FulltimeRVer Newsletter Issue 32
Some of the headlines in this issue of the best email newsletter for full-time RV enthusiasts and others who want to be: Imperial Dunes Camping Gets a Boost; College Student Finds RV Better Than a Dorm; Working While Living the RV Lifestyle; Is A Cube Van for Towing a Square Deal?; Closet Care–Organize Your Stuff Quick and Cheap; Can you make money with your knowledge?
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FREE: 2006 Guide to Dinghy Towing with any order over $20, Monday and Tuesday only, at RVbookstore.com. Visit RV Bookstore now.
Editors at the Wheel
by Russ and Tina De MarisNot long ago on an internet forum, a couple in their 20s asked other forum users about the advisability of becoming full-time RVers at their “tender” age. By their admission, they didn’t have much money set aside, but were willing to work on the road. What do you suppose the response of other forum users was?One of the initial responses was something along the line of ‘Unless you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, forget it!’ Others chimed in along similar lines with horror stories about high expenses, breakdowns, “you are putting the cart before the horse,” etc. Happily, other advice came in, a little later down the line, with musings about, “Wished I’d have done it sooner myself,” “Find work on the road and you’ll never live to regret it.”Is RV fulltiming limited to those who’ve attained to retirement? It wouldn’t seem so; witness the ever popular “Workamper” ethic. What about you? Are you a ‘late bloomer’? Check out this month’s “Fulltime Feedback” to register your thinking on the issue. Speaking of workcampers, the vendor hotspots are filling up at Quartzsite. Keep reading through this newsletter and you’ll find this season’s full schedule of shows in Quartzsite.
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| Lake Powell, Arizona © R&T DeMaris |
HOT OFF THE PRESS!
RVer’s Guide to Corps of Engineers Campgrounds
Learn about more than 600 Corps-managed campgrounds suitable for RVs on nearly 200 lakes around the USA. These are among the best public campgrounds in America. Click here.FULL-TIME RVing: Learn everything you need to know
Anyone who is thinking of traveling full-time with an RV or who is new to the lifestyle will have his or her questions answered in this wonderful 90-minute DVD. Interviews with dozens of fulltimers as well as experts on the lifestyle. Learn more or order.
Fulltime Feedback–The Fulltimer SurveyAt what age did you start fulltiming, or plan to start fulltiming? Answer here.
Listen to great RVing songs
Have you ordered your copy of Cliff Boyd’s hilarious collection of RV songs? What are you waiting for? Learn more about this best selling album and hear 30-seconds of Cliff’s hilarious hit tune “Waltzing Through Wal-Mart.”
Imperial Dunes Camping Gets a Boost
California’s Imperial Sand Dunes not far from Yuma, Arizona are a big attraction to many full-timers, particularly those who have a penchant for “sand railing” through the huge natural sand formations. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Uncle Sam’s governing agency for the dunes has enlarged available camping areas by nearly a fifth since last season.About five more acres of “camping pad” areas have been added along Gecko Road, all with the idea of enhancing the RV experience for some of the 1.2 million folks who visit the “off highway vehicle” paradise each year.
Discuss everything to do with full-time RVing with other full-timers. Click here
RVers Guide to Solar Battery Charging
RVers who yearn for independence from generators and RV park hookups will find this an guidebook to selecting, buying and using a solar electric system. The authors are veteran RVers and solar experts and provide everything an RVer needs to know to enjoy the comforts of household power through the power of the sun. Learn more or order.
FulltimeRVer Newsletter MailbagIs A Cube Van for Towing a Square Deal?
“I am trying to find an RV users group that can help me determine if the idea of using a cube or box truck to pull a travel trailer is a workable idea. At first glance it seems that it would be capable of the task of pulling a trailer as it is designed to carry large loads and would provide an area for additional storage, workbench, etc. There seem to be a lot of used units out there, both gas and diesel and many have been company owned and maintained so might be a bit better than some of the other used tow vehicles on the market.“My guess is that it would perhaps be a bit more troublesome hitching and unhitching and backing up but perhaps that could be overcome with the installation of a rear facing camera mounted on the truck. Also not sure of the mpg one would expect. I have to believe that someone out there has experience with this type of setup and I would like to know if it has any possibilities or are there drawbacks that I have not thought of.” –BGA couple of close associates of ours have gone the box truck route. One has a retired “U-Haul” cube truck he uses to haul his travel trailer, with the “box” outfitted with extra closet space for his wife, a bit of a workshop, and a clever setup for his waste and water system. Check out “The U-Haul Conversion” at FulltimeRVer.com. Another friend has a mid-sized commercial truck with a “Tommy lift” system that actually lifts his toad car into the truck. With a specialty swivel hitch, he can unload the car, even with his travel trailer hitched up. Anyone else have information to add? –EDCloset Care–Organize Your Stuff Quick and Cheap
There’s never enough closet space in the old RV. Here are some tricks to shoehorn your space to a premium:Hit the liquor store and beg for a bottle box. The handy dividers in the box make a great place to stash shoes.
