RV Home Yet?

RV tip: Boondocking in the Los Angeles area

I stumbled across a blog, "Aluminarium," written by a couple who travel in an Airstream with their dog. They are boondocking in Burbank, CA. What is required is a Large Non-Commercial Vehicle (LNCV) Parking Permit. Follow the link to verify that you meet the size requirements. You'll also find their guidelines/restrictions and how to apply. The cost is $5 a day. Nice to have this option if you have to be in the Los Angeles area.

Bookmark the Burbank site - just in case you need a spot when traveling through. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Carbon monoxide kills 5 in RV

Five motorcyclists sleeping in an RV at a bike meet apparently died from fumes from a generator. It was probably carbon monoxice poisoning. According to the article at Yahoo News, "'It appears a small storage hatch on the RV did not close properly, allowing fumes from the generator to leak inside the vehicle,' Langford [director of the event] said."

This underscores the necessity of having a working carbon monoxide detector. Older RVs may not even have one installed. The event took place in Tennessee so the generator may have been running to keep the air conditioning unit going.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission's page on carbon monoxide questions and answers on testing a CO alarm to make sure it is working:

"Consumers should follow the manufacturer's instructions. Using a test button tests whether the circuitry is operating correctly, not the accuracy of the sensor. Alarms have a recommended replacement age, which can be obtained from the product literature or from the manufacturer."

If it has been a while since you have checked your CO detector, do so today. If you don't have one in your sleeping area(s) or in the hallway right near it in your RV, install one today. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Pets in RVs need ID

The story of Tiger, a cat who was thrown from an RV during an accident, illustrates why pets must have ID even when safe in their RVs. The accident happened in KY, according to WKYT. Afterwards, the owners searched for 4 hours but gave up and went home to Wisconsin. Pearlie Harrison found Tiger several days after the accident, fed him, and called the number on the cat's tag. The owners were now 650 miles away.

Since Pearlie could not care for the cat, she contacted the Madison County Animal League for Life. Step 1 was done- contact the owner. Step 2 is getting them back together. The owners' vehicles were damaged in the accident so now the League is trying to find a way to help get Tiger back to his family.

A tag on a collar or an embedded chip will help ensure that your pet is reunited with you if it gets lost or separated from you. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

RV Lifestyle Ezine: How to retire and stay retired

The August Part I RV Lifestyle Ezine includes a book review of Richard Parker's Retire & Stay Retired. Wannabes and current RVers will want to read this to see how to stretch their RV retirement dollars. Richard has been involved in financial planning for years and is an RVer.

Also, in this issue, we ponder whether cell phones are appropriate in national and state parks. We invite your response. You'll also find an "App" for traveling in Alaska and much more. Read the issue online or subscribe at RVLifestyleExperts.com.  Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

RV Lifestyle Ezine: Sun damage - inspect & protect your RV

In Tom and Nancy Vineski's column, they write, "...Speaking of sunshine, I just finished a major cleaning of the RV exterior. It dawned on me that we spend a lot of time talking about solar energy and fail to include one of the not so healthy "energies" that come with it—UltraViolet or UV—and the damage it causes to our rigs over time..."

In this issue of RV Lifestyle Ezine, Tom and Nancy go on to explain how you can inspect and protect your RV from damage from UV.

You'll also find two new apps, three festivals that are coming up, and much more. Read also about the International Wolf Center- an item on Jaimie's bucket list.

Unraveling the mystery of RV weights

GAWR, GVWR, UVW, NCC- those are enough to drive any potential RV-purchaser crazy. Blogger Andrew Odom, blogging at Tiny House Blog, wrestled with figuring out trailer weights as he purchased a new trailer. As a result, he has simplified the explanation, defined all those acronyms and explained how which ones are critical to decision making so you don't purchase a trailer too heavy for your tow vehicle.

You may not want a tiny house. You may want a long, long trailer or a big rig. This blog entry will  still take some of the mystery out of it. Andrew plans to follow up with more explanations if you need more information.Take a look at the post here.

And thanks to our friend Lloyd Treichel who blogs at Wandrin for sending me the link to the Tiny House blog. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Savers credit

If your income has dropped - and you can still save some money for retirement, take advantage of the savers credit. Your modified gross income must be less than $28,250 for a single and $56,000 for a couple. You can reduce the federal income tax you owe by up to $1000 for an individual or '$2000 for a couple. Read more at US News & World Report and/or check with your tax preparer on how to take the credit. If you are Workamping, this might be a way to add to your retirement funds. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Check that used RV before buying

A new service is available to get data about a used RV prior to purchasing it. It's called RVChecks.com, a subsidiary of Sparta Commercial Services. To check a used RV, you need to know the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), then pay a fee to get the report.

The information on the reports will vary but the key items, according to the FAQ page, are:

1. The RV's original factory features and model specifications
2. Salvage & Rebuilt information; 
3. Title State & Odometer information
4. Theft information;
5. Multi-State searches

Accident data will not appear on the report unless it is totaled or salvaged. A sample report is available.

The cost for one report, viewable for 30 days, is $29.95. Reports on three different RVs, also available for 30 days, costs $49.95.

I did do a search for our New Horizon that George bought new. It is not in the system. If you were to order a report for an RV like this, your money would be refunded. The report does give you current and historical title information, which could be enlightening. If it was in a flood or there is lien against it, that could show up.

When you are considering the major purchase of an RV, a report like this could help you avoid surprises. In that respect, it's a small price to pay. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

 

 

 

RV tip: Watch out for bogus fees when purchasing an RV

A man in California purchased an RV. On it was a fee for $750 for a state inspection. It seemed a little odd but CA has all sorts of extra fees, such as recycling fees for tires and TVs. It turns out this was bogus and the dealer, Best RV Center of Turlock, is now being investigated. So far, 10 to 15 victims have been found.

It's difficult to figure out the sales contract anyway, but RV buyers should check each item and question it. While the sales department will be pressuring you for a signature and a check, take your time to read the contract carefully. Make phone calls if necessary.

I recently reviewed materials we had purchased a few years ago from RV Consumer Group when we considered purchasing another RV. Author J.D. Gallant stresses, "an RV salesman is NOT your friend." Auto and RV salespeople are focused on one thing, and one thing only - their commission. The whole process is designed to rush you through and make you feel stupid if you question things or take too long. However, don't let them set the pace. Take what time you need - even days. They'll have a fit, but you'll get your RV. If not there, somewhere else and maybe even at a better price. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

RV tip: What's on my food?

Eating healthy is one of my things. While you could drive yourself crazy worrying about what you eat, some precautions can be taken to get the best quality food. I make the best choices and then don't worry about it. In some places where we RV, organic is not an option. Yet other times, our RV travels take us by delightful farmers markets and roadside produce stands.

I did find a tool to check on pesticide residues on various foods. What's On My Food lists common harmful chemicals for many food and how much is in them. If you click on "conventional vs. organic" on the line with the chemical, it further breaks it down into domestic and imported for each type. You can further explore by seeing what harmful effects each chemical has.

I became more concerned about chemical residues when my neighbor told me she had read or heard on an investigative TV show that domestic honey packagers import their honey from China but do not need to indicate that on their label. Nor do they test it for cleanliness or amount of chemicals in it. It has high quantities of harmful chemicals in it. Local honey is probably safest, especially if organic.

If you are concerned, this site is a place you can check food out. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak