RV Home Yet?

Things that creep, crawl, fly and bite!

The California Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds issued a reminder to campground owners to alert their campers if there are bugs, snakes, plants or even bears that might cause a problem. Since not all owners think about that, RVers and campers would be wise to ask about these things when they stay at a park - especially if someone in the party has allergies to stings.

Bites from mosquitoes and ticks can cause disease. Poisonous snakes don't always have venom in their bites, but who wants to take a chance? Poison ivy, poison oak, nettles and some other plants cause discomfort; some individuals have very severe reactions to being touched or being around smoke where a plant has been burned. And, of course bears (and even racoons) can be destructive if food is left out.

Yes, a campground owner or government entity should warn you, but best to be proactive. Find out what you need to protect yourself and do it. Sprays, lotions, long pants and long-sleeved shirts are easy precautions. Keep a clean campsite and that too can avoid problems with critters as well as ants.

Camping or parking your RV in the outdoors is great fun. Keep it that way! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Poll: How much do you spend?

Thought we'd get updated figures for how much it costs to live the RV lifestyle. Besides the everyday expenses, be sure to factor in things like taxes and repairs and once-a-year expenses like insurance or vehicle registration. Vote below. Leave a comment if you'd like. Thanks! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Kansas City - Mid-America RV Show

Bartle Hall at the Convention Center has plenty of room for RVs! I wandered among some between presentations on the RV lifestyle, enjoying all the new features. Lifestyle RVs, located in Grain Valley, MO, has signs like below left on their trailers to point out features. The Raptor, in their display, had a side patio and a sign for its 6-point Auto Hydraulic Leveling System. Selling points, yes, but good information for shoppers to know.

 

RVs are, as we pointed out before, catering to families and outdoor entertainment. In the toy hauler room, some trailers/5th wheels now have a dining area. This one, by the use of benches which fold up or get set aside, can accommodate a large family group or party at a folding table. And this Sprinter has a serious outside RV kitchen with sink, cabinets, refrigerator and grill.

Mobile Suites is one of the better made 5th wheels. You can get double-pane windows, double door refrigerator, two recliners and Corian countertop on the kitchen island. They are excellent 5th wheels for full-time RVing, though pricier than many other 5th wheels. St. Louis RVing had this costumed character to attract visitors and willing posed for photos!

Drawing a huge crowd at each show is Twiggy the water skiing squirrel. Actually Twiggys #7 and 8 are used in the show. #1 first learned to ski in the 1970s. The show emphasizes water safety as well as watching Twiggy water ski and count!

The show started in the afternoon Thursday and Friday, so I have had a little time to explore. More about that in another post. In the meantime, if you are in the Kansas City area, come on down to see the Mid-America show and check out all the RVs. Stop by the seminar area if you do. I'd love to meet you. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

CO RV show- day 3- more RVs!

Snow is predicted and we are getting a few flurries. Brr! Tomorrow it's supposed to go down to 5 degrees. Yikes! Today should be pretty busy. Tomorrow is questionable, at least in the afternoon; the Denver Broncos are in the playoffs. I had more time to look at RVs this morning. Just inside the door, though are these pink flamingoes- yard art for your RV spot! Grass Haven Outdoor is a new company offering stylish camping gear for RVers and tenters.

Looking at trailers for active families, this pull trailer has an ATV loaded onto that front carrying area. It does keep the weight further forward instead of pulling down the rear. And this toy hauler is using the top bed that lowers for storage.

One drawback of many smaller rigs for us is that the bed is situated so one person has to crawl over the other to get in and out. In a 24' Airstream trailer, there is room at the end to get by so that inside person doesn't have to crawl over. The new Airstreams are much lighter inside than older models too. This Coachmen Class C with double slides is designed for outdoor use. You have the big screen TV (and another inside) plus the kitchen/wet bar area on the outside.

