of coffee and travels often in his motorhome and sometimes by plane when vast expanses of saltwater would turn his RV into a leaky submarine. He is the host of the Better Business Bureau DVD “Buying a Recreational Vehicle,” the definitive guide to purchasing an RV the right way.
Everything in this newsletter is true to the best of our knowledge. But we occasionally get something wrong. We’re just human! So don’t go spending $10,000 on something we said was good simply because we said so, or fixing something according to what we suggested (check with your own technician first). Maybe we made a mistake.Tips and/or comments in this newsletter are those of the authors and may not reflect the views of RVtravel.com or this newsletter.
Our offices are located at 610 5th Ave. S, Suite F, Edmonds, WA 98020.
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TODAY’S DEALS ON RV PARTS & ACCESSORIES AT AMAZON.COM. Click.
That diesel motorhome or truck you’re driving may be a dinosaur in the making. The leaders of four major cities, from Europe to Central America, are planning to ban all diesel vehicles by the middle of the next decade, the BBC reported.
Time will tell if the movement reaches cities in North America.
In the U.K., campaigners are calling for London’s mayor to commit to phase out diesel vehicles from London by 2025.
In addition, the mayors of Paris, Mexico City, Madrid and Athens have said that they will stop the use of all diesel-powered cars, vans and trucks, which includes motorhomes, by 2025 in order to improve air quality.
In Europe, the BBC reports that diesel-based pollution kills about 467,000 people a year. The particulates from diesel emissions get into the lungs and cause cardiovascular disease, while the nitrogen oxides form ground-level ozone which causes breathing difficulties.
The diesel ban is hugely significant, noted the BBC. Carmakers will look at this decision and speculate it’s just a matter of time before other city mayors follow suit. Here in the U.S., RV makers will likely do the same.
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Every year the California BLM hands out a huge, colorful, 12-month “planner.” These glossy calendars are great wall-hangers and help you keep your plans organized. And the pictures focus on BLM lands that can give you an incentive to go traveling.
This is what happens when you sell your home to travel full-time in an RV. The image on the left is my key chain four months ago. Actually, there are two separate chains that I needed for different things. I still had a home, an office, a storage shed and probably a few other locks I can’t remember now.
Grand Design RV is recalling nearly 2,000 model year 2015-2016 Momentum toy haulers and Solitude travel trailers manufactured July 8, 2014 to August 31, 2015 equipped with certain aluminum black ladders manufactured by Christianson Industries. These ladders have retractable hinges, each with a welded ‘top hat’ that can separate from the hinge.
The Plaza Hotel opened in 1856 and welcomed guests into the 1930s. It’s now a part of San Juan Bautista State Historical Park, site of the beautiful old Spanish Mission built in 1797. Part of Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece film “Vertigo” was filmed here.
My daughter, Emily, lives in Brooklyn, New York. She’s 25 and finding her way in the business world. A year ago she told me she had adopted a Puerto Rican street dog, which she named Astor. I was not happy, thinking the dog would restrict her freedom in her career search. But now, a year later, I believe adopting Astor was a wonderful thing for both the dog and my daughter.
By Emily Woodbury
A dog does something to a human — it takes all your “hard” and makes you soft. Dogs teach you patience and kindness. They keep you active. They get you outdoors and moving the blood that needs to be moved. Study after study has shown that owning a dog reduces risk of illness, dropping heart-attack rates and depression levels. 
P.S. One year ago, my daughter, Emily, adopted a Puerto Rican street dog. She immediately fell in love with her. Before she met Astor, the dog was living on the streets of Puerto Rico, sleeping under pickup trucks, begging for food scraps. 
•Did you miss last week’s RV Travel? 
Say No to the Snow!
This year, say NO to the snow, and head south for the winter! Florida, Arizona and South Texas benefit from beautiful sunny days and gentle warm breezes. You can too! Stay a week, a month, or the whole season! Book your long-term seasonal or annual stay at one of over 80 resorts in the southeastern United States. 
RV accent lighting is all the rage! Just look around the RV park! Enter Boogey Lights®! These robust, super-bright, state-of-the-art LED lights with hi-tech controller technology represent the next generation in LED lighting for RVs. The AWNING & UNDER-GLOW LIGHT KITS are specifically designed to withstand harsh operating environments. Don’t waste your money on junk! Get Boogey Lights! You can even control them with your Smart Phone! 
America’s Largest
Good news, bad news? The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill last Tuesday that could pump as much as $20 million per year into the nation’s parks. The kicker? It means increasing the cost of senior citizen lifetime park passes up from the current $10 to $80. If law, the bill would send $10 million per year to the park service directly. Up to an additional $10 million from sales of the passes would flow into the parks provided matching funds appear from private donors.
Louisiana State Police were called to the scene of a rolled over travel trailer on I-10 near the Texas state line last Sunday. Not an unusual event, but some of the passengers in the trailer were. Police report they included two dogs, five cats – and an iguana. No injuries.
Keep up with RV Industry news
RV Armor has tough skin!
Now, here’s the perfect stocking stuffer — Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz go RVing! In this 1954 classic — in gorgeous Technicolor — the famous couple (as newlyweds) invest in a 40-foot travel trailer and hit the road. The result is hilarious! The scene in which Lucy tries to make beef stew, a Caesar salad and cake in the wobbling, moving trailer is a classic! This DVD is a great gift for your favorite RVer! 
Frank Sinatra memorial at garlic stand
No Shock Zone, Part Twelve — 
Fix it in Foil! Tasty Recipes. Easy cleanup!
RV Club of the Week
Forget messing around with flares. 
Keep rodents out of your RV!
It’s hard to believe that an electric space heater could use a mere 200 watts — the same as a couple of light bulbs —a fraction of other space heaters. And this one really works! It’s meant to heat a nearby person, not a room (although it will keep the chill off a small bathroom). Put it on your desk or at your feet. It’s perfect for the RVer who’s “always cold.” Click the video by RVtravel.com editor Chuck Woodbury. 
Give gift cards to your
Help stabilize
RV Travel Reader Pets
Microwave cover collapses for easy storage
When heating your food you don’t want to spend 10 minutes later cleaning the splatters inside the microwave. Here’s the solution — perfect for RVers: It pops down flat for easy storage. Lid perforations allow steam to escape to keep food moist. Doubles as a strainer! 
Avoid moisture damage to your RV
Mike Sokol is an electrical and professional sound expert with 40 years in the industry. Visit 
Stupid Statements of Yesteryear 
Endorsed by Roger Marble of RVtireSafety.com!
Liquefy solid wastes in sewer holding tanks
Trivia
Stay warm with this 12-volt Warming Blanket
Riding the rails! Tourist Trains Guidebook
That diesel motorhome or truck you’re driving may be a dinosaur in the making. The leaders of four major cities, from Europe to Central America, are planning to ban all diesel vehicles by the middle of the next decade, the BBC reported.