Now take that old shoe bag and mount it on the inside closet door. The catch pockets make a great place to stash belts, scarves, and other small items. Cut one in half and you can mount the other half elsewhere–like in the bathroom for all those aerosol cans that rattle around in the cupboard.
Closet not deep enough for hanging that long dress? How about on the shower rod? Run it up against the wall away from the shower head, and protect the clothing with the shower curtain.
On the other hand, if the closet’s too deep for what you have, consider adding lightweight shelving made from masonite or similar material to divide up that extra space and make it usable.
“How to Buy An RV” from the Better Business Bureau
New 50-minute DVD from the BBB explains how to buy an RV. Learn how to get the best deal, the best rig (for you) and how to avoid classic buying mistakes. Hosted by RV Travel editor Chuck Woodbury. Introductory price: $19.95. Available in DVD and VHS.
Focus on FulltimingCan you make money with your knowledge?
Some fulltimers do. They take their expertise from a “past working life” and turn it into a seminar. How’s that? Let’s say you were a tax accountant or professional tax preparer. You may find plenty of RVers who’d love to hear some tips on saving money on taxes. If you stay on at an RV park, particularly a large one, you may be able to put on a seminar for other RVers in the recreation room. Check with the park manager–you may be able to get the room for free, or inexpensively.Don’t have anything to share on the professional level? Many RVers are fascinated with learning about places to go and see. Put on a slide show and talk about some of the places you’ve passed through, again using the same parameters as the “professional presenter.” Keep the admission costs down to a dull roar, make it lively and fun, and you may be able to make a few dollars toward your traveling expenses. College Student Finds RV Better Than a Dorm
You don’t need gray hair and a retirement pension to appreciate RV living. Down in Waco, Texas, Baylor University student Hunter Weakly has traded in his dorm room for a 40 foot RV. It was an easy decision: Dorm life was just too busy for a self-described “country boy,” and living in an RV park in a rural area just seemed more natural. Especially when he opens his rig windows at night and listens to the call of nearby coyotes. The economics make sense as well: Even an off-campus apartment would have run $500 a month; in his RV park his expenses run a little over half, and when he’s done with his education, Weakly figures his RV is an investment that can be sold–try that with somebody else’s apartment. Other benefits that Hunter appreciates? The friendliness of other RVers in the park–never too busy to lend a hand. Maybe after graduation Hunter will find that combining his career with RV life will make him a working fulltime RVer.
Locate Wal-Mart stores: Lowest price anywhere!
Use this directory to plan free overnight stays. Get easy driving directions to every Wal-Mart in America. Learn more about the Wal-Mart Locator or order. 20% Off.
Rolling Tech
RVer’s have plenty of “home work” to keep up with. Caring for the rig demands far different skills than those left back home. “Rolling Tech” will cover technical issues for the RV set.Getting Ready to Roll South for the Winter? Ready Your Home Base!Preparing to head out for a warm winter isn’t just a matter of packing the RV. If you’re leaving a land-based house behind, take precautions, or you may pay a heavy price when you return.Leave the heat turned on, but set low, say 50 degrees. Keeps the drywall dry and floors flat
If there’s the least concern about freezing pipes, turn off the water supply and drain them all
Shut down the water heater and leave drained
Pour RV antifreeze down all sink, tub, and toilet drains.
Disconnect water supply hoses from your wash machine, set to spin to pump out water, while pouring in RV antifreeze to protect the pump.
If not leaving the refrigerator or freezer running, empty them, clean them, and leave doors propped open.
Any rooms without heat? Take out anything that could freeze and burst.
Do a security check, including windows, doors, “turn off” the newspaper, set lights on timers, ask a friend to stop by occasionally.
And a couple of things not-so-technical, but oh-so-important:
Make sure your homeowner’s insurance covers your home if unoccupied for the length of your absence
Inventory your possessions–photograph or video tape. Take those “records” with you, or lock them up in a safe deposit box off-site .
LEARN WHERE TO CAMP FOR FREE
in the USA in your RV: More than 1,250 places listed with more added every day. A free service of FreeCampgrounds.com.
It’s Quartzsite Show Time Again–and Here’s the Schedule
Unless you’re new to the planet, it’s hard to be an RVer and not heard of Quartzsite, Arizona. Perhaps the world’s biggest swap meet, the place with the most odd-balls, the junction of east/west, old/new, classic/ultra modern, it’s something hard to describe.
Each year vendors descend on this big wide spot in the desert southwest to sell just about anything you could possibly want, and plenty you don’t. Every year, along about June, folks start asking us,”What are the show dates?” for the upcoming shows and festivals. Follow this link and you can print out your own copy of this season’s upcoming shows, festivals, and gala chili samplings.
ROADTREK MOTORHOMES:The Fuel Efficient Motorhomes You’ll Love to Drive! Learn all about them here.
Roadwork–Working While Living the RV LifestyleCan volunteering lead to paying jobs? Yes! If you do not have Workamping experience to put on your resume, you may find it easier to get a volunteer position than a paid one. For those wanting to work for a federal agency, it is a great way to get known by hiring officials. Many times volunteers are asked to apply for positions that are paid, often doing the same exact job.Pam and Steve started by volunteering for the USDA National Forest Service. Rather than camphost, they had active jobs like completing surveys, using a GPS to locate campsites, and hiking the back country. They used the opportunity to figure out the jobs they wanted to have, get the training needed, and make contacts. Now they work at highly paid fire season jobs.
Flag Pole Buddy
A new innovative design in a ladder mounted flag bracket. Includes a 3×5 American flag. The new bracket allows you to raise and lower your flag in seconds. Includes a 12 foot aluminum pole that folds down to 6 feet & withstands the harshest desert winds. Learn more.
Fulltimers’ WebsitesNot out there yet? Want to get a taste of the fulltime road? Plenty of fulltimers have websites where they share experiences and insight. Each edition we’ll focus on a website where you’ll be able to learn much more about the fulltime lifestyle.“Malia’s Miles” isn’t heavy on technical talk. It’s not heavy on a lot of the “stuff” you’d expect from the typical fulltimers website. But there is an air about it, a kind of soft, backseat ride-along quality. Melia published a story in the Good Sam Club magazine on her experiences in Alaska, and that success set her out to produce this website that’s nice to scan on a laid back day. It’s kind of like sitting down under the awning and talking over folks met on the road, or scanning a picture album of unusual RVs seen. A break from the normal routine, find it at www.maliasmiles.com
The best club for motorhome owners
If you drive a motorhome you should join the Family Motor Coaching Association, the largest and best club exclusively for motorhome-owners. Many benefits including rallies, local chapters and thick monthly magazine. Special new member price of $35 to RVtravel.com and FulltimeRVer.com readers. Click here to learn more or join.
Free Attractions USA–Get Out and See It For Free
Places to go, see, and experience at no cost. Mark these on your sightseeing maps and prepare to experience something where you can leave your wallet in your pocket. Tips from every state in the union. Oatman, Arizona–Donkeys and Dead BodiesOK, this is a swing toward the off-beat, but hey, consider your source. Oatman, Arizona, a little western berg tucked up in the northeast corner of the Grand Canyon State, and while technically a “ghost town,” there’s more liveliness to be found here than in many a town hall meeting. While the “population” statistics list 200 souls, they must not be taking into account the most famous denizens of this “won’t croak” town: The burros. Though trinket shops abound, folks come to town to feed these long-eared braying brats of the boulevard. Drive to town with your windows down, expect one will stick his head in looking for handouts within short order. Best to have lots of carrots, and don’t worry if you forgot, somebody will surely sell you a bag at rock solid prices. What about those dead bodies? It seems that there’s an element out here in the Arizona desert that just can’t stand for a weekend to go by without pulling on the western boots, strapping on the six shooters, and going down to raise a little Cain in Oatman. Bang, bang, shootemups are a way of life (or izat death?) on many weekends. Just be prepared, pardner, they start with little provocation, and they don’t wait for the tourists to get out of the way. Fortunately you only have to dodge blanks, not bullets.
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| © R&T DeMaris |
Oatman is 23 miles east of I-40 exit 44. If taking your RV, best to come from Highway 95–take the Topock exit near the Arizona/California border from I-40. Many nasty switch backs from the other route could ruin your whole day otherwise. Oatman is “open” during daylight hours, 7 days a week, and there’s no admission fee, no toll bridges, just plenty of folks who’d rather you swap your firstborn for their trinkets.
2006 Traveler’s Guide To The FIREARM LAWS of the 50 States
Don’t carry a weapon across state lines without knowing the laws. Explains the specific gun laws of every U.S. state. Many changes since last year. Still only $12.95. Learn more or order.
Roadside Ruminations “Nothing travels faster than the speed of light with the possible exception of bad news, which obeys its own special laws.” — Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
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| © R&T DeMaris |
That’s it for this edition! Wherever you go, may your travels bring you happiness. We’d love to hear from you, kudos to komplaints, let us know. Write fulltimerv@icanrv.com .
Books and DVDs about Full-time RVing.Big selection.
FulltimeRVer is copyright 2006 by RVbookstore.com. Our headquarters: RVbookstore.com, 170 W. Dayton Street, Suite 103, Edmonds WA 98020. The email addresses of subscribers of this newsletter are never sold, rented or otherwise shared with outsiders. We are members of the Better Business Bureau. We respect your privacy.We are sponsors of the 2006 Life on Wheels Conferences, and are proud to be commercial members of the Escapees and Family Motor Coaching Association.