I did go back and look at the Somerset pop-up trailers with toilet and shower because of am inquiry by a friend. They do have about 25 gallons of fresh water. However, I saw no mention of a place to dump if you weren't hooked up. Under the discreetly hidden toilet is a 5-gallon portable tank that can be dumped easily. The caravans (RVs) for rent in New Zealand all had this feature since most RV sites there do not have a hookup for sewage.

Camping World is here with both accessories and a selection of RVs. They have their big bags for grabs all over their displays - great for show visitors who collect literature. At another dealer's location, I was intrigued by the Pleasure-Way van with its amazing amount of counter space for a Class B.

And there are expensive Class As at the show too. The Tiffin Phaeton is perhaps the most expensive model. With both front slideouts extended, you could almost dance. Extra features like this gas fireplace add warmth and hominess.

One more day, so tomorrow's your last chance to attend the Colorado RV Adventure Travel Show. I was delighted this morning to meet Mike A, a subscriber of RV Lifestyle Ezine at my first talk. Stop by at 5  in the seminar area or tomorrow if you attend! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Smaller RVs at the CO RV Adventure Travel Show

I walked around as the show started today. It's the second day of the 23rd Annual Progressive Insurance Colorado RV Adventure Travel Show. As you come in, there is a cute Smart car that can be towed on the ground, both in red and white. For trips to the grocery store and exploring, this little car would do the job - easy and light to tow, excellent fuel mileage. Starting price is $12,490. I also noticed a pop-up with a side bed by Jeep. I hadn't known Jeep was even in this market. I'm guessing that some of the Jeep vehicles could tow this.

When I think of Class B vans, I think small. This Leisure van is very spacious with slideouts and lots of floor space. The sitting area makes into a bed. If you have a spouse or partner, you would need to go to bed at the same time, though, or one could sit and read in the passenger seat. The vehicle is almost as large as some Class Cs, without the cab-over bed.

This Somerset pop-up trailer actually has a toilet and shower. It's tiny and works only with hookups, but that's new for me. Or, you can get this tent to take along with your pop-up to use for a changing area, shower or a place to put a porta potty.

Two trailers - perhaps not that small - but in the lower price ranges for RVs- had interesting additions. This rear bathroom in a Sunset Trail trailer has a door to the outside. Great idea for people camping or perhaps riding ATVs or sand buggies who come back to the RV to use the facilities without tracking through the whole trailer. And this toy hauler area has a sink so people can wash up a bit before going inside to the main living area. Wow!

The RV industry is responding to their newest and fastest growing demographic - the under-35 group who often have families and may go out to play with their toys. Extra beds, toilets, sinks all favor this active lifestyle.

There are plenty of RVs of all sizes, shapes and prices geared for families and active people. So come on down if you are in the area. You can purchase a discount ticket online at the show site: Progressive Insurance 23rd Annual RV Adventure Travel Show. The show runs today through Saturday from 10 to 8 at the Convention Center. I'll be giving two talks a day on "The RV Adventure: Living the RV Lifestyle." Love to see you! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

NM RV, Boat and Travel Show 3

The RV show in Albuquerque wound down today. I did get a chance in the morning to see a few more RVs and advances before starting my talks.

I went in an Excel 5th wheel. Like other upper end models, it has a double-door refrigerator with bottom freezer. The kitchen has an island and it comes with two recliners and a couch. We had to put recliners in our 5th wheel and my original motorhome. Nice that manufacturers are listening to their consumers.

I noticed a trailer and a pop-up with metal decks in front for carrying firewood, ATVs or any extra gear. Another one had an enclosed storage area under the extended bed area which could be accessed while open by sliding out. These starter RVs have come a long ways!

This lightweight trailer's front (the black part) is protected by Line-X, a rugged liner they also use in the bed of the trucks. The roof of a fold-up trailer was similarly protected. And to show that not everything there costs an arm and a leg, these inflatable boats are a fun way to explore waterways and add hours of enjoyment to our RV travels.

This was a fun show. I met lots of wonderful people- some just curious about the RV lifestyle or looking for their first RV, others who have already started, still others who are quite experienced. I met Ron and Karen who know me from the Web. A young couple were exploring ways to live this lifestyle but not in conflict with their "green" values. Lots of nice venders too and the staff was great. Heading to Denver tomorrow. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

NM RV, Boat and Travel Show day 2

Saturday is usually the busiest day of an RV show and the place was hopping! I did get a chance to wander around and marvel at all the new advances before I starting giving my talks on the RV lifestyle. Here is an overhead view from the manager's office. The chickenwire built into the glass shows but you can get an idea of the sea of RVs and boats. Out on the floor, one of the new items I noticed was this patio kit so you can sit out on a raised platform with coffee or a drink.Several brands offer this feature.

There are more RVs that will accommodate families and living in the outdoors. This is a sleeping area with outside access in a Zinger by Crossroads trailer. And this Eagle has an outdoor kitchen/bar area.

Technology advances! A Winnebago dashboard looks like you need a special license! Everything has a switch. And Winnebago also has some colorful trailers.

Small is popular too. I went inside a new Lance camper- actually not so small. One of the shortcomings for us when we traveled in our Lance was the lack of a comfortable place to sit in the evenings on an extended trip. The new Lance has a design that has taken care of it with a couch in the back in addition to the dinette. And the bathroom has more room- even a tub.  The pop-up trailers are amazing inside too. They get fancier every year.

Lots to see at the show. It's open from 10 to 5 in the Albuquerque Convention Center. I've given you a small peek into what's there. You'll find about 150 RVs and boats on display as well as vendors of ATVs, services for RVs like insurance, and accessories and extras you might take along. Today (Sunday) is the last day. It's a wonderful opportunity to see many RVs in one place and do some comparisons. I'll be speaking about the RV lifestyle at 11, 1 and 3 today. Stop by if you are in the area! There are discount tickets online. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Little Guy Teardrop trailers

I'm at the New Mexico RV, Boat and Travel Show in New Mexico. Yesterday I only had time to look in my area but saw the cutest little camper-trailer. It has a bed, a few places for storage and the back opens to a kitchen area. While there is no bathroom, this little RV is lightweight and can be towed by a very small car. There are options for heating and cooling.

The inside shot doesn't show all the cabinets that some models have but you can get an idea that it is mostly a bed. The Little Guy Trailers are being sold by GT Trailers in Albuquerque. Check their website for more models and information. And come on down and see them plus many other RVs at the show if you are in the area! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Related articles

New Mexico Boat and Travel Show opens this weekend

Unfair advantage?

I saw a letter to the editor this morning in The Marietta Times about the county fairgrounds in Marietta, OH having an unfair advantage over local RV parks. The county fairgrounds is subsidized by taxpayers and does not pay all the taxes and fees that a commercial RV park would pay, thus is able to charge less. According to the writer, the "Unrelated Business Income Tax" (UBIT) Act of 1950 passed by Congress discourages nonprofits from competing against for-profit businesses.

As RVers, we love cheap camping and parking! Stays at Walmarts, federal, state and local campgrounds help our budget. If we had to pay the average rate each night - which I would estimate at being $30-40/night - it would be prohibitive. We need to have these alternatives. Plus this alternative camping does not usually have near the amenities that a commercial RV park has. Who would pay $40/night to camp at a fairgrounds with no pool, limited or no showers and only a flat spot to park on? It's not worth that. The age-old question remains: if you didn't have a less expensive alternative, would you stay at the $40/night RV park?

What do you think? Leave your comments below. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Traveling with pets

RV parks may offer dog washes soon! We did see a dog washing area in Whitehorse, Yukon back in 2009, but haven't noticed any recently. The K9000 coin-operated dog wash was recently developed and offered to RV park owners. Handy - it would keep from getting the bathtub or shower in your rig wet and filthy!

Also, you might like to read this article in RV Daily Report with tips for traveling with pets if you are new to RVing.

We did travel with a dog for a while, who died while we were in Big Bend. We've opted to not get another for the time being, but pets can bring great joy to your lives. Dogs can get you out to get exercise and socialize. If you are shy, I recommend getting a walkable pet! They act as a magnet and conversation starter. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